I wanted to ask him what was going on, but a bunch of burly guys surrounded us, and Ben grabbed my hand, pulling me close, and then we moved as a group toward the piers leading to the floating stage.
* * *
If I thought this day was surreal before, I’d had no clue of what was to come.
As we walked over the floating docks toward the floating stage, my heart thundered in my ears. Somehow this felt so much bigger than getting pulled on stage with Monica Moore.
Ten huge guys, including Roscoe and Ben’s dad, had escorted us through the festival to the pier. People craned their necks to get looks of us, certain there was someone in the middle of the scrum. Honestly, I was starting to wonder myself.
What the heck was going on?
And the attention didn’t let up once we’d stepped across the bouncing, floating docks to the stage. Twice as many people gathered around Ben, wanting his attention. One woman fussed over his clothing, tugging off his hood and hat, as she muttered something about prima donnas.
Ben had to let go of my hand so he could pull off his shirt to put on the one she shoved at him.
“Would’ve been so much easier if you just met me in the trailer like usual. Do you want to keep the glasses? And what hat do you want to wear?” She fanned out three in her hands, all branded with a huge BC in a star.
Ben grabbed one and pulled it on backwards.
“You’re good with the shoes?” she asked.
Ben shrugged. “They’ve worked all day, Claire. I’m good.”
She turned away, muttering.
A guy pulled Ben away with talks of sound levels. But before he left, Ben turned to me.
“I know this is a lot. And I swear we’ll talk after. Just…” He sighed as emotions flashed in his expressive eyes. “Just don’t go anywhere, okay? Promise me.”
I had to laugh. “I can’t, Ben. They’re taking away the docks.”
I gestured to the path we’d taken here that had been untied from the stage while guys pulled it back to the fixed pier, making one wide pier.
And removing our only exit.
“Good. I like the idea of you trapped here with me.”
“Pretty sure that’s what the Beast said to Belle.” I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to bring some levity to this bizarre moment.
“Works for me.” His arms came around me, pulling me to him until our hips kissed. “Because what I feel for you can definitely be described as beastly.”
Then he kissed me with all this ferocious need and desire that had me sagging in his arms. But all too soon, he pulled away and rested his forehead against mine.
“Just don’t jump to any conclusions, okay? I know I should’ve—”
“B!” someone shouted behind him. “B, we need you!”
“Fuck.” He closed his eyes again before pressing a gentle kiss to my brow. “Stick with Roscoe. He’s under orders to keep you in sight at all times. No swimming tonight, okay?”
“Sure, Ben.”
Then he walked away with a guy in a headset, leaving me standing at the side of the stage all alone.
Chapter 10
A moment later, Roscoe came over and guided me deeper into the shadows of the stage.
“Got some chairs over here set up for you. I know my dogs are barking since we’ve been on our feet all day. I don’t know how the kid does it.”
