Page 4 of If You Need Me

“I might need one of those turned into a poster for my office,” I muse. It’ll make the perfect dart board.

Eventually Bernardo stops making out with Dallas. There’s another shirt change and makeup touch-up. The shoot takes a slightly X-rated turn when Bernardo decides Dallas’s leg would be a good thing to hump.

“I wish I could do that,” one volunteer whispers.

The other giggles.

I grit my teeth and keep my mouth shut.

Grudgingly I have to give it to Dallas; he takes the humping like a champ. An hour and a half later, we have plenty of videofootage and photos for the shelter to use in their upcoming campaign.

Dallas makes the shelter staff fall even more in love with him when he writes them a check for $10,000 before we leave. I doubt they’d fawn over him if they knew him the way I do. Writing a check doesn’t negate all the hell he and his friends put me through when we were growing up—like the time I heard the snick of scissors and my braid falling into their hands in elementary school.

By the time he’s done, I have half an hour to make it to the coffee shop.

“You heading home or to the office?” Dallas holds the door for me.

“Neither.”

“You meeting the girls?” he presses.

“No.” I stop in front of my car. “If you must know, I have a date.”

His lip curls as if in disgust. “A date?”

Same Dallas as always. I roll mine. “I realize I’m not a millionaire hockey player, Dallas, but I’m not an ogre, either.”

“That’s not?—”

I cut him off. “Save it for someone who gives a shit. I’ll be in touch once we have photo proofs and video clips.” I unlock my car door and slide into the driver’s seat.

“Willy—”

“Fuck a porcupine, Dallas.” I pull the door closed and flip him the bird as I leave the lot.

I really hope this date is the one, because I’m running out of time.

CHAPTER 3

HEMI

My Badass Babe Brigade chat is full of messages.

Rix

Good luck on your date!

Hammer

Fingers crossed he’s not like the last guy.

Tally

Sending positive date vibes.

Shilps

^^^All of this.

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