Chapter 46: A Lunch Date

Relief washes over me as I slide into Ashlyn's car. I'm blocked from Rafe's line of sight, and his hold on me evaporates slightly.

"Are you good?" Ashlyn asks, glancing out her window. "We better go now or Rafe's going to come down here and carry you off over his shoulder."

"You think?"

"All I know is that when Dante looks at me that way, there's no way he's letting me walk away from him." She smiles. "You've really done a number on him, haven't you?"

"Not on purpose." I pull my seatbelt on as Ashlyn pulls back down the driveway. "He didn't want me to come. He's afraid to let me out of his sight, especially in public."

"Because of the paparazzi? They're curious about you, yes, but we should be fine. No one's going to recognize you from a few fuzzy tabloid photos, especially if you're out without Rafe."

"What about you? Will they recognize you?"

"Oh, sure. But no one really cares about me. Back when Dante and I got together, sure. But not now. I'm not famous on my own, and there'