Page 12 of Wrong For Me

Leo

Iswear, I knew I was going to find Rose sitting there before I even looked up. It was like I could feel the heat of her gaze on me. Like I could sense her, even from across the room.

Which is absolutely ridiculous because she’s a complete stranger. What the hell is happening in my brain to make me think I know this woman?

Sure enough, though, she’s exactly where I expect her to be when I turn my head. What I’m not expecting is the tall, dark-haired, bearded guy sitting across from her at the table. For a brief moment, I feel an intense rush of inexplicable jealousy. Is she on a date?

And why in the hell should I care? I don’t even know this woman, and I decided back at the venue that there’s no point in trying to change that. Even if she isn’t the rich and famous Daltrey Ransome’s daughter, she’s clearly just here on vacation. She’ll probably be going back to wherever she came from in a few days, while I’ll still be here working my ass off to pay for school in the fall.

Which all sounds like a really logical argument in my head. So why the hell can’t I stop looking at her?

“Damn, dude,” Bodhi says next to me, obviously catching sight of her too. “That hot Ransome chick is here! What are the odds?”

“Stop staring,” I mutter, not quite sure if I’m talking to him or myself. But then, before I can force myself to look away, Rose stands up. And starts to walk right to me.

“Holy shit,” Bodhi breathes. “Holy shit, she’s coming over here.”

“Could you chill the fuck out?” I snap. “You sound like a pre-teen girl.”

“That isDaltrey Ransome’sdaughter!”

“I’m aware,” I growl.

Luckily, he’s smart enough to zip his lip when Rose gets close to us, though I half expect him to start squealing and beg her for her dad’s autograph.

“Hey,” she says in that tinkling, musical voice that is somehow so familiar to me after our brief interaction earlier. “It’s Leo, right?”

Rose remembering my name probably shouldn’t fill me with so much smug satisfaction, but it does. It really does.

“Right.” I hold out a hand. “Good to see you again, Rose.”

She beams when I say her name, the smile so cute on her that I feel compelled to squeeze her hand a little tighter.

I must hold on for a few seconds too long, because Bodhi clears his throat next to me. “Hey,” he says, nudging me out of the way to hold out his hand. “Bodhi. We met earlier, too. I’m sure you remember me.” He gave her a cheesy grin. “This face is pretty hard to forget.”

I’m almost jealous all over again when she takes his hand. I’m not sure what bothers me more—that he’s touching her or that he made her laugh with his ridiculous lines.

“Of course I remember.”

“You guys here just for the festival?” Bodhi asks, all calm and casual, as if asking about the plans of the famous Ransome family is a common place thing.

She nods. “We’re in town until Monday.”

Just like I thought. A few days of fun at a rock festival and then she’ll be back to her exciting, rich-girl life. Definitely reason enough for me to stay away.

But when she turns her huge blue eyes back to me, I know I’m not going to. Bad idea or not, I’m not sure I’m capable of walking away from this girl.

“Did you guys get to see any of the bands?”

She’s addressing us both, but I can’t help but notice the way her eyes stay locked on mine. Whatever strange draw I’m feeling towards her, I think it’s safe to say she’s feeling it too.

I very intentionally shift my shoulders a bit, putting Bodhi slightly behind me, clearly staking my claim. I want to be the center of this girl’s attention for as long as she’ll let me.

Either my friend doesn’t get the hint or he’s in the mood to fuck with me, because he answers her question instead of leaving it to me. “We saw a few bands after our shift the first night,” he says. “A few more this afternoon before we started work. It’s been a pretty sweet gig. We were lucky to get the spot.”

“Well from the drinks I had, you guys deserved it.” She gives me a shy little smile. “Most bartenders wouldn’t spend so much time helping a girl figure out her signature drink.”

Hell yes they would,I think.When the girl looks like you.