I didn’t know why I was pushing, but if there was history between them, I wanted to know about it.

“No. I just told you we don’t know each other.”

“I wonder why he sounded weird then.”

“Maybe he’s being weird because I’m a sex worker. It happens a lot. Does it matter?”

Somehow it did. If she didn’t trust me, then I couldn’t trust her.

“No.” I shook my head, letting it go.

Asha caught my eye and looked significantly between Elena and me. We were sitting apart stiffly again.

Elena noticed. “Better mark your territory, Mr. Chase.” The husky warmth had returned to her voice.

I pulled her closer, leaning in to whisper against her ear, “I assumed this is what you meant by that, but then I remembered how wholesome I am compared to you. Did you literally want me to pee on you?”

She laughed, and it was the first time I’d heard laughter from her that sounded genuine. And damn, did it feel good to make her laugh.

She whispered, “I don’t think you’re as wholesome as you lead everyone to believe.”

“Maybe you’re just a bad influence on me.” I pretended to sound grumpy about it.

“Well, bad influence or not, it would be plain bad manners to suggest water sports in the middle of a restaurant. Golden Showers should always be conducted outside or in the bathroom.”

I nuzzled her playfully with the roughness of my beard and she leaned closer, like she wanted more, letting me take in the subtle sweetness of her scent.

“Most of the restaurant just watched you do that. Can we go back to sitting like normal humans now?” She shifted out from under my arm like she’d been counting down to being able to escape, but she stayed sitting close enough to be brushing against me.

“I can’t begin to figure you out, Elena.”

“Stop trying before you hurt yourself, Boy Scout.”

I couldn’t think of a comeback, but I was rescued by Asha coming over to see whether we were ready to chat with some press.

When it was time to leave, I let Asha know we were going to go out the front way to meet the fans who’d been clustered there since the end of the screening. I hated to disappoint them if they’d been waiting all that time.

They’d set up a walkway with barricades, so there was some distance between us and the mob. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to the screaming crescendo that happened when they caught sight of me. Imposter Syndrome always made me want to look behind me to see if some other guy was standing there and they were really cheering for him. It was surreal knowing this much excitement was all for me. Or at least it was for who they thought I was, the characters they knew me as, and the fantasy they projected onto me from the information they’d been fed.

My instinct was to keep Elena beside me, but she hung back, blending in with staff and security while I made my way down the line. I took selfies and signed whatever they handed me, only drawing the line at body parts, a rule I had to put into effect about midway through the line.