“Are you real?” I ask in an amazed whisper.
“Poppy, get in here.”
“You’re grumpy. So maybe you are real. Dream Ronan Masters would probably be sweet and kiss me.”
“Poppy, get in here so I can kiss you.” Ronan reaches over and grabs me by the waist.
“Eeep,” I say as he pulls me to him until we’re facing each other in the elevator without even an inch between us.
He swoops down for a long, drawn-out, drugging kiss. Electricity shoots across my nerve endings, and I melt into him. Damn, I missed his strong arms and chest and, oh God, those lips.
When the kiss finally ends, I blink, trying to come out of the fog.
What was it I needed to ask him?
“What are you doing here? In the elevator?” I narrow my eyes in confusion. “Were you going up? Or down?”
He smiles. “I’m going anywhere you are.”
I’m flummoxed. “I’m going to get Rose. Fifth floor.”
He hits a button. But it’s the emergency stop. I didn’t even know elevators had those anymore.
“Rose isn’t there.” He flashes one of his rare smiles that overtakes his face. It makes me even more flustered.
“Where is she?”
“Back in New York, I imagine.”
“Sadie and my parents told me to come and get her because…?”
“Because I told them to.”
“Why?” I school my features. I’ve just had my heart destroyed. I can’t risk hope.
“Because I wanted to talk to you.”
“Hmm. You could have called.”
“I’m an actor. I’m dramatic.” His mouth curves.
“You’re the least dramatic person I know.”
“And yet, here we are. Maybe you inspire me, Lady in Red.”
I look down at myself and remember I’m wearing a red shirt with a snowman on it. It’s two days before Christmas, after all. But his comment reminds me of the dress. And the ball. And everything that happened after.
“What’d you want to tell me?” I ask, breathless.
His brow lifts. “I hired a public relations company to help us with our PR problem.”
“Ourproblem?”
“Well, they didn’t just trash me. They did the same to you.”
I shrug. “It’s fine. I live in a small town where everyone knows everyone. It was big news for a week, and then people moved on to who stole the Rudolph sign from Mrs. Kim’s yard.”
“The PR company gave me a choice between two strategies.” He turns us until my back is against the mirrored panels of the elevator.
