His face was infinitely soft. “Not that much. I know you, baby. You’ve got talent to burn, and you’re incredible at what you do; you’re just scared of success.”
“Am not!”
“I know you,” Willow repeated. “And I know people who get that way. Guys come in number one drafts and leave the league twelve months later to work at their dad’s car dealership.”
“That’s football players!”
“Then what about old mate? Francis Fuckhead?”
Eden winced. She’d lost touch with Francis after she supported him on his first European music tour. It had been at the start of her and Willow’s relationship, when she’d been just an underground DJ, and Francis’s reputation was entering thestratosphere. He’d had huge singles, viral hits and the potential to go full Marshmello. Then he’d disappeared. Cancelled his events, sacked his management, deleted his Spotify, and dropped off the map. Last she’d heard, he was in Guatemala, doing John McAfee shit in the jungle.
“Francis is one guy,” she said, unsure if she even believed herself.
“He couldn’t handle the heat,” Willow corrected. “Burnt the fuck out. But you’re not him. You make this thing with Quinley a smash, knock it out of the park, and when the suits want more, you’ll be in the best place to negotiate.”
“Negotiate what?”
“You’re an indie producer from Australia. That’s part of the appeal. Once Quinley’s got her grammy, Andy and I’ll tell anyone who wants more Eden Jade magic that they can book studio time in fucking Melbourne.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“Itwillbe easy. As if musicians and their hanger-oners don’t wanna piss time away in some sexy, sunny place. They’ll bebeggingto come down to Aus and work with you. You wait.”
Eden flopped back on the bed. “So… I guess I’m making an album with Quinley Wu…”
“One hundred percent,” Willow said, lying down beside her. “Congrats, my sexy, talented little minx.”
That was why she loved him—the way he made everything so simple and practical. He was canny and switched on, with a business brain that locked into her frazzled artist half.
“I can’t tell you how much I need you,” she said. “More now than ever. And when I met you, I needed you more than I thought I possibly could.”
“I love you, pretty baby,” he said, kissing her lips. “You’re the one for me.”
“Cool.”
They made out for a moment before Eden had an intrusive thought. “God, how are we going to stop the girls from watching Quinley’s dogshit TV show after they find out I’m working with her?”
“Ahh, we’ll just lie and say Disney broke.”
“All of Disney?”
“Yup.”
“Great. I’m sure they’ll buy that.”
“Leave it to me,” Willow promised. “I’ll work it out.”
“You always do.” She straddled his waist, grinding herself against his abdominal muscles. “Anything else you feel like working out?”
He groaned, cupping her tits. “Baby, I would, but I’m not as young as I used to be. You’ve gotta give me a couple more hours. Or some of those gas station dick pills I hear they sell around here…”
Eden rolled her eyes. “Okay, Mr Williams, what do you want to do instead?”
“I’m thinking… what if you get back on the fuck-bot, and I drink the rest of the minibar dry, watching you?”
Her pussy contracted at the thought of him staring at her, swigging liquor and perving like she was his own private sex show. “I’m thinking… you’d have a deal.”
“Fuck yes!”
