“Not yet.” Frankie chuckled.
“Not ever. He’s a relationship guy and I’m the opposite. Can we drop this now and actually do some work today?”
“You’re the boss.”
“Yes, I am. And I have a few ideas I want us to start sketching out. I’ve compiled a list of pictures from the band’s other gigs and events to get a sense of their personal styles. Let’s start with the lead singer, Brodie. What do think about a leather kilt?”
Chapter Two
Eli
Thursday…
Eli faced off in the ring against his opponent. The room was heavy with the smell of sweat and leather and the occasional echo of grunts. His opponent dropped suddenly and went for Eli’s knees, but he jumped and deftly avoided the maneuver. Then Eli spun and lunged, placing the man in a chokehold, using all his power and skill to bring him down. The man finally slammed his hand on the mat twice, in rapid succession. Eli released him and smiled as he licked the beads of moisture off his upper lip.
“I win. Again,” Eli murmured as he stood up and began to unwrap the tape from his hands. Once he was done, he grabbed his electrolyte drink, downing it in four gulps.
Luis Guzman, his fellow bodyguard, shook his head as he snatched a towel from a nearby chair and wiped his face. “I’m going easy on you.”
“Yeah, right.” Eli gave a small smile.
“You have a couple of new gigs coming up. Anything interesting?” Luis asked.
“Pretty regular stuff. Occasional protection detail for Oliver’s cousin, a weekday gig escorting a wealthy socialite who’s in the city for a month, and the usual celebrity circuit on the weekends.”
“Oliver’s cousin, you mean Billie?”
“Yeah.” Eli’s cheeks burned hotter.It’s the workout.
“I met him a while back. Nice guy, pretty hot-looking, too.”
Eli grabbed his t-shirt from the floor as they made their way to the lockers. “I guess. I didn’t pay that much attention.”
Yeah, right. Every time you’re in the same room as him,you can’t help but stare.Billie was effortlessly sexy, his lean body always dressed in a sharp suit, his black hair loose and wavy. But it was his body piercings that Eli thought were hot as hell and made him wonder if he had other, more interesting piercings in hidden places. Not only stylish and confident, Billie was also fun to be around. And fucking talented. Eli had a custom tuxedo designed by Billie last year, and he’d been totally cool in the face of the sexy man until it came to the inseam measurements for his dress pants. Jesus, having Billie so close to his cock was dangerous. And when he’d looked up at Eli with those jade-green eyes, Eli had a very clear vision of the two of them in a similar, but x-rated, situation.
“…What do you say?”
Eli shook out of his musings. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”
Luis smiled and playfully punched him on the arm. “I said, if you don’t want the assignment, I’ll switch with you.”
“Sorry, I’m under strict orders from Mason.”
“All right, bud. Thanks for the practice today. I’m gonna hit the sauna before I head out.”
“Same time next week.”
Spartan provided a full gym and demanded a regular workout schedule from every staff member to keep them in tip top shape. One of the perks of working here was the spa-like bathroom, with numerous shower stalls, a sauna, a large hot tub, and a massage room. It was a step above any gym locker room Eli had ever experienced. He dumped his clothes and bottle on the bench in front of his locker and headed for the shower. He entered the first stall and turned the tap as hot as it would go, enjoying the rush of the pounding water as it cascaded over his tired muscles. He took a deep breath in and let it out, letting go of his anxieties, hoping they’d wash away down the drain. No such luck.
Once he was done in the shower, he quickly changed intohis suit and checked his phone. He’d missed one text message from his mom, one from Billie, and one from Dax Martin, a former client who also happened to be Mason’s husband and Eli’s friend.
His mom, as always, was to the point.
Mom:CALL ME. And come for dinner next week.
He perused Billie’s text and smiled.
Billie:Ready for my private escort. I could get used to this??