poured a healthy amount into her coffee and took a huge sip. Heaven.
“It’s so weird how the bodily fluids of bovines excite you,” Julian said. “Anyway, I played on one of Sylvie’s albums. That’s how we met.”
“Love at first sight?”
“What can I say?” Julian waggled his eyebrows like Groucho Marx. “She liked my instrument.”
Cleo rolled her eyes until it actually caused pain.
“Lucky for you,” Julian continued, “we’ve been friends ever since.”
“No kidding. When Sylvie’s here I get animal products.” She took another sip.
“You can buy your own cream whenever you want, you’re just too cheap. But that’s not what I’m talking about. She’s agreed to an interview.”
Cleo set her mug down. “With me?”
“Who else?”
This was way better than free cream. Cleo grabbed Julian’s hands, pulling him in for a hug. She jumped up and down while he stood as motionless as a tree stump.
“Settle down,” he said. “You’re going to come out of your anteaters.”
Gosh, he was cute with his little grin, looking so ridiculously pleased with himself. She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. His face went blank for a moment, but then he smiled and returned the hug with a squeeze so big, Cleo’s armadillos left the floor.
Julian’s nipple rings pressed into her breasts through the thin fabric of her robe. Every nerve in her body stopped what it was doing and paid attention. Julian’s did, too, and she got a healthy salute. He let go immediately and took a giant step back. But she’d felt it, and he knew it.
Good thing she was a woman. There were no telltale signs of her arousal. None whatsoever. Unless, of course, her cheeks were as hot as they felt, or her pupils were dilated like saucers.
“Right,” Julian said. “Okay, then.” He crammed his hand into his pocket, which Cleo knew was full of picks. “I’m going to the studio to lay down a track,” he said.
You do that, Guitar Boy. See if it helps.
…
Well, this was awkward.
Josh sat on Julian’s couch as if he were impaled on a large cylindrical object, right up his ass. It could be the awful tuxedo he was wearing, but more likely, he wasn’t thrilled about Cleo asking him to wait in Julian’s loft while she got ready for the stupid gala. Julian wasn’t thrilled, either, but at least he knew how to be polite.
“Seen any good films lately?” he asked.
Josh tore his eyes away from Cleo’s door and looked at Julian as if he had just now noticed him. “I don’t really have a lot of time for movies right now,” Josh said. “I’m trying to make partner and…well, you wouldn’t understand. Let’s just say we can’t all sit around playing with guitars and watching movies.”
Right. Trying to make partner by dating the boss’s daughter. “Can I get you something to drink? You look nervous.”
Josh tugged at his collar. Julian didn’t blame him—it was at least a half size too small. “No, I’m fine. So tell me, have you seen what she’s wearing tonight?”
Julian stifled a grin. Maybe it wasn’t the collar that was making Josh sweat. “I haven’t seen anything, but I did hear the girls talking earlier. Something about a pink and white polka-dot mermaid dress. Sherry referred to it as a prom dress explosion. Or maybe it was implosion. Sorry, I can’t remember exactly.”
Josh went from bright pink to very pale.
It was all true. Julian had overheard the girls discussing a polka-dot mermaid dress. They hadn’t bought it, but Josh didn’t need to know that. And besides, Cleo could have very well bought something even worse.
“I wonder if mermaid dresses have clamshells?”
“What?” Josh said. His eyes were ridiculously round.
“You know,” Julian said. “Clamshells.” He cupped his hands over his chest.
“Oh, God,” Josh said.
Julian wished Cleo would, in fact, emerge in a polka-dot mermaid costume. It was time to put Josh to the test. Just how badly did he want to
“It’s so weird how the bodily fluids of bovines excite you,” Julian said. “Anyway, I played on one of Sylvie’s albums. That’s how we met.”
“Love at first sight?”
“What can I say?” Julian waggled his eyebrows like Groucho Marx. “She liked my instrument.”
Cleo rolled her eyes until it actually caused pain.
“Lucky for you,” Julian continued, “we’ve been friends ever since.”
“No kidding. When Sylvie’s here I get animal products.” She took another sip.
“You can buy your own cream whenever you want, you’re just too cheap. But that’s not what I’m talking about. She’s agreed to an interview.”
Cleo set her mug down. “With me?”
“Who else?”
This was way better than free cream. Cleo grabbed Julian’s hands, pulling him in for a hug. She jumped up and down while he stood as motionless as a tree stump.
“Settle down,” he said. “You’re going to come out of your anteaters.”
Gosh, he was cute with his little grin, looking so ridiculously pleased with himself. She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. His face went blank for a moment, but then he smiled and returned the hug with a squeeze so big, Cleo’s armadillos left the floor.
Julian’s nipple rings pressed into her breasts through the thin fabric of her robe. Every nerve in her body stopped what it was doing and paid attention. Julian’s did, too, and she got a healthy salute. He let go immediately and took a giant step back. But she’d felt it, and he knew it.
Good thing she was a woman. There were no telltale signs of her arousal. None whatsoever. Unless, of course, her cheeks were as hot as they felt, or her pupils were dilated like saucers.
“Right,” Julian said. “Okay, then.” He crammed his hand into his pocket, which Cleo knew was full of picks. “I’m going to the studio to lay down a track,” he said.
You do that, Guitar Boy. See if it helps.
…
Well, this was awkward.
Josh sat on Julian’s couch as if he were impaled on a large cylindrical object, right up his ass. It could be the awful tuxedo he was wearing, but more likely, he wasn’t thrilled about Cleo asking him to wait in Julian’s loft while she got ready for the stupid gala. Julian wasn’t thrilled, either, but at least he knew how to be polite.
“Seen any good films lately?” he asked.
Josh tore his eyes away from Cleo’s door and looked at Julian as if he had just now noticed him. “I don’t really have a lot of time for movies right now,” Josh said. “I’m trying to make partner and…well, you wouldn’t understand. Let’s just say we can’t all sit around playing with guitars and watching movies.”
Right. Trying to make partner by dating the boss’s daughter. “Can I get you something to drink? You look nervous.”
Josh tugged at his collar. Julian didn’t blame him—it was at least a half size too small. “No, I’m fine. So tell me, have you seen what she’s wearing tonight?”
Julian stifled a grin. Maybe it wasn’t the collar that was making Josh sweat. “I haven’t seen anything, but I did hear the girls talking earlier. Something about a pink and white polka-dot mermaid dress. Sherry referred to it as a prom dress explosion. Or maybe it was implosion. Sorry, I can’t remember exactly.”
Josh went from bright pink to very pale.
It was all true. Julian had overheard the girls discussing a polka-dot mermaid dress. They hadn’t bought it, but Josh didn’t need to know that. And besides, Cleo could have very well bought something even worse.
“I wonder if mermaid dresses have clamshells?”
“What?” Josh said. His eyes were ridiculously round.
“You know,” Julian said. “Clamshells.” He cupped his hands over his chest.
“Oh, God,” Josh said.
Julian wished Cleo would, in fact, emerge in a polka-dot mermaid costume. It was time to put Josh to the test. Just how badly did he want to
Similar Books
