“I won’t be dancing.” She wasn’t about to tell him why.
“Might be for the best anyway.”
His cryptic comment made perfect sense to her. Being held in his arms was dangerous. They’d learned that earlier, when he’d shown her how to get away if someone grabbed her. It was the reason he’d taken a shower. A cold one.
Sophie smiled. At least she wasn’t alone in her sexual frustration. She wasn’t used to denying herself. She wasn’t a diva who threw her weight around to get what she wanted, but when it came to men, she’d always been open and honest about what she wanted and what she didn’t.
And she wanted Stone.
Badly.
This denying-their-attraction was bullshit. But he’d made it clear. She was a job.
“We’re here.” He switched the car off. “Wait ’til I come around and get you.”
Sophie didn’t get a chance to agree or disagree. He was out of the car, striding around the front in less time than it took to blink.
Instead of stepping back and offering a hand to help her out, he opened the door and moved into the gap, putting his face right in hers. “Rules.”
“Rules?”
“What are they? If you can’t tell me, we’re not going in.”
“Um, don’t leave you.”
“More than arm’s length is too far. If I have to lean over, or worse, take a step, we’re out of here. Don’t take a drink from anyone but me and no dancing unless I’m your partner.”
Sophie nodded. “Okay.”
“I mean it, Soph, those are not negotiable.”
She didn’t need him to tell her that. It was written all over his face, in his stance. He vibrated with tension, and while she found it sexy as hell that he was all mucho-alpha, she knew he was only being that way to keep her safe.
And just like that, hormones took a backseat to fear.
Glancing around, she searched for the eyes that had haunted her sleep.
Stone’s hand gripped her chin and turned her back so she had no choice but to focus on him.
“He won’t get to you through me. Trust me. Letting him get his hands on you is the last thing I’m going to do.”
“Because it’s your job.”
His gaze probed hers. “Itismy job.”
Sophie sucked in a breath. “But that’s not all…”
“No. That’s not the only reason he’s not getting his hands on you.”
He didn’t say anything else, just stared at her as though trying to telegraph some kind of message. She wanted to ask him to elaborate. But she bit her lip to keep the questions burning her tongue from spilling out. Now wasn’t the time.
After what seemed like forever, Stone took a deep breath. “C’mon, before I change my mind and take you back.” He tangled his fingers through hers and helped her step out of the SUV.
Slinging an arm around her, Stone swiftly ushered her across the car park to the front door. As soon as they stepped inside, the mix of loud music, voices and the scent of alcohol hit Sophie like a solid wall. The noise, the heat, the excitement, all slammed into her with the same intensity as one of her live shows.
She grinned. She needed this. Needed to get out, be one of the crowd, feel the music thrum through her.
It had been ages since her last show. She missed it. She loved working on her songs, loved laying them down in the studio, getting them just right, but it was singing in front of a live audience that Sophie really lived for. And while she wasn’t on stage tonight, wouldn’t be preforming for this clearly up-for-a-good-time crowd, just being one of them would help relieve some of her tension.
