“Can we please get out of here?” he asked.

“Where would you like to go?”

“Upstairs.”

She looked at him for a long time, as if she were making an important decision. “Come on, then.”

Adam didn’t have to be told twice. He was up and out of his chair so fast, it tipped over behind him, making her laugh at him. After he righted the chair, he hustled out of the bar in hot pursuit.

“Go get her, dude,” their buddy from last night said, raising his beer in tribute to Adam.

He choked back a nasty retort and dashed into the lobby, thrilled to see it deserted for once. Even the front desk was devoid of people, which was rare. That was a lucky break. No one would see him follow Abby upstairs.

She was nearly to the first landing when he caught up to her. “What did your parents say when Cal showed up?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

She cast a glance at him over her shoulder. “Not one thing?”

He urged her to keep moving. “I don’t remember, and I don’t want to talk about my parents.”

“They didn’t say anything about us being together?”

“That’s talking about my parents, which we aren’t doing.”

“Adam!”

“What?” He was so completely fixated on her legs as he followed her that he nearly crashed into her when she stopped and turned to face him. “What’s that on your leg?”

She smiled and lifted her leg so he could see the new tattoo.

“You went back.”

“And got one where people could see it.”

She was so proud of herself that he couldn’t help but smile at her. “Good for you. It’s gorgeous.”

“Thank you. I think so, too, but I want to know what your parents said about us being together.”

Adam let out a tortured groan. “Can’t we please go to your room and talk about it?”

“Fine, but we are going to talk about it.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

Outside her door, he watched as she once again withdrew her room card from her bra. “What else you got in there?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she asked as she opened the door and went in ahead of him.

The door clicked shut behind him. “Yes, I would.”

“Talk first.”

He spoke as quickly as he ever had in his life, like a spokesperson on speed. “They were surprised to see us together. They mentioned Grant and how he might feel about it. I assured them that I talked to him about it—”

“What did he say?”

“He was primarily concerned with me doing something to hurt you. He said you’ve had enough of that.”

“That’s certainly true. So, he didn’t seem at all, you know…”

He took a step that brought him closer to her in the small room. “Jealous? Angry? Disappointed in me or you?”

“Any of the above?”