“Hope. Baby. I can’t stop. I’ve never—fuck, I’m coming more. Can’t believe there’s more.” He fell onto her and drove home on final time, his rasping breaths heating her neck, their bodies transferring sweat, moisture coating her inner thighs, the bed. “Jesus Christ,” he ground out, his chest heaving, hips still rolling against hers, as if he couldn’t help it.
They lay that way for a few more seconds, before Johnny lifted his head and stared down at Hope in wonder. He visibly shook himself and eased to one side, but not even a split second passed before she was being wrapped in Johnny’s arms—and Hope’s soul sighed, knowing she was home.
“There’s everything else…and then there’s you and me, Hope,” he murmured into her hair, laying a kiss on her temple. “Sleep, baby. Lots of changes happening tomorrow. Good ones.”
And as Hope fell asleep, she decided to believe Johnny. Even though there was an annoying tug in her belly telling Hope that while magic was real, sometimes it was elusive.
Or too good to be true.
*
Hope woke up before Johnny and couldn’t help but stare at his amply inked, muscular physique sprawled out in the white sheets. Had she really made this rock god shake with pleasure last night?
Yes, she had.
And he’d done the same for her. In fact, she was kind of trembling on the inside right now. In the light of day, her decision to leave her life behind and go on the tour seemed so…insane. Real. Imminent.
Also? Amazing.
Her heart told her this was right. Johnny was right.
If she watched him leave town today and didn’t follow, her soul would go with him. So she was going to take this ride and trust the magic. Her heart wasn’t giving her a choice.
With a smile on her face, Hope snuck out of bed. If she was going to tell her brother this morning that she was running away with a rock star, she definitely needed chocolate. Lots of it. There was no better place to procure that sweet sustenance than Buck’s Donut Shop. It was just down the street from Johnny’s hotel, and who knew when she’d be back in town? She was going to miss her favorite pit stop and wanted to share her final bear claw with Johnny. She’d pop out really fast and be back before he woke up.
Without making a sound, Hope got dressed and tiptoed out of the hotel room. She passed a security guard on the way out, and while he seemed genuinely surprised to see her, he only mumbled hello and went back to reading a magazine. In record time, she made it to Buck’s and bought a baker’s dozen of all her favorites before heading back to the hotel. She snuck a bite of a jelly donut in the elevator and was still licking glaze from her finger when she stepped off—and stopped short.
The security guard who’d been stationed outside Johnny’s room when she left was no longer there. He’d been replaced by someone else. Someone who rose from his chair at her appearance and crossed both arms over his chest, giving Hope a condescending once over.
“If you think you’re going to bribe your way into Johnny Scott’s room with those, it’s not happening, sweetheart. But nice try.”
Confused, Hope frowned down at the box. “Oh. No, I…” She shook her head and laughed. “No, these are for me and Johnny. I was already in there. I’m…”
When the man raised a skeptical brow and let his gaze roam over her body, Hope’s stomach knotted up like a pretzel. Her walk to the donut shop hadn’t felt like a so-called walk of shame, but the way this security guard scrutinized Hope made her want to set the pink donut box down and cover herself.
“Sorry, maybe…could you knock on the door and let Johnny know I’m out here?”
He chuckled. “Yeah right. I just got this job. I’m not going to lose it because some groupie asked me to wake up Johnny Scott to announce her illustrious presence.” He took a step closer. “Maybe you didn’t notice, but there are thousands of girls all wanting the same thing. Her big shot with a rock star. That’s why I’m here. To stand between you and the talent.”
Hope’s face smarted like she’d been slapped. The happy glow from last night was fading and with every second that passed, she was feeling more and more like an imposter. But, no. What happened between her and Johnny last night was real. Right? Any minute now, he was going to wake up and wonder where she’d gone. “You have it wrong,” Hope said patiently. “I’m going on the road with Citizen starting today—”
The security guard cut her off with a laugh. “Oh really? You’ve been asked to come along as a permanent cock block?” He gave her a thumbs up. “Sure. Sounds plausible. If I had every girl on the planet wanting to give me some tail, I’d definitely fuck that up for myself.” He ran his tongue along the inside of his lip. “Not that you ain’t cute as a button, sweetheart.”