His stern look - tightened eyes, straight-lined lips, hardened jawline - were more than enough to make me stammer, “Well… no. But…”
“But nothin’, Ri. I got just as much stake in this as you do. Just as much to gain or lose. And nothin’, not even how bad I want you, is gonna get in the way of that.”
For a second I just stood there stunned, unable to combat his words because… damn, what could I really say back? We really were in this together, really did have the same thing to gain or lose. But the most stunning part of all was his mention of wanting me bad. Not because it was new, but because it was still on his mind even after I had given him plenty of reasons to give it a rest.
The chime of the elevator arriving was enough to shake me out of my thoughts as Knox climbed on without even peeking back to see if I was joining. And since the last thing I needed was to be late for purely petty purposes, I followed in his footsteps, standing near the front of the elevator as I watched the doors close right in front of my face.
Without turning around, I knew his eyes were on me, staring beyond the fabric of my dress that fit in all the right places by design. And I could feel as his eyes moved down the back of dress, from my ass to the calves that were at full flex thanks to the six inch stilettos I was balancing on.
Knox loved my legs. In fact, they only came in second place to the ass he was sure to compliment at least three times a day when we were… a thing. But I could remember clear as day the way he’d explore my flexibility, always landing kisses and nibbles along the calves permanently defined by years and years of dancing in heels.
Once again, I found myself getting lost in my thoughts until the elevator chimed to let us know we had made it to our floor. And the second we stepped off, an unfamiliar voice announced, “Ms. Lambert. Mr. Riley. We were just talking about the two of you.”
While I was completely in the dark about who the person was, it was clear Knox knew exactly who he was when he gave the guy a handshake as he replied, “Of course you were, Shep.” Before turning to me to say, “Amerie, this is Martin Shepherd, but we call him Shep. He’s going to be the executive producer for the show.”
I nodded in acknowledgement, extending my hand as I told him, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Shepherd.”
“Shep is fine. And the pleasure is all mine,” he replied with a comforting smile, making me feel at least a little calmer about what was about to take place as he led us towards a conference room already set up for the meeting between the three of us.
“Even he already knew Blaise was out,” I thought to myself as I listened to him go on to say, “So I’m sure you have lots of questions, Ms. Lambert. And I’m going to ensure you get every last one of them answered before we head on over to the house you’ll be staying in during filming.”
“The house?” I asked as I settled into the chair Knox had pulled out for me, giving him a short nod of thanks before returning my attention to Shep who was wearing a full-blown grin, clearly excited about whatever answer he was planning to give.
“Mr. Riley originally purchased the second home planning to use it as a rental property. But instead we had it gutted and redesigned specifically for the show to include a dance studio, state-of-the-art sound system, backyard space for hosting, and it’s perfectly located next door to Mr. Riley. On Choreographer Lane.”
“Oh wow! How... clever,” I replied in an attempt to cover my shock.
I mean, it was one thing to film a show with Knox. But to share a fence with him - to live on his property - was taking things to a whole new level no matter how much it made sense once Shep went on to add, “It’ll certainly make filming a lot easier. Now what other questions do you have?”
“Um… Mr. Riley mentioned I wouldn’t have to do anything out of the ordinary regarding my day-to-day. And that I’d be able to uphold all of the obligations I already had scheduled prior to this commitment.”
“Oh, absolutely. As long as you let us send a camera crew with you,” Shep confirmed with an enthusiastic wink, though it didn’t exactly bring me any extra relief considering my next order of business.
“He also mentioned the concept of presenting us as a duo. But I don’t want that to be confused with some sort of intimate relationship to the viewers,” I attempted to explain in the most professional way possible, knowing the last thing I needed was the outside world trying to create something between Knox and I that simply didn’t exist.
At least, I didn’t want it to exist.
And I was grateful to hear Shep give what seemed to be an honest answer when he said, “As much as that would be a producer’s dream, we will only be able to package and sell whatever you give us. And trust me, the cameras capture everything. So if there is something going on, it’ll be obvious no matter how much we nip and tuck the footage. But it’s definitely not something we will intentionally do. All promos will be designed to present you as two individuals. Because that’s what you are. Right?”
“That’s correct,” Knox answered for the both of us, speaking up for the first time since we had been in the room.
Though it didn’t hold the weight I expected it to when Shep challenged, “Are you sure?”
This time instead of answering, Knox looked at me for confirmation, his expression a mix of teasing and hopeful as I choked out, “Yes! Of course. Absolutely sure.”
Shep shrugged, offering a smirk as he said, “Just thought I’d ask. Now are there any other questions or should we head on over to check out your home away from home for the next month?”
“I… took an Uber here. I’d have to arrange another to meet you there,” I told him as I pulled out my phone, fully prepared to make the request.
But Knox easily managed to steal my attention when he stood up from the table and suggested, “You can just ride with me. It’s not far,” as if us sharing a space was no big deal.
