Unforgettable by Adrianne Byrd

him.
    What drove her so hard and why was she pushing him away when all he wanted to do was help?
    â€œYou’re zoning out on me again.”
    Nora’s aggravated voice sliced through his thoughts and pulled him back to the present. Inches from the video director, Marcel sat in his own customized chair with his name scrolled across the back and wondered what the hell Nora was complaining about now. “Is there anyway we can talk about your expense reports when we’re back at the office?” he asked.
    She looked put out, but managed to give him a strained smile. “Didn’t you get a chance to go over the numbers I left with Diana a couple of weeks ago?”
    â€œNot yet, but Diana mentioned you had a few questionable requests on it.”
    â€œDoes that mean I have to get her approval or yours?”
    At her sarcastic tone, his gaze jerked up to hers. “I’m not in the mood for this, Nora. Your band here is costing me money. Money I’m not at all sure we’re going to be able to recoup.”
    She sighed. “I know they’re rough around the edges, but they’re rappers. They’re from the streets.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about? Two of them went to Ivy League schools. There’s nothing hard core about that.”
    â€œThen they’re trying to create an image in order to be taken seriously in this genre.”
    He tossed up his hands. “Are you going to have an excuse for everything?”
    Another strained smile. “That depends on whether you’re ever going to cut me some slack.”
    He frowned as he stared at her. “Why are you making this personal? This is business. Your band is out of control. We’ve spent two weeks on a video that was slated for two days. I have a problem with that—a serious problem. The last thing I want to hear is you asking me to spend even more money on them.”
    â€œThey’re stars. You’ve heard their music,” she defended.
    â€œTalent doesn’t impress me as much as bankability. You should know that.”
    Nora conceded his point, but she wasn’t too happy over the whole situation. The Delinquents were her first band signed to the label and she desperately wanted to make them a hit. Their success meant her success and would prove once and for all that she belonged at T&B Entertainment.
    However, working beside one of the hottest men in the business was proving to be quite a distraction. Every woman at the company, whether she admitted it or not, wanted to be the one to tame Casanova Brown. Nora was no exception.
    So far she wasn’t making any headway, but they were going to be in New York for at least another day. She’d managed to snag him for a “business” dinner, and she had every intention of having Marcel for dessert, as well.

Chapter 10
    P arked outside her boss’s sprawling estate, Diana took a few minutes to question her sanity. This wasn’t the first time she’d been to Marcel’s home. Usually when she had to make a pit stop here, someone was here to control the dog.
    Why in the world did she agree to do this when she was terrified of dogs? Then again, Solomon Bassett could sell a blind man a set of Braille-less encyclopedias.
    â€œJust go in there and get it over with,” she coached herself, but made no move for the door. Closing her eyes, she exhaled a long breath. At this rate, both she and the dog would die of starvation.
    â€œBrandy is just a baby,” she said, quoting Solomon. Maybe if she said the lie enough times she’d start to believe it. After ten minutes, she ditched that idea, too.
    She started up the car. Someone else would have todo this. There was just no way she could conquer this fear. Retrieving her cell phone, she dialed Marcel’s cell from memory.
    Marcel answered on the first ring.
    â€œYou’re going have to get someone else to feed your dog. I can’t do it,” she said with more