Chapter One

I was a stalker.

Not the scary kind. Not the stick-her-in-the-jailhouse kind. But I was guilty of stalking a certain rock star. A rock star that was so fine, any fangirl would drop her thong on his command.

When I was a teenager, I’d had posters of his hot bod plastered on every inch of my walls. Now, at twenty-three, I had T-shirts that sported his band’s logo. But I wasn’t ashamed. I’d yell it loud and proud. I was in deep lust with Hawke Calvin from Def Deception.

Chloe grabbed my hand and pulled me through the crowd of Club Rex. The loud music, people screaming in each other’s ears and laughter filled my ears. I’d never been to any place like this before.

Growing up in my small town of Carbarny, Illinois, clubs had been nonexistent, but what we’d had was music. Music was everywhere. Playing on the radio, on the speakers at a restaurant, or on my phone. And where there was music, there was Hawke Calvin of Def Deception singing his soulful rock tunes into the receiver.

“Sammy, speed it up.” She tightened her hold and jerked me forward. “The band’s got to be here. They just have to be.”

“Chloe, that concert was freaking awesome!”

“Yes, it was, girlfriend. Yes. It. Was.”

My first concert at Chicago’s United Center had been one of the best experiences of my life. The absolute best.

Their music was like no other, and every word Hawke had sung spoke to me like words in a romance novel. I swore, it did. So, when Chloe had found out where the band would be after the concert, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to meet him in person.

Chloe propelled us all the way to the front of the line at the base of the stairs. The VIP lounge was on the second floor.

I glanced around, taking in the half-naked women hanging around men in tight-fitted muscle shirts, feeling totally out of my element. “Chloe, I doubt your intel. Why would they be at a club that plays rave music? They’re a rock band.”

Chloe ignored me and tugged down the hem of her shirt, exposing some of her cleavage. The tall, tatted-up bouncer’s eyes flew to her breasts, like a puppy eyeing his Kibbles ’n Bits. I wondered if his tongue would drop and if he would start panting like a good boy.

“We’re on the guest list.” Chloe offered him her sweetest smile, the smile that could melt Ebenezer Scrooge’s heart.

God, I wished I’d had her boldacious charm. Internally, I applauded her. I would’ve given her a thumbs-up if the bouncer weren’t looking.

Guest list? How the hell did we get on some sort of guest list?

“Are you now?” He quirked an eyebrow, and a sly smile crept up his face, but his eyes stayed fixed on her chest, as if he were in a conversation with the twins.
She placed her hand on the guy’s muscled arm and angled closer to peek at the clipboard in his hands. Chloe’s short jean skirt hitched up, and half of her cheeks hung out. “Chloe and Sam.” She tapped the list with her weekly manicured red fingernail.

It was hard not to notice the difference between us—me in my regular boot-cut jeans with a yellow belt that matched my sandy-blonde hair and my white Def D tank twisted into a knot on the side and the bombshell brunette beside me in a hot, tight-as-hell tube top and jean skirt. I was more cheery, happy princess, and she was more sexy vixen. I guessed it was true what they said; opposites did attract because she was my best bud for life.

He pointed to the list and smiled down at her. “You’re on here.”

She squeed in his face, her I’m-so-cool act disappearing like water dousing a tiny match.

When she stepped in front of him and walked up the stairs, I followed behind her.

The top floor was not as crazy crowded as the bottom floor of the club. The cloud of mist from the fog machine swirled around us, and the scent of cigarettes entered my senses. I thought smoking had been banned in Chicago. Who knew? And there was one other familiar smell—weed. It reminded me of high school—the crowd, the loud music, the drugs. Not like I was into that stuff, but if we were here long enough, we’d get high just by being in the room.

Most of the women were wearing Def Deception shirts or the signature tanks that they’d sold at the concert for fifty bucks. A piece of material for that much money was not worth it, but the logo had me charging toward the shirts super fast, like the whole nation would sell out of them.

“I’m this close to flipping and fainting.” I threw one arm around Chloe and pulled her close. “Selfie time! We have to have proof that we were actually here. Smile.”
Pursing her lips and giving a peace sign, she smiled. I followed in the same pose.

