Million Dollar Devil (Million Dollar #1)(50)

“Yeah.” I stuff my hands in my pockets and wait a minute, in case she changes her mind.

She doesn’t.

“Okay then, I’ll walk you out.”

“James?”

“Hmm?” I turn too quickly, maybe hoping that she’s changed her mind.

“I’d love to stay if we didn’t have so much work to do. Maybe another time?”

I approach her slowly, then tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I’ll ask again, then.”

“So are you going to show me around?”

“No. Not today.” I don’t want her to see my clothes piled in the corner, my unmade bed. “But if you’re free for a few hours tomorrow after the shoot, I’d like to take you somewhere.” I lean forward and look at her.

She glances past my shoulders at my room.

For a minute, just one glorious sixty-second set, I watch her as she looks around at my meager belongings. My shelves are lined with sports trophies and other youth memorabilia, a few favorite Harry Potter books—not that I was a fan, but I read a few—and family photos.

I like that she’s here. I could get used to this.

Don’t know that it’s smart of me to get too used to the idea of seeing her here.

But I’m a fool who thinks he can cheat death every single time he does a stunt.

So there you have it.

And when she finally consents to my request, I’m like a man who’s just hit it big.





PHOTO SESSION

Elizabeth

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you, LB,” I say into the phone as I pace the hallway.

“I don’t understand why you’ve been so busy that you couldn’t just bring him by the office,” LB says.

“I just ran out of time. I had a lot to do,” I explain, peeking into the studio, where James is with the photographer. “If you really want to see him, come down to the studio.”

“I can’t. I have far too much to prepare for the New York show.”

I knew that. “Well, that’s too bad. But trust me. It’s under control. Everyone will be dazzled at the New York show, including those who can’t seem to believe I’ve got what it takes for this show to be GOLDEN,” I say, hinting to him that I know he’s betting on me to lose. What an asshole.

I end the call and push open the door.

“One more, Mr. Rowan,” the photographer calls.

We’re having the photo shoot for the ad campaign for the line, and James looks amazing. Sexy as hell. I’m nearly drooling. I already know these photos are going to slay. I can just imagine the traffic jam they’ll cause when he’s on the side of a building in Times Square.

But we’ve been doing this for hours. James looks exasperated, pulling at his tie as if giving up and striding over to where I stand to the side.

“I’m not Mr. Rowan,” he growls at me. “I’m losing my mind here.”

Desperate to get out of here, too, after the long day, I grab him by the back of the shoulders and steer him to the mirror, peering from behind his large frame to meet his gaze in the reflection. “Look at this man. Is he not Mr. James Rowan? Jimmy to his friends? James . . . to Elizabeth?”

His smirk appears. He slowly starts to turn, his blue eyes seizing mine. “And to Lizzy?”

He’s challenging me.

Boy, does this man like to challenge me.

I peck his lips, quickly, then fall back and smile calmly as if I peck all my models on the lips. Right.

“You’re my manbabe,” I whisper cheekily, “but nobody needs to know that.”

Grinning ever so slowly, he says, “That makes you my babe,” and heads back to the stage, making the photographer literally squeal in joy as James Rowan faces him with a devil’s smile.

And then I whirl and see Jeanine standing in the doorway, grinning at me.

Jeanine is blonde and curvaceous to my dark and slender, but we’ve been like two peas all our lives. She and I used to joke about being two rich and spoiled bitches. If there’s anyone who knows how to flaunt her wealth, it’s Jeanine.

“My, my, my.” She’s grinning like the cat who ate the canary at James while she comes in and gives me a quick hug. “Oh my goodness. You did it. He’s hot as hell.”

I nod, smiling at him, wondering if she saw the kiss as we watch him posing for the camera.

“So I guess considering how cozy you two look . . . you took him to bed?”

I shake my head. “No. We’re not.”

“God, Lizzy, are you crazy? Just for a little playtime? How can you work with him day in and day out and not want to tap that?”

She’s looking at him as he poses and gnawing on her lip like she wants to take a bite of him.

“I’m not,” I tell her. “Like I said, this is business. I need to get the launch right. I can’t think about that.”

“Hell, that’d be all I could think about, next to him. You think you can introduce us?”

“But you’ve already met . . . ,” I start, my head suddenly filling with sheer terror. Jeanine was the type of best friend who usually always got the guy, while I was the cute and single wingwoman. She consumes men, and easily.

What am I, jealous?

I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t notice until James has sauntered up behind me and Jeanine extends her hand. “Oh, hi, James! So nice to finally meet you in person!” she gushes.