expression darkened.
“What?”
He looked past me for a minute. “Should be fine. It’s a Friday night and that tends to be Devils territory this time of year.” His jaw looked tighter than normal.
“Okay,” I said, concerned. “If you don’t feel safe, you don’t have to—”
“You’re speaking?” he interrupted.
“I think I’m going to announce the foundation,” I said. “I’m writing my speech in a bit.”
He relaxed. “I’d like to be there, Luna.”
“I’d like you to be there too,” I admitted.
Then he bent down in front of Penelope and cupped her face in his hands. They were sharing some kind of communication I couldn’t read, but the sight of it tugged my heart forward.
I swallowed the words I wanted to say. Really, they were begging to be liberated. Hey, this might be totally crazy but I love you?
I’d already semi-practiced it in the mirror a couple of times. I’d almost said it half a dozen times this past week, and not only when Beck was giving me an endless array of exquisite orgasms. It was watching the tender way Beck worked with the dogs here, the same tenderness reflected in his interactions with Wes and Jem. His comfort with Elián. The many small ways he was trying to be the leader everyone believed him to be.
Beck Mason, truly vulnerable, was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
But it was probably too soon, right? He’d only been my boyfriend for seven days. Yet here I was, standing in the middle of a field filled with rescue dogs, being held by a meat-eating, leather-wearing giant I was in love with.
Standing here, watching Beck, the man I loved with the dog I loved, I knew now where this new path was taking me. This journey I would get to walk.
And not alone.
Tonight, I promised myself. I would tell him tonight.
And I sent a plea to the universe that Beck Mason felt the same way.
51
Beck
“I look normal, right? I’m worried I look like the Hulk pretending to be a rich person.”
Elián, Wes and I were in the administrative offices at Lucky Dog. They’d both gone emergency suit shopping with me immediately after Luna had invited me as her date to this event. I’d been desperate for their company, a distraction from the anxiety I felt after seeing her video. That old picture of me.
The truth was I wanted to see Luna give that speech. And I was scared shitless to be around people who probably thought of me as garbage.
“I believe the word girls would use to describe you is total babe,” Wes said, with exaggerated air quotes and absolute sincerity.
Elián hid a smile.
“A babe?” I asked dryly.
“Oh, yeah,” Wes said, drumming on his knees. “Luna’s gonna be fucking psyched you’re her date, boss.”
I tugged at the tight tie, wondering how people wore these to work every damn day. It made me feel like I was choking.
“Luna said there might be potential donors there tonight?” Elián asked, right to business. I nodded.
“You gonna schmooze ’em?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said firmly. “With Luna there, I feel like I can do anything.”
The words tumbled out freely—I was helpless to stop them.
“You got it bad, bro.” Wes grinned. “But we all saw it coming from a mile away. Right, Elián?”
Elián chuckled. “There was water cooler talk.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, trying to shrug it off. “More donations came in today, right?” I asked Wes.
“Yeah, they did. But, uh, I don’t know. They’re kind of trickling off. Still more than we ever got. But I think we’re hitting the end of it, maybe.”
I exchanged a look with Elián, who lifted a shoulder. “I agree with Wes. There’s only so much attention people are willing to give through Luna. I think it’s time the donors become our donors. Our relationships.”
“Which means talking to them,” I finished.
“Which you can do now,” Elián said. “We dodged the gap. It’s been 30 days and we’re doing really well actually. It’s time to move on, think of the future, you know?”
I blew out a breath. “Okay. Anything come in the mail I can use for stories?” I found that if I focused on an exchange like I’d seen between Jimmy and Wes that day, being vulnerable felt easier somehow. It was a truth I was revealing, not a half-lie to manipulate someone into giving me money I’d owe them for.
“I’m glad you asked, boss,” Wes exclaimed. “Check out this shit.”
He walked over, bobbing his head as usual, and handed me a card from New York City. The