“Yes, Emma. I toldyouthat, remember?”
I hold up another outfit in front of me and look in the mirror. One good thing about living in the studio is having an enormous mirror to check myself out as I decide what to wear.
“It’s no big deal, right?” I ask.
“Is that a rhetorical question, Cora? How many outfits have you tried?” she asks in the knowing elder sister tone.
“None. What are you even talking about?” I toss the pant suit aside and walk away from the suitcase that holds my clothes. Emma makes a noise like she knows I’m lying.
Am I crazy? Yeah, we’ve had good banter, and we shared that one, incredibly hot, panty soaking kiss.He wasn’t unaffected, but he didn’t act on it. That was what intrigued me more. A few more of those kisses and I might have stripped him naked and rode him like a motorcycle. No hesitation.
In a way, I’m glad he stopped it. It doesn’t do to throw yourself at a rock star. So, I did what I thought he would like, what he wouldn’t expect. Every time I think of him opening that package, I smile.
It took me a long time to come up with ten songs. They all mean a lot to me. It wasn’t until I was doing it I realized Ronan is reminding me of some of my happiest memories. There are one or two that make me sad, but they’re all a part of who I am.
“Maybe it turns out to be one of those things, you know. Something you can think back on when you’re older. The date with a rock star. Or maybe it becomes something more.”
“Let’s not get carried away.”
“Maybe, it’s a polka dot night?”
There is a dress hanging up on one of the studio lights, which I keep being drawn to. It’s a black polka dot dress that wraps around and ties at the waist. The neckline is a little low, and the hem line a little high. My fingers trail over the fabric. I’ve had this dress for years, and it’s always made me feel good when I wear it.
How Emma knew I was staring at this is no surprise. My sister knows every side of me.
“Live a little, don’t be so closed off, from what I saw he’s a nice guy. Diego vouched for him too.”
“Yeah? Maybe he has to, it’s his family.”
“Cora, I wouldn’t let you date certain members of myfamily,” Diego calls out in the background. “But Ronan, he’s one of the good ones.”
Okay then. After a few more words of encouragement, I thank Emma, take a shower, and slip on my polka dot dress.
Ronan’s house is by the beach and has controlled gates and an impenetrable wall. Another reminder he’s different from the guys I’ve dated in the past.
The gates rumble before I even figure out how to let Ronan know I’ve arrived. I roll the car inside and they close behind me. The house in front of me is impressive, but I put my game face on because Ronan is stepping out of the front door. He’s wearing dark jeans and a T-shirt that hugs his chest and arms, and he’s barefoot.
Why is that sexy?
I still my fluttering heart and clench my thighs to get that part of me under control too, then climb out of the car. His movements are so fluid and casual and make me want to do things to him.
I’m not that easy, I’m not that easy, I chant in my head. I will not do something stupid. But I may do something fun…
“Hi,” he says, his voice a deep, sexy rumble. He sweeps a look over my dress but comes back to my eyes. He can’t hide the interest in his gaze, yet he’s a gentleman.
He’s handling this better than me. My tongue is about six sizes too big for my mouth. Perhaps Ronan can help me out by sucking it?
“You hungry?” he asks.
“Yeah, for sure.”
He steps back to let me go ahead of him. His hand on mylower back is scorching. We head inside and he shows me around, eventually leading me out onto a terrace at the back of the house that looks over the beach. The sound of the ocean is soothing, and the sun is just going down.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It is.”
I glance over my shoulder. Ronan is leaning one shoulder against the doorframe, staring straight at me, not the sunset.
