Not everywhere. I didnt recognize you. But then, Im really not a fan.
I figured that out right away. It was one of your most endearing qualities. She quickly stood. I have to get out of here. If those girls recognized me, then it wont be long until everyone on the bus is looking at me.
Where are you going to go?
I dont know. Where are my sunglasses? He handed them to her and she put them back on her nose, then pulled her hood over her hair. I cant stay here. Maddie held out her hand. Thanks for everything. I really appreciate you riding to my rescue. When he refused to shake her hand, she turned to hurry down the aisle, then paused.
A moment later, she stumbled back to him and threw her arms around his neck. Her lips met his, soft and sweet and unbelievably exciting. Kieran slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her closer. The kiss was so unexpected and yet so perfect.
Her lips parted and Kieran took the invitation to explore more deeply. A tiny moan slipped from her throat as their tongues met and his hands slipped beneath the sweatshirt, circling a tiny waist and pulling her down into his lap.
Hed known this girl, this woman, for a half day and yet, they seemed to sense what the other wanted from the kiss. Kieran settled her against his body, furrowing his fingers through her hair. The high backs of the seats hid them from the view of the passengers still on the bus and they lost themselves in a rare moment of privacy.
When she finally drew back, she sent him a winsome smile. I hate goodbyes, she said.
Me, too.
I really should go. I have to keep moving or theyre going to catch up to me.
Why are you running? Thats a little drastic, dont you think?
I just want a different life for myself and this is the easiest way. I dont want to argue anymore or fight, I just want to wake up each day and feel as if its going to be the best day of my life, not the worst. She paused. Maybe you could come with me?
The offer was so tempting. But Kieran had other responsibilities to fulfill. Hed made a promise to his grandfather and no matter how beautiful she was and how much he enjoyed kissing her, he was bound for Bitney, Kentucky. I cant. I have to go to Kentucky.
I still want to go to Kentucky, she said. Well just find a different way. Maybe we could go by train?
I dont have the money for a ticket, he said.
If you come with me, Ill buy your ticket. And your meals. Itll be fun. Ive never taken a trip on a train. Dont you want a little adventure in your life, Kieran Quinn?
Kieran groaned inwardly. If he went with Maddie, life would certainly become a lot more interesting. And who knew where things might lead between them.
Hed always been so careful about how he lived his life, especially when it came to women. But his grandfather had wanted him to imagine a completely different life for himself. Taking a cross-country road trip with a runaway music star would certainly be something new.
All right, he said. But how do we know that we can catch a train here? He shook his head. I dont know where we are.
Topeka, she said. Maddie pointed out the bus window. And theres a sign for the Amtrak station right there.
Then lets go. He grabbed her waist and set her in the aisle, then stood up and got his bag from the overhead rack.
Really? You want to come with me?
Yeah, Im looking for a new life, too. I dont think it matters if I start the search in Topeka, Kansas, or Bitney, Kentucky, as long as I find it.
Maddie held out her hand. All right. Lets go.
They hurried off the bus, Maddies identity once again obscured by the hood and the sunglasses. Kieran wasnt sure what the future held with this crazy, impulsive, sugar-addicted woman, but hitting the road with Maddie West was sure to be much more fun than another five hours on a bus.
When they stepped onto the platform, there was a crowd gathered nearby. Suddenly, one of the girls whod asked for an autograph jumped out from the crush of people. There she is! Thats her. Thats Maddie West.
Kieran was shocked at how fast the people surged toward them both. And he was doubly shocked at how quickly he reacted. He grabbed Maddies hand and pulled her around to the other side of the bus. We need to go. Right now.
Luckily, there was a cab parked on the street about fifty yards away. If they could reach it before the crowd got to them, theyd be safe.
With a scream, Maddie took off, pulling him along behind her. She was quick and nimble, crossing the distance like an Olympic athlete. She quickly crawled in the backseat of the taxi, ordering the driver to go as Kieran threw his bag in the backseat. He got inside as the cab was pulling away from the curb, then looked at Maddie. She was smiling, her color high, her pretty green eyes flashing.
