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“Because,” he replies, and I just stare up at him, willing him to say the words. I want to hear him say that I’m his, that the thought of any other man touching me kills him.
“Because?” I finally break and ask him.
“Because I don’t like it.”
It’s not exactly what I was hoping for but I’ll take it. I finish wiping the make-up off his face and lean up on my tiptoes, planting one more quick kiss on his lips.
“Well, you shouldn’t worry because I was too preoccupied by this other guy to even notice that he was touching me,” I tease, running my hand up the open zipper of his leather jacket.
“Yeah? Sounds like a lucky bastard.”
I shrug, and he grins at the face I make. “I can’t disagree with you.”
“Two minutes,” someone calls and knocks on the door, opening it without waiting for a response. Candace takes one look at me and rolls her eyes.
“We need make-up in here again!” she yells down the hall.
“You should probably go,” I say with a sigh and he nods.
“That’s actually why I came in here. I just got a call from Blaze and I gotta run.”
I frown, too disappointed to even try and hide it. “Okay. Dinner tonight?”
“I’m not sure. This might be an all nighter.”
I nod and hate how easily he can get to me. My mood immediately picked up when he showed up here, and it’s plummeting again now that he’s leaving. “Okay.”
His hand slides in my hair, and he pulls me forward, planting his lips on my forehead. “I’ll text you later, Baby. I gotta go.”
People start filing into the room, and I nod, peeking up at him as he releases me. He slips out as they start fixing my make-up again, and I sigh, pushing away my disappointment so I can finish this shoot. With any luck, I’ll see him again later tonight.
Chapter Twelve
Alison
The nerves hit full force as I step out of my car and shut the door behind me. My stomach twists, and each breath I pull into my lungs echoes in my ear as my heels click against the concrete. The building that houses the radio station looms in front of me, and I stop for a moment, taking a deep breath. I’ve been a reporter for years but the thought of going in there and being on the radio makes my entire body tremble. I’m much more happy tucked away in an office somewhere, writing to everyone.
“Ali,” a familiar voice calls, and I turn, catching sight of Mercedes striding across the lot like she owns it. Who knows, she just might. I smile at her when she reaches me and wraps me in a hug.
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
She shrugs and checks her phone. She’s constantly glued to that thing. “Here for support.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” I say, even though I’m honestly touched. It’s nice having your boss in your corner. She glances up from the screen and locks her eyes on mine.
“You seemed nervous about all this, and I told you, I’ve got your back. I’m not Klein.”
“Well, thank you.”
She tucks her phone back into her bag and smiles brightly at me. “No need to thank me. We ready to do this?”
I look up at the building again and suck in a nervous breath before nodding. With Mercedes at my side, I do feel a little more comfortable walking into the bland reception area. From the muted gray carpet to the white walls, everything about this place is boring. Then again, I suppose they don’t really need to look good. It is radio, after all.
“Can I help you?” an older receptionist asks from behind the desk, and Mercedes takes control of the situation, walking over to her and hoisting her large bag up on the counter.
“Yes. I’m Mercedes Richmond, and this is Alison James. She’s doing an interview here today.”
“Yes, of course. Follow me, please.” She rises from her seat and starts off down the hallway to her left as we follow behind her. We pass a few empty offices, and when we reach the back, she stops and waves to a man behind a glass wall. He gives her a thumbs-up, and she turns back to us with a professional smile.
