by D'Ann Lindun
He held up the guitar and played a few notes of Midnight, her and Dillon’s hit duet.
She shook her head and fought to focus. Between Adam Pelletier and his angry wife on one side, and Stoney crowding up behind her, Maura couldn’t remember the words to her own song.
When Dillon moved toward backstage and Stoney began singing the male part of their duet, Maura hesitated a long moment, fighting to recall her own words. She couldn’t seem to remember the lyrics as her mind went blank.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Adam Pelletier with a concerned look on his handsome face, a mocking sneer on Eden’s lips.
This was not the triumphant return to her hometown she’d envisioned.
It was a disaster, thanks to Stoney throwing her off mid-song.
Stoney played the chorus again, and finally the words came back to her mind. Opening her mouth, she sang like never before.
Somehow, she made it through the set without making an utter fool out of herself. As the last note faded away and the curtain closed, she bolted offstage, grabbing a bottled water from a stagehand. “Thanks.”
Stoney joined her, handing his guitar to a roadie. He, too, accepted a water. After a long drink, he grinned. “Surprised?”
She glared when his arrogant smile flashed. “Were you planning that all along? Making me look stupid in front of my hometown crowd?”
His smile faded at her frown. “Not such a good idea?”
“This was a paid show, not some evening with your buddies around a campfire.” Maura didn’t know why she was so mad. He was a professional musician, not a closet performer who’d sneaked on stage. It was the blindside she was furious about.
Stoney shoved a fistful of hair out of his face. “Damn, woman. I wanted to surprise you, not piss you off.”
“You certainly succeeded in doing both.”
Before she could answer, Dillon approached with his hand out. “Stoney. Nice to see you. Thanks for joining us tonight.”
Stoney pumped the other singer’s hand. “My pleasure. You have some great tunes. I love Midnight.”
“Thanks, man.”
The lovefest was enough to make Maura puke. She looked between them, focusing on Dillon. “You knew about this?”
“Sure did. How do you think Stoney got the music?” He smiled like it was some great achievement.
“And you couldn’t tell me?” She glared at her duet partner. “Let me in on the big secret?”
Dillon’s happy grin faded. “It was supposed to surprise you.”
“Don’t ever do that again,” she hissed. “You made me look stupid. If you want to surprise me, send me roses, but don’t throw me off mid-concert.”
“I’m sorry, Maura,” Dillon said. “I didn’t mean to do anything like that. We just thought it would be fun.”
“Looking dumb in front of a crowd isn’t a good time in my book.” She chugged water and cocked her head toward the chanting crowd. “Sounds like they want an encore. Any more surprises up your sleeve before we go out there?”
“No.” Dillon picked up his guitar. “Let’s give them one to remember.”
Maura swiped her damp palms down her pantlegs. “Let’s do it.” When Stoney stood there, she glanced at him. “Coming?”
“You want me to?” He reached for his guitar.
“Why not?” She shrugged. “You’re here, right?”
He draped his guitar strap around his neck. “What song?”
“How about a classic? Something everyone knows?” Dillon suggested. “What about Old Time Rock and Roll?”
“Perfect,” Stoney said.
Maura nodded. “Fine.”
“Let’s do this thing, then.” Dillon looked at the band. “Ready?” They nodded ascent.
Just before the curtain opened, Stoney grabbed Maura by the elbow and swung her around. As her eyes widened, he planted a hot kiss on her lips. With a cocky grin, he released her and plugged his guitar into an amp.
Maura touched her lips with her fingertips, then before she could say anything, the curtains opened and music swelled. She launched into the words of the song, focusing on them instead of the way her heart raced.
She rocked the song, the crowd sang along, the way they always did to an old hit. Feeling vindicated, she raised both hands over her head in a victory salute and held it as the last notes faded away and the curtain closed.
“Great job,” Dillon shouted over the roar of the crowd.
The three of them went backstage as Shiloh took over. This time, they reached for beer instead of water.
