It was home. At least...it was home for now.
He gave me a warm smile, and grabbed my hand as the door dinged open. A saleswoman looked at him and he told her he’d pay double for everything. She nodded. A second later, the two of us were shooting down to the basement, then racing out to the back alley.
The second we opened the door, I knew that my moment of hesitation had cost us.
The beginnings of a crowd were already starting to gather. Pedestrians and paparazzi alike were clustered in a swarm, and a dozen flashbulbs lit up the sky the second we stepped out onto the pavement.
But this time, we weren’t alone. This time, Nick had called in reinforcements.
As we darted toward the waiting town car, a deep voice boomed out in the air.
“You touch that camera again—I break your arm.”
I looked up just in time to see a huge br
oad-shouldered man step in between me and a paparazzi. It was like hiding beneath a boulder from the sun. The blinding light disappeared, the panic that came with it subsided, and for the first time all morning, I felt like I could breathe.
“Max,” I gasped, staring up at him in sweet relief, “you’re a life-saver.”
The handsome Italian gave my shoulder a little squeeze, before turning back to the crowd—transforming before my very eyes from knight in shining armor, to that dangerous line you don’t want to cross.
Having been in the situation so many times before, Nick mostly ignored the efforts of his faithful bodyguard. He merely clapped him on the shoulder as he rushed past, then yanked open the door and helped me slide into the car.
The second he was inside too, we took off down the alley—moving slowly at first, then much faster as Max literally body-slammed people out of our way.
My eyes widened in wonder as I stared out the window. The faces of a dozen ravenous people screamed back at me. Straining for a peek. Fighting for even a glimpse at the inside.
But just a moment later, we were gone. Back on the streets of New York—gliding away from the frantic scene as if it had never even happened.
...except it did.
I turned away from the window, only to see Nick watching me very closely from the other side of the car. He seemed determined to give me space, and whether he wanted to laugh, lecture, or hit me upside the head for how I’d handled things—I would never know.
All he did was smile. A calm, poker-faced smile.
I, on the other hand, wasn’t able to brush things off so easily. My face flushed bright red as I gazed down at my white cocktail dress. My stolen cocktail dress. Technically, Nick hadn’t paid for it yet. Not only had I literally melted down the second Nick flashed me that ring, not only had I left my purse containing all personal items and credit cards behind, but I had just stolen a dress from Barneys.
...not even mid-day, and I’m already a felon.
The car bumped and jostled down the road with no particular destination. When we’d slipped inside, Nick had simply told the man to drive.
For a while, we both stared out the windows.
Keeping perfectly silent. Carefully avoiding eye contact.
Then, when I felt like I could manage it, I smoothed down my hair, cleared my throat—in a vague attempt at professionalism—and turned to look at Nick.
“So, uh...good thing nobody panicked.”
His eyes twinkled, and he pursed his lips to restrain a smile.
“Good thing nobody panicked.”
Chapter 10
AFTER CIRCLING THE city a few times (giving my flushing face a chance to cool down, and giving Nick a chance to call up Barneys and pay for my dress over the phone), the town car pulled up in front of Nick’s building. A crowd was gathered in front of it, like usual, and an automatic knot tightened in the pit of my stomach.
“I really don’t know how you do it,” I said quietly. Nick looked over in surprise, as I gazed dismally out the window. “I really don’t.”