by Sable Hunter
CHAPTER TWO
“You didn’t tell me you were a cowgirl, Penelope Elizabeth,” Judah teased as he held open the door of his black Dodge Challenger so she could take a seat.
Pepper responded once he was settled behind the wheel. “I may live on a ranch, but I wouldn’t classify myself as a cowgirl. Ryder is much more into horses than I am. I’m more of a homebody,” she said in an apologetic tone. “I told you I wasn’t very exciting.”
“Don’t you dare put yourself down.” He fired up the muscle car. “I can’t wait to get to know the real you.” As he put the Challenger in reverse, he pointed to the porch. “I was only going by the cowboy horsemen of the Apocalypse, all lined up and watching us leave from the porch.”
Pepper glanced back at the house and groaned. Heath, Philip, Tennessee, and Jaxson stood in a row with their arms crossed. “Where did they come from?” She gave her four glaring brothers a slight wave. “I’m sorry, I thought they were all otherwise occupied.”
Judah laughed. “I bet they’re protective as all get-out of you, aren’t they?”
“Yea, they are,” she admitted with a shrug. “You’d have to know our family history to understand. They’ve borne more responsibility for Ryder and me than most brothers are called upon to do.”
“I respect them immensely for loving you so much. You’re a treasure to be protected.”
His respectful words went right to her heart, causing it to dip in her chest. A blush spread up her cheeks. “The way you speak to me is incredible. Do you write your own songs?”
Judah gave her a mischievous grin. “Yea, I just finished this one.”
He pressed a button on his sound system and music began. Beautiful music. “Is that you?”
He nodded. “The name of it is Chance Encounter. Just listen.”
As the music poured from the speakers, Pepper was enthralled.
I raised my eyes and saw her, walked into a wall.
Penelope, my golden-haired angel, rescued from the fall.
She didn’t come to save me, heaven’s not our destiny.
Penelope’s pure temptation, she came to sin with me.”
“Oh, my gosh!” Pepper whispered, her cheeks hot with excitement. “You wrote that about me?”
He nodded, turning up the volume. She closed her eyes and basked in the perfection of his voice, in the incredulity of the lyrics. Pepper felt as if she’d stepped into a scene of a romantic movie. “I love it,” she confessed breathlessly once the song was finished. “You have a magnificent voice.”
Judah turned off the radio. “Enough about me. We’ve got a nice drive ahead of us and I want to know everything there is to know about Pepper McCoy.”
For the next hour, they talked about every topic imaginable. Everything from Judah’s penchant for crossword puzzles to Pepper’s weakness for old movies. They laughed at one another’s jokes. They shared likes and dislikes. Judah talked about his family, how his mother was a member of the Cherokee nation and how he’d spent summers on the reservation with his grandfather. Pepper told Judah about her childhood in Louisiana and how she’d lost her mother and their home in Hurricane Katrina.
“My father had a series of strokes after my mom’s death and we moved around, but finally settled here at Highlands. My brothers, especially Heath, took care of Ryder and me. They were our rock.”
Judah kept his eye on the road, but took her hand in his. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that ordeal.”
“We survived. We thrived. My brothers are great.” Yea, they had their problems, but right now she was so happy, she couldn’t think of much else. “I have a good life. When I’m not in school or doing something with the family, I volunteer at the hospital. I love working in the children’s ward.”
“Not that there’s anything wrong with English Literature as a major, but why didn’t you choose to go into nursing or medicine?”
Judah’s question caught her by surprise. “I don’t know. I want an education, but I don’t really have any career goals.” Her own admission took Pepper by surprise. “I know I want a husband, a home, and a family. Anything more than that…I haven’t really made up my mind.”
“Hey, you have plenty of time.” Judah assured her. “My mother understands my obsession with music, but my dad thinks I should have a career to fall back on. So, I’m also working on an engineering degree. But, if I make it big, that’s off the table.”
“You’re too wonderful a musician to consider doing anything else.”
“Well, reserve judgment until you hear more than one song.” Judah squeezed the hand he was still holding.
