Page 13 of Reckless Love

Rhodes flanked her on the other side, and the next thing I knew, we were climbing into an Escalade and driving to a fancy seafood restaurant in San Francisco. Aswe walked inside, Rhodes leaned down and whispered in my ear, “You sure you’re okay? You’re not as chatty as usual.”

“Freaking out a little bit over meeting your parents.” I leaned back and made a face. “Pretty sure you didn’t know this, but…they’re famous,” I whispered.

He chuckled that low, gruff chuckle that always hit me in the stomach and then worked its magic throughout my body like a chakra overload.

“I had a pretty good idea,” he said. “But they’re easy to be around, you’ll see.”

“Sorry my parents couldn’t hang out. I had no idea they weren’t staying tonight.”

“You think they were okay with me?”

The tone of his voice stopped me and I turned to face him. “What do you mean?”

“Not sure they approved of us…being friends.”

“I think their weirdness came from seeing me in so little clothing earlier, but…I’m sorry if they acted anything other than wonderful to you.” I frowned. “Were they rude? I was so enthralled by your mom, I didn’t really hear what was being said.”

He laughed. “They were fine. No one was rude.”

We turned the corner and were ushered into a private room overlooking the water. Troy Archer stood up and held his arms out, hugging Rhodes and kissing him on each cheek. He was blond with blue eyes, but I still saw so much of Rhodes in him.

Rhodes laughed and glanced at me shyly over his dad’s shoulders. “My dad’s a hugger,” he said in a British accent.

“I most certainly am,” Troy said in the same accent. He turned to look at me and I giggled…and did my best to remain in an upright position.

I fanned my face, looking at the three of them. “Whew. Beauty overload is going on right now,” I said.

Their eyes widened and then there was a burst of laughter. Troy walked over to me and held his hands out.

“May I?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered, not even sure what he was asking, but the answer was yes.

He kissed each of my cheeks and beamed at me. “Hello, Elle Benton,” he said. “No wonder you’re Rhodes’ best friend. You are beautiful and funny and a breath of fresh air.”

“You think so?” I squeaked.

Troy nodded and Rhodes stood next to him, smiling at me fondly.

“Told ya,” Rhodes said.

I wasn’t sure if he was saying that to me or his dad, but it just further highlighted that I needed to remember thebest friendpart. Because there was no way that someone like Rhodes Archer would ever be interested in me as anything more.

CHAPTER FIVE

IF YOU ONLY KNEW

ELLE

Now

I shake my head,trying my best to yank myself out of the past. All this talk about pacts is messing with me.

“That’s the thing about pacts. You don’t go back on them.”

Rhodes fights back a smile and levelsme with those eyes. I’ve been a sucker for those eyes since the night we met.

And the dimples. We can’t forget the dimples.