“You’re not supposed to,” Julien said. “That’s the point, princesse.”
Robbie licked his lips and looked over his shoulder to where Priest was picking up their coats. “Mission accomplished for both of you, then. I’m going to be absolutely useless to anyone if either of you are in my line of vision.”
“And you don’t think we’re going to be suffering the same fate?” Julien asked. “You’re lucky Priest made me go and get ready earlier, or we’d be seriously running late right now.”
“In that case,” Robbie said with a frown, “I think I’m extremely unlucky.”
Priest smirked. “You’re both insatiable, is what you are.”
Robbie rolled his eyes. “Like you’re not.”
“Yes, but I have self-control, Robert. Something you two sorely lack at times.”
Julien smiled. “Is that a challenge, mon amour?”
“No, it is not,” Priest said, shaking his head. “I’m merely pointing out that I can control myself for the most part.”
“Well, good,” Robbie drawled, and trailed his fingers across Priest’s chest. “Then we have nothing to worry about if I accidently drop my napkin under the table tonight and spend a little too long…finding it.”
As Priest walked ahead of Robbie to the door, he said, “Except your entire family who will be in attendance.”
Robbie’s feet came to a standstill. Damn it. For a minute there he’d forgotten all about them, and then Julien said, “He’s just playing with you, princesse. Now, let’s get moving, d’accord?”
* * *
RED-CARPET EVENTS. THEY were an oddity that Priest would never get used to, and as he watched Julien work his way down the line of reporters and journalists, he realized tonight was no different.
As always, he hung back in the wings, away from prying eyes and inquisitive minds, but close enough to step in if needed, which, luckily, he hadn’t been so far. Usually, he walked the distance on his own, but this evening he had an excited Robbie by his side, and watching him take in the outpouring of love and respect everyone had for Julien was something to behold.
His blue eyes were sparkling with pleasure, and the expression was one that had been so rare over the last week that it was nice to finally see it back in full force.
Priest stepped up alongside their princess. “It’s pretty incredible, isn’t it?”
Robbie looked at him, and if it were possible, his smile grew even brighter. “It really is. I’ve never seen anything like it. They love him.”
“Like you said,” Priest whispered, and kissed Robbie’s temple. “He’s easy to love.”
“And that’s never bothered you before?”
“What’s that?”
“People other than you loving him?”
“I don’t think anyone loves him quite as much as I do, except you. And that doesn’t bother me in the slightest.”
Robbie’s eyes took on a whimsical light that made Priest want to drag him to the ground right there in front of everyone, despite the damn cameras. “No?”
“No. In fact, it pleases me. Knowing that you two have each other.”
That dreamy light that had just been in Robbie’s eyes dimmed somewhat. “What do you mean? We have you too.”
“Of course you do. But it’s nice to know you also have one another.” Priest looked over Robbie’s shoulder as a reporter at one of the step-and-repeats got in close to Julien, making him take a step back.
Priest’s eyes narrowed, and he put his hand on Robbie’s lower back to guide him further up the walkway, keeping an eye on the reporter, who was asking something that had Julien shaking his head.
“You better not mean that in some doom-and-gloom kind of way,” Robbie said. “Because while I get what you’re saying, and we all grow old, nothing else is going to happen. To you or to any of us.”
“I just meant it in general,” Priest said, his attention now firmly fixed on the reporter. “Will you give me a second?”
Robbie nodded, and Priest stepped around him and moved over to where Julien was with the journalist.
When Julien sensed him there and glanced over his shoulder, Priest said, “Is everything okay over here?”
“Everything’s good,” Julien said, and touched the arm of Priest’s coat, but his features were more strained than Priest would’ve expected, considering the amazing turnout for the night. That could only mean the douche with the microphone had said or done something to make Julien feel uncomfortable, and that put the guy firmly on Priest’s radar.
“I was just asking Mr. Thornton if he was sharing the night with anyone special. Family? Friends?” The reporter eyed how close Julien and Priest were standing, and where Julien’s hand rested. “A significant other, perhaps?”
There were many reasons a celebrity preferred to keep their relationship under the radar, privacy being the major one. But for Priest and Julien, it had always been about more than that.
Yes, privacy had been the original reason behind Julien’s desire to keep all interviews strictly business. But after the two of them had become an item, it had become an extra precaution against anyone unsavory who might recognize Priest. Tonight was no different.