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Not fair.
Didn’t that make her want to lick the spit right out of him? His lips, lush and compelling at the best of times, now put on an exaggerated moue that had her nipples…
Libido. Full stop,Talia ordered.
Fuck. She wasn’t going to get anywhere if all she could think about was attacking the man. But dammit. She remembered their one-and-done kiss as scorching, and she was only human. Eventually, she was going to need more, but right now…
She needed to call him on his bullshit. “You’re beingwaytoo compliant, and I know for a fact that’s not the real you. Ever and I have talked—”
Fleet gave out a little moan.
“Yeah. That’s right. We’ve hashed it out, And she agrees with me. We both know you’re full of crap, pulling this act. Now tell me what this new attitude of yours is all about? For real. Is it fear? Depression?” She hated prodding, but she and Ever had waited, and Fleet hadn’t snapped out of his stupor. If being a major pain in his ass was the only way to get him talking, then so be it.
She could totally understand both fear and depression, but keeping it to himself wasn’t going to help. Fleet had to let somebody in; let someone know what was bothering him so they could find him the right help.
Fleet gave a big sigh and Talia wanted to cheer. It seemed like he was going to open up.
“Is it that obvious?” he asked.
“Duh,” she countered, giving what she hoped was a cute eyeroll. “So asks the man who always has a smile on his face. I wouldn’t say you’ve been actually dour, but…a coma patient shows more humor than you.”
“Ouch,” he said.
“Yeah, so?” Talia wasn’t letting this go.
“Maybe I’m feeling a little of both,” he finally admitted. “If I let myself start thinking too much, I begin to worry about my clients and my business. That’s bad enough, but …”
The crux of it was coming, Talia was sure.
“…I can’t help wonder if and how this…condition will affect my future.” His shoulders dropped as if he’d been holding onto that worry for far too long.
Talia reached out a hand and covered his where they lay in his lap. “I’m glad you finally decided to share,” she told him.
He snorted. “Did I have a choice?” Fleet was actually able to raise one eyebrow, which amused the hell out of her.
“No. I would have kept at you,” she admitted. “But back to what’s important. First, let’s address the work thing.” Talia became pragmatic. “You know Ever has been in touch with all your bands, and they’ve been more than understanding. Hell, a few of the more savvy musicians have even offered to go into your studio and pick up some slack if you think it’s within their means.”
“And I’m grateful for that,” Fleet interrupted, which buoyed Talia up because the man hadn’t so much as made a peep to anyone who had previously made similar suggestions. “But I’m a perfectionist, and I’m afraid if I start barking orders from a hospital bed, I’ll alienate some of the people who have become good friends.”
Talia scoffed. “You’re not alienating anybody. Your clients want to help. And hell. Look at me? You’ve been an uncommunicative zombie for three days, and I haven’t gone anywhere.”
Fleet looked at her sideways; the first real, disgruntled look he’d flashed her since he’d blamed himself for their “misunderstanding” several nights before.
“Yeah? And why is that, Talia?” he questioned.
So he was challenging her now?Fine. But she could tell he was on edge about how she’d answer by the way his tongue poked out to swipe nervously across his lower lip.
She took the initiative and moved her ass from the chair she’d occupied, to the mattress where she scooted it close to his warm body.
Honesty it was.
“Because I like you, you big dope. And somebody needs to bust your chops for acting like a boneh—, uh, a chump.”
Fleet actually snickered. “You were going to say bonehead, weren’t you?”
“I was,” she returned sheepishly. “Then I figured it might be too soon.”
“Hmm. I myself think steelhead might have been more appropriate, anyway,” he sent back, deadpan. Fleet was scheduled to have that metal removed the following morning.
