“You want to tell me what that was about?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I return to shuffling through coats on the rack.
“Well, you were busy having a moment with Wade out on the balcony so I mingled like you told me to do. After which you run by shooting me a death glare that should’ve killed me on the spot. Then you come out of the ladies’ room looking like you’re recovering from a three-day drinking binge. Now you’re behaving as if speaking to me rationally is beyond your limits of capability. So I’ll ask you again.” Dallas comes closer, plucking my jacket from a rack and holding it open for me. “What the hell was that about?”
“I’m just stressed. And tired. This party was a lot of work. But I’m fine now.”
“Well, I’m glad. Because we need to talk.”
“Can we talk later? I’m beat and I’m just going to—”
“Just going to what, Robyn? Lie to me? Keep something huge from me, like, oh, I don’t know, your mom having fucking cancer? Because let me tell you, finding out something like that just before a show wasn’t distracting at all.”
I close my eyes to shield myself from his wrath.
Shoving my own ire down deep, I turn and let him help me with my jacket. Dallas can’t let it go at that, though. He lifts my hair gently from beneath my collar and lays it over my right shoulder, giving him full access to the left side of my neck. He places a soft kiss on it and my traitorous body shivers.
“I’m not going to pretend I’m not angry, but seeing you all sick and fragile is softening my resolve to yell at you. Come back to my hotel room tonight. Stay with me. I missed you and we need to talk about this. About that summer.”
It’s tempting. I feel like death walking, and seeing that girl on his lap opened old wounds I’d been holding closed with all my might. But the thought of slipping so easily into the warmth of him, letting him hold me and make it all better, is enticing.
This must be similar to how drug addicts feel. I know it’s wrong. I know it will only cause more problems. I know exactly how much it will hurt the next time I have to see women groping him at a publicity event. But so help me, I am still tempted to crawl through the valley of the shadow of heartbreak. Naked.
I toss up a silent prayer for strength and step away from him. “There’s nothing to talk about. She was sick so I stayed home to take care of her. I didn’t want you to cancel any of your shows so I kept it to myself. Besides, I think I’ve got the stomach flu. I’m sure you can find plenty of willing bed-buddy candidates for the evening.”
“Maybe I would’ve wanted to be there for you, Robyn. You didn’t even give me a fucking chance.” Dallas snorts out a noise of frustration. “Don’t blow this off, like you actually give a shit about a bunch of girls hanging around the next big thing for all of five minutes until the next shiny new guy comes along? Come on. I thought you knew better by now. You’re the one that told me to play the part and keep what was going on with you and me under wraps. Remember?”
“The one on your lap looked dedicated. She seemed willing to hang around a lot longer than five minutes.”
“Cut the crap, Robyn. You know I’m not interested in any of them.”
“Don’t,” I say, pointing a finger at him. “Don’t make me seem crazy. I’m not overreacting or making a scene. You’re the one chasing me down here. They were all over you and you were lapping it up like a stud in the pasture.”
“That’s a lie and you know it.”
I gawk at him in disbelief. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Are you?”
We’re yelling now but I can’t figure out how to defuse the situation.