Reluctantly Married (6 page)

The applause was deafening. As the noise died down, he said, “She’s doing her best to embarrass me tonight.” More hooting. “I think she did a great job, don’t you?”

Megan’s face flushed, and she tried to pull away, but he gripped tighter. “You see, she found out on our last date that I can’t sing. And so, to be wickedly devious, and probably to boost ratings…” Her blush deepened. “She entered me into this contest.”

The room quieted down, and he let her go. She staggered away from him, flashed a quick smile, then held her arms up like Vanna White. “Take it away, Adam!” She hopped off the stage.

He walked over to the guy queuing up the songs and asked if they had Wicked Game, by Chris Isaak. As the first eerie notes played, he took his place in center stage. Instead of singing, which he knew he would do badly, he spoke the lyrics, his voice low and sultry, the microphone close to his lips.

The effect of the haunting music and the powerful lyrics captivated the room. Everyone sat in silence as he spoke the words to Megan and told her what a wicked thing she’d done, to make him feel this way about her. As the lyrics unfolded, he confessed how he desired her but feared she would break his heart. As the last of the music faded, he bowed. The room erupted in thunderous applause.

He jumped off the stage, microphone still in hand, and walked over to Megan, pulling her up from her chair. “I do think you’ll break my heart,” he said into the microphone. “But I can’t help myself.” He tossed the mic, which landed on the table with a loud thunk, and kissed her. The room exploded in another standing ovation.

6

M
egan staggered back staring at
Adam, unable to hear a thing above the uproar in the bar. He stared at her, a sexy smile on his face, those dimples making her legs feel all wobbly. Her heart pounded from the kiss and from the way Adam had performed on stage. He’d reminded her of a panther, slinking toward her. A predator.

She shook her head, trying to clear it. Adam could melt her heart with his kiss, but that didn’t mean he cared for her. He was playing a game, and he knew how to play it well. His performance, on and off the stage, would surely gain more viewers. And that was what this was all about.

Steeling herself against the effects of his kiss, she picked up the mic. “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Adam Warner.”

After the applause died down and everyone took their seats, they started up the contest again. Megan did her best to ignore the warmth of Adam’s leg so close to hers. She smiled when he shot her inquisitive glances, and batted her eyes when the camera zoomed in. If he was going to play the part, so was she.

Neither of them ended up winning the $100, although they pulled Adam on stage and gave him a certificate for being the most memorable. As they left, he slid his arm around her waist. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “What did I do to deserve that?”

Megan glanced at Dale, then squirmed out of Adam’s grasp and slapped him on his cheek. “I’m not that kind of girl.” She glared at him.

His cheeks turned red, and he glanced from her to the camera, his eyes wide. “I didn’t…I…you misunderstood me.”

A tiny part of her felt bad for him. But only for a micro-second. He and Leon were planning on humiliating her. Adam was no friend, and she needed to keep that in the forefront of her mind.

“Now, Adam.” She put her hands on her hips and scolded him like a child. “No one can misunderstand
that
.”

The shade of red on his face deepened. He stared at her, his mouth slightly open. Then he plastered on his fake camera-smile, threw out his arms, and chuckled. “Well, you can’t blame a guy for trying.”

She figured he’d slip into his male chauvinistic role. Jerk. She folded her arms across her chest and started across the parking lot. He fell into step beside her, and as they neared her car, he slapped her behind, hard.

Adam tightened his seatbelt as Megan drove like a crazy woman through the streets of Omaha. In fact, ‘crazy woman’ seemed to be the theme of the night. What had gotten into her? It had to be Leon. That was the only thing he could come up with. Leon had said something to make her mad.

He thought maybe she would confide in him. He hoped, anyway. But obviously she wasn’t going to be reasonable. Hopefully, this would be over soon. She had slapped him. If he kept up his act, she’d tell him off. They’d be done dating.

Breaking up on-air wasn’t a bad idea. It would force Leon to give up the charade. And it wouldn’t be that hard. She was already pretty mad at him.

Megan sighed and put her hand on his knee. “Hey, I’m sorry I slapped you. I shouldn’t have taken your comment so seriously. You were only joking around.” She flashed a cheesy smile.

So much for breaking up. Leon probably would have fired him anyway. Maybe it was better to go out a few more times and then convince Leon to give up the gig.

“No worries.” He slipped his arm around her shoulder. She bristled but didn’t shrink away.

As they approached her apartment complex, indecision swirled around in his head. What was he supposed to do? Kiss her goodnight? Brush her off? It was such a crazy night, he had no clue.

After a few moments, they stood in front of her door, staring at each other. He waited to see what she would do. A smile crept onto her face. “I had fun tonight.”

“I bet you did,” he said under his breath. Then loud enough for the camera, “I think you’re going to enjoy our next date.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“I mean, a little stretching is good, right?”

She took a step back from him, and instinct kicked in. He moved closer. “Yes. We should try to move past some of our weaknesses.”

Another step back, and she hit the door jamb. Nowhere to go now. He put his hand on the wall above her and leaned down. “I’ve got the perfect idea for our next date.”

