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It’s the trip back to the tables that becomes a problem.
As soon as I step out of the bathroom and into the small hallway attached to it, a voice startles me. Masculine, but slightly high-pitched, almost adolescent. “Excuse me.”
Heart pounding, lungs stuttering, I spin toward the voice.
Before I can respond, the man rushes to continue. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ve just been wanting to talk to you all night, and when I saw you alone... I had to catch you before I lost my chance.”
He doesn’t look threatening. Tall, almost too skinny, wearing too-big jeans held up with a belt and plaid button down with razor-sharp creases on the arms. Glasses, unruly hair, a sheepish grin—he looks more nerdy than menacing.
But. He said he’s been waiting to talk to me all night. That part I don’t like.
Keeping my expression carefully neutral, I ask, “Do you need something?” while also slowly edging toward the end of the hallway.
“Well.” He stares at me, weirdly unblinking. “I had to talk to you. To tell you how beautiful I think you are. But then—” He huffs. “I’m sure guys tell you that all the time.”
“Um.” I take another sidestep, but he shifts, blocking me. I could trigger my earring or yell for help, but that seems excessive. Do I really want to cause a scene right now? When the rest of the evening has been so great?
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” His gaze sweeps over me, lingering on my breasts before moving back to my face. “Everything about you, your body, your hair, your eyes…”
Backing up, I shift to the side, trying to maneuver around him. “That’s nice. But I have to go.”
His eyes narrow, a flicker of anger darkening them. A moment later, they’re wide and pleading. “I just want to ask you out. Go on a date with me. I’ll take you anywhere you like. The best restaurant in the city? Name it.”
My pulse is fluttering, fear starting to claw at me. “I have a boyfriend. But thank you.”
He touches my arm. “Please. Just once.”
As I jerk my arm away from him, another voice growls, “She has a boyfriend. Me. She said no. And don’t touch her.”
The creepy guy jumps back, stiffening at the barely banked rage in Rylan’s voice. “I was just asking her out,” he bleats. “I didn’t hurt her.”
Rylan shoves the creepy guy against the wall and gets in his face, almost snarling at him. “She said no, and you touched her without permission.” He glances back at me and scowls. “And you scared her. None of those things are okay.”
“Is there a problem here?” Finn comes into the hallway, frowning. Leo and Cole are right behind him, and Dante is taking up the rear. Leo reaches for me and tugs me into his side, wrapping his giant arm around me protectively.
“He touched her,” Rylan grits out, his jaw like stone. “And he scared her.”
With five large men taking up most of the hallway, all of them glaring daggers, the creepy guy shrivels. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles, flinching against the wall.
“Get out of here,” Finn snaps. “And don’t come back.”
His expression thunderous, Rylan steps back and growls, “Go,” and the guy nearly sprints out of the hallway.
Leo passes me over to Rylan, who gathers me in his arms. He’s trembling with anger, but he presses a soft kiss to the top of my head and says quietly, “Are you okay, love?”
I’m a little shaken, but all things considered… “I’m okay,” I tell him, wrapping my arms around his waist.
“Are you sure?” Worry bleeds through his words. “He scared you, Charlie. I know he did.”
“A little. But you came.” Turning in his arms, I face the rest of the men. “And you guys. Thank you for coming after me.”
“Of course,” Cole says, still tense, but smiling at me. “We all have your six, Charlie.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
RYLAN
Coming back to my apartment after a workout is a lot better now that Charlie is there to greet me.
