Bea and I had been worried about this. We wondered if they would want to see the secret attic where the guitar had been found. She had even prepared for this-a friend of hers lived in an old house that would be perfect. But it would be difficult to arrange an attic full of old musical instruments on such short notice, so I tried to deflect him.
"I'm not staying with my mother. Her place is a mess with all the packing up, so I got a motel room. Tell me where we're going, and I'll meet you there."
"No. It's a surprise. Tell me where you're staying."
Damn. Nothing stopped this man. I could have him meet me at the strip mall, but then I'd have to sneak out of the bathroom window all dressed up for a date. I decided that since I was already spending time with Alejandro, perhaps it would be okay to walk out my front door and let Vance see us. I could always excuse the dalliance as a necessary coddling of the mark. Before I could find another reason not to do it, I gave him the address of my motel.
Alejandro wrinkled his nose. "I know that area. I used to live around there when I was little. Not the nicest neighborhood."
"Hey, it's cheap." I shrugged. "What should I wear?"
"This is a formal event tonight. I'll be wearing a tuxedo."
Alejandro in a tuxedo? My head grew light from the thought. I'd seen pictures of him at award ceremonies in tailored formal wear that hugged his body so well it made gossip columnists pant. If he showed up looking that glamorous, I'd probably self-destruct.
But the real problem with going out on a date with Alejandro was the paparazzi. I worried about too much exposure. Some people might recognize me as New York artist Dee Frank. I was building a reputation for my pottery, and although I tried to keep my picture out of the media, there were occasional photos of me on the web. But even worse, others might remember the young girl who had swindled them years ago. In either case, any recognition would spoil it all.
I swallowed and asked meekly, "Formal? Will there be many other people around?"
He grinned with a light laugh. "Wherever I go, there are always other people around. But tonight I want to keep you to myself, so I promise not to let you out of my sight." He pulled me into a hug.
Oh my God, he felt so good. And he smelled spicy, like hot, buttered sex. I wanted to lick it off his chest, inch by inch, then nibble on his kissable lips. No woman could ever get enough of this incredible man. How could I survive a date with him?