To her annoyance, she started to flush at his intense scrutiny.
He lifted the dog higher, the material of his shirt bunching at his powerful shoulders. Seeing him with Irina had been painful for the simple fact that they looked like the ultimate couple. Both tall, beautiful people with infectious personalities. “Liar,” he challenged her.
“What do you want me to say, Erik?” The cameraman was standing behind him, filming it all. Up until this time, she and Erik had the sweet factor going for them. Time to dirty it up. She had to do something to stop the audience from voting for her. “That I’m jealous of her? We’re both competing for your attention. What do you think?”
Her attack took him aback and he blinked, the tenseness in his jaw increasing. “I think you don’t have anything to be jealous of.”
She glared at him, willing him to think about what he just said. “Of course I do, you have four women who want to marry you. Four of us. Are you telling me, you’ll send the other three women away and propose to me right now?”
“No, I—"
“That’s what I thought,” she snapped and spun on her heel. “We have to get back out there.”
“Belle,” he said, going after her, exasperation and irritation in his voice.
Channeling her inner diva, she squared her shoulders, and shook her hair back. “I’m done talking about this. Until you can tell me I’m the only one for you, I won’t stop being jealous.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for coming to the pet drive. Belle and Erik’s date is at an end. Can you all give Belle a round of applause?” They dutifully applauded and Darius continued. “And a reminder that Irina will be joining Erik at the registration desk.”
The audience applauded again while Erik held the pug close to his chest. The old guy had been making little snorting sounds the entire time. It would be funny if it wasn’t for the argument he’d had with Belle in the hallway. It had come out of the blue and he wanted to talk to her before she left.
“I’ll walk you out to the car.” Erik laid his hand on her elbow. Darius sent him a sharp look but he merely shrugged. The guy could go fuck himself.
He guided her out the back door. Tim met them and Erik gave the guy the pug before the guy could say anything.
Belle lifted Sampson’s leash. “What about him?”
“I’ll take him.” Mary took the dog, smiling wide. “Thank you, Belle. You two did fantastic and I am voting for you.”
Squeezing Erik’s arm, she winked. “You should pick her. She’s a keeper.”
Waving goodbye, Belle and Erik turned to leave.
“Do you have your phone?” Erik asked, escorting Belle out the back door.
“Yes, I’m not letting it out of my sight.” She raised her purse. From the flash of her smile, she wasn’t upset.
Instead of moving down the street to the town car, he pulled her into a recess in the building’s exterior. “What’s with the outburst?”
“Season 1, winter edition. The season favorite issued the same ultimatum and she was kicked off the next show.”
“There is a method to your madness.” He nodded at the information, happy to get this cleared up. “You haven’t changed your mind.”
“About winning? Come on, Erik. You didn’t think that was real, did you?” She started to laugh; eyes sparked with amusement. “I mean you and me?”
“I don’t know why you think it’s so funny. There are women who want to date me and I’m not talking about the seven on the show.” Damn, he sounded whiny. What the fuck was wrong with him?
“I am well aware of that. You haven’t exactly been discreet.” She propped her hand on her hip, her charm bracelet slipping down. A long, thin scratch marred her skin from one of the animals. She hadn’t complained about it, nor shown she was hurt in any way.
“I never needed to be discreet.” The media loved to attach his name to every woman he smiled at. Yes, he took thousands of selfies with women, but that didn’t mean he knew all of their names. “Don’t believe everything you read.”
“Are you telling me it’s not true?” Her voice was quiet, yet it held an undercurrent of disapproval.
He curled his fingers into his fist, wanting to deny what she claimed. He couldn’t. She’d judged him since day one, simply based on his reputation. It wasn’t fair then, nor was it fair now. He shifted on his feet, the heat in the space increasing. Either that or it was his growing exasperation. “No, I’m not denying anything. I like women and I’ve never been shy about it.”
Lines formed on her forehead and she fiddled with the charm on the bracelet. Her nails were white tipped, fingers long and lean. “Why, exactly, are we having this argument then?”
