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I look back at her. Her name tag says Dijon. Like the mustard.

“I won’t have to do too much, honey,” Dijon says. “Just a little shine here—” She attacks my forehead with a poufy brush.

I give up. Mostly because it’s then I spot Cindy, red-cheeked and teary-eyed, working her way through the whole crew, shaking each of their hands, no doubt thanking them profusely for…I’m not sure what.

I narrow my eyes at Reese, pulling out my phone.

ELI: Funny you left a kind of important part out.

I watch as Reese looks down at her phone, then looks up at me and smiles mischievously. My insides go fucking gooey at that, and I force my mouth into a frown.

REESE: Don’t you remember what Neil said? Presume everything you do in the vicinity of TV people is on TV?

ELI: I’ll get back at you somehow, Franco.

REESE: How about we call it even for the bar the other night.

ELI: Which part?

She snaps her gaze up at me.

ELI: Just coming? Or you kissing me?

Reese glances down at her phone and I get the pleasure of watching her jaw drop open. Maybe—just maybe—that kiss has had the same effect on her that it did on me. Because fuck if it’s the only thing I’ve been able to think about for a whole week straight.

REESE: Me kissing you!

But I don’t respond. I just grin and pocket my phone. Now we’re even.

She pockets her phone too, and even from way over here I can see her cheeks have turned a fierce shade of pink. For a moment I picture her cheeks turning that color as I bury my face between her legs, her hair spread out across the pillow of my bed like a fan.

“Listen, you look sexy as hell when you do it, but please don’t lick your lips, sir,” Dijon says. “I just put on balm.”

“Sorry,” I mumble, with a tongue that now tastes like waxy cherry. I wish it tasted like something else.

I clear my throat, because having a boner on TV would be a terrible look and shift my attention to the person in front of me. “Is your name really Dijon?”

“Sure isn’t.”

“Then why—”

“Because I’m tangy with a little bite,” she says, winking.

I smile awkwardly. Oh fuck.

Thank God Reese isn’t here. She’d be back on top laughing at me.

“Eli, mate!” Neil’s booming voice cuts across the room. “You made it!” He gives a broad smile to Dijon. “Come on, love. He’s all done now.”

He jerks his chin at me, and I almost want to do a full Cindy on him, I’m so grateful to get out of that seat.

Neil’s leading me to the tiny stage setup by the back area of the kitchen, built a foot off the ground on a raised few sheets of plywood, enclosed with a black curtain.

“I can’t believe Reese talked you in to coming down here for this. I was going to call your brother.”

Of course. Jude would have done this and probably charmed the pants off of Cindy while he was at it.

“Well, I’m here now.” I move my jaw around, wanting badly to wipe the caked-feeling powder off my face.