Page 166 of Off Limits Mogul

“Dig deep, Keira.”

“I can do that.”

“We’re dealing with a professional, people.” There he goes shouting again. “Let’s get this puppy on the road.” Flint swirls his fingers in a circle above his head. “Jimmy! Headphones!”

The tall black guy with the huge grin stretching his lips places the headphones over my ears, and winks.

I try hard not to giggle.

Flint goes to stand behind the camera and looks through the lens, then back up. He does that a few times. “And…emotions!”

For the next several long minutes, Flint snaps shots while I sit there trying to go through the catalogue of songs in my head to findthe onethat touches my soul. It’s not like I don’t have a million songs stored in my head. I do. After all, I’m a singer, butright now, with everything going on around me, the best I can come up with is a mashup. And not even a good one at that.

Being a model is so much pressure.

“I’m not feeling it,” Flint says looking up from the camera. He approaches me. “Did you findthatsong yet?”

Panic sets in.

My eyes move to Rhys.

Oh, no. I’m going to let him down.

Shit.

“It took me a minute, but I did.”

Think faster, Keira.

“Now we’re going somewhere,” Flint says. “You need tofeelthe song, so you’llsing itinstead of letting it play in your head.”

I pull the headphone away from one ear. “Wh—what? You want me to sing out loud?”

“You have a gorgeous voice?—”

“My pop princess days are behind me.” I didn’t mean for my tone to be that sharp.

“Nobody’s asking you to sing a meaningless bubblegum song,” he says. “I asked for a song that moves your soul. Something your heart connects with. I want to read that connection on your face.”

Okay, maybe my nerves are affecting my hearing.

I steal another glance at Rhys.

He’s leaning against the wall with his hands tucked in the pockets of his pants, one foot crossed over the other at the ankle.

He holds my gaze for a long beat and then nods.

“All right,” I say. “Fair warning. Since it’s a cappella, I might be off key.”

“You’re not giving yourself enough credit.” Flint’s words surprise me.

“Is it okay if I start with my eyes closed?”

The audience is a little too intimate.

“You do whatever it takes,” Flint says.

“Okay. Thanks.”