Page 369 of Rock Me All Night
"Charming."
"Is he?"
"Funny."
"I hadn't noticed."
"Yes, you had." She shuffles through the pictures until she finds one from the restaurant where Tom is mid joke and full of life. "The evidence speaks for itself."
She scans further back. Oh, God. All the way to the pictures I took in his hotel room.
"My." Hazel looks up at me. "Willow, sweetheart. You lied just a minute ago." She points to a picture of Tom leaning back on the bed, his body long and lean. "It's clear he interests you."
"He was helping me out with a job application. For a boudoir studio."
"Hmmm." Hazel pours over the pictures. "You have a knack for it, sweetheart. These are excellent. Granted, you have a perfect practice model here. Most of boudoir is helping your client get comfortable. Is that something you want to do?"
"Maybe. It was nerve-wracking but—"
Hazel holds up a particularly sexy image of Tom sliding his hand down his torso. "Yes, I imagine Tom didn't make it easy."
It's like Tom can tell we're talking about him. He nods to Hazel. When she turns back to me without responding, he makes his way towards us.
Hazel looks at me and raises an eyebrow in awatch thisgesture. "Of course, once you're met one famous person, you've met them all. The size of the ego on some of them—worst part of the job." She turns to face Tom. "Thomas, sweetheart. We were just talking about you."
He slides his arm around her shoulder. "Yes, I know. Once you meet Tom Steele, everyone pales in comparison. I've heard that from a lot of different women. Oh wait, that's once you've fucked Tom Steele everyone else pales in comparison." He winks at me.
"Thomas, don't sexually harass my assistant. It's bad enough you have her running around photographing you." She removes his arm from her shoulder. "Can't you take your own Instagram photos like a normal celebrity?"
"Why settle for normal when I could have the best?" Tom asks.
Hazel looks back to me. "You're lucky you're talented or your ego would be unbearable."
"Hazel, you wound me. Promise I'm your favorite."
"I prefer Pete."
"Ouch. Not even her favorite band member. Not even her favorite Steele brother." Tom smiles, reveling in their sparring. "What does Pete have that I don't?"
"An aura of mystery."
"What good is mystery?"
"He has a thigh tattoo"
"Thigh tattoo? That doesn't sound very mysterious, Ms. Alexander. Have you been sneaking into Pete's room to watch him shower?"
"I'm sorry darling, but I love a man with a steady hand and a quiet disposition," she says.
"She thinks you're too loud," I explain.
"Pete has a rhythm. Thomas, you forget how many times I've seen you pound on those poor drums of yours. A woman my age doesn't like it that fast and rough."
"Hazel, baby, you know I'll go any speed you want," Tom says.
"Sorry. My heart is set on Pete."
"Damn, this is the first time I ever lost a woman to Pete." Tom shifts his weight. "You know he has a girl, right?"