Dillon lifted his bottle. “Toast to a great show.”
“To a great show,” Stoney parroted.
“Great show,” Maura murmured.
Out front, Shiloh called Dillon’s name and the spectators went crazy.
“Sounds like you’re on.” Maura waved him toward the front of the stage.
He set aside his drink and hurried to go join his lady, leaving Stoney and Maura alone. She drank deep of her beer and sighed. “Hopefully that song redeemed me.”
“You think you’re the first to ever forget the words to a tune?” He snorted. “Not hardly. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“It is to me. I hate looking dumb.” Tears threatened and she blinked them back.
“Hey.” Stoney stood and placed his bottle on one of the amps. “Listen, Maura. I’m sorry I fucked up your show. It wasn’t intentional. Neither Dillon, nor I meant to mess you up.”
“I know,” she said. “But you did.”
“I know how to make it up to you.” His voice went low, seductive.
Maura noticed movement over his shoulder. A group of people were climbing the stairs to backstage and in the lead were Adam and Eden Pelletier.
Without thinking, Maura grabbed the front of Stoney’s shirt. “Show me.”
CHAPTER SIX
Stoney complied, laying one on her for the record books. Maura forgot Adam, Eden and whoever else was around as his tongue plundered her mouth. Her fingers curled into his shirt, holding him in place.
Reality intruded when thunderous applause from Shiloh’s audience reached Maura’s brain. She jerked away from Stoney and stared at him with wide eyes. Her breath came in harsh pants. “You’re forgiven.”
“That was just the down payment,” he said.
Maura looked for an escape. Anything to avoid answering his heated promise. She spotted Starla and her date talking with Dillon and Shiloh. “Excuse me a minute, will you?” He nodded and she fled.
She touched Starla’s elbow. “Can I borrow you?”
“Sure.” the blonde looked at the group. “Excuse me, please.”
They walked a few feet away. Starla gave her a quizzical look. “What’s up?”
“I had to get away from Stoney before I did something dumb,” Maura confessed.
“Like what?”
“Let him screw me.”
Starla laughed. “What would be so wrong with that? He’s hot as hell. And if that kiss he was laying on you is any indication, it’s going to be a good ride.”
Maura rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms. Her friend’s blunt words gave her goosebumps. “I’m afraid.”
“Of?” Starla arched her brows.
“Caring too much.” Maura nibbled her bottom lip. “I already told you.”
“I think you’re trying to convince me, not you,” Starla said gently. She glanced over her shoulder at Adam, who was engaged in conversation with Dillon and Trevor. “Do you still carry a torch for him?”
Maura looked at the tall, dark-haired cowboy she’d pined over for so long. He had his arm wrapped around Eden’s shoulders, holding her close. “No.”
“Why not?” Starla slanted her green eyes toward Stoney who was talking to one of the road crew. “Maybe because of that guy?”
The truth of it hit Maura hard. The shaggy haired, tattooed guitar slinger had captured her imagination. “Yeah.”
Starla linked her arm through Maura�
��s. “Introduce me.”
“Okay.” Maura led her friend toward the music man on wobbly legs. When they reached him, she spoke. “Stoney? This is my friend, Starla Jamieson. Starla, meet Dalton Stone.”
“Nice to meet you.” He took her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles. “Call me Stoney.”
“Nice to meet you, too.” She glanced at Maura. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
He grinned. “Yeah? Anything good?”
“Depends on who’s talking,” Starla shot back. “Montana Weaver’s a good friend of mine and she speaks highly of you.”
“Montana’s a good girl,” he said.
A little bolt of jealousy rippled through Maura, although there was no reason for it. Montana was so head over heels for Cowboy she’d never even notice another man. Not to mention Maura had no ties on Stoney. He was free to see anyone he liked.
“The best,” Starla was saying. “So, Stoney, how long will you be in town?”
“My plans are open,” he said. “I might stick around and write a few songs.” He looked toward Maura. “We have one half done that needs finished.”
