“That’s right, we do. Why is that?”
I shrugged, unnerved by the way he looked at me. “Various reasons. Sometimes doing what we want would imply a huge change. Mostly we’re just not ready for what we want.”
His smile grew more pronounced, and God, the way he looked at me was too much.
“Are you in a relationship?” he asked.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Well, turns out dating in New York isn’t for the faint of heart.”
“So you date,” he stated in a tone that made it clear he didn’t approve.
“Yes. Why do you sound so accusatory, Mr. Rock Star? According to the tabloids, you’re quite the serial dater.”
“Not right now.” He was watching me with an intensity that made my knees weak. “You?”
I turned around, busying myself with arranging the brochures on the entrance table into a stack.
“Why are you asking?” I inquired. I felt the warmth of his body behind me as he approached.
“Don’t you know?”
I turned around, trying to get a good read on him, but it was impossible. My whole body was on alert, my mind completely clouded.
“Do you want to grab dinner somewhere? We don’t have to stay in the office for me to do the profile. There are lots of trendy places around here you might enjoy.”
His smile dimmed. “How about we order in? I rarely go to places that Sasha didn’t contact beforehand. Fans tend to crowd in on me. It’s not a pleasant experience, even with a bodyguard around.”
“That’s right. Sure, we can look at delivery services.” I pulled out my phone and opened my favorite app, narrowing down the filters to this area of Brooklyn before handing him the phone.
“Here, I’ve ordered from most of these. They’re all good.”
“Is that your official foodie verdict?”
“Yes.”
While he checked out the menus on my phone, I couldn’t help but ask, “Doesn’t it feel strange to live in this bubble?”
“Bubble?” He frowned. “I suppose you could call it that. It’s the only life I’ve known for the past ten years. I’ve gotten used to it. That’s not to say I don’t do spontaneous things, just that I prefer to know the coast is clear.”
“I can’t imagine that at all. I like the freedom of going where I want whenever I want,” I said with a laugh. “So, did you decide on dinner?”
“Yes. I want one of each of these.” He pointed to three of the tasting menus.
“Someone’s really hungry,” I teased as I tapped the screen, adding everything to the basket. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him lean in, and then his cologne invaded my senses.
“I am. Not for food but for the company.”
Was he flirting? Or did he simply long for company because he was living such a secluded life? Licking my lips, I focused on the screen, finalizing the order at a Thai restaurant.
“There, we’re getting dinner in twenty minutes,” I announced. “You’re going to like it. I recommend it to everyone on my tours.”
“What tours?”
“Oh, I’m also a tour guide once a week.”
“How come?”
“When I first moved to New York, I didn’t have many clients, so I needed the extra income. Now my roster is full enough, but I still like to do the tours. I meet so many interesting people, and every time I’m with a group, I see New York from a different perspective.”
“You’re fascinating.”
“I’m glad you think so.” I showed him inside my office, because there was a bit more space here for both of us to relax and sit. “Do you want us to start the profiling now?”
“Sure.” He seemed completely at ease, sinking into the chair with his boot heel hanging over his knee.
“By the way, Sasha insists on using that word, but it’s mostly a list of your likes and dislikes. Nothing as elaborate as what you’d see on a crime show on TV.” He smiled at that, and I almost forgot what I was going to say. “It’s a tool to help us decide what you could share with fans that wouldn’t make you uncomfortable and that they’d also appreciate. But it has to be authentic. Fans can feel when you’re sharing stuff just for the sake of it, or when you’re showing them something you’re comfortable with or passionate about.”
“Sure.”
We sat on the same side of the desk, something I liked to do because sitting on opposite sides felt too formal sometimes. I wanted my clients to feel at ease. We went through the list of questions while I made notes on my iPad. When I