Taste of Love

chapter Twelve




"So what are the plans for today?" Madison asked as they carried her luggage into the hotel and up to the room. Madison looked around as they walked, impressed with the lobby and all of the furnishings in the hotel. It was obviously a five star hotel, the type she wasn't used to staying in. Before her restaurant had become a success, she lived a middle class lifestyle. And now that the money was rolling in from The TigerLily, she hadn't really had time to indulge in any luxuries.

"Well, first we are going to get you settled in your room, and then you have an appointment in the spa while I go do my sound check. When I get back, we have dinner reservations, then I hoped we could walk around Monument Circle for a while and be all touristy," he told her when they stepped into the elevator.

"The spa?" Madison asked.

"Yup, I signed you up for the full package, facial, massage, some sort of mud bath thing - the works," he answered, watching the numbers slide by as they rode to the top floor. He pulled a keycard from his back pocket and slid it into the lock, opening the door with a quick flick of his wrist.

Standing in the hallway, Madison looked around and saw that the only door was the one to the room Cameron was opening. She followed him into the room, and saw a giant sitting room with doors that led to separate bedrooms and bathrooms. "Cameron, this is huge!"

He laughed. "Well, I am so tired of sleeping in cramped spaces on the tour bus, so I decided to get the penthouse and treat us both. You're giving me an excuse to sleep in nice hotels while you're visiting, rather than having us both suffer on the bus."

He led her over to a large room. "This is my room, just in case you get scared, or horny." She laughed and smacked his arm when he wiggled his eyebrows at her. Snickering, he walked a bit further and opened another door. "This is your room."

Madison entered the room and looked around. It was elegantly decorated with cream, gold, and hints of maroon throughout. Cameron set her large suitcase on the bed, and turned to leave. "Your bathroom is through that door over there." He pointed to a large door to his left. "That's the closet if you need it, but we'll only be here until tomorrow. Um, there's food and drinks in the kitchenette, help yourself to whatever you want. Oh, and your appointment is in forty-five minutes, so do whatever you need to, but be downstairs in the spa by then. I will be back shortly after you finish being pampered, and our dinner reservations are at eight o'clock."

He ran through the list while Madison tried to take it all in.

She put her carry-on bag down and followed him to the door of the penthouse. "Cameron, wait!" He stopped rushing to leave, and turned to see what she wanted. Once he had stopped, she stood awkwardly, not quite sure what to say. She walked to him slowly and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."

Cameron nodded, not really knowing what to say, without screwing up the moment they were sharing. He returned Madison's kiss on her cheek, and walked out the door.



After two hours of absolute bliss in the spa, Madison returned to the room, using the keycard that Cameron had left for her on her night stand. She collapsed onto her bed, feeling quite relaxed, and drifted off to sleep.

Cameron came back to the room an hour later, and stood at her door watching her sleep. He was so torn on whether he should let her sleep, or wake her up to get ready for dinner. What he really wanted to do was crawl into bed with her right then and there, and see where it led.

Instead, he quietly crept into her room and sank down on the bed next to her. He placed a kiss on Madison's forehead, waking her from her nap.

A slow smile spread across her face. She stretched her arms over her head, groaning softly. Cameron watched her and felt a stirring in his pants as she stretched. Her innocence had an erotic effect on him, which felt surprising, considering the kind of women he was surrounded by on a daily basis.

"Good evening, Sleeping Beauty. Do you want to sleep some more? I can cancel our reservations and just order room service later."

A grumble from Madison's stomach told him the answer. They both laughed when they heard it. "I am definitely ready for food. What kind of place are we going to?" she asked, getting up and opening her suitcase.

"Dress nice, but comfortably, so that we can stroll around later," he told her. "Can you be ready in twenty minutes?"

"Without a doubt. But can you, pretty boy? Looks like that spiky hair is pretty high maintenance," she joked with him. He flipped her off as he left the room to get ready himself, leaving her laughing as she gathered her clothes.



Twenty minutes later, Cameron finally emerged from his room. He was surprised to see Madison sitting on the couch, flipping through a magazine. "It's about time," she joked, not looking up from the periodical. Finally, she tossed it onto the coffee table and turned to look at Cameron.

Her breath hitched as she took in his appearance. His steel blue shirt was open to reveal a black t-shirt underneath, the sleeves rolled up just a bit. Looking down, she admired the black pants and black Doc Martens. She eyed him appreciatively, knowing all that black was for her.