If my mother were here, she’d have done the same. She was a modern hippy and had exposed me to all the greats—The Beatles, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and Def Deception. My heart rate slowed almost to a stop at the thought of my mom, but Chloe’s next words started my heart racing again.

“Look, there’s my drummer boy, Cofi!”

My eyes followed her line of sight, and holy cannoli, she was right.

The drummer of DD sat on a long black leather couch that rested against a wall. Two women were chatting him up. He had a drink in his hand and a chick on his lap. I was surprised Chloe had even seen him with it being so dark.

“God, he’s gorgeous, isn’t he?” Her eyes turned all googly-gaga, just like when we’d been teenagers gawking over Haden Lewis, the head quarterback of our football team.

I wasn’t any better as my insides swirled with excitement.

“If he’s here, Hawke must be somewhere.” My mouth turned dry, and my palms slicked with sweat. I raised my arms and placed them on top of my high ponytail to give myself some air. All I wanted was a glimpse of him close up, and then Christmas and my birthday would be made.

Le sigh.

The bar was situated in the middle of the room. Shot glasses lined the bar, waitresses were filling orders, and men were waiting for their drinks. But that wasn’t where the crowd was. My eyes flew to the people congregated against one section of the room.

Through the darkness, I spotted a guy in the corner, sitting next to a girl. She was laughing at something he had said, and his hand caressed her upper thigh.

I squinted and then stiffened because it couldn’t be. But it was.

Hawke.

It was him. Not the Hawke Calvin who had been a million yards away on the concert stage, not the Hawke Calvin being interviewed on TV, not even the Hawke Calvin in my magazines. It was Hawke, in the flesh.

My sweaty palm reached into my back pocket and plucked out my five-by-seven card with the band’s picture. All I wanted was a signature and to pick his brain about every song he’d ever written. And maybe just to touch him…to say that I’d touched him. That was all. That wasn’t being too greedy, right?

First, I wanted a glimpse of him up close, then I needed an autograph, and now, I wanted to touch him? Which was it, Samantha?

I’d settle for the autograph, given I couldn’t even hear myself think above the music blaring in the background. I knew we wouldn’t be having a long, drawn-out question-and-answer session in this type of atmosphere.

“Where are you going?” Chloe asked.

I pushed past the crowd of mostly girls around me, squirming myself in between the small spaces of their bodies, trying to make my way to the couch where Hawke was sitting.

“I’m getting his autograph.” I flipped toward Chloe, who was trailing right behind me. “Do you want something signed?”

“Yeah, my boobs.” She laughed her Chloe carefree laugh.

I didn’t know if she was serious or kidding. With Chloe, I never knew.

The bass of the sound system pounded under my feet, and the laser lights illuminated the dark room in streams of fluorescent blues and reds and pinks. I rapidly blinked, debating on my next move. I went on my toes but couldn’t get a good look because about twenty girls were in front of me, vying for his attention.

But, oh, was he a dream, even from this distance. I’d worshipped him from afar, and now, I was within feet of him. His hair was a dirty-blond, wavy and it twinkled against the light.

My hand fluttered to my lips, reluctance filling my veins. There was no way I could approach him. He was beyond unattainable.

But, in the next second, I decided I’d have to at least try.

New city. New adventure. New Sam.

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself out of my shy shell.
When would I ever be this close to the lead singer of Def Deception again? Probably never.

I craned my neck and huffed. He was only a few feet away from me, but the women had formed a barrier between us.

There was no way I was going to get in front of these groupies, so I started to yell his name obnoxiously loud, “Hawke!”

And then Chloe joined in. It was as if Chloe had been born with a built-in microphone in her throat, her voice loud, screechy, booming.

Suddenly, a woman in a tight minidress turned around and threw me the dirtiest look. Her hair was a fiery red that matched the fire in her eyes. I flinched, but in the next second, I didn’t care.

Be bold, or go home.

“Hawke!” If Chloe and I screaming at the top of our lungs wouldn’t get his attention, I didn’t know what would.

When the redhead said, “Listen, bitch, wait your turn,” Chloe yelled louder, turned up her nose, and smirked.
If there were going to be a girl fight, I knew she would throw down. My best friend looked sweet and innocent, but she could bite. Bite like a predatory lion ready to protect her cubs.

