can count about a million other things I’d rather be doing.”
“Such as hiding away in this house and trying to ignore the press outside?” I said, lightly teasing.
A hot, sexy look passed over his features as he levelled me with an intense stare. It was a stare that said challenge accepted. “That… and maybe giving you head.”
My mouth fell open as my pulse thrummed. I had no idea how to respond and wasn’t entirely certain where that had come from. Sure, he’d been staring at my mouth all sexy-like just a minute ago, but never in a million years did I imagine that was what he’d been thinking about.
My voice came out all breathy and stuttering. “Damon….”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Rose, I won’t apologise for wanting you.”
“I don’t expect you to, I just….” I closed my eyes for a second and tried to steady my breathing. “We haven’t even gone on our first date yet.” Why on earth I thought that was the most pertinent point to make in that moment, I had no idea.
Damon reached across the table, taking both my hands in his. “I’m not trying to rush you. But some days being around you is…difficult. You’re so fucking sexy I can hardly breathe with it sometimes.”
My eyes snapped open, and I just stared at him. We were locked in a moment for who knew how long when suddenly a loud, persistent knock sounded at his front door. He dropped my hands and stood, raking a hand through his hair as tension filled his body.
“That better not be those paparazzi again,” he said, his jaw tight. The knock came a second time, and he walked out into the hallway. I followed and watched as he peeked through the peephole. His tension fell away somewhat as he opened the door and Jacob strode inside.
“Somebody’s garnering quite the fan club out there,” he commented before looking Damon up and down, his mouth forming an unhappy slant. “What’s this? You’re not even ready.”
“I’m ready. You’re early.”
“You’ve got your shit in bucketfuls if you think that’s what you’re wearing,” said Jacob, making a gesture of frustration with his hands before his eyes fell on me. “Rose! Thank God you’re here. Take this man upstairs and find something in his closet that resembles a suit before I have a conniption.”
I stifled a laugh and stepped forward, taking Damon’s hand and leading him up the stairs. When we reached his room, I closed the door and finally let my laughter flow. “I don’t think I’ve heard anyone use the word conniption in about a decade.”
“He’s being melodramatic. My clothes are fine.”
“You’re selling Moulin Rouge, Damon. You need to look the part. And Jacob’s being melodramatic because this is his baby. I can’t even imagine the amount of work it must’ve taken just licensing the score. If the show turns out to be a flop, then he’ll be the one who has to live under the shadow of its failure.”
“I suppose,” he grumped, flopping down onto the bed.
“Did you notice he didn’t even question my being here, nor the fact that I’m wearing pyjamas?”
“I doubt he notices much aside from his own reflection half the time,” Damon commented wryly, and I smirked.
For a moment I stared at him lying there, one too many images flooding my mind. Damon cocked an eyebrow, like he knew exactly what I was thinking. I shook off the moment of sexy stupor, turned to his wardrobe, and opened it before flicking through the hangers. In the end I managed to find a nice plain white shirt and a navy suit jacket. There weren’t any slacks, but his jeans could pass for designer. The look said laid-back Hollywood.
I handed him the clothes. “Go put these on.”
Damon sat up, took both items, and proceeded to pull off his T-shirt. I stood there, having a second moment of sexy stupor, as his entire muscled torso was revealed to me. When he shrugged into the shirt, I stepped forward with eager hands. “Let me help with the…with the buttons.”
His grin was wide, and it practically undid me. “By all means.”
I silently did up his shirt, my knuckles brushing his skin. It was difficult to process the thought that soon I was going to start dating this man. And soon I could use his entire perfect body as I pleased.
“Will you watch the show?” Damon asked, looking down at me with his handsome brown eyes.