Gavin looked over at the guy. “Did you hear that, Mr. Wild? This young lady would like to hug you.”
There was a collective gasp from several people and then one woman squealed. Phones came out, pictures were being taken, and everyone seemed to want to know what was going on.
I was one of those people, minus the picture taking.
Jacob Wild... Jacob Wild... Where the hell had I heard that name?
And then it hit me. He was an author, the one who’d written that steamy book that they’d turned into a movie. I remembered because they’d said that his sex scenes made others in the genre look like beginners’ books. I wasn’t much of a reader but I had read the Fifty Shades trilogy, enjoyed it even, and, yes, the sex had been scorching, so I wasn’t sure how much truth there was in those claims.
But what I remembered most was the way people had idolized him, newscasters chomping at the bit to interview the local celebrity, pictures of him out and about all over the place.
“Hey, sweets,” Gavin greeted me as the woman ran around to the other side to hug the man I’d come to think of as Chapter One. “Glad you’re here.”
I offered Gavin a one-armed hug. “Looks like you’re busy tonight.”
“Yeah. Thank God. And it’s still early. You here to lend your expert money management skills?”
I laughed. “Yep. And you’ve got me all night. Just tell me what to do.”
“All night? I could think of a few things I could do to you all night.”
I glared up at him.
Gavin chuckled. “Fine. I’ll be good.” He pointed to one couple perusing a painting on the end. “It’s all over there. A few people are interested.” He paused and smiled at me. “You’re an angel, you know that?” Gavin put his arm around me and steered me toward the man who was now signing autographs for several women. “Presley Abrams, I’d like you to meet Jacob Wild. Jake, meet my best friend, Presley.”
Jake smiled for the camera, then turned to face Gavin. I fought the urge to laugh when his eyes widened as soon as they landed on me.
“Hey, Chapter One,” I greeted.
Gavin looked between us. “You two know each other? I don’t remember you talking to him the other night.”
The other night? I had no idea what Gavin was talking about.
“Uh … sort of,” Jake said, that deep, rumbling voice lingering on the chilly night air. He seemed to be speaking to Gavin, but he never took his eyes off me. “I’m pretty sure I gave her a concussion last weekend.”
Gavin stood up straight, his usual laid-back, casual posture taking on a defensive edge, and I immediately smacked his hard chest. “It’s not like that,” I said with a grin. “He bumped into me—accidentally—in the coffee shop. I didn’t need a hospital.” I held out my hand to Jake. “Nice to officially meet you. Did you take my advice?”
His big hand engulfed mine while those teal-blue eyes lingered on me briefly as a warm smile took over. “The once-upon-a-time thing?”
I nodded.
“Not yet, but I haven’t ruled it out completely.”
“It could be a best seller,” I told him with a wink.
“Oh, my God! It’s Jacob Wild!”
I took a step back as another woman rushed over, throwing her arms around Jake like they were long-lost lovers. I had no idea that authors were sort of like rock stars. At least it seemed that way.
I frowned as another rock star I knew came to mind. Forcing the thought away, I looked up at Gavin.
“You met him at the coffee shop?” Gavin asked me when Jake was pulled away.
“Yeah. Why?”
Gavin glanced over at Jake, then back to me. “He’s our neighbor.”
“Our what?” I looked at Jake and then I remembered.
Oh, and that guy over there. That’s Jake. He’s our neighbor.
“Neighbor,” I mumbled.
“Yep. Think the guy’s got a lower tolerance level than you. Plus, he’s got the self-control of a saint. Never made a move on any of those chicks last weekend. Actually cut out early.”
I looked at Gavin, trying to process his words, but my mind was going a million miles a minute. “Does he know that I live there?”
Gavin frowned. “No idea. It doesn’t look as though he remembers you.”
Technically, I hadn’t met him at my place, so it only made sense that he hadn’t put two and two together.
“Good. Let’s keep it that way.” I had no idea why I didn’t