Her hands twist together, fidgeting, and for once I can’t tell what she’s thinking. “You have security?”
I feel my expression go slack with surprise. I wasn’t expecting that question and I should have. After yesterday, her safety from the paparazzi will be at the front of her mind. “I do. The best. Any photographer would have to be a ninja to even get into my building, much less my apartment.”
“Okay,” She says. “I’ll stay with you then. I don’t think I’m up for another surprise photographer outside my door.” Before I can continue, she adds, “Even if security weren’t an issue, you don’t have to get me a hotel room. I can pay for it.”
“This is all on me, Dani. I’m the one that got you into this mess. I’m the one that invited you to New York. Please let me take care of everything.”
“But—”
“And before you say anything,” I interrupt, not wanting to cut her off but wanting to make my point, “I’m not trying to buy you off.”
Her face sobers quickly. “I didn’t think that.”
Relief shoots through me. “I’m glad. It’s just that…most people would think that.” Something about Dani makes me not want to hide. I feel like I can be honest for the first time in forever, and the feeling is addictive. “I haven’t been CEO for that long. My father passed away about a year ago and…I never really wanted this. But now I’m here and I have more money than I would ever know what to do with. I would love for this to be my treat. Everything.”
She nods, her eyes never leaving my face. “I’m really sorry about your dad.”
“Thanks.” The ache that always accompanies thoughts of him fills my chest—a complex knot of emotions that I’ve barely even started to sift through in the last year. But now isn’t the right time to think about that. It may never be the right time. “Speaking of security,” I say, “I want to ask you something.”
There’s a little bit left of the croissant from her breakfast and she takes a bite. “Shoot.”
“I’d like to—” I clear my throat. “I’d like you to have a body guard while you’re here.”
She freezes. “Really? Why?”
“Because of yesterday,” I say simply, “and because by agreeing to come with me to New York we’re going to make the story last longer.”
“I honestly didn’t even think of that.” She shakes her head a little, like she’s clearing it. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come.”
I reach across the table and take her hand. “Please don’t have second thoughts. I wanted you to come. I wasn’t lying when I said I couldn’t stop thinking about you. At the same time, I don’t want you to feel unsafe while you’re with me.” She’s staring at our connected hands. “This guy wouldn’t be hovering over your shoulder. He’d keep his distance. But having him there would stop things from getting out of hand like they did yesterday.”
Dani looks out the window again, chewing on her lip. I feel my dick stir because seeing her bite her lip makes me think about the other reasons I could give her to bite her lip. Damn it. I haven’t been this out of control of my body since I was a teenager. This woman’s driving my body straight up the wall, and I can’t say that I dislike it.
“I won’t lie,” she says. “It feels a little weird. People like me don’t get security.”
“People like you.”
Her smile is a little sheepish. “Normal people. Not rich and famous. People who don’t have their own plane.”
She’s got a point; I’ll give her that. Except for the first part. “It’s a company jet,” I say, brushing it off, “But are you okay with the security?”
“Yeah,” she says, “I am. Though I’d like to meet the guy so I know which one of the people following me is the good one.”
“Of course.” I take out my phone, quickly texting my head of security what I need and to have the guy meet us at the airport. Once that’s done I steal another look at Dani. I can’t get enough of just looking at her, and she catches me. “What?”
“Nothing,” I say. “Just looking.” She blushes, and it makes me want to touch her skin. The plane is beginning its descent and I know I don’t have much time. time to make a move. “Or maybe a little more.”
Glancing behind me to make sure the flight attendant is occupied, I switch seats, sitting next to Dani. I feel her body come alert beside me, and god, just the thought of her reacting to my closeness makes my dick so hard it aches. Sitting in a meeting for the rest of the day while I could be with Dani—preferably naked somewhere—makes me cringe. It’s going to be a long day.