Once dry, he wrapped the towel around his waist.
Sitting, I was so much shorter.
“She’s um, not just doing this because you’re friends, is she?”
Of course, what did I care? A request for a demo was a request for a demo, even if my gorgeous lumberjack pulled strings for me. But I just wanted to know the deal.
He took my hand and tugged me out of the bathroom. I sat on the bed as he went to the dresser–which of course Roy probably made–and pulled out a pair of boxers. He shucked the towel and tugged them on, giving me a really nice view of his taut ass before it was covered in plaid cotton.
I forgot what I asked and perhaps even my name as I ogled.
“No. I even asked her that when she called. She said she wouldn’t sign someone she couldn’t get behind fully.”
“How well do you know her?” I was still trying to figure out how he connected me with a music producer. It was incredible.
“Well…” A shadow passed over his face.
I remembered him saying he’d left his job because of some trouble. Was she part of that?
He turned, came over to the bed and sat beside me. The bed dipped so much I tipped against his side. His skin was warm and damp, even through my sweatshirt.
“I worked for a big hedge fund, handling rich people’s money. She was one of my clients.”
“But?”
He flashed a rueful smile. “You know me pretty well.”
I reached for his hand, smiling back. “Getting there.”
“She works for a big recording company out of New York. One time, she came to my office, and I could tell something was wrong. She was jittery and flustered. Maybe it was my amazing personality, but I got her to tell me what was bothering her.”
“Amazing personality?” I smiled. “Go on.”
“She said she had a stalker, and she thought she’d been followed on the way over. She thought it was a musician she’d turned down. He’d become obsessed with her. She said he was probably harmless, but I could tell she was scared shitless.”
“That’s awful.”
“I said I’d walk her out and talk to the guy if we saw him.” He shrugged. “I’m a big guy. I can be persuasive.”
“Of course, you did.” I hadn’t known Boone that long, but everything about him suggested he was a gentleman, even with women he wasn’t dating. No question he would offer to protect her.
He drew in a long breath and held it.
I turned, bending my knee so I faced him. “What?”
He nodded, looking down at his hands. His body was so big, muscles so thick they looked sculpted. The dark hair on his chest was soft. His skin was warm. He was big, but gentle. Fierce, but… God. Protective.
“I went outside with her, and we stood around out front while she waited for a cab. Sure enough, she spotted him leaning against a building across the street. We acted like we hadn’t seen him and crossed over, pretending we were having a conversation. When we got close, he ducked into an alley.
“I chased. I’m fast. Way faster than a human.”
My heart thudded against my chest at the story, even though it had happened years ago. It felt like something bad had transpired. Something Boone regretted. My heart preemptively hurt for him.
God, was this love?
Was I already in love with this man?
I was. Oh my God. I was.
