Waking Up by Renee Dyer

want to put you in an awkward situation.”  Although I mean every word I said, I’m hoping he’ll say he wants to stay.  I want more time with him.  Even if it’s wrong to feel this way.
    “I don’t know why, but I trust you when you say that your friends won’t turn me over to the social media sites and I don’t see you being the type.  Plus, I’m really looking forward to the food you’ve been cooking.  My mouth has been watering all morning.  Actually, I’m getting hungry again.  Can I confess something and hopefully not sound like a whine-ass?” he asks, lightly chuckling.  I like when he chuckles and laughs. It rumbles in his chest.  I would love to touch his chest when he’s making that sound.  See if I can feel the noise.
    “Sure.”  I’m a little breathless when I answer.  I’m not sure what he could confess, but I’m on pins and needles waiting.
    “I’m tired of hiding in my truck and eating fast food because of who might recognize me.  I’m tired of being famous.  I want to go places and be anonymous.  That probably sounds stupid, doesn’t it?  So many people would kill to be in my shoes and here I stand, pissing and whining about it.”
    I don’t think it sounds stupid at all.  It made me realize this is my moment.  He just set my plan in motion for me.
    “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to a live without looking over your shoulder, Tucker.  A life where you can walk out your door with no fear of a camera in your face.  Where you can go on vacations, dinners, dates, and not worry it will end up in the tabloids.  I don’t think it’s stupid at all.”  I really don’t and I want him to know that.  Rubbing my hand on his arm, I hope that makes my point.
    Damn, this man is hard.  Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm.
    “Thank you for understanding.”  Looking at my hand, I worry that I overstepped my bounds.  Maybe he’s thinking that I’m getting a little too touchy-feely so I drop my hand to my side and decide it’s now or never.
    “Uh, Tucker, I… uh… was thinking and… um, I’m not sure when you have to go back to Vancouver for taping or where you were planning to go till then, but uh… uh… um…”  Shit.  This is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.  He’s looking at me with those eyes.  Those sexy as fuck blue eyes.  I can’t think and I’ve forgotten how I wanted to say this.  I’m going to sound like a crazy fan girl.
    “What is it, Adriana?”  The way he says my name sounds like a caress.  I have to close my eyes for a second to regain my senses.
    “Well, you see, I was listening to you talk about how you’re tired of being in your truck and eating fast food and you were worried about my friends posting pictures of you and I know how you feel about the paparazzi and I can tell you like my cooking and I have this big house with lots of empty rooms in the middle of nowhere.”
    “You’re rambling.”  He grabs my hands that are flying around in front of me in nervous circles– probably to protect himself from getting punched in the eye.  “What are you trying to ask or tell me?  Just take a breath and say it.  We’ve been talking all morning with no problems.”  Then, he smiles at me.  Just like that, I can breathe again.
    “I was thinking if you really need a place to stay until taping resumes, where you don’t have to worry about the paparazzi and you’re free from the bullshit, you can stay here.”  Seeing he’s about to say something, I pull one of my hands free from where he’s still holding them down and hold it up to shush him.  I need him to hear me out before he thinks I’m nuts.  “Before you think I’m some crazy fan girl trying to get you to stay at her house, I would give you the address here so you could give it to whoever you trust that wouldn’t blab your location, you can also send my picture to them, I can sign whatever you want that I will not photograph you, put information about you on