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“You call this going light?”
“I don’t go anywhere without my mascara.”
He nodded toward the door. “Ready now?”
I exited first and headed for his car.
Someone I didn’t recognize walked toward me on the sidewalk, and I retreated to be beside Adam while he locked up, looping my arm with his.
I grabbed tighter as the stranger came closer, then walked past without a glance in our direction or a greeting.
Adam leaned into my ear and whispered. “You’re safe with me.”
I let go of his arm, suddenly ashamed at how skittish I’d become, and ambled to his car by the curb.
Adam walked past. “We’re hoofing it today.”
I caught up and took the hand he offered. The warmth of his touch as his fingers interlaced with mine reminded me we were no longer in fake-boyfriend territory—another reason to feel good about this morning. “Where are we going?”
“You really don’t like surprises, do you?”
Appropriately chastised, I walked beside him in silence for half a block.
When we reached Dupont Circle, we crossed through the middle to 19th.
I asked how much farther and got nothing, so I tried a different question. “What does your family know about us?”
“Nada, zilch, nothing so far. What are you going to tell yours?”
“I don’t know yet. All I know is I’m not ashamed to be with you.”
He stopped us and moved in close. His eyes softened. “Me either, Sugarbear.”
I held his eyes and tried to control my smirk. “You just like getting off the floor.”
He started us walking again. “Side benefit,” he said after a few steps.
This FBI special agent didn’t have as thick a skin as he pretended. He turned us right down a side street.
I regretted breaking the mood with my smart-ass comment.
A few steps later he mumbled, “I meant it.”
Before I could come up with an un-snarky reply, he stopped and held a door open. “We’re here.”
“McDonald’s? That’s the big surprise?”
“Just the first stop.”
“I get it that you think I’m a cheap date, but isn’t this a bit much?”
The face on the lady at the register said she’d heard me and didn’t appreciate my attitude.
“We’re playing tourist today, and this is our first stop.”
“But they don’t have pigs in a blanket.”
He chuckled. “Sugarbear, today is not about your normal routine. Go off script and be daring.”