Her scalp tingled when he said that. She’d been under the impression that he was leaving by Monday. Was he staying for her?
He spoke again. “In fact, we were just about to go work on it.”
Maura opened and closed her mouth. They had no such plans. But she found herself nodding. “We should finish it.”
“We are all going out to eat,” Starla said. “Would you like to come along?”
Before Maura could refuse, Stoney grabbed her hand. “We’d love to.”
Maura would rather have a root canal than go anywhere with Adam and Eden, but she couldn’t come up with an excuse fast enough to get out of it.
A wide smile split Starla’s pretty face. “Great. As soon as everyone’s set we can go.”
With no other option, Maura allowed herself to be swept along by Starla and Stoney’s enthusiasm.
They joined the group on the other side of the stage.
“Where we going?” someone asked.
A few suggestions were thrown around before someone said, “Telluride?”
“That’s a great idea,” Shiloh clapped. “We can take the limo.”
“What limo?” Starla asked.
Shiloh laughed. “The studio sent us a limo from a service in town to drive us from home down here. There’s plenty of room, and with a driver, we can drink if we want to.”
“I’ve never been in a limo.” Starla sounded as excited as a girl going to her first prom.
“It’s settled then.” Shiloh dialed a number and spoke to someone. After she hung up she said, “He’ll pick us up in five minutes.”
~*~
The driver pulled slowly through the throng behind the rodeo stands.
Adam leaned forward and looked at the fans trying to get a glimpse of the stars inside the long limo. “This is weird being on this side. How do you guys stand being looked at like animals in a cage all the time?”
Shiloh laughed. “It comes with the territory. You’re supposed to get used to it after a while.”
“It doesn’t bother me,” Maura said. “I love my fans.”
Adam looked between Stoney and Dillon. “We know how the girls feel. Is it the same for you two?”
“Pretty much,” Dillon said.
“I worked for this since I was a kid,” Stoney said. “So, yeah, I prefer being looked at as to not.”
“We haven’t met.” Adam held out his hand. “Adam Pelletier and my wife, Eden.”
Stoney shook his hand and nodded at Eden. “Nice to know you.”
“We didn’t meet last night,” Eden said. “You’re here for Montana and Johnny’s wedding, right?”
“I am.” He slung his arm around Maura’s shoulders. She was strung tense as one of the barbwire fences out here. “Or rather, was. I’m sticking around a few more days to work with Maura.”
“On what?” Starla smiled at him. “May I ask?”
“Hopefully another number one hit like Midnight,” he replied.
“I love that song.” Starla shot Maura a bright smile. “I wish I could sing like you and Shiloh. I can’t, but I give it my best when either of you come on the radio.”
“I bet you sing just fine.” Stoney gave her his best lady killer smile. He was rewarded when she blushed a light pink and her date put a possessive hand on her thigh and gave Stoney a cool stare.
“This lady sings like a champ in the shower. Not so good elsewhere.” He glanced at her. “Sorry, honey. I have to tell it like it is.”
She laughed lightly. “You’re forgiven.”
The cowboy tore his gaze from hers to look in Stoney’s direction. “We haven’t met. I’m Ryan Lamb.
“Good to know you,” Stoney said. “What is it you do, Ryan?”
“He manages Montana’s place,” Dillon said as Shiloh nodded. “She couldn’t get along without this guy.”
“He and Adam team roped tonight at the rodeo.” Shiloh beamed. “And they won.”
“We had a good steer,” Adam said.
“Fast,” Ryan agreed.
Stoney nodded, although he had no clue what they were talking about. The first rodeo he’d ever attended had been tonight and his mind hadn’t been on the riders in the ring. He hid his ignorance with indifference. He looked out the tinted window at the evening sky. The mountain peaks looked close, almost near enough to touch. He’d never been to Telluride, but heard about it from other musicians who’d performed at the many festivals held there.
