Dakota wasn’t ready to say bye; he hopped off his chair and followed me to the exit. “Let me walk you to your car.”
“I don’t need you to,” I said, but he hadn’t taken no for an answer yet, and I knew he wasn’t about to start.
“It’s the gentlemanly thing to do,” he said.
I giggled. “Funny. You didn’t strike me as the chivalrous type.”
He smiled and held the door open for me. “Maybe I’m a gentleman in disguise?”
I gasped sarcastically. “You truly had me fooled, Dakota. You’re justsocommitted to the disguise.” Unable to resist, I wrapped my fingers around his round bicep and gave it a playful squeeze—ortriedto squeeze it, anyway, but my attempt was met by an unyielding knot of muscle that didn’t give at all.
His green eyes sparkled. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? A gentleman can’t be jacked?”
Dakota followed me out the door.
Florin, still parked where I’d left him, spotted me and obediently hopped out of the driver’s seat. He posted himself by the back door, ready to open the door for me as soon as I arrived.
Shit.I dug my heels in and halted. I didn’t want Dakota to see I had a driver.
“This is far enough,” I said. “Thank you for walking me out. You can go now.”
He laughed. “What’s wrong with you, girl? I said I’d walk you to your car, not to the edge of the sidewalk.”
I pointed at the cafe. “Please go back inside.”
“Why?”
“So I can get in my car and leave.”
“Do you not know how this works?” he teased. “I’ll stop walking you to your car once we actually reach your car.”
“I don’t want you to see my car, okay?!”
“Why not? Do you drive a hooptie or something?” His eyes lit. “Because thirty grand would get you a decent set of wheels, you know.”
“Just go!” I tried to spin his body around and steer him back inside, but it was hopeless; he was too big and strong. It was like trying to maneuver a brick wall. “Ugh! Dakota!Please! You’re going to make me late for my job interview!”
“Whoa, whoa whoa.”
Ugh.I was filled with instant regret, knowing I’d screwed up again.
“Jobinterview, huh? Where?”
“Don’t worry about it,” I mumbled. “It’s just a place. Nothing special.”
“What place?”
I groaned. I just wanted to get him out of my hair. “Starbucks, okay? Happy now? I’m simply looking for a summer job while I’m home.”
“Starbucks?”His face contorted like he’d taken a bite out of a lemon. I had to chuckle, because Dakota took that bit of info harder than Florin had. “Why would you want to worktherewhen I’m offering you thirty grand for a single night’s work?”
“For the millionth time, it’s not about the money,” I said. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”
“So then what’s it about?”
“I just want a regular summer job. Okay? Any job. I really don’t care what it is.”
“Anyjob?” I could see the wheels turning in his head. “I can get you a job.”