At the same time, Cameron was scoping out Madison. Usually she wore black, but tonight she wore an interesting shade of camel, and it looked great on her. Her knee high leather boots matched the camel leather blazer she wore. A tight white tank top was tucked into her denim mini skirt. Cameron needed to keep his libido in check. He wasn't sure what Madison wanted from him, and he wasn't about to scare her away.

Cameron cleared his throat. "Are you ready?"

"Oh yeah, I'm starving!" She walked over to him, and hooked her arm into his. "Let's go taste the town."

Cameron laughed as he escorted her to the elevator and down to the car. He had never seen Madison so carefree and jovial; except when she was drunk, of course, and there wasn't much he remembered about that night.

Dinner went well, but Cameron kept insisting that though it was a well-known restaurant in Indy, it had nothing on The TigerLily. That made Madison blush, even as she protested that the food was delicious. Deep down though, she kept thinking about what would make each dish taste better.

After their meal, they headed to the Indianapolis Canal walk, then over to Circle Center Mall and Union Station. It was a beautiful night as they walked arm in arm, taking in the charming downtown shops. People were sitting on benches alongside the canal, and some were travelling down the water in gondolas.

Cameron looked over at Madison and even by the streetlight, he could tell that she was starting to look better. He still needed to feed her, get her weight back up, but that wasn't something that could happen overnight.

As they headed back to their downtown hotel, neither one could fight off their yawns. It had been such a long day for both of them, and their previous exhaustion did nothing to help the matter.

Back at the hotel, Cameron walked Madison to her bedroom door and took her hand in his. He brought it up to his mouth where he kissed it gently. After he lowered her hand, he didn't let go as he looked into her eyes. "Thank you so much for coming, Madison. I really missed you."

"I missed you too," she whispered, startled, but a bit turned on by the intense look in his eyes. "Thank you for tonight, it was perfect," she told him, kissing his cheek, then closing her door behind her before anything happened.

Cameron sighed as he made his way to his room. He most definitely needed a cold shower before he'd be able to sleep.



The next morning, Madison woke up feeling better than she had in a long time. After she showered, she changed into jeans and a red button up shirt that accented her curves. When she left her room, she was surprised to see that Cameron was up and dressed already. He was sitting on the couch, reading the morning newspaper.

"Cameron Rome reads the newspaper?" she noted. "What would your fans think?" She moved closer. "And it's even the 'World and Politics' section!" She had to admit that she was impressed.

Cameron looked back at her and smiled. In an instant, his arm snaked around her waist and puller her over the couch onto his lap. The newspaper was forgotten as he started to tickle her.

A knock at the door stopped them both in their tracks. Cameron stood up, effectively dropping Madison to the floor. He looked down at her and laughed. "Breakfast is here, do you want to get up for that, or should I feed you on the floor?" he joked as he went to open the door.

"Rock stars," Madison groaned as she pulled herself from the floor, straightening her clothes and hair. She watched as a small man rolled a large cart into their room, leaving it next to the dining table. Cameron handed the man a tip and told him he could take it from there. Madison went to help Cameron unload the cart, amazed to see all the food he'd ordered. "Are you expecting guests for breakfast?"

"Nope, just me and you," he said, looking over all the food. He pulled a chair out for Madison. "Dig in," he told her as he sat down and started to take some food. His plate was overflowing by the time he was done.

Madison started to take some small portions of a few dishes, but after seeing how much Cameron was taking, and hearing her stomach rumble yet again, she added more. She decided to start with the blueberry pancakes, making sure she would definitely be able to eat them, and not be too full if she saved them for last.

Cameron looked up at her as she ate, pleased that she was eating the way she was, and by how her eyes now had their shine back. "I thought we'd go shopping this morning before we leave for the venue. Sound good to you?" he asked between bites.

"Sounds great. I haven't been shopping in so long. But do you think you can handle shopping with me?" She knew that guys seldom liked to shop, except for Chase, and she wasn't sure she could consider him a 'guy'.

"I can handle it. I could use a few new things too. But the condition is that you let me pick an outfit for you, to wear to the concert tonight."

Her eyes widened. "I'm not too sure about that. I've seen how some of those girls dress at your concerts, and I can't see myself wearing something too lewd."

