“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 down 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.” She 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.”

“Stop, that’s what my brothers say.” She wrapped his hair around her own fingers. “I want to be real to you, not some make-believe character.”

Judah drew her close. “You are real, you’re what I held onto tonight while I sang, Pepper McCoy.”

She shivered at his words. “I love how you say my name, Judah, how your voice gets a little rough. It makes me tingle.”

“God, let’s get out of here before I can’t let you go.” He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her from the room.

 

* * *

 “Do you want to fill me in on your date last weekend?” Heath asked as Pepper spread butter on her pancakes.

“No, not really and it wasn’t actually a date. We didn’t get to spend much time together at all.” She gave her big brother a sweet smile. When he narrowed his eyes, and gave her what the rest of the family referred to as ‘the look’, she relented. “Oh, all right. His name is Judah James and he’s a senior at UT and he has a band.”

“A band?” Heath screwed up his face like he’d just swallowed a big dose of castor oil. “You’re dating a musician? They’re the lowest form of…”

“Heath, no.” Pepper raised her hand. “Don’t say it. So, what if he’s not a cowboy? Just because he doesn’t chase cows for a living doesn’t make him any better or worse than you.”

“I didn’t say that.” Heath continued to grimace. “We’re not just cowboys, anyway. We have the resort and the energy company. Philip has his teaching and his archaeological digs, and Ten has his wilderness tracking. We all have our interests. They’re just not…music.” He said the word like it was dirty. “Do you know the percentage of musicians who actually make enough money to live on?”

Pepper took a sip of milk, trying to stay calm. She picked up a folded newspaper by her plate and handed it to him, with the story she wanted her brother to see facing up. “Just read this and look who’s in the picture with him.”

Heath took the picture and held it several feet away from his face.

“You need glasses.”

“Do not.” He squinted. “Why is his hair so long? He looks like he could play the lead in Jesus Christ Superstar.”

“Read,” Pepper insisted, noticing Ryder sneaking in for a cup of coffee. Her sister was in the midst of her own romantic crisis and probably intended to take full advantage of their oldest brother’s preoccupation with Judah James.

“Local artist makes it big, signs multiple album contract with Ace records.” He slammed the paper down. “So, what? The music business is fickle. Fame is here today and gone tomorrow. Besides, I don’t want you dating some celebrity, they’re never a good risk. They don’t know what faithful means.”

She didn’t bother to point out Heath’s own failed relationship. “Did you notice your best friend in the picture? If you don’t trust my good judgment, I know you trust Jimmy Dushku’s.” Everyone was always surprised to learn that cowboy, Heath McCoy, was best friends with Austin’s politically divisive, international playboy and multi-millionaire entrepreneur, Jimmy Dushku.

“There’s a big difference in Jimmy doing business with James and you dating him. I don’t have to worry about Dushku’s virtue.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about mine for a while. He’s out of town on tour. The only contact I have with him is the telephone.” She smiled to herself. There were also texts, emails, facetime, and skype. Plus, she had tickets in hand for an upcoming concert in Dallas. What Heath didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt either one of them. Pepper laid down her fork. “I’m not a child, Heath. Judah is a fine man with a good heart.” She was surer of this than ever before. They’d spoken daily and each time their bond seemed to grow stronger.

“Just be careful, sweetie.” Heath patted her shoulder. “You’re the baby in the family and I can’t help but worry about you.”

… Four press events, six recording sessions, and two charity events later, Judah was beyond exhausted. He folded the letter to the Dean and slipped it into an envelope. The request to postpone the completion of his degree would be approved, he had the verbal okay already, the paperwork was merely a formality. There was no way he could keep up with his studies and the rigorous schedule the label had set up for him.

Rising from his chair, Judah went to stare out the window. When the first check came from Ace, he’d rented a loft downtown overlooking the river. He couldn’t wait for Pepper to see it and he couldn’t wait to spend time there himself. Tonight, however, the river he was surveying from his bedroom window wasn’t the Colorado in downtown Austin. He was in Chicago about to perform to a sold-out stadium. A smile played on his lips, what he’d always hoped to attain was within his grasp.