Where to? the cabbie asked.
I dont know, Maddie said. Just drive for now. Well figure it out later.
Kieran, breathless from the run, grinned at her. And then, adrenaline took over. He grabbed her and pulled her into a long, desperate kiss. His hands frantically grasped at her clothes, wanting to touch her anywhere, everywhere at once. And Maddie was just was frantic, her fingers working at the buttons of his shirts.
When they finally drew back, they were both still breathless. The cab driver watched them in the rearview mirror. Are you someone famous? he asked.
Maddie laughed. No. Not anymore.
You know, I once had Willie Nelson in my cab. He was a real nice guy.
Im sure he was. Could you take us to the Amtrak station? Kieran asked.
The train station was only a few blocks away. Kieran decided to have Maddie wait in the cab while he checked the schedule. Unfortunately the next train east wouldnt leave until the following morning at 5:00 a.m. He bought two tickets with the money Maddie had given him, upgrading to a private room to keep fans from recognizing her.
When he returned to the car, she was waiting. The next train leaves tomorrow morning, he said.
What are we going to do?
I suggest we get a hotel, take a shower, relax and get a decent nights sleep.
Take us to a nice hotel, please, Maddie told the cab driver.
Nice but cheap, Kieran added.
No, not cheap, Maddie said. We want room service. And a big bathtub would be nice. And maybe someplace nearby where I could buy some clothes.
Everything downtown is closed, the cab driver said. I could take you out to the Target. Its just a couple miles north of here. Theyre open twenty-four hours and their prices are real reasonable.
There we go, Kieran said. Reasonable.
Why are you so hung up on money? Maddie asked. We have plenty. She turned to the cab driver. All right. Target, first, then a nice hotel near the station. Something with room service.
Ill fix you up, the cabbie said. No worries.
They both sat back in the seat. You know, we really should be more careful with your money. Youre not even sure how much you have, he whispered.
You seem to be more worried about my money than I am. She grabbed the cash out of her pocket and handed it to him. Here, you take care of it. Theres more where that came from.
If you use a cash machine, they might be able to trace your movements.
I have a secret account, Maddie said. No one knows about it, not even my mother. And I have this debit card. She pulled a card out of her pocket. So, stop worrying about money, Mr. Scrooge. Ive got it covered.
Being too free with money went against every instinct he had, but he wasnt living his own life anymore. Why not see where this led him? It might be fun to stop worrying about every move and be more like Maddiespontaneous and impulsive.
All right. Youre in charge.
Maddie reached out and gave him a hug. See? Well make wonderful traveling companions.
In truth, Kieran wasnt so sure. It was easy to keep his hands off of Maddie when they were out in public, riding on a bus or sitting in the station. But sharing a hotel room for the night was tempting fate. Though getting two rooms wasnt budget-conscious, it would certainly would delay the inevitable.
Kieran knew he and Maddie would end up in bed together. And whether that happened tonight or further on down the road, they wouldnt be able to avoid it very much longer.
MADDIE STARED AT the selection of hair coloring, trying to decide. In the end, she pulled seven boxes of color in various shades of auburn, blond and brunette and tossed them into her basket. Shed figure it all out later.
Since shed decided to start a whole new life, she figured the best way to do that would be to leave everything behind, including her five-hundred dollar hair color. No more celebrity stylists, no more designer gowns and red-carpet appearances. She could finally live the life she wanted.
Maddie couldnt imagine what this trip would be like if shed been alone. Maybe she wasnt cut out to live her own life. Shed never had the chance to try. Most girls graduated from high school and went off to college, breaking away from their parents and learning the skills needed to get along.
Shed never had her own apartment, never paid a bill or made an appointment for herself. Everything had always been done by her business managers or her mother. And shed missed out on so muchhigh school dances and football games, graduation and the first day of college.
The only problem was, Maddie wasnt quite sure what this new life of hers should look like. When she imagined her future, it was only a blurry image, without any detail. All of her dreams had revolved around a singing career. But now, the only thing that she could really see in that image was a man.
