"Oh my gosh, I already hate this," I muttered as I stared up through the window in the back of the limo at a large neon sign with the word, Snacks, written in bold. Carter had set up a place for us to get dinner, and with a name like Snacks, I immediately agreed, because who doesn't love snacks? Right? WRONG! It turned out, Snacks was the name of a nightclub and the LAST thing I had in mind when it came to a good time.

But before I could say a word, the door to my passenger's seat was pulled open and dozens of cameras were in my face, flashing wildly. A hand reached down to help me out. "Lalania?"

It took a lot of effort not to correct the blurry person standing before me. But I didn't think that would be the BEST way to start a fake first date. After several blinks, Carter's face came into view. He smiled at me shyly, seeming oblivious to the paparazzi's cameras that were vying for his attention.

"CARTER!" they shouted, above the flashes. "Who's she?" "Is she your girlfriend?"

Carter rubbed the back of his neck, his ringed fingers glistening in the camera's lights. He blushed as he raised a brow, his emerald green eyes looking sheepish as he tossed me a boyish grin. "Sorry about the cameras."

"This is normal?" I asked, glancing at the chaos only a few feet away.

He laughed, the sound light and airy. "Annoyingly, yes." Then he motioned for me to follow him inside. I glanced over my shoulder and spotted Aiden working as my shadow, following behind.

As soon as we passed the bouncer who blocked the paparazzi from following us inside, I wanted to turn around and run back towards the cameras. The nightclub was filled with bodies. People packed onto the dance floor like it was the end of the world, and they needed to dance for their survival.

The lights were dim, the place was a swirl of neon and glittery tops. The dizzying smell of perfume, sweat, and alcohol filled my nostrils.

"Want something to drink?" Carter shouted over the thumping of the techno music. We stood awkwardly against the wall next to the dance floor.

I shook my head. "I thought we were going out for food!" I shouted back. I was suddenly craving pizza bites.

He rolled his eyes playfully. "They have food here. Hence the name 'Snacks,' he said with quotation marks. "We'll get you something at the bar. Come on."

He reached for my hand to keep us together as we squeezed past bodies on the dancefloor, heading towards the bar.

I stuck out like a sore thumb in my baby blue shirt dress held in with a sparkly belt, lacy white tights, and bright red flats. I had dressed for a comfy evening of casual food. But everyone else got the memo that they were going to a nightclub and wore dark clothes that were skin tight and sparkly like a disco ball that matched their smokey makeup. Like creatures of the night that had an obsessive love of all things sparkly.

I wore my hair down in gentle curls, and was thankful for that choice, hiding behind it in embarrassment as people turned to stare at Carter, surprise registering on their faces when they spotted my hand in his.

Open stares turned to whispers and as soon as we reached the bar, I snatched my hand free, not enjoying the sudden change in the air. I heard Carter chuckle next to me. "Don't turn around." But of course like the idiot that I was, I chanced a peek over my shoulder.

Dozens of girls stood glaring at me. Daggers for pupils as they looked from me, to Carter. I whirled around, heart hammering wildly as I stared at the bartop. What the hell? They turned evil fast!

Carter laughed. "You'll have to forgive them. My fans can get a little..." He waved a hand when he ran out of words.

"Crazy?" I finished.

He leaned his elbow on the bar and looked up at me with a grin, flashing his dimples. "I was gonna say passionate, but yeah, you kinda nailed it."

He turned and looked at the bartender. "Can I get a shot?" Then he turned to look at me. "What do you want?"

I tapped a beat out on the bar, trying to think. But the music was just too loud and I was too hungry. I should have stopped to grab a cheeseburger... and a shake... and fries before this stressfully loud date.

"Do you sell cheeseburgers?" I shouted over a guitar solo that was trying to drown out my ability to think.

The bartender snorted and walked away, ignoring what was apparently a dumb question.

Carter raised a brow as he turned to look at me. "Cheeseburger? Seriously?"

"What?" I blinked. "They are awesome."

Carter looked up at me from under his dusty lashes, his emerald green eyes amused. "Um... this place is vegan. They don't sell meat here."

I'm totally stopping for food once I am out of this anti-Laliana Twilight Zone.

"Oh."

