Page 124 of How to Date a Rockstar

“Virginia, hold up!”

I pretend I don’t hear Dylan shout and keep moving. Unfortunately, I must be too slow since his big hand comes down on my shoulder and whirls me around.

“Hey, Virginia.” He smiles.

“I’m leaving.” I hate how rude I sound but I’m weak for this man. And I refuse to be weak for a man who ignored my existence in high school.

His hand travels from my shoulder to my neck where his thumb rubs circles into my skin. Sparks go off in my body and I gasp.

“You feel it, too.”

I wrench away from him and his magic hands. “I don’t know what you’re referring to.”

He smirks. “A challenge? I do love a challenge.”

He thinks I’m a challenge? He doesn’t view me as a woman he wants to spend time with, to get to know. Nope. All I am is a game to him. Too bad for him I refuse to be another notch in his bedpost.

“I am not a challenge. I am a woman.”

He holds up his hands. “I didn’t—”

I poke him in the chest. “You treat women like they’re a competition you’re determined to win. Women aren’t games.”

“You have the wrong opinion of me. I’m not Jett who treats sex like a drug or Gibson who gets a kick out of charming a woman into bed.”

Thanks for the reminder. He’s a rockstar who could never be truly interested in a quiet librarian in a small town.

“I’m leaving.” I whirl around but before I can get away, he shackles my wrist to stop me.

Oh no, he didn’t! I may be a quiet woman but I will not put up with a man ordering me where I can go or not go.

I wrench my hand free. “Do not touch me without my permission.”

Never mind he touched my neck and I enjoyed it. This is different. He’s trying to stop me from leaving. No one can stop me from going where I want to go. Never again.

He retreats a step. “Sorry. It was a mistake.”

It was a mistake!Those four words are my least favorite in the English vocabulary. I’ve heard enough of ‘it was a mistake’ and ‘I didn’t mean to’ for the rest of my life.

“I just wanted to get a chance to ask you out before you go home.”

“Buy a clue, Dylan! I will never go out with you!”

I spin around and stomp toward the exit. I can feel my face flaming with shame. I know better than to raise my voice. I know what the consequences can be.

No. Not anymore. There will be no consequences. That part of my life is over and done.

The door opens behind me and I glance back over my shoulder. It’s Dylan.

“Leave me alone!”

“I’m not letting you walk home alone and angry.”

“You’re not walking me home.”

“I’ll walk behind you. You don’t need to speak to me, but I need to make sure you get home safe.”

Damn him. He had to say the magic words? There’s nothing I want more than a man who can make me feel safe.

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