dea." I stare back into her eyes. "Cut that together."
"No… you should tell Danielle. Suggest it."
"I'll pay you for it."
Her pupils dilate. Her lips press together. "A payment for editing the footage?" She pushes herself up from the desk and takes a step towards me. "You have any idea the standard rate for an editor for a band at your level?"
"No. Name a number and I'll tell you if I can make it happen."
She bites her lip. "Make an offer."
"You work tomorrow?" I ask.
She nods.
"Over the weekend?"
"No."
"Get it to me by Sunday night and I'll pay your rent for three months."
She stammers. "Three months?"
I nod.
Her eyes go wide. "Okay. Three months. It will be a rough cut."
"Sure." I pull out my cell and hand it to her. "Give me your number. I'll text you about meeting Sunday."
"Right." Her hands are shaking as she takes my cell, but she programs her number into my phone, shoots herself a text, and hands it back. "I better get to work."
I nod. "It was nice to meet you, Lacey."
"And the making out in bed for the camera part?"
I cock a brow. "I'll see you Sunday."
She nods. "See you then."
The expression that spreads over her face is anything but calm professionalism.
It screams I'm going to spend every night between now and Sunday fucking myself thinking of you.
Not that I can talk.
3
Mal
I spend the afternoon with my Kindle and an iced green tea. Not that I read much of this fucking book. Mostly, I think about canceling my, well, it's not a date.
Natalie and I are fuck buddies, heavy on the fuck, light on the buddies. We don't chitchat, we don't make small talk, we certainly don't share secrets.
I trust her to tell me what she wants.
She trusts me to tie her to her bed.
Our relationship starts and ends in her fancy downtown apartment. She lives a few minutes from Kit's old place.