Page 42 of Flame True

Her face flamed.

She did not want to lick him.

Okay, she totally did, but she shouldn’t be thinking about that.

“You look stunning,” he kissed her cheek. Mulberry knew she was blushing.

“Thank you, Nick,” she said.

Aunt Cassie beamed.

Emma hugged her. “Have fun!”

“Thank you! Bye, mom! By Aunt Cassie!”

“Bye!”

The door closed behind them, and she shuddered in the cool air, wishing she had a sweater or something.

“Here you are,” He opened the door of a sleek red car.

Mulberry slid into the soft buttery seat.

The car smelled like new leather, and she rubbed her arms, trying to eliminate the chill. Was it just from the cold? No, it was her nerves.

Ever since the kidnapping, she had avoided crowds, and tonight she was willingly stepping into one; the whole thing had been her idea.

“You okay, Mulberry?”

“Just a little cold.”

Nick did something with the car’s settings, and a moment later, she felt warmer.

“Thanks.”

“No problem. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Okay.”

“These things aren’t my idea of a good time.”

“What is your idea of a good time?”

Nick’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “I don’t date, Mulberry. I fuck. So that’s my idea of a good time.”

She swallowed, heat rising in her cheeks. “You don’t date…ever?”

“No. No hot yoga, hockey games, sleigh rides or dinners.”

Okay, he really hated this idea of fake dating.

Her stomach churned over, and she stared out the window.

“Mulberry, I am good at my job. I will protect you tonight. You have to tell me if you notice anyone suspicious or if anyone bothers you. If all this is too much for you, say the word, and I’ll get us out of there.”

That intense stare landed on her again, and she knew he took this seriously.

“Okay. You know crowds are hard for me, ever since the incident, but I think I can do this.”