a Rand Mainline Comes Out headline somewhere in the next few hours. He put an arm around each of the girls and steered them to the door where he hoped to find a roadie who’d get them back to the hotel safely. What he found instead was the camera crew and an amused looking Harry who called, “Thanks for signing the release forms, ladies.”
He grabbed a runner and explained what he wanted and gave each girl a hug, watching with an overwhelming sense of deliverance as they staggered off down the corridor. Plait, who wore sensible flatties, supported Plump in her stripper heels.
When he turned back, Harry was still watching. “Great footage.”
“Ah, you can’t use that.” He rubbed the back of his neck. It was embarrassing enough most of the room had been laughing at his expense, but for Harry to have it on tape. Roll over and die.
“Access all areas,” she said, quoting the contract at him.
“Aw, I don’t know if that’s more unfair to them or me.”
She laughed and he watched her face light up. The J Geils Band riff in his head once more. “What did you think of the show?”
She curled her lip, tipped her head. “Oh, you know.”
“No, I don’t know. Tell me what you think.”
She leaned in close to him, whispered hotly in his ear, “I think you are the sexiest thing on two legs.”
Rand gave a surprised hiss and when Harry drew back she was laughing at him, and he knew she was joking.
She said, “Really great footage. A behind the scenes look at the famous Rand Mainline’s groupies.”
He shook his head. “You don’t play fair. You owe me one for letting me think you were serious about the legs thing.”
She shrugged. “What do you want?”
“I want you to answer one question.”
“One.” She nodded.
“Harriet Young, are you married?”
She grinned. “No.”
“Are you with someone?”
“We said one question.”
“That was one question, it has two parts. Are you with someone?”
“Are you Randall Mainline?”
“I’m asking the questions tonight. And I won’t call you Harriet, if you don’t call me Randall.” He shuddered.
Harry sighed. She looked away. She was going to break his heart. He had no idea what was going through her head, but he’d been a fucking idiot to think she’d be interested in him again. He was as bad as Rie making up gothic horror fantasies in her head about being home. He was about to let Harry off the hook when her eyes came back to his.
“No.”
He grinned. He felt the force of his smile in the skin around his ears. “Well what do you know.”
She was grinning now too. But she had no idea how much trouble she’d just put a rocket under.
17. Brain Snap
The sharp-toothed gnawing, that swallowed-a-rat-whole feeling in Rielle’s stomach eased when she heard the knock. Rand had come back—he wasn’t angry anymore. It was going to be all right. She opened the door and flung herself through it into his arms.
“Whoa,” said Jake, his surprise hot in her ear, his hands coming up to catch her. She had a light silky robe on, it slithered under his fingers as they grasped her.
“Oh shit!” She pulled away. She wanted Rand; she wasn’t ready to face Jake. “I thought you were Rand.” She dragged the robe closed, and belted it, but not before he copped a look at her skimpy black lace underwear. “Come in.” She stepped back to allow him into the room.
“I’ll wait til you’re dressed.” His voice was flat, expressionless. His eyes were on the floor. Her mouth was full of chewed up heart and lung, but if she didn’t deal with this now she was a coward as well as a complete bitch.
He reached for the door handle; she put her hand on the door. “Stay.”
He stood half in, half out of the room with his hand still on the door handle.
“Please.”
He came in, closed the door and when she gestured to the couch, he sat, but he was four continents away, his face was Switzerland, a mask of neutrality. It cut worse than if he’d raged at her. Whatever he’d come to say, she needed to speak first. She went down on her knees in front of him. The same posture he’d taken when he cleaned the cuts on her neck, when he’d thought he was at fault. Even if she lay face down at his feet she wouldn’t be low enough.
“Jake, I’m so sorry. I have no excuse. I had a brain snap. I have