Page 5 of Obsession on Repeat
"Desperation."
"I’ve read that one, it’s good."
"I think we’ve switched roles. You’re interviewing me as if I’m the celebrity." I glanced around the restaurant, smiling as I noticed two older women at a nearby table shyly looking at him. "Then again, maybe we haven’t."
He didn’t remove his gaze from me. "What made you move to Australia?"
I brought my gaze back to him. "Nothing in particular. It's a beautiful country. I move a lot."
"Define a lot."
Smothering the urge to roll my eyes, I smiled into my cup before taking another sip of the steaming hot liquid. "Every couple of years."
"Why?"
"Because I can." My answer was abrupt, but I didn’t care. "What else are you curious about, Mr. Masters?"
"Well, I was curious about how you tasted, but we've already answered that."
I fumbled my cup, but I managed to steady it at the last possible second. I stared wide-eyed at him for several seconds before clearing my throat. "Every time I think I have you figured out, you do or say something that surprises me."
"I’m sorry. I don’t usually say things like that. I mean, I don’t do things like that with someone I just met."
"I bet you tell that to all the girls."
"Only the ones I’m curious about, Ms. Jones."
His response made me laugh. I watched him smile, a pink blush on his cheeks appearing. "What kind of things are you addicted to, Mr. Masters?"
Sullivan toyed nonchalantly with his fork. "I consider myself rather boring," he shrugged. "I enjoy listening to Classical music. I grew up on it as a child. I prefer to be at home watching a good show than going out to a club."
"So, what were you doing at Venom tonight?"
"I think you know what I was doing there."
My mouth curved upward, but it didn’t reach my eyes. "Maybe I want to hear you say it."
He leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table. "I had a lot of fun with you the other night, more than I’ve had outside of work in a long time. I’m not one to deny myself when I feel a connection. I think there’s one between us, so why not try to pursue it? If you let things pass you by, you’ll never know what they could mean to you."
I let my eyes skim his face, lingering on his mouth for a second before I brought my gaze back to his. "How long are you going to be with us in sunny Aussie land?"
"One more week. Do you think you could fit me into your busy schedule?"
"You don’t strike me as the kind of man who enjoys relationships that are doomed to fail from the very beginning."
"You're right. Tell me you didn’t think of me today."
"I didn’t think of you at all today."
He surprised me by laughing. "You’re not a good liar."
"It’s why I don’t play poker," I grumbled, "but I’m working on it." I played with the salt shaker on the table. "I like you, but my life is too complicated."
"It sounds pretty simple to me. Music is what drives you; it doesn’t take much other than that to make you happy. The way I see it, we’re more similar than you want to believe. Acting’s a huge part of my life, it’s the only thing I see myself doing forever."
"But it’s not the only thing in your life. You have your friends, hobbies..."
"Are you saying you have no friends?" He pressed, a strange softness in his tone. "I imagine Alice would beg to differ."
