Page 21 of Legendary Rock Star
Rihanne and Joe each held one of my hands, and Rihanne whispered, “I’m glad we became friends.”
“Me too.” I said, and hoped this wasn’t my last moment.
I wanted Rihanne and Joe to stay too, but then the host said “Joe, you’re going home.”
The lights went off me and Joe stepped forward to sing.
I hugged Rihanne. We both had a second chance. As we walked off stage, Rihanne said, “Girl, your boyfriend is looking for you.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.” My skin was all pins and needles despite my denial, and I said, “But I should go talk to him.”
“Good luck,” Rihanne said and went to join the others.
Phoenix’s brown eyes mesmerized me. I couldn’t understand the power he had over me. I didn’t want to. I wrapped my arms around his strong frame and let my head rest against him when I said, “Phoenix.”
“Maggie, I thought you were avoiding me,” he said, and held me close.
I could hear his heart was steady and I hoped he was true to his word when he’d said that I was important to him. I didn’t want to completely ruin “us.” The embrace was fleeting. I let him go and glanced way up at him as I said, “I was, but I wanted to talk. During the competition, we need to avoid being close together at all, unless directed.”
His hand brushed against my chin and he asked, “Why?”
I ignored how every part of my body sizzled from his touch.
“Because I can’t handle the distractions,” I said. “But after the show ends and I find my own place in L.A. … I’d like to see what happens on a real date, out of this bubble.”
He reached into his pocket and took out a jewelry box. He said, “Okay, but I got you something.”
“What?” I asked, and took it from him. He couldn’t be asking me to marry him.
I was absolutely distracted and this wasn’t good. I unwrapped the box and he said, “I wanted you to remember me on stage.”
I opened the box and saw a small yellow butterfly necklace. I glanced up at him and asked, “What is it?”
“It’s yellow citrine,” he said, like that explained everything.
Did he think he knew my birthday? We hadn’t discussed that, and I told him, “It’s not my birthstone.”
He unclasped the yellow gold clasp like he wanted to put it on me and said, “Yellow citrine is also for meditating about success.”
“I don’t meditate. I pray,” I said, but I lifted my hair so he had access to my neck.
He put the necklace around me and every cell in my body bloomed alive as he fastened it and said, “It’s for good luck. And I want you to have something physical to remember me by.”
“It’s … Thanks,” I said, unsure what else to say, and turned toward him. I’d never forget him.
My lips ached to kiss him. I closed my eyes and opened them. His hands curled around me to hold me tight as he said, “Don’t think anything beyond this moment, Maggie.”
And his kiss was like sunlight for a flower. I needed him. I needed this. And I needed to stop. I shouldn’t want this, but I couldn’t help it.
In a moment I’d scold myself with all the reasons not to trust him.
But right now, all I could do was lose myself in his kiss.
7
Phoenix
My lips sangall afternoon and my body danced to the show-stopping group number the producers had us doing.
