Page 59 of Nothing to Tell

She took a deep breath.“Okay,” she said, hooking a hand around the back of his neck to pull him down for a cheek kiss.“Will you text me the details for Tuesday?”

“Let me change my tee-shirt and I’ll drive you home.”

The kindness thing came from his mother, had to.Carolyn would be mortified if her son wasn’t a consummate gentleman.

“You don’t have—”

“If we spent the night together, I’d be driving you anywhere you needed to go.We’re keeping up appearances, aren’t we?”

A man with an answer for everything.That quick mind of his might work with others, she wouldn’t let it overwhelm her.Not with something like this.Looking after herself was second nature, something she’d have to reassert.

“I don’t need a driver,” she said.“You don’t have to take time out of your day.”

Why should he inconvenience himself for a charade?

“It’s that or you pick a car.Those are your options.”

Taken aback, wit deserted her.“Pick a car?”

Pride shone from the smile by his dimple, he did like surprising her.“There are a few on the premises,” he said.“I take you home, or you accept one of the cars.”

Independence had its limits.Something she was learning right there.Dumb as it sounded, and she couldn’t really explain why, but the idea of driving Bastian’s car was a thrill, taking a part of him home with her appealed.Was that weird?

“You’d let me drive your car?”

Sometimes, if it was ever desperately needed, she’d drive her father’s car.More often than not, cabs were her primary mode of transport.A car was an expense she didn’t need.She much preferred to reinvest her money into the company.As a one-woman operation, only she was on the hook in success or failure.

Smiling, he stroked her upper arms.“Want to have a look?”

Though she tried to subdue her mischief, she couldn’t play it coy and pouted a little when she asked, “Did your mom say something about a Porsche?”

Lacing his fingers between hers, he guided her knuckles to his lips.“I’ll bring it around for you.”

TWENTY-ONE

“YOU DON’T HAVE to be nervous.There’s nothing to be nervous of.It’s food with Carolyn, a dinner party, no big deal, easy breezy.Don’t psyche yourself out.”

On the phone, her gorgeous friend just couldn’t identify with gnawing anxiety.

“Rox, you’re never nervous.”

“I’m nervous, I… I’m not the best example of how to live your life, honey.Anyone who models themselves on me will end up in hot water.I guess the mantra should really be, ‘what wouldn’t Roxie do?’Though, hmm, there’s not a lot on that list.”Her friend hummed for a pondering second, then snapped back with renewed zeal.“Talk to Bastian.If you really don’t want to go…”

Except she’d agreed already.“I can’t just randomly call him.”

Showering, getting ready, had been autopilot.She’d had momentum and now it was time to leave, the butterflies started.

“He’s your guy,” Roxie said.“That’s what they’re for.You can randomly call him any time.There doesn’t need to be a reason.”

“He’s not… really my guy.”

“He gave you a car.How much more does a guy need to do?”

“It’s on loan.Not permanent.Driving in LA isn’t fun.It’s more stop than start.We don’t need cars.You don’t have a car.”

“I have a fleet of them and a hoard of drivers.I’m happy to send someone over to yours right now if—”

“No.I’ve taken too many liberties already.”