She touched Harrison’s arm. “It can’t get out that I’m in America, apart from Marcel. If I’m Rosie, no one will care. But the driver, the bodyguards…this is just drawing attention to me.” She turned to Brodie. “How many people know who I am?”

“My family knows. The manager. That’s about it. We don’t talk about our guests. That’s basic policy in hospitality.”

“Can I trust everyone to keep my identity under wraps?”

“Of course. One of the reasons we get so many celebrities out here’s because of our attitude towards privacy. Nobody asks for autographs or selfies. Our state motto’s Equal Rights, and that’s because we were the first state to give women the vote, but it’s also because, to us, people are just people.”

A guy walking by clapped Brodie on the back. “I thought our motto’s, Where the Men are Lonely, and the Sheep are Scared.” He cracked up and kept walking.

“Fuck off, Chris.” But Brodie was smiling. “So, yeah, you’re safe with us.”

She liked the way he unapologetically swore around her. Now, for the more difficult conversation. She addressed her bodyguards. “You may not like this, but I think it’s best if you stay in the hotel until I get back.”

“I can’t do that, Princess,” Harrison said. “You know that.”

“You can.”

Brodie came closer. “Is there some threat I should know about?”

“Not at all,” Rosalina said. She held Harrison’s gaze. It’s all right. Let me do this.

“Some of the most famous actors, athletes, and entrepreneurs in the world live here,” Brodie said. “And no one bothers them. If she’s just Rosie, the chemist, she’ll be left alone.”

She gave Harrison a gentle push towards the lobby doors. He didn’t like it, but he gave her a terse nod and stepped around the car to talk to the driver. A moment later, the car pulled away.

“You take care of her.” Harrison pointed a finger at Brodie. “She’s precious cargo.”

“We got this.” Brodie turned and strode to his motorcycle, not even waiting to see if she’d follow.

But follow she did.

Chapter Six

The wind loosened the scarf Rosalina had wrapped around her head to keep her hair from becoming a tangled mess. It started to break free, and she tried to grab it, but Brodie’s ridiculously swift reflexes caught her hand and pressed it to his hard stomach.

Good Lord, this is too much. Tearing down the highway was exhilarating enough, but the feel of her breasts pressed to his back, her thighs straddling his hips…she’d never been this close to a man other than Marcel. It felt different, strange. Thrilling.

His muscular body, the scent of his herbal shampoo and leather jacket…it all smacked her with a heavy wallop of attraction.