I turn and let his ice-blue eyes burn into me. My head says, “Yeah, Robyn, we got this. No worries.” My heart says, “Run. Quit your job and get as far away from him as you possibly can. Immediately.”
I’m so busy listening to my heart and head battle it out that I miss what Dallas says.
“I’m sorry. What?”
I tilt my head and he smiles his sexy half smile that I have no doubt has dropped panties across the nation in epidemic proportions. If it hasn’t already, it will. And I’ll get to watch from the sidelines.
Fantastic.
“I asked if you wanted to get dinner after the show. You know, food, conversation, maybe a discussion about how we go about dealing with this situation.”
My brows lift because I’m confused. This man I’ve kept buried in the back of my past has risen and is standing in front of me asking me to dinner.
I check my internal decision-making faculties.
Head: Sure. Dinner sounds great. Making peace will be good for you. Yay, closure!
Heart: Run. I said run. Why aren’t you running? For fuck’s sakes, run already!
“As nice as that sounds, um, I think the show will probably run late so . . .”
“So I was thinking pancakes,” he says, using his secret weapon against me. “There’s a diner we passed between here and the hotel.”
I despise breakfast. In the mornings. Try to show me food before noon and I will gag. Literally. But breakfast for dinner, or even better, in the middle of the night? My one true weakness.
“Wow. Pulling out the big guns, huh? You must really feel bad.”
His voice drops even lower, the cadence rolling through me like perfectly aged bourbon. “It’s been a while since you’ve seen the big gun, darlin’. I’ll only pull it out if you ask me to.”
My eyes widen with shock and my mouth falls open. I feel my face heating so I angle it away from him. I turn just in time to see the angry woman from before striding over to us in heels that put my Ariat boots to shame.
“Dallas,” she barks his name like a command. “You’re needed onstage.”
He nods at her but his eyes flicker back to mine. “Pancakes?” he mouths without sound.
I roll mine, because what the hell? Our past is one big fat mess, and our future is even more complicated now that we’ll be working together. But yeah, pancakes should definitely straighten all of that out.
I shake my head and mouth “no” back at him.
His lips press together and then his tongue snakes out and licks them. Ever felt your ovaries quiver? No? It’s an alarming feeling.
“The diner is open all night. I’ll be there. Waiting for you to change your mind.”
With that, he lets his lady friend link her arm into his and they walk away leaving me standing there.
“Come on, Superstar,” the woman says, making my stomach turn.
Superstar? Really? Ugh.
I’m trying really hard not to gape at his retreating figure. Returning my attention to where Jase is wrapping up his meet-and-greets, I give him the biggest smile I can manage. This is what I’m here for—not to rehash a high school romance gone to hell.
Everything in my life is finally coming together. Dallas Lark isn’t going to waltz in and tear it all apart.
Besides, he’s apparently Dallas Walker now, and who the hell that is I haven’t a clue.
7 | Dallas
THE UNIVERSE MUST HATE ME. NO, IT MUST DOWNRIGHT FUCKING despise me.
Of all the concerts in all the world, she has to be at mine. In fucking Denver of all places. Literally the last place in the universe I would expect to see her.
My mind can’t stop replaying our exchange. Or how lovingly that dress clung to her mouthwatering curves. Seeing her conjured up memories I keep firmly locked in the box of Robyn that I never open. Ever.
Seeing her unexpectedly reminded me of the first time I ever laid eyes on her and practically transported me back in time.