“You sang really well, Maura,” Adam said suddenly. “It’s great your dreams are coming true.”
“Thanks,” Maura murmured.
His wife shot him an angry look.
Stoney looked between them. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out there was no love lost between Eden and Maura. Why? What was going on here?
Starla leaned forward. “how are you feeling, Eden?”
She smoothed a hand over her slightly swollen belly. “Great. Thanks.”
Ahhhh. She was pregnant. Maybe that explained her nasty attitude. Nicole had been a bitch during her pregnancy.
“Do you have kids?” Starla was asking him.
Stoney thought the little girl he never saw. “A daughter.”
Maura looked at him with a shocked expression. “You do?”
“Yeah. She’s two. Lives with her mom in L.A.” His voice turned bitter like it always did when he thought of Nicole.
“What’s her name?” Eden asked.
Stoney made it a policy to never discuss his child for fear her little face would end up in a tabloid somewhere. But with this group of people he felt safe for some reason. “Lucy.”
“Pretty name,” Eden said.
“Thanks.” Stoney shifted uncomfortably at all the attention focused on him. He really wanted to know what Maura though about him being a daddy, but now wasn’t the time to ask. His personal life was none of her business anyway.
It wasn’t like she had any reason to know; they weren’t in a relationship.
Yet.
The thought jolted him.
Did he want more than a quick piece of ass? Maura wasn’t a groupie, someone to get his rocks off with and promptly forget. She was special. Not only a knockout, but a talent in her own right. Not someone like Nicole, or Cowboy’s ex, Teal, who only wanted to screw their way to fame and fortune. Maura was a lady. Someone to treat right.
He glanced at her and she must’ve felt his gaze on her. She met his eyes with her midnight blue irises and something in his gut twisted tight. He was treading on dangerous territory here.
Falling in love was out of the question.
He wasn’t Cowboy or Shane or Erik. Those guys were ready to settle down and have a family. He wasn’t. Nicole had taught him that much. Being a husband, or even a decent boyfriend, wasn’t something he could do. He loved Lucy with all his heart, but being a traditional husband and father
wasn’t for him.
He’d better keep his mind on songwriting and not getting into Maura’s panties, because doing so would only make his already lusting heart vulnerable.
Too bad the big guy below his belt didn’t want to listen.
One look at her in her bustier and tight jeans and his cock was standing up and saluting like a good soldier. It had been all he could do to remember his lines during her song. He’d wanted to stand and stare at her like some horny teenage kid.
Starla spoke. “Where do we want to eat?”
“Anywhere that has a good steak,” Adam said. “I could eat a whole beef tonight.”
“Me, too,” Dillon said. “I’m starving.”
“Sounds like we’re all hungry,” Shiloh commented. “Stoney?”
He forced his mind onto the conversation. “Huh?”
“What do you want to eat?” Maura looked at him with her big blue eyes again.
Your pussy. He forced himself to keep it clean in front of this crowd. “Anything is good.”
She must have read the unspoken words in his eyes because she blushed. “I’m not a big meat eater.”
He could think of a million ways to answer that and none of them had anything to do with animal products. Instead, he said, “Yeah? You prefer the garden, huh?”
“Yes. I’m a vegetarian.”
“If we go to a steak place, will a salad be enough?” Starla asked.
“Of course,” Maura told her.
“It’s settled then.” Starla looked around the group. “Steaks it is!”
Dillon leaned forward and spoke to the driver. “Please take us to the best steak joint in town.”
They conferred for a minute, then Dillon sat back. “Five minutes, crew.”
Stoney looked over his shoulder, through the window at the mountain town. Surrounded on three sides by towering mountains, he had an immediate sensation of being trapped. If the north end was blocked off somehow there would be no escape.
Victorian houses painted in bright colors lined the narrow main drag, condos stood behind them as if on guard. About halfway through the tiny town, stood a few brick buildings. One of them had big black letters painted on the side—Ed’s.