“Yes, but it’s more like business for me. Raquel Ramon—do you know her?”
“Of course,” he said, turning to me in excitement. “The Raquel Ramon Showis great—she’s really a big deal.”
“Oh? Yes, well, she’s about to sign a new contract and is considering new legal representation. She’s asked to meet me.”
“Wow, that’s huge. You should definitely go then. We can do this another night, if you’d rather.”
“No, I don’t want that,” I rushed to say. “But would you mind if we stopped by for just a short time? Then I’d love to spend time with just you. If that’s all right with you.”
“Oh my gosh, yes. I’d love to. That is, I won’t get in the way, but am I going inside too? With you?”
“Of course. You’re my omeg…you’re my date for the evening.”
“Oh, good,” he said, distracting me by how his eyes sparkled when he got excited.
“We’ll only stay long enough for me to speak to her, and maybe take a quick meeting, and then we’ll go.”
“I don’t mind, really. It’s kind of exciting to be around people like her and her friends. Those are the kinds of shows I hope to work with one day.”
“Work with? Oh, your little sandwiches. The green-haired person in your shop gave me one with turkey. It was quite good.”
“Oh, did you like it? I’m so pleased! That’s one of my favorites too. The one with the brie and pear?”
“I think so, yes. Anyway, it was good. When I have the office up and running, I’ll make a daily order. We have clients in and out all day, and they’d love it, I’m sure. You can put out some cards too, if you like. Perhaps it might drum up some new business for you.”
“Would you really do that for me?”
“Bien sûr.”I said with a shrug and glanced over at him, I saw how he was looking at me and wondered if we were passing any hotels along the way. I didn’t actually need a hotel—if Kyle could just find a place to pull over and give us a few minutes of privacy, that might work. I cleared my throat and leaned forward to ask him, when Jax sagged against me and put an uncertain hand on my knee. My whole leg began to tingle.
“You’re so different than I thought you’d be. So charming and so nice to me. I thought you’d be all Alpha and just want to have sex with me right away. I was even a little afraid you might even ravish me right here in your car.”
“Who, me?” I managed, my voice sounding a little strangled. I tossed off a little laugh, meant to sound charming, but it came out sounding a bit hysterical.
“We’re here, Dominic,” Kyle said, saving me from having to continue. “The driveway looks full, but I’ll get you as close as I can. I’ll park and then come inside.”
We pulled in, and as Kyle said, both sides of the long circular drive were lined with cars. The house was literally covered with white Christmas lights. Traffic was moving, though sluggishly, down the middle of the driveway, so it took us another five or six minutes to get to the front door. A good thing, as it gave me time to get my erection under some control.
Once we arrived, Kyle stopped the car and I got out, reaching back to extend a hand for Jax. I tucked it in my arm and walked to the front door. Immediately, more lights started flashing as paparazzi began taking our pictures. I was surprised to see them at a private event, but I heard later that Raquel loved the publicity and actually invited them to all her parties. When one particularly rude, balding man shoved his way in front of us and snapped a shot right in Jax’s face, calling out, “Look at the camera, beautiful!” I snarled and without thinking it through, I charged him.
Only the quick thinking of one of the security guards Raquel employed saved the man’s life. He snatched him backward and away from Jax so fast, the man dropped his camera. I kicked it viciously out of the way, pulled Jax close to my side and ushered him in the front door.
“Wow,” Jax said, his eyes round and shocked. “That was…”
“I’m sorry if I scared you. I didn’t like him so close to you. I had no idea Raquel would allow such a circus in front of her home.”
“Oh, well, it’s Valleywood, after all. Most people around here love getting their pictures made.”
“Not me. And no one has any right whatsoever to your photo.”
“Okay,” he said, his voice soft as he gazed up at me. “But maybe take it down a notch or two, huh? You were way too violent with him. I hope you didn’t break his camera, or he might sue.”
I turned to look back at him, standing with the security people, pissing and moaning about his camera even now. He glanced up and saw me looking at him and he blanched, taking a step backward.
“Iwishhe would,” I said, growling at him.
“Yes, but Dominic—may I call you that? Dominic, those men have to earn a living too. He may have a family.” He looked up at me with those sweet eyes again. “His poor camera.”
I sighed heavily, then pulled out my phone to call Kyle. “There’s a bald guy at the front door, complaining that I broke his camera.”