“Judah.”

He whirled around. “Pepper? How did you get here?”

“I missed you. I couldn’t wait to see you again.”

With elation, Judah moved to take her in his arms…but when he did, he found his arms empty.

“Pepper?”

Fear such as he’d never known paralyzed Judah. What was wrong with him? Was he dying? Did he have a brain tumor? He grasped his head and spun around, ensuring there were no more figments of his imagination lurking anywhere in the room. Just when things were coming together, this horrific malady raised its ugly head. Up until now, he’d been able to ignore it. He’d considered the whole thing to be a type of curious muse his brain conjured up to bring creative thoughts to the forefront. He knew some artists received their inspiration from peculiar sources; the writer, Collette, couldn’t begin her work until she’d located a flea on her French bulldog, and Friedrich Schiller couldn’t write unless his desk drawer was full of rotten apples.

But this…this was too much.

Taking his phone, he called Dr. Jergen. Once he was on the line, Judah closed his eyes in sad resignation. “I’ll be in town in two weeks, make those appointments for me. I need to get to the bottom of this.”

 

* * *

Just as a car won’t make the funny noise when you take it in to the mechanic and the television works perfectly the day the cable guy comes to repair it, Judah felt entirely normal the day he went in to the hospital for a battery of tests. He told no one in his family or the band that he was going to the hospital. If his days were numbered because of some terrible brain aneurism, he wanted to tell his mother in his own time and in his own way.

When he was finished, the attendant informed him they would call when the results were ready. He thanked them and left quickly, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to outrun whatever diagnosis the tests might reveal. Judah knew something was amiss, he just hoped it could be fixed with a pill or a round of antibiotics.

Needing to escape his trepidation, he called the only person in the world he truly wanted to talk to.

“Judah?”

Just the sound of her voice made him feel better. “Pepper, hey.”

“I’m so glad to hear from you. How has your day been?”

“Talking to you makes it a thousand times better. I’m in town. Can I see you?” There was a pause. “Pepper, is something wrong?”

Pepper shook her head, then realized he couldn’t see her. “No, nothing’s wrong. The family has plans, but it’s at Jimmy Dushku’s house. You know him, right? He wouldn’t mind if you joined us. Can you come?”

He’d hoped to see her alone, but he’d take what he could get. “Sure, Dushku’s cool. I’ll give him a call and wrangle an invitation. What’s the occasion?”

She laughed lightly. “Does Jimmy need one? I think he’s doing this to get my brother’s mind off the anniversary of his almost wedding. I’ll explain everything to you when I see you.”

“Perfect. I hope we can find time to be alone.”

“I want that too.” Pepper wasn’t sure how that would work with her eagle-eyed brothers around. Come hell or high-water, as Heath would say, she didn’t intend to miss this chance to spend some time with Judah.

...When he arrived at Jimmy’s villa on Lake Travis, Judah grabbed his guitar from the back seat before reluctantly relinquishing his beloved Challenger to the valet parking attendant. His call to Dushku had resulted in more than an invitation to the party. By the time he’d ended the conversation, Judah had agreed to sing a few songs in Heath’s honor. Just him and his guitar, nothing fancy.

“James! Over here!” His host hailed him as soon as he stepped into the formal garden. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

As Judah made his way through the milling throng of people, he recognized several celebrities. Austin was a haven for the rich and famous. Besides being known for its ‘keep Austin weird’ theme, it also held the bragging rights for being the ‘live music capital of the world’. Many movies were filmed in and around Austin, also earning the city the reputation as the ‘new Hollywood’. All in all, there was no shortage of celebrities in the area. Several times he was stopped and introduced to folks whose names were familiar to him and at other times, it was his face that was recognized by someone else. To say he was living his dream was an understatement.

If only the reason for those tests weren’t an issue.

When he joined Jimmy, he was surprised to find him with a beautiful woman who looked familiar to Judah. “Hello,” he greeted them both.

A consummate host, comfortable with people from all walks of life, Jimmy made them both feel welcome. “Ivana, this is Judah James. His band Shiloh is making waves in the music world. Judah, this is Ivana Paul, another rising star in the industry. I think you’ll find that you two have much in common. She’s Mickey Thomas’s niece, by the way.”

