As Dust Dances (Play On 2)

His assistant immediately relaxed.

“Do you have a spare T-shirt Skylar can borrow?”

She winced regretfully. “No, sir . . . oh, but you do!”

And that’s how I found myself following Killian and his assistant to his office at the farthest end of the floor. It wasn’t a huge space but it had a great view over the Clyde. He waited outside while Eve rummaged through a cabinet.

“This should do.” She pulled out a Biffy Clyro tee from the bottom drawer.

I took it and waited for her to leave before I looked around the office. My curiosity got the best of me as I wandered around, taking in the framed newspaper articles on his wall. They depicted moments of success for the bands he’d worked with at the label. His desk was sparse with only an iMac, a phone, a few pens, and a photo of him and Autumn. I smiled, picking up the photograph. I loved how much he loved his sister. They were sitting together at a table at some function, both looking glamorous—him in a tux, Autumn all dolled up. His arm was around her, her cheek pressed to his, and while he didn’t share her big, beaming smile, his eyes were warm with affection.

I brushed my fingers over his face. What must it be like to be loved by him? I imagined it a heady thing, winning the love of a man who offered it so sparingly.

Blinking out of the dangerous thought, I put the photo back where I found it, reminding myself I was supposed to be getting changed, not nosing through his stuff.

My wrist protested as I pulled my sweater over my head. I was just reaching for Killian’s tee when his office door opened. “Are you read—”

We both froze.

Me in my bra and jeans.

His lips parted, not even hiding that he was taking in every inch of me. I flushed all over.

Killian cursed under his breath and then slammed his office door shut so no one would see me from the hall while finally turning his back to me. He sounded hoarse when he spoke. “Sorry. I thought you’d be dressed by now.”

“My wrist was hurting,” I lied. “I needed a minute.”

That was all it took to make him move. Suddenly he was in front of me, grabbing the tee out of my hands. “What are you doing?” I tried to cover myself.

Killian gave me an impatient look. “It’s not anything I haven’t seen before. Lift your arms.”

“I can put the tee on myself.”

“The longer you argue, the longer I see you half-naked. I’m a man who appreciates the female form, so I don’t mind. I can do this all day.”

Grunting, I lifted my arms, my annoyance with him lessening as he carefully pulled it down over my head and then gently placed my arms through the short sleeves. He shrugged it down slowly, as if savoring those moments of naked skin.

My breath caught as his fingers brushed the sides of my breasts and my eyes flew to his as he pulled the T-shirt down excruciatingly slowly, caressing my skin with it. Those dark eyes smoldered.

Then somehow, we were standing closer, our bodies almost touching. Excitement tingled between my legs and I felt my nipples peak against the fabric of my bra.

A flush crested Killian’s cheeks and his chest rose and fell in shallow breaths.

I forgot everything.

Where I was.

Who I was.

Who he was.

All I could think about was the way my skin prickled to electrified life under his touch. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted him to push me up against his desk, rip my jeans off, and thrust into me.

My breath shuddered at the thought and Killian’s eyes blazed even hotter, as if he’d been able to read my mind.

“Sir, Mr. Byrne would like to speak with you!” Eve’s voice called through the door and shattered the moment.

Killian stumbled back. His hands dropped from my waist, allowing the T-shirt to fall.

I tried to catch my breath as he whirled away from me. “Just . . . Just a second,” he called back.

“Killian . . .”

He glanced over his shoulder at me, his expression unreadable. “I’m Killian again?”

Confused, I blinked. “What?”

Exhaling heavily, he shook his head. “Nothing.” Then his nostrils flared as he stared at me. I glanced down at myself. His T-shirt drowned me. It also smelled of him, which was very bad because I really needed to stop thinking of Killian and sex in the same sentence, and wearing his scent was not helping. “I look ridiculous.” But I didn’t think Killian thought I looked ridiculous at all.

He wore the same look Micah wore when some other guy showed an interest in me.

Possessive.

Oh boy, we needed to get out of his office, pronto. “You mind if I knot it?”

He frowned, shaking his head as if shaking away thoughts. Possibly dirty thoughts. No. Probably dirty thoughts. “What?”

“Knot it.” I grabbed the hem and pulled it tight against my belly with the excess material at the back.

“Oh. Aye, sure.”

I put the knot in the back, feeling slightly less ridiculous. Killian was staring at the small expanse of skin I’d revealed in doing so. My hands trembled with the desire to reach out to him, so I forced myself to look away. “Can I leave my sweater in here?”

He cleared his throat. “Of course.”

I only looked up again when I heard him open the office door.

When I stepped out, I found Eve standing nervously beside an older man with dark hair and gray eyes. He was a little shorter than Killian but still looked fit and strong for his age, distinguished in his expensive three-piece suit.

He wore a look of disapproval and I’d soon discover that this man wore a perpetual look of disapproval.

“Killian.” He eyed him coldly.

“James.” Killian nodded just as coolly. He turned to me, gesturing me forward. “Skylar, I’d like you to meet the head of the label, James Byrne. My uncle.”

* * *

JAMES BYRNE PIERCED ME WITH his chilly gaze.

I knew it was probably best to be polite since he was Killian’s uncle, but that’s exactly why I didn’t want to be. From everything I’d learned so far, I did not like this man.

So I stayed silent.

As did he.

Finally, he looked back at Killian. “A word. My office.”

He followed his uncle, shooting me a frown over his shoulder as they walked about fifteen steps to a door that had James’s name on it. When they stepped inside, I noticed a door across the hall that bore the name “Kenny Smith.” Hmm. Wasn’t that the guy getting all the credit for Killian’s work?

I tried to shrug off my irritation, telling myself these were not my problems.

“He’s hardly ever here,” Eve whispered, drawing my attention back to her. “I wonder what he wants.”

I wondered that too.

The phone on Eve’s desk rang and she hurried to pick it up. “Good afternoon, Skyscraper Records, Mr. O’Dea’s office, how may I help?” She listened for a second, then looked up at me and rolled her eyes. “No, I’m afraid Mr. O’Dea is unavailable at the moment . . . Yes . . . Yes, I did say that because Mr. O’Dea was unavailable then too . . . I did pass along your message . . . I did . . . yes, I will again. Thanks for calling.” She hung up with a beleaguered sigh.

“Problem?”

“Ugh, yeah.” She leaned over the table toward me and dropped her voice. “That was Yasmin. Mr. O’Dea’s ex-girlfriend.”

I didn’t know why that information made me feel cold considering I knew a man like O’Dea wasn’t a virgin. I guess I’d assumed that he was more a player than a guy who would have a girlfriend.

“They broke up last week and she’s been calling nonstop. Guess someone doesn’t know when to give up.”

They broke up last week. They broke up last week.

“I’ve only been here a few months, but Sarah in marketing told me that Mr. O’Dea’s one of those serial monogamist types. She said he’s been in, like, five relationships in the past two and a half years. She says it always ends because Mr. O’Dea’s never out of the office. Although he has been lately, so we all thought maybe the whole Yasmin relationship was working out after all, but then he told me not to take any calls from her anymore so we’re all intrigued about the disappearances.” She suddenly straightened, looking concerned. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said all that to you. Oh my God, I’m terrible at this job.”