And it shouldn’t have been a big deal considering it would pretty much be the norm moving forward. Still, I couldn’t help but think, “I’d rather not…” as I watched Shep stand up and add, “There’s also a car donated by one of our sponsors at the house for your personal excursions during filming. It has the most-advanced recording system already installed, along with a built-in GPS to make sure we aren’t missing out on any potential must-see moments.”
“That means you can’t be in the car gettin’ freaky, Ri,” Knox added at the same time I decided to join them, standing up from my chair and straightening out my dress as I watched the two of them chuckle at my expense.
While I should’ve been ripping into him for even making such a comment - not to mention Shep for laughing along as if he knew who the hell I was - I could only think about how many times Knox and I had taken advantage of the backseat of random rental cars while on tour. Though now that he had upgraded to some swanky sports car according to his Instagram, it obviously meant he wasn’t interested in car nookie anymore.
There wouldn’t be any car nookie regardless, Amerie.
“Anyway!” I shouted, cutting them off as we headed back down the hall towards the elevators. “I’d like to ride with Shep. If that’s alright of course,” I said, turning his way for confirmation even though it was Knox’s eyes that were pulled tight in response.
And it certainly didn’t help that Shep looked uncomfortable by my request, peeking back and forth between the two of us before piping out an airy, “Absolutely. I’m parked in the garage.”
“Great,” I said with a relieving breath of my own, being sure to avoid Knox’s eyes that remained glued to the side of my face until the elevator chimed, thankfully breaking his gaze.
But the second I stepped on, followed by the two gentlemen, Knox had no problem asking, “Why don’t you want to ride with me? We’re all goin’ to the same place.”
Since looking at him would’ve made it way harder to lie, I avoided his eyes as I casually tossed out, “I… have a few more questions. Things you probably already know about the show. So I figured I’d just ask Shep o
n the ride over.”
It was clear Knox wasn’t very convinced, replying with a simple, “Right.” just as the elevator chimed, letting us know we had made it to the lobby.
“So we’ll meet you over there in fifteen, Mr. Riley,” Shep called after Knox who was already headed towards the front of the building.
But instead of stopping to confirm, Knox tossed a short, “Sure” over his shoulder, continuing towards the revolving doors until he disappeared outside of the glass.
His sudden change in attitude was once again alarming, though I had a pretty strong inclination on why it existed. But I couldn’t figure out why he was so pressed for me to ride with him as if he wasn’t the one to chew me out for making assumptions about his intentions with me in the first place. If nothing was going to get in the way of all it was he had to lose, a little fifteen-minute car ride certainly wasn’t worth the ruffled feathers he was carrying. Still, there was no mistaking the scowl on his face along with his terse responses, completely opposite of the easy-going, flirtatious, always ready to give a mouthful Knox I was used to.
I tried to stop overthinking it all as I followed Shep to the parking garage, though there was hardly any use considering the first thing out of his mouth once we got in his car was, “So, when did you and Mr. Riley meet?”
Truth was, I knew of Knox long before he ever knew me. He was… career goals in every sense, especially once I found out he was only a few years older than me which meant I could easily catch up to his success no matter how different our paths were. In fact, once I heard the story of how he just sort of fell into dance, it almost felt like I had a leg up on him since I had been dancing my whole life, taking classes my whole life, preparing for moments exactly like when I met him for my whole life.
After being passed over for an audition just the week before, I had come into this particular one with a chip on my shoulder, more determined than ever to prove not only that I belonged, but I was there to stay. And while I was definitely expecting to book the gig after the performance I had put on, I wasn’t necessarily expecting to hear it so enthusiastically from someone I… admired, paired with his interest beyond just my dancing.
To this day, I wondered how big of a role Knox’s immediate attraction to me played in my booking. Not that I wasn’t highly qualified, or that I hadn’t done a good job. But considering how much that particular job had played in taking my career to new heights, so many questions lingered in my head as to what would’ve happened if he hadn’t been.
Would I be at the level that I was at now? Have the industry clout that I now carried?
Or would I still be on the come-up, taking instructions from people I knew I could outperform?
Before I could get too lost in the possibilities, I came up with most concise explanation I could muster without sounding too out of the ordinary. “We met at an audition. He was the lead choreographer for a major tour, and booked me as a background dancer on the spot.”
It seemed as if this was really Shep’s first time hearing the story as his head went back in surprise when he asked, “On the spot, huh? You must’ve been pretty impressive.”
“I’d like to think so,” I offered, though my mind naturally went back to my original thoughts of what Knox found most impressive about me.
“Well considering how highly Mr. Riley has spoken of you, I’m hardly surprised.”
“He did?” I asked, doing nothing to hide how much the mention had caught me off-guard.
And I certainly didn’t expect Shep to be so animated when he answered, “Oh yeah. He could hardly stop talking about you when we first approached him with the idea. Said it was mandatory for us to include you on the show since you were the best of the best when it came to the dance world.”
The best of the best when it came to the dance world.
That had to mean he really believed in my talent all along, right?