“I agree. I think we’ll come to know one another…very well.” Ivana gave Judah a dazzling smile, reaching out to smooth his collar with a familiar touch.

After being reminded of her name, Judah recalled hearing her sing. “It’s my pleasure, Miss Paul,” his response earned him another dazzling smile and her hand lingered on his body, her fingers moving down to toy with the top button of his shirt. Judah knew a come-on when he saw it. Prior to his run-in with the lamp post, he would’ve welcomed this woman’s attention. Meeting Pepper had eliminated that possibility. “I admire your work and I’m sure our paths will cross many times,” he said, taking one step back. “Jimmy, thank you so much for having me. I look forward to singing for everyone. However, if you’ll excuse me, I’m waiting for someone to arrive.”

He saw a shadow cross Ivana’s face and Jimmy’s eyebrows raised as he read the situation. “Absolutely, Judah, make yourself at home.” He placed a hand on Ivana’s arm. “Come with me, Miss Paul. Have you ever met Willie and Waylon?”

Judah didn’t linger, his eye was captured by pale blonde hair and eyes so blue he could happily drown in their depths. “Pepper,” he breathed. For a moment, he paused, staring at the beautiful vision, making sure she was really here and not a conjuration of his desire. Twice more, she’d come to him in a weak moment, so lifelike and substantive that Judah had conversed with her before realizing she was a product of his… What? His imagination? His wishful thinking? His…insanity?

Shaking his head, he raised a hand to capture her attention. Seeing her brothers and sister surrounding her, reacting to Pepper’s acknowledgment of his greeting, convinced Judah that he wasn’t fantasizing her presence.

“Judah!” She came to him like a breath of fresh air. “Are you okay?”

He knew she could see the strain on his face, yet he couldn’t relax until he touched her. As soon as his hand rested on the warm silk of her cheek, he felt the tension leave his body. “I’m good. How are you? Did you have a good day?”

She lifted one delicate shoulder in a shrug. “Nothing exciting. I worked on a school paper and baked a cherry cobbler.”

“I hope I get the chance to taste your cooking soon. Hint. Hint.” He grinned at her and she smiled back. Lifting his hand again, he brushed her hair over her shoulder. “I can’t keep my hands off you. Want to take a walk?”

Pepper took a moment to find her family in the crowd. Heath was with Jimmy, Ten and Jaxson were deep in conversation with one of the UT football coaches, and Philip was at the bar with a man she didn’t recognize. The only one who appeared concerned about her whereabouts was Ryder and she gave Pepper a big thumbs-up. Giving her sister an exasperated smile, she took Judah’s proffered arm. “I’d love to. Let’s stroll down to the lake.”

“Good idea. You live on a lake too, don’t you?”

“Close. Some of our property is waterfront and I can see Lake Buchanan from my bedroom window. Heath’s resort is on the lake also. We have a houseboat that we love to take on trips to watch the eagles during nesting season.”

“Sounds intriguing, I’d love to go with you soon.”

Twice in a row he’d expressed a desire to spend time with her in the future. “I’m ready when you are. Just let me know when you have a free day.”

His face grew serious as he studied her expression. “This tour won’t last forever. We finished the recording session for the album yesterday.”

“Good. I can’t turn on the radio without hearing your newest single. I trust it’s doing well.” She didn’t feel comfortable telling him of her pride in the situation, she found herself rejoicing as if his success was her own.

“Yea, we’re moving up on the top forty. If we continue to get radio play and the downloads stay consistent over the next few weeks, I hope we’ll crack the top ten.”

“I’m sure you will. You not only have tremendous talent, but your personality and stage presence is far beyond anyone I’ve ever seen.”

Judah gave her a peck on the cheek. “I think you’re prejudice.”

Pepper blushed. “Perhaps. Sorry.”

They’d walked far enough down the hill to be out of sight. Finding a small grove of trees, Judah pulled Pepper among them. “Don’t misunderstand me, I crave your prejudice. I want you thinking of me as much as I think about you.”

