Page 19 of Hideaway Heart

“No,” he said. “You’re going to wait for me.”

“You’re holding my coffee hostage?”

“Yes.” He ordered a venti dark roast and breakfast sandwich, and only when it was all in his hands did he return my caffeine.

“Rude,” I huffed, hugging my coffee close as we moved for the exit.

“You sneak off on me, putting yourself in jeopardy and my promise to your brother at risk of being broken, and I’m the bad guy?” Xander shook his head as he held the door open for me.

“I was just having some fun,” I said, stepping out onto the sidewalk. “What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is that I can’t protect you if I’m not there.” Xander looked both ways and then gestured for me to cross the lot toward my van. “I thought I could trust you for two minutes. Guess I was wrong.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I was just playing with you.”

“This isn’t a game, Kelly. We have to be able to trust each other. Or else the next two weeks are just going to be miserable for both of us. I can’t be worried you’re going to run off every time my back is turned.”

“And I don’t want to be told no every time I want to do something fun.”

“I understand that, but you have to let me do my job,” he said as we reached my van.

“How’d you find me anyway?”

“I fucking followed you.” He frowned, his forehead wrinkling. “And the fact that you didn’t notice makes me even more concerned.”

“I wasn’t looking,” I said defensively. “I was just enjoying the ride.”

“And when thatHart Throbposts her picture on social media and it’s obvious to anyone that she met you at work, how long do you think before photographers realize where you are and show up here looking for you? Do you enjoy being followed with cameras?”

He was right. I’d probably blown my cover. “There are a gazillion Starbucks,” I argued weakly.

“Kelly.”

“Okay, okay.” I gave him two thumps on the chest. Felt like granite under my hand. “Let’s stop fighting. I won’t take off again.”

“Thank you.” He opened the driver’s side door for me, and I slid in behind the wheel.

“I need to go grocery shopping,” I told him. “Should we do it now?”

“Yeah. Might be good to do it early—stores will be less crowded. But we need to talk about kitchen privileges.” He held up the bag containing his breakfast sandwich. “I can’t do this for every meal.”

I tapped my lips with one finger, taking much longer than necessary to consider the issue. “Fine. You can have kitchen privileges.”

“And I’ll eventually need to take a shower.”

Another deep drag of air and dramatic sigh. “Shower privileges too.”

“I’ll check for the nearest store on my phone and then I’ll text you the location and directions. Don’t leave without me.”

I saluted. “Yes, sir.”

He shut the van door and walked toward his SUV, parked across from me.

I watched him in the sideview mirror. “Xander Buckley, you totally ruined my plans,” I murmured, taking a sip of my coffee. “But I gotta admit, you have a nice butt.”

As he tucked his long, muscular body into the driver’s seat of his car, I found myself thinking about those shower privileges. About him naked in my bathroom. Hot and wet.

I didn’t hate the idea.