Manhandled: A Rockstar Romantic Comedy (Hammered Book 2) by Cari Quinn, Taryn Elliott Page B

logistics of the next two months were giving me an eye-twitch.
    “Absolutely not. You know nothing keeps me down for long.”
    The woman closest to Indie clutched her purse to her chest. “No. I remember when you broke your arm during the ‘Rusted Armor’ video. You were back on the piano before the cast came off.”
    Faith laughed. “It was only the wrist. My fingers worked fine.”
    The other girl clutched her phone in her hand. “Would you sign this?” She popped her phone out of the case and flipped it over. “I can get a clear case to show it off tomorrow.”
    “Really?” Faith’s smile was a damn ray of light. Seeing her out and about with people made it even more apparent that she was miserable being shut away. “That’s so sweet.”
    I stepped close again, watching hands and purses to make sure nothing else was going on. When her hand dropped to wave me off again, I ignored her. She got more insistent until her fingers brushed between my knees and I stiffened.
    I opened my mouth to warn them to back off, but the girls looked up at me and instantly shrank away.
    Guess the sunglasses only hid so much.
    Faith nailed me with a dirty look over her shoulder. But the smile was back on her face when she faced the girls again. “Sorry. My boyfriend gets a little protective.”
    I blinked.
    Boyfriend?
    Indie quickly covered her mouth with a napkin, but I still heard the snort of laughter.
    Well, that was one way to explain my presence. I had no problem letting people know I was a bodyguard, but this actually would work a little easier. No one would question me being around her if they thought we were involved.
    I moved up until my thighs brushed the back of her chair. I tried for a genial grin, but the fans nearly tripped over themselves to get out of there.
    When we were alone again, she craned her neck to stare up at me. “Must you be so menacing?”
    I lifted one brow. “Yes.”
    “Incredible.”
    “Wrap it up. We’ve been here for an hour more than I’m comfortable with.”
    “We just got here.”
    “We’ve been here for eighty-eight minutes.”
    Indie grinned at Faith. “Is he always like this?”
    “He’s actually nice today,” Faith muttered.
    “I’ll endeavor to make up for it tonight.”
    Indie leaned in. “Is there something I should know?”
    “No,” we both said.
    Indie pushed back her battered straw cowboy hat. “Oh, yeah…tour next week is going to be anything but boring.”
    I waved to the girl behind the counter. “Could we have a to-go cup?”
    “Sure thing,” she called back.
    “You suck, Warden.” Faith muttered.
    I leaned down until my lips were close to her ear. “Is that what you’d call your boyfriend?”
    She turned her head until her cheek brushed mine. “You couldn’t handle me or my nicknames,” she said on a low voice.
    The urge to say “try me” was burning a hole in my tongue, but there were some things you just couldn’t take back. I stood up to my full height, and spotted another crowd of people heading our way.
    “Time to go.”
    She spotted the same group, but instead of arguing, she actually nodded. “All right. Lead the way.”
    I pulled the chair out for her and dumped her cup into the to-go glass unceremoniously.
    “Way to ruin a drink.”
    “Just mixing it thoroughly. Wouldn’t want the caramel and chocolate to settle on the bottom now, would we?” I handed her the cup.
    “I sense mocking.”
    “Now where would you get that idea?”
    “Definitely mocking.” She quickened her step. “Better than brooding,” she said with a shrug.
    I was never going to understand this woman. I led both women out of the cafe and deposited Indie at her car. It took another five minutes of me playing lookout for them to say their goodbyes.
    But the fans were intent on seeing Faith, and found the side street we’d parked on.
    “All right, time’s up.”
    Faith’s growl face started until she saw the ten people at the end of the street heading for us.