Slowly, she turned and extended a hand. When he met her gaze with a questioning look, she said, “You know, there’s a serious water shortage out here.”
He stilled, as though afraid of misinterpreting her words.
“In which case, it’s probably best if you join me. You know”—she grinned bravely—“for conservation purposes.”
In a flash he was beside her. “You sure?” He cupped her cheeks with both hands. The look he gave her told her he truly wanted the decision to be on her terms.
She was about to respond with another dumb quip about the drought, but the earnestness she found in his expression saw her pressing her lips against his, leaving no room for doubt.
“No point in wasting any water then,” he said, and sweeping her onto the bed, he slid his body over hers.
SIXTEEN
SISTER GOLDEN HAIR
Finding out about Tommy was easy. He’d made quite a name for himself while she’d been missing.
Getting ahold of him was another matter entirely. He’d recently moved into a swanky new building that was too risky to even try to approach. So Madison took a chance and called the PR department at his record company. Posing as a reporter for Rolling Stone, she was surprised to learn he already had an interview scheduled that day with a writer named Dahlia. For the first time in a long time, it seemed the universe was working in her favor. She asked if they could move the meeting up a few hours, and just like that, it was done. Clearly, Tommy was eager to make it happen. Madison wondered what he would think once he discovered what she really had in store for him.
Despite her determination to put her plan into action, Madison wasn’t fully convinced it would result in the desired outcome. Still, she was in desperate need of a friend. And since no one qualified outside of Paul, she was left with no choice but to go after one of the very people who stood to benefit from her discovery the most. She just hoped she could convince Tommy not to reveal her whereabouts before she was ready.
In the end, she’d make it worth his while. Still, there was no guarantee he’d agree.
She roamed the aisles of the record store where the reporter was supposed to meet Tommy, searching for him from behind her dark lenses. Tommy had exactly the kind of lean, sexy look Madison would go for if she wasn’t, well, Madison Brooks. Sure she’d kissed him, and while it’d been fun while it lasted (and while she wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to repeating it), it was little more than a harmless flirtation. Or so she’d thought. The moment she’d gone missing, Tommy hadn’t hesitated to brag about it to just about any tabloid willing to listen.
While she had every intention of confronting him on his eagerness to sell her out, for now she brushed it aside. She needed to stay focused and in character. She took the role as seriously as those she was paid millions of dollars to portray.
She spotted him over in the alternative rock section, where he casually rifled through the stacks as his gaze darted around.
His fingers skipped through a thick row of vinyl until he found something of interest and retrieved it from the pile.
When was the last time she’d actually stalked a guy?
Or, more appropriately, when was the last time she’d had to?
Madison had grown so used to being hunted it was nice to play the predator for a change.
Favoring her bad ankle, she worked her way toward him. No use in pouncing unexpectedly, when it was far more fun to catch his eye from across the room and work a leisurely flirtation until they ultimately found themselves standing next to each other.
Did Tommy like blondes? She tugged at her wig, deciding she’d yet to meet a guy who didn’t.
“Nirvana’s Nevermind?” She nodded toward the album cover. “If you don’t already own it, you should buy it. I guarantee you will not regret it.”
The grin he gave her was nothing short of dazzling. He pulled his lips wide, showcasing a display of white teeth straight enough to imply they might’ve once been behind braces—while just crooked enough to suggest he’d lost the retainer a few years back. Madison lingered on those teeth, relieved to find they bore absolutely no resemblance to the overly perfect porcelain veneers of every Hollywood actor she knew. She took it as proof she’d been right about him. Normal teeth, normal guy. She just might be able to trust him after all.
“Are you—?” He cocked his head, hesitating in the way of a guy who didn’t want to be mistaken for flirting. Was he really dating Layla, or was he just trying to appear respectful?
“Dahlia.” She lifted her chin and favored him with a watered-down version of her own world-class grin. “Nice to meet you, Tommy.” She offered a hand, pleased to find he received it firmly in his.
Tommy rubbed his lips together and glanced nervously around the room. “So,” he said, “I’m new at this. Where should we go?”
Madison took a moment to look him over. “Surely you’re no newbie.” She shifted her weight between her flip-flop and her boot. “Not after spending the bulk of the summer as the tabloid king.”
She was pleased by the way he flushed in response. It showed a respectable level of shame for the part that he’d played.
“Not sure I’d refer to Rolling Stone as a tabloid,” he said, barely able to keep the excited gleam from his navy-blue eyes.
Madison felt guilty. Setting him up seemed almost cruel. The next moment, the feeling passed, and she said, “How about we go for a drive?”