And some breakfast.”
“You realize you’re my dream girl, right?”
“I’m not a dream. I’m real and I’m right here.”
His chest tightened as he pulled her into another kiss.
Chapter Ten
Julia couldn’t wait for Marissa to arrive. Not only hadn’t she seen her in months, but she was dying to see her reaction to meeting Ben and the rest of the band. When her phone rang, she assumed it was Marissa.
“Okay, I’m officially the boy who cried wolf.” Niles’ voice greeted her on the other end of the line.
Julia laughed. “What now?”
“This time I’ve got a real wardrobe emergency.”
“Oh really? Did you have another run-in with a seam ripper?”
“No, I got my trousers caught on some equipment during sound check. Some bloody git intern left it on stage. Think you can fix me up? I don’t have anything else with me at the studio.”
Julia looked at the clock. Marissa was due to arrive in half an hour. “Let me call my friend and tell her to come straight to the taping. I’ll be there as fast as possible.”
“I owe you.”
“I know.”
Julia rushed uptown sewing kit in hand. The guard checked her in and directed her backstage. She gave the guard Marissa’s name and rushed off to find Niles.
Lizzy greeted her in the hall. “Oh thank God. He’s a disaster. Can’t have him on national telly with his arse hanging out.”
Niles was leaning against the dressing room counter and even in the reflection of the mirror Julia could see the tear straight down the left side of his pants.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Sure that’s not the new look you want to try to cultivate? Could catch on…”
“You and Lizzy are quite the comedy team today.”
“You love the attention.” Lizzy stroked her hand over his cheek and kissed him. “Now hold still so Julia can try to make you presentable.”
Julia examined the rip.
“Is it fatal?” Niles craned his neck to look.
“Hold still,” she said, smoothing the fabric. “I can fix it, but you’re going to need to take them off.”
She expected him to go change but instead he unzipped and dropped his pants to the floor. He stepped out of them, revealing black-and-pink-striped silk boxers, which went surprisingly well with the black dress shirt and open gray vest he still wore.
Ben appeared in the doorway. “Tell me that’s not your new look.”
Niles flopped onto the couch as though he were home lounging on a Saturday afternoon. “Perhaps it should be. It’s rather liberating.”
Julia laid the pants on the counter and went to work stitching the tear. Ben came up behind her and kissed her neck.
“Stop distracting me or I might sew Boy Wonder’s pants too tight.”
Ben chuckled. “Is Marissa with you?”
“No, I told her to head straight here. She should be here soon.”
Julia was just finishing up Niles’ repairs when a very bug-eyed Marissa was ushered into the room by an intern. She was dressed all in black, which Julia knew was her security blanket. “You’re here.” Julia put down the needle and thread and rushed over to hug her. Marissa let out a manic laugh. “Calm down,” Julia whispered in her ear. “Here, let me introduce you. This is Ben.”
Ben strode over, hand extended. “I feel like I already know you. Glad you could make it.”
“Thank you.” Marissa looked as if she hadn’t taken a breath since she arrived.
Ben gestured to Niles. “This is Niles. Usually he waits ’til after shows to lose his pants but he’s mixing up the order today.”
“I can shuck them later as well, if I please.” Niles turned his attention to Marissa. “Best if I don’t stand at the moment, but pleasure to meet you. Julia never mentioned you were gorgeous.”
Every exposed inch of Marissa flushed, her chest turning a deep cherry red. Julia decided to rescue her before Niles turned his charm on full force. “Come, why don’t you have Ben show you to our seats? I’ll join you in two minutes. I’m just
“You realize you’re my dream girl, right?”
“I’m not a dream. I’m real and I’m right here.”
His chest tightened as he pulled her into another kiss.
Chapter Ten
Julia couldn’t wait for Marissa to arrive. Not only hadn’t she seen her in months, but she was dying to see her reaction to meeting Ben and the rest of the band. When her phone rang, she assumed it was Marissa.
“Okay, I’m officially the boy who cried wolf.” Niles’ voice greeted her on the other end of the line.
Julia laughed. “What now?”
“This time I’ve got a real wardrobe emergency.”
“Oh really? Did you have another run-in with a seam ripper?”
“No, I got my trousers caught on some equipment during sound check. Some bloody git intern left it on stage. Think you can fix me up? I don’t have anything else with me at the studio.”
Julia looked at the clock. Marissa was due to arrive in half an hour. “Let me call my friend and tell her to come straight to the taping. I’ll be there as fast as possible.”
“I owe you.”
“I know.”
Julia rushed uptown sewing kit in hand. The guard checked her in and directed her backstage. She gave the guard Marissa’s name and rushed off to find Niles.
Lizzy greeted her in the hall. “Oh thank God. He’s a disaster. Can’t have him on national telly with his arse hanging out.”
Niles was leaning against the dressing room counter and even in the reflection of the mirror Julia could see the tear straight down the left side of his pants.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Sure that’s not the new look you want to try to cultivate? Could catch on…”
“You and Lizzy are quite the comedy team today.”
“You love the attention.” Lizzy stroked her hand over his cheek and kissed him. “Now hold still so Julia can try to make you presentable.”
Julia examined the rip.
“Is it fatal?” Niles craned his neck to look.
“Hold still,” she said, smoothing the fabric. “I can fix it, but you’re going to need to take them off.”
She expected him to go change but instead he unzipped and dropped his pants to the floor. He stepped out of them, revealing black-and-pink-striped silk boxers, which went surprisingly well with the black dress shirt and open gray vest he still wore.
Ben appeared in the doorway. “Tell me that’s not your new look.”
Niles flopped onto the couch as though he were home lounging on a Saturday afternoon. “Perhaps it should be. It’s rather liberating.”
Julia laid the pants on the counter and went to work stitching the tear. Ben came up behind her and kissed her neck.
“Stop distracting me or I might sew Boy Wonder’s pants too tight.”
Ben chuckled. “Is Marissa with you?”
“No, I told her to head straight here. She should be here soon.”
Julia was just finishing up Niles’ repairs when a very bug-eyed Marissa was ushered into the room by an intern. She was dressed all in black, which Julia knew was her security blanket. “You’re here.” Julia put down the needle and thread and rushed over to hug her. Marissa let out a manic laugh. “Calm down,” Julia whispered in her ear. “Here, let me introduce you. This is Ben.”
Ben strode over, hand extended. “I feel like I already know you. Glad you could make it.”
“Thank you.” Marissa looked as if she hadn’t taken a breath since she arrived.
Ben gestured to Niles. “This is Niles. Usually he waits ’til after shows to lose his pants but he’s mixing up the order today.”
“I can shuck them later as well, if I please.” Niles turned his attention to Marissa. “Best if I don’t stand at the moment, but pleasure to meet you. Julia never mentioned you were gorgeous.”
Every exposed inch of Marissa flushed, her chest turning a deep cherry red. Julia decided to rescue her before Niles turned his charm on full force. “Come, why don’t you have Ben show you to our seats? I’ll join you in two minutes. I’m just
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