Read All Smoke No Fire for Free Online

paused a few seconds. “It’s one of the best songs I’ve ever heard, Dax.”
    He let out his breath. “Coming from you, that’s an incredible compliment.”
    “That’s one thing I’ve never been able to do: write songs. I can tweak the songs I buy, make them mine, but to sit and start writing a whole fresh song…” She shook her head. “That’s your key talent. The rest of it—the stage presence, the audience chatter—that’ll follow.”
    “Yeah, but what if the song I played last night was my only good song?” He had a half-grin, but his brow furrowed, revealing his worry.
    “Smokey, there’s no way I would have asked you along on this trip if I hadn’t heard a dozen of your other songs.”
    He paused for a few seconds, then his brows lifted. “The CD your agent requested?” He tipped his head. “You listened to that?”
    “Of course I did.” She’d wanted to be sure it’d be worth her time meeting him to hear his songs. If she hadn’t heard the level of professionalism he exhibited on his CD, she would never have invited him on stage with her, tested him in front of a packed theater the way she had.
    She dumped the trash in a compactor and took a notebook and pencil out of a drawer. “And they’re all good, so let’s get started.”
    They settled in the seating area and he played all his best songs for her. They picked out four and worked on them together, Marilou picking up the lyrics easily, writing them down so she could practice. They settled on two songs that he’d play on his own at the Bourbon Street bar on Mardi Gras, and two that she’d sing with him, one before and one after his solo set.
    “You can’t believe how nervous this makes me.” He set his guitar in its case.
    “Oh, yes I can.” She brought them each a bottle of soda and stood looking out the window at the world going by. “When I decided to leave the talent agency and start my own career, I had an agent, a manager, a songwriting team, and a band, all thanks to working hard for those eight years for the agency.
    “But the one thing I didn’t have was a mentor, someone to help me with the little things, the split-second decisions that needed to be made. I’d made careers for some big-name singers, but when I asked them for help with my own career, they were too busy.” It’d hurt. A lot. She’d come to know these people as friends as well as business associates, and for them to turn away from her because she would be their competition seemed more than unkind.
    He opened his soda and drank. “Is that why you’re taking on an amateur like me?”
    She couldn’t tell if he was insulted or flattered, but she’d tell him the truth. “I promised myself I’d help someone someday.” She’d tried twice already, first Owen, then Bradley, but both times ended badly, the last time, with Bradley, changing her in ways she’d never imagined could happen to her.
    “I want to be there for a person who has raw talent and drive.” She smiled. “Otherwise known as fire.”
    He stood. “I appreciate the confidence you have in me, but what if I’m just not equipped for this kind of work?”
    “That’s what we’ll find out over the next week. The bar gig will be your test, and we’ll make decisions based on what happens there.” Marilou knew he’d do well. He had everything it took to make it in the business, including a mentor who would stay with him as long as he needed her.
    Which made what she was about to do a damn big risk, but she was a woman first and a mentor second. The woman in her needed what this dark, quiet, sexy man had to offer her. She reached out her hand. “Wanna see something really cool?”
    His grin grew into a huge smile. “Damn right I do.” He took her hand and she led him into the bedroom, shutting them in together. She’d opened the curtain a few inches and weak light filtered into the room.
    “It’s in my bed.” She let a tempting smile curve her lips.
    “Aw, kitten, show me.”