Loved by You by Kate Perry Page A

office, a feeling of anticipation fluttering in her belly, just like right before she stepped out on stage.
    His office was downtown in an old building off Pine. She expected his office itself to be sparse and modern, but it was surprisingly colorful and warm. There was an Indian rug on the floor in the waiting room and a bright, inviting couch. The walls were lined with pictures of jazz musicians, all signed.
    Interesting. Since there was no receptionist, Bijou sat down and waited, knowing instinctively that he’d come get her when he was ready.
    On the hour, Will opened the door and smiled at her. “Bijou, it’s good to see you.”
    Her heart leapt in her throat at the sight of him. He looked pretty much like he had the other day, only better. More masculine in the dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the open collar showing off his leather necklace.
    In a former life she’d have been all over him, but in this one she knew better. It’d be really inconvenient to start something with another playboy right before getting her life back on track.
    Okay—she had no idea if he really was a playboy, but what were the chances he wasn’t? He wore a leather necklace—pretty much a playboy’s tramp stamp.
    She wouldn’t be weak, and she wouldn’t let her hormones get the better of her again. So she stood up with all the hauteur in her body, not wanting to let on how much the sight of him affected her. “Hello, Will Shaw,” she said calmly, as if he wasn’t delicious.
    Looking behind her, he asked, “Where’s Karma?”
    “She goes by KT, and she couldn’t make it.” She walked into his office and went directly to the couch, perching on the edge instead of lying down on it. She wasn’t the patient here.
    Will pulled a chair closer and sat across from her. “You could have called instead of coming all this way to tell me your sister couldn’t make it.”
    “I didn’t want to stand you up on such short notice.”
    “You care about that?”
    “Don’t get any ideas in your head. In a former life, I’d have been all over you, but I know better now.”
    An amused spark lit his face. “And why is that?”
    “Are you shrinking me?” She narrowed her gaze. “I’m not the patient here, my sister is.”
    “But you’re here and she’s not.”
    “Don’t try to be clever.”
    “Sorry.” He covered his mouth with his steepled hands.
    “I still see the edges of your smile.”
    “You caught me.” He rubbed his palms on his thighs, his smile in full bloom. “What would you like to talk about?”
    Everything. Her stalled career. The fact that she hadn’t been able to write a song in forever. Her miserable love life. The lightness she felt when she knew she’d see Will.
    And nothing. She lived out loud, but in her core she was a private person. She knew she had walls, but they were there for a reason. Look what happened with Brice—she let him scale the walls and he stabbed her in the back.
    The problem was that she already trusted Will. What was up with that? She barely knew him.
    Knowing he was waiting, she decided to ask him something innocuous about KT, but what came out of her mouth was, “Have you ever had your heart broken?”
    “Haven’t we all?”
    She pointed at him. “Don’t play the therapist card here. I want to know about you.”
    He gazed at her silently. She didn’t think he was going to answer but then he said, “Fair enough. Barbie Crenshaw. I met her sophomore year of college.”
    “ Barbie? ” Bijou couldn’t hold back her snicker.
    “Short for Barbara.”
    “Shouldn’t that have been a clue? Never date a woman named after a plastic doll.”
    “She was as far from the Barbie archetype as they come.”
    “But she broke your heart?”
    “She was the one who got away.” A faint smile curved his lips.
    She hated Barbie.
    “Who was yours?” he asked.
    “My what?” She batted her lashes as if she were clueless.
    “Don’t play games with me, Bijou. You know what I