We look at each other in silence. The heat between us is still intense, and our little disagreement just made the air around us even thicker.
I nod at him. “Okay. Well, what about your family? Any siblings?”
“I’ve got an older brother by three years, and he never lets me forget it. My parents are high school sweethearts, and they raised us in the same Old West Montana town they were raised in. My four cousins are my best friends and have been since I was a kid. Plus Jenson, who’s Colton’s best friend, and he’s become family to us, too.”
I exhale. “So you’re close to your parents?”
“Sure.”
His gaze goes dark when he says it, but before I can figure out why, he takes the bill, and without even glancing at it, hands a credit card to the server.
“Thank you for the lunch,” I say as we stand up.
“Thanks for agreeing to come out with me.” His smile is warm and real until we stand up and he glances out the window. “Shit.”
His body stills, and he clasps my wrist to keep me from moving toward the door. “Jasalie. Wait.”
I look up at his face, which is once again filled with tension. His jaw’s clenched, and his eyes have gone flat.
“What’s wrong?”
“Just a bunch of paparazzi. They must have followed us from the hotel and called in backup. I knew they’d find their way here from L.A., but I thought I’d have another day free of this.” He glances down to where his fingers are still circling my wrist, and the heat between us jolts through me.
Our eyes clash, and I widen mine as I unconsciously step into him. His free arm goes around my waist and he brings me closer. “Just stay inside while I go get the car, okay?” he says into my ear. His lips brush my earlobe as he speaks, and a traitorous shiver goes through my body.
Damn it.
I pull back from him quickly. “Um, sure. Let me give you the keys.” I hand them over to him, and he says he’ll pull around to the back exit.
He’s walked about five steps when I change my mind and decide to catch him.
“Hey,” I say as his hand touches the door handle. “How about we get our first photo op out of the way? This will give me a true sense of what I’m in for if we go forward with our weekend deal.”
Dylan’s dark eyes fix on me. “Are you sure that’s what you want? It’s not easy—I’m warning you.”
I don’t see how it could be harder than living on the streets as a teenager. But I don’t say that out loud. “I’m sure. Let’s go for it.”
“Hold onto me.” He puts out his hand, and I hesitate. “You think I’m scary, Jasalie? Trust me when I say I’ll be the least of your problems in about ten seconds. Take my hand, or we go out the back.”
“So bossy,” I grumble, but I do what he says.
He interlaces our fingers together, and squeezes my hand gently. “Here we go. Don’t answer any of their questions, don’t feel the need to smile if they ask for it, and don’t slow down. Okay? We’re just going to walk right by them and go directly to your car.”
I nod, and Dylan opens the door.
And shit, he was right.
I wasn’t prepared for the blinding flash of lights, or the loud calls of, “Dylan! How you doing today? Who’s the lucky lady? Can you stop for a quick picture?”
Dylan steps in front of me, shielding me as much as he can with his body. But the lights have already done their damage, and the white spots dancing in front of my eyes won’t go away. Good thing I’m not claustrophobic because the photographer on my left is really crowding into me.
“Let us through, please.” Dylan’s voice is hard and authoritative. “Thanks, guys. Clear a path.”
“Who’s the lady?!” Several of them call out again. “Tell us who she is, Dylan, and we’ll let you go!”
I stop, tugging on Dylan’s hand. He shifts around to face me and shakes his head at me in clear warning.
But I just want them all to shut up. I put my hand on Dylan’s chest and lean into him with a smile as I say to the paparazzi, “I’m his date. You can put that in your stories. Now leave us alone, please.”