Pepper knew her experience with the opposite sex was lacking. She didn’t have the ability or the inclination to be coy. “You are always on my mind, Judah. I think about you all the time. I dream about you every night.”

“You’re so beautiful.” He bent his head to hers. “How does it feel to be someone’s obsession?”

Pepper couldn’t breathe. “I don’t know, I’ve never been one.”

“You are now.” He touched the pad of his thumb to her bottom lip. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since the first moment I saw you on the street.” Judah tangled one hand in her hair. “This is the stuff of fantasies, spun gold. And your lips,” he moaned. “I’m desperate for your lips. I want to kiss them, taste them, bite them.” He pressed his mouth to hers. “Suck them,” he whispered, pulling her lower lip between his teeth. “Fuck them.”

Pepper groaned as he pushed his body hard to hers. He was aroused and she was overwhelmed. She wanted to touch him, but it was all she could do to cope with his amazing mouth.

Unable to wait, he clasped her to him and found her lips with his. The kiss began with a whisper soft touch. He didn’t want to rush this, Judah wanted to memorize each moment. He wondered if he’d died and gone to heaven, which might explain why he kept seeing her everywhere he looked. He smoothed the pale golden hair away from her face with one trembling finger, then traced each line of her delicate features. From her forehead to the slightly upturned nose, from the cupid’s bow of her mouth, then back to the upturned corners of her cornflower blue eyes. “I don’t deserve you. You’re too perfect for me.”

Pepper wanted to protest, but she wanted his kiss more. When he played his tongue against her lips, she opened for him. Looping her arms around his neck, she sifted her fingers through his dark-as-night hair, finding the strong muscles of his neck beneath it.

Judah pulled her closer, loving the press of her cushiony breasts to his chest. He devoured her mouth, his hands gliding down to the upper swell of her hips. With a slight tug, he brought her close enough so she could feel his desire. To his amazement, Pepper didn’t shy away, she stood on tiptoe and answered his kiss with feminine fierceness, their tongues tangling together.

Pepper was so aroused, she was in danger of forgetting her own name. Judah was kissing her the way she’d always dreamed a man would. Deep. Tender. Passionately. Pressing against him, she let him feel her own excitement as her nipples hardened and her body trembled in his embrace.

“Hey! Look, there’s a yacht on the lake.”

Hearing approaching voices, Judah pulled his lips from hers, then proceeded to dust butterfly kisses on her face, easing her down from the high pinnacle of pleasure they’d been fast ascending. “We’re not alone.”

She pressed her face to his shoulder. “Dammit.”

Judah chuckled with delight. “You’re adorable.”

“I guess we should continue our stroll.” Joining hands, they headed on down to the shoreline, admiring the blue water and the picturesque limestone cliffs. Even though the hour was growing late, the strategic landscape lighting gave them a spectacular view. “So, what’s next? How many days do you have home?”

“I…came home for a meeting.” He hated to lie to Pepper, but he didn’t want to alarm her unnecessarily. “I plan on spending a few hours with my folks in the morning, then flying out tomorrow afternoon. Shiloh performs in Kansas City tomorrow night.”

“I’m watching all the clips uploaded on You-Tube.” She nudged him playfully with her shoulder. “You have some seriously devoted fans.”

Judah nodded. “I do, thank goodness. They’re the ones who spend the money on records and concert tickets.”

“What’s been the most fun, so far? Being on stage? The interviews?”

Her question made Judah think. He slipped an arm around her waist as they started down a steep incline to the water’s edge. “Well, I do enjoy making music. Performing live is a high unlike anything else I’ve ever known. The energy of the crowd is palatable, I feed off it. Honestly, recording in a studio is harder.”

“I think I understand.” Pepper silently pointed to a bench they could share just off the path. “I’ve performed in several plays and I would always worry about our performance lacking a certain spark. One of my drama teachers assured me I would feel differently after a live performance, and she was right. An audience makes all the difference.”

“What roles have you played?” he asked as he held her hand in both of his, caressing her fingers.

She shook her head and felt her cheeks grow warm. “Cinderella, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical.”