The color drained from her face, and she swallowed. “You know, I already planned—”

He silenced her with a finger on her lips. “Oh, no. It’s my turn.” Lifting her chin, he leaned so close their lips were almost touching. “It’s payback time,” he whispered.

Without another word, he turned and left her in the hallway.

Adam thought he was used to quickly changing temperatures, living in Nebraska. He was wrong. The frosty greeting he got from Megan the next morning at the station about froze his buns off. But as soon as the camera started, she was all warm sunshine and flirtation. Of course, as soon as the on-air light went out, he was once again thrown into a sub-zero climate.

After their show, Megan scampered off the set before he had a chance to say a word. He sighed. A part of him felt bad for last night. The rest of him wanted to get back at her for trying to humiliate him. Twice.

He spent the remainder of the morning at home on the Internet researching. A few phone calls later, he had the perfect date set up. He dialed Megan’s number. While he waited for her to answer, he took a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with water.

“Hello?” Her voice was guarded.

“Hey. I wanted to let you know I’ve got our date for Saturday arranged. I’ll pick you up at ten.”

A pause. “What are we doing?”

“Not singing.” He swallowed the tepid tap water. Maybe he should have put some ice in the glass.

A longer pause. “You’re a jerk.”

For some reason, that made him smile. She was the one that started it. She could take a little payback. He opened the freezer, but his ice tray was empty. “Wear something athletic,” he said, his tone light.

The phone beeped in his ear. She’d hung up on him.

Saturday morning brought gray skies that threatened to dump torrents of rain at any minute. Definitely not a day to put the top down on his car. Adam picked up Dale and headed over to get Megan.

“What’s going on here?” he asked Dale as they crept into the parking lot, a large group of women parting like the red sea before them. The parking lot was packed with cars, license plates from all over. He noticed Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Iowa.

“He’s here!” one of them shouted.

And with that, the sea of women crashed in upon them. He couldn’t even inch forward.

He rolled his window down. “What the—”

“It’s Adam!” the one right next to him screamed.

Another one leaned in. “I’m your biggest fan, Mr. Warner.”

Fans? Of his? Had he entered some bizarre world where he was recognized on the streets? Dale chuckled in the back. “Wow. Looks like the website’s working.”

Warning bells sounded in Adam’s head. How had these women known where he was going to be? “What did Leon do?” He tried not to yell but wasn’t very successful.

“Hey, man. It wasn’t my idea.”

Adam closed his eyes and took in a deep breath before speaking. “Did Leon post Megan’s address on the Internet?”

The smile faded from Dale’s face. “Well, when you say it like that, it doesn’t sound very good.”

“Are you serious? He really did?”

Dale nodded, and Adam’s mouth fell open. How could he?

The women finally moved enough to allow him to park. An urge to protect Megan surged in him. He twisted around to face Dale. “Leon’s gone too far this time.”

Adam stepped out of his car. Several women whipped out camera phones. “Thank you, ladies, for coming here. We are glad you watch our morning show.”

“I’ve only watched your dating show,” one of them said.

“Yeah, the dating one is what I watch too.” An older woman nodded. Then a barrage of questions were thrown at him.

“Where are you taking Megan today?”

“Are you mad at her for what she did?”

“Do you love her?”

He held up his hands and put on his best camera smile. “Ladies, please. I’m late to pick up my date.”

The sea of women parted. “Go get her, then!” someone shouted.

He left the surreal scene when Megan buzzed him into her apartment complex, Dale on his heels. When Megan came out, she gave him a particularly nasty glare while the camera wasn’t on her face. Then she smiled. “Hey, sweetie.” She stood on her tip toes and brushed a kiss across his lips.

The small act sent him reeling. He thought about pulling her close and spending more time getting to know her sweet lips, but he knew she was just playing a part for the camera. Too bad.

She wore running shoes, a T-shirt, and jeans that hugged her in all the right places. He averted his gaze and clasped her hand. “Ready to forge through the mob?”

Her head snapped up. “What?”

“You haven’t noticed your parking lot?”

She shook her head. “What are they doing there?”

“I guess they found out we’re taping here this morning. They’re here to catch a glimpse of us.”

Her eyes widened. “I didn’t realize the show had gotten that popular.”

He didn’t want to tell her what Leon had done. “Yeah.” Let her think they found them organically.

After pushing through the crowd, getting in the car, and making it out of the parking lot, Adam relaxed. “Wow, that was something.”

Megan sat quiet, staring out the window.

As they neared Omaha, guilt wormed its way into Adam’s chest. Suddenly, it didn’t seem so imperative to get back at Megan. In fact, he wasn’t sure he wanted to do it at all. Unfortunately, Leon had loved the idea so much, Adam knew he’d be in trouble if he abandoned it.

He pulled into the Skates N’ More parking lot and stopped the car. Relief flooded Megan’s face, which gave him even more guilt. “We’re going roller skating?”

Sweat trickled down his neck. “Well…we’re going in the roller-skate building.”

Her smile stiffened. “What are we doing, Adam?”

Heat crept up his back. He had to tell her. “Rock climbing.”

The color left her face, but she plastered on a smile. “Great. Sounds like fun. Let’s go.”