He nodded. Didn’t he fucking know it. If that crowd had fully turned on them. . .he felt nauseous at the thought.
He frowned. “She’s different than I thought she would be.”
“Yeah? Jen’s been a big fan of hers for a while. We’ve been to several of her concerts. She doesn’t do a lot of publicity. Makes her seem a bit unapproachable. Jen always reckons that’s bullshit. She says she’s sad. That you can see it in her eyes. Never saw it. Until just now.”
He frowned. “She’s rich and famous. Isn’t that what most people want?”
Tom gave him a knowing look. “Not all women are Jillian.”
“Didn’t say they were,” he said defensively. Jillian was a sore point.
“No? You’ve always liked honesty, Bain. You were the one who told me to stop pissing around and make my move on both Mac and Jen. That life was too fucking short to be caught up in what other people thought, right?”
Sounded like him.
“I’m going to give you a bit of honesty. Yes, there are people like Jill out there. There are also good, sweet, kind people like Jen.”
He grunted. “I fucking know that.” All the women on the ranch were sweethearts. He just wasn’t attracted to them. Just as well since they were all taken. A pair of wide, moss-green eyes suddenly filled his mind.
Why the fuck was he attracted to her?
“Yeah? You might know it. But doesn’t mean that you don’t have biases. Especially with a woman like Arianna, who seems to have it all—”
“She does. I live in her fucking apartment. Probably worth more than I’d make in a lifetime.”
Tom sighed. “Just because she has money doesn’t make her shallow, it doesn’t mean she’s happy.”
“Didn’t come here for a fucking heart-to-heart. I’ve been hired to protect her because she’s got a stalker.”
“Yeah? Shit. Poor kid.”
She wasn’t that much younger than Tom.
“Want whip?” Tom asked.
He shook his head. Tom put a mound of whip on one of the hot chocolates then added sprinkles.
“Didn’t know you were the sprinkles type.” Bain raised an eyebrow.
Tom rolled his eyes. “Whatever, asshole. This is for Arianna. It’s my sprinkle special.”
A sudden yell had them both freezing then Bain took off towards the living room. “Ari!”
There was a bark, then to his shock, a loud laugh.
“Shit, Rugger!” Tom swore. “He got out the door.”
Bain came to a stop at the sight that greeted him. Rugger was lying half on Arianna, his big tongue licking at her face as she giggled.
“Rugger get off her!” Tom pulled the dog back and Bain felt like he’d been sucker punched as he saw the beaming smile on Arianna’s face. Had he ever seen her truly smile?
Tom sighed with frustration. “Rugger, sit. She doesn’t want your dog-breath kisses.?
??
Arianna patted Rugger’s head and he licked her hand. She giggled again. “Hello, Rugger.”
“He’s Jen’s dog,” Tom explained, sitting next to her. Rugger put his big head in Arianna’s lap, and she cooed at him as she scratched him behind the ears.