muffin, but that’s okay. I got the picture I wanted today. I’ll keep chipping away at that wall of yours.”
“Y-you can’t use that photo,” I stuttered from his proximity.
“No, that photo is for me and no one else.” He turned quickly, lifted his shirt, smiled, and then took a picture like he’d been doing it for years. “That’s for the fans.”
He typed away on his phone and then looked up at me. “First post complete.” He leaned in again and ran his finger along my jaw, making a dull ache form in the pit of my stomach. I wanted this man, no, I needed this man like I needed to breathe. He was slowly winding his way into my life, and there was not much more denying I could put out there. I could only be so strong.
“I have my first consultation tonight?” I nodded my head and he continued. “Will you be there?”
“No, that’s more Zia’s thing.”
“Can you be there…please?”
“Adam…”
He grabbed my hands and brought them up to his lips to lightly kiss my knuckles. The feel of his lips on my skin sent my heart into a beating frenzy, so much that I thought it might just beat right out of my chest.
“Solo, I need you. It might be a pussy thing to say, but right now, I’m terrified. I took this job because I need it, more than anything, not because of the apparent fame or the adoring comments, but because I need the money for reasons I don’t want to get into right now. I’m out of my element, and I feel like I’m drowning when walking around in this new world by myself. You’re the one who makes it easier, and not just because you’re damn good at your job, but because I can count on you making me laugh, and I can count on you easing the knot that this new experience is creating. Will you please be there…for me?”
Well, how the fuck was I supposed to say no to that?
I nodded my head, eliciting a heart stopping smile from him, which was also full of relief. We both walked back out to the main room together, where our computers still rested, and the studio was empty. I packed everything up for him, and then handed him an envelope.
“What’s this?” he asked, looking at it with confusion. “A love note?”
“No, you dork, it’s your advance. Don’t spend it all in one place.”
Relief spread over his features while he looked down at the envelope, as if it was the key to all his problems. I didn’t know why he was so desperate for money, but by the look on his face, it seemed like I just bought him a couple more days of whatever kind of situation he was going through.
“Thank you,” he said with all sincerity. “I can’t tell you how much this made my day.” He looked down at his watch and said, “I have to go. Is your phone number in my new phone?”
“Of course,” I replied, while trying to gauge his urgency.
“Good, I’ll talk to you later, Solo. Thank you for your help and for coming tonight.”
In one quick movement, he bent down and placed a kiss on my cheek before pulling away and taking off to the front door, leaving a blaze of heat encompassing my body.
My hand instinctively went to my cheek as I watched him walk away, observing that beautiful ass of his. There was no way I would be getting over him anytime soon.
Shaking the thoughts of Adam out of my head, or at least trying to, I grabbed my computer and went back to my desk to get some work done before Zia came in. I was just getting settled when the studio doors flew open and Zia charged toward me with her assistant at her side.
“Solo, where the hell is Nikko? He was supposed to meet me in the garden at nine this morning.”
Panic flew through my stomach as I quickly looked through my calendar, hoping I didn’t set up the boys’ schedules wrong and send them to different places. I was distracted by Adam, but not that distracted.
“One second,” I said, as I clicked through my computer. Nikko’s name popped up and he wasn’t supposed to be in the garden
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