Snared(12)

Even if April was the hottest “groupie” I’d ever seen.





April

I COULDN’T BELIEVE my luck. I’d found Beau up on the rooftop deck. I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off him since the second I saw him. He’d looked so hot, but so out of his element dressed in that suit. This was much more his style; I could tell. His short, dark hair, coupled with the short beard, had me tingling. Add in the tattoos scrolling across every inch of skin I could see, and I was mesmerized. Even the gauges in his ears had me interested. He tapped his fingers on his jean-clad leg to some invisible beat in his head, and I found myself wondering what his talented fingers would feel like on my skin.

He wasn’t my type. Not at all. Then again, “my type” hadn’t gotten me anywhere, either. There was something about the quiet way he took everything in, hardly saying a word, and the way his eyes crinkled up when he thought something was funny, his lips showing just a hint of a smile. I knew he was incredibly uncomfortable being up here alone with me, and that intrigued me. Men usually didn’t act so intimidated by me; if anything, they often went overboard trying to get my attention. Beau seemed like he couldn’t care less if I was here next to him or not, and would prefer me not to be here at all.

Jaded Regret was my favorite band. I loved everything I’d found out about them and what they were doing with their success. I couldn’t believe I’d gotten them to play at this fundraiser. Ever since they’d become famous, I’d followed the story of Bex and Johnny, Tanner, and Beau. I knew as much as any fan could about them. I knew Beau had been a foster kid, and I figured that may be a way for us to connect with each other since that was what I did for a living. My job was my life.

I did it for my mom, who’d grown up in foster care herself. It wasn’t until she met my dad, after she was out of the system, when her life started turning around. Now she was a huge adoption advocate and worked tirelessly with our state to promote permanent placement for children. This was one of the many reasons I adored Jaded Regret. I’d heard the stories that circulated about Bex, Natalie, and Beau—their history in foster care and how they got out. I wanted to know the real story, not the media version. Bex was always very tight-lipped about it, saying only that she wished to give back to kids like her. I could understand why, but it didn’t stop me from being curious.

I sipped the bubbly soda. I wanted to ask a million questions, starting with why he wasn’t drinking something harder. Didn’t rockers like to drink? I needed to decide the best way to approach Beau. I’d told Camryn and Bella I’d meet them back down at the hotel bar in a little bit. I’d just needed some time to find Beau and see if my initial feeling of being around him continued.

It did. I was attracted to him. I wanted to get to know him. And as much as I wasn’t a one-night stand kind of girl, I wanted him to take me to his room. I wasn’t a groupie; well, not in the literal sense. I guess I did know more than most about the band, but I was the daughter of Dr. Knight. I’d brought the band here. I was a professional.

When I wanted something, I made it happen. The same way I’d “flunked” out of medical school so I could do what I wanted, which was social work. It was April’s way or no way in life. I’d learned from my dad never to take less than what you want, and to work your ass off to make your dreams happen. Much to his chagrin it meant I didn’t do what he wanted me to do, which was to follow in his footsteps.

Beau cleared his throat, shaking me out of my random thoughts. “I better get in. My sister will wonder where I am.”

He couldn’t go yet. We hadn’t spoken more than a few words to each other. “Wait.” I placed my hand on his thick thigh. Warmth immediately flooded my body. Beau’s eyes went from my hand on his leg up to meet my gaze, and we were locked in a stare for a moment, neither of us moving.

“Don’t go yet.” I ignored the way my hands shook involuntarily.

A look I could only classify as panic crossed Beau’s face before he quickly masked it with indifference. When he shifted to stand, my hand fell off his thigh, and then he busied himself by picking up our empty soda cans. “It was nice to meet you,” he said, not making eye contact. “I’m sure I’ll see you before the concert tomorrow.”

Before I could say anything else, he strode through the doors and disappeared.

I sat back and blew out a frustrated breath. “Way to go, April. You’ve apparently lost your touch.” I didn’t want to go back down and face the girls. When I’d told them I wanted to get to know Beau, they’d laughed, thinking I’d been kidding. Then when they’d found out what I meant by “get to know,” they’d been shocked. I’d never in my life had a one-night stand. I’d only had one serious boyfriend in my entire life, and that had ended amicably when we’d graduated college. Sure, I’d had my share of boyfriends over the years, but nothing that made me feel like he was “the one.” So now, at twenty-eight years old, I’d decided maybe I needed to live life a little less seriously.