Here I am, openly stalking my lunk of a boss who gets in my face about mystery flowers and then seemingly has the perfect place for them. Not something that would rustle anybody normal.
But a normal person would run.
Far, far away from this stupid crush after the half kiss that night overlooking the city that almost detonated our entire lives.
I抦 not normal, though.
I抦 a freaking Poe.
So I let my brain feast on all the crazy possibilities involving Lincoln Burns and that bouquet as we drive for about fifteen minutes in slow traffic.
We pass Sweeter Grind without the town car stopping, and then wind around the city for a few more blocks.
The other end of the park, I realize.
Oof.
Was he serious about giving my flowers to the homeless? But why would Wyatt want hydrangeas?
I抦 totally baffled.
揧ou want me to make the block before I pull in, so they don抰 know you抮e stalking them??taxi driver asks, looking back at me with a nosy grin.
揑抦 not stalking,?I lie. 揑 just need to know where he抯 going. Important business.?
The guy throws back a big belly laugh. Yeah, I don抰 believe me either.
揗a抋m, that抯 textbook stalking, but don抰 worry. I won抰 tattle. You sure you don抰 want to make the block??
I shake my head fiercely.
揘o. Just pull in and keep your distance from the other car...?
I hear driver boy snicker loudly to himself again. One more reminder I抦 being ridiculous, but when you抮e in this deep...
I watch breathlessly as Lincoln slides out of the town car, nodding at Louis before he starts walking toward the row of tents.
Huh. Maybe Wyatt likes hydrangeas after all? I suppose it could brighten up his space or something.
I wait at least another minute. Once Lincoln seems far enough away to avoid seeing me, I pay the driver and slip out the back.
I think I get five strides down the sidewalk before the cab engine roars behind me梙e抎 better get that checked out梐nd Lincoln spins around to face the deafening noise.
There抯 only a small group of people walking and riding bikes between us. His eyes find me easily through the crowd.
Oh, crap.
There isn抰 even time to get away before he抯 coming toward me with a frown. His body is as straight as an arrow, jaw set and shoulders squared.
Here it comes. The cost of this dumb decision. I should抳e just logged out and went home and let some mysteries remain unsolved.
揌ow did you even hear that car??I ask as he closes in, deciding to try brushing this off as nothing.
He doesn抰 stop until he抯 right in front of me, barely a few inches apart, looking down. 揧ou shouldn抰 keep following me here, Nevermore. It isn抰 always safe.?
Ah, it抯 lecture time. Awesome.
揅hill. I just wanted to see what you were doing with my flowers, and since you wouldn抰 spill the big secret...?
揑 told you,?he growls, his eyes dark with distrust.
揂nd I didn抰 believe your non-explanation, bossman. You didn抰 exactly elaborate,?I mutter.
That wins me a smirk, even as he folds his arms.
揑 told you enough. Are you calling me a liar, Dakota Poe??
揇epends. Why does Wyatt want my flowers??I say, flicking back a loose strand of hair.
But Lincoln stops me. He reaches out, swats my hand away, and tucks the hair behind my ear with slow, measured practice.
My toes scrunch up in my shoes.
It抯 insane how even the simplest touch makes me a flaming mess.
揌e doesn抰 want flowers, and neither do you,?he says, his eyes reaching into me.
Oh, God.
Stay strong.
揝o, you do have a homeless girlfriend??I ask, hating that I feel a flick of jealousy. I don抰 even know her and she probably isn抰 real, but I already want to claw her eyes out with my nails. I抦 just annoyed she might exist. But part of me also wants to slap him for allowing his made-up girlfriend to remain homeless.
揚oe, you抮e a rotten sleuth. Of course not. You think I have time to date after you went snooping through my bullshit on social media??
I cock my head, staring up at him, hating how good he is at putting on the mystery man air.
揟hen why are we here? Do you just like driving me bonkers??I huff out a loud breath.
That twinkle in his eyes梩he way the evening lights catch and shine梥ays he just might.
揑抦 here to see Wyatt. You抮e here because you抮e a freaky little stalker.?He sighs, suppressing a laugh. 揅an I be straight with you??
I glare.
揝ure. I抦 trying to think of a time where you抳e been anything less than blunt...?A breeze blows around us, fluttering more of my hair loose for him to fix.
揑 don抰 care that you followed me. I care about your safety. You came here once when I knew you抎 have somebody around and I was expecting you. I wouldn抰 have let anything happen. But if I don抰 know you抮e here and you come snooping around棓
My laugh cuts him off. 揅抦on. I抦 not some damsel in distress who needs Burns-man to the rescue.?
Again, his mahogany eyes darken with an overprotective look that makes me shudder.
揑t抯 not funny. You can take care of yourself, but you抮e from a small town and you don抰 spend much time in places like this. There are lot of good people here and a few fucking rats.?I should be touched at how uptight he gets about my well-being, I guess.
揃ut you just said it. I can take care of myself. You抮e also my boss梟ot my freaking bodyguard梥o what does it matter if I decide to take my chances??I smile up at him sweetly.
He doesn抰 roll his eyes, even if I can feel his frustration curdling the air around us.
揇akota, coming here alone after dark to spy on me isn抰 a choice. It抯 dumb as hell,?he says bluntly.
Harsh. But I can抰 say he抯 wrong.
I knew this was a bad move the minute I rushed down the elevator.
揥ould you walk in front of a charging bull for kicks too??he asks. 揧ou抮e too smart for that shit. Too intelligent to get hurt, all because you have something to prove. That isn抰 the woman I know梩he one I hired who thinks before she trips over her own feet.?
He抯 scowling, practically grinding his words, and it抯 so hilariously intense I feel weirdly touched. Dallas was mostly a sleepy town growing up, and nobody ever got growly about my decisions or my safety. Not even Jay.
揂re you listening??he bites off, his eyes still drilling through me.
揧eah, daddy dearest. I heard you loud and clear through all that grumping.?I抦 blushing the second it抯 out, realizing how I抳e butchered my choice of words.
If there抯 one man on the planet I should not be calling daddy, it抯 the beast in front of me who has my entire future in his hands.
揑抣l show you real grumping, if I need to,?he says, scratching his face to hide a slight, adorable redness under his scruff. 揑f my right hand needs a lesson on common sense, so be it.?
揟emporary right hand. And I抦 thinking the one that抯 attached to you is just fine unless you抮e like, into a sock or a fleshlight or something.?
He snorts and his lips almost turn up in a smile.
揇ammit, Nevermore. Are sex and murders all you think about??He snorts again, shaking his head sharply. 揂nd for your information, I only need to worry about one right hand. The other works just fine and it doesn抰 fly solo. I put it to work on whoever抯 getting me off.?
Gah.
My face is on fire. My next breath shakes me to my core.
How did we wind up talking about Lincoln抯 sex life again?
I抦 just grateful he doesn抰 extend the torture when he glances around the park, looks at me again, and says, 揝ince you抮e already here, come on.?
揥here are we going??I ask, trying to catch up since he抯 already moving.
揧ou抣l see.?
I follow Lincoln to the familiar row of tents spaced apart, but this time we stop before we get to Wyatt抯. We抮e in front of a faded pink tent instead.
He bends down and places the flowers in an empty coffee can in front of it. As they抮e settling, I notice there抯 a tiny note attached to the wrapping paper.
揥hat are you doing??I whisper, my brows pulling together.
In the distance, a grinning Wyatt waves to us.
揃urns? It really is you. Come on over. I brewed up something good,?he says.