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that swung open to a terrace with stairs on both sides. I suspected those led to a garden of

some sort. I didn’t want to look. Not yet. My mind was still too busy taking in the living area.

To the left were a series of sliding doors. The same for the right. When Deidra said

quarters, did she really mean “quarters”? I couldn’t believe it.

She didn’t respond to my hotel suite comment and just veered left. With an expert flick of

her wrists, the doors parted to reveal a bed so big it could fit three people with space to spare.

Unable to resist, I ran toward the bed and jumped, landing on my back. The luxurious

sheets caressed my skin. Sighing, I almost didn’t want to get up. I flapped my arms and legs,

making bed angels.

“God, did I just die and wake up in heaven?” I asked the elegant molding along the ceiling.

“Should I unpack for you?” Deidra said from somewhere in the bedroom.

I lifted onto my elbows and found her standing by another door. At her feet sat my duffle

bag. It didn’t look like it belonged in this opulence.
I
looked like I didn’t belong. What did I get myself into? I reminded myself not to get used to this because going back to my tiny

apartment would hurt.

“Don’t tell me that’s where the closet is.” I eyed the door.

As if to answer my statement, Deidra twisted the knob and let the door swing inward.

Empty racks and hangers stretched so far in I rolled off the bed just to see where the tunnel

ended.

“I didn’t bring enough clothes for that much space,” I said. My voice reverberated inside

the cavernous closet. “I was hoping for a drawer or a small armoire, not a mall storage unit.”

Deidra giggled. She daintily covered her mouth with one hand and pointed at a set of

drawers across from the bed with another. I sighed in relief and closed the door toward the

abyss. Not planning on opening that section ever again.

Beside the dresser was another set of doors leading out to the terrace. For a second, I

imagined those doors open and the night wind billowing the gauzy curtains. It was too cold in

the season to do that. Oh, why couldn’t I have come here in the summer? I set aside the

useless dream and went on with the tour.

“Where’s the bathroom?”

Regaining her composure, she tilted her head toward the right side sliding doors.

“You’re shitting me!” Okay, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. The pinking of Deidra’s cheeks

and her downward gaze said her manners disapproved of my outburst. I couldn’t find it in me

to care anymore. Coming from a one stoplight town, the fanciest place I’d been too was this

swanky hotel restaurant Larry brought me to when we were still dating. The whole time the

waiter kept staring at my eye patch. I didn’t enjoy myself that night.

I ran across the living room and pulled the doors apart. “This bathroom is bigger than my

apartment!” My voice bounced off the tiles.

I quickly sensed a cream theme accented with pops of color. The whole bathroom was

white down to the claw foot tub except for the light blue towels and array of bath products. I trotted toward the porcelain sink and picked up a tube of toothpaste.

“How’d you know my favorite brand?”

“Miss Yana gave us a list of everything you might need.” Deidra’s voice made me drop the

tube. It clattered into the sink. “If there’s been a mistake, please let me know and I will rectify it immediately.”

Hearing Yana’s name calmed and scared me in intervals. Of course she knew. But their

background check had reached homeland security proportions. All this for me? I came to take

pictures, not leak Area 51 secrets. Well—I tilted my head to the side in imitation of Deidra

and crossed my arms, considering the situation—with the band’s fame? The pictures I’d be

taking would fetch millions. A sleazebag would already be spending the money in his head.

My mother taught me better than that.

“It’s fine.” I picked up the toothpaste and returned it beside the same kind of toothbrush I

used, medium with thin bristles. Alice really did step into Wonderland now.

“I will leave you to get settled then.” Deidra backed out of the bathroom.

Giving the place one last look over, I spotted the standing shower complete with glass

doors. Thank goodness this room didn’t open to the terrace. That would just be weird.

Shaking my head, I stepped back into the living room and pulled the doors closed behind me.

“If there’s anything you need, press one on the intercom and it will connect you to the

administrative office.” Deidra pointed at the telephone on the desk facing the terrace. “If you need an outside line, press zero. But I should tell you all calls are monitored for security

purposes.”

