Page 28 of Directing You
Chapter 12
Hazel
I stood in my bathroom,slipping earrings on and holding my hair up, staring at my reflection. Hair up? Or down? What was sexier? Or more importantly, what wouldReidfind sexier tonight?
He’d been very coy about the plans for tonight. We spent the day mostly in my apartment. He went out and got us bagels for breakfast and we stayed inside watching Broadway HD for hours. And all I knew about tonight was that he had arranged something special. Something that he promised me wouldn’t get us caught or in trouble. Then, after rummaging around in my closet, he chose a red dress, placing it on my bed with a wink.
I poked my head out of the bathroom to find him standing in the kitchen with the cupboard wide open. My jaw went slack and I took an extra breath to stare at him. God, he was gorgeous. The man could rock a suit like no one I’d ever seen before.
“What do you think?” I asked. “Hair up? Or down?”
His attention darted over to me, eyes brightening as he slowly dragged his gaze from my toes up the entire length of my body. I could feel that look as sure as though it was his finger being dragged along my heated flesh. “No matter what you do, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
I rolled my eyes, unable to help the smile that crept along my face. I’d been called a lot of things in my life… usually people commented that I was sexy or hot. Or the worst was the frat boys who called me hawt with an ‘aw’ for the spelling. Not many people looked at me like Reid did. “That didn’t really answer my question,” I said.
“I already chose the dress,” Reid said. “You choose the hair. You really can’t go wrong.” He turned his attention back to my cupboard, brows creasing.
“What are you looking for?”
“I was going to make tea,” he said.
“You drink tea?” I reached beyond him, pushing aside a few boxes of Mac & Cheese and pulled down my assortment of teas.
“Not usually, but I know you usually have a tea in the afternoons and evenings.”
I felt stunned by his observation. “How do you know that?”
He shrugged nonchalantly and flipped through the tea bags in my tin box. “You always get one at the student center before you leave for the day.”
“And youseethat? Every day?”
“Well, I don’t see iteveryday. But I’ve noticed it more than once.” He turned to me, holding up two teabags. “Jasmine or Chai?”
I flicked my finger against the jasmine. “Jasmine, please. So, wait—”
“What I didn’t know was your love for Mac and Cheese. Holy shit, Hazel. I knew you liked ramen because you usually pack it for lunch, but…”
I pulled back, half-giddy and half-unnerved by how closely he paid attention to the minute details of my life. “Jesus Christ, how close do you watch me?”
Reid filled my tea kettle, turning it on before spinning to face me, his expression serious. “You pack a cup of noodles in the outside pouch of your bag every day, Hazel. I don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to notice that and to also pick up on the fact that you order tea in the evenings when I also happen to be at the cafe getting myself a latte. I’ll admit…I pay attention to details of things that interest me. Andyouinterest me. Even when you shouldn’t have, you did.”
I swallowed, still not quite sure what my feelings were about this situation. I wasn’t used to the spotlight… even though I craved it. And in Reid’s presence? Not only was I in the spotlight, but he was the one directing that light directly onto me. Even as a burlesque dancer, even though I was center stage, no one wasreallywatching me. Not closely. I could be anyone up there as long as I shook my tits and ass. “Can you see how this looks from my perspective? It’s a little unnerving,” I admitted honestly.
He nodded slowly. “I could see how it would look to a stranger. But you know me now. I’m not some stalker watching you with binoculars. Being observant is what makes me a good director. It’s how I show people I care and that’s not something I plan on changing about myself.” Reid took a deep breath in through his nose before adding, “But if it makes you uncomfortable, just say the word. I can leave. Give you some space—”
“No,” I said quickly, taking a step toward him. “That’s not what I want.”
His emerald eyes searched mine. “So whatdoyou want?”
The silence filled the space between us as I stood there with nothing to say. What did I want? That was the question I’d been asking myself for the better part of a year and yet, still didn’t have an answer.
The tea kettle whistled, a loud shrieking sound that made me jump and sliced through the terse quiet of the room. He turned, pouring the hot water over the bag of jasmine tea.
“I don’t want you to leave,” I repeated as he turned his attention away from me and onto the cup of tea. Somehow, this was easier to say without him looking at me so intensely. “I just need you to understand, I’m not used to being the center of attention all the time. Not even just for one person.” Hell, I hadn’t even been the center of attention in my own family. My parents had full-time jobs and three kids.
“Well,” Reid said, handing me the steaming mug of tea. “You should probably get used it. Especially if you’re going to be a star.”
My brows knit deeper. “Who said I wanted to be a star?”
He shrugged. “No one said it. But youwillbe. You’re too damn talented not to be.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him. “You’re just saying that because you’re my director.”
He shook his head slowly. “No. It’s because you’re so talented that I’m your director. Because I don’t cast people who don’t deserve it.” He took another step forward, closing what little space was left between us, and hooked a finger under my chin, bringing eyes to meet his. “Remember that. No matter what anyone says or if they find out about us, you are talented and deserving of this role.”
The knot in my throat plummeted to my belly as the wordsone weekend onlyrang in my ears.
