He looked up, and when he saw me the distant fog in his eyes cleared and he did that thing he’d started doing when he looked at me—smiling without really smiling. “Hey.”
“Danica is down at LBH today. She’s been getting the place comfy for the band. I don’t know if I mentioned it, but she’s an interior decorator.”
He set his guitar aside on the couch, giving me his full attention. “I heard.”
“She asked me to meet her for lunch today. I thought I’d swing by the studio, meet the staff in person. See the space the band’s working in. And then go for lunch with Danica. If that’s okay with you, of course.”
“Sure. That’s a good idea.” He got up and came over to me, pausing in front of me for a moment to run his fingers over the curve of my hip. “I have some paperwork you can take with you.” He went into the control room and I quietly melted in the wake of his touch. Then I gathered myself and followed, leaning on the doorframe to watch him. He poked through some papers on his desk, which were now organized in an ascending tray rack that I’d had delivered for him. “Here. These are for Merritt.”
I took the papers. “Consider them delivered.”
“Is it inappropriate if I kiss you goodbye?”
“Nope.”
I really didn’t care if it was inappropriate. I didn’t care if it was inappropriate that he bend me over his desk and fuck me while I called him Big Boss Daddy.
I’d do it right now, if he wanted me to.
He leaned in, his mouth hovering close to mine. “Have a good time at lunch.” Then he kissed me softly.
“Thank you,” I said, kinda breathless. “I can bring something back for you if you like?”
“Sure. Just get me some of whatever you’re getting.”
“Do you have any allergies or anything I should know about?”
“Nope. I hate sushi, though.”
“How can you hate sushi? You live in Vancouver. I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.”
“What can I say? I’ve never liked it.”
“Okay, then. No sushi for you.”
I was just about to walk out when Cary reached for me, stopping me. He put his hand on my face and I drifted back toward him. He looked deep in my eyes… and then he kissed me again. Softly.
My bones did that melty thing again. His lips were so fucking soft.
Christ, I was in trouble.
As he drew back, he just looked at me.
Why are you always alone?
I couldn’t even fathom the answer to that question. How someone like him could end up alone made zero rational sense.
Although he wasn’t totally alone, right? I was here.
“See you later, Taylor.”
“See you.”
I turned and left before I could keep staring at him. I floated all the way out to the garage and into the car. Then I told myself to focus, because I’d feel really bad if I crashed his car because I was daydreaming about his dreamy soft lips and his hazel eyes and all that stuff we did yesterday.
When I arrived at Little Black Hole, I drove around to the back lane and parked in the small lot—in Cary’s spot, the one with the little sign that said Reserved 24 Hrs. He’d called while I was driving to tell me I could park there.
Even though he owned the studio, it seemed kind of strange that there was still a designated spot for him. Knowing Cary, though, it was probably one of those things he’d just forgotten about or overlooked. And possibly the staff didn’t want to say anything about it because they liked him?
Or maybe they feared him?
I wondered, as I got out of the car and wrestled the giant gift basket I’d picked up on the way over out of the backseat, what Cary’s relationship with his staff was really like. And what they thought of him.
I really hoped I wasn’t about to discover that they thought he was a giant weirdo and trash talked him behind his back. Because if so, I was definitely gonna have to tell him that shit. Gently. I couldn’t abide by that bullshit, even if it might initially hurt him.
Cary deserved better than the crap I’d seen about him online, and he definitely didn’t need his staff spreading it.
His parking spot was right by the back door, which had a small plaque on it that simply said Little Black Hole, but when I tried it, it was locked. So I went in the front