Page 94 of Wingwoman
If I said yes, he knew I’d be lying. He clearly didn’t smell bad. He smelled amazing. “Nope,” I answered quickly. “I was making sure youdidn’tsmell bad. And you don’t. So congrats to you.”
“What the fuck is wrong with her?” the redhead whispered to the other blonde.
Josh’s gaze cut briefly to them before he turned to me, holding out the shirt like it was a jacket that I was supposed to put on. “Your sniff test was probably wise since we had such a long day hanging out together. I know you were feeling a little chilly and no one wants to cover up in someone’s stinky shirt. But I assure you, mine smells fresh as the day I was born. Ain’t that right, darlin’?”
I stared at it blankly. What was he doing?
His brows lifted, encouraging me to play along.
Ohhhh.
He was making a show of this. I didn’t know how he knew these girls had been giving me a hard time, but he clearly sensed it. Well, of course he saw the tug of war, but it wasn’t like he heard their comments about me being fifty years old or anything.
“Y-yes, I was a little chilly,” I said, stuttering a bit. I wasn’t as practiced at this improv showmanship as he was. Sliding my arms into his shirt, he dragged the soft cotton up my shoulders. “Thanks… babe.”
“Anything, anytime for you,” he said with a wink. Bending, he pressed a soft, sweet kiss to the tip of my nose.
Goosebumps soared down my body, even though it was just the lightest brush of his mouth to my skin. We stayed like that, locked in each other’s eyes, nose to nose for one breath… two breaths…
My focus was broken when Teal Thong Girl gasped.
I jerked out of his gaze, blushing as the sorority girls stood, mouths agape watching the display.
Clearing his throat, Josh turned back to face the girls too. “Now, I’m happy to sign something for y’all and take a selfie if you want?”
Our moment was long forgotten as the girls squealed, pulling out their phones. Josh spent the next thirty minutes taking selfies with patrons while I took a seat at the bar and snuggled into his shirt.
It really did smell heavenly.Hesmelled heavenly.
Hugging my arms into my body and curling my hands into the soft shirt, I watched as he smiled for the iPhone cameras and hugged those his fans into his sides for the photos, making sure to keep his hands always visible.
He was charming. So charming.
Too charming.
And I was allowing myself to fall under his spell.
The realization slammed into me like diving into the icy ocean in the middle of January.
It was only day one and I was already being charmed by him.
I couldn’t let this happen. I couldn’t fall for Josh Gabriel.
I was so stupid. He’d said it from the very beginning. It was even laid out in his contracts: I wasn’t his girlfriend. I wasn’t a date or even his friend.
I was his muse.
Essentially, a glorified employee.
I was here to help inspire him to create music… and look good on his arm for publicity stunts like this.
That was all.
Feeling suddenly sick to my stomach, I shrugged out of his shirt.
I needed fresh air. I needed to breathe. Get my thoughts back together.
And he certainly didn’t need me at his side for those autographs.