When the bartender came back with Carter's shot, he downed it in one gulp. "Can we get some Kale chips? And Laliana will have a shot too."

I balked at Carter when the bartender walked away. "I don't really want a shot."

"It'll loosen you up. You look like you swallowed a lemon." He laughed when I blushed angrily, clearly amused at my flustereness.

"Wanna dance?" Carter asked, motioning towards the dance floor. I glanced over at the claustrophobic neon swirl of bodies, some who were still watching us, and shook my head. The truth was, I wasn't much of a dancer. And if this was supposed to be a good way to be seen by the public together, dancing would only end with me looking like a dork on the front page of some random tabloid.

This just in, Laliana Summers scares readers with her eye-blinding dance moves!

"I'm not much of a dancer." I turned towards the bartender and shouted above the music. "Can I have water?"

The bartender rolled his eyes, adjusted his long black ponytail over one shoulder, and poured the whisky shot. Then he filled a small bowl with kale chips.

Carter pushed the shot towards me and dove into the kale chips. "The drink will really help. Trust me."

I opened my mouth to reply but Carter beat me to it.

"Before you say anything, you might want to check your face," he replied with an easy smile.

"I'm sorry, what now?" I asked with a raised brow and reached up to touch my face.

"In this business, we are always being watched." He held up a chip and offered another playful smile. "So if you are going to reject the drink, at least do it with a smile."

I bit back several sassy responses and forced a smile. "Better," he laughed. "We'll work on your fake smile." He bopped me on the nose with the chip. "Now open up," he teased hovering the chip above my mouth. "This will make everyone go crazy. Guaranteed to land us in the tabloids."

Oh my gosh, that is literally the last thing I want. "I thought you were anti spotlight—."

He shoved the chip into my mouth forcing me to shut up. I crushed the chip to dust with angry chews, shooting him a warning smile that made my face hurt.

Ugh. I am terrible at lying. And this chip is the worst thing I've ever eaten. Why do kale chips exist?!?

"I am anti spotlight," Carter admitted. "But sharing the spotlight... that's not so bad." He turned and leaned his back against the bar, smiling out at the dance floor, waving shyly at a few girls who giggled in response. "A bit of publicity isn't always a bad thing."

He leaned towards me and whispered in my ear, sending the girls nearby whispering in a wild frenzy. "If you let 'em a few pictures it'll feed 'em for weeks. It's all about the posing."

He leaned back and moved a strand of my hair off my shoulder. "And next time, try to dress like you give a damn. It will make the pictures better."

I gripped his hand and removed it from my hair in a tight grip. "Let me make something clear."

I batted my eyelashes wildly to look flirtatious, playing his stupid game. "I don't care how many cameras are around. I don't know you, so don't touch me without my permission or I will give the tabloids an image for the front page."

I offered a rough pat against his cheek with a tender smile. "A. SOLID. PUNCH. TO. YOUR. FACE." He winced slightly but stayed still. I continued through gritted teeth. "Another thing. The next time you offer to take someone to dinner, make it VERY clear that all you plan to feed them is kale chips at a nightclub."

I placed my hand on my hip. "This isn't even hangry me. Don't test a girl who has been promised food."

I picked up the shot and shoved it towards his face. "Now open up and swallow this because I'm clearly not going to drink something that I made clear I didn't want. Oh, and don't try feeding me again. Not my thing."

I was surprised at myself. I normally wasn't so blunt, but Carter had managed to irritate me before I had gotten out of the car and no one should promise food and not deliver. That's dangerous in Laliana town.

He gave me a forced smile, took the shot, and drank it in a quick swig.

"Okay, so maybe a nightclub wasn't the best idea."

I laughed. "You think?"

He smiled, flashing his dimples as he turned back to face the bar, turning his back on the others in the club. "Sorry. Most of these date things are just photoshoots and the paparazzi love seeing me around town at places like this. Eating isn't a flattering look. Have you ever gotten your photo taken mid-bite? It sucks!"

He finished off the chips. "I should have figured that a writer could eat circles around the actresses and models I normally get set up with though."

"Gee, making lots of friends here. But yes, I love food." I countered. "So can we go eat somewhere like normal people? And get to know each other in a place that isn't crazy level loud?"