“Of course they are.” Puffing out my cheeks, I exhaled long and hard. Not that I had

anyone in mind I wanted to call. Maybe Silvia, but she might be too busy packing for the

holidays. Plus, who would believe what I had to tell them about this place anyway?

“If you need me, press two. That is the maid service line. Just mention my name and what

you need and I’ll get right to it. Laundry is on Fridays. Just place all your soiled clothing in the hamper and I’ll take care of it.”

“Is there turndown service as well?” I joked.

“Of course,” Deidra replied with all seriousness. “I will return for you before dinner. Please wear something appropriate.”

“Dinner?” My eye widened. “Appropriate?” Besides jeans, I had nothing. I didn’t expect I

had to
dress
for dinner.

“We follow a strict dress code for dinner at Lunar Manor.” Deidra looked at me as if I

should have known this. “Be ready when I return for you.”

I lifted my hand to say something more but the door was already closing behind her. I

flinched at the click. Then I remembered I didn’t have to go to dinner. I had work to do. Yana would be expecting today’s photos.

I reentered the bedroom and glanced at the bed. The imprint my body made was still on

the sheets. Deciding to unpack later, I kneeled in front of my duffle and extracted my laptop

along with the corresponding cables. I headed for the desk in the living room and plugged in.

A small icon on the screen indicated both my laptop and camera were charging. Good. I got

the feeling I’d need full batteries. Wouldn’t want to miss a photo opportunity. Considering

my subject…I rubbed my palms together.

I uploaded the pictures and lost myself in my work. I wanted to get everything done

tonight if I hoped to familiarize myself with the grounds tomorrow. Getting lost half the time wasn’t in the plan. The faster I got the pictures I wanted of the band the sooner I could return to the real world.

“You ready for dinner?”

I jumped in my seat, my heart hammering for a way out of my chest. I twisted to face Luka

and swallowed. He leaned against the opened terrace doors in a navy blue sweater, tattered

jeans, and bare feet. The moonlight caught him just right, tinting his hair silver. In fact, it seemed a mysterious silver aura coated him for the split second it took me to grab my

camera.

Luka snorted. “Are you always going to take my picture every time we see each other?”

I set the camera aside and wondered how long had it been since I started working. I

glanced at the clock on my screen. Three hours. Wow.

“I’ll stop if you stop posing like a freakin’ male model every time I see you,” I said absent-

mindedly. How’d Luka open the doors without me noticing? My brow furrowed. His room

might not be as far away from mine as I’d hoped. I returned my attention to the set of

interview pictures I’d taken. Some of the lighting didn’t look right, washing out the band’s

complexion, so I had to fiddle with the color temperature. Odd since studio lights were

calibrated for the best picture quality.

A shuffle of steps later, Luka grasped the back of my chair and leaned over my shoulder.

His spicy sweet scent wrapped around me along with his body heat. I inhaled, greedy for the

intoxicating smell. I bit down to suppress a shudder.

“Are these the pictures from today?”

I latched on to his question to keep from reaching for his hand and coaxing it to finish the

job it had started in the SUV. “The color is off. The studio lights are making all of you look too pale. Weird since it’s yellow light, which is the most flattering lighting condition. Maybe I got my camera setting wrong.” I rubbed my chin.

Luka snorted again. “Hate to get caught in an unflattering moment. The pictures look fine

to me.”

Insulted, I glanced up at him. Huge mistake. The move brought me an inch away from his

face. At this range I could lick my way along the scruff growing on his jaw. My tongue could

already feel the rough texture of the bristle.

“I…uhm.” I shut my mouth, gathering my thoughts and trying again. “Goes to show what

you know. I need to adjust the coloring so the picture isn’t glaring to the eye. You might not catch it, but I will not send Yana inferior pictures for promotional purposes. I don’t want to start my reputation as a photographer with something subpar. Whatever’s on the internet

stays there to haunt you forever.”

