disbelief.
“They will eat her alive,” Ramsey growled. “Give me that override key.”
Brenton was already digging into his pocket before he decided what he wanted to say. “I can handle this.”
“As soon as I find her, I expect you to.” Ramsey pushed past Brenton when the door to Jewel’s room was open. It took him exactly thirty seconds to confirm she wasn’t inside. He paused for a moment, distracted by the sketch pad on the table. Damn, her art was spellbinding, just like her, and he needed to find her fast, before some of their more unstable fans cornered her. It had been a hell of a long time since he’d cared about anyone except his teammates. Sure, they were bandmates now, but they’d forged a bond in Afghanistan; that was the foundation of their relationship.
Jewel was merging across that line, doing something no one else ever had, and he wasn’t sure what he thought about it.
Bullshit. It’s got you off balance.
Fine, whatever.
Brenton was waiting for him at the door, his expression blank, but Ramsey caught the hint of disgruntlement in the man’s eyes.
“Sorry,” Ramsey said. “I’m a little charged. When I find her, let’s discuss security details.”
Brenton nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
Taz was leaning against the wall in the hallway when Ramsey started toward the elevators. There was a look on his face that stung when Ramsey passed him. But Ramsey only made it a couple of steps before he turned on his bandmate.
“I just don’t want the paparazzi to rattle her,” he said. “I haven’t explained their piranha personality to her yet.”
Ramsey flipped his phone up, showing off a snapshot of Syon lying on top of Jewel in the hotel entrance. Taz straightened.
“That’s not good,” Taz said. “Did you try calling her?”
Ramsey rolled his eyes as he walked into an elevator and Taz followed. “No, I decided to try the bloodhound approach first, because I’ve always wanted to be a hound dog.”
“You do act like a dog…sometimes…well…to be honest…a lot of the time.” Taz shrugged when Ramsey flipped him the bird.
The elevator doors opened, and Ramsey headed toward the security desk. The manager stood up inside the glass-enclosed office and came out when he recognized the hotel’s VIPs. Ramsey changed the picture on his phone to one of Jewel. “She left sometime in the last few hours…give me details.”
* * *
Portland was a lot like San Francisco. Jewel stopped at a corner and considered the gray clouds keeping the city wet with a soft sprinkle of rain. Instead of a bay, there were hills covered in tall trees. What helped make the city seem like San Francisco was all the bicycles. People were happily pedaling their way through the streets, making the cars stick to the center lanes. All along the inner-city sidewalks were bike racks. The hotel even had bikes for their guests, an amenity she’d happily taken advantage of.
A distraction was a distraction. Besides, life was short. Any day, she might have to pack it in and start toeing the line in a more…stable career. The nine-to-five grind, complete with boring wardrobe and a nice little cubicle. She cringed at the mental image. Until then, she was going to enjoy every moment of her wild, carefree days. Or at least she’d decided that the opportunity to see Portland was one she wasn’t going to squander. Ramsey might wake up and decide she was way more trouble than she was worth.
You’re totally worth it.
She smiled at her own comment. At least her confidence was still holding up. Considering the guy reeked sex appeal, she was going to score a point for herself for not folding under the pressure of being in contact with his very decadent body.
Contact? He’d been naked…
Yeah, he had been, and honestly, worthy of being in the buff. So, make that two points. He was an extreme circumstance. She deserved bonus points for not jumping his oh-so-delectable bones.
Her cheeks heated, but she enjoyed
“They will eat her alive,” Ramsey growled. “Give me that override key.”
Brenton was already digging into his pocket before he decided what he wanted to say. “I can handle this.”
“As soon as I find her, I expect you to.” Ramsey pushed past Brenton when the door to Jewel’s room was open. It took him exactly thirty seconds to confirm she wasn’t inside. He paused for a moment, distracted by the sketch pad on the table. Damn, her art was spellbinding, just like her, and he needed to find her fast, before some of their more unstable fans cornered her. It had been a hell of a long time since he’d cared about anyone except his teammates. Sure, they were bandmates now, but they’d forged a bond in Afghanistan; that was the foundation of their relationship.
Jewel was merging across that line, doing something no one else ever had, and he wasn’t sure what he thought about it.
Bullshit. It’s got you off balance.
Fine, whatever.
Brenton was waiting for him at the door, his expression blank, but Ramsey caught the hint of disgruntlement in the man’s eyes.
“Sorry,” Ramsey said. “I’m a little charged. When I find her, let’s discuss security details.”
Brenton nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
Taz was leaning against the wall in the hallway when Ramsey started toward the elevators. There was a look on his face that stung when Ramsey passed him. But Ramsey only made it a couple of steps before he turned on his bandmate.
“I just don’t want the paparazzi to rattle her,” he said. “I haven’t explained their piranha personality to her yet.”
Ramsey flipped his phone up, showing off a snapshot of Syon lying on top of Jewel in the hotel entrance. Taz straightened.
“That’s not good,” Taz said. “Did you try calling her?”
Ramsey rolled his eyes as he walked into an elevator and Taz followed. “No, I decided to try the bloodhound approach first, because I’ve always wanted to be a hound dog.”
“You do act like a dog…sometimes…well…to be honest…a lot of the time.” Taz shrugged when Ramsey flipped him the bird.
The elevator doors opened, and Ramsey headed toward the security desk. The manager stood up inside the glass-enclosed office and came out when he recognized the hotel’s VIPs. Ramsey changed the picture on his phone to one of Jewel. “She left sometime in the last few hours…give me details.”
* * *
Portland was a lot like San Francisco. Jewel stopped at a corner and considered the gray clouds keeping the city wet with a soft sprinkle of rain. Instead of a bay, there were hills covered in tall trees. What helped make the city seem like San Francisco was all the bicycles. People were happily pedaling their way through the streets, making the cars stick to the center lanes. All along the inner-city sidewalks were bike racks. The hotel even had bikes for their guests, an amenity she’d happily taken advantage of.
A distraction was a distraction. Besides, life was short. Any day, she might have to pack it in and start toeing the line in a more…stable career. The nine-to-five grind, complete with boring wardrobe and a nice little cubicle. She cringed at the mental image. Until then, she was going to enjoy every moment of her wild, carefree days. Or at least she’d decided that the opportunity to see Portland was one she wasn’t going to squander. Ramsey might wake up and decide she was way more trouble than she was worth.
You’re totally worth it.
She smiled at her own comment. At least her confidence was still holding up. Considering the guy reeked sex appeal, she was going to score a point for herself for not folding under the pressure of being in contact with his very decadent body.
Contact? He’d been naked…
Yeah, he had been, and honestly, worthy of being in the buff. So, make that two points. He was an extreme circumstance. She deserved bonus points for not jumping his oh-so-delectable bones.
Her cheeks heated, but she enjoyed
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