Cameron's hands flew dramatically to his chest. "I'm wounded that you would even think I would dress you like those whores." He brushed some imaginary lint from his shoulder. "I have much better taste than that."

"Fine, but if it's even close to being hoochie-like, I have the power of veto," she warned him. "Are you going to be able to go shopping without getting swamped?"

"I was invisible at the airport yesterday, wasn't I? I even had you fooled," he pointed out.

Madison nodded and pushed her chair back from the table. "I couldn't eat another bite! I bet I just gained five pounds."

"Good, you need it. You're too skinny." He eyed her, and watched her hips as she walked. "I'm done too, so let's go shopping."



Four hours and countless bags later, Madison and Cameron returned to the hotel room. "We have an hour before we have to leave. Get packed too, since we won't be coming back here tonight. We're going to drive to Chicago after the concert, and the hotel rooms are booked already."

Madison went to her room to shower and get ready. She was still a little nervous about wearing the outfit Cameron had picked out, but at the same time, she knew he thought she looked hot in the outfit. She would never admit this to anyone, but she actually agreed - she thought she looked a little hot in the outfit.

Maybe. Just a little.

As she showered, she pondered her relationship with Cameron. She had seen desire in his eyes, but he never did anything more than hold her hand or kiss her cheek. He had been treating her very well since she arrived, but she wondered what would happen that night, backstage, after the concert. She already knew he was a different person when he got up on the stage, and he was obviously a different person when he was surrounded by his fans.

And how did she feel about him? She would readily admit she was attracted to him, and she enjoyed the time they shared. There was definitely chemistry, but if they became a couple, could she handle him touring all the time, and seeing him in the tabloids with those girls? She had no illusions about his life and how he led it; she didn't think she should ask him to sacrifice his fun on the road for her.

She stepped out of the shower and worked on her hair and makeup, trying to make herself look a little less boring, but not trampy.

She entered the bedroom and packed all of her clothes. It was surprisingly difficult, considering all the clothes they had purchased earlier that day. She really needed an extra suitcase already.

There was only one outfit she didn't pack. She took it out of the garment bag that it was in and laid it out on the bed. She couldn't believe that Cameron had insisted on picking out not only her outfit, but her undergarments for the night. What was even more astounding was that she had let him.

She slowly slid the purple silk thong underwear up her legs, and strapped the matching strapless bra to her chest. Next she slid on the tight black sparkling mini skirt, and then the purple top. The arms and chest were loose and flowing, with a wide boatneck, all leading down to the tight waist at the bottom of the shirt. She pulled on her knee high leather boots, with the stiletto heels, to complete the outfit.

Checking herself in the mirror, she smiled at her reflection. She wasn't trashy, but she wasn't demure either. No one would ever mistake her for a librarian, or a schoolteacher, or even a chef, for that matter. She was ready to give the other girls a run for their money at the concert.

When she left her room, dragging her luggage behind her, Cameron was already waiting. He would be changing at the concert hall, so it took him less time to get ready. Seeing her, he whistled loudly, unable to peel his eyes away.

Madison blushed, but lifted her hands up and twirled in a circle for him. "Well? Is this what you imagined when you picked it out?"

Cameron walked over to her, shaking his head. The smile started to slip off Madison's face as he stood before her. He looked so serious that it made her uncertain of what she had seen in the mirror just minutes before.

"No," he told her. "It's better than what I imagined." He put his finger under her chin and lifted it up, so that he could look her in the eyes. "You look amazing, Madison." Slowly, his face got closer and closer to hers. Finally his lips were touching hers, and relief flooded through him, for he was finally doing what he had wanted to do since he saw her walking through the gate at the airport.

Madison sighed at the feel of Cameron's lips on hers. Without giving it a second thought, she opened her mouth to give him access. As she felt his tongue invade her mouth, her knees weakened.

Cameron was the first to back away, worried that if he didn't, he would go further than either of them could handle at the moment. There was so much they needed to talk about before they took that step again. He smiled at the dazed look on Madison's face - that was all he needed to give his confidence a boost when it came to her. Maybe she really was into him like he hoped she was.

"We better go," he said. "The bus is waiting for us downstairs."

Madison cleared her throat and shook her head, trying to come back to her senses. "Right," she said, and reached for her luggage.

"I'll get them," he told her. "You look too pretty to be carrying these heavy bags."

