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“Yes, ma’am.” Jade saluted her.
Tawny rolled her eyes. “Get back there. No attitude.” Then she rushed off, presumably looking for the rest of the band.
“No attitude? It’s like she doesn’t even know me.” Jade sighed but winked at Ryker and extended her elbow to him. “Shall we?”
“Uh, no. Not like that, we shan’t,” he said.
He extended his own elbow to her.
“Fine, if you insist.”
She tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and squeezed his bicep. He subconsciously flexed it, and she could feel the strength hidden under that sleeve. She loved it and squeezed again for good measure.
Ryker escorted her to the back entrance of the room housing the meet and greet. She would wait for the rest of the band, and they would all go in together.
A glance around the corner showed her that the room was set up with a photo backdrop and some miscellaneous chairs for the band when they needed a short break. The line of fans wound out a door on the other side of the room and around the corner — close to 200 VIP members waited to meet the musicians.
Several members of venue security stood by to control the crowd.
Since Lovely Oblivion’s VIP packages already included autographed merchandise, the band wouldn’t be signing autographs, just taking photos and briefly talking to the fans. That would make the process go faster, but it would still take a while.
Ryker waited beside her. Jade wrapped her hands around Ryker’s arm and leaned her head against his shoulder while they stood waiting. She enjoyed being close to him. The man smelled delicious.
He stood poised, like a guard on duty ready to spring into action, which she supposed he was. She wanted to make that tension melt from his body and feel him relax around her. He would probably make her wait until they caught the stalker, though.
Jade sighed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Patience isn’t one of my virtues,” she said.
“It shouldn’t be much longer. Bex and Maggie are over there. The others should be close behind.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about, Mr. Blue Eyes.”
“Oh? Enlighten me then.”
She watched as the rest of the band met up at the end of the hall and started walking her way.
She spoke quietly. “I know your persona. You’re honorable and always do the right thing. You follow policies and procedures, especially if you’re the one who wrote them. You’ll make me wait until this is over before I meet the real you — the guy who isn’t ‘on duty.’ This could take a while, and patience is not something I’m known for.”
She snuggled her face closer against his shoulder, breathed in his cologne, and hugged his arm.
She continued softly, “But... Well, you intrigue me. I want to wait for you — the real, unfiltered you. Don’t make me wait forever. ‘Kay, Ryker?”
His posture didn’t change, but his voice softened and he quietly answered, “You have my word, sweetness. Soon as this is over, I’m game.”
Sweetness. No one had ever called her that before. It gave her an unexpectedly warm-and-fuzzy feeling. He wasn’t talking down at her or making fun of her; he seemed to mean it.
She squeezed his arm in acknowledgment, then let go and moved to join the band.
She hoped they caught the stalker soon because the longer that guy kept her from meeting the real Ryker, the more pissed off she was going to be.
Chapter 9
Jade
“Again,” Ryker barked at her. “Jab, cross.”
