“I don’t have many friends,” he said, and then he looked a little ashamed. “I’ve slept with a lot of co-stars, and that tends to ruin any friendship that I might have with them.”
Well, duh, I thought and rolled my eyes. “Sex tends to do that.”
“But I don’t have to worry about that with you,” he said as if to clarify again.
I shook my head. “Not at all,” I said. “You’re a handsome guy, Ryan, but I’ve got a plateful.”
He laughed. “That you do.” He looked around as the set was slowly clearing of people. “Okay, go distract your guy.”
I nodded. “Thanks again.”
He saluted me and then ran to find a PA to help him, and I made my way over to Callan. “Are you ready to head to the hotel?” he asked.
“I think I left something in the tent earlier, actually. Walk me there?”
He nodded. “Adrianne, about before...”
His words felt like a blow.We were careless. The words echoed inside my head. “I don’t really want to talk about it, Cal,” I said. “I shouldn’t have put us in that situation. We’d seen how bad the paparazzi were here, and I just... didn’t think about it.”
Callan made a soft, sad sound. “You shouldn’thaveto think about things like that.Ishould.”
I looked at him. “But you didn’t,” I said, and it came out way harsher than I really wanted. “We both got distracted, and it could have been disastrous.”
Callan didn’t seem to know what to say to that. “I’m... I’m so sorry, Adrianne.”
I sniffled. When did I get so close to crying? “So am I.”
“Wait.” He grabbed my arm, and I had to wrench away. “Are we okay?”
“You’re doing it again!” I said. “We’re out in the open, and you’ve just grabbed me. What would that look like on camera? We can’t beusright now, okay? You have to be just my bodyguard right now, and if you can’t handle that then you can’t come to set anymore.”
Callan’s jaw clenched. His eyes went a little cold, and for a moment, I could see the SEAL that he used to be. Tough and cold. “If that’s what you want.”
I dropped my gaze as one tear slipped down my cheek. “That’snotwhat I want, Cal,” I said.
“Then why would you say it?” He was getting frustrated, and my ire rose with his.
“Callan, I love you, but—”
“What?”
I was about to tear my hair out. “You interrupted what I was about to say.”
But he was smiling now, and it wasn’t one that I’d seen before. “Can you tell me what you just said again?” he asked, voice low and eager.
I had to think about it, and then...oh. “I was trying to yell at you,” I pointed out.
He shrugged. “But you started with just about the best thing I’ve ever heard. Say it again, please.”
I shouldn’t—it would fly in the face of everything I’d just said—but I couldn’t turn down that ‘please.’ “I love you,” I said, and a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttered in my belly. When he reached for me, however, I put my hands out to stop him. “Not here, okay? On set, we have to be professional.”
Heat burned in his eyes, but he nodded. “You’re mine tonight.”
I could feel myself blush, but I nodded. “Yes,” I murmured.
“I love you too,” he said. “In case you were wondering.” The butterflies’ wings grew ten times, and I felt like there might be no more room in my belly for these new feelings.
“Hey, Adrianne!” I looked up, spell broken, and Ryan was coming toward me with my purse. “I found your purse in one of the tents.” I could have kissed him for his cleverness. “Can’t find where I put my sunglasses, but I figured you’d at least want your wallet and phone.”