Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 98823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Oh. I’m sorry. Ezra’s reply was unexpected. His surprising capacity for empathy was at such odds with his brash rocker exterior, as was his ability to apologize. I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. But for the record, you’re not some sleazeball taking advantage of an intern. We’re consenting adults, and I’m the one making a move on you, not the other way around.
Are you? My flip response was easier than acknowledging how his understanding made my chest warm and my shoulders loose.
His response came quickly. Is it not obvious? Seriously, though, tell me to stop flirting, and I’ll shut it down. I’m not trying to make you feel bad about yourself.
My pulse sped up. For all his impulsiveness, Ezra wasn’t a terrible guy. I could put an end to all this foolishness right now, ensure the appropriate amount of professional distance going forward, but instead, my fingers flew over my phone screen, hitting Send before I could stop myself. You’re not. You’re way too fucking tempting, but apparently, I like being tempted.
Do you? There was a rustling noise below me, like Ezra was shifting lower in the bed. You enjoy torturing yourself with what you won’t allow?
Damn. He was way too insightful. And now I was that much more frustrated. And bizarrely, turned on. I wanted him. And yeah, allowing him to keep flirting was like dangling chocolate cake just out of reach, but the more I told myself no, the hungrier I became.
Another reply came in before I could figure out how to respond. Tomorrow night we have hotel rooms. Privacy, no bunk beds, no one else lurking. You should give my room a *thorough* inspection for possible dangers.
I do take my job seriously. And fuck me running, now I was flirting back.
Think about taking it less seriously. Ezra added a winking smiley face. And even as I typed quickly, Goodnight, Ezra, I could guarantee that the hotel room and all the forbidden possibilities therein would plague my dreams and undoubtedly a fair bit of my waking hours too.
Chapter Ten
Ezra
“One more.” I signed another autograph, looking over my shoulder for Duncan, who was none too amused at how I was working the hotel lobby in St. Louis. Kate had arranged an early check-in for us. However, as usual, fans with superior sleuthing skills had discovered which hotel we were booked at, so a fair contingent was waiting. I’d immediately started greeting fans and taking pictures while Kate clucked over how people needed to pay for backstage meet-and-greet privileges. Meanwhile, Duncan glowered and grumbled about poor hotel security and looked moments away from pitching me down an elevator shaft.
Provoking him was fun. I still didn’t have a great explanation for why I’d messaged Duncan the night before or why I was treating him more like a potential friend than my pain-in-the-neck bodyguard. A lot of it had to do with the past hurts I’d glimpsed when we’d talked over dinner. He wasn’t simply a control freak out to ruin my fun anymore. He was a real person with real pain, and something deep inside me had responded with an urge to make nice with him. Offering to watch my show with him and texting him had been a spur-of-the-moment thing, more proof that I couldn’t seem to shut off my impulses where Duncan was concerned.
But my newfound compulsion to be friendlier didn’t mean smooth sailing. Fun as secret, flirty late-night texts were, I remained myself, which meant I seemed capable of pissing Duncan off merely by acting like Ezra Moon.
“Do you ever turn it down?” Duncan asked as I finished with the last fan and finally allowed him to herd me toward the bank of elevators.
“Turn what down?” I played dumb even though I knew perfectly well what he meant. My mom liked to say I bloomed in the spotlight, and she wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t fake, but there was also something about public attention that worked like a protein shake for my personality—giving me energy and heft beyond what I showed one-on-one.
“The rock-god persona.” He rolled his eyes as he hit the Up button. The rest of the band and crew had already headed up. However, a huge delegation in town for a dental convention was also monopolizing the elevators, so we likely had a wait ahead of us. And Duncan was already impatient, tapping a foot. “It’s no wonder some writers have compared your fans to a cult.”
“Aw, Lieutenant, you’ve read articles about me.” I put a hand over my heart.
“You’re a client. I do my background research.” His face tensed to the point I worried for the vein at his temple.
“Like how ‘Blue Night’ has an iconic violin solo?” I kept my voice casual.
His frown deepened as he wrinkled his nose. “Wait. It’s ‘Night with You’ that has the violin solo.”