Great.

A shriek grabs my attention. A group of twenty or so female fans rush toward Noel as he makes his way toward the bus. He stops and takes a few quick pictures with the group along with autographing a few things before he glances at the bus. A shy wave is the best I can muster.

Noel waves back while security continues to hold the screaming girls back.

I step to the side and allow Noel past me onto the bus, once he breaks free from the crowd. "Hey." My voice is so timid I barely recognize it myself.

To make matters worse he doesn't say anything in return. This isn’t going to be a good conversation.

I climb up the steps. Noel's hands grip the island countertop in Big Bertha's little kitchen—his full stature towering over it. He doesn’t face me, but I don’t need to see his face to tell he's angry with me.

"Noel, I'm really sorry if I embarrassed you or caused any trouble for you, but that girl, she—"

"She what, Lane?" Noel snaps and spins around to face me. "What could a fan possibly do to make you attack her at my show? I thought you were different. You're the mature one in this relationship, right?"

Tears brimmed in my eyes. "Noel, I'm sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen. The things she said made me snap. I know that's no excuse, but hearing another woman say she's going to sleep with you is just too much for me to handle. I acted before I even thought."

Noel sighs and threads his fingers into his sweaty hair. "Jealousy? That's what set you off? Jesus, Lane. Don't you know me at all? Why do you doubt my feelings for you? You always think you're second to me. No girl can ever compare to you."

I shake my head. "I never said that."

"You don't have to. Every time there's a choice to be made between you and something else in my life, you always think you'll be second. Four years ago on the dock, you left me because you said I would always choose music over you. That we’d never have a good life because you’d always come second. You told me that’s why you were walking away because I wasn’t thinking about you and the future. Today just proves you still think of me like that. That you aren’t my everything.”

Tears fall at the mere sound of his words. Is it always me who doesn’t love him enough, not the other way around, like I’ve always believed? My shoulders shake as a sob escapes my throat.

Oh, God. I’ve ruined this.

This man, that I have all these feelings for, doesn’t think I care about him enough. He has no clue that I love him with every ounce of my soul. I want him to trust me.

Noel wraps his arms around me. “Shhhhhhh. Lane, baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry. You just mean so much to me. The thought of you thinking you aren’t my number one drives me crazy. Only you, Lane. You are all I’ll ever want.”

My fingers claw into his back as I cry harder and think the exact same thought.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

I sit on our bed and watch Noel pack an overnight bag for his trip out to Tucson. It’s only for one night, but I just know that it’ll feel like an eternity.

Noel zips up his bag and my heart sinks. It’s time for him to go. “You got everything you need?” I ask and secretly wish he’ll say he can’t go, but then instantly feel guilt that I want to stop him from seeing a sick fan.

He stares down at me and licks his bottom lip. “Not everything.”

A blush creeps over me. “Noel…”

He grabs my hand and pulls me to me feet. Every nerve in my body zings as he holds me tight against his chest. The things this man can do to me with a simple touch.

Noel’s fingers trace the exposed skin on my lower back. “What do you say? One more time for the road?”

I giggle before his soft lips meet mine. “Your car is waiting and you’ll miss your flight.”

The thick muscles in his shoulders bunch under my hands as he shrugs. “I’ll be really fast.”

My fingers thread into the hair on the nape of his neck and Noel grins, knowing he’s won this little battle. His hands knead my hips and urge them forward just as his lips attack mine. Fire burns hot in my core as I feel Noel’s arousal press against me. His tongue flicks against mine and I hitch a leg around his hip.

Large hands cup my butt and lift me off the ground. Instantly, I wrap both legs around him and grind against him, wishing there weren’t so many clothes between us. Noel spins around and plops down on the bed with me on his lap. He pops the button on my jean shorts and unzips them, exposing my thong.

A growl escapes him as he reaches inside my shorts and spreads his long fingers on my bottom. Noel pushes me forward, urging me to ride him with our clothes still on, while his tongue traces a line from my jaw to my collar bone.

Blue eyes smolder with desire as they look up to meet mine. “I want you so fucking much.”

I lick my lips and yank his face to mine and Noel chuckles. He doesn’t realize when he says things like that, I nearly lose my freaking mind.

His hands slide up my ribs as he takes off my tan top. Goosebumps erupt all over my skin when his fingers tease the curve of my breast. The need for his skin on my most intimate skin is almost unbearable. I shove my bra straps down and reach behind me to unclasp it.

Noel leans back and his eyes burn as they take in my every move—each one deliberately slow. The hook comes free with a twist of my wrist and I continue to slide the straps off and then discard the bra to the floor.