A loud thud sounds in the tiny room as Noel drops the luggage behind him. "Keep being so bossy with, me and I might just give it to you right now." He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

I roll my eyes. "You're crazy. I can't keep up with you and these Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde mood swings you’ve got going on."

He steps so close to me his leg touches mine. "No mood swings, Lane. I'm just making sure you keep your end of the deal."

"How can you expect me to stay here after all this?" I whisper.

Noel grabs the waistband of my jeans and yanks me flush against him. Heat sears through me as he dips his index finger inside my jeans and traces the sensitive skin on my stomach. I squeeze my eyes shut and feel my head tilt back. Damn my stupid body for wanting him.

He chuckles, and my eyes land on his smug face. “See how easy I can turn you on? That’s why I expect you to stay—because you still want this.”

He releases me, and I gasp at the loss of his warmth which makes him smile even bigger. Why does he have to be so damn sexy? It makes the inner battle between my body and my head unwinnable.

I hug my clothes tight against my chest as Noel steps around me without another word and heads out the door—so much for having a rational conversation with him.

The contract I signed with Center Stage Marketing lies on the bed. It obviously fell out of my bag when Noel decided to dump all of its contents out.

I lay my stuff on the bed and sit down next to the contract. Legal stuff wasn’t my strong suit in college, but I pick it up and read down through it. It all looked pretty standard except for the last few clauses. One said that if I didn’t fulfill my personal obligation of remaining on tour with Black Falcon for the full two weeks, I put myself at risk for being sued by the band for breach of contract by both Black Falcon and Center Stage. Diana conveniently forgot that little gem of information when she was explaining this.

I’m not even sure that’s legal, but I did sign it along with Noel and Diana, and I’ve watched enough corny judge television shows to know a signed contract means a lot in court.

The second point says, at the end of the tour, Black Falcon will hand over all rights to the band to Center Stage.

That’s when it occurs to me why Diana brought this contract to me personally. It isn’t exactly on the up and up, and she probably doesn’t want anyone else in the firm knowing about her dirty little deal with Noel to make me stay here.

Anger boils through me that both of these people trapped me here to get what they want.

I sigh, then fold the paper up and stuff it into my back pocket. A new found determination pumps through me to show both of them how great at selling myself, I can be. Since they seem to be able to hold me here legally, I’m going to have to suck it up and figure out a way to be around Noel, without letting him crush my heart.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

I don’t bother watching Black Falcon’s concert tonight. The further I stay away from Noel, the better. Besides, I’ve gotten a ton of work done on the literacy charity holed up in this bedroom all day. And it’s fine by me if he stays away from me.

My phone buzzes next to me on the bed.

Aubrey.

She’s been texting me like crazy since I our phone conversation this morning. I’m not even sure who she hates more at this point—Diana or Noel. Both of them, to her, are the scum of the earth now, though.

Are you sure you don’t want to say screw ‘em and come home anyway. You can reschedule your flight.

I look at the clock on my laptop. My flight already left, and if it wasn’t for this piece of paper in my back pocket that can possibly ruin my life if I’d left now, I would. I would hop on an airplane back to New York and not bat an eye.

I sigh and text her back. I’m stuck. :(

A hoot from the front of the bus draws my attention. The guys must be back. Several voices fill the bus, and Trip’s stands out over all the rest.

“Hell of a show, guys! Did you see that crowd when Noel sang the encore? They were intense. One of the best gigs we’ve played all year. I say we get fucked up to celebrate!”

I tense at the mention of Noel’s name. He’s going to come back here again and try to get under my skin. To prove how much I still want him.

The thought both terrifies me and intrigues me. On one hand, I want him so badly it hurts. The last couple days we spent together were amazing. The mere thought of his hand sliding down my body causes me to erupt with goosebumps. But on the other hand, he has a fucking girlfriend, whether he claims her or not. A very pregnant girlfriend who claims he’s the baby’s dad.

He says he wants to be with me, but those are just words. Even through his own admission he won’t leave Sophie to be with me. So where does that put me? Am I a play toy to be discarded when he’s done with me?

I shake my head. That’s exactly why I need to keep my distance from him. I can’t let that happen.

I hear a couple cans open, which I assume are beer, before Trip says, “All right boys, there’s a hot piece of ass waiting for me outside the bus. I got to get to it.”

“How hot?” Tyke asks.

“Fucking ten, dude,” Trip replies.

“She got a hot friend?”

Trip laughs. “Come on, little brother, I’m sure we can find you a score.”

I listen as the twins head off the bus bickering about which one is actually older, when my stomach rumbles. I don’t know what it is about this damn bus that makes me to forget to eat. Noel or not, I have to find food out there.