“Oh, you rock, literally,” I can’t help my laugh at the roll of his eyes as he starts to fight the package. “You truly don’t care about the reviews?”
“It’s not that.”
“Tell me.”
“It’s just…personal to me.”
“Okay, I get that.” I shake my head. “Maybe I don’t. You do realize this is praise.”
“It only truly matters when it comes from the people that matter most to me,” his eyes sweep me, and a shiver runs up my spine, “and from those I respect.”
“It’s just the things they’re saying,” I read his unwavering expression and toss the tablet on the bed. “Fine. You’re no fun.”
“Sorry.”
“No, you’re not,” I grin as he opens the package and hands me the pills.
“Thank you,” I say, tossing the pills back and sipping my coffee. “For last night, for putting me up. For all of it. I honestly can’t wait for the show tonight.”
“I read your article,” he completely throws me off guard, “about that couple from Houston who got lost on vacation in Australia.”
I gape at him as he leans against the dresser opposite the bed.
“You read my article?”
He nods. “Yeah, and honestly, I’m relieved. You write so much fucking better than you speak.”
I glower at him. “Many writers do, jerk, and I don’t know whether to slap you or…”
He lifts a brow at option two, which I decide not to verbalize.
“I could feel their desperation,” he adds thoughtfully, “because of how you wrote it. It’s pretty miraculous how after two days of panicking and arguing, they said ‘fuck it’ and adapted to their surroundings to survive until they were rescued.”
“And they were on the verge of divorce,” I grin. “It’s crazy how it didn’t push them over but brought them back together.”
“That’s my favorite part,” Easton relays softly.
“Maybe there’s a song in there?”
He nods.
“Well, I’m flattered, Mr. Rock Star.”
“Stop with that shit. I’ll let you shower.” He walks over to the door, and I call out.
“Hey, you’re kind of hard to gauge this morning. Are we okay?”
“Sure,” he opens the door.
“Easton,” I draw out his name. “Are you angry with me? You seem…frustrated.”
He glances at me, a small smile on his lips. “It seems to be a constant state with you.”
“I said or did…something, didn’t I? What was it?”
Closing the door, he steps toward me and hovers, his gaze gliding over my bared skin as my treacherous nipples draw tight in my cami. Ignoring the ever-present pull, I bat it away briefly and press in. “What? What are you thinking?”
He shakes his head. “Nothing. What do you say when we get to Dallas, we get lost for a while? Just the two of us?”
“I say that sounds perfect.” I inwardly sigh, fighting the urge to get closer. He smells so fucking good, a mix of bergamot…and smoky wood.
“Good,” he leans in and stops suddenly, pulling back, a secretive smirk playing on his lips.
“Okay, that’s it. Subtlety is not even remotely your thing. What the hell is going on up here?” I tap his temple, and he gently grips my fingers, lowering them before releasing them.
“Nothing you want to hear.” His smirk spreads to a full-on grin.
“You’re so sure.”
He chuckles as he opens the door. “Positive.”
Without another word, he slips out. Irritated, I swipe my tablet from the bed and open the door calling out to his retreating back.
“‘A legend in the making’- That’s a direct quote from the Oklahoman. You’re a star, Mr. Crowne, own—” the words die on my tongue as he reaches his hotel door, the door to the room adjacent to mine. His grin turns into a megawatt smile as he sees me mentally start to question my life choices last night before slipping inside.
Twenty minutes later, I exit the hotel to find the guys lingering in and around the two vans. The first van is filled skillfully to the brim with equipment, and Joel is already behind the wheel, waiting to rollout. Grinning, I wave to him and get one in reply as Syd spots me just outside the open door to the second van and lifts his chin in greeting, a plume of vape smoke pouring from his lips. Easton spots me next, his eyes doing a shameless sweep as he opens the passenger door for me in greeting.