Page 77 of The Sounds of Her

When I wake up, my head is on Archer’s chest and his arm is around me. “Come on, sleeping beauty,” he whispers, and I rouse myself enough to get out of the vehicle and inside the hotel.

“Are you sore?” he asks once we’re in our room.

“Little bit,” I mumble. The area throbs, more like a burn than real pain. Having all of my pubic hair waxed off hurts far worse. I don’t tell him that.

After washing up and changing into my pyjamas, careful not to catch the wrapping on the tattoo, I come out into the bedroom and see Archer setting out the blankets and pillow on the couch. Guilt ripples through me, but I’m not brave enough to tell him he can take the bed with me. I should be on the couch tonight, but already know he’ll put up a fight.

“Archer?”

He looks up from his task and I take note he’s removed his shirt. His tattoos run up both arms and over one shoulder. They’re all black and grey, intricate and beautiful, and I have the insane urge to go over and run my hands across them. He has some chest hair, but not enough that it’s coarse, just completely male.

His jeans are slung low, showing the V of his hip bones, and I blink at the trail of hair going down beyond the zipper. My heart thumps. Jesus, he is hot.

I clear my throat and lift my eyes back to his face, expecting some smug expression at how I was perusing his naked chest. But that isn’t what I see. He gives me a soft smile.

“You were bad ass tonight,” he tells me.

“It’s only a tattoo,” I say back. Strangely, that statement is like a lie on my tongue.

“It’s more than a tattoo,” he replies, as if he can read my thoughts. “Goodnight, Brooke.”

I take a deep breath and nod to him, scared to use my voice. I slip back into the bedroom and draw the door shut, then turn and press my back to it, swiping a hand down my face.

Archer looks tired but perks up when our breakfast arrives, he drinks a whole cup of coffee before even attempting to eat. He makes sure I unwrap the tattoo and cleans it gently. He hands me the cream Brad gave us and tells me not to re-cover it.

I put on another soft cotton dress which won’t rub against the tender skin. I don’t miss how Archer’s eyes rake down my body when I come out of the bedroom.

We’re taking another flight to our next destination because Australia is huge. I haven’t told Elsa or Jenna about our late-night adventure.

I’m currently trying not to watch Archer as he sleeps with his legs stretched out in front of him.

It’s a good job this is their private jet with plenty of leg room. There is a bedroom, Elsa informs me, but Archer hadn’t intended to fall asleep. I feel guilty about making him sleep on the couch and wonder what our room will be like in the next hotel. If it’s another lone bed, I should let him have it.

Or…

“Remi is coming to the show tonight.”

Elsa breaks into my thoughts, which were turning in a direction they shouldn’t.

“Really?” I ask in surprise, but happily.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Elsa’s best friend. Remi Molyneaux is a Hollywood A lister, usually cast in leading men's roles despite being gay in real life. You’d never know from the way he plays his parts. He is an amazing actor, and an even more amazing person. I adore him.

“He’s shooting a movie in New Zealand.”

“Why not come to the show there?” I ask.

“He’ll be too busy. He has a couple of days off, so flew in for the evening.”

“The lives these guys lead,” I mutter.

“It’s fun, isn’t it?” she grins.

Elsa is like a little ray of sunshine, always happy, always upbeat. She had a tough time with Nick. I’m not so sure I would have forgiven him his transgressions the first time they got together. Elsa explained it wasn’t what we all thought. The whole situation with his biological dad popping back into his life, and the truth that came out from that, meant she wasn’t able to stay away.

Elsa wants to fix people, to make them happy, and seeing her and Nick together, I can’t imagine her being any happier. For his part, Nick is totally in love. I’m happy for her, as long as he doesn’t do anything to fuck it up.

“How is Remi anyway?”

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