In Her Sights (The Thousand Words Series Book 2) by Tori Brooks

it going to be a problem?” Kenny asked. He took off his guitar and stood it in a nearby stand.
    “What happened to the ‘she’s off limits because she’s wearing a sash’ speech?”
    “She’s a temp,” Kenny said. Paige almost lost her composure at the slam, but forced herself not to give any sign that she heard the slight against her title. “Once she retires the crown, the rules change.”
    “And then?”
    “Look deeper than the fuck-me pumps, Jess. She has a brain. You don’t know how to play for more than a one night stand and I got the impression that’s not what she’s looking for. Or will be some time next year. If I’m wrong, I’ll give her your number.”
    Jess paused and Paige felt it took him forever to consider Kenny’s argument.
    “Good luck,” Jess said with a nod.
    “Thanks,” Kenny said. He walked past Jess, patting his shoulder on the way by, and came into the sound booth where Paige waited.
    “I really didn’t expect to see you today,” Kenny said.
    “I’m sorry for just dropping by. I didn’t mean to cause trouble with Jess. Why didn’t you just mention that I know a lot of other beauty contestants? Won’t he want hook ups?”
    Kenny froze. “You heard all that?”
    Paige smiled. “Every word. So is it all worked out or will there be an encore?”
    Alec laughed, earning a warning look from Kenny.
    “Show’s over. We’re fine.” Kenny glanced through the glass at Dev and Jess.
    “You’re not convincing,” Paige smiled, reaching over to tuck a strand of his hair behind his ear. It was longer than on their last album cover and she wondered what prompted the change.
    “Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing.” Kenny returned his attention to her guiltily. Paige didn’t know what it was, but it wasn’t nothing. The mysterious Cassie, she’d bet. Now wasn’t the time to pry into that, she hadn’t established enough trust yet.
    “All right. I’ll let that slide,” she said, reaching into her purse and pulling out a calling card. Most people didn’t bother anymore with such antiquated ideas as calling cards, but Paige liked them. They were handy sometimes. She handed it to Kenny, who looked at it in surprise.
    “I wanted to invite you to dinner,” she explained.
    “I thought you couldn’t date.”
    “I can’t. But Sundays are my own time, usually. And it’s just me and my mother at home, although she makes herself scarce when I ask. You won’t even see her. The servants will be there, but they signed non-disclosure agreements.”
    Kenny didn’t say anything, he just looked at her as if he was undecided.
    “Are you going to make me beg?” Paige asked, repeating his question from last night.
    “Would you? I can’t picture it,” Kenny responded automatically.
    Paige smiled. “Please? Early dinner. How about six? Then we have all night to talk.”
    “This isn’t playing with fire?” Kenny asked.
    “It’s probably safer than talking with you for as long as I did on the yacht.”
    Finally, with a nod, Kenny consented. “All right. Although I think you’re taking a big risk.”
    “I’m not. I’ll explain it tomorrow,” Paige promised with a smile. “Just you though. No flowers, no bottle of wine, box of chocolates, nothing. Okay?”
    “Do you even eat chocolate?” Kenny asked with a smile.
    Paige looked affronted. “Of course. I pay dearly for it though, so not often.”
     
    ○ ○ ○
     
    Kenny wasn’t intimidated by Paige living in a mansion. He did his homework after meeting her on the yacht. Her family’s money originated in shipping, then tobacco farming, but they moved north after the Civil War and returned to shipping, then a brewery, then back to shipping until prohibition ended. If you dug a little deeper to get specific dates, read between the lines, and remembered your history, it was sordid and colorful. Now they owned magazines, printed magazines. Kenny wondered if they were going to return to shipping. Piracy was profitable in Indonesia