Breathless, her heart thudding against her chest, Savannah watched Zach’s long strides take him swiftly away from her. If she didn’t count Tubby Thompson, who in the fourth grade chased her down on a dare from his friends and smacked his lips up against hers, she’d just had her very first kiss. The magazine articles that claimed first kisses were awkward, sloppy, or not good didn’t know Zach Tanner. She couldn’t imagine a more perfect kiss.
The absence of the noise she had successfully drowned out with Zach’s earplugs told her the concert was over. She stood to stretch her stiff limbs and then realized belatedly why she hadn’t known it was over. Holy crap, she’d fallen asleep. She had tried so hard to pretend she loved the music, and for half an hour or so, she thought she’d done a pretty convincing job. Then her head had begun to pound in rhythm with every drumbeat. When Zach had offered her the earplugs, she had almost refused. Silly, she knew, but she hated to think he’d been kind enough to invite her and she was wanting to drown out the music within the first hour. Thankfully, before she could refuse, she had noticed he wore them, too.
They had done too good of a job. Though she’d still heard the music, it was much less painful to her sensitive hearing. She never anticipated that she’d fall asleep, though. Zach probably thought she was the most boring date ever. Sammie and Bri were going to howl their heads off with laughter when she told them.
Savannah walked around the backstage area, listening to the back-and-forth between the men as they proceeded to take apart the equipment. Zach was on the other end of the stage, but every so often she’d feel his eyes on her. She shivered, remembering his mouth on hers, the heat in his gray eyes that made them gleam like a winter fire.
“Who’s the blond chick with the great ass?”
The guy was several yards away and her back was to him, but since she was the only girl around, she knew he was referring to her. She also recognized the voice as belonging to Stand and Deliver’s lead singer.
“She’s with me.”
Savannah whirled around, startled by the harsh tone that hardly sounded like Zach’s voice.
“Introduce us.”
Even from where she stood, she could hear the arrogance in the guy’s voice. She tensed, wondering how Zach would handle the request. She didn’t want to meet this man, but if Zach refused, would that keep him from getting jobs like this in the future?
“No.” If possible, Zach’s voice was even harder.
Savannah started toward them. What was the harm in having Zach introduce her? The last thing she wanted to do was cause him problems. Before she could take more than two steps, Zach had her firmly by the elbow. “Let’s go.”
“But, Zach, I don’t mind—”
“I do.”
Not giving her a chance to say anything else, he grabbed her purse and ushered her toward the door. In seconds, they were outside.
Confused by his attitude, she frowned up at him. “What’s wrong?”
“I shouldn’t have brought you here.”
“But why?”
“I’d forgotten how rowdy these things can get.”
Savannah raised her brows. Rowdy? If things had been any calmer, she might have fallen asleep again.
“You don’t have to protect me from everyone, you know. I’m not helpless.”
He didn’t speak as he opened the car door for her. Savannah settled into her seat and watched him cross in front of the car. The thunderous expression on his face made her suddenly uncertain. He had seemed like such a gentleman. Had she misjudged him? Why was he acting so annoyed?
The driver’s-side door opened and Savannah prepared herself to deal with his unexpected anger. Zach slid in beside her and stared out the windshield for several seconds. She opened her mouth, not sure what she was going to say, but then he turned toward her. Savannah lost her breath. That smile was back.
“I overreacted, didn’t I?”
Her tense muscles loosened in relief. “Maybe a little.”
“Sorry. I didn’t know what to expect, so I got you out of there before anything could happen.”
Zach was a protector, there was no other word for it. And if not for the extremely hot kiss earlier, he’d almost treated her as a sister … a family member. Then it hit her. Zach watched over those he cared about. A thrill of excitement zoomed through her, causing her to shiver. Zach cared about her!