Don't fall for him again.
"Cut the cowboy charm. Where are we going, Wyatt?"
He steps back, that grin still playing on his lips. "You'll see."
I grab my purse and coat. "What am I supposed to tell my family? That I'm sneaking off with the guy I haven't spoken to in years until he ruined Christmas and then kissed me like he owned every memory I ever had of him?"
Horror fills me when I realize what I just said. My cheeks flame with embarrassment.
He savors his win for a moment, then states, "I'm telling them we have business to attend to."
My brows lift. "On New Year's Eve?"
"Sure. We're meeting the head of a corporation in Dallas tomorrow morning. Bright and early," he adds with a wink.
"And I'm just supposed to tell them I'm with you?"
He nods, all wolfish confidence. "Yeah, sugar. Let them know you're with me. You're my agent. Remember?"
My stomach flutters.
Damn him.
He leads me downstairs. We walk into the living room, and my chest tightens like it's caught in a vise.
Jagger's sprawled on the recliner with a beer, watching football. Dad's got his glasses low on his nose, reading something on his tablet. Mom's folding napkins and putting them on the coffee table like it's a competitive sport.
All three look up at once. All three narrow their eyes when they catch sight of me with Wyatt.
I clear my throat. "Hey. Wyatt and I have to head out for the night."
"Ace!" Wilder and Isabella shout.
Ace darts between us and through the other door. Wilder and Isabella are quick on his heels.
Jagger sits up, brows furrowed. "Where the hell are y'all going? It's New Year's Eve. The party starts in a few hours."
Wyatt slides right into the conversation, smooth as whiskey. "Sorry. We have to miss this one. We've got a meeting tomorrow morning in Dallas. There's a new sports drink brand looking for a rider."
He really thought this lie out.
Dad lowers his tablet. "On New Year's Day?"
I nod, too quickly, falling right back into the old way Wyatt and I used to tell tall tales to my family. "Yeah. Apparently they're from Europe. Don't do the whole 'holiday' thing like we do."
"Since when don't Europeans party on New Year's?" Jagger prods suspiciously.
"Like you know anything about European business people," I point out.
He scrunches his face, as if he's trying hard to figure out how anyone would want to meet on New Year's Day.
My stomach flips faster.
Wyatt adds, "They're on a tight marketing timeline and have to find someone. It was the only time that worked in their schedules."
Mom lifts a skeptical brow. "And they want to meet with you two specifically?"
Wyatt flashes that grin that should be illegal. "They're interested in sponsoring a few of Willow's riders and potentially building a training partnership. Willow thought it was best to bring me. It's a big opportunity."