And then it happened.

Finally, Hawke tore his gaze from the woman in front of him, and our eyes locked.

Deep green eyes bore into my boring brown ones.

Holy wow!

Electricity sizzled in the air between us, and I staggered and stepped back, blinking a couple of times. He squinted and leaned toward my direction, really seeing me. A numbness fell upon my body, as though I were going to faint, but I was frozen in my spot.

“Don’t let that witch stop you.” Chloe pushed at my back until I knocked into one of the girls.

Brown hair whacked me in the face, and she flipped around and gave me the bird. Her eyes narrowed, and I swore, she was about to throw a punch when a bald guy, who must’ve been close to seven feet tall, stepped between us.

The bodyguard.

I took a step back, ready to call defeat when he tugged at my elbow. Scared, I tried to jerk away from his grasp. “Let go of me! I’m going, all right?”

His hold on me tightened, and Chloe grabbed my other arm. My body was in a tug-of-war between the two of them.

“Let go.” Chloe squinted her hazel eyes and her voice lowered to a menacing growl, like a bulldog ready to pounce. “We’re leaving. You don’t have to physically attack my friend here.”

“No, come with me.” With one flick of his thick wrist, he turned my body toward the couches. “Mr. Calvin would like a word.”

Chloe’s eyebrows shot to the ceiling. “Mr. Calvin? Hawke Calvin?” Her grip was tighter than the bodyguard’s but now for a whole different reason. “Oh my God,” she squealed.

And, all of a sudden, it was like a dizzying dream.
My heartbeat sped up, and then in the next second, I was in front of the lead singer of Def Deception. I stood, unblinking, my eyes taking in every detail of him from his chiseled jaw to his sparkling eyes to the scar right above his eyebrow. He tipped his head, sporting a crooked smile. A smile so panty-dropping gorgeous that the teenage butterflies in my stomach fainted and then were brought back to life again, causing a frenzy in my belly. All from his crooked smile.

Le sigh…again.

The magazines did not do him justice. He was most definitely more handsome than my calendar that Chloe had gotten me for Christmas. His eyes were the greenest of greens, just like emeralds or as vibrant as a newly manicured lawn.

The bodyguard released my elbow, and I stepped closer, my left yellow Converse hitting his black leather boot.

“Name?”

I heard him clearly, yet it was as though my mouth had been wired shut. I lost all ability to speak, think, or utter my own name.

Chloe nudged my shoulder. “I’m Chloe, and this is Sam.”

He didn’t tear his eyes from mine as he shook Chloe’s hand first and then reached for my waist where I had to bend down to hear what he had to say. “Is Sam short for Samantha?” His warm breath tickled my skin and caused goose bumps to spread down my neck.
Hawke is touching me. Hawke. Is. Touching. Me.
I pulled back and nodded, still mesmerized by his beauty and trying to keep my cool. I inhaled deeply and coughed because I had, at some point, forgotten to exhale. I guessed breathing normally in his vicinity was not possible.

His fingertips grazed the bare skin at my waist and he pulled me onto his lap. One minute ago, I had been a girl just hoping to see her rock idol, and now, I was straddling him, knees on either side of his waist.
That seemed to break me from my trance, and I pushed at his chest. “Wait.”

“Relax.” He planted his hands on my hips to keep me still. “Sam, relax.”

Like that was even possible. I was straddling Hawke Calvin. And there I was again, dazed and confused at the sound of my name falling from his lips.

“Is there something you wanted, sexy?” His eyes smoldered, and his tone dropped an octave lower.
Me, sexy? Okay, sure. What did I want?

I gulped. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, like mixed-up computer code.

He licked his lips as his fingertips drew tiny circles on my hips, triggering tingles throughout my body. From the look in his eyes, I knew what he wanted.

But I couldn’t. We wouldn’t.

I snapped myself back to reality.

“No…it’s not what you’re thinking.” I shifted forward to get the postcard from my back pocket and froze when I felt his hard length against my inner thigh.

Any sort of reasoning flew out the door. I wasn’t a virgin. I’d been in two long-term, failed relationships, but I didn’t sleep around. One-night flings were not in my vocabulary. Even with a rock star.

