“Producing, A&R, publicist . . . ?”
“Oh. A&R. I love music.” Her hands fluttered in front of her body in nervous excitement. “It would be, like, absolute heaven to spend my days finding raw talent and then watching it grow into something mature and successful. I mean, like, imagine being the person who found Tellurian. Music is what matters, you know. It’s the soundtrack to every important moment in life. Your music helped me through so much my last year at high school and then uni. My parents’ divorce. The guy I lost my virginity to breaking up with me and then sleeping with a girl in my dorm the very next day. My turtle dying. All of it.”
I smiled at the pained look Killian threw me. So his assistant was a “wear your heart on your sleeve” type of girl. She couldn’t have been more his opposite.
I loved it.
“I’m sorry you went through all that,” I told her. “But it means a lot that my music helped.”
“Oh, it did. You were the soul of that band. Macy has a good voice but it doesn’t have that thing that makes you feel what she’s singing, plus the songwriting isn’t nearly as good. It’s no wonder their sales aren’t great.”
The mention of my band and their new lead singer made the breath catch in my throat and Killian whipped around, halting us. He glared at Eve. “You want to keep your job, keep your mouth shut. Get Skylar and me a coffee and meet us at Booth Two.”
Two bright splotches of pink appeared on her cheeks and her dark eyes widened as they glimmered with embarrassed tears. She turned and darted back down the hallway as if the hounds of hell were nipping at her feet.
I turned to Killian.
“She knows better than to get familiar with the artists,” he said defensively.
“I asked her the questions.” I shook my head, grateful for this reminder. “You can be such a dick, O’Dea.”
He walked away, hiding his expression as he said over his shoulder, “Try to watch your language while you’re here. Oliver’s waiting.”
Oliver turned out to be the recording studio manager. He was a big guy in his late forties who sported a very impressive beard. He wouldn’t have looked out of place on Sons of Anarchy.
After we exchanged greetings, he shot a questioning look between Killian and me, seeming to sense the current chill between us. Killian ignored him and let me into the sound booth so I could get a feel for it. Memories flooded in as I stood inside, staring out at Killian and Oliver on the other side of the glass.
Recording with the band felt like a lifetime ago. As I looked around, I could see them on the other side of the glass, watching me work on the vocals. Brandon couldn’t sing but Austin and Micah could, so sometimes they were in the booth with me doing backing vocals. Their deep laughter filled my ears. I could almost feel Brandon hugging me and telling me, “good job, Sky.”
I didn’t know what I felt for Micah anymore, but I was absolute in my feelings for Austin and Brandon. I missed them. I missed them so much it hurt.
Once upon a time, they were my family. They were sometimes the only thing holding me together when we were out doing all the publicity and marketing shit that I hated.
How would I be able to do this without them?
My chest tightened, and I felt like the glass wall was closing in on me. By the time I hurried to the door, Killian was already there, pulling it open.
“Skylar?” He reached for me but I pushed past him, needing air.
As I threw open the studio door, I collided with Eve and gasped as hot coffee soaked the front of my cashmere sweater.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” Eve’s hands flailed above my chest, as two now-empty coffee cups rolled at our feet.
“You okay?” Killian grabbed my shoulder, turning me toward him.
I pulled the sweater away from my body. “I’m fine. The sweater shielded me from the worst of its heat.”
“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, Mr. O’Dea.”
“Eve,” I put a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her, “I collided with you.” And the collision had stopped what had felt like the beginning of a panic attack. “We’re good.”
She still looked slightly terrified of Killian, so I glared at him, trying to communicate with my eyes that he needed to reassure her. His lips pinched together for a moment but then he offered, “Eve, it wasn’t your fault.”
His assistant immediately relaxed.
“Do you have a spare T-shirt Skylar can borrow?”
She winced regretfully. “No, sir . . . oh, but you do!”
And that’s how I found myself following Killian and his assistant to his office at the farthest end of the floor. It wasn’t a huge space but it had a great view over the Clyde. He waited outside while Eve rummaged through a cabinet.
“This should do.” She pulled out a Biffy Clyro tee from the bottom drawer.
I took it and waited for her to leave before I looked around the office. My curiosity got the best of me as I wandered around, taking in the framed newspaper articles on his wall. They depicted moments of success for the bands he’d worked with at the label. His desk was sparse with only an iMac, a phone, a few pens, and a photo of him and Autumn. I smiled, picking up the photograph. I loved how much he loved his sister. They were sitting together at a table at some function, both looking glamorous—him in a tux, Autumn all dolled up. His arm was around her, her cheek pressed to his, and while he didn’t share her big, beaming smile, his eyes were warm with affection.
I brushed my fingers over his face. What must it be like to be loved by him? I imagined it a heady thing, winning the love of a man who offered it so sparingly.
Blinking out of the dangerous thought, I put the photo back where I found it, reminding myself I was supposed to be getting changed, not nosing through his stuff.
My wrist protested as I pulled my sweater over my head. I was just reaching for Killian’s tee when his office door opened. “Are you read—”
We both froze.
Me in my bra and jeans.
His lips parted, not even hiding that he was taking in every inch of me. I flushed all over.
Killian cursed under his breath and then slammed his office door shut so no one would see me from the hall while finally turning his back to me. He sounded hoarse when he spoke. “Sorry. I thought you’d be dressed by now.”
“My wrist was hurting,” I lied. “I needed a minute.”
That was all it took to make him move. Suddenly he was in front of me, grabbing the tee out of my hands. “What are you doing?” I tried to cover myself.
Killian gave me an impatient look. “It’s not anything I haven’t seen before. Lift your arms.”
“I can put the tee on myself.”
“The longer you argue, the longer I see you half-naked. I’m a man who appreciates the female form, so I don’t mind. I can do this all day.”
Grunting, I lifted my arms, my annoyance with him lessening as he carefully pulled it down over my head and then gently placed my arms through the short sleeves. He shrugged it down slowly, as if savoring those moments of naked skin.
My breath caught as his fingers brushed the sides of my breasts and my eyes flew to his as he pulled the T-shirt down excruciatingly slowly, caressing my skin with it. Those dark eyes smoldered.
Then somehow, we were standing closer, our bodies almost touching. Excitement tingled between my legs and I felt my nipples peak against the fabric of my bra.
A flush crested Killian’s cheeks and his chest rose and fell in shallow breaths.
I forgot everything.
Where I was.
Who I was.
Who he was.
All I could think about was the way my skin prickled to electrified life under his touch. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted him to push me up against his desk, rip my jeans off, and thrust into me.
My breath shuddered at the thought and Killian’s eyes blazed even hotter, as if he’d been able to read my mind.
“Sir, Mr. Byrne would like to speak with you!” Eve’s voice called through the door and shattered the moment.