Page 26 of Fourth Base with the Alpha
“You must be able to see over everyone’s heads and you must always have an amazing view. Down here, I always feel like I’m looking at some dude’s back. It can get claustrophobic.”
“You want me to lift you up so you can see?” That teasing twinkle in his eyes again. Damn it’s seductive, sending those butterflies into a frenzy and my inner omega purring.
“Maybe later.”
“It actually sucks, though,” he says more seriously as we shuffle behind the others. “You can never hide.”
I glance up at him, but he’s staring straight ahead, over the heads of everyone in front of us. I can understand why he must hate it. Everybody wants to run and hide sometimes. Never being granted that luxury must drive a person insane. Or to be grumpy as hell.
I take his hand in mine again and hang on to his arm with the other. His arm is just as solid as the rest of him.
Finally, we reach the end of the carpet and the bottom of the steps that lead up to the theater entrance.
I stare down at my now aching feet. I’ll never be able to walk again after tonight. I doubt my feet will ever return to their original shape.
“Ready?” Hunter asks, taking my elbow as instructed but hooking his other arm around my waist.
“Yes,” I say, inhaling sharply when I realize the man is practically lifting me up the steps, taking all my weight through his arms and saving my feet any more agony.
“I think you’ve done this before,” I say. “You’re an expert.”
“I haven’t,” he says simply.
* * *
The theater is already packedwith smartly dressed people in their seats. As major stars, the band were allowed to arrive late, the other more minor stars having to sit here and wait for hours. Music plays as we walk down the gangway towards the front rows, but I can hear muffled voices, can catch Hunter’s name and feel all eyes on me. His arm remains coiled around my waist and he shields me with his body, leading me to our seats silently. I sink into mine with a huge sigh of relief. Layla sits next to me and bumps her shoulder against mine.
“You did great.”
“I didn’t fall over or pop out of my dress,” I say, staring down at the bodice, checking if that is the case.
“You look wonderful. You both do.”
Hunter hooks his arm around my shoulder and tugs me up against him. This wasn’t in the choreographed plan I sent him but I’m not complaining. He smells so good and snuggling into his side is safe and warm.
“Do you think we were convincing enough for Kim?” I whisper to him.
He snorts. “Kim’s never happy. She probably wouldn’t think we were convincing even if we’d started screwing right in the middle of the carpet.”
“Oh,Dios, my mom would disown me!”
I lean my head against his shoulder. I’m far too comfortable. But if I’m going to look convincing, is that such a bad thing?
My knee rests against his and it feels as if the heat from his skin is scorching, fire racing up my leg.
The lights dim and if this was a real date, I’d be tempted to make out with him right now. Screw the cameras and whatever my mom would think.
Hunter moans and groans all the way through the awards ceremony. Rolling his eyes at the presenter’s jokes and shifting in his seat. He obviously hates this stuff. But me? I can’t get enough of it. My jaw aches from falling open as music star after music star strides past my seat and up on the stage to collect an award. And I have actual front row seats for each live performance, watching some of the hottest acts on the planet right before my eyes, eyes that are glued to the stage.
Hunter’s eyes seem to spend an awful lot of time fixed on me, though. At least, I think they do, but whenever I turn to glance his way, his eyes dart forward.
When the lights come up for a commercial break, Hunter leans into me.
“You’re enjoying yourself.”
“I am,” I grin inanely at him. Maria used to call this my geek look, when I can’t keep my actual enthusiasm from spilling out onto my face. She said it wasn’t sophisticated.
If this was a real date, maybe I’d care.