Breathe. Just breathe.

Who knew if he was aroused by me? For all I knew, he wore a rock-star boner from the moment he woke up until his head hit the pillow.

“Never mind.” Forget the autograph. I tried to wiggle off, but his hands only tightened against my waist.
“Can you let go?”

“Is that what you really want?” His crooked smirk was enough to melt me again, but I was not that girl.

“No, I wanted an autograph, but I’m not really comfortable…right now.” Something snapped within me, through all the weed and smoke in the air and the loud music. Yes! Clarity and sanity and virtue had arrived.

He was a gorgeous face and had a beautiful voice, but I was a relationship kind of girl. My stomach dropped at the total letdown in meeting him. I’d had such high expectations. I’d wanted to pick his brain about his music, about his songs and the inspiration behind the lyrics to his tunes.

But the typical rock star only wanted one thing.
Crushing disappointment seeped into my skin.

“What do you want me to autograph?” The glint of the strobe lights caught the green in his eyes.

Because his voice didn’t have that same sexual intonation as it had a second ago, I pulled the postcard of the band from my back pocket and handed it to him. “This.”

He tipped his chin toward his bodyguard, and the big guy handed him a pen. It was like they could communicate without actually using words.

He held the pen in his hand and sucked in his bottom lip. “See, I don’t give anything up without getting something in return.”

My eyebrows jumped to my hairline. “Right here? Sorry, it’s not happening.” My response shot out quick, steady, automatic. I wasn’t going to have a public exhibition for everyone to see.

“No.” His eyes danced with amusement. “One kiss.”
My body tensed. I didn’t like being forced into something. Never had. But this was a no-brainer.
Did I want to kiss one of the biggest rock stars in the world?

Forbes’s richest entertainer? People’s sexiest man alive? The lead singer of Def Deception?

I nodded, my heart leaping into my throat, and then before I could say anything, it happened. He leaned forward, his lips meeting mine, and a flame ignited my whole body. His kiss was overwhelming. Warm at first but fire the next. Tingles initiated at our connection, even reaching to the tips of my tiny toes.

A moan escaped him as the pen slipped from his hand and hit my arm. One hand reached under my shirt to my bare back while the other grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me closer, flush against him. My pulse raced, and my skin warmed as he groaned and deepened our kiss.

Sanity had left, and so had clarity. Soon, my panties would be next.

With one flick of his tongue, I opened and breathed him in, his musky cologne with a hint of spice. His tongue intertwined with mine. His hard mouth devoured my softness.

My hands reached for his hair, lying just above his neck. It was soft and silky, and I gently tugged at the strands.

His touch and the scent of him were like drugs lulling me toward nirvana.

When he forcefully moved my body against his erection, my breathing labored, and my body heated. I pulled back, and my heart jumped into my throat. Our eyes locked, both of us a little dazed and a lot breathless.

He leaned in again to meet my lips, but I pressed him back with one hand to his chest.

Without giving myself another second, I scrambled from his lap, almost losing my footing in the process. He reached for my hand, but I pulled away, biting my lip, the stinging pain snapping me back to the present.
I pressed a hand to my thumping heart as it all became so real. I had just made out with Hawke Calvin, doing the Humpty Dance on his crotch.

And, now, I was leaving with my clothes on and my integrity intact.

Go me.

I staggered a little and glanced down. Somewhere between sitting on my idol’s lap and feeling his tongue in my mouth, I had dropped my postcard.

I took two steps back toward him, bent down to pick it up, and stuck the five-by-seven card in his face. “You can make it out to Sam.” I forced a calm coolness in my smile even though my lips were on fire and my heart was going to fly out of my chest.

He blinked, momentarily stunned. For once, his eyes were unreadable, his sexual innuendos gone. I lifted an eyebrow and wiggled the postcard in his direction.
I wanted to ask him so many questions, but I knew I had to go. I smelled like weed now, and I sensed a whole bunch of danger in Hawke Calvin’s eyes, as though he would devour me for his meal and swallow me whole. No part of me would be left unscathed.
With one tip of his chin to his bouncer, the pen was back in his hand. He balanced the card on his knee and scribbled his name along with his number on my card. Even his signature had personality.

