Adelaide
What had I been thinking?
Austin, Texas, in the height of summer, when I could have gone toanyother city TSC was stopping in. Not my best moment. But I did love Austin and had been dying to come back since the last time I visited. Not that I’d have a lot of time to see the city. I just liked the vibe of the place—a far cry from Manhattan.
Arriving at the arena, I was a jittery, nervous mess. I had no reason to be. This wasAdam. I’d smelled his sweaty pits and listened to him snore when he fell asleep on my couch during more than one movie night. Why would I be nervous to see him?
Maybe because it had been a month since we’d been together and I wondered if things had changed. Would it still be as easy as breathing between us?
I expected to be greeted by a handler or some underling. But waiting for me at the back entrance was Adam freaking Wainwright himself. His cocky lean made me smile, setting off a swirling dervish in my belly.
As soon as the car stopped, I was out and running straight for him.
I leapt at him, and Adam caught me, holding me up while I wrapped my legs around his waist. I buried my face in his neck, laughing with giddy pleasure. He kissed my hair and spun me in a circle.
It was crazy, but I couldn’t think of many times I’d felt such pure, unadulterated joy. It vibrated along my skin, sprouting goose bumps all the way down to my toes.
“Adelaide Zala Goodman, in the flesh,” he murmured.
I let my legs fall so I was standing on my own, but he kept me in his arms, running his hands up and down my spine.
“Fuck, it’s good to see you, Baddie. Was your flight okay?”
“Perfect.” Sweat was already beading on my forehead. “Do you think we could go inside, though? I’m starting to melt.”
He held my waist, keeping me so, so close as he escorted me into the building. I tucked my thumb in his belt loop, keeping him just as near. It felt like it’d been a thousand years since Adam was right next door. But things were as natural as they’d always been, so at the same time, we were picking right back up where we ended.
He stopped walking, took my hand, spun me in a circle, then yanked me toward him. Hands on my hips, he stopped me a foot away, scanning me from toe to head.
“Cowgirl boots. Where the hell did you get those?”
I cocked my foot out. “You can find anything in the city if you look hard enough.”
Adam gasped, running his palms up my ribs. “Baddie…did you buy cowgirl boots in New York? That’s gotta be illegal in Texas.”
“You won’t tell.”
He cocked his head. “You trust me?”
“As far as I can throw you.”
His eyes crinkled. “Considering you’re strong as an ox, that’s pretty damn far.”
“Somehow, I’m not flattered. You know, when we first met, you called me regal.”
“And then I got to know you.” He tugged me into his side again. “You’re a regal oxen.”
I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t stop myself from sputtering out a laugh. “Oh, Wainwright, I’ve missed you.”
He nuzzled his nose into my hair. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you, Goodman. No idea.”
He’d been busy and never without company. I heard it when he called me. Had seen it with my own eyes when he FaceTimed me. Sometimes, I didn’t pick up because I couldn’t sit through another phone call where we were interrupted every minute by a fan or groupie. The last time I answered a video call, he’d been drunk off his face and had women all over him in a club. Since then, I’d devoutly avoided any more of those.
Adam and I wandered around backstage, talking and poking at each other until it was time for him to do sound check. Then he parked me at the side of the stage.
“Don’t move,” he ordered.
I stomped my foot. “I’m planted.”