Page 55 of Driven Daddy

“I know.”

A warm body came up behind me and the way my body instantly reacted, I knew it was not Christian. The slow unfurlingof awareness in my gut and chest along with Penn’s very specific scent told me just how close he was.

“Anyone who willingly goes outside will be entered in a raffle for dinner with me or the romance author.”

I whirled around. “Romance author?”

He gave me that wretched smirk. “Rita, right?”

He knew my damn name, jerk.

I narrowed my eyes, then I spun back around. I brushed back against Penn and my traitorous body hummed even louder. His hand automatically slid across my waist to steady me.

When I stiffened, he dropped it.

“I suppose the famous Mr. Masterson can only manage to offer dinner.” I peered up at him. “Unoriginal as…” I let my voice fall away.

The crowd of people madeoohingsounds, and I noticed several phones being lifted.

Just great, cameras.

He just put my back up so freaking fast.

“As what?”

“You,” I finished.

I smiled out at the alarming number of people who were now in the store. More had spilled in after we began this display.

“You are not helping matters, Rita.” Christian’s voice was full of warning.

“If the librarian is amenable,” I raised my voice, “the first fifty people who go back outside can do a writing workshop with me.”

“Us. Drawing included,” Penn said from over my shoulder. He dropped his voice so only I could hear him. “You are not going to outmatch me.”

Oh, but I would.

“When?!” Came a voice from the left.

“I—”

“November 13th. Sound good?” Penn’s voice was so damn certain.

“You can’t promise that,” I said under my breath. “You don’t know their schedule.”

“Handily, the librarian is a friend.” His voice was so close that my hair shifted with his breath. I tried to resist the shiver, but my stupid body was more than on board with him being so close.

C’mon, brain, take over. You don’t like him!

However, my very pantiless state said otherwise.

The phones were still up, and I was way too close to him. I tried to step forward, but more people had crushed in.

“All right, there are too many people in here. Everyone out!” Super-Officer-No-Nonsense’s voice lifted over the excited chatter.

“Christian, we aren’t kicking everyone out.” Penn brushed against my backside as he shifted to look at his brother.

The cashmere of my dress sliding over my too sensitive skin wasn’t helping matters.

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