When I turned to leave, he stood, reached for my waist and spun me to face him. “I need to see you tonight.” His tone lowered, and his alert gaze was set on mine, his fingers grazing my hip.

His body language promised me more than dinner and a movie. Hell, I doubted that would even happen at all.
I smiled, turned and reached for Chloe as my cheeks flushed pink. Any normal girl would’ve dropped her panties right then and there, but I wasn’t a normal girl. And maybe if he’d had some manners, quite possibly had said, Pretty please, I would’ve considered it. But, no.

His hands circled my waist and pulled my body into him, my back now flush against his hard chest. My nipples pebbled from his touch, betraying me.
He bent down and nibbled the top of my ear. “I don’t beg. Not normally.” His voice was warm against my skin. “I’m in Chicago for a few days. Call me tonight. Please,” he whispered.

And there was that one word I doubted he used often.
Despite me not being that girl, everything inside me tingled with want. But I brushed it off and snapped back to Sensible Sam.

I had to go, or I’d be giving him more than a kiss. I had a feeling that this guy would stomp on my heart, and I couldn’t afford to get sidetracked from my ultimate goals in life, especially since it was only recently that I had gained some normalcy.

I stepped away with my pretty panties still on, integrity intact.

#

Chapter Two

Chloe’s eyes held so many questions, but it was too loud for me to think, too loud to talk. While I was still on a high, we went downstairs and shook our tails to the rave music blaring on the speakers. When my feet felt like they were going to fall off, we strolled out of the club and into the parking lot, laughing like lunatics.

“What did he taste like, Sammy? I need to know.” Chloe linked her arm through mine, dragging me toward the car.

With my free hand, I lifted my long blonde strands that were sticking to my back, sweaty from our dancing session. The humid August night air didn’t help. “He tasted like cigarettes, beer, and one hundred percent bad boy.”

She stepped back, bounced on her toes, and threw me a you’re-so-cool look, as if I were the famous one. “Do you know what you just did in there?” She pointed back to the club. “You kissed Hawke Calvin.” She batted her eyelashes, and the inflection in her voice took on a dreamy tone. “His tongue was down your throat. Do you know how many women would want to be you?”

With my shaky hand, I touched my lips and laughed.
“Yeah.” I pulled the postcard from my back pocket and took in his unreadable signature. “I kinda wish I’d had more time than our less than five minutes make-out session.” Even though I had been the one to walk away, disappointment surfaced. “He wasn’t what I’d expected.”

“What did you expect?” Chloe smirked as she pressed the button to unlock her Mercedes. “You don’t like the super-hot kind?”

“No, I just thought he’d have more”—I shrugged—“substance.” Yes, he was hot, but I guessed I had hoped for the non-typical rock star who didn’t have only one thing on his mind.

Only in my fairy tales.

“What? Were you going to pick his brain?” Her voice turned incredulous.

I turned toward her, smiling. “As a matter of fact, I was. I wanted to know what his inspiration was for his song ‘Death by Life.’” It was such a beautiful song that spoke about a woman who had to die to feel alive. Deep, moving, and powerful.

She flipped her brunette locks over her shoulder, mid eye roll. “Only you, Sam. You’re so odd.”

I opened the door, slipped in right next to her, and laughed. “I’m a pastry sous chef. We’re all odd.”

After she pulled out of the parking lot and veered right, she braked to a halt, causing me to buck forward. My palms slammed against the dashboard. A SUV limo had purposely stopped in front of us.

“What the fuck?” She threw the car in park, flew out the door, and approached the black Hummer limo in front of us that had dangerously cut us off.

Before she got herself in trouble, I stepped out, muscles tense, eyes cautious.

The limo was shaking from the music playing inside, causing the windows to rattle.

“What the hell is your problem?” she yelled, stepping in front of the vehicle

I tugged at her shirt. “Chloe…” I said in my calm mama-bear voice even though my pulse was racing.

She pounded at the driver’s black-as-night window.
“Are you trying to kill people tonight? Open the fuck up!” Her tone could have cut metal.

My adrenaline spiked, and I pulled at her arm as hard as I could. I didn’t want to go to jail tonight—or worse, be a statistic. “Let’s go.”

