Page 71 of Nothing to Tell

The chatter got louder as she got nearer and camera flashes were going crazy.One of the security guards on the internal door side stepped and… Roxie and Zairn.

The red carpet, that had been all but abandoned moments ago, was now swarming with security and paparazzi.They must’ve brought that with them.She’d never get that many cameras by herself.Hmm, well, the client would be happy.

People rushed past her from inside and more security came from… somewhere.Everyone wanted a piece of this and if it was going to be—she hadn’t invited Roxie, hadn’t thought she’d be interested.Her friend knew it was happening but—

“Quite a show.”

Brought around fast, she didn’t expect…

“Bastian?”

“Got a minute?”

A minute?She loosely nodded and took his proffered hand to guide him into a short corridor parallel to the hall.

“What are you doing here?”she asked, touching his tie.

“Who’s this?”Oh, so Michael hadn’t gone home.There he was at the end of the corridor.Scowling.“Huh?”

“This is, uh…” She swallowed to moisten her throat, fingers curling around Bastian’s tie.“This is Bastian Hunt.”

Michael frowned.“Yeah, I know who he is.”

“Then why did you ask?”Bastian said.“Who are you?”

“I’m her date,” Michael said.

Bastian’s eyebrow slid up.“Is that who you think you are?”

“You’ve been MIA most of the night,” she said to Michael.“I figured our date was over.”

“So you called him?”Michael asked.“Damon said you two were history.”

“Not anymore,” Bastian said, his arm strengthening around her waist.

In his petulance, Michael huffed and stormed off.She never had luck with any man who knew Damon before they knew her.Though, in this case, that was a good thing.She’d rather be free for Bastian.Oh, and Michael would take this news directly back to her ex, the storyteller.Saved her the trouble of filling anyone else in.

“You’re dating other men?”Bastian asked, dimple on show as he angled her back to the wall.

Just like that, the numb sickness drained from her body.“Bastian,” she exhaled.

Instinct coiled her arms around him until she was pressed close.After less than a second of hesitation, his embrace wrapped tight around her.

“Did you miss me?”he asked, stroking her hair.

Heart racing, skin clammy, excitement and adrenaline mixed with sorrow and anticipation.Being with him again was overwhelming.She had to look up to check this was real, it was really him.

“I didn’t think I’d see you again.I thought… I thought we were over.”

“So did I,” he said, his dimple deepening.“For about thirty minutes.”

She didn’t get it.“What?”

“I’m good at what I do because I’m relentless.You and I had an agreement.I need company, you need dates, you scratch mine and I’ll scratch yours.Is there any reason for us to go back on that?”

Was it that simple?Maybe.No, it couldn’t be that straightforward.

“But you’re… my family will hound you.They knew who you were before I did…”