Page 56 of You Rock My World
“Would you?”
“It worked last time.” He means a year ago, and the fondness in his voice almost undoes me. “Any requests?”
“A song from your first album.” I want something that he wrote before meeting her.
Dorian starts to sing, and I fall asleep to the sound of his voice, wishing I was in his bed, free to hug him all night.
29
DORIAN
On Saturday, I wake up restless. An entire weekend ahead, and I can’t see Josie either day because of Billie. We can only video chat.
I toss and turn in bed a bit longer but I don’t make it past 9a.m. before I call her. I grin when her face pops up on the screen. Her hair’s a wild mess, tumbling out of a lopsided bun, and she’s wrapped in an oversized sweatshirt that swallows her whole, the cuffs covering half her hands. There’s a window behind her. Is she in the kitchen? I hate that I don’t know what her apartment looks like.
“Morning,” she rasps, still groggy.
“Morning, beautiful,” I drawl. “Looking cozy.”
Her nose scrunches adorably. “Look who’s talking. Is that bedhead I see?”
I run a hand through my mussed hair. “Iamin bed, so technically, yes.”
“Don’t say you’re in bed with that husky voice.” She groans. “Please tell me at least you have your shirt on.”
I dip the camera to show her my bare collarbones. “Err…”
“Oi.” She theatrically puts a hand over her face, only to peer between her fingers. “Don’t assault me first thing in the morning with all that sexy ink.”
I bring the screen back up. “I thought looking wasn’t against the rules.”
“Should I leave my camera on when I go shower, then?”
I drop the phone on my chest and bite my fist.
“Hello?” she calls. “I’m seeing black.”
“As you deserve”—I right the screen and glare into the camera—“after putting that image in my brain.”
She grins. Goofy, unguarded, radiant. “Hey, I was only demonstrating the unfairness of subjecting me to extremely tempting skin art.”
“Noted,” I say pointedly. “Join me for breakfast? Virtually, of course.”
“You want to watch me cut the crusts off my toast? You’re weird, but okay.”
I’d watch her clip her toenails if it meant spending more time together.
“What are you having?” she asks.
I glance at the breakfast tray resting on the mattress, holding a parfait of non-fat Greek yogurt, homemade protein granola, and mixed berries, alongside a glass of grapefruit juice. “My nutritionist is in cahoots with the chef so nothing wild.” I show her the parfait.
She bites her lip in that maddening way, but her expression is serious like she’s unsure what to say next. “Do you watch your weight, or—I’m not judging if you do but…”
“No, I don’t. Not really. It doesn’t help that whenever I put on a quarter of a pound, the press declares I’ve got a beer belly. But it’s more a healthy thing.” I mix the parfait before eating a spoonful. “After getting out of the relationship with Billie, I’m trying to follow a more balanced lifestyle.”
“Makes sense.” She nods. “Lily is my veggie police. She makes no distinctions between Penny and me.”
“Should I tell your sister about the vending-machine purse?”