I desperately tugged at her, yet she wouldn’t budge. She was on a mission to beat some ass, and I was on a mission to stay out of trouble.

When the rear window rolled down, she jerked back, and her eyes widened.

My fingers flew to my parted mouth, and a low gasp escaped me.

Hawke was inside, a cigarette between his lips—the lips that I’d had against mine hours ago. The chatter of the people partying inside his vehicle echoed through the open window.

He tipped his chin. “Hey.”

Chloe blinked, her face totally shell-shocked, and answered with a, “Hey.”

His eyes were on me the whole time.

A dizzying current took over my body, and I focused on the soft breaths leaving my mouth.

Holy smoking-hot rock star.

Maybe he had no substance, but he most definitely made up for it with his sex appeal.

Even if I still wasn’t that girl, only a blind person wouldn’t be able to appreciate his fineness.

His eyes were like a laser-light beam against mine, unwavering. Now that we were no longer in the club, I took in his strong features—his dirty-blond hair, his prominent nose, the electric-green eyes that seared through me.

I swallowed. Hard.

“Sorry about that. I was trying to get your attention.” His voice was calm and smooth, as though his driver hadn’t almost caused an accident.

He held this demeanor, like nothing fazed him. I bet nothing did.

“Well, you got our attention.” She smiled, cheeky-Chloe style, and her eyes ping-ponged from Hawke’s to mine.

He flicked his cigarette out the window and blew out a long puff of smoke that fizzled into the night air. “Wanna get a bite to eat?”

Before I had a chance to contemplate if I should go or figure out what to say, Chloe interlocked our arms and answered for the both of us, “Sure, we’d love to.”

He let out a low chuckle. By the look on his face and the fact that he couldn’t stop staring at me, I didn’t think it was a joint invitation.

This was a bad idea. Bad. Bad. Bad. Especially considering the way my body was reacting to him. “Chloe, I don’t think—”

He pushed open the door. “Let’s go.”

“I’ve gotta park my car.” Chloe waved me toward the limo. “Sam, jump on in. I’ll be right behind you.”

Chloe turned and headed to her vehicle, and I sucked in a breath, focusing on her retreating back. Focusing on anything but the green-eyed male and his intense stare.

He stepped out and tipped his head toward the door. “After you.”

The full moon was out tonight, and I knew, if I got in the vehicle, a whole lot of craziness was about to come, but with Hawke sporting his cocky, crooked smile, I couldn’t resist.

I hopped in, and he slipped in beside me.

Black leather seats spanned the whole vehicle, and fluorescent lights lit up the bar behind the seats. The bar was stocked with beer and hard liquor and the party had already begun.

Every spot was taken. There must’ve been over a dozen people in the car. I recognized two of the band members, who were preoccupied with the women—multiple women—on their laps.

“Hey there.” Two words. Simple and seductive. Hawke’s fingers pressed against my waist.

Warmth spread through me from where his hands touched my body, and the nervousness I had been feeling jumped up twenty notches.

“What do you want to eat?” he asked, his hot breath brushing against my skin. “I know what I want to eat, but it’s not food.”

I didn’t know why his abrasiveness had surprised me, but it had. I wasn’t used to men being so forward. Instead of fighting it, for once, I decided to play with him to calm the jitters stirring inside of me.

When I smiled and leaned in, his lips parted at my proximity.

“Oh God…I want…” I breathed heavily. “I want…” I forced a sexiness in my voice that made his eyes flash with lust. “Chicken nuggets and fries,” I whispered back in the most seductive tone, sweet and sexy soft.

He reeled back, looking confused at first, and then his lips twitched at the corners until a small laugh escaped. “You’re cute, you know that?”

“I’m here,” Chloe said in her peppy voice.

And I was glad for her arrival.

I pressed at Hawke’s chest, needing the room to breathe.

Hawke scooted in to let her jump in on his other side, but because the limo was crammed like a bus of football players going to an away game, he pulled me onto his lap, one hand resting on my hip. I didn’t protest.

Chloe’s eyes brightened as she scanned the limo. “Where are we headed?”

“Apparently, somewhere that has nuggets and fries.” Amusement leaked from Hawke’s tone.

“Let me guess; that was Sam’s suggestion.” Chloe laughed. “She eats nuggets and fries like it’s a five-star meal.”