He leaned into her and stole a kiss from her neck. “Awww, I wish I could see you act. I’d be your biggest fan.”

“I’m your biggest fan,” she confessed to him.

“Good.” He took a deep, satisfied breath and looked up at the stars. “To answer your previous question, though, the one thing I enjoyed most last week was a trip to a children’s hospital.”

“I bet seeing you made them happy.”

“Yea, I guess. Although, it could’ve been all those toys I handed out.”

“You bought them toys?” she asked in amazement.

“Of course, I couldn’t go empty handed, could I?”

She turned to face him, hugging Judah close. “You’re so sweet. I’m so glad I met you.”

They shared another kiss, but the sound of more voices brought their rendezvous to a close. “I guess we’d better go back, beautiful. I promised Jimmy I’d sing a bit.”

“Wonderful, I’m glad my family will get the chance to see you perform.” She let him pull her to her feet. “I want them to like you.”

“Hey, I’m a likeable fellow. Let your family know that there’ll always be tickets for them at any concert of ours they want to attend.”

“Thank you, Judah. You’re very generous.”

“Glad to do it.” He didn’t tell her that the McCoy brothers weren’t going to be happy about any man dating their baby sister, much less a rock musician. Nevertheless, he didn’t intend to give her up. They were just going to have to learn to like him. “The only person I really care about liking me is you.”

As they made their way back to the villa, she held onto his arm. “Oh, that’s not true. You need your fans. And speaking of…” Pepper’s eyes widened when she saw the crowd awaiting Judah’s return. “Gracious, I didn’t know Jimmy invited half the women in Austin.”

“Judah! Judah! Judah!”

Before either of them had a chance to react, they were separated by the excited crowd and Judah was swept away to the stage.

Without a band, acoustic instruments, or a light show, one might think Judah’s impact would be lessened. Not so, the ballads he sung were compelling, his voice was amazing, and the focus was all on him. The audience loved it. This time, Pepper hung back, experiencing mixed feelings. Her emotions vacillated between joy at his reception and…jealousy.

“Why aren’t you up there squealing and jumping around?”

Pepper didn’t let Ryder’s teasing worry her. She gave her sister a serene smile. “He knows how much I enjoy his music.”

“Oh, does he?” Facing Pepper, Ryder used the tip of one finger to raise her younger sister’s face. “What’s going on between the two of you?”

Pepper didn’t know what came over her, but she found that she didn’t want to say anything more. This was too important, too private, too special to share – even with her sister. “He’s been very kind to me. He offered us all tickets to any of his concerts at any time.”

“Well, that’s generous of him.” Ryder didn’t budge, she looked deep into Pepper’s eyes. “I’ve seen how you look at him. What’s up, really?”

“We’re friends.” A true statement. And she didn’t say ‘just friends’, which was patently untrue. Oh, she knew they weren’t an official couple, yet. Or lovers. Pepper blushed furiously at her own thoughts. She wanted to make love with Judah, she could scarcely think of anything else.

“Hmmm, I’m not sure if I believe you. Did you know he was going to be here tonight?”

She looked guilty and Ryder picked up on it right away. “You did!”

Pepper refused to comment, she just gave her sister an exasperated look and moved closer to where Judah was singing. She didn’t have to go far until she caught his eye, and once she did, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the sexy rock star was singing to one person and one person only.

When the last chord was struck and the last note sung, he came to her. Pepper ignored the looks she received from her disapproving brothers and threw caution to the wind. For the rest of the evening, she stayed by Judah’s side. He was a total gentleman and treated her family with complete respect. By the end of the night, Pepper was even more enchanted than before.

When the time came for them to say goodbye, he took her to one side for a tender kiss. “You’ve got me under your spell, Pepper McCoy.” Judah pressed his forehead to hers. “We’ll talk every day. Okay?”

“Please, yes.” She swallowed, near tears. “When will I see you again?”

Cradling her close, Judah closed his eyes and relished how she made him feel. “I’m playing in Dallas next month. I’d love to have you there with me.”

Pepper clung to him, her heart beating in time with his. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”