A playful smile played at his lips. "I'd like that." He reached out his hand. "Let's head out the back. No cameras." When I didn't take his hand, he shook his head, laughing. "Humor me? One final show of unity before we ditch this place."

I relented and took his hand. Then we disappeared out a side door into the alley falling into the quiet world outside.

I breathed in the fresh air, and felt myself relax as the judging eyes that had been on me, disappeared. I pulled my hand free and smiled up at the dark sky, looking for the stars through the light pollution.

"Hey guard, you can have the rest of the night off, I'll take Laliana home," Carter said with a wave of dismissal.

I spotted Aiden standing nearby, hands in pockets. He raised a brow at Carter's command. "I don't leave unless she wants me to."

Carter snorted and gripped my hand tightly. "She does."

Aiden leveled Carter with a stare, eyes flashing cold like a blizzard storm. "Are you her interpreter?"

"Are you her keeper?" Carter countered, his tone rising. "My word should be enough. Beat it."

Aiden crossed his arms, looking unamused. "I am her guard. I protect. And until she tells me she doesn't need me, I'm going to continue to do so."

"I'm not going to hurt her you idiot! We are just going to get to know each other more... privately," Carter said pulling me close and wrapping his arm around my shoulder in a protective gesture.

I smacked Carter's hand away. "Dude! What is your deal?"

Carter looked shocked. "My deal? That... worker thinks he can boss me around!"

I rolled my hands into fists. "He is DOING HIS JOB!"

Carter reached out to touch my shoulder. I stepped back. "And I warned you about touching me." Carter's eyes went wide and he stumbled back, seeming suddenly terrified.

"I was just... I'll go. Geeze. No need to throw your muscle around. You seem like a terrible time anyway." Then Carter turned and bolted away.

Wow... I can't believe threatening to hit him worked! I stood proud, relieved that he was giving up so easily. I turned and ran right into Aiden, and found the real reason why Carter ran as I slammed into Aiden's well-toned chest.

I lost my balance and began to fall backwards in my classic Laliana move, and was quickly caught, Aiden's hands catching me around my waist, steadying me.

"Good catch," I said breathlessly. We were close, his hands still on my waist, our faces a breath apart. I could feel his breath on my face, his body exuding warmth.

"Don't want any more of your clothes ruined on my watch. I'd like to stay in this line of work and not get killed by my mom if you don't mind," he murmured.

I nodded, speechless under his gaze which was impossibly close to me, letting me see the sparks of gold hidden in his blue eyes. Small treasures hidden in the depths of his ocean eyes.

"I'll be more careful," I whispered, afraid of saying anything that would make him move away, but unable to keep myself from being fully silent. "Thank you for helping with Carter."

He nodded, his eyes ablaze with determination. "I wasn't going anywhere."

"I know."

He dropped his hands and took a step back, seeming flustered, a strange look of pain entering his expression.

I looked away, fighting off a wild blush. Suddenly missing the feeling of his hands around my waist. His face close to mine. "Well, I think we can cross Carter off the list," I said with a shrug. "I'm hungry. You want to get a bite to eat?"

Aiden offered me an amused grin. "What? That one kale chip wasn't enough food for you?"

I started laughing and couldn't seem to stop. The entire evening had been a disaster. But so had most things lately. I didn't even need a stalker. My life did a good job being crazy all on its own.

I took in a large gulp of air and spoke between my fits of laughter. "It... was... the worst... thing... I've ever... eaten!"

I wiped my eyes. "Who doesn't eat on a date?!?"

Aiden ran his fingers through his hair as we made our way back to the curb a block away from the club to avoid the paparazzi. "Apparently you."

I kicked a small pebble off of the sidewalk. "Yeah, one hundred percent success rate so far. Never eaten on a date."

Aiden stopped walking and turned to look at me. I threw my hands over my mouth, but it was too late. I had given away information that I had meant to keep private. "No chance of you letting that go is there?" I mumbled through my fingers.

Aiden gingerly reached for my fingers and lowered my hands.

"What do you mean by one hundred percent success rate? What kind of dates do you go on?"

I didn't want to answer. Not to anyone. But especially not to Aiden. Not about this. Not about my dating history. Is going back to that nightclub still an option over having this conversation?

---

Have you ever had to stand up for yourself when someone was being rude to you? How did it go?