Jace leaned back in the booth, stretching his arm along the back of it. “That’s too bad. I always learn something from your demos.”
Charli looked back and forth between the two of them, having no idea what they were talking about. Her lips parted to ask, but Grant squeezed her thigh. A warning.
“I think that may have been too much for Charlotte’s first time here.”
Before Jace could respond, a couple stopped in front of their table. Jace turned his head and smiled at the petite dark-haired woman and the much taller Hispanic man. “Well, it’s about damn time. I thought I was going to have to go back to the cabin and drag y’all out.”
The woman rolled her eyes and crooked a thumb at her partner. “Not my fault. Andre got distracted by the new six-headed shower.” She looked over at Grant. “Nice addition, by the way.”
Grant nodded, an amused expression on his face. “Glad you enjoyed it, Evan.”
Jace rose and wrapped his arm around the woman’s waist, pulling her against him and laying a way-more-than-friendly kiss on her lips.
Charli watched them in confusion. She’d gotten the impression the two strangers were a couple. But the way the woman melted against Jace said otherwise.
When Jace released Evan, he moved around her and pressed a quick kiss to Andre’s mouth as well. “Don’t tell me she fell for the line—come and check out this new shower, baby?”
Andre’s smile was like lazy sex on summer night. “I don’t need lines, bro.”
Charli could only stare. All three of them were together?
Evan glanced over, her blue eyes widening when she noticed Charli there. “Good Lord, how rude are we? Grant has a guest.” She gently shoved Jace into the booth and slid in next to him. “I’m sorry. These two have a way of distracting me. I’m Evan. And this is Andre.”
As Andre sank into the booth, flanking Evan’s other side, Charli managed to introduce herself, her mind still absorbing the fact that this woman had managed to snag not just one but two freaking gorgeous men. And based on how Jace and Andre were looking at her, Evan hadn’t only snagged them but had their utter devotion.
Maybe Charli should take training from this chick. Was she a submissive? Her gaze drifted to Evan’s throat, but she saw no collar there.
Grant draped his arm along the back of the booth and idly played with a lock of Charli’s hair. “Go ahead and ask your questions, freckles. I see them all over your face.”
She shot a sharp look Grant’s way. Was he trying to make her look like a complete novice? Embarrass her?
He sighed. “These are my friends, Charlotte. I planned for us to sit with them so that you could see that the people who are part of this scene are just regular folks. That you don’t need to be intimidated or feel out of place.”
Evan gave her an understanding smile. “I was totally freaked out the first time I visited. I had no idea what to expect. I definitely didn’t expect to fall for these two.” She raised her arms, showing matching bracelets on each wrist. The delicate circles were pewter and aged copper woven together in a pretty pattern.r: Roni Loren
He smiled and kissed the top of her head, a little swell of satisfaction going through him. A dangerous swell. She’s not really mine, he reminded himself. He didn’t have the right to feel that pride.
“It’s okay. You can call me Grant or sir.” He traced a finger over her bottom lip. “I like hearing you say my name with that hint of Cajun accent you keep trying to hide.”
Her mouth curved under his touch. “Damn, I thought I’d lost that thing. And I can’t believe you are teasing me about my accent.”
“Watch it, freckles. And don’t lose it. I like it.” He put his arm around her waist and urged her down the hallway.
“Yeah, well, TV stations like their correspondents to sound non-regional.”
He tightened his grip on her hip, her words niggling at him. Why would she want some job that was going to strip her of all her flavor? Did she really want to be some generic talking head—a woman who could be interchanged with any of the other ones on different stations?
He’d taken her on for training with the promise that he’d help her refine her image, but if she thought he was going to help her become some cookie-cutter, soulless version of herself, she had another think coming. The more he found out about this job of hers, the more he wanted to yank her from it and put her up at The Ranch. She wouldn’t have to worry about her safety, her image, or anything in between. And she wouldn’t need a salary because she would never go without. He could provide everything she needed.
The dark part of his mind laughed at him. Yeah, asshole. Everything except what she deserves.
He glanced down at Charli—she was so full of life and fire and ambition. Beyond her career aspirations, she no doubt wanted to get married one day and probably have a family. Be someone’s soul mate. That was what she deserved. And that was the one thing he could never give.
All those years ago, when he’d knelt next to his wife’s lifeless body, his soul had died there with her. And those things didn’t grow back.
His fingers pressed against Charli’s hip, halting her as they reached the door at the far end. Charli peeked over at him, frowning, her instincts too damn keen. “You all right? You’ve gone broody.”
“I’m fine. Just deciding the best way to start your training.” The lie rolled off his tongue, and though she didn’t seem totally convinced, she gave a little nod of acceptance.