Madison blushed again and grabbed her purse. She looked around the room, silently saying goodbye to the luxury, and wondered if the rest of the evening would be as extraordinary.



The bus was just as Madison had pictured. It included a small sitting area in the front behind the driver, a little dining table after that, a small kitchenette, a few bunks, and a larger 'living room' in the back. His manager and agent were already on the bus waiting for them, and greeted Madison warmly as they were introduced.

Cameron stowed her luggage under the bunks, right next to his. He led her to the back sitting area where they could get comfortable and stretch out. Cameron seemed a little tense, so she sat next to him and told him to turn around. She was trying to watch how she sat in her skirt, not wanting to look all rumpled when they arrived. She reached up and started to massage Cameron's shoulders. His muscles were in knots.

"It's not fair that I got the massage yesterday at the spa. It feels like you need one," she whispered to him, working on the knots near his shoulder blades.

Cameron dropped his head forward and moaned. "God, that feels so good," he told her. "I just get a little tense before the shows."

"A little tense?" she said, and then didn't say anything else while she worked on his muscles. Cameron sighed and leaned back into her touch. Part of what he said was true, but the other part was that his need for Madison left him a bit tense.

Within a few short minutes the bus rolled up to the Verizon Music center, where he was performing. They all walked to an area backstage, where they found Cameron's dressing room. He vanished into it and about twenty minutes later, he emerged looking like the rock star he was.

His manager Riley led them to another private room, where there would be a meet and greet for some fans that won special tickets. Cameron signed autographs and took pictures with his fans, while Madison stood off to the side watching. It never failed to amaze her how people were in awe around Cameron. They idolized him, and she was beginning to realize how special he was to others.



The concert went very well. The crowd knew his music, and Cameron was in his zone. She stood at the side of the stage, watching his every move. She now knew why he liked what he did, why he loved the rush of performing live. She wasn't even on stage, but she could feel the electricity of the fans.

After the show was over, Cameron went to his dressing room to shower, leaving Madison to fend for herself in an area where dozens of groupies were anxiously waiting for him. She had a drink in her hand, which was almost gone due to the setting. Being nervous always made her drink far too fast. She didn't know what to expect when Cameron made his entrance.

A door finally opened, and she instantly knew that Cameron was in the room. The thrill that ran through the crowd was unmistakable. He made his way through the crowd, humoring a few girls who stopped him for a kiss, cameras flashing from all sides. She saw that Cameron was trying to be polite, but that he wasn't enjoying the girls breaking into his space.

He made his way over to where Madison was standing and kissed her lips. She could feel the scornful eyes of the groupies sizing her up. She carefully avoided looking anywhere but up into Cameron's eyes.

"Glad you actually stayed this time," he grinned.

"I have no choice, my ride isn't ready to leave yet," she teased back. "You were great out there."

His eyes sparkled at the compliment, and he was glad to know she enjoyed herself. "We aren't going to stay long, just long enough to say I was here, then we can make our escape."

Madison nodded, anxious to get out from under the watchful eyes of the groupies. They were staring at her as though she was a strange mold growing on the end of their impossibly high heels. She understood; they were jealous. She pointedly ignored them and got another drink, then waited patiently for Cameron to tell her it was time to leave. She watched as he mingled, laughing and talking with some, politely brushing off others. The women were surrounding him, vying for attention, but he gave them none. What a difference from the last time!

Half an hour later, he saved her, and led her to the bus.

"We'll be in Chicago in about three hours. You want to change into something comfortable, and come in back to watch television with me?" he asked.

"Sounds great," she told him. Cameron got two pair of athletic shorts and a t-shirt and sweatshirt out of his closet near his bunk. He handed the sweatshirt and a pair of shorts to Madison to change into while he took the other shorts and t-shirt. He gave an apologetic shrug.

"Sorry, didn't want to dig your luggage out right now," he said. "Besides, I think you will look so damn cute in that."

Madison blushed and looked around, wondering where she could change. "Bathroom is right there, and I'll be in the back when you're done."

She changed her clothes and met Cameron in the back. He was sprawled out on one of the couches, already watching television. He looked up when she came in and patted the spot next to him. She went over and cuddled up next to his body, feeling his warmth. Cameron pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and covered them both, then wrapped his arm around her waist.

It was the most comfortable spot in the world, with the sound of the wheels underneath them and the warmth of their bodies lying together. They were soon asleep, rushing through the night toward the lights of Chicago.