“Yes. I didn’t trust that he wouldn’t harass you there. You should be able to do your job without worrying people will turn up and talk shit to you. I want you to feel safe there.”
I always had felt safe there. Until recently. Not that I’d thought I was in physical danger but, yeah, certainly at risk of being bugged by dumbass people. Thinking of said dumbasses, I asked, “Did you have anyone else banned?”
“Travis, Hope, Heather, and Owen’s soon-to-be-ex-wife.”
“Why Tiffany?”
“I doubted she’d bother you, but I didn’t want to take the chance.”
“Have any of them tried to enter since you gave their names to security?”
“Only Hope.”
“I’ll bet she was furious when they refused her entrance.” And probably embarrassed as all hell.
“She was. But I’d told her to stay away from the building. If she’d listened, it wouldn’t have happened.”
I tilted my head. “You wouldn’t really try to get Owen fired, would you?”
Dane put his face closer to mine. “You already know the answer to that.” He tugged on my hand. “Come on. You still want to see those red panda things, don’t you?”
“They’re not things.”
“Well they’re not pandas.”
True, actually, but whatever. I was disappointed when we finally reached their enclosure, because only one of them seemed to be outside, and it was so high up a damn tree I could only see part of its head.
I tried zooming in on the panda with my phone to get a better look, but the effort came to nothing. “I’m bummed I can barely see it.”
Dane slid his hand up my back and rested it on the crook of my neck, probably unaware that it sent a pleasant chill dancing along my spine. “Be still.”
“Why?”
“Because you have what looks like a mosquito on your nape.” He moved my ponytail aside and flicked off whatever insect had landed on me. His thumb brushed over the back of my neck, making the skin tingle. “Doesn’t look like it bit you.”
I cleared my throat. “Thanks.” Plastering a blasé smile on my face, I turned to him. “Let’s go find your spirit animals, shall we?”
“My what?”
“The rhinos.”
It turned out that there were quite a few of them. Two were awake and walking around—one of which was a baby, and my heart just melted into a pile of goo. I really had no idea baby rhinos could be so freaking cute.
I leaned against the fence, fascinated by it. Apparently, I watched it a little too long, because Dane eventually curled an arm around my waist and bodily moved me away.
After that, we meandered around the reptile house. I wondered if the snakes might react to the presence of their evil master, but no. We paid a brief visit to the petting zoo before then following the themed animal trails and checking out the interactive exhibits. It took some convincing, but I managed to coax Dane into watching a sea lion show in the outdoor amphitheater. He didn’t seem particularly entertained, but he did enjoy his ice cream.
Later on, as we walked through the gift shop, I swept my gaze around the large space, checking out the plentiful merchandise. I did a double-take when I noticed a magnet with Pallas’ cats on it. I took it from the display and flipped it over to check the price.
Dane sighed. “You want that, don’t you?”
“Who wouldn’t?”
He all but snatched it from my hand with a put-out sound and crossed to the checkout desk. Having paid for the magnet, he shoved it into my hand. “There.”
Not in the least bit bothered by how gruff and rude he was acting, I smiled. “That was kind of you.”
He tossed me a frown. “I’m not kind.”
“But the deed was kind. Come on, your terribly plain fridge is waiting for its new decoration.”
In the parking lot, we headed to his Aston Martin and slid inside. I was so used to Sam chauffeuring us around that it was strange to have Dane drive us places, but I liked it. I didn’t know what it said about me that I found it hot to watch him drive but … it was just the way he looked so focused, at ease, and in complete control. I dug it.
“Thank you for coming with me,” I said as he reversed out of his spot, his arm curved around my headrest.
His eyes met mine. “Maybe I want something.”
I tensed. His ideas of “favors” could be extreme. “Like what?”
“I said maybe.”
“You like keeping me off-balance, don’t you?”
He switched gears and drove forward. “Vienna, I like doing that to everyone.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
I was running late. I rarely ran late. But I hadn’t slept well last night. Partly because it was a strange bed—the hotel’s mattress was divine, but it hadn’t helped me settle—and partly because I’d woken at dumb ‘o’ clock feeling wired. If it was a nightmare that woke me, I didn’t remember it.