“Well, I don’t have to be the onlyone to try on things,” I say.
He beams, as if he likes that Icaught onto his interest in the shirt.
“Be right back,” he says.
He heads in and changes while Istudy the dark green shirt I’ve put on, which doesn’t work for me at all. Whenhe comes back out, I turn to him.
“You look incredible,” I say.
I step aside and allow him tocheck himself out in the mirror. The glint in his eyes assures me that hereally likes it.
As Tad steps out of the changingroom again, he approaches us and scans Darren up and down. “Cute. Too bad yourboss doesn’t pay you enough to afford it.”
He says it casually, but it’s adirect insult that makes Darren blush.
Darren smiles, but I sense thedisappointment behind his expression. “I know, right? It was fun trying it on,though.”
If I thought I could afford it forhim, I’d buy it right now, but the prices that the shopping associate and Tadhave been bantering about are too steep for my salary.
I bite my tongue. This isn’t thetime or place to get into it with Tad about being a dick, and I’m hoping he’sjust doing this to piss me off and that he hasn’t really been this much of anasshole all this time without my noticing.
Twenty-Four
Tad
“You ready for this?” I ask Bryce as he paces in the greenroom.
Debra and Darren sit on stoolsbefore the mirror where a makeup artist Debra hired worked on Bryce and me fortwo hours in preparation for the interview. Kiernan sits on in a cushionedchair adjacent to the loveseat I’m in.
“I’m fine,” Bryce says, his facestoic as he continues pacing. He’s looking hot in a burgundy button-up that Darrenpicked out for him.
“Just don’t fuck it up,” I say,more to get under his skin than from nerves. I’m not just pissed that he won’thave sex with me. I’m pissed he won’t be a fucking man and say it. Really?Although, I guess even if he did tell me that he wasn’t going to fuck meanymore, I wouldn’t be nice about it.
“Leave him alone,” Debra says. “Hehas enough he’s trying to think about as it is.”
The door opens and a PA enters.She ushers Bryce and me to Henry Mason’s studio, talking on a walkie as shewalks a few feet ahead of us, guiding us through the halls.
I wrap my arm around Bryce. Helooks at me, his expression filled with surprise.
“Remember,” I say. “We’re a loving,affectionate couple.”
“You don’t have to be an ass aboutit. I’m sorry that I’m concerned about both of our careers right now ratherthan thinking with my dick.”
There’s some truth to his words,but thinking that he might never have sex with me again over what happenedmakes me despise him. How dare he withhold that from me? And it makes me thinkthat it obviously hasn’t been as hot for him as it’s been for me.
The PA opens the door to thestudio for us and we enter.
Henry Mason’s wavy blond haircurls to his shoulders. He wears a leather jacket and his signature sunglasses.He has a serious expression on his face—far too serious for someone dressed asridiculously as he is. He smiles from behind his podium, a bulky black mic setjust before him.
As we enter, the PA attaches wirelessmics to the collars of our shirts. We all banter a bit before Bryce and I sit ona couch beside the booth where Henry Mason sits.
Two camera guys stand on the otherside of the room. They’ll be recording the live feed that will run simultaneouslyon the station’s website.
I sit closer to Bryce than iscomfortable for either of us, I’m sure. And I place my hand on his leg for effect.
“Tad Roarke,” Henry says in a deepvoice that is certainly one of the many reasons he’s made it as far as he hasin radio. “Finally managed to get you on my show. How are you guys doing thismorning?”
“Good.”
