Page 85 of Cross the Line
‘Sap,’ she mumbles, threading her fingers through my hair. ‘Keep talking.’
I could go on about her all morning, but Willow’s phone chirps on the bedside table, interrupting my attempt to tell her how the Indian astrologers my mom claims she doesn’t believe in but utilizes anyway couldn’t deny how compatible we are.
Willow huffs as she pulls away from me to grab the phone.
‘It’s Chava,’ she says, her face falling just a little as she reads his text. ‘He wants to head to the airport in an hour.’
Reality is calling, and it’s time to face it. We have a lot to stare down.
‘All right.’ I kiss the corner of her mouth, knowing this will be the last time I can do that until we’re alone again. And I have no idea when that will be. ‘Let’s head home, jaanu.’
CHAPTER 26
Willow
‘I’m so sore,’ I quietly whine to Dev as we step out into the sunshine. ‘How am I supposed to sit on a plane for . . .’ My stomach lurches at the thought of travelling from Brussels to San Diego today. ‘Oh no. How long is this flight?’
‘Long,’ he answers, grabbing the handle of my suitcase from me, our fingers brushing in the process.
I’ll take all the contact I can get. Now that we’ve left the privacy of my hotel room, we have to act like there isn’t anything – like a red string of fate – between us. We’re separate entities instead of a united pair.
My chest aches a little at the idea. It doesn’t matter how new this connection is; I don’t want to even imagine not being together, no matter how fake the detachment.
We agreed to keep this a secret, but in the light of day, sneaking around seems way more difficult than it did when we created this plan. All I want to do is lace our fingers together and declare to the world that we’re an item.
At least . . . I think we are. We didn’t exactly put a label on things.
Doesn’t look like I’ll be asking Dev about what he considers us, though, because Mark and Chava join us on our way to the awaiting SUV. They may have caught us making out and even bet on it happening, but we shouldn’t involve them any more than they already are. They’re Oakley’s friends, after all, and who knows what one of them – okay, it would absolutely be Chava – might let slip.
They’re not the only ones I have to be careful with. I have to remember that Dev is a celebrity, no matter how hard it is to wrap my mind around that fact. He’s under constant scrutiny because of it, and by association, I have been too. My photo has already popped up in various publications. They’re harmless, usually just shots of Dev and me walking side by side in the paddock, but my name is out there now. I’ve been identified as his social media manager, and for the time being, that should be my only title.
When we reach the SUV, I make accidental eye contact with Mark as he loads our bags into the trunk – and, yep, heabsolutelyknows what Dev and I were up to last night. My face goes hot when he winks at me, but at least he approves.
Chava, thankfully, seems none the wiser as I slip past him and scramble into the third row of the SUV. Dev soon joins me, his hand finding my thigh while the other guys linger outside on the sidewalk. It’s a private enough moment, so I let it endure, even shifting so his fingers slip underneath the edge of my shorts.
‘Before we’re stuck with our families,’ he murmurs close to my ear, ‘let me take you on a date.’
I glance at him from the corner of my eye, resisting the urge to turn and press my lips to his. ‘Is this going to be that best date ever you promised me?’
‘Shit, I’ve got a lot to live up to, haven’t I?’
‘You brought that upon yourself, bud.’
‘I suppose I did.’ He blows out a heavy breath, but there’s humour behind it, and the way his hand slides a little higher tells me he’s not worried. ‘As soon as we land, I’m stealing you away. We’ll tell everyone our flight got delayed.’
I frown. ‘Chava and Mark are literally on the same flight. No one’s going to believe that if they show up and we don’t.’
‘They’ll cover for us. I promise.’
And that’s when I notice Chava. His grinning face is pressed to the window, his hands cupped over his eyes so he can see in through the tinted glass, watching us like an exhibit at the zoo.
Clearly, there are no secrets here.
I sigh. ‘Fine. I guess that’s the least they can do.’
——
Sixteen hours later, I’m stiff, achy, and ready for bed, even though it’s three in the afternoon here in California. I’m not fit for any kind of date right now. I’m not even fit to be seen by other humans.
