“Good Lord. You are incredible.”
“Thank you.”
“Not a compliment, Joz.”
“Sounded like one to me.”
I stared out the window. “Exasperating man.”
His low laugh felt like a physical caress. So much so, I shivered.
“Cold?” He sounded amused.
I kept my gaze out the window. “Not at all.”
We fell silent—the first time we’d been quiet during the entire evening. Yet it wasn’t anymore awkward than our rapid-fire exchanges. I couldn’t recall the last time I felt this comfortable with someone I didn’t know well. It unsettled me, yet I craved more of it.
More of him.
My car stopped outside the hotel.
Joz unclipped his belt. “Aspen?”
I turned to face him. “Yes?”
Leaning in, he went to kiss me. Whether he intended a peck on the cheek or something deeper was moot. I couldn’t take the risk of falling under his spell. Not yet. Even if I was halfway there already. I pressed a hand to his chest, stopping him midway.
“I haven’t decided what to do yet. Until I do, I’m not getting sucked in by your probably considerable kissing skills.”
He gave me a broad, perfect smile. “Don’t worry, Spitfire. I’m not known for my patience, but for you I’ll figure it out. Besides, I have a strong wrist. It must be all that playing guitar.” Pushing down on the handle, he got out, then stuck his head back inside the car. “Oh, a word of advice, just to, you know, help with my blue balls. Please don’t say sucked if you’re not planning to blow me.” Granting me another one of his panty-melting grins, he slammed the car door and sauntered into the hotel.
Every muscle south of my belly button contracted simultaneously. The temptation to abandon my morals and chase after him was almost too hard to resist, but somehow, I kept my seat belt fastened. The second the car moved off, I pulled up my contacts and put in a call to Asher. It was only seven-thirty in Seattle, so not too late. My cousin answered on the fourth ring.
“Hey, Aspen? How are you?”
“Awful.” I groaned. “I need your advice.”
“Go for it.”
“Tell me how you reconciled Kiana being an employee with you wanting to fuck her.”
“Interesting question for a Friday night. Probably because I knew from the moment I met her that she was never going to be just a fuck to me.”
“Right.” I sighed. “So, you felt it passed the ick test because you wanted more?”
“What ick test?”
“You know. Boss, employee. Power imbalance.”
“Oh, I see. Want to give me more context on the reason for this question?”
“No. But I suppose I have to if I want good advice.”
“Hit me with it.”
I took a deep breath. “I’ve kind of, sort of, got a little bit of a crush on Joz Raynor, and he’s made it clear he’s more than interested.”
“Hardly a power imbalance. He’s one of the biggest rock stars in the world.”
