I snort at his joke. “Yeah, right. I think I saw Sophia Bush a few minutes ago. She’s the prettiest.”
“She doesn’t hold a candle to you.”
“Oh, quit it, Brodie,” I giggle. “You don’t need to say stuff like that to me.”
Brodie leans down, looking into my eyes. He looks intense. “If that guy you’re with doesn’t wake up every morning and thank the fucking stars you’re with him then he’s an idiot. If he doesn’t tell you how beautiful you are…”
“Brodie, it’s not like that with Gabriel.”
“Oh, yeah? How is it?”
“It’s, uh, it’s complicated.”
“Lex. There’s nothing complicated about it. If you were mine, I’d be proud to have you on my arm at stupid shit like this awards thing. I certainly wouldn’t let you walk around this thing alone, buying your own damn drinks. And I’d thank the heavens I had you in my bed at night.”
I blink back the burn behind my eyes. “That’s so sweet, Brodie.”
“Lex. I’m not sweet. But, I think for you, I could be.”
“Brodie, you don’t even know me.”
“I bet I do. I bet your kind to everyone, you have a million pets, and you let people treat you like shit.”
I lurch back, offended. “I don’t let people treat me badly.”
“You do that guy,” he says using his thumb to point backward.
“It’s complicated.” I do my best to change the subject. “Why are you here at this thing tonight? It doesn’t seem like you’re cup-o-tea.”
“My agent said it’d be good P.R. I’m presenting some asshole with his award tonight.”
“Oh, that’s interesting. So, do you know anyone here tonight?”
“A few people. You?”
“Three people.” I giggle. “One, in particular, I’d like to introduce you to. I think you’ll like her.”
“You’re not setting me up, are you? Because I only want you.”
I feel the burn of another blush creep up to my cheeks. I think that’s all I’ve done tonight is blush. “No. I’m not trying to set you up.” I take his hand in mine and pull him toward the far corner. When I reach Pamela, I yank his arm until he’s next to me. He’s so hesitant I have to yank on his hand to get him to move closer. “Pamela?”
She turns around and smiles, “Well, hello, dear. I’m glad you decided to hang with the fun peeps.”
I giggle at her use of ‘hang with the fun peeps’. “I’d like to introduce you to a friend. Pamela, this is Brodie, Brodie, this is…”
“I know who she is.” He holds his hand out to shake her hand. “Ma’am.”
Ma’am? “You know each other?”
“She owns the Bears.”
I gasp. “Pamela? You own a bear? Where on earth would you keep a bear?”
Pamela throws her head back, and Brodie chuckles in a deep reverberating tone. The ladies around us all titter and giggle too. “Oh, my dear. You’re precious. I own the Bears.”
“More than one?”
More laughter. “I own the football team. The Chicago Bears.”