“Don’t I know it.”

Luka glanced down at me. With my face tilted up and his tilted down, our breaths mingled.

Heat spread from the bridge of my nose over to my cheeks. Up close, I noticed the black

diamond specks in the blue of his eyes. God, could he be any sexier?

As if hearing my thoughts, he grinned before standing straight. “Come on, dinner’s about

to start.”

“I’m thinking of skipping. The pasta you fed me is still weighing my stomach down.” I

faced my laptop. “Plus, I have lots of work to do. I want to get these pics to Yana by tonight.”

Luka grasp the back of my chair and twisted it so I faced him. I yelped, gripping the sides

of the chair to keep from falling off. He sat on his hunches, gazing up at me. Then his hands

went to my knees and parted them. Immediately, I pulled them closed. “Hold on there,

mister!”

Chuckling, Luka pushed up. “Dinner is the no excuse event. We always have dinner

together especially if we didn’t see each other during the day.” He wrapped his fingers around my wrist. I hoped he didn’t feel my hammering pulse there. My mind still couldn’t get around

why he’d parted my knees.

In a swift tug, I was on my feet. Blood rushed to my head. I locked my knees to keep from

stumbling toward him. From the disappointment in Luka’s expression, I think he was hoping

I’d collide with him. Ha! Served him right.

“Miss other meals in the day but not dinner.” He tsked, backing away a step. His hand still

shackled me. “Plus, you need to meet the rest of the band formally if you’ll be walking around taking pictures.”

Lifting my other hand to my cocked hip, I exhaled slowly. He had a point. I tapped my

fingers. At some point the photographer needed to meet her subjects. I pulled away from his

hold and he let me go. Now who was disappointed? A part of me wished he hadn’t let go.

Looking down at myself, I said, “I’m not dressed for dinner.”

“And you think I am?” Luka gestured at his clothing. “Don’t always listen to the staff. We

keep things casual here. Just take your lead from me.”

Only now did I notice the dampness of his hair. He had the curls combed away from his

face. Crap. Thoughts of him in the shower with water rivulets streaming down his body set

my panties on fire.

Bad, Dakota!

Then again, to actually get a picture of him in the shower…I stopped myself. Not that kind

of photo shoot.

Shoving all thoughts of Luka away all together, which seemed almost impossible, I turned

my back on him and walked toward the mini foyer.

“Do you even know where the dining room is?” he asked from behind me, the humor in

his tone apparent.

I opened the door and gestured for him to lead the way.

Chapter Twelve

Dinner

So much for following Luka’s lead! We were the only ones in that dining room in jeans. I

curled my fingers into fists to keep from strangling him when I scanned the room. He took

his seat at the head of the table as if he wore a tux. Apparently, dinner at Lunar Manor was

black tie. Dray and Demitri wore sports coats while Yana and Phoenix were in little black

dresses. I hugged myself as if the move could hide how underdressed I felt. I wanted to turn

and run. Screw getting lost on the way back to my room. I could always use the intercom and

call for help.

A butler lifted the folded napkin off Luka’s plate and with a flick of his wrist unfurled it.

He draped the linen over Luka’s lap and bowed. A maid poured wine for everyone seated. Did

all the servants have gray hair regardless of age? How was it possible? They couldn’t all

possibly be related.

The table the servants circled stretched the length of the room, easily seating sixteen

people. A crystal chandelier above provided mood lighting. Everyone seated looked so

ridiculously good they probably comprised the best gene pool in the tri-state area. Freaky.

An abundance of pretty in one room and there I stood camera-lite. Why I left it behind to

charge in my room, I had no clue. Mental note: while at Lunar Manor, never ever leave

camera behind. The scene reminded me of a Norman Rockwell painting…except more punk-y

and gothic with all the black, piercings, and tattoos.

To Luka’s right sat Yana then Demitri and Phoenix. To his left was an empty seat followed