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Time to get this over with.

I grabbed my purse and slung it over my shoulder. Then I stepped out into the hallway and closed the door.

“I’m glad I have you alone for a minute,” Adrian said from behind me as I bolted the lock. “I actually wanted to talk to you before we went down.”

“Okay.” I turned to him.

My eyelid was having a seizure. I squeezed it shut and stood there looking up at him with one eye. I was positive I looked insane. My face was bright red and I had to cross my arms and tuck my hands into my armpits to keep them from visibly shaking.

But he smiled at me anyway. “I heard some of Kristen’s phone call with you earlier. I know you just broke up with someone and this date’s a little jarring for you.”

Oh God. I shook my head. “It’s not—”

He put up a hand. “It’s fine.” He gave me a smile. “I’m only in town for a few days and I’m just grateful for the opportunity to have dinner in Los Angeles with a beautiful California woman—even if she is unavailable. I just wanted to let you know that this is a zero-expectation situation. I’ve already been told that if I even so much as shake your hand tonight without your express consent, I’ll be punched in the forehead.”

I snorted, my face going soft, and I tucked my hair behind my ear. “Josh is really protective of me.”

“It wasn’t Josh.” He gave me an arched eyebrow. “So does Kristen hit hard, or…”

He actually managed to draw a laugh from me.

Adrian dipped his head to look me in the eye. “Look, let’s just have a good time,” he said. “Let me buy you some drinks and see if I can’t make you have some fun. Deal?”

He waited patiently for my reply. I relaxed a little. Taking the pressure off this date was at least something. My eyelid took mercy on me and relented and I gave him a weak smile. “Okay.”

He nodded toward the stairs. “Ladies first.”

We started walking. “You know, I have to be honest,” he said, holding the door to the stairwell for me. “Your pictures don’t do you justice.”

I scoffed. “Let me guess, Coachella?”

“Uh, no, actually.” He jogged down the steps behind me. “Headgear?”

I pushed the door to the sidewalk open, laughing.

Kristen and Josh were parked a few feet away. Adrian ran ahead and opened my car door for me. He put a hand to my back as I got in. I didn’t like it. I didn’t like any man touching me who wasn’t Jason.

Jason would never touch me again.

It was like I could feel him in the air now that he was here in California. He was all around me, like the sun on my face. It actually made me peer out the window, looking for him.

I let out a long breath, trying to release him from my mind.

It didn’t work.