“Blake and I are friends from back home,” Eden said with a huge smile on her face.
“Ky, this is Blake Ryan, front man from The Fallen. They will be the feature band for the shoot. He is also an annoying pain in my ass on most days.” Simon introduced and Blake held out his hand which I shook firmly.
“Well this just made being here so much more worthwhile!” The excitement tainting Eden’s voice wasn’t missed.
Well that was a kick to the guts, and I couldn’t ignore the twist to the heart and punch to my ego. I couldn’t let it show though. I was simply the guy who was paying Eden for a job whereas the guy who she was smiling at was someone who she seemed very friendly with.
I shook off the feeling of defeat and went back into Ky Crawford mode—the Ky Crawford who worked obscene hours, who didn’t let women get to him, and who sure as hell didn’t let jealously tinge his thoughts.
“Okay, enough of the catching up. Can we all take a seat and sort through the details.”
Eden stepped away from Blake and returned to the seat opposite me. I needed to get my emotions in check and it was time to get this meeting underway. I finally raised my eyes from my laptop and fell into her blue eyes. She looked back at me with apprehension and I could see the nerves started to reappear. I reached over the desk and covered her hand with mine, giving her a quick squeeze of encouragement. Her lips twisted into the perfect smile and before me I saw her switch on confident Eden Rivers.
“Eden, if you can start by letting us know what you envisage for the shoot and then what you will require from us in order to carry it out.” I suggested and out of the corner of my eye I saw Simon grinning at me like a complete fool.
Eden amazed me. Hearing her talk about her ideas and her vision for the shoot was incredible. She had ideas for all of the shoots she would be doing, she informed us of what her requirements would be, the time frame she would need and she gave us examples of different techniques and styling she wanted to incorporate. She was in her element.
I finally got involved in the meeting and went into business mode. I gave my directions and expectations, and Eden watched closely with the tiniest of smiles playing on her lips. To be honest it was a turn on showing her what I did, how I did it, and what I expected. I was in my element. As the meeting came to an end, Blake’s phone rang and he sprung to his feet and excused himself. It had been decided that the main shoot would occur in two weeks and that Eden would accompany the band to the studio where they were recording their latest album and those shots would also feature.
“If we are done, I think I should be getting back to the hotel and try and get my head around this meeting and start scouting some locations. It was really great to meet you and thank you again for this opportunity.” Eden smiled gratefully at Simon and shook his hand with confidence after she stood.
“The pleasure has been all mine. This guy hasn’t stopped raving about you.” Simon gestured at me, and I gritted my teeth. She didn’t need to know that every recent conversation I’d had with Simon involved her in some way, but it was true, and he was clearly loving every minute of divulging it.
Eden’s eyes met mine, and I felt my lips twitch into a subtle smile. “I’ll walk you out.”
I knew I still had more to discuss with Simon, but I wanted a moment with Eden before she disappeared. Following her out of my office and down the hall toward the elevators, I fell silent. I had a billion and one things I wanted to ask, and so many things I wanted to suggest, but I seemed to have lost my balls somewhere during that meeting.
“So are you going to tell me ho—” I started to ask.
“Eden! Wait up!”
We both turned at the sound of Blake’s voice and watched as he jogged down the hall with a huge smile plastered on his face.
“You, Colby, and I need to do dinner while we are here. He would love to see his girl.”
Eden’s features softened as she looked at him. “Colby is here?” She asked breathlessly.
Okay, now who the fuck was Colby? And why did the sound of his name make her blush, and more importantly, what the hell was the meaning behind his girl?
“Shit, I’ve got to go, but I’ll call you when we are all here and organize something. I am so fucking happy to see you!” Blake leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek and gave me a solid nod before he ran down the hall and disappeared into the elevator, leaving Eden blushing and me in somewhat of a confused state.
After she watched Blake disappear into the elevator, Eden turned to me. With a smile, she lifted her hand to her hair and proceeded to untie her loose braid and with steady finger tips unraveled her hair until loose curls hung over her shoulders. I don’t think I breathed the entire time she did it. That simple move shot straight to my cock who enjoyed it just as much as my eyes. She had absolutely no fucking idea at all.
“Ky, Eden, I just saw that we have all missed one signature on the contract.” Simon’s thick Australian accent sounded from my open office door. Eden and I headed back to my office, her escape being foiled.
“You’ve got it bad,” Simon mumbled softly as I passed him. I shot him a glare that screamed ‘piss off’ and walked straight to my desk while Eden lingered at the door. Fuck. Did she hear? Her cheeks weren’t flushed so I assumed she was oblivious to Simon’s ridiculous statement.
I scribbled my signature on the piece of paper in front of me and then slid it across the table toward Eden.
“Well I will let myself out. You two kids behave yourself,” Simon suggested with a smirk.
The door clicked behind him leaving Eden and me alone in my office. Eden had crossed the room and now stood looking at a piece of artwork I had commissioned by a local up-and-coming artist. My head was screaming at me to leave, to disappear and get myself in check, yet my body refused to escape the temptation before me.
“I told you that you had nothing to worry about.” My voice startled her, and she swung around to face me.
“I was so nervous. I swear I stuttered at one point.” Her soft laughter filled my ears.
I pushed away from the desk and crossed my office until I stood next to her. Her gaze shifted back to the painting, and we remained in silence as we got lost in our thoughts. My mind went back to Blake’s comment about Colby, and it sat precariously in my thoughts, dangling and teasing me.
“I didn’t know you were someone’s girl?”
She turned to face me and her eyes said a thousand words before she finally spoke. “I’m not anyone’s girl.”
I didn’t know what came over me. All sense of reality escaped and suddenly in my office I lost control. I took one step toward her and I gently tucked her hair behind her ear and one of my arms circled her waist. My senses were overcome by her perfume and the scent of her shampoo. Her eyes widened and the moment they dropped to my lips I couldn’t stop the desire roaring to life. I dipped my face closely to hers, tightened my grasp on her waist, and then I felt her sharp exhale of breath on my craving lips.
“Don’t. No!” she pleaded, her hands lifting to my chest and pushing me away.
I stumbled back knowing that I had completely and utterly fucked up.
“Look Eden—”
I didn’t get another word in. Within seconds she was rushing out of my office leaving me sinking in a pit of confusion and anxiety all the while I was being swallowed by raw need for this woman.
One minute I had been floating on cloud nine, getting lost in the presence of Ky Crawford, and the next I was fleeing the building, gasping for air, like it was on fire.
The meeting went better than I could have ever imagined. My confidence ignited the moment I began to speak and both Ky and Simon had fallen into a silent trance as they absorbed my ideas and visions for the shoot. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Then there was the moment I locked eyes with Blake Ryan, one of my closest friends who seemed to have forgotten to tell me about this little meeting. I felt like I had slipped into an alternate universe seeing him standing before me, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling of calm that swam through me the instant he held me in his arms. Then finding out that Colby was going to be in town, it was almost too much to comprehend.