“You’re the only one who understands the band enough to produce authentic photographs.”
“Let me get this straight,” I looked at him then, “you’re here because you want to use me again but this time it’s to take pictures for the stupid tour book you want to release?”
Luka leaned his elbow against the desk, his head supported by three fingers at his temple. The arm he draped over his crossed legs ended in a clenched fist. He seemed to be restraining himself. But from what, I had no idea. “I want you to work for us. That is all.”
“Well, at least you made that clear.” There was the sarcasm I was looking for. I picked myself up off the floor and shuffled to the bed. I dropped my bag beside the desk and Luka grabbed my wrist. My succeeding inhale washed my lungs with the scent I’d been craving since my brain processed his presence in my hotel room as the real deal. I didn’t feel shame in closing my eye and relishing each inhalation. The man’s delectable smell reminded me of cold winter nights by the fire with a cup of spiced hot chocolate.
“Luka,” I said when I opened my eye to look down at him. “Let me go before you and I do something we will both regret.” The goose bumps trailing up my arm warned me I was a thin line away from tearing off his clothes.
As if it pained him to do so, he released me one finger at a time, but not before he touched the pad of his thumb over the hammering pulse on my wrist. I reminded myself that despite my attraction to him, my overactive hormones changed nothing. He still thought of Phoenix when he laid his head down at night.
Letting the pain of the realization run its course, I looked down at his upturned face. Standing this close I noticed the dark splotches underneath his eyes. Without thinking, I traced the shadows with the tip of my index finger. He closed his clear blue eyes and sighed.
“You haven’t been sleeping much,” I said.
“Only because you won’t say yes, forcing me all the way here just to beg you.”
I laughed through the pinch of his careless words. So he really did come because he wanted me to work for Vicious, to take pictures. What did I really expect from the encounter? That he would come and profess his undying love for me? Yeah, that was going to happen. I snorted and moved to the window. The more space between us the better I could think.
“Why do I get the feeling you won’t leave until I agree to this?” I rested my shoulder against the windowpane. The Strand was surprisingly empty for this time of night. Maybe a jam somewhere blocked most of the vehicles that usually used the road. I noticed the black SUV parked across the street from my hotel. I imagined Eli waiting inside. He always drove for Luka whenever they were in a city.
“Because you’re right.” Luka pushed off the chair and joined me by the window. He took my hand and placed a chaste kiss at the center of my palm. I allowed the touch because…how could I not? This was Luka we were talking about. There was no denying him. “You also have to know how deeply sorry I am for everything that happened at Lunar Manor. I should have known better. I shouldn’t have let my feelings cloud my judgment.”
I pulled my hand away and tucked it into my pocket, ignoring the warmth emanating from it—a remnant of his touch. “That’s the shrink talking.”
“Is it working?”
I bit down on the laugh wanting to get out at the hope in his eyes. “You really like messing up my plans, don’t you?”
More hope filled those devastatingly blue eyes. Damn. My personal brand of Kryptonite. It also didn’t help that having him standing so close wrapped me in his body heat. I was all too aware of how male he was. How broad his shoulders were. And how much taller he stood compared to me. The fucking guy made me feel petite. I hated him. My hand still burned from the contact with his lips.
“I know you want to travel the world.” His grin made another
“Let me get this straight,” I looked at him then, “you’re here because you want to use me again but this time it’s to take pictures for the stupid tour book you want to release?”
Luka leaned his elbow against the desk, his head supported by three fingers at his temple. The arm he draped over his crossed legs ended in a clenched fist. He seemed to be restraining himself. But from what, I had no idea. “I want you to work for us. That is all.”
“Well, at least you made that clear.” There was the sarcasm I was looking for. I picked myself up off the floor and shuffled to the bed. I dropped my bag beside the desk and Luka grabbed my wrist. My succeeding inhale washed my lungs with the scent I’d been craving since my brain processed his presence in my hotel room as the real deal. I didn’t feel shame in closing my eye and relishing each inhalation. The man’s delectable smell reminded me of cold winter nights by the fire with a cup of spiced hot chocolate.
“Luka,” I said when I opened my eye to look down at him. “Let me go before you and I do something we will both regret.” The goose bumps trailing up my arm warned me I was a thin line away from tearing off his clothes.
As if it pained him to do so, he released me one finger at a time, but not before he touched the pad of his thumb over the hammering pulse on my wrist. I reminded myself that despite my attraction to him, my overactive hormones changed nothing. He still thought of Phoenix when he laid his head down at night.
Letting the pain of the realization run its course, I looked down at his upturned face. Standing this close I noticed the dark splotches underneath his eyes. Without thinking, I traced the shadows with the tip of my index finger. He closed his clear blue eyes and sighed.
“You haven’t been sleeping much,” I said.
“Only because you won’t say yes, forcing me all the way here just to beg you.”
I laughed through the pinch of his careless words. So he really did come because he wanted me to work for Vicious, to take pictures. What did I really expect from the encounter? That he would come and profess his undying love for me? Yeah, that was going to happen. I snorted and moved to the window. The more space between us the better I could think.
“Why do I get the feeling you won’t leave until I agree to this?” I rested my shoulder against the windowpane. The Strand was surprisingly empty for this time of night. Maybe a jam somewhere blocked most of the vehicles that usually used the road. I noticed the black SUV parked across the street from my hotel. I imagined Eli waiting inside. He always drove for Luka whenever they were in a city.
“Because you’re right.” Luka pushed off the chair and joined me by the window. He took my hand and placed a chaste kiss at the center of my palm. I allowed the touch because…how could I not? This was Luka we were talking about. There was no denying him. “You also have to know how deeply sorry I am for everything that happened at Lunar Manor. I should have known better. I shouldn’t have let my feelings cloud my judgment.”
I pulled my hand away and tucked it into my pocket, ignoring the warmth emanating from it—a remnant of his touch. “That’s the shrink talking.”
“Is it working?”
I bit down on the laugh wanting to get out at the hope in his eyes. “You really like messing up my plans, don’t you?”
More hope filled those devastatingly blue eyes. Damn. My personal brand of Kryptonite. It also didn’t help that having him standing so close wrapped me in his body heat. I was all too aware of how male he was. How broad his shoulders were. And how much taller he stood compared to me. The fucking guy made me feel petite. I hated him. My hand still burned from the contact with his lips.
“I know you want to travel the world.” His grin made another
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