She greets the audience, and they respond with so much enthusiasm that I can't help but grin. Song after song, she mesmerizes the crowd, finishing with a ballad about waiting for love and finding it in the wrong place.
"Thank you, everyone!" she calls out with a wave, grinning in response to the thunderous applause.
Silver is an early act at the festival, but she's performing another song with Gia Golding later tonight, so after her set, I walk her back to her dressing room.
"Ms. Langford." I hold the door open for her, keeping my eyes focused somewhere above her head. I know she hates me calling her “ma'am,” but I refuse to call her Silver. It feels too intimate somehow.
Silver steps in front of me and sighs. "I suppose you'll be waiting outside for me again?"
I nod, watching her walk to the middle of the room before I reach for the doorknob. I’m about to close the door when Silver says my name.
"Dane?"
I open the door, and my tongue almost rolls out of my mouth when I find her standing in the middle of the room, still in her heels but wearing only her bra and panties. The black lace with little pink hearts makes her look like sin and sunshine, her full curves on display.
She smiles. "I like the suit tonight."
Fucking hell.
You love your job. You are a professional. You want more than a good time with this woman.
Rational thoughts cycle through my brain like a stock market ticker, yet I still take a step into the room when my hedonistic cock takes the wheel for a split second. The sound of footsteps on tile coming toward us snaps me back to reality, and I shake my head as I step back.
"Thank you." I close the door, scowling at the floor.
I spend the next hour alternating between congratulating my horny ass for my demonstration of restraint and berating myself for being a dumbass.
I'm so preoccupied that when the stage manager, Charley, races down the hallway toward me, I almost don't see her. I step aside so she can knock on Silver's door.
"Gia's running fast. We need to move!"
Silver pops out of the dressing room looking like a million bucks. When she catches my eye this time, I don't glare at her.
She'd look even better if I'd spent the last hour getting her off.
I clench my jaw at the thought and follow the ladies toward the stage, adjusting my cock as inconspicuously as possible.
"I've got her ready, stage left," Charley says into her mic.
She glances at her watch as she puts her arm around Silver. Holding up three fingers, she counts down as Gia introduces Silver on stage.
The crowd goes wild as Silver walks out toward the microphones. The two women grin at each other and start the song. It's perfect for them. Most of the audience has their eyes fixed on Gia—she's a superstar touring sold-out stadiums around the country, so they’re here for her—but I can't take my eyes off Silver. She closes her eyes as she belts out the chorus, and Gia's face lights up as they play off each other on stage. This is a huge moment for Silver and her career.
My eyes travel the length of her body. Her dress hugs her luscious curves, and her heeled sneakers emphasize her long legs. My eyes are on her thick thighs, dreaming about what's between them, when my phone pings with an incoming text.
SBH
808. High Tide Pavilion. SBH: Security breach in the area. Kidnapping. Secure clients.
The blood in my veins turns to ice water as the 808 code brings me back to stark reality. While I'm staring googly-eyed at Silver, I'm forgetting that I'm on the job. Silver is not an ex-girlfriend. She is a client, and her label is paying good money to make sure she remains safe. She's made it abundantly clear that she doesn't see a future for us, so I need to get over that kiss and do my goddamn job. The problem is, my job requires that I get Silver safely to the hotel and lock down her room until she's cleared from the threat. Yet my first instinct is to get her the hell away from the city as soon as possible. It's a boyfriend move. Completely inappropriate, but... I dial a number, lifting the phone to my ear.
"Dane." The tension in Rafi's voice on the other end does nothing to temper my adrenaline, but it solidifies my plan. I’ll keep Silver safe if it's the last thing I do.
"I need a safe house and a car. Ready at 22:00." I speak low, my voice coming out calmer than I feel.
The slight pause has me holding my breath. Silver isn't in any danger as far as I know. I was only hired to help manage crowds as she comes and goes from public places, but the idea of anybody taking her sends me over the edge.
"Is this necessary?" This time it's Sloane's voice on the other side of the line.
