Page 32 of Totally Geeked

“I’m pretty sure you can outrun him.”

He laughs and holds me tighter. It’s perfect, and I could stay here in his arms forever.

But my alarm sounds from inside warning us it’s almost time to leave. I'm more annoyed that I have to climb off his lap than nervous that I’m about to read my book to the biggest crowd yet.

We get to the event, and he opens my door for me again, like the last time, and butterflies swarm inside my gut.

“Thanks,” I say, climbing from the truck and then reaching back inside for the book I almost left on the dash. I know they have copies inside, they always do. It’s part of the gig, signing books after the reading, but this is the first copy. The very first one I pulled from that box a few weeks ago. It’s silly to think which book I hold has any impact on how well I read it. But like having Harrison in the crowd, the more things about this that are familiar the better I seem to go.

“Ready?”

“Not really, but okay.”

He closes the door and rubs my back with his large hand. “I’ll be right there in the crowd, the giant kid at the back who can’t stop smiling at how amazing you are.”

My cheeks burn, and I shake my head.

“You can sit in a chair like the other adults if you want to.”

“No way! I love the view from underneath you too much for that.”

I laugh and let him guide me toward the library. He keeps his hand on the small of my back, only removing it to open the door for me and I have to wonder how the hell I’m going to keep a guy like this. He’s sexy and sweet and opens doors for you and I’m…me.

“You’ve got this,” he says into my ear before walking over to sit with the kids waiting on the floor.

My stomach is in knots, but I take a breath and head to the front of the room, and when I sit in the big red velvet chair they’ve pulled out for me, my gaze lands on him, and I smile.

I might not know how I’m going to do it, but I sure as shit know I’m going to do whatever it takes. Because Harrison Roe is everything I could have ever asked for, and now that I know that, I’m not letting go.

Chapter thirteen

Harrison

“Harry! Where have youbeen?” Duckie calls from across the room when I get to training. It was a close call with traffic and dropping Arlo off at Gordon’s. Knowing Gordon was here and the house was empty made it even harder to walk away, but I made it.

“Awww, did you miss me?” I ask, and he holds up his hands in front of his chest, making a heart shape with his fingers.

“Always! You know I love you most!”

“Hey, he’s the enemy, remember, mate,” Tim Sage says, wrapping an arm around Duckie’s shoulder and leading him over to the rest of the Funky Monkeys changing into their uniforms.

I clock Gordon waving me over and jog that way.

“Everything good with Arlo?” he asks, and my cheeks are immediately warm. Shit, hold it together, man.

“Yeah, it went great. I swear he’ll be flying solo in no time.”

“It’s nice of you to do this for him. I would have taken him, but with the business taking off, I’ve been slammed.”

Gordon spends any time not training, playing, or making content either hosting massive parties or planning them for other people. His event company started more as a joke between him and his friends, but when Sierra Cort attended as a plus one and liked what he’d done, she hired him to help plan her birthday party in LA, and he started getting inquiries from some of the biggest names out there.

“No worries, I had nothing better to do,” I say, trying to sound easy, but my voice picks up a little in a weird way, and he frowns.

“Seriously, man. I know Arlo can be a lot. If it’s too much, just say the word, and we’ll hire a driver to take him.”

“No. I’m good. Really. And he’s not a lot, he’s…sweet.” Shit. “Umm, he’s a sweet kid. It’s nice to be needed.”

Dennis enters the room, clapping his hands.

---