Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88225 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Asshole,” I laugh as my racing heart begins to calm. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just talked to my dad.”
He nods in understanding. I don’t know how, but something in his gaze tells me he totally understands how I feel. Which is crazy because I haven’t said a word about the conversation or my feelings about it.
“Want to talk about it?” he offers.
I think about that. Do I want to talk to this man, practically a stranger, about my life and my fears? I haven’t even told Isha how I really feel.
“You don’t need to finish your song?”
He waves me off. “I can get back to that. You look like you could use a listening ear. You never know; you might spark something.”
“Oh, in that case. Never mind, I don’t want my personal thoughts and feelings becoming a song.”
He reaches for my hand and pulls me to him. He searches my face with his mesmerizing eyes. Slowly, he pulls my arms around his waist, then wraps his arms around mine. He begins to hum and sway us.
“I would never put your personal feelings in a song. Now, mine, those are fair game, but you… you are free to share anything with me.
“Let me be your vault. Throw me your secrets and your thoughts. I’ll lock them away and hold them for you.
“If you have any that I can help you sort through, I’m at your service there too. Talk to me, Saga. Let me in. You know you want to.” He gives a teasing wink with his last words.
I smile because he’s right. I do. However, this feels way too intimate and borderline inappropriate for employer and employee, but I want the friendship he’s dangling before me.
“I have an idea.”
“Do you? What’s that?”
“Did you see there’s a TV hidden in our room?”
“On the bus?” I ask in surprise.
“Yeah, how about we go back inside? I’ll make some popcorn and we can pick something to binge-watch. If you decide you want to talk, I’ll be all ears. If not, at least you can get your mind off your thoughts.”
I search his face as I think his words over. I still don’t know why this guy has decided to be so nice to me. I mean, all the guys in the band and on the crew have shown me nothing but kindness, but Bishop has gone that extra mile to be the friend I didn’t know I needed.
“I like the way that sounds. I’m game.”
“Cool, let’s make this happen, gorgeous. Are you an extra butter girl?”
“I love extra butter in my popcorn,” I say with a smile.
“I knew you were after my heart,” he says with a sexy grin.
CHAPTER 10
Chicago
Saga
I’m breathless as I stand off stage. Once again, he’s sharing a new song, and it’s… perfection. That’s what he named it, and rightly so.
Heaven must be missing an angel
Everything from your button nose to your cute little toes
It’s perfection—
The crowd goes insane as he sings the last note. I’m rooted to the spot. I can’t believe he wrote an entire song describing me.
“Thank you, Chicago, you’ve been good to me,” he croons to the crowd.
“You know there’s a reason he hasn’t written in four years.”
I startle as the voice breaks me from my trance. I look at Jag standing beside me. I get the feeling he doesn’t like me very much. He’s the one crew member who’s always cold to me.
“I’m sure it’s not so easy to pour your feelings out to others. That has to take time,” I reply.
“It’s more complicated than that. Bishop is more complicated than that. Whatever you do, don’t get involved with him. Let him write the songs, but don’t fuck with his head,” he says, narrowing his eyes at me.
“Excuse me?” I say, turning fully toward him with my hands on my hips.
“Last thing he needs is to fall for another muse. I need him to finish this album. Don’t fuck with his focus,” he snaps.
“First, you better watch who you’re talking to. You don’t know me. I’ve never been rude to you or made it seem like I’m here for anything other than to do my damn job and get back home. I don’t care who you are; show me some fucking respect,” I growl back at him.
He snorts. “They all fall into his bed. You’re no different.”
“What the fu—,” I start, but the word never gets to leave my mouth.
Heat seeps into my back as a hard body presses to it. I fight with everything I am not to sink into the feeling. I know it’s Bishop. I can smell his cologne and sweat.
“We have a problem here?” he says smoothly.
“Nope, Saga and I were just having a little conversation, is all,” Jag says with a sly smile. “Isn’t that right?”
I don’t say a word. I just signed my contract. I’m not going to let this asshole ruin a good thing for me. Same asshole, different face. I’m used to guys like him.