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Terrence shrugged. “I told you before, she’s cool. It’s nothing serious.” If only that were the truth. “So what did you need to talk about?”
Donovan folded his arms and grinned. “Uh-huh, whatever you say.” Silence. “Yeah, you’ve got it bad.” He shook his head and laughed.
Terrence glared. His feelings for Janae grew daily, and he had no idea how to make it stop. For a man who swore never to risk his heart, it was humbling.
“Anyway, Gary and Erica want to talk to you about some publicity matters and the giveaways. I told them you could meet around seven, but that was before I knew you had a date.” Gary and Erica were in charge of the PR department.
“I’ll be down. Janae can either come with me, or she can come closer to eight, when everything starts.”
“Fine. Have fun and I’ll see you tonight.”
Terrence waited until he left, then called the front desk to make sure the picnic basket he’d ordered was ready. He found Janae out on the bedroom’s balcony.
“Are you ready?” he asked, coming to stand behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.
“Ready when you are.” She tilted her head back.
Unable to resist, he lowered his head and covered her mouth with his. The kiss was sweet and gentle, and when she slid her tongue in his mouth, it made him groan deep in his throat. When he ended the kiss, her passion-filled eyes tempted him to forget about the beach and the picnic. It took everything within him to maintain control.
“Let’s go.”
They had taken only a few steps off the elevator when a small group of women recognized him.
“Oh, my goodness. It’s Monte,” one woman gushed.
“I love you, Monte,” another one said. She latched on to his arm and tried to pull him down for a kiss.
They quickly surrounded him, trying to get pictures and autographs. Janae walked over to one of the lobby’s plush chairs to sit. He saw her laugh and shake her head. After several minutes, he managed to make his way to the desk and collect the basket. She stood when he approached.
“What’s that?”
He held up the basket. “Our lunch. I thought we’d have a picnic on the beach.”
“It seems like you thought of everything.”
“I hope so.”
They found a partially shaded spot on the beach, and Terrence spread out the blanket he’d brought. “Do you want to eat first?”
“Yes. I’m hungry. What’s in here?” She opened the basket and pulled out an assortment of sandwiches, chips, fruit and bottles of sparkling water.
“What do you think?” he asked, removing plates, silverware and napkins.
“Everything looks good.”
They fixed their plates and ate in silence for a few minutes.
“This is really nice. I haven’t been to the beach since last year. It must be awesome having several beaches in your backyard.”
“I haven’t been to the beach in a long time.”
“Why not?”
He shrugged. “Working, I guess.”
“What do you do for fun?”
He thought for a moment, trying to remember the last time he’d done anything remotely related to fun. “I don’t know.”
“That’s pitiful. You need some fun in your life.”
He regarded her thoughtfully. “You think so?”
“Of course. Everyone should take some time to relax and have fun, especially someone like you who works so hard. When was the last time you let yourself go, threw caution to the wind and did something just for the sheer enjoyment of an activity?” When he didn’t respond, she shook her head. “That look on your face tells me it’s been way too long.” She patted his arm. “It’s a good thing I’m here today. We’re gonna have some fun.” She winked at him and continued to eat.
Terrence chuckled. Janae was different from every woman he’d ever met—and more dangerous, too. She had slowly chipped away at the wall he’d erected around his heart just by being herself.
He finished his food and lay back on the blanket. Taking a deep breath, he thought about what she’d said. He’d been so focused on music for such a long time that he never stopped to think about how empty his life was, probably because he didn’t want to think about it. He found it easier to hide behind the “Monte” persona. So lost in reflection, he didn’t hear Janae calling him until she touched his arm. He rolled to his side facing her and propped on his elbow.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I asked if you were okay. You kind of zoned out for a minute.”
“I’m fine. Just thinking about what you said. So, what kind of fun did you have in mind?”