“And her wish is my command.” He laced his fingers together around my stomach, pulling my body flush against his.

It took all my energy to keep my face level and not melt into his touch. All the while, I was thinking, This is so not happening to me. So not.

Chloe dreamily peered up at Hawke. I wouldn’t be surprised if she started pawing at him and petting him as if he were a real live pet. Goodness…we could take turns.

“Guys,” Hawke announced, “say hi to my friends. This is Chloe, and right here is Sunshine.”

Murmured greetings echoed through the vehicle.
“Sunshine?” I turned to face him.

His crooked smile was on display, the same smile that had stared at me from my bedroom poster and fueled my teenage dreams.

“Cheery and bright,” he said, amused by his own nickname for me. Then, he grabbed a strand of my sandy-blonde hair. “Sunshine.”

My hair was a natural yellow. My mother used to describe it as being as yellow as the brightest sunflower.

A broader male with a crew cut, right in front of Chloe, spoke up, “How about you? Are you cheery and bright, too?”

In the dim light, Chloe blanched. We glanced at each other with recognition, her eyes widening. When Cofi, the drummer of Deception, smiled his devastatingly beautiful smile, I knew Chloe was a goner.

“Not cheery and bright,” she said. “More like sweet hard candy.”

He laughed and beckoned her over, patting his knee.
Without hesitation, Chloe hopped onto his lap. The woman sitting right next to him scowled at Chloe, but Cofi ignored her and whispered something in Chloe’s ear that made her giggle.

“Sunshine, you’re going to make this hard for me, aren’t you?”

I swallowed. “What?”

He reached for my hand and placed it on his jeans. The length of him hardened underneath my palm, and my breath caught in my throat. Someone needed to press the Pause button. Stat. Super stat.

Playing the game, I squeezed, knowing he was well endowed, and I rubbed against the ridge in his pants. He leaned back, and his eyes filled with a lust so strong, my heart raced.

I creeped up, close enough to whisper something in his ear, “It’s too bad what they say about rock stars isn’t always true. Such a shame really.” I released him, pinching my finger and thumb together, and shrugged.
He smirked, tugged at my shirt, bent down, and trailed his tongue from my neck to my ear. The wetness of his tongue against my skin caused warmth to pool between my legs.

“Oh, I’m going to show you, that’s far from the truth. I’m the epitome of a rock star in all things.”

My stomach fluttered, my pulse skyrocketed, and my breathing hitched. I pulled back and stared at him, still pretending to be unaffected by his proximity, which was the opposite of the havoc happening internally. There was no doubt his words were true, judging by his cocky smirk.

“I doubt that.” My tone shook like a glass on top of a washing machine.

He flicked his tongue against my lips. “Better watch out. I might take you and never give you back.”

I smiled, but in the next second, I pressed my hands against his chest and turned toward AJ, the bass guitarist. I needed to focus my attention on something, anything, anybody else because my cool demeanor was slowly fading in front of Hawke.

Breathe, breathe, breathe.

“Where are we eating?” AJ asked.

“Wherever we can get nuggets and fries,” Hawke called out.

“Like chicken nuggets?” AJ asked. “McDonald’s!”

“Yeah”—Hawke nodded, meeting my eyes—“McDonald’s, it is.”

I rubbed my cheek against my shoulder. “Aw, our first date at McDonald’s. Calorie-infused foods. What can I say? I like what’s bad for me.” Somehow, Sensible Sam turned into Playful Sam.

“You’re a good girl, but you’re into bad things?” Hawke’s eyes darkened.

I had no idea where all this flirting was coming from.

Who knew I had it in me?

I straightened and smiled, fully knowing I was playing with fire that would burn me to ashes and leave nothing behind. “If you define bad as greasy and artery-clogging, then yes.” It was hard to keep the googly eyes off my face because, seriously, the rock star was hot. Not pepper hot. Not curry hot. Hot-sauce-burning-your-tongue-off caliente hot.

No wonder he had gained the massive fame that he had. The band was insanely talented, and their leader was crazy gorgeous.

I couldn’t stop staring.

