Page 74 of When in Rome
His brows stitch together and his jaw tightens. “Why?”
I look down to where our hands are clasped together. “This is why. If you don’t want your life to change, they can’t find us together.” My voice shakes. “They’ll take photos from a hundred different angles, and tomorrow morning, you’ll be all over social media and tabloids.”
I expect him to drop my hand. I’m preparing for the loss of it. Instead, his grip tightens and he answers, “I’m going with you.”
“Noah!”
This time he breaks our hold and crowds me, cupping my jaw in his hands and looking fire into my eyes. “I’m not leaving you. Ithought I could keep this temporary but—” He breaks off, shaking his head and kissing me hastily. Nearly painfully. It’s the most exquisite torture. “I don’t want it to be over between us. Ican’tlet it be over.”
I’m breathless with hope. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying fears be damned. I want a relationship if youdo.”
“I do!” I say so fast he was barely able to finish his sentence.
“But you’ll have to be patient withme—”
“I will!”
“—because it’s going to take some time for me to get used to the distance thing. And I still need to be around to take care of my grandma so I won’t be able to visit you much.”
I go up on my toes to wrap my arms around his neck. “We’ll figure it out. And I’ll give you so much patience, you’ll be overwhelmed with how benevolent I am. But, Noah, are you sure? Just last night—”
This time he cuts me off. “Last night, I held you in my arms and realized I’d be an idiot to ever let you go. Not only an idiot, but I’d be miserable. I could never forgive myself for letting you get away.”
I shake my head frantically, smiling and trying not to cry. “Mr. Romantic.”
“Mr. Ridiculously Lucky.”
“Shush. I told you not to encroach on my nicknames.”
He grins and his eyes lower to my mouth. “So is that a yes? You’ll officially date this lowly pie shop owner?”
“As long as you never refer to yourself as that again, yes. Absolutely times a million.”
He kisses me once more and slides his hand up my arm before taking my hand and continuing our escape down the alley. “We’ll figure out the details when we get home.”Home.The sudden burst of joy I feel hearing that word nearly tripsme.
But when Noah and I surface from the alley, we immediately realize our mistake. Somehow they knew this is where we’d end up,and all sorts of paparazzi and media are gathered in the parking lot—waiting for us. My heart lurches and I try to turn back before they notice us, but I’m not fast enough.
“There sheis!”
“Rae Rose!”
“Rae, over here! Who’s the guy?!”
“Is it true you’ve been having a love affair with a pie shop owner?”
They’re all shouting and racing toward us. Noah grips my hand firmly and looks down at me. “What do you want me to do? Do we make a run forit?”
I swallow and allow myself one second of anger before I train my face into an impassive expression for the flashing cameras. I cover my mouth and angle my face up to him so they can’t read my lips. “We need to get to your truck. Don’t say a word to them other than asking them to move as we walk.” I wish I could have had more time to prepare him for how to interact with the media, but there’s no better way to learn than as you go, right?
Holding hands and keeping our gazes down, we walk toward his truck. But the paparazzi are hungry today and they form a barrier around us, taking advantage of my lack of security.
“Excuse me. Move. Let us through.” Noah is doing a valiant job of trying to get me through the pressing maze of media, but they’re not budging. I keep tugging on his hand because I can feel his rage building and I’m afraid he’ll do something rash like shove the guy who’s currently putting his camera about five inches from my face and yelling questions atme.
“Who are you with right now, Rae?” He’s so close I smell what he had for lunch.
“Back off,” Noah barks at him, but he doesn’t relent.