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I feel rather than hear him sigh. “Natalie, every word I said was—”
“Matthew!” Damn it, Jordan. Now’s not the time. “We’ve got to go.”
Matthew glares at his manager, anger radiating off his skin. “Will you give me a minute?” he asks me, his eyes still on the man tapping his foot impatiently at the doorway. “Can you wait in the car with Jerry? I need to sort something out here.”
I look nervously between the two men and nod. “Sure, I’ll wait.”
He guides me towards the backstage door, opening it to check that Jerry is where he’s supposed to be. “This won’t take long.”
I swallow. He looks so cross. “OK.”
As the door swings closed behind me, I hear him roar at his manager, “You have some explaining to do! Starting with, why the hell you took my girlfriend’s glasses off her…”
I walk away to where the car is waiting for me, a small, satisfied smile on my face. I don’t want to cause friction between Matthew and the man who runs his career, but the idea that he’s so furious on my behalf warms my heart. And becomes just one more thing about Matthew that I’m getting addicted to.
I settle into the car and wait. In the meantime, I wrap the sound of Matthew yelling the words ‘my girlfriend’ around me like a warm hug.
In the last few hours, the lines between pretend and real have been wiped away. And I’m hoping, now more than ever, that this rom-com I’m currently living ends in a happily ever after.
CHAPTER 13
“Sorry about that.” Matthew slides into the car, the air instantly filling with his masculine scent and warmth. He’s like a magical being; just his presence fills me with comfort.
I look him over. He appears to be no worse for wear. “That’s OK. I hope everything is alright with Jordan?”
His jaw clenches. “I’m not happy with him and he knows it. He won’t treat you like that again, Nat. And I’m sorry it happened in the first place.”
His face is torn, and I take his hand in mine. “It’s really OK.”
“No, it’s not.” His fingers curl around mine, holding them tightly. “No one gets to make you feel ‘less than.’ You don’t need to wear your hair down”—He noticed?—“or not wear your glasses to be seen with me. It makes me sick that he even suggested it, let alone made you go through with it.”
My breath comes out in a rush, his every word ping-ponging around my heart. “I agree. But I don’t want it impacting your career.”
“It won’t.” His jaw hardens further. “But Jordan is on his last chance. That won’t ever happen again.”
I sit back, keeping my hand in his, and sigh. This man is everything I want and more. And he accepts me as I am, a glasses-wearing nerd who prefers sweats to pretty dresses. How is this even possible?
“So, where are we going?”
“I thought we’d go to my place to eat. We can get takeout.” He gives me a long look. “I’m just about done with crowds today. Is that OK with you?”
It’s more than OK. The thought of being out in public again, given the interest people seem to have in our ‘relationship,’ has me on edge. A night in with takeout and Matthew sounds infinitely better.
“It’s fine,” I reply, keeping my tone casual. “As long as I get to pick the food.”
He grins at me, his face lit up like a Christmas tree. “You can pick anything you want.”
Hmmm, is he on the menu?
Wait—where did that thought come from?
I fan my heated face and look away, trying to get my hormones under control. Think about something gross, Nat. Remember that explosive diarrhoea case? Oh yeah, that will do it!
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” Matthew taps my forehead and I startle.
“You don’t want to know,” I mutter.
“Oh, but I do.” His velvety voice has me locking eyes with him, and I lose my battle to control myself. Without thought, I lean in closer, his lips like a magnet to mine. I’m going to kiss him again, I’m going to kiss him again, I’m going to kiss—
