Your Endless Love (The Bennett Family 9)
I push myself up, crawling on my seat. I miscalculate the distance to the window and bang my head against it.
“Owwwww.”
“What—”
“I have coordination issues, don’t worry.”
Sitting properly, I massage the sore spot.
“Does it hurt? I’ll pull in somewhere and look at it.”
“It’s not necessary. Are we being followed?”
“No, those were fans, not paparazzi. Paps would have followed us, but fans don’t go to those lengths.”
“Okay. I should have gone and bought the flowers.”
“Don’t know why it didn’t occur to me.”
We drive for all of five minutes until we reach the city limit, and he pulls into what looks like the parking lot of an office building. Since it’s Saturday, it’s deserted.
“This really isn’t necessary,” I mumble, but show him the side I banged. “See? Nothing happened.”
He kisses the spot, cupping my head, and his tenderness reaches to a place deep inside me.
“I’m sorry, Summer,” he whispers softly.
“It’s not your fault you’re so popular you can’t even buy flowers without being mobbed. I told you this cap thing is a lousy disguise.”
Taking it off, I throw it in the back, which is when I notice the bouquets of flowers. Plural.
“Why did you buy two bouquets?”
“One for you. I saw peonies, and you told me you liked them back at the lake.”
“I see you discovered the secret to a woman’s heart.” My voice comes out laced with more emotion than humor. “Buying her flowers for no reason at all.”
“Sweetness... come here.” He kisses my head again, on the spot I banged, then trails his mouth to my temple. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I’ll have my security team around more often until the premieres are over. I thought things would be more relaxed here than in LA. Celebrity culture is insane there. But I’ve let my guard down. I shouldn’t have.”
“It wasn’t so bad.”
He pulls back to face me. “How was that not so bad?”
“Okay, so I admit my idea of a quiet Saturday morning wasn’t hiding from your fans, under our jackets. I... errr, honestly thought Preston was being overcautious with the lists and the protocols. How often do you get mobbed by a hoard of fans? It didn’t happen that night during our walk or at the hotel.”
“We got lucky during the walk. As for the hotel... people are more laid back when they see me around for a longer period of time because the novelty wears off. But this happens often enough that it may become uncomfortable for you.”
His eyes grow sad, which I can’t have. Am I shaken, and maybe a little scared? Yep. Do I fear that all this hiding will overwhelm us? Absolutely. And then there’s the little fact that his promo tour with Amy will start in three weeks, but that’s a can of worms I don’t even want to think about.
He needs me to be strong now. Pressing my mouth to his, I kiss him with all I have, then pull back a notch, looking him straight in the eye.
“I’ll learn to deal with this. I’m tiny. I can hide in small places. I kind of feel like James Bond. And after we don’t have to hide anymore, I’ll strut on your arm everywhere, giving every woman in sight the evil eye. I can’t wait for that part.”
“You’re incredible, you know that?”
“Feel free to remind me whenever you feel like it. I happen to love compliments in any way, shape, and form. But, if we don’t hurry and we arrive late at my parents, there will be no saving your skin, superstar.”
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