Tidal Read Online Free PDF Page B

keys
    high in the air.
    “It’s a moped, isn’t it?” Cooper said,
    laughing in earnest for the first time in
    hours. “Fuck me sideways, no private jet
    and now a moped.” Miller shot him a dark
    glare and shook his head.
    “No, it’s the”—he punched the key fob
    a few times, and I whipped my head back
    around to see the headlights of a compact
    Kia flashing rapidly, illuminating the
    place. He was right, it wasn’t what I was
    used to, but I didn’t care. There was so
    much more to worry about than what car
    took me to point A to point B.
    Like the migraine that was gradually
    forming in the center of my skull.
    Like my parents still not calling me
    back; like the money that would be
    deposited into my account in a few days
    and the fact I was going to start shooting
    the remake of a movie in a couple weeks.
    Like Cooper.
    “It’s small,” I said, sticking my hands
    into the pockets of my tight denim shorts. I
    looked up at my bodyguard and cocked my
    head doubtfully. “Can you even fit in that
    thing?”
    Miller paused at the curb, lifted his
    eyebrow at me. “I’ve fit in smaller.” Then
    he grabbed our luggage and ambled to the
    Kia.
    I didn’t know how to take that, so I
    just nodded.
    Cooper began to walk away. Frantic
    to make things right, I grabbed his upper
    arm, curling my fingers around muscle.
    “Wait, I need to talk to you,” I said. His
    eyebrow shot up, but he lagged behind.
    “Look, what happened in L.A. with that
    kid . . . it wasn’t what you thought,” I said.
    A smile quirked the corners of his
    lips. “I know it’s not. It’s not even about
    that. It’s just you. You’re going to bring
    out the worst in me.”
    The worst in him? He was at least a
    half foot taller than my five foot six, so I
    tilted my head back to stare up into his
    blue eyes. “Because I’m an actress?” I
    demanded.
    Cooper’s halo of golden hair drifted
    when a hot breeze whispered through the
    garage, and he moved his head slowly
    from side to side. He pulled his arm out of
    my grip then placed his hands on either
    side of my shoulders. Tossing a quick
    glance at Miller, who was waiting quietly
    inside the idling Kia and glued to his
    phone, Cooper dropped his voice to an
    uneven whisper. “Because I can already
    tell you’re going to give me a hard time,
    Wills.”
    “You don’t even know me enough to
    judge,” I snapped. He grimaced.
    “Stop jumping to conclusions,” he
    said, his jaw tightening. “I don’t care what
    you’ve done in the past, okay? I’m
    worried about what’s going to happen in
    the future.”
    I scraped the bottom of my foot
    anxiously across the concrete as I waited
    for him to explain. It was the least he
    could offer me since that lip-numbing kiss
    I’d craved—correction: was still craving
    —was obviously out of the equation.
    “I make it a point not to hook up with
    people I’ve been hired to work with,” he
    said.
    My head spun for a moment, and I just
    stared up at him, letting his fingertips dig
    into my shoulders. Could this guy get any
    cockier? “Okay, for starters, you’ve
    known me for, like, two seconds. Two . . .
    what makes you think I’d even go for it?”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re Willow
    Avery—everyone knows you.” When I
    sunk my teeth into my bottom lip to hold
    back a rude reply, he added, “And
    besides, you wear your emotions on the
    sleeve of your”—he dropped his gaze to
    my blouse, plucking a piece of fabric
    between his fingertips—“flannel shirt.”
    I scoffed, finally breaking away from
    his grip. I leaned back and crossed my
    arms over my body. “Thought you said I
    was mechanical.”
    “Not when you’re flustered.” He took
    a couple steps backward, making his way
    in the opposite direction of our rented
    Kia. “Goodnight, Wills,” he said once he
    reached the exit.
    “Wait—where the hell are you
    going?” I called out, frustrated.
    He opened the door, glanced over his
    shoulder, and then said