“You okay?” he asked, his brow crumpled with concern.
“Are you serious? Oh my God, Dare, that would be amazing! I can’t . . . I can’t even . . .” She covered her thudding heart with one hand. “Oh!”
He smiled and reached over to pat her on the head. “That’s the heart I’m talking about, when excitement for your work isn’t fabricated. You’re still young enough that it comes naturally. I hope the real world never wears you down.”
She hadn’t really experienced enough of the real world to know how she’d fare. So far, she wasn’t doing particularly well in the career department. And her love life was a sham. But at least she was trying.
“So do you always compose here in this room?”
“We usually hole up at my place. But we could try to compose here for your book.”
“So why do you bring the Flying V on tour?”
Dare laughed. “This is going to sound stupid . . .”
Toni shook her head, doubted that anything the man said could possibly sound stupid. If he said two plus two was five, she’d have started a campaign to spread the word.
“I like to bring her out on the road so she remembers why we’re working so hard and what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Toni laughed. “You make it sound like it’s a living being, not an inanimate guitar.”
“Her name is Genevieve. And she never fails to come alive in my hands.” He scratched his jaw, smiling broadly. “I told you it would sound stupid.”
Toni shook her head. “I get it. Some people name their cars. Why not name an iconic guitar?”
“I also have a tattoo of good ol’ Genevieve on my back.”
“Okay, you’ve crossed a line. That’s definitely stupid,” she teased.
“Hey! I bet you have a tattoo of your precious camera on your ass cheek.”
“You would be wrong,” she said, her face flaming.
“Are you willing to prove it?”
Oh lord, Dare Mills was flirting with her. Completely harmless flirting, she was sure, but still, definite flirting. First Max and now Dare. Maybe guys had always flirted with her and she’d been too dumb to realize it.
“You could ask Logan,” she said. “He’ll vouch for me.”
“What?” Dare covered his mouth, pretending utter shock. “Logan has seen your ass cheek?”
Toni drew her eyebrows together. “I think he has. I’m not sure. He spends most of our naked time staring at my boobs.”
At Dare’s unexpected bark of laughter, Toni nearly jumped out of her boots.
“I’m sure they’re an eyeful.” He lowered a pair of invisible shades to give them an appreciative look.
Toni swatted at him. “Stop. These are supposed to be serious, professional interviews.”
“I thought you were looking for the real us.”
Rattled, she lifted her notebook against her chest like a shield. “Right. That’s the idea.”
“Then you’re going about it all wrong,” he said. “Just talk to us. We don’t bite.”
She nodded, knowing he was giving her good advice, but also realizing she’d be as exposed as they were if she just talked to them. She wasn’t sure she was prepared to open herself up to the scrutiny of four worldly men.
“Unless you really do have a tattoo on your ass,” Dare said. “Then I will bite.” He made a biting motion and produced a little growl.
Toni stood abruptly and headed for the nearest exit.
“Where are you going?” Dare asked.
“To the tattoo parlor. Where else?”
He was still laughing when she entered the bathroom and shut the door.
with Logan Schmidt
When Toni returned from the bathroom, she found Logan sitting with Dare in the lounge.
Logan noticed her standing in the doorway and smiled at her. “Is it my turn now?”
“Yes, Logan. You’re next.”
“We’re already finished?” Dare asked, his green eyes wide with surprise.
“Our interview completely deteriorated. There’s no way we’ll ever get it back on track today.” She looked at Logan, who was grinning rather smugly. “I hope you’re more serious about this process than Dare was.”
She’d wager the chances of that happening were less than her chances of winning Olympic gold in the decathlon.
“I’ll try my best to behave.” He plastered his most angelic look on his face and pressed his hands together in a prayer pose. With all those soft golden curls framing his face and those pale blue eyes of his, he actually looked sweet.
“Let me know how that goes,” Dare said with a laugh. He rose from the sectional and headed toward the door. Toni caught his arm and pulled him outside the room so Logan wouldn’t overhear.