“I’m not doing the walk of shame now.”
“Okay then, never been caught in a compromising position?”
“I’m not in one of those either.”
I leaned up and put my lips to his ear. “Do you want to be?”
He leaned back, and that frown became even more pronounced. “Would you be serious?”
“I am very serious.” I waggled my brows. “Just tell me how you want me.”
“Did you not just see what I did? There has to be a reporter from every news outlet standing outside my home.”
“And?”
“Andthey all think you spent the night with me.”
“Ididspend the night with you.” When Shep just stared at me, I let out a sigh and rolled my eyes. “I’m not going to get my coffee, am I?”
“I don’t think it would be very smart.”
“Because you’re worried about the press.”
Shep snorted. “Aren’t you? If your family finds out?—”
“They’d be annoyed but not shocked,” I pointed out, because it was true.
Of all the people I’d been caught in the tabloids with, Shepard O’Neil Winchester the third was a top-tier choice, and my parents would definitely approve—I thought.
However, there were protocols, and they would be disappointed I hadn’t come to them first.
Dieu.I hated being responsible.
“But you’re right. We should probably tell them first.”
I could hear the reluctance in my voice, but it was what it was. The fact remained that we were two public figures and shit like this happened. I just hadn’t been expecting it to happen with Shep—yet. We’d talked about doing it, going public with our relationship, but on our terms, and now here was a bunch of press littering his doorstep. And honestly, if I’d seen him throw himself on top of me, I’d be more than a little curious too.
I reached for Shep’s hand and laced our fingers, then started back toward the elevator. “It’s fine. You’ll just have to deal with Terror Theo today.”
But Shep didn’t move, tugging me back to him with a determined look on his face that had me wondering what the hell it meant.
“No,” he said. “I’m not hiding you or us. We’re not doing that.”
A slow smile curled up the corners of my mouth and I moved back toward him. “Oh, we’re not, huh?”
He shook his head. “No. Hope you’re good with that.”
Was he kidding? Anyone would be fucking thrilled to show off Shep as the man in their life, and somehow that lucky bastard was me.
I’d apologize to my parents later. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission, wasn’t that the saying?
“You better be sure,” I said, stepping in so close our bodies touched, something that still sent electric shocks through me.“Because once it’s out there, no take-backs. No trade-ins for a newer model. Or one less chaotic.”
He grinned, and that white smile was mesmerizing. “Theo.”
Putain. The way he said my name should be illegal in both our countries. It was so sexy and so possessive that it was all he had to say for me to know there was no turning back now—for either of us.
He brought our joined hands up between us, pressed a kiss to my knuckles, and winked. “Let’s give them something to talk about.” Then he looked up at the doorman. “I’ll get it, Bill.”
