— —
Dean hit the gym, then found a Starbucks and…
He pulled out his phone.Embarrassing fact: I don’t know what kind of coffee to get you from Starbucks.
Skinny hazelnut latte.
He made a face and ordered it along with a black drip coffee for himself.
He wanted them to have the morning alone together, but he knew that was a pipe dream, so when he saw West and Andrew in the lobby, he lifted the coffees in the air. Hiding in plain sight, as she’d said. “Morning. Going to wake up Liana.”
They were on their way out to a diner they always hit when they were in town. Two down.
But he didn’t see anyone else from the tour until he got to her room—and he was glad he’d just knocked politely instead of using the key in his pocket, because when the door swung open, Jackie was on the other side.
He handed Liana her latte and held out his drip coffee to the guitarist. “It’s black, but it’s yours if you want it.”
She shook her head. “I’m good. I’m heading down there myself shortly, I was just giving Liana the heads up.”
“That’s why I told you to come up to my room,” Liana said, drawing out the words as she made deliberate eye contact with him.
Uh oh. “Okay. I’m here.”
“So it seems some industrious fans got to work and Arm Guy has now been identified.”
“They figured out my name?”
“Name, company, that I’m your first client they’re pretty sure, and the fact you have never been married.”
He burst out laughing. “Seriously?”
“There are also photos.”
“Of what?”
“You.” That’s the kind of ominous statement that usually preceded someone being shown embarrassing pictures. A nude photo shoot from way back or a grainy still of a drug deal.
Dean didn’t have anything like that in his past, so he frowned. Unless there were cameras here in the hotel room last night, he didn’t have anything to hide.
She handed him her phone. And sure enough, there he was.
The photos weren’t embarrassing.
Walking behind Liana. Walking in front of her. Carrying her bag into the arena.
Pressing his hand against the small of her back—or at least, that’s what it looked like in the photo.
He was pretty sure he hadn’t actually touched her in that moment. He could feel the brush of her t-shirt whispering against his palm, but he’d held back from actually touching the firm muscles along her spine.
No, they weren’t embarrassing, but they were damn revealing.
So much good that restraint had done him. The way he felt about her was written all over his face.
He slowly lifted his gaze to her face. “Liana…”
She lifted one delicate shoulder, her dark waves tumbling down her back. “I know, right? This changes things.”
“I…”
