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“I don’t want you to leave.” I step back, away from his quelling index finger, tilting my chin in opposition, but he only chuckles as he looks at the carpet and shakes his head.
“Oh, Sunshine…” He lifts his eyes to mine. “I am just a man, and sticking around to witness your undoubtedly perfect body as you embark on lingerie shopping might just kill me.”
He grins lopsidedly, making me smile, before he reaches between us to pinch a ruffle between his thumb and index finger. “This dress is perfect for an upcoming event that we’ll be attending.”
Dropping the ruffle, he presses a kiss to my forehead before taking a step back. “I have the perfect accessory in mind. I’ll make a call while I wait.”
* * *
ALEX
“Thank you for waiting.”
I turn at the sound of Reyna’s voice as she exits the fitting rooms. She’s flushed, and her hair is all over the place – and I’ve never seen anything as beautiful in my life.
Even as I tell myself to stop it, I step closer, running my hands through her silky locks, taming them once more as she chortles in self-deprecation. “Sorry, guess I should’ve taken a second to fix myself.”
I tuck her hair behind her ears with a smile. “You look perfect.”
I slide my hand down to grasp hers, the move coming to me as easily as breathing, and I tug her toward the front door. “Come on, let’s grab a bite before going back to the penthouse.”
We step out onto the sidewalk, eyes fixed on one another and totally unaware of the ambush awaiting us.
One flash after another after another until we’re almost blinded. Paparazzi hit us from all angles, and a small cry of fear bursts from Reyna as she steps closer to me.
I loop my arms around her, cursing myself for not already having security in place. Clearly, I wasn’t thinking with my brain.
I try my best to shield her from the onslaught as media hounds bark question after question at both of us.
“Who’s the mystery woman, Alex?”
“How long have you been dating?”
“Are the sex tape rumors true?”
“Are you with him for his money?”
Rey turns wide, frightened eyes up toward me, and I’m filled with the need to protect her. To make her safe once more as I attempt to edge us out of the fray.
“Get out of the way, you damn vultures.”
Relief fills my chest cavity when I catch sight of a man cutting through the crowd, wearing a familiar black Stetson that makes an already tall man even more imposing.
Vaughn’s head of security, Ford Holloway, strides through the crowd easily when most of the paps catch sight of his trademark scowl. “Get on with y’all. Shoo!”
Despite his recent years of living in New York, his Texan drawl is still thick upon occasion.
He reaches us in no time, his face splitting in a grin when he catches sight of Rey snug against my chest. His snort is barely audible, but I can see the knowing look in his eyes.
“Come on, you two lovebirds. Vaughn’s around the corner.” He glances around us at the somewhat dispersed, still snapping paps. “He got a tip that news of your…statushad gotten out.”
His gaze shifts to Reyna, and he shoots her a reassuring wink before grimacing at a pap who’s gotten too close, barking menacingly, “I said get gone!”
Ford leads the way through the gathered media right to the edge of the sidewalk, where there’s a waiting black SUV with blacked-out windows.
He opens the rear passenger door, and I help Rey inside as Ford rounds the car to hop into the driver’s seat. Once I’ve slid in, I’ve barely closed the door before he zips out into traffic.
“Well, well, well.” Vaughn twists his head around the passenger seat, smirking openly. “If it isn’t Goldi-co—”
