Page 14 of Here Comes Trouble
Xander must have felt he’d reacted a bit too strongly because he shook his head and let out a gentle snort.
‘My muse isn’t dead, just resting. I had a few years where I worked pretty intensively, and I needed a break.’
‘So, taking a break had nothing to do with the reviews you had of your last exhibition then?’
His expression darkened again, and he leant forwards in his chair. ‘You really think I care about the opinions of a few talentless hacks? I have zero respect for people who don’t have the ability to produce their own art so spend their time and energy trashing other people’s work instead. They’re a waste of space and not something I want to talk about again, so you can cross that one off your list of “probing” questions.’ The cold resentment in his voice made her shiver.
Okay, lesson learned, she wasn’t going to be able to rush this. Probably best to keep the conversation bland for now and build up to the more pointed questions. After all, if he wanted more time to sketch her, she could afford to take things slowly and build his trust in her.
* * *
Xander relaxed back into his chair and attempted to shake off the unsettling avalanche of anxiety that Jess’s questions had buried him in. He needed to keep his temper under control, or she’d think she was onto a juicy story about how he really felt about the press’s less than favourable reaction to his last show.
He’d relived the hurt and anger of last year’s glitch in his career over and over until it had nearly driven him crazy, and he was determined to get over the debilitating fear of failing again. He really didn’t need her poking at that old wound when he was finally feeling the creative buzz again.
Jess leant back in her chair and studied him for a moment, and he tensed, waiting to see what she was going to ask him next.
‘So, what does it feel like to be voted the fourth sexiest man in England?’ she asked, a mischievous eyebrow raised.
He let out a snort of mirth, relieved that she’d taken the hint and changed the subject.
‘Actually, I hear I’m third in the UK right now and it’s a real honour.’
‘I bet.’ She shot him a judicious look. ‘Any plans to up your rating? How much sexier do you think you’d need to be to reach number one, for example?’
He couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Quite a bit, I suspect.’
She smiled and picked up her water, taking a quick sip. ‘If you did get any sexier, I think most women – and probably some men – would probably melt into a puddle at your feet.’
He gave her a lazy grin, something warm and happy growing deep in his belly. ‘You think I’m sexy?’
Her gaze shot away from him, and she put her glass down hurriedly, managing to catch it awkwardly on her side plate and spilling water onto the tablecloth. ‘I can see why other people think you are.’ She didn’t look back at him, but busied herself mopping up the spill with her napkin.
‘But you don’t personally?’
She still wouldn’t look at him. ‘I have different tastes.’
‘Different?’
‘Yeah, I like boy-next-door types, I guess. Men I feel comfortable to be around. Men who aren’t going to outshine me wherever we go.’
‘I can’t imagine anyone outshining you.’
She raised a discerning eyebrow. ‘You’re sweet to say that, but I’m warning you now, I can smell BS a mile away.’
God, she was saucy when she got all strict.
‘You’re really quite something, you know that?’ Xander said, leaning forward and putting his elbows onto the table.
There was something about the wariness on her face that made him long to get behind that restrained front. He was pretty sure there was a lot going on beneath the surface with Jess and he longed to find out what was driving it. He’d not met anyone as guarded – and seemingly immune to his charms – as her in a very long time.
He liked that about her. He liked it a lot.
And he was determined to shake the real her out from under those layers of protection.
* * *
‘Okay, let’s try some quick-fire questions,’ Jess said, ignoring his attempt at flirting her into submission and hoping her slowly, slowly approach would yield better results. If she could keep things light and unobtrusive he might just give her something juicy without realising he was.