…Once they arrived in Austin, Pepper could barely contain her enthusiasm. She couldn’t believe she was with this exciting man. “I haven’t attended many concerts and none where I knew the singer.”
“You’ll have fun. We’ll get you a place down front and make sure you’re taken care of.” He maneuvered the one-way streets of downtown, pulling into a nearby parking garage.
“Am I dressed okay? I should’ve bought a new outfit.” Pepper looked down at the simple blue sheathe she wore, a nervous finger going up to touch the pearls at her throat. She wasn’t dressed for a rock concert – her attire was more suited for a garden party.
Judah pulled into a parking place and cut the engine. “You look beautiful.” He turned to her, cupping the side of her neck, flashes of hunger shining in those dark eyes. “Like a princess. Like a lady.” Pulling her to him, he kissed her.
Her breath caught on a sigh as his firm lips brushed her quivering mouth, before crashing their lips together in a hot kiss that electrified her whole body. As his tongue swept into her mouth and boldly mated with hers, fire consumed her, setting every nerve ending aflame. To Pepper, this was a promise of wondrous things to come. “Oh, Judah,” she whispered, feeling like she could’ve wept from the sheer ecstasy of his touch.
Judah tangled his hand in her hair and buried his face in her neck. “Perfect, you’re perfect. I want you so much.”
Tap! Someone knocked on the driver’s side window. “Hey, Judah, you ready for this?”
“Zion, my bandmate and best friend,” he told Pepper. “Stay there, I’ll come around and help you out.” Kissing her once more on the side of the neck, he turned to exit the vehicle.
As he stood and closed the car door, he found Zion smiling like a Cheshire cat. “Groupie?”
Judah pushed him back, good-naturedly. “Not even close. This one’s important, so be respectful.”
He went around to Pepper’s side to help her from the car, holding out his hand. “Come meet Zion.”
Pepper swallowed nervously, she wanted his friend to like her. Taking Judah’s hand, she trembled as he tugged her close.
“Zion, this is Pepper McCoy. She’s a Senior at UT and an amazing lady. Pepper, this is Zion Chastain. We’ve known each other since grammar school. He’s a dork.”
“Hey, watch it, airhead,” Zion murmured, extending a hand in greeting to Pepper. “Good to meet you, Miss McCoy.”
“Thank you. I’m looking forward to hearing you play.”
Judah moved to his trunk. “Hey, Chastain, can you carry my guitar to the back while I get Pepper settled out front?”
“Absolutely.” He accepted the case and nodded to Pepper. “Nice to meet you, I’ll see you inside.”
Pepper thanked Zion as they started off in the opposite direction. “He’s nice.”
“He’s closer than a brother to me,” Judah confessed. “You’ll like him, I’m sure.”
“I know I will.” The prospect of spending time with this man, sharing things with him was a heady proposition.
Judah tucked Pepper close under his arm and guided her through the garage. His spirits were running high, not only was tonight his big shot, he’d met an incredibly, beautiful woman who sent his heart rate soaring. “I’ll be singing for you tonight.”
She trembled with excitement. “I can’t wait.”
He aimed them d
own a hallway toward the exit that would take them to the front of the club. Just as he was about to pull on the thick, glass door, he heard a voice.
“I won’t tell you to break a leg, James, break a finger instead.”
He almost stumbled from shock, searching for the unexpected speaker.
“Anything to help that sorry guitar playing of yours.”
Judah narrowed his gaze, pinning it on a fire extinguisher affixed to the wall. When Pepper didn’t react, he realized she hadn’t heard the insult.
Of course.
A sick feeling swamped his stomach. Not now! He wanted to yell the roof off. This was his time! He didn’t need any crap from safety equipment or light fixtures or whatever the hell deemed it necessary to yap at him next.
Judah dry-scrubbed his face, picking up the pace, getting away as fast as he could. What made him even more ill was that he knew the distance he put between himself and the fire extinguisher wouldn’t eradicate the voices. He was afraid those would be with him wherever he went.
* * *
Pepper was all but bouncing by the time they made it inside Fausto’s. “This is going to be great. You’re going to be great!”
