Now Mandy couldn't help wondering if she'd ever get the chance to really understand or experience what it meant to know the depth of carnality a man and woman could feel when they were so passionately drawn together. Was she even ready to explore beyond her boundaries?
Funny how meeting Ethan had brought all of these wild ideas to the front of her mind. What did it all mean? Why did her heart pound so alarmingly when their eyes met or when he spoke to her? He was always asking for her opinion on colors and styles and while Mandy tried to respond as coherently as possible, she found herself struggling to drown out the fire that singed her chest and spread to her lower regions when she lost herself in those impossibly blue eyes.
The lifestyle of a sinner, and the face and body of a saint.
Mandy only had to look at Ethan and her fingers itched to do things to him – artistically, of course. She had ideas of what could work for his hair, body shape, and persona. Her creative juices had never been so alive.
She'd forced herself to disregard his earlier flirting when he'd breathed in her perfume and commented about her being a ‘temptation'. Mandy was convinced this was just Ethan being in character. It was his modus operandi to toy with any female that he encountered. It was the expected response for a rocker, after all. Mandy could only be thankful that apart from the insufferable blushing, she'd taken his initial risqué comments in stride.
Suddenly, Jessica's phone rang and she excused herself for a minute to take the call in another room. Now alone with Ethan, Mandy became even more acutely aware of his masculine charisma, and she had to hide behind her coffee cup in order to cover up the rose-colored flush of attraction that washed over her face and neck.
Tap, tap, tap …
Ethan's fingers were tapping on the table. He was relaxed, casually sitting back in his chair. Running his fingers through his hair, he let out a sigh.
"I wish Jessica would just be upfront this time – literally. I know exactly what she intends. She wants me to hack off my hair, lay off the liner and nail polish, and become a pretty boy like Jaime. But that won't work for me – it ain't my style."
Mandy felt like smiling at the petulance underneath his gruff tone. "I don't think that's her plan for you," she replied. "From what I know, she plans to go for a look that's a good combination of metal and street. We're certainly not looking to drastically change your look without considering your personal style. I mean nothing too radical that would make your fans think you were a sellout or whatever. You already have your unique style and Jessica believes we just need to build on it and make it as up to the minute as possible."
Mandy realized that her spiel was the most she'd spoken to Ethan since the meeting had begun and she had to resist the urge to squirm with the way he'd watched her face all through her comments.
His gaze seemed speculative as he finally murmured, "So what's yours? Your unique style, I mean. For one thing, rock stars have to dress different from everyday people – it's a job requirement. But then you're a budding fashion stylist so you're duty-bound to at least have a distinctive look. One that communicates your style prowess through your fashion choices. If you ask me, I'm thinking you're going for girl-next-door, simple yet quirky in the sense that you try to give the impression of not trying too hard?"
Mandy felt stung. Was he trying to say she looked boring or unsophisticated? He was right, of course, that as a style consultant she definitely needed to cultivate a personal image of her own. Which she had. Mandy was a firm believer in ‘less is more' and she was always down for the ‘stark' look when it came to her fashion choices. She loved cosmetics and getting dressed up, but only for special occasions.
So Ethan's evaluation of her was unexpected and her first instinct was to bite back that she wasn't impressed all that much either by him either.
Remembering he was a client, Mandy sat up straighter in her chair.
"Sorry if my style bothers you or isn't up to your standards, but I deal with very long days at work and I really just want to be comfortable. Looking pretty is not a priority for me. Taking care of clients like you, that's what really I care about."
"I never said you weren't pretty," Ethan replied with a smile, his tone mild. "But I get the impression that you like to keep the attention away from yourself. I apologize if I offended you, Mandy … really. That wasn't my intention at all. Your style's great. In fact, if you really were trying for the toned-down, plain look I'd say you rather failed. I can't be the only man who is curious to discover what's beneath that unembellished exterior."
Mandy gulped, but her throat was dry at the smokiness in his tone. Ethan Tyler had just told her she made him curious. Curious about what, exactly? Getting her into bed? Getting to know her better?
She grabbed her coffee cup and drank deeply, almost coughing as the barely warm liquid slipped too fast down her throat.
Ethan was smiling at her evident discomfort. "At least you've stopped blushing."
She felt a flash of heat swarm across her cheeks and neck and shook her head.
"Or maybe not." Ethan chuckled.
She could only laugh.
"Flowers in her hair, she breaks hearts by the dozen … Molten and fair, her kiss will keep you frozen," Ethan murmured, and when Mandy stared at him blankly, he added, "From the song "Pieces of Jade". It's our top ten single – has been for the past two months. You remind me of the lyrics – which I co-wrote."
"Oh," Mandy murmured, not sure what else to say.
"You don't listen to our work, do you?" Ethan asked suspiciously.
Uh oh, thought Mandy. "Um … not that one, no."
"Do you know any of our songs?" he prodded, eyes narrowing.
Mandy chewed on her bottom lip. She'd done tons of research on the band, checked out their entire history and even all the latest news and updates on each and every member. How much they were worth, who they were last seen with, their scandals … but she'd never got down to actually listening to anything they'd recorded or even seen any of their performances. Shit.
She heaved a sigh of relief when Jessica suddenly reappeared, apologizing profusely. Her boss set about making plans for Ethan's planned shopping trip for his all-new wardrobe.
"You have to trust me, Ethan. As your stylist, it's my job to make you look the very best that you can and that's exactly what I am going to do. Your live performances will sizzle because your outfits will increase your presence and freedom of expression. That way, you'll connect more with your audience. I know you already have the confidence, but now it's about giving your fans what they want … that sexual appeal that will crank up the volume of who you are in the music world. A born rock star."
"All that … and you hired an intern who doesn't know a thing about my music," Ethan said calmly. The room went still. Mandy's stomach dropped as she felt Jessica's accusing gaze asking, what the fuck did you tell him?
For once, Jessica looked uncomfortable. "Ethan, I … "
"So here's what we're gonna do. Your people can handle my whole new image. I'm all for it. But I need to see more dedication. I need proof that Jessica Charles has concepts on image, performance, and mindset that can benefit an artist on any level. This job isn't just about the clothes and the image, right? It's about people. Well, this is my suggestion - Mandy comes along with me for the gig at the London music festival that takes place in about two weeks. She'll be my personal stylist and tour wardrobe assistant for the duration of the gig. Call my people and they'll give you all the details you need."
He rose to his feet, glancing at his watch. "Looks like the one-hour consultation is up." He faced Jessica, who was on her feet too. "I trust you, Jessica. Everyone else in the band's been hounding me to get you guys on board. Make this painless, okay? Starting with the Academy Awards event coming up in a month. Let's just do this."
Ethan was already walking out the door with Jessica following closely behind, assuring him every step of the way. Mandy, on the other hand, was still frozen in her seat, conscious only of the buzzing in her ears. When Jessica returned, Mandy hadn't even moved from her position.
"You'll do it, of course," Jessica said factually. As if there was any question. "Remember what I told you about fucking things up for me? I'll not just kick you out; I'll make it so no self-respecting member of this industry will touch you." Jessica smiled thinly. "The Strum is the biggest band on earth right now. Go listen to all their fucking records. Next time you meet Ethan Tyler, you'd better sound like you love every line and note they've ever created."