I looked at him. “Mmm?”
“Even if you’re afraid, I’m not letting you shy away from what’s happening. I won’t harm you, and Iwilltreasure the hell out of you.You, Iris, not some fantasy of the perfect woman. The real, live, breathing, gorgeous woman across from me.”
“I’m not afraid.” I sounded defensive, and maybe I was. I hated feeling weak, so I sucked in a breath, shoved my fears aside, and took Ronan’s hand in mine. I lifted his fingertips to my lips and kissed each one. “I plan to treasure you too, Ronan, because I’m pretty sure they don’t make many like you. I’d offer to introduce you to my parents, but that is a level of hell I’m not willing to go to, even for you.”
His grin was wide and satisfied. “I’ve met your sister, so I’m okay with not meeting your parents.”
“And you charmed June completely.”
His lips curved with smugness. “I carried on an entire conversation with her before she ran.”
A laugh burst out of me. “I heard. You’re a goddamn charmer, Ronan Walsh. You put my sister at ease so fast, I think I’m legally required to keep you around.”
The rest of dinner was spent flirting and eating. Ronan could be intense, but he was also as fun and easy to talk to as the first day we met in the park. When we were together and everything flowed between us like lava, I forgot our differences and solely focused on the rolling warmth coating my skin on the inside and out.
Ronan texted Bill when we were ready to leave. The response he received had him slamming his phone down on the table and dragging his fingers through his hair.
His brow furrowed. “The paparazzi are waiting for you. A good crowd of them.”
I slumped back in my chair. “That’s strange. How would they know I’m here?”
The muscles in his jaw ticked as he surveyed the small restaurant. “Someone must’ve called them. We won’t be coming here again.” He pushed back his chair and pulled me up from mine, running his hand down the crown of my head. “Bill’s waiting. It’s only a few feet across the sidewalk to his SUV. I’ll be with you the entire time.”
I pressed my hands to his chest and shook my head. “I’m not worried even a little bit. Take me out of here.”
As soon as we stepped outside, flashes went off and phones were shoved in my face. There had to be at least a dozen photographers surrounding the entrance. Ronan kept his hand firmly on my back and held an arm out to block anyone from getting near.
Questions were shouted, some polite and routine, others...not so much. But my skin had gotten thick enough that it all slid right off.
“Iris, Iris! Did you have a nice dinner? What did you eat?”
“Iris! Who’s with you tonight? Your new man?”
“Is there a new TSC album coming soon?”
“Are the rumors about you with Megan Mills and Logan Bryant true?”
I felt Ronan stiffen at that one, but I was impenetrable. My heart didn’t even stutter. I’d been asked about them over the time we were together since the three of us often went out when we were all in town, but I’d never once answered. What went on in my bedroom would never be anyone’s business besides the people who were in there with me.
When I didn’t respond and Ronan not so gently shoved through the bodies separating us from Bill’s double-parked SUV, the tone shifted. These guys were paid for catching salacious pictures, and they weren’t going to elicit the response they wanted by being polite.
“Did you break them up? Are you the reason Megan and Logan are no longer speaking?”
“Did you steal Megan from Logan?”
Ronan growled, pushing me through the throng of callous men who didn’t even care about my answers as long as they made them a buck.
“No more questions,” Ronan gritted out.
The photographer beside Ronan lit up at Ronan’s angry reaction, as if he’d just gotten an exclusive scoop.
“Hey, man, are you two together? You get promoted to boyfriend?” He slapped Ronan’s taut shoulder like they were old buddies. “Don’t you get worried you’re gonna come home one day and find your girl’s face buried in pussy? Or is this one of those open arrangement type things?”
With a roar, Ronan shoved the jackass away, sending him skidding and tumbling to his butt. Someone grabbed Ronan’s arm, separating us in an instant. The paps tightened their circle around us. The second Ronan had gotten physical, they became unleashed, their questions more filthy and invasive.
“Are you a lesbian, Iris?”
“Do you eat pussy for attention?”