Rock Star's Girl (A Hollywood Dating Story #1) - Jennifer Farwell Page 0,2
are.”
“Well, that’s a shame.” The slightest hint of a smirk appeared on his lips. “So what were they, then?”
She ignored his question and picked up her menu. “Are you up for sushi rolls tonight?” she asked, positioning the menu to conceal her face.
“Absolutely,” he said. “Which ones do you feel like?”
“Definitely the salmon roll. I’ve been craving it since the last time I was here.”
“Isn’t salmon an aphrodisiac?” he asked. She lowered her menu to look at him. He raised his eyebrows again.
I was definitely right about tonight being trouble, she thought, suspecting she would have to phrase her answer carefully. “Since when do you even know what that word means?” she teased, hoping to steer the conversation in another direction before it got out of hand, as conversations with Jesse often did.
“I can see you’re impressed.” Emily detected a note of mischief in his voice. “Do you know what other word I know?”
“Can’t even begin to guess, but go ahead, Webster’s.” She did her best to sound disinterested, but she steeled herself for what was coming.
“Pheromones.”
“Sure you do. Use it in a sentence.” She set her menu down on the table.
“Your hair smells amazing. The scent is almost as powerful as pheromones.” A look of triumph spread across his face.
She felt her mouth twitch and coughed to cover up a laugh. “I’d bet my dinner that Cole taught you that one to help you pick up girls.”
Cole Brooklyn was the lead singer of Ashes of Brooklyn and Jesse’s best friend. He was also Jesse’s wingman when it came to hitting on women, as Emily had witnessed on a few occasions.
“Why? I can’t be pretty and smart?” Jesse countered, a little too loudly. A middle-aged woman seated at the table next to them looked over and giggled.
“You said it, not me,” Emily replied, ignoring their audience.
“What?”
She shook her head, but she was smiling. “Have you ever heard the term ‘guitarded’?”
Jesse put a hand over his heart, his face contorted into a pained expression as if she’d wounded him. “You have so much animosity toward musicians, Em. Or is that being directed to all guys in general?”
“Would it make you feel better if it was?” She raised her wine glass to her lips.
He studied her for a moment, then a look of realization settled across his face. “You’re not getting any, are you?”
She was thankful that she hadn’t yet begun swallowing her sip of wine. It gave her time to compose her thoughts and let the drops of liquid slide down her throat without choking on them.
“Getting any what?” Leave it to Jesse to bring this up.
“As if you’re twelve.” His expression reminded Emily of a tiger waiting to pounce. From experience she knew he probably was, since his favorite pastime seemed to be interrogating her about her love life. For some reason she was never prepared with witty answers.
“No really. That’s quite the question, Mr. Cinder. Getting any what?” Her hazel eyes shone with a defiant look that dared him to put what he was thinking into words.
“Affection.” He kept his eyes fixed on her.
“Define affection,” she challenged, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks.
“Hmm. You’re blushing quite madly, Miss Em.”
“I’m not blushing!” she said. “I’m just warm. The candles are throwing heat over here.”
He didn’t even try to conceal his smirk. “Uh-huh. Tea lights are definitely a raging inferno. Let’s see if I can take a guess.”
“Jesse.” She saw that the woman at the next table was watching them again.
“Sounds like this is a touchy subject,” he said. “Three months, then?”
“I’m not answering this.” She folded her arms across her chest and pressed her lips together in a hard line.
He opened his mouth to respond just as their server appeared beside their table. Impeccable timing, Emily thought. Buddy, you just earned yourself a generous tip.
“Welcome to Koi,” their server greeted them. “My name is David. Is this your first time?”
“No, we’re a little more experienced at this table,” Jesse replied, keeping his eyes on Emily. It took everything she had in her to keep from kicking him under the table.
“Ignore this one.” She gave David an apologetic glance. “He’s cute and all, but I’m pretty sure he was raised in a barn.”
David gave them a bewildered smile. “Welcome back to Koi, then, or at least that’s what I think you meant. Can I start you off with something to drink while you look over the menu?”
“Could I get another glass of sauvignon blanc, please?” she asked. The way things