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“What do you need me to do to, um, be your muse?” she asks, breaking me from my thoughts.
“Sing for me.” Be my wife. The mother of my children. My whole world.
Chapter Four
Shelby
While Theo is searching his fridge for something to cook for us, the doorbell rings. I slide off the stool he’d set me on and take three steps toward the door before he moves around the counter and wraps his hand around my waist, pulling me into his big, warm body. “No way in hell are you going anywhere near the door. I don’t know who it is, but what I do know for sure is that I don’t want them to see you dressed like this.”
I should probably be offended by his bossiness, but I can’t seem to make myself react like a normal woman. Not when it makes my body all tingly and warm. I don’t blame him. If he was still in a towel I might have had the same reaction. Instead, I’m secretly thrilled that I’m the reason for the flare of jealousy in his dark eyes. It doesn’t seem possible that he would feel that way about me. He’s Theo Hayes, and I’m just…me—a struggling singer who’s doing singing telegrams because I can’t get my career off the ground. I keep being told it’s because I need to lose a little weight and then my career would take off. I’m a healthy weight. If I lost weight I’d be unhealthy. I have no plans for that, so maybe singing telegrams is all I’m destined for. I can’t see Theo being my destiny.
He’s so far out of my league that we shouldn’t share a city, let alone the same house for a couple of months. Even if it’s just because he wants me close while I’m his muse for whichever incredible composition he’s going to come up with next. Super close based on the sensual promise he’d made me in his closet. Like, in-his-bed close.
I shiver a little just thinking about it, remembering how it felt when Theo whispered such dirty words in my ear. And, holy cow, the way he kissed me. The strength of my reaction to him is a surprise since I’ve never felt anything like it before. I’ve always been super awkward around men and couldn’t understand how my roommates fell so quickly for the guys they dated. Or how they could sleep with the newest one so soon after breaking up with the last. But after my reaction to Theo, I kind of get it now since I’m not sure I’ll be able to resist him for even one night. Although I can’t imagine ever feeling like this about anyone other than him. He’s all-consuming.
My lips turn down at the thought of a time when I’ll have to get over Theo. I only met him maybe thirty minutes ago, and I already can’t imagine not having him in my life. That’s how out of control my reaction to him is. It’s enough to make my head spin.
“What’s wrong?” Theo growls after he walks back into the kitchen, carrying two brown paper bags. He sets them on the counter and tilts my head back with one finger under my chin. “Why’re you frowning, my little muse?”
My cheeks heat in embarrassment at the idea of admitting my feelings to him. “It’s nothing.”
His thumb sweeps across my bottom lip. “I can only fix it if you tell me what’s bothering you.” God, that sounded so good. To be taken care of. I’ve been taking care of myself for so long with no one to lean on. Now he’s someone wanting to take care of me.
“Um.” There’s no way I can tell him the truth right now. Talk about outing myself as a stage five clinger. If I do that, he’ll forget about wanting to hire me as his muse and kick me out of his life forever. So, I blurt out the first thing I can come up with, other than that particular truth. “I’m just worried what my boss is going to say when I tell him I’m not going to be taking any assignments for a little while.”
His scowl puts my tiny frown to shame. “You don’t need to worry about what your former boss thinks when you quit. I told you I’d take care of everything. Give me his number and I’ll call him.”
“Quit?” I echo softly, shaking my head in an attempt to make sense of what he’s saying. “Why would I quit when I’m only going to be here for a couple of months? I’ll need that job later.” What will I do when I leave here? Be heartbroken and jobless?
“I don’t think you’re getting what I’m saying to you.” His gaze drops to the shirt covering my costume, making his dark eyes heat. “Me taking care of everything means that you’ll never need your old job back.”
