Weirdly, Jesse doesn’t seem to care. He just looks mildly irritated. Likewise, the man in the doorway doesn’t blink. He’s wearing black slacks, a tan silk shirt, and an expression of obvious exasperation. Other than a fleeting glance, I might as well be furniture. His eyes are locked on Jesse.
“You haven’t answered your phone all weekend, Jesse,” the man says flatly, like barging in on people’s privacy is his job.
“I turned it off,” Jesse says simply, and sits up. I adjust the sheet again to cover his groin, and Jesse smirks. “I was enjoying my weekend off.”
“I can see that,” the man deadpans. “But had you kept your phone on, you would have remembered that you have a fitting with the stylist this morning.”
A mousy little guy pops his head over the man’s shoulder, cheerfully waving to Jesse. “Hi, Jesse!”
Jesse’s lips quirk. “Hey, Emmy. I’ll be out in a few, okay? I need to take a shower.”
“Okay, Jesse! Take your time.”
“Absolutely not. If you’re not out here in ten minutes, I’ll simply bring the whole team to you. There is too much to do for the photo shoot tomorrow. And then you need to look over the questions and answers for the radio interview, or did you forget that was being taped tonight, as well?” He purses his lips.
Jesse rubs a hand over his face and looks like he’s counting to keep his temper in check.
The man sighs. “Look, Jesse, I’m trying to work with you here. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, Blake, I know. And I appreciate it. I’m sorry I turned my phone off, I was…” He looks at me, and his eyes soften. “…busy. It was important.”
“I can give you twenty minutes,” the man, Blake, acquiesces. “But we really need to get started. Everyone else has already been fitted, otherwise I’d try to give you more time.” He moves to leave but pauses again. “If there are any accommodations I can assist you with to ensure yourfriendgets home safely, just let me know.”
I blink at him as he gives me a clipped nod, acknowledging me for the first time before he finally backs out of the room and closes the door.
Wow.
Talk about a blast of cold water. Suddenly I feel cheap and exposed.
I flinch when Jesse’s hand covers mine. “Luc…”
“I should go,” I say with a tight smile. It’s all I can muster, and I can barely look him in the eyes.
“Luc,” he says again, and cups my jaw to turn my face his way. I’m not ready to let him see me like this. I have too many thoughts and feelings to process.
“I just need a minute. Let me take a quick shower, and then I’ll head out so you can do what you need to do. We can talk about it later.”
“Luc–”
“Jesse, I said I need a minute!”
Suddenly, I’m tackled onto my back, body blanketed by Jesse, his knees on either side of my hips. He holds my face in his hands. “Then you can take a minute with me,” he says firmly, then crashes his mouth to mine.
For a few seconds, I’m too stunned to react. Then my body reacts instinctively, kissing him back with equal ferocity.
The sound of a door closing somewhere in the suite pulls me back to reality, and I manage to unlatch our mouths. I sigh and throw my head back.
“I’m sorry,” Jesse says. “I got so wrapped up in you I forgot what day it was, and this fitting wasn’t supposed to happen until later.”
What time is it, even? After being awake and active for a few hours in the wee hours of the morning, there’s no telling how late we slept. I find my phone and check the time.
“It’s after eleven.”
“Shit.”
Yeah,shit.
“Look, Blake isn’t going to tell anybody, and neither will anyone on the styling team. Everyone that works with us has to sign strict NDA’s, and Blake’s interests are tied to my success and happiness, even if he’s a pain in the ass sometimes,” he says, raising his voice so anyone outside the door can hear him call Blake a pain in the ass. “No one here is going to out you.”
