Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“Pierce Brosnan. Hands down.”
For a split second, I thought he was serious. I froze mid-inhale and almost choked on my own spit. But then I quickly realized he was joking. “Haha. But I applaud your taste.”
“Wasn’t Rosamund Pike the one in Pride and Prejudice? She’s gorgeous.”
I smiled into my pillow. At least the man had eyes. Even if they were straight ones. “Yes. She was also in Gone Girl. Now, Ben Affleck I might kick out of bed for eating crackers, but not Neil Patrick Harris or Tyler Perry. They were both in that, too, remember?”
“I never knew soccer was a big deal in Georgia,” he said after a few moments.
I cracked an eye open and saw him peering at a photo collage on my bulletin board. On it was a stupid team shot where I was knock-kneed and covered in acne. “Don’t look at that,” I groaned. “I have a reputation to uphold.”
“You’re adorable. Look at those teeth.”
“They’re like elephant ears. I worked nights playing gigs in college just so I could get cosmetic dentistry.”
He turned to gaze at me. “No shit? Why?”
I sighed. “I was kind of dating this guy named Bodhi—”
“Bodhi Sorrentino,” he murmured. “Played drums with you for three years in school.”
I cocked my head. “Yeah, how’d you know?”
“He’s on the list,” Bear said, referring to the “persons of interest in Zee’s life” list my security team kept up to date. “He also comes to concerts from time to time to watch you play. I get a list of VIP pass holders for every show.”
“Oh. Yeah, we keep in touch. He was supposed to be at Shaky Knees last night, I thought, but either he couldn’t make it, or he showed up and we never connected. I’ll see if he wants to meet for lunch in New York next week. He’s a nice guy.”
“I didn’t realize you dated.”
“No… it wasn’t really… I mean. We kissed and stuff, but he had something going with this other guy that was on again, off again, so I bailed. Mostly, I was into him for the music. Oh! He helped me write ‘Hard New Day.’ The one with the killer drum solo? That was his idea.”
I tried to remember why we were even talking about this. “So, yeah, Bodhi said I’d never get a big music deal with freakishly small ears and big elephant-ear teeth. He suggested I grow out my hair and do whatever I could to fix my mouth.”
Bear’s jaw dropped comically. “He said that?” he snarled.
As usual, when he learned of anyone disparaging me, my sweet, calm rock of a bodyguard looked like he wanted to moonlight as a feral assassin. I laughed. “Not exactly. I called them elephant ears. He just said I needed braces. Bodhi was young and stupid like the rest of us in college. He’s since apologized profusely, don’t worry.”
“Your teeth were endearing, and your ears are a-fucking-dorable. Fucking Bodhi can shove his opinions up his ass.”
Before I could pack that sweet moment into my mental treasure box, my bedroom door slammed open, and several things happened at once.
Three teenage girls came in giggling with their cell phones up, my cousin Farrah shouted for them to stop being complete losers, and Ryan Galloway stepped between me and the doorway while drawing his weapon on all four of them.
SIX
RYAN
Bears are naturally protective of the things they value, and they’re not known for giving up their territory or their honey without a fight. But if the reward is sweet enough, a bear might just learn to trust and share.
—Bear Facts for Insomniacs, Episode 10
What the fuck was wrong with me that I’d forgotten something as simple as pushing the button lock on Zane’s bedroom door?
“Freeze,” I barked before calling Lou to come help me deal with these fuckers. “Everyone set your phone camera down on the floor right now and step back.”
Because they were stupid kids who didn’t know better and I happened to have an effective commanding voice when I chose to use it, all four of them did as I said. I holstered my weapon and stepped forward to pick up the first phone. “Were you recording?”
I didn’t wait for an answer, simply went into the girl’s camera roll and deleted what I found that looked remotely like it had been taken since they’d come onto the Hendley property today. I narrowed my eyes at her before handing it back. “If you take any unauthorized photos or video of Zee Barlo, do you have any idea what his record label will do?”
“N-no, sir.”
“I suggest you don’t find out,” I warned, mostly because she’d find out they’d do absolutely nothing to her.
I repeated the activity with all of the other phones, secretly appreciating the fact that Farrah hadn’t taken any photos or video of her cousin. “Go downstairs and stop bothering Mr. Barlo. This is his private bedroom, for god’s sake. How would you feel if a man had just barged into your bedroom uninvited?” I lifted an eyebrow and made eye contact with each of them, hopefully causing them to realize what a violation their actions had been.