“That’s very… generous of him,” was all I could respond without sounding too invested.
But that didn’t stop Shep from continuing to gush, “He’s such a great guy. We’re excited to work with you both.”
“Yeah. Me too,” I replied, more to myself than him as I thought about all that was to come.
While Shep got to have an objective view, everything about Knox and I working together was completely subjective, completely influenced by the past we shared. But the good times we had were beginning to blur out the bad ending because Shep was right; Knox was a great guy. He was incredibly talented, a hip-hop dance genius to be more specific. He had worked his way out of what I could assume were humble beginnings, and didn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. And even if I didn’t appreciate the way he had handled us, my respect for his skills had never wavered.
“So! What were those questions you had?” Shep asked, reminding me of why I was in the car with him in the first place. But the longer I thought about it, the sillier it felt since I didn’t really have anything to ask.
“Uh… actually, I can’t even remember now. Maybe they’ll come back to me later on,” I said, turning my attention out of the window hoping that was enough for him to let it go.
And I was pleased that it actually worked enough for Shep to move on when he offered, “Well you have my contact information. I’ll also get you the information for the camera crew you’ll primarily be working with just in case you need to alert them about any changes in your plans. But we’ll need a schedule of activities at least a week in advance to ensure we have clearance to film at every location you plan to be at.”
“Right. I’ll get it to you as soon as possible,” I told him with a nod, making a mental note as I listened to him continue on.
“We’ll also need a list of people you may be interacting with on a regular basis; family members, close friends, anyone who might make recurring appearances.”
“Got it,” I replied with a little chuckle as I thought about Miranda’s interest in being casted as the shit-starter.
In fact, I was just getting ready to pull out my phone to let her know she could start packing her bags for her first appearance as Shep unloaded another round of information. “Before you arrive, the fridge will be stocked with all of the products from brands we have contracts with. Everything else outside of that will either need to be consumed off camera or have the label removed.”
“Fair enough.”
“I think that’s all for now. You ready to check out the space?” Shep asked as we pulled into the driveway of a freshly-landscaped two story home, complete with a mix of browns and brick to give it a warm feel along with an upper-level balcony for a little flair.
It was perfect. So perfect that I had to ask, “That’s where I’ll be staying?”
Shep nodded proudly, putting the car in park as he answered, “Yep. And that’s Mr. Riley’s home to your right.”
I peeked to my right, though I didn’t have to peek very far considering the houses were almost smashed together with just enough space for one person to slip between them. And even then, the person might have to turn sideways.
As I opened the car door to step outside, I muttered, “You weren’t lying about it being right next door…” my eyes now trained on Knox’s home instead of the one I’d be staying in.
I honestly couldn’t decide which one I loved more.
And while I hadn’t realized Shep had even heard me, his explanation made sense when he replied, “I think that’s why Mr. Riley purchased the property to begin with. For the additional privacy since anyone who lives there can pretty much see right through the windows.”
“And vice versa,” I added, as I followed him to the front doors that were immediately opened by Knox who was changed out of his business suit into a new outfit of a t-shirt, sweatpants, and a ball cap; looking as good as usual.
“Welcome home,” he announced with a half-hearted smile, stepping aside to let Shep and I get past him before adding, “Here’s the keys, Shep. Let me know if you see any blemishes that I might
’ve missed on the walkthrough, and I’ll have the contractor come back out to get it taken care of before we begin shootin’ next week.”
“You’re not going to stick around?” I asked as I watched him head out of the door, surprising myself with how desperate I probably sounded.
To be honest, I wasn’t even sure why I wanted him to stick around. Especially once I watched his lip curl into a scowl when he answered, “No need to be unwanted company, Amerie.” Before turning his attention to Shep and adding, “I’ll see y’all later.” Leaving the both of us with a dumbfounded look.
Shep was the first to recover, clearing his throat before insisting, “So! Should we check out the rest of the house?”
And even though my mind was already racing trying to make sense of the vibes Knox was putting out, I did my best to shake it off when I replied, “Let’s do it.”
Knox
It was taking everything in my being not to bother Amerie.
She was finally moving in meaning she was easier than ever to access with a dozen reasonable excuses to go knocking at her door. But no matter how much her stance to hate me seemed to be softening, I knew if I expected us to actually survive the next month without her killing me, it was best for me to give her her space while it was still an option.
I found myself watching through the window of my home office as her and her sister, Miranda, worked together to carry a box of clothes into the house, disappearing inside of the front door as Elijah asked from behind, “So this is your life for the next month? Watching Amerie out the window like a damn Peeping Tom?”
I rolled my eyes as I snapped the blinds closed and told him, “Man, shut up. I was just makin’ sure they were aight.”
“If you were really doing that, you would’ve just went over there and asked like any normal neighbor would. But I guess you can’t consider the one who got away any ol’ neighbor, huh?” he challenged with a teasing smirk, reading right through my initial claims.
An Encore for Love Page 8