We’ll talk lateralmost fell into the same category asthe next time blood will be shed.
Both were threats. Still, one was much more appealing than the other.
Pushing aside the dangerous, dominant men now suddenly filling my life, I focused on Rhett, who was still holding me like his sanity depended on it. We were pressed as close as two people could be, but I tried to pull him even closer. To offer comfort. Rhett had been the one with the gun pointed at him first. I could have lost him tonight.
“It was the worst feeling in the world when I saw her standing there with that gun on you,” I told him, my voice catching as my throat clogged up. Fuck, was it getting short of air in here, or was I on the verge of a panic attack again? “I didn’t even think before I pulled her attention; I just knew I had to do anything to keep you safe. To keep you all safe.”
He finally lifted his head, eyes rimmed in red and so green they were almost blinding. “If anything happened to you…” he said slowly as his hands moved from my back to slide up my sides until he cupped my face, holding me steady. I couldn’t escape that blinding gaze. Not that I wanted to. “It would have killed us all anyway. The pain… Just, next time remember you might be breathing for more than one person.”
“Rhett,” I gasped.
He kissed me, a swift press of his lips to mine, and I surrendered myself to him. The fuzziness that had been clouding my head since the meet and greet was completely smashed by Rhett. His heat and energy consumed me, and I groaned against his mouth, that desperate kiss destructive to my equilibrium.
When he finally pulled away, hands still gripping my cheeks—gently this time—we were both breathing heavily. “We’re pushing back our arrival into New York one day,” he told me between puffs of air. “We’re going to stop at a hotel about an hour from here that we use quite regularly. It has enough security, and Tom found some rooms for us. All of us need a night to relax and not be on the fucking bus from hell.”
“Will we have a room alone?” I asked him, trying to keep my tone casual. I think I failed epically, as his pupils dilated and the green darkened slightly.
“Very much alone. No roommates, no bus mates. NoJace.”
He wasn’t keeping his voice down, but the shower was still running, so hopefully Jace missed this conversation. Meanwhile, I was wondering if maybe the gun-wielding superfan had done me a huge favor. A night alone with Rhett, hiding from all the stresses of the last few days and the possibility of leaving them in the next few days, was an absolute godsend.
“I can’t wait,” I said, lifting myself to kiss him again. He gave me the lead this time, and the kiss had less of a desperate quality, but it was no less hot.
Rhett groaned against my mouth. “We need to stop now, or we won’t make it to the hotel. I’m not usually into putting on a show…”
“Yep,” I said with a small laugh. “Let’s just be on our best behavior. An hour is barely anything, right?”
“Just sixty minutes,” he said, voice lower as he leaned down closer.
“Three thousand six hundred seconds,” I breathed. I’d been time obsessed when I was younger and had lots of random time facts useful for moments like these.
“And then we have the rest of this night alone, with the bus not departing until nine tomorrow.”
Hours. Hours alone with Rhett, and fuck, I was starting to think this one hour, sixty minutes, or three thousand plus seconds was going to go as slow as a fucking snail.
Distractions entered the bus a minute later, with Florence, Grayson, Tom, and the bus driver all getting on and the door closing behind them. More lights flickered across the space, and it was so blindingly bright that it took me a moment to orient myself. Rhett moved to the side as Flo raced for me. “Thank you,” she cried as she wrapped her arms around me. “Thank you for trying to save my brothers. That was so brave of you.”
“Stupid,” Grayson rumbled, not mincing words. I wasn’t offended though. Ithadbeen stupid with zero plans before action.
Flo turned around and glared at him. “Shut up, ass. Anyone who risks their lives for people I love will always have my gratitude.”
Grayson’s face didn’t soften, even though I knew he cared for Flo too. She wasn’t perturbed though, just wrinkled her nose at him before turning back to me. “Even though we’re getting into the city a day later, we’ll still have all morning before the concert, and I’d like to take you out for a girl’s shopping trip to say thank you.”
I opened my mouth, but she continued before I could say anything.
“Not just as a thank you,” she quickly amended. “It’s been a long time since I had another girl to hang out with, and I think we could both use the retail therapy. My treat.”
It had been a long time since I’d had that too, and even though I’d never take a dime of her money for shopping, the day hanging out together would be more than enough for me. “I’d love that,” I said with every ounce of sincerity I felt.
“You’ll have so much security with you it’d hardly be worth it,” Tom sneered from where he’d sat himself at the table. “Just order your stupid clothes online or through stylists and forget about trying to be normal. You’re a celebrity, babe, you should act like it.”
Florence shot me a small smile. “Ignore him; his bark is worse than his bite.”
All parts of him were the worst, but I didn’t say that to her.
She left then to take her position attached to his side, and Rhett wrapped an arm around my shoulders, once more drawing me close. “We’re about to leave. No food tonight since we’re in a rush, but we can eat at the hotel.” The bus roared to life, the massive engines thrumming below us as the driver got settled in for the drive. “The other buses will be right behind us too with security and staff.”
“Perfect,” I said before his words triggered a thought. “Uh, you know I haven’t really been cleaning or doing my job since we got on the road. Should I maybe be reporting to Dora at the hotel to see what she needs done?” It would kill our vibe for the night, but freeloading wasn’t my intention. Florence’s comment about taking me out for a girls’ lunch was a pretty huge reminder that I had no money and was supposed to be working for Bellerose.
