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"Ah, come in, boys. Get settled," the woman purrs.
My stomach fell to my feet. I see Gareth first, then Neil. When Ant's long blonde locks come into view, I know what follows will surely bring another bout of nausea. I keep my gaze straight ahead as the men plop into the chairs.
"Gentlemen, we are pleased you decided to join this little meeting today," Jim croons. "I know you all keep hectic schedules, so we won't waste a moment of your time. Max, how about you get started?"
It takes every ounce of raw determination within me to avoid glancing over at Ryan. I can feel his eyes on me. I’m curious if he recognizes me or is trying to place why I seem vaguely familiar.
Max launches into the presentation, and I must say he nails it. Their ideas for the Summer tour are not groundbreaking by any means, but the sheer sureness with which he delivers them could fool most. When he concludes, the floor is turned over to the potential clients for commentary.
Olivia begins. "We’re looking for something a bit broader than just the tour. There will also be a new song released. It will be the highlight of each performance, and they will debut it at every venue. With that comes a music video." She glances towards the band. "There has been contention among the guys on the direction of the video, and so far, the agencies we've approached haven't been able to remedy that. I'd love to hear your thoughts."
Max and Jim look at each other, and I know this is unexpected. They have yet to prepare for a music video, and the outlines focused solely on the tour.
Olivia continues. "I've brought a sample cut of the new song. It's rough, but you can get the idea." She presses play on the audio clip from her phone, and the room falls silent as everyone listens.
Ryan's unmistakable voice fills the room. It's another slow song that surprises me. Most of their set included fast-paced power beats that got the crowd on their feet. This, on the other hand, was smooth and sultry.
Experience the touch of my hands wandering all over her body,
tracing the contours of the work of art before me.
That wonderful tingling right under my skin when my fingers graze over her curves.
At what point did I know she had won?
The words are beautiful and vividly paint a story in my mind. I can picture this mysterious woman coming in and completely wrecking the world of a man so far removed from the concept of love.
Was it the moment I pushed into her for the first time,
the first kiss, or her fingers laced in mine?
When we rose from the tangled sheets, I knew,
my fate was sealed.
I know immediately this is a song that women all over the world will hear and swoon over. They will imagine it's about them, that a person could feel this way for them one day. It'll be an instant panty dropper.
When the short clip is over, Jim claps his hands together. "It's a hit; I can tell you that at the very least."
"Agreed," Valerie says in a low voice, directing her attention toward Ryan. "You sell it very well, you know."
I scrunch my face, roll my eyes, and look between her and Ryan, initiating eye contact for the first time.
Seriously, Valerie? Try to be a little less desperate.
When our eyes finally meet, there is a spark. A spark that I am more than likely imagining. I mean, it's hard to hear lyrics like that and not get a little turned on.
Olivia clears her throat. "Yes, we're very excited about it. Now, back to the video. What direction would you recommend? What story would you tell?"
Max looks deep in thought, and the silence is deafening. God, please let someone speak up.
Chapter Eight
Juliet
Ant has turned two pens into makeshift drumsticks and is now tapping a tune using the glass conference table. Gareth looks completely over it, and Neil is at least trying to give the appearance that he's interested in what we may say.
I find myself fighting the urge to look at Ryan, and when I do, I wish I hadn't. His eyes are locked onto mine as if he is willing me to speak up like I did the night we met.
