Even when we were still freshmen in college who could only fantasize about what G&G could turn into one day, my goals were never as vibrant as theirs. Kali and Sutton yearned to be famous from day one. They wanted everyone in the world to know their names. And while I truly wanted that for both of them, I simply dreamed of spending time with my two best friends and developing my skills as a fashion designer. I’ve never been good under the spotlight—even if I sometimes wish that I was as naturally outgoing and uninhibited as they are. I wonder what life might be like if I enjoyed the limelight a little more. At least to my sweet, fuzzy, lop-eared rabbit, Chanel, I’m the center of the world.
That’s enough for me.
Thinking of my cute little bunny makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. That is, until the doors of the kitchen finally swing open.
I muffle a nervous yelp and curl my hands into tight fists in my lap.
This is it—
Wait! What?
I blink.
Now hold on just a second.
A tall, broad-shouldered man strides over to my table and eases down into the booth across from me, but he’s definitely not Franco. Nope, this guy is much younger. In his twenties, he’s only a little older than me. And Lord have mercy, his muscular arms are covered in tattoos. My eyes go wide as I take in the quality ink on his perfectly muscled forearms. I have to physically remind myself to shut my jaw because it’s hanging open—literally. Between the tats and the stylishly mussed chestnut hair hanging into emerald eyes, he’s a bad-boy dreamboat.
All of a sudden, I can’t even remember my own name. The only thing blazed into my mind is that piercing green gaze of his.
My whole head feels fuzzy and scrambled. It’s the exact same feeling I get every time Kali or Sutton try to put me in front of the camera during one of our videos.
This is for business, Liv!I chastise myself when I start ogling his tattoos again. Looking at this guy is definitely a pleasure.
I’m not sure why I’m reacting like this to a guy who probably wouldn’t look twice at a shy girl like me. Plus, it’s not like I’d even want to date right now if hewasinterested. With G&G continuing to thrive, the brand needs all my attention. I have to keep a careful log of all the backdrops we use for shoots, as well as what outfits Kali and Sutton wear, to make sure that our content doesn’t get visually repetitive—and that’s when I’m not hunched over my designs or sewing machine. I’ve got a full workload in my lap and I don’t need a guy to distract me—even a super hunky one.
“I…” I start, choking on the single word and then forgetting what else I was going to say.
Oh, right. I was going to tell him that he must have the wrong table. But he’s regarding me with gorgeous green eyes that are definitely going to haunt my dreams for days, and I can’t seem to do anything but sit here and stare at his chiseled jaw with its perfect amount of scruff.
He lifts one dark brow and tilts his head to the side. When he does, I can see a tattoo on his chiseled pec peeking out from the neckline of his tee. The sight makes my head spin. I don’t go lusting after random men, but I’d ride this bad boy’s motorcycle any day.
“The name is Cash,” he says as he sticks out his hand.
His voice is deep and husky, like an engine revving.
It’s mortifying just how long it takes for me to realize that he wants me to shake his hand instead of gaping at every long, tapered digit extending from his roughened palm. I finally grab clumsily at his hand, managing to at least suppress a sigh of pleasure when his fingers, surely coarse from hours spent gripping motorcycle handlebars, close over mine.
“I’m Liv,” I whisper, finding myself unable to speak any louder than that. “And I think you might have the wrong table.”
CHAPTER TWO
To my surprise, the tattooed Adonis chuckles when I suggest he’s at the wrong booth. Cash has such a gruff and rugged exterior that I’d been anticipating him to roll those green eyes or scowl rather than let out an amused laugh.
Cash leans back, arms folding over his rock-hard chest, mouth quirking.
I blink hard, trying to sear the image into my mind so I can drool over him later. Cash was swoonworthily gorgeous while straight-faced, but with a hint of a crooked smile on his handsome features, he’s downright extraordinary. I might not be interested in jumping into the dating pool—and he probably isn’t either, at least, not with me—but I don’t want to ever forget how close I was to the sexiest man I’ve ever seen in my life. I had no idea guys could be this outrageously good looking before today.
“You’re one of the G&G chicks, aren’t you?” he asks.
As he speaks, he pulls out a small pad of paper and a pen from the back pocket of his jeans and sets them on the table.
I clear my throat, which suddenly feels like a frog has taken up residence in it. “Um, yes.”
His green eyes briefly blaze back into mine. A hint of a smile continues quirking the corner of his mouth. “Then I’m at the right table. I thought there were supposed to be three of you girls, though?”
“Sutton and Kali are busy with some other stuff in LA, so they’re not going to be able to make it,” I explain, fiddling my thumbs nervously in my lap in an attempt to stop myself from squirming. My sandaled feet tap on the ground like they’re trying to run off and leave me behind.
His faint smile twists into a frown and my heart plunges right along with his expression.