Kieran was exactly what shed always dreamed of. He was handsome and sexy and kind. And better yet, he hadnt had a clue who she was when they first met. And here they were, like two normal people, strolling through Target late at night, shopping for stuff.
Hey.
Maddie turned to find Kieran standing next to her. Hey.
What are you looking at?
Nothing, she said, turning away from the hair color.
He grabbed a box from the basket. Youre going to color your hair?
Maddie shrugged. Maybe I wont get recognized so easily. Im going to cut it, too. She glanced over at him. So, what do you think? Redhead or brunette?
Kieran frowned. I kind of like it the way it is. The color and style suits you.
Its not real, she murmured, staring at a strand. Besides, I need a fresh start. She pulled the boxes out of the basket and set them back on the shelf, leaving only a light brunette. This is close to my natural color. That should do.
He held out a CD to her. Look what I found, he said.
Maddie stared at the cover of her second CD, then took it from his hand. This was a good album. I remember when I made this. I was sixteen.
Kieran wrapped his arms around her waist. You look so young.
I was so young. Just a kid. I thought this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, the concert tours and the awards shows. But it was a trap. Once it sucks you in, you cant escape. Unless some guy forces you to buy him a turkey sandwich and then just wont go away.
But you were good at it, Kieran said. You must have been.
She sighed and handed the CD back to him. You should never achieve your dreams so early in life. There should be a rule against it.
If you dont go back to singing, what are you going to do? he asked.
Maddie shrugged. I dont have to do anything. I have plenty to live on for years. And I can always write more songs. I like doing that.
You must be good. Theres a whole bin of your CDs in this store.
I am good, she said with a smile.
Do you have everything you want?
In truth, she had everything she needed. She had a sweet and impossibly sexy man to occupy her thoughts and soothe her doubts. He kept her grounded, gave her sensible advice and watched over her. And when he touched her, her body tingled and her knees went weak.
I need to get a few more things, she said. Some underwear. And shoes.
I can help you with the underwear, Kieran said, grinning.
Her thoughts moved to what was going to happen later that night. Once they got a room, there wouldnt be much to do except explore the attraction between them. Sure, she could order dinner and maybe watch a movie, but it was silly to pretend that they didnt want to spend their time in other pursuits.
A shiver skittered down her spine as she thought about all the possibilities. Suddenly, she realized that there was a purchase she still had to make. Condoms.
But putting them in the cart might add too much pressure. She just wanted to be prepared, just in case. Why dont you go check out the underwear and Ill join you there, she suggested. IIm just going torun to the bathroom. She pushed up on her toes and kissed his cheek.
Maddie hurried away, but as soon as she saw him head down another aisle, she returned to the health and beauty section. Only when she reached the condoms, Maddie was faced with another dilemmatoo much choice. Did she want large or extra large? And what about color, ribbed or lubed?
She grabbed three boxes and hurried to the cashier. But when she got there, she realized that shed given all her cash to Kieran. Maddie pulled out her debit card and walked up to a checker, dumping the boxes on the conveyor belt.
The checker gave her an odd look. Maddie smiled. Big night, she murmured. Thank God, she was still wearing her sunglasses. She could imagine the tabloid stories if anyone recognized her. Country star starved for sex? Maddie West, sex addict? Maddie the Nymphomaniac? The debit card had her real name on it, Sarah M. Westerfield, so that offered a bit of safety.
Credit or debit? she asked.
What? Sure. Whatever. Debit.
The cashier finished checking Maddie out and then put the three boxes in a small bag. Maddie stuffed them into her pocket, then smiled as she took her receipt. Ive got more shopping to do, she said, then walked back into the store.
Maddie found Kieran where shed sent him, in the underwear section. He was leaning over the shopping cart, studying the selection of bras. When he saw her approaching, he straightened and smiled.
People were starting to wonder about me, he said. I think they thought I was some kind of pervert.
I guess that remains to be seen, she said, grinning. So, what have you picked out for me?