So when Saturday rolled around, I applied makeup, styled my hair, and slipped into my favorite blue sundress, which was the perfect mix of sexy and comfortable, showing just enough leg to tease without trying too hard.
Looking good certainly wouldn’t hurt, especially if I wanted to make a good first impression on my date with Hollywood royalty, Owen Bailey.
Owen was known for his leading roles in blockbuster movies. Despite his level of fame, Owen was known for being laid-back and keeping a low profile.
I couldn’t think of anyone better to break up my dating dryspell than the man who won an Oscar last month, so I’d accepted Kelsey’s offer to set us up, and now we were scheduled to have lunch at an Italian restaurant in West Hollywood in just a few minutes.
My first date in a year.Lord, please don’t let me embarrass myself.
Working closely with celebrities every day made it easier to keep my composure, but that didn’t mean the fangirl in me wasn’t desperately trying to break free, especially now that I was about to go on a date with one of my celebrity crushes.
There was a knock on the door, causing me to freeze in place as I applied the last coat of lipgloss.He’s early.
I did a final once over before I set my lipgloss down and hastily exited my bedroom. I head down the stairs, stopping at the door long enough to compose myself before answering.
“Hey, you’re—” The rest of my words caught in my throat as I stared at the man standing at my door.
Filling up my doorway was Nathan, looking annoyingly attractive in dark pinstriped pants and a navy blue buttoned-up shirt.
What was he doing here?
“Am I interrupting something?” He peered easily over my shoulder thanks to his height, his eyes sweeping behind me as if expecting someone to appear after taking one look at what I was wearing.
“Should I invite you in so you can check the closet and under my bed?” I asked, annoyed.
Nathan pressed his lips together instead of responding. “Are you going out?”
“As a matter of fact, I am. I thought you were my date when I answered the door.”
“And you’re going to wear that?” There was no missing the disapproval etched to the corners of his mouth.
“Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing?” I pinned him with a hard look.
“No. You look nice.” The corners of his lips turned down, and if he frowned some more, I was afraid he was going to permanently give himself frown lines.
Which would be a shame, considering how attractive his face was.
“Nice?” I repeated. “I have to admit, I was going for sexy.” I decided not to point out the fact that he has looked down at my breasts at least a dozen times in the last two minutes he’s been standing in the door.
“The dress accomplishes its purpose,” Nathan said smoothly, though his jaw ticked. “But it doesn’t matter, because you’re not going out. I need your help.”
“With what?” The words came out crisp and cool, laced with the exact amount of irritation I was tryingnotto fully unleash.
“Picking the next artist we’re going to sign to Edge Records.” Nathan told me and I had to stop my jaw from dropping to the floor. He’s never asked me to help him pick an artist before. That’s what his A&R team was for.
The timing of it all was suspicious. “Are you asking for my help because I’m leaving, or because you actually value my opinion?”
The features of his face softened at my question, giving me a rare moment of vulnerability from my usual stone cold boss. “I value your opinion.”
I hesitated, my hand still on the doorknob. One part of me wanted to remind him that it was Saturday and that he can’t just show up at my house without notice. That I was still annoyed over how he acted at the bar. But then there was the other side of me thatwantedto be in the room when decisions were made.The part that had given three years of loyalty, time, and energy to Edge Records and had always been kept at arm’s length. Until now. Nathan had rarely asked for my opinion on anything this important.
And now, with three weeks left before I walked away for good, he was asking.
Something soft and warm stirred within my chest. “Okay.” I opened the door and stepped back so he could enter.
Twin indents on his cheeks made a rare appearance as he smiled and what was once an ember in my chest morphed into something hotter, almost knocking me off of my feet.
I stepped back to let him in, watching as he walked past me like he owned the place. Like he belonged here. Like he’d done it a hundred times before.
