Manaconda(40)

It was mostly empty, and blissfully quiet.

Deep streaks of pink and red faded into a peachy yellow sky as dawn crept across Los Angeles. As I’d hoped, Kenny went for the half wall beyond the theater doors.

She gripped the cement ledge and leaned over for a better look. I slid my arm around her waist. “That’s what I wanted to see.”

She glanced over her shoulder at me. “I forgive you for dragging me out of bed.”

I rested my chin on top of her head. “Whenever I come to the Ace, I always end up here.”

“With how many women?”

I lowered my mouth to her shoulder. “This view? This spot? No one. Just you.”

“Oh.” She slid her hand along my forearm. “It’s stupid to keep mentioning your past. I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”

“It is your business.” I flicked a button open at her midriff to get to her skin. She shuddered under the first stroke of my thumb along her hips bone. I didn’t move, even when she shifted under my hold.

She leaned back against me. “This was supposed to just be fun.”

“Can’t deny the fun,” I said.

She fiddled with her little purse. “No.”

“Can we just see how things go?”

She was quiet and still. I continued to stroke her skin. I wanted her to become so used to my touch that walking away wouldn’t be an option.

I’d made a mess of my relationship with Victoria. I’d wanted to fix her, to take care of her, but I’d never looked beyond my need for someone to need me.

Kenny was different. Twenty-four hours with her and I knew that.

I was different with her.

She lifted her hand to my cheek, her fingernails grazing through my beard. “A day at a time, Hunter.”

I lowered my chin to her shoulder. I couldn’t ask for more.





16





Kennedy





I didn’t know what to do with this new information. My body was still sore from a night with him, my skin still buzzing from his touch. I expected to have to deal with that.

Not for him to want more.

I was prepared to play the girlfriend for the good of the cause. Not to audition for the role in reality.

I turned in his arms. The city I’d grown to love at my back, and a larger than life man at my front. For the first time in my life I didn’t know what to do.

I didn’t have a plan.

He cupped my cheek. “Stop thinking.”

“It’s what I do, Hunter. I think. I’m sorry I’m not like the women you’re used to.”

His eyes were a clear slate gray in the early morning light. There was a fierceness in them that I recognized from the stage. Absolutely clarity that I didn’t understand. “When you find someone you want to be with you shouldn’t have to think about it.”

“Yeah, well, I do.”

“Why?”

“Because you don’t fit.”

He laughed. “I fit just fine last night.”

I flushed. “You know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t. I know that I want to spend more time with you. I know that last night was amazing.”

“That was an anomaly.” I buttoned my borrowed shirt. My skin still tingling from his easy affection. Again, I’d let him get way too familiar with me in public.

“Then I guess we’ll see tonight.”

I frowned. “What? Why?”

“You’re my girlfriend, right?”

My stomach pitched. I wasn’t his anything.

“You were with me when we were talking to Lila. Ripper Records wants to keep that up, remember?” He grinned. “Maybe you don’t. You were pounding wine at the time.”

All of the professionalism, that was me. Oy. I nodded. “Yes. Of course, I remember.” It was my job to be his girlfriend. Relief left me light headed. This I understood. Lies and spin—they were the commodities that I was comfortable with.

“I have some interviews to do today, but tonight there’s a party at Enigma.”

I vaguely remembered reading about it on my press packet, but last night was supposed to be where my job ended. I was trying to picture Hunter at the re-imagined Art Deco club that had opened earlier this year. “Not exactly your scene.”

“No, but the owner is friends with Keys.” He shrugged. “I can do shots anywhere.” He curled his fingers around my hip, drawing me against him. “You could wear something like last night maybe? I have a healthy respect for garters.”

“I bet.”

He shrugged. “Just sayin’.”

Hunter was like an octopus when I got near him. I wasn’t sure I would be able to survive a noisy club with him. Maybe we’d just hang out in the VIP area. I could handle that. “You dance?”