Page 46 of The Wiener Across the Way

Pretty please? With whipped cream and a cherry on top?

I'll do your chores for a week.

I'll do your taxes.

He was a math genius. He'd probably save me like a gazillion dollars.

I'll see what I can do.

Less than an hour later, we were in the air along with Penelope and Pooh. The cute AF little dog took one look at me, about wagged her tail off sniffing my shoes, and then decided my lap was the best place on the plane to sit.

I’d rather have Kelsey on my lap, but I’d take the little love noodle since PDA probably wasn’t going to happen on a flight less than an hour and in front of her assistant. That wasn’t my kink.

Kelsey was my kink.

But I had to figure out how to show her that without scaring her away like I had with that kiss.

The jet’s engines hummed softly as we landed in Aspen, and Penelope, ever the attentive and hardworking assistant, was already on her iPad and phone, coordinating our arrival. But she didn’t look like she was happy with her results.

“So, it turns out every hotel room, AirBnB, VRBO, and any other accommodation I can book online is completely sold out. Even the camp sites can’t accommodate anyone else.”

“Thanks for trying, Penelope, but my family has a little cabin over in Bear Claw. I can stay there.”

Kelsey put her hand on my arm and the zing I got from her touch was not from static electricity. “I think it would look good if you stayed with me.”

Holy shit. Was she inviting me to her room? Maybe I’d misjudged how she felt about that kiss. My brain cells all went straight to my dick, and I leaned in close and brushed my lips over her ear. “I think I can do better than make it look good, sweetheart.”

Kelsey shot me a mischievous glance. “You’ll get the luxury of my couch tonight. But don’t worry, it’s designer.”

Fuck a duck. I’d been right to trust my gut. But okay, I could play along. Being that close would still give me a chance to romance her. “Ooh, designer? Well, in that case, I’m honored.”

Her security picked us up in a big SUV and took us back to her hotel. Even this late at night, there was a crowd around the entrance. The hotel had the entry cordoned off so people couldn’t get too close, but that didn’t stop them from taking pictures and shouting questions at us.

I wrapped my arm around her to shield her from most of the cameras and prying eyes, and it felt like neither of us even breathed until we were well inside. I got that the attention was unavoidable, but I didn’t have to like it. Where Kelsey hadn’t seemed bothered by it at the party, she leaned into me now.

Once we were in the elevator, she relaxed again. “Someday I’d love to go somewhere that a thousand people weren’t always trying to take my picture.”

Fuck if I wasn’t immediately trying to think of ways to make that happen for her. It probably wasn’t going to happen this weekend, but I would find a way to give her that tiny bit of peace that she craved.

“It’s not that I don’t love my fans. I do.” Her shoulders slumped just a little, and she seemed more tired today. “It’s hard to be on all the time.”

“I get it, babe. Why do you think I ignore the cameras most of the time? They don’t need every piece of me. And I promise yourfans would live if you kept just a tiny bit of yourself for your own too.”

Penelope looked up at me wide-eyed like I’d just declared the zombie apocalypse was about to start and she wasn’t up to date on her katana skills. “Kels? I... I didn’t know you felt like that.”

“It’s okay, Pen, I don’t most of the time. I promise, it’s all fine, and I’ll be all smiles again by tomorrow morning.”

Hmm. I recognized someone trying to people please when I saw it. “You’re allowed downtime, Kelsey.”

“Ha.” That not-a-laugh slipped out and she covered her mouth with both hands as if she could force it back in. “You’re hilarious. Have you met me?”

As we entered Kelsey’s lavish suite, Pooh bolted ahead, claiming the couch with a triumphant leap. Kelsey chuckled. “Looks like Pooh’s got dibs on the best spot.”

“I guess I’ll have to negotiate with her then,” I replied, eyeing the couch. It wouldn’t even be comfortable for someone half my size. And I’d happily stay there all night. Because it made her comfortable and that was my number one priority right now. That was the first step to getting her to trust that my interest in her was more than for show.

Penelope clicked on her tablet again and gave a quick rundown of tomorrow’s schedule, her professionalism unfazed for even a moment. But listening to Kelsey’s schedule had me exhausted and all I had to do was watch her do it.

“Alright, I’ll leave you two to... settle in. Kelsey, I’ll knock when it’s time for your early rehearsal tomorrow.” She gave me the tiniest of eyebrow lifts and some eyeball pointing to Kelsey. I swear she was encouraging me to make a move.

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