“The whole world knows Ezra has a giant sweet tooth. Heck, he’s been given more than one giant chocolate crown.”
“I believe it.” I set the coffee tray with the extra cup on one of the end tables in the suite’s living room. It was super easy to want to do nice things for Ezra. No wonder everyone wanted to gift him crowns and capes, and everyone wanted a piece of him, from fans to fellow musicians to friends and family. But I’d had the rare privilege to see how that exhausted him sometimes and what he looked like truly relaxed. The world might offer him diamonds, but I could offer a piece of pie and quiet. It would be easy to get a complex about my meager offerings, yet all I felt was proud. And lucky.
“I was thinking…” I tried to sound spur-of-the-moment as I launched part two of my plan. “You want to go for an early run before your media appearances?”
“Hell yes.” Ezra reacted exactly like I’d hoped. “Gotta burn off the incoming sugar high.” After taking a sip of the coffee, he patted his non-existent belly. “Kate, tell me there’s room in the schedule for us to run?”
“Us? Oh no, sweetie, you know I don’t run.” Kate held up her phone. I’d been counting on her reaction too. “I’m way better with spreadsheets than a treadmill.”
“And we love you for it.” Ezra gave her a one-armed hug. “I’ll be safe with Duncan. You stay here.”
“Okay.” She clicked around on her phone. “Looks like the schedule allows a short run. Are you using the hotel gym?”
“Can we run outdoors?” Ezra made puppy dog eyes at me. “Please. It’s not that hot outside yet. Kate woke me ungodly early again.”
“Paparazzi is more a concern than the weather.” I hated having to be reasonable.
“Oh, just tell Ezra to keep his shirt on.” Kate waved a hand vaguely at the two of us. “Some pictures of you guys running wouldn’t be the worst publicity.”
“True.” Ezra nodded enthusiastically. “Me all healthy and exercising is the wholesome content the internet needs, and that’s if anyone even takes notice of us. There’s usually enough people on the lakefront path that we’ll blend in.”
“No pictures.” I hated how Ezra’s face fell, so I added, “We’ll go out the back way, and you can wear a hat and sunglasses.”
“Ooh! A disguise. I love it.” Ezra gushed like keeping him safe was a big game, but whatever it took to get him to listen to me.
“Awesome idea.” Kate produced a cap for Ezra from her bottomless tote, and we were on our way shortly after, alone exactly as I’d planned. Earlier, I’d scouted a back elevator and received permission to use the service exit located off a long, empty basement corridor.
“Hey. Hold up.” Ezra stopped like he needed to tie his sneaker, but his cheeky grin made me wary.
“What?”
“This.” Sure enough, he pulled me behind a rack of linens for a blistering kiss that made my weak knees and racing heart feel like we’d already completed a 10k. I clung to him, trying to keep enough of my head to listen for the sound of people approaching but not summoning enough restraint to stop his onslaught until he snaked a hand up the back of my lightweight running shirt. The contrast between the slippery fabric and his warm hand made me shudder.
“We can’t be making out in public.” I made at least a token effort at resistance but immediately ruined it by tilting my neck so Ezra had better access to nuzzle it. He gave me a leisurely lick, then released me with a low laugh.
“That was just a friendly kiss hello.” Straightening his borrowed hat, he gave me a wink over the rim of his sunglasses.
“I do like being friendly.” Brain all kiss-muddled, I followed him out of the hiding spot and led us both to the nearby lakeshore path popular with joggers, walkers, and plenty of meandering tourists.
“See?” Ezra smirked at me as we started an easy warm-up. “We’re two buds, out for a run. Nothing suspicious about that. Plenty of celebrities work out with their bodyguards.”
“I know.” I snort-laughed. “I’ve been dragged to hot yoga, Pilates, and Zumba classes by various clients.”
“Should I be jealous?”
“Never.” I shook my head because the notion of Ezra being jealous of anything was rather comical. “Speaking of jealousy…” My side cramped as soon as I broached the topic, making me rethink speaking my mind. “Never mind. It’s stupid.”
I sped up to get away from the conversation, but Ezra stubbornly slowed down, which forced me to jog back to him.
“Nothing you say is ever stupid. Tell me.” He adopted a patient but stern tone, and weirdly, I liked him lecturing me, especially when he added, “Or I’ll have to kiss it out of you.”