Madden palms Hendrix’s face and pushes him out of our space. “Fuck no, she didn’t miss you.” He laughs when Hendrix kisses me on the cheek and runs away. “I guess we should hurry and get this night over with so we can be alone. You down for that?”
I nod and wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m always down for being alone with you. How quickly do you think you can sign those autographs?”
“Depends…”
“On what?” I tease.
“On what you plan to do to me once we’re alone?”
“Careful, rock star,” I tease. “I might have my taser in my back pocket.”
“Mmm… kinky…” I laugh when he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. “Let’s hurry this shit up then.”
Camera flashes go off numerous times from every direction as Madden rushes to meet up with his bandmates. I can’t even count the number of photos I’ve found myself in on social media since that concert where Madden walked off stage to find me. I try my best not to look at them all, but I get curious and find myself saving all the ones of Madden and myself.
The merchandise table is so crowded by the time we get to it that the security team has to separate the fans to give Madden room to walk to his seat. Usually, I stand off somewhere in the back and give them their space, but Madden pulls up the extra chair and sits me down in it. When he moves in to give me a kiss, my anxiety fades and I find myself interacting with the fans just as much as the band is. Some of them even ask for my autograph, which makes no sense to me, but Madden and the boys just laugh and include me as if I’m one of them.
After doing autographs and posing for hundreds of pictures, the band, Jason, and the security team pile up in the tour bus for drinks to celebrate and unwind. From the way Madden keeps eyeing me over and kissing me, I know it won’t be long before he’s dragging me back to our hotel room. Not that I’m complaining…
“Fuck, I love you so much,” Madden whispers into my neck. “You sure you can handle living this lifestyle with me? It’s like this all the time. It never stops.”
I look down at my phone to check the time. It’s already past midnight, just like every other weekend. They live a chaotic life but that’s part of who Madden is. I want that to be part of me too. “Yes.” I grab his face and kiss him. “I love you too much not to.”
“I swear you two never stop to breathe,” Hendrix jokes. “Let me guess… you’re going back to the hotel room soon?”
“You know it, fucker. Don’t be jealous.”
I laugh when Hendrix rolls his eyes and the boys start bickering back and forth. The band has become like a second family since I’ve been on tour with them, and although the boys give Madden shit, I know we have their support one hundred percent.
I’m ready for this new adventure with Madden no matter how crazy it gets. I’m a girl in love, and I only see myself falling more and more with time.
EPILOGUE
Madden
ONE YEAR LATER…
We pull into the driveway of the cabin, and just like last year, all our friends are already out back hanging by the fire. This year, some things are different—we’re not pretending, there are no lies, and Natalie doesn’t belong to my brother. She’s mine for real this time, and there’s nothing I’ve wanted more than to bring her back to the cabin so we could enjoy it as a real couple. I’ve looked forward to it all year.
“You sure you can handle being my girl for the weekend,” I tease, leaning in to kiss her bottom lip. “We’re going to have to be all over each other, kissing and doing lots of other things… Dirty things.”
She smiles playfully and grips the back of my head, pulling me in closer. “I’m not sure I could handle not being your girl. I never want to know that feeling again.”
“Good,” I whisper, my thumb tracing her lip. “Because you’ll never have to.”
“Is that a promise?” Her lips brush mine, and to answer her question, I kiss her, my hands digging into her hair. “I like that answer,” she whispers when our lips part. “A lot.”
“You’ll get that answer every fucking time, babe. I’m never letting you