"What are you doing?"I ask, a little worried that he's going to do something crazy.At this point, I wouldn't put it past him.
"Coming to escort you and the girls to the back."He holds out his hand for me and then pulls me to my feet.The rest of the girls stand, too.
"What the heck?"a girl in the row behind us says."Why do they get to go backstage?"
"What can I say?"I shrug."When a heartthrob reaches for your hand, be the kind of girl who takes it."
She's still gaping when Crue turns me toward the stage, leading us to the back.
"A heartthrob, huh?"He leans down to shout in my ear.
"Former heartthrob," I shout back to him.
He growls playfully, his hazel eyes light and a permanent smile on his face.It looks good on him.Way too darn good.
We don't say anything else until we're backstage.As soon as we're into the crossover space, he turns, scooping me up into his arms.His lips come down on mine in a hard kiss.
"You're sweaty," I say, laughing.
"How long do you think it'll be before we're all over the internet?"
"Pfft.We're probably already all over the internet," I scoff, wriggling for him to put me down."They were posting about that little interaction before we even walked away."I shoot him a pointed look."Why do I have the feeling that's what you wanted?"
He smirks, not denying it.
I shake my head at him.He's not nearly as smooth as he thinks he is.But the fact that he wants people to see us together is adorable.I just hope he doesn't change his mind when the whole world finds out we're married, and his face is plastered all over the tabloids again.Part of me is still a little afraid he might.It's not because I lack confidence.I don't.I love who I am, and I don't care who approves.But who I am is a small-town girl.And small-town girls don't live happily ever after with superstars anywhere except in movies.
When people find out about us, they're going to have a whole lot of opinions…and a lot of those opinions aren't going to be nice.They've already put Crue and the band through so much.I don't want to be the reason he goes through it a second time.And I'm really afraid I will be.I'm equally as afraid that Crue won't handle it well.
What happens when he decides all of this was a mistake?He has an image to protect.Marrying a certified fangirl twelve hours after meeting her doesn't exactly protect that image.If anything, it confirms all the crazy things the tabloids used to say about him and the band.
"We have a band meeting to see who is signing autographs out back."
"This requires a band meeting?"
"It's more like a Rock, Paper, Scissors competition, butband meetingsounds better," he mutters, pulling me toward their dressing room."You can judge.Mason cheats."
"He does not," I say through laughter."It's impossible to cheat at that game, Crue."
"Fine.He doesn't cheat.He's just too fucking good, and it pisses me off."
* * *
"Well, this is swanky," I mumble, prowling through our new hotel room…which is actually a two-room suite on the top floor.Havoc is posted outside the door.Another security guard is posted at the end of the hall by the elevators.They'll switch off throughout the night to make sure no one tries to sneak in.
"It's a beautiful view," Crue murmurs from the doorway.
I glance toward him, only to find him staring at me.I smile, unable to stop myself.Anytime we're in the same vicinity, his eyes are on me.I love it far more than I probably should.
But then again, I love everything about this man.
"Mine isn't so bad either."I hop up on the bed and kick back, crossing my legs at the ankles.I let my gaze drift up and down his body, making it clear I'm talking about him."It's a pretty amazing view, actually."
"Oh, yeah?"He pushes away from the doorframe, prowling across the room toward me."I think you need a closer look, Éire."
"Probably so.I do have terrible vision."
He chuckles, stopping beside the bed."You know if I get on that bed with you, I'm going to be inside you as soon as I can make it happen, right?"
