“I would love to see what you do.” Ridley hadn’t given much thought to how music was produced previously. Like most people, her impressions were mainly what she’d seen on television and in movies.
“Tomorrow, then. I’ll show you around the studio and maybe you could even watch the group record a session.”
“Okay. Now, go! You don’t want to be late. We’ll be fine here.” She pushed him toward the door.
“Thank you, Ridley. I’ll owe you one.”
Their eyes met and she gulped. Jackson might not want to start making her promises because if he owed her one, she had a pretty good idea of how to collect.
* * * * *
“JACK? HAVE YOU heard a word I’ve said?”
Jackson turned to his left and raised his eyebrows at his assistant’s scowl. “What?”
He’d arrived at the office just in time for the video conference with the director they’d been eyeing to do the group’s first video. He was known for dance videos, which was exactly what they wanted. If they were going to make an entry into the pop world, they needed a club-worthy hit. Too bad he hadn’t been able to keep his mind on anything the guy said.
Mac crossed his arms. “You never told me what you thought of his idea. As a matter of fact, I’d bet you don’t even remember the guy’s idea. You keep spacing out on me. What’s the deal?”
“Sorry, I’m really distracted today. I’ve just got some stuff going on at home.”
Just one night. It doesn’t count.
Right.
Any chance he’d had of being a gentleman, and not seducing her, had died an instant death the moment he’d climbed into bed with her. Ridley had been like a dream. It had been just as hot as he’d thought it would be and twice as memorable.
He had a feeling the night that didn’t count was going to cost him more than just a few hours of lost productivity. If he couldn’t get a handle on his crazy emotions, it might cost him his sanity.
“Jackson?” This time Mac was watching him with open amusement. He wondered how long his friend had been calling him this time.
“Huh?”
“I said, is everything all right with the kids?”
“Oh yeah, yeah, they’re fine. I just have a guest this week.”
“Oh right. Your hot neighbor. Matt already has a betting pool going on how long before you nail this one,” Mac chuckled.
The thought that his friends were thinking anything sexual about Ridley was enough to make his blood boil. Any man actually. No one should see her the way he’d seen her last night or think about the things she could do with that lush mouth.
"It's not like that. So keep her name out of your filthy mouth,” Jackson growled.
“Whoa! Take it easy, man.” Mac backed up a few steps and then cleared his throat. “Damn, Matt was right. You’ve really got it bad.”
Jackson flexed his fists. “I’m serious, Mac. She’s my neighbor and I’m just trying to help her out. Don’t turn it into something dirty.”
Mac tried, unsuccessfully, to hide his smile. “Okay, okay. Sorry. No disrespect intended.”
Jackson walked over to his office and closed the door. He dropped down into his desk chair and looked around his crowded workspace. He hadn’t gotten much of anything done all day.
His inability to concentrate was part of the problem. Ridley was sneaking into his thoughts wherever he was, no matter how inappropriate. He ignored the inner voice that called him a coward. Ridley affected him more than any woman he had ever met. A man had the right to be a little freaked out.
But now, he was being forced to admit that close proximity wasn’t the only reason he was fascinated with her. Ridley was nowhere near him now, yet he couldn’t seem to think of anything else.
He had to get a handle on his feelings or he wasn’t going to be getting any work done. The way he saw it, he had two choices. He could abide by the rules of their one-night deal or he could spend some time with her and let his fascination run its course.
The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. Of course he was fascinated with Ridley. She was beautiful, and what red-blooded man wouldn’t be affected by a beautiful woman who offered him a night of hot, no-strings sex? But if he spent more time with her, he’d start to see her flaws. It would at least take some of the fascination away. Then he could get back to work, no harm, no foul.
Either way, he wasn’t going to hide his attraction to her any longer. She was a grown woman and he would leave the decision in her hands. They’d agreed on one night but if she gave him even the slightest indication that she’d welcome a little quality time before she left town again, he was more than ready to deliver.
He swiveled in his chair and pulled up his email. When he saw there was an email from Elliott, he smiled.
He opened the message and then double-clicked on the attachment. The top page was a blown up copy of a Florida driver’s license. David Randall Finemore.
“Elliott, you always come through for me.”
He’d just wanted to find out a little about the guy but it looked like Eli had done a full-scale background check. He scrolled through the file. There were several more photographs. They were candid shots, most taken from far away.
Surveillance photos.
The first one was of two men sitting at an outdoor restaurant. Upon closer inspection he could see that one of the men was David.