Her exuberance earned Pepper a kiss from Judah. “Here, sit at this table.” He guided her to the front and called over the waitress, giving the woman instructions to give his lady anything she wanted and to put it on his tab. “I need to go on backstage, love. I’ll check in with you as soon as I can.”
When Judah left, Pepper listened to the band that was opening for Shiloh, waiting for the moment when Judah would take the stage. As she looked around the club, soaking in the atmosphere, Pepper could see life-size banners on the wall, all depicting Judah’s image. The camera had caught him in motion, playing the guitar, his beautiful hair flowing to the side. She noticed most of the audience were women and there was no doubt in her mind they were here to see Judah.
“Hey, you okay?”
“Zion, hello.” Pepper turned to speak to Judah’s friend. “Where’s Judah?” When an odd expression passed over Zion’s face, Pepper was afraid. “What’s wrong?”
He shook his head, seeming to search for something to say. “Nothing, he just needs to settle down. He’ll be fine. He wanted me to make sure you were okay and for me to tell you he’ll be with you as soon as he can afterward.”
“Is the agent already here?”
“Yea, he’s right over there.” Zion did a head nod to the right and Pepper saw a middle- aged man sitting at a table on the second level. His view of the stage reminded her of a box at the opera.
Pepper couldn’t really blame Judah if he was nervous. “I’d be petrified, tell him I said good luck.”
“I’ll do it. Did you get something to drink?”
She held up a diet soda to Zion. “I’m good.”
“Great.” He gave her a wave, then dodged a few fans before making his way backstage. When the opening act finished, the manager of the club came onstage to introduce the band. “Ladies and Gentlemen! Put your hands together for Shiloh!”
Pepper almost pinched herself, hardly believing she was here with the star of the show. When the music began and the curtain rose, camera phone flashes went off from every seat. Whistles and catcalls pierced the air as strobe lights began to make patterns over the ceiling and walls of the large room. Hands began to clap in rhythm as they called out his name.
“Judah! Judah! Judah!”
It had been ages since she’d attended a concert, but Pepper was sure the last one she’d attended hadn’t been this electric. Hundreds of feet stomped in unison and there was the sound of women shrieking at the top of their lungs…and then, the curtain rose to deafening applause as Judah and Zion were revealed, both standing behind their mics holding electric guitars. Their drummer and bass player, whom she hadn’t met yet, stood at the back as they began a rousing rock number destined to bring down the house.
Pepper’s heart thrilled as she took it all in. She didn’t know the capacity of the club, but there was standing room only and the crowd was all on their feet, pushing their way to the front. Standing with them, she abandoned her chair and came to stand at the barrier.
Judah’s natural, sexy charisma was amplified as he played a few strings on the guitar, winking at the audience as they howled in response. When his eyes found hers, he made a growling sound in the microphone and started to sing. The wail of the crowd rose to almost painful decibels as his voice rang out, clear and rich, a tone reminding her of dark blue velvet. Just hearing the song he’d composed for her sent Pepper over the moon.
As one tune melted into another, she was assailed by pride. For as much as he pleased the crowd, there was no doubt in her mind that he was performing just for her. Pepper couldn’t have kept the smile off her face if she tried. The man knew how to make hearts pound and she was no exception. She raised her voice, joining in with the crowd as they lost their minds over Judah’s riveting guitar solo. Too soon, their performance was over and she was left weak from the adrenaline rush and the expectation of seeing him again.
…Their set couldn’t have ended fast enough for Judah. He felt splintered inside. Just knowing Mickey Thomas had been there, assessing their performance, filled him with jubilation and terror. Thankfully, while he was singing, he’d been able to put the man out of his mind. Hell, he’d put the audience out of his mind. Music was his great escape. When he was singing, he could tune out the voices. He could ignore the illusions. Tonight, the music had been a solace and when he’d let his eyes focus on the crowd, Pepper’s presence had been an anchor. A lifeline.
