Free The Monster of Fame (The Price of Fame Series) by Aimée Duffy Page B

whole face lit up made him look like a different man. He looked years younger and his emerald eyes held a sparkle that she never knew they could.
    She froze for a second at the computer before ejecting the CD and headed for the exit.
    “Where are you off to?” Miles asked lightly.
    “I didn’t know you were using the studio today. Sorry, I’ll get out of your way.”
    He frowned at her for a moment and turned to the other three. “Kev, Orson, go set up. Jonny, you can check to see if the version of your song is in the archives. I’ll just be a minute.”
    Miles followed her into the hall and walked her outside. “What’s up?” he asked as they neared the exit.
    “I can’t find a Scottish song. All the songs in the archive don’t suit me. I don’t know a lot of Scottish singers and the choice in there isn’t exactly limitless.”
    Miles laughed at her frustrated rant and she found herself unable to take her eyes off him. Straight, pearly teeth shone between his parted lips and she was distracted by remembering the feel of those lips on hers.
    “Well, how about something older? Have you ever heard I Know Him So Well? ”
    Anna nodded. She loved that song, her gran used to play Barbara’s records around the house. “I never thought of that.” She was getting more excited by the second. It didn’t last long though. “But that’s not on the discs. I checked them all.” There was no way she’d be able to find that song, change it, and rehearse it properly before Saturday. For one, she wasn’t great at remixing music.
    “I know.” They were outside now. The mid-day July sun shone down on them from above and she noticed that there was barely a cloud in the sky. Even the drab, concrete parking lot looked almost pretty on such a nice day.
    Anna inhaled the warm air and turned to Miles. His forehead was creased like he was having an internal debate about something.
    “Thanks. I’ll just have to think of something else.” But even as she said it, she knew that was a lie. Where and how? That wasn’t Miles’s problem though. He had his own acts to watch out for.
    She turned to walk away, but he caught her by the arm and turned her around. A jolt of heat shot up from his touch. “Wait. Can’t Safri get it for you?”
    Anna shrugged. “I’ve not been able to get in touch with her this week.”
    His scowl was filled with rage, but she thought she could see a flicker of guilt in his eyes. Weird. “I’ll help you. I can download the song and we can work on it tonight if you want.”
    “Isn’t that against the rules?” she asked.
    The guilt and anger vanished and a warm smile curved his lips. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”
    Anna couldn’t help herself, she grinned back at him, feeling like a load had been lifted off her shoulders.
    * * * *
    Miles opened the door to his flat, nerves and excitement almost overwhelming him at the thought of spending the evening with Annabelle. Of course, it wasn’t like she was there to see him. She was there because he’d offered to help.
    Her smile lit up her face and he was lost for a moment, gazing into her wide, blue eyes. Her top was the same color and only made them brighter. “Hey,” he managed to choke out before clearing his throat. “Come in.”
    She did and glanced around the hallway with her lips parted. For a moment, he was thrown back to the night he had his mouth on hers, remembering the feel of her soft breasts crushed against his chest and the silky feeling of her dark red curls sliding through his fingers.
    His heart started thrumming out an unsteady rhythm, pumping heated blood around his body. He turned quickly and led her down the hallway.
    He bought the flat a few years ago. The stylish, yet minimal space screamed ‘bachelor pad’. No woman who ever visited would get the impression that he was a family guy from this house and that’s exactly how he liked it—after all, he didn’t deserve a family of his own. Not that he had many women