stopped. He has to fight the urge to turn tail and head straight back into the safety of the limo where it’s just the two of them, no audience. Adriana nods at him gratefully and follows his lead as he stops for photographs and a couple of quick-fire interviews. He leads her up the steps of the museum and into safety inside.
“Are you alright?” He turns her gently to face him, still very conscious of her hand in his and not having any intention of letting go.
“That was pretty intense!” Adriana shrugs shyly, flustered at all the attention. “I guess it’s just another day at the office for you?”
“Not quite.” Grayson shakes his head ruefully. “Everything’s got a little crazy since the fight. The sponsors want all the publicity they can get.” He shrugs, knowing it’s all part and parcel of being a fighter; you have to take the good with the bad.
“Ah, Grayson, so great to see you!” A woman who looks like a model sweeps in from the wings and holds him out at arms length. “The tux is perfect. Isn’t it perfect?” She turns to Adriana expectantly.
“Umm, yeah, it looks great.” Adriana raises an eyebrow at Grayson, and the expression on her face makes it hard not to laugh.
“Josie, this is Adriana.” Grayson introduces the two women who look a little like they’re sizing each other up. “Josie’s my manager. She deals with all my appearances and stuff like that.” He wonders if it’s suddenly gotten cold in here or if it’s just him.
“Adriana. So, you actually know the name of this one! She’s pretty, Grayson, not that I would have expected anything less.” Josie nudges Grayson playfully and doesn’t seem to notice that he’s not smiling. “Anyway, speaking of appearances, there are some UFC officials here that are dying to talk to you. You don’t need to spend long with them, just a few minutes and a couple of pictures.” She starts to lead him away, but Grayson plants his feet firmly.
“I don’t have to go.” He reaches out for Adriana, half-hoping that she’ll take his hand and ask him to stay.
But instead she shakes her head and doesn’t move to touch him. “Don’t worry about me. I know this is a big night for you. Besides, I think I see Tommy.”
Grayson has to remind himself that he shouldn’t be jealous of his best friend. “Great. Well, I’ll see you in a little while?” He wishes that he didn’t sound so desperate, but it hasn’t escaped his notice that pretty much every guy in the place is looking at Adriana in a way that makes his blood boil. She nods cheerfully and waves him on before crossing the room to speak to Tommy.
“She’s independent. I like that.” Josie nods approvingly before she frog-marches him towards the group of officials. “Not your usual brand. She’s more my type than yours.” She looks knowingly at him.
“There’s nothing usual about Adriana, Jo.” Grayson shifts uncomfortably in his suit, suddenly very aware of himself now that Adriana isn’t by his side. “Speaking of which, where is Carmen?” Grayson looks around for Josie’s girlfriend. She’s not easy to miss. At almost six foot, she’s an Argentinian model who refuses to speak a word of English.
“We had a fight, long story.” Josie waves away his question, and her mask of ruthlessly efficiency almost slips before she leads him like a lamb to the slaughter. “Gentlemen, may I present the one and only, Grayson Fletcher!”
ADRIANA
He looks so natural in these surroundings, and she couldn’t feel more out of place. At least she’d found Tommy to talk to, but he was a ticking time bomb, about to pounce on any of the scores of girls that were circling him.
“You know he hates this stuff, too.” Tommy’s voice interrupts Adriana from her not-so-subtle staring at Grayson.
She blushes as she realizes she’s just been busted. “Is it really that obvious?” She knows that
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