Page 79 of The One With the Mountain Man

"My family doesn't get it. They don't really think I'm famous. More like I'm pretend-famous."

"The fuck?"

I loved that he was upset on my behalf. "Actors are famous. Singers are famous. Athletes are famous. But writers? Not so much. They enjoy using my name when it comes in handy, but otherwise they genuinely don't think any of this is really happening. It doesn't make sense to them. How could someone who hovers over a keyboard in pajamas be famous? Have a stalker?"

"That's what I don't get," Jackson ground out. "Youdohave a stalker. Why aren't they worried?"

I shrugged. "Because they can't imagine he's a real threat. He must just really like my books and I'm exaggerating his interest."

Jackson's fists were back, bunching on his thighs. "Did they read the same report I did?"

I wanted Jackson to know who to look out for, so I gave him all the documentation I had on James Cristobal. "They have. I don't know what to tell you, Jackson. They just don't understand."

"I wish you'd told me sooner. I could have brought Travis." No doubt Jackson and Travis would make anyone think twice about getting near me, but all I needed was Jackson. He was already more than I ever hoped for.

I hated that I upset him. "On a scale of one to ten, how much do you wish you were anywhere else?"

His head snapped up, shock in his eyes. "Zero," he bit out. "I always want to be wherever you are. Fuck the circumstances." He marched across the room to me. Then he dropped to his knees and took my hands in his. "Where are your friends, Marley?"

"That's a complicated answer."

He grinned. "I have become very comfortable with your complications. Talk to me."

"This is something about me you should know if you insist on sticking around. I'm very good at pushing people away to save myself. You're lucky. You have Travis, Digger, and Scottie. Time hasn't changed your friendships. I don't have that." Pain twisted in my chest, somewhere in the general location of my heart. I didn't let myself feel this level of grief very often, but today it seemed to be with me no matter what I did. Their ghosts were here, insisting on staying by my side every bit as much as Jackson. "I have writer friends, but things have been weird since this book went nuts. And even the ones I'm close to, I've kept at a distance to protect them."

"And Charley?"

I couldn't help but smile. "She's my surprise. Kind of like you. I didn't see that friendship coming and she refuses to let me push her away. And she comes with a pretty awesome friend circle that I'm still getting to know."

"Then why isn't she here?"

"Because she's just as famous and she couldn't get away today if I was on fire." The Tangerines were playing in Seattle this weekend, all the way on the opposite end of the country.

"You need to let more people in. Let them love you." He brought my hand to his lips, brushing kisses on my knuckles.

I can't.Instead, I just smiled because I had no more words to give him. Not today.

A knock came at the door followed by a muffled voice. "Room service."

Jackson grimaced, but got to his feet, bringing the cart of food inside. On days like this I either ate beforehand or I starved because there was no time to eat once the event began. And even if there was, I wouldn't be able to get it down.

So we ate a very quiet, late lunch and then I got to work donning my A.M. Quill costume. I usually enjoyed putting on the makeup and painting my lips red. It used to be fun to become my alter-ego and play in her world for a day or two. But today it felt like putting on handcuffs. With every minute that passed, my heart beat harder and faster. Nervous energy coursed through my veins that no amount of wiggling could ease.

Jackson offered me an orgasm, but I declined. I didn't want to mix my memories of him with this day. Tonight, when the pencil skirt came off and the makeup was gone, I'd get lost in him. Not now.

My security detail arrived with Felicity Martin, my agent. I barely heard a thing they said. I nodded when I was supposed to but otherwise, Jackson took control. Felicity shot me a few funny looks before she finally came over and nudged my shoulder with hers. "Uh, Jackson is amazing. Good job finding him, honey."

He was amazing. Concerned. Protective. The broody grouch he usually turned into in crowds was nowhere to be seen. Jackson wasn't disassociating one bit.

Which made me fall even harder than I already had because he was doing all of this for me.

"There are about a hundred people waiting outside the bookstore," she said loud enough for everyone to hear. "Only those with tickets have been let inside. Honestly, we were worried about a bigger crowd, so this is good."

A hundred people waiting to see me on top of the hundred who paid for tickets and would be waiting inside the bookstore. Would they be kind or cruel today? It was like spinning a roulette wheel and we would only find out where the ball landed when I stepped out of the car.

"Why don't we go in the back?" Jackson asked.

"Because she needs to be seen," Felicity answered.

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