Painfully tearing my gaze from his, I turned to the tinted windows. “Rock ’n’ Roll McDonald’s. Is that where we’re heading?”

We were in the middle of downtown, stuck in late-night rush hour. It might be a while.

“Who knows?” He shrugged. “Our driver will know.”

“Don’t tell me, you’re just going to get out, stroll into McDonald’s, and buy a burger. You’ll start a riot.”

He laughed. Even his laugh was sexy, hoarse, deep, and delicious. I wanted him to do it again.

“No, we’re ordering food and going back to the hotel.”

I blinked and raised both eyebrows.

Back to his hotel?

Well, Sam, what did you think was going to happen?

Did I think we’d drive around in his limo, pigging out on nuggets, and he’d drive us to our car afterward?

I shook my head through the fog. “Wow.
Presumptuous, aren’t we?”

He shrugged. “This guy gets everything he dreams of.” There was no hesitation in his tone. He spoke as though it were a known fact.

“I don’t doubt that,” I said. “It looks like you’re living the dream.” I motioned to the people in the limo.
“Right Chlo—” I stopped mid sentence because I had just caught my best friend riding Cofi, the drummer boy, like she was at the rodeo. Dry-humping, of course.

She still had her clothes on, but his hands were on her ass, and her fingers were threaded through his hair.
Even with the jam-packed car, she did not care.

“All righty then.” I cleared my throat.

“Jealous?” Hawke whispered, thoroughly amused at my reaction.

“Actually, yes.” I sighed, feigning disappointment. “I’ve always fantasized about Cofi and me. Together. Having passionate—” I paused at Hawke’s abrupt change in his demeanor with his clenched jaw and eyes flashing with jealousy.

His arms tightened along my waist as he angled closer, and with one hand at the base of my neck, he pulled me into a kiss so fierce, I forgot where I was.

He captured my lips with possessiveness, with a want that was evident by his hard length pressing against my thigh. I might have moaned against his lips. I might have pressed my breasts against his chest. I might have opened my mouth to feel his warm tongue against mine.

After a beat, against all those warnings screaming in my head, my hands slowly moved along his firm, toned abs to his pecs, and then I slowly pushed him away. I broke our kiss, needing to find my bearings.

“How many dates?” he asked, his eyes darkening, his breathing labored. “What date will you give it up, Sunshine? I’m here tonight for another sold-out show.”

My mouth dropped, and I lightly placed one hand on his chest, just so I could continue to touch him even though the question annoyed me. His heartbeat raced against my hand.

Rock star or not, he shouldn’t assume I was like every other girl he had access to.

“Wow. You’ve got nerve.” My body tensed.

“That’s nothing I haven’t heard before.”

When I went in for another shove, he reached for my hand and intertwined our fingers. “Then, I’ll be traveling for a few weeks before we head to Europe. “How many dates?” he pressed.

When I stared longer into his eyes, the cockiness in the green slowly disappeared. I witnessed something deeper that surprised him as well because he leaned back, giving himself some room.

I swallowed. “If I say twenty dates, are you going to fly me all over the world until we hit the twentieth McDonald’s?”

“Maybe,” he admitted with a chuckle.

“Oh, you want to get in my pants that badly?” I was still annoyed but also shaken that he seemed to even care, to want me that badly.

He leaned in, his warm breath laced with the scent of cigarettes brushing against my face. “You have no idea.” And then he kissed my lips again without hesitation and without apology.

His kisses were hot and intense, making me squirm in my seat, my whole body rising in temperature.

“You taste so good,” he said through his kisses. “I can only imagine how it feels to be inside you.”

His fingers trailed under my shirt, touching the bare skin right above my hip, inching up to the middle of my back. When he unclasped my bra, I placed one hand on his chest and broke away from him.

“Sorry, you’re not getting that kind of action.” My voice shook with arousal.

I was using all my self-control not to take off my bra and toss it at his face—which I was certain happened often. The crowd in the limo was a good deterrent though.

The music died down as someone yelled from the front of the limo, “Orders! We’re almost there.”

A couple of pads of papers along with pens flew down the aisle. The lights flipped on, and there were echoes of complaints.

I welcomed the lights and the distraction and the interruption.

I rested against his chest, catching my breath.

The sooner I was out of this car, the better.