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“You need me to film the pre-show. I agreed.”
“First of all, I don’tneedyou to film anything. I’m trying to corral you.”
“Many women have tried that tack before, Rylee.” He grinned.
“How many?” She raised her fair eyebrows in challenge.
“Notthatmany.” He didn’t want her thinking he was some social media Lothario. He wasn’t trying to impress her, but he definitely didn’t want to turn her off. He was having too much fun. They ate their next several bites in amiable silence before setting aside the giant burgers and turning their attention to their fries.
Trick raised his hand to flag the waiter. “I’m going to need a beer with this. You?”
“Oh, I’d love a cocktail.”
She’d surprised him again. He’d expected her to stick with water. “Then a cocktail you shall have.”
He ordered a beer, and she ordered a peach Bellini. Trick shelved his many questions until their drinks arrived. Rylee lifted her peach fizzy drink to her lips and sipped. She emitted a delicate hum rather than a ravenous groan this time around, and he honestly didn’t know which sound he preferred.
“One rarely finds a peach Bellini outside of brunch.”
She took another swallow and nodded her agreement. “Don’t I know it. I’m usually working on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I don’t often see my favorite weekend meal. Ah, brunch.” She’d said it so wistfully he had to smile. She lifted a fry and smiled back at him. Her lips were full, the shimmer of gloss still clinging to the edges of her mouth.
“So, let me get this straight. You hate your shoes, drink brunch drinks in the evening, and even though you’re trying not to, you find me disturbingly attractive.”
Her light skin slowly gained color, the pink tinge starting at her collarbone and creeping up her neck. She didn’t falter, volleying back at him with a, “You’re half right. I do find you disturbing.”
He couldn’t help laughing at her quick wit. She appeared pleased with herself as she lifted her burger and took another hearty bite.
“It’s cool that you agreed to donating the money for your views for this event, though,” she conceded a moment later. “I thought I’d have to fight you on that point.”
“What I do isn’t about the money.”
She pursed her lips, her gaze softening. She was curious to know more, but he could feel her holding back. He had the idea that she held back often. In life. With other people. He was curious to know more about that as well. Maybe they’d spend more time together in the coming days and he could pry a few answers out of her.
“I may seem like a prankster who has nothing better to do than wedge my way into the spotlight, but that’s the public’s perception, not reality. You’ve worked with celebrity clients before, I assume?”
“Many.”
“You know there are two sides to us. The public side and the private side.”
“Isn’t that true of everyone? I am wearing shoes I hate.”
“You have a point.”
She polished off the peach Bellini and then dug into her purse for her wallet.
“I’ve got it.” He brandished a black metal credit card. “Don’t argue with me, either.”
She showed empty hands to him. “If you insist. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I should give you my number.” She reached for her cellphone.
His heart galloped. Hell yes, she should. He hadn’t been expecting them to hit it off at this dinner, but there was no doubt they had both enjoyed the company. He looked forward to seeing her again. More of her. Alotmore of her.
“We are in agreement.” He rattled off his phone number and his cellphone chimed a second later. Her incoming text readHi.
She dropped her phone into her purse and stood. “You’re going to need to reach me before you try to set foot in the Texas Cattleman’s Club. Security is on alert to look out for riffraff.”
