hours later when her phone
27
buzzed with an incoming text.
S28
Damien.
N29
• 53 •
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 53
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 53
23/11/12 12:24 PM
23/11/12 12:24 PM
Lauren Dane
01
Sitting here drinking an excellent glass of red wine after an
02
awesome steak. Was thinking you’d probably have something
03
far more tasty to accompany it than the plain old potato
04
they served.
05
06
She picked her phone up and started to type.
07
08
Probably. But I’m gifted that way. What city are you in?
09
10
Her phone rang.
11
“I’m in St. Louis.”
12
There was a lot of noise in the background.
13
“Sounds like it’s busy where you are.”
14
“I’m in my hotel room. Well, actually, Paddy’s room. They’re
15
blowing off steam. Big show tonight.”
16
She blew off steam in really different ways apparently. It
17
sounded loud and wild and she was glad she wasn’t there. Well,
18
mostly though she wouldn’t mind jumping on Damien if she had
19
him in the fl esh.
20
“Ah.”
21
“Little word for all you’re feeling.”
22
She laughed. “Just thinking that my blowing off steam usu-
23
ally means I make ice cream or go for a bike ride or hike. But I
24
remember the last story I saw about you guys, so . . . ”
25
“Don’t believe everything you read.”
26
He didn’t sound amused.
27
“I didn’t mean to offend you.”
28S
“I’m sorry. You didn’t. It’s just . . . it gets old having the tab-29N
• 54 •
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9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 54
23/11/12 12:24 PM
23/11/12 12:24 PM
Lush
loids follow you around and make stuff up. You never know
01
who’s gonna say what.”
02
She got that part. Knew Gillian had to deal with it now. But
03
at the same time, what she heard in the background didn’t sound
04
like they were playing backgammon.
05
“Adrian said you guys were coming out to MSG next month.”
06
He wished he hadn’t snapped at her. Their ease had stiffened
07
up a little. And god knew she was mainly right.
08
She answered, not sounding angry or hurt at least. “Yeah.
09
Looking forward to it. Adrian even managed to get me some really
10
wonderful reservations at my coveted restaurants. Be nice to
11
me and I might let you be my plus one.”
12
He realized he wanted to see her enjoying food from the
13
standpoint of the consumer, not the producer. What would
14
she be like in a restaurant? He knew she wholeheartedly em -
15
braced enjoying sex; he bet she was like that when she ate
16
out too.
17
He found himself smiling, really smiling, for the fi rst time in
18
a few days. “Yeah?”
19
“Yeah. If you’re not busy you can come along. That way I
20
can try more things off the menu and no one will think I’m
21
a hog.”
22
She made him smile. A lot. “You have an ulterior motive?
23
I’m scandalized.” He had no plans. Once he heard from Adrian
24
that she’d be there, he’d kept his schedule clear during non- show 25
hours so he could be with her.
26
“I do. I’m sneaky that way.”
27
He grinned, though she couldn’t see it. “Okay then. Good
S28
N29
• 55 •
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 55
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 55
23/11/12 12:24 PM
23/11/12 12:24 PM
Lauren Dane
01
to know that in addition to all your other . . . talents, you’re also 02
sneaky. It’s a good quality.”
03
They spoke for a little while longer before he hung up and
04
went back into the main room where his brothers drank, smoked
05
and shot the shit about the day’s events. A few women lounged
06
around and he couldn’t fi nd it in him to invite anyone back to
07
his room.
08
He told himself it was that he was tired. But really, he knew
09
on some level that Mary would disapprove if he was fucking
10
other women right before he fucked her when she visited New
11
York in a few weeks. And
27
buzzed with an incoming text.
S28
Damien.
N29
• 53 •
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 53
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 53
23/11/12 12:24 PM
23/11/12 12:24 PM
Lauren Dane
01
Sitting here drinking an excellent glass of red wine after an
02
awesome steak. Was thinking you’d probably have something
03
far more tasty to accompany it than the plain old potato
04
they served.
05
06
She picked her phone up and started to type.
07
08
Probably. But I’m gifted that way. What city are you in?
09
10
Her phone rang.
11
“I’m in St. Louis.”
12
There was a lot of noise in the background.
13
“Sounds like it’s busy where you are.”
14
“I’m in my hotel room. Well, actually, Paddy’s room. They’re
15
blowing off steam. Big show tonight.”
16
She blew off steam in really different ways apparently. It
17
sounded loud and wild and she was glad she wasn’t there. Well,
18
mostly though she wouldn’t mind jumping on Damien if she had
19
him in the fl esh.
20
“Ah.”
21
“Little word for all you’re feeling.”
22
She laughed. “Just thinking that my blowing off steam usu-
23
ally means I make ice cream or go for a bike ride or hike. But I
24
remember the last story I saw about you guys, so . . . ”
25
“Don’t believe everything you read.”
26
He didn’t sound amused.
27
“I didn’t mean to offend you.”
28S
“I’m sorry. You didn’t. It’s just . . . it gets old having the tab-29N
• 54 •
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 54
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 54
23/11/12 12:24 PM
23/11/12 12:24 PM
Lush
loids follow you around and make stuff up. You never know
01
who’s gonna say what.”
02
She got that part. Knew Gillian had to deal with it now. But
03
at the same time, what she heard in the background didn’t sound
04
like they were playing backgammon.
05
“Adrian said you guys were coming out to MSG next month.”
06
He wished he hadn’t snapped at her. Their ease had stiffened
07
up a little. And god knew she was mainly right.
08
She answered, not sounding angry or hurt at least. “Yeah.
09
Looking forward to it. Adrian even managed to get me some really
10
wonderful reservations at my coveted restaurants. Be nice to
11
me and I might let you be my plus one.”
12
He realized he wanted to see her enjoying food from the
13
standpoint of the consumer, not the producer. What would
14
she be like in a restaurant? He knew she wholeheartedly em -
15
braced enjoying sex; he bet she was like that when she ate
16
out too.
17
He found himself smiling, really smiling, for the fi rst time in
18
a few days. “Yeah?”
19
“Yeah. If you’re not busy you can come along. That way I
20
can try more things off the menu and no one will think I’m
21
a hog.”
22
She made him smile. A lot. “You have an ulterior motive?
23
I’m scandalized.” He had no plans. Once he heard from Adrian
24
that she’d be there, he’d kept his schedule clear during non- show 25
hours so he could be with her.
26
“I do. I’m sneaky that way.”
27
He grinned, though she couldn’t see it. “Okay then. Good
S28
N29
• 55 •
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 55
9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 55
23/11/12 12:24 PM
23/11/12 12:24 PM
Lauren Dane
01
to know that in addition to all your other . . . talents, you’re also 02
sneaky. It’s a good quality.”
03
They spoke for a little while longer before he hung up and
04
went back into the main room where his brothers drank, smoked
05
and shot the shit about the day’s events. A few women lounged
06
around and he couldn’t fi nd it in him to invite anyone back to
07
his room.
08
He told himself it was that he was tired. But really, he knew
09
on some level that Mary would disapprove if he was fucking
10
other women right before he fucked her when she visited New
11
York in a few weeks. And
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