As he made his way off stage, there were at least sixty people lined up to take photos with him and shake his hand. There would be no escaping this, he smiled and scribbled his signature on everything from programs to panties. When he did finally manage to break free, he saw Zion standing with Thomas, beckoning him forward. Eddie and Eric, the other members of the band were already seated at a nearby booth. “Here comes the heartthrob!” Mickey raised a can of beer high in the air. “Are you ready to be a superstar, James?”
He gave Mickey a smile and glanced at Zion. “Where’s Pepper?”
“She’s safe. I had the owner take her to a private room, she’ll be fine until you’re through.”
He nodded and let them guide him to the booth. His head should’ve been clear, there’d been no alcohol and no drugs. He rarely drank and he didn’t do coke or take pills. Yet, Judah felt as if he were watching this whole thing through a fog.
“So, what do you think, Mickey?” Zion asked, running a hand through his unruly blond hair.
“I think we’re all about to make a ton of money, that’s what I think.” During the next fifteen minutes, he outlined a plan. Recording sessions, a full album, and a tour to promote it. “We’ll start out traveling the states on a bus, but if the album does what I think it will, that’s only the beginning.”
“What are you saying?” Eddie asked, his excitement written all over his freckled face.
“I’m saying world tour and a private jet, that’s what.” Mickey’s excitement was contagious.
Judah was listening. Even though he said little, he comprehended it all. No more small venues and rundown motels. This was the next level. When Mickey mentioned a figure, it was four times the amount he expected. “Where do we sign?” he asked, knowing this was the real deal. Their moment. Their dreams were about to come true.
…Pepper walked with the bouncer through the backstage area, past a number of roadies who were dismantling and packing equipment. As she drew nearer, she could hear Zion’s voice. “Just think, Judah, after the new album is completed, we’ll go on tour for the record label. And if that tour goes well, the skies the limit. They’re talking twenty countries over the course of a year, we’ll be household names all over the world!”
Slowing her steps, Pepper lingered in the hall. The bouncer glanced at her with questioning eyes. “I’m fine, I think I’ll wait here until they finish.” Sh
e leaned against the wall, some distance from the door. Her intention wasn’t to eavesdrop, she’d heard enough to know what was going on. The agent had loved them. There’d really been no doubt. Judah was a phenomenal performer. She bowed her head as clashing emotions dueled for the upper hand. She was elated for him. She was also sad that his success would take him away from her so soon. “I’ve just found him,” she whispered. Bowing her head, she stared at the floor. Pepper wrapped her arms around herself as she corralled her thoughts. Well, what had she expected? She wanted him to have everything he deserved – and he deserved it all. Pasting a smile on her face, she moved the few steps to the door and tapped on it lightly. “Judah?”
“Pepper!” Judah jumped up to let her in. He opened the door and swung her up in his arms. “Did you have a good time?”
“Wonderful. You were wonderful!” She threw her arms around his neck and let him hold her.
“God, Pepper, I’m glad you’re here.”
Zion touched Judah’s shoulder. “I’m going to get out of here and leave you two alone. I’ll call you in the morning, we’ve got a lot of plans to make.”
“Sure, just don’t make it before ten.” Judah gave his partner a grin. “I’m planning on sleeping in tomorrow.” When the door closed behind him, Judah found Pepper’s lips, kissing her with abandon.
Pepper clung to him, he tasted outrageously right. He let her slide down his body while he continued to eat at her lips, deep ravaging kisses. She gave herself over to him, seeking to accommodate his hunger, loving the thrust of his tongue and the way his hands moved feverishly over her body. It was only when his hands started to pull up her skirt that a warning bell went off. “Judah,” she whispered between kisses, “Judah, we…”
Judah heard her and understood. They’d only just met. They needed time. Even though he couldn’t claim to know everything about Pepper, he did know she was a lady and deserved better than being taken up against the wall in a dressing room where anyone could enter at any time. “Let’s get out of here. I want to celebrate.” He helped her straighten her clothes, giving her sweet kisses to punctuate each action. He lifted that wealth of beautiful gold hair off her neck and let it flow over his fingers. “You’re so gorgeous. You make me think of a Disney princess.”
