He’d memorized Jax’s schedule? Jax forced down a wave of warmth. It was far too soon for that. He knew better than to put the cart before the horse. “We’ve been busy lately, what with the publicity from your show and the university and college being back in session. Murph needed extra help. I was available.”And I need the money.
“A mutually beneficial arrangement,” Ari said. Jax wondered if he was imagining the innuendo there—but what would he be implying? It didn’t make sense.
“It does make having a social life a little challenging.” Jax offered a small smile as he toed into his shoes. “But there’s plenty of room at the bar if you get bored.”
“I may take you up on that.”
He had just enough time to hit the pet store to take advantage of the sale on Whiskas and then go home to feed the Captain before his shift.
WHEN JAXstrolled into the break room, Kayla was already there, doing her makeup. In retrospect, he might as well just have worn a sign.
“Oh, honey,” Kayla said, turning away from the mirror. “Come here and let me look at you.”
Jax submitted to inspection with a rueful smile. “Hi, Kayla.”
She whistled low as she took him in from head to toe. “Great shirt, by the way.”
“Gift from Ari.”
“Oh?” She leaned in close to him, touched her fingers to his chin, and tilted it to the left. “And what about these?” She walked her fingers down the side of his neck, eyes sparkling. “Are these gifts from Ari too?”
Jax grinned. “He’s very generous.”
“Well, he’d better be.” She patted his cheek. “You deserve it, sweetie. Make sure he’s good to you or I’ll break off all his fingers one by one and feed them to him, okay?”
“Jesus, Kayla.” Talk about a graphic threat. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t pass on that particular message.”
“You’re no fun. Now come here.” She yanked him closer and shoved him in front of the mirror. “You can’t go out there looking like someone’s been using you as a chew toy. Someone else will think they can have a bite.” She picked up her makeup palette and dabbed foundation on Jax’s neck. “So tell me. What’s our opening number tonight, hmm? ‘I Just Had Sex’?”
Jax snorted and tried not to squirm at the tickle of the brush. “‘Side to Side’?” he suggested. “‘Dirrty’? ‘She Wolf’?”
“You and Christina.” Kayla tilted his head to the other side. “I can’t believe you’re neglecting Beyoncé like this. ‘Rocket’?”
“Ooh.”
“Think you can manage something that sultry?” Kayla asked as she put the finishing touches on Jax’s neck.
Jax shot her a sassy look. “Please, this is me.” He dropped his lashes. “I can do sultry.”
“Now you’re just trying to tease. Put that face away when you’re not going to follow through.” She flicked his nose with her brush.
Jax grinned. He loved how well he and Kayla understood each other. “If you insist.” He watched her put her makeup away, then clapped. “You gonna help me play ‘Rocket’?”
“Hell yes!” She tossed her hair and grinned. “Don’t suppose Ari’s coming around tonight?”
Jax laughed. “One can only hope.”
ARI WROTElate into the night after Jax left. Then he slept in and wrote again the next morning. He hadn’t felt this possessed since the early days, when he was attempting to get all the songs that had ever lived in his head out at once.
At least this time he remembered to check his phone during water breaks and had promptly responded to a query about what Ari had been up to that evening, complete with a lascivious smiling face.
Ari was tempted to put on shoes and head to the bar, but he knew better than to ignore his muse at times like these.
He was elbow deep in sheet music after lunchtime the next day when a knock came at the door.
A quick check through the peephole revealed Theo. What was his sister’s intern doing there?
“Hello. Did Afra send you?”
