Free Delicious by Jami Alden Page A

manhandle me at a public appearance, make me look like a fool.”
    “Do you not understand the kind of danger you could be in, Reggie? First mouthing off to the caller, and then wandering off like this.”
    “Do you understand that I have an image to uphold with my fans? I have a reputation for being approachable. Don’t talk to me like I’m a four-year-old.”
    “Don’t act like one then, goddammit!” he boomed.
    “She was a nice lady who wanted to know more about Asian condiments. I seriously doubt she was planning on dragging me off to a dark corner to assault me.”
    In a much quieter voice, he said, “But anyone else could have seen you go off by yourself with her. It’s late. The store is virtually empty. Miriam wouldn’t have been much defense if someone had tried to grab you.”
    She raised her chin stubbornly. “The only one grabbing me tonight was you.”
    He sighed raggedly and dragged his hands through his hair. God save him from women who refused to see reason. “Reggie, if you don’t take your safety seriously, how can you expect me to?”
    Her eyes narrowed and her glossy mouth pursed. He didn’t know what he wanted to do worse, turn her over his knee and spank her, or kiss the living hell out of her. For starters.
     
    “Pull over here, please.” Reggie uncrossed her arms long enough to indicate the convenience store on the corner.
    “Why?”
    “Because I need to pick something up, that’s why.” She was still mightily irritated at his earlier treatment of her at Whole Foods. It was bad enough that he had talked to her as though she had all the mental capabilities of a slow child, but making her look bad in front of fans, that was way out of bounds.
    The only consolation was that after tonight, she never had to see him again. Which made her unaccountably sad, considering what a class-A jerk he’d turned out to be.
    “Why didn’t you get it at the other store?”
    Now she had to answer to him? “Because they don’t carry what I want at Whole Foods, not that it’s your business.” He slowed and she reached for the door handle, only to be met by the electronic lock engaging.
    “Let me park and walk in with you.”
    She blew a frustrated breath up toward her bangs. “Can’t you wait on the corner? You can see me fine from here.” Was it too much to ask for a few moments of privacy so she could go score some Hostess Ding Dongs? If she had to spend one more second in this close proximity, she was afraid she would literally jump out of her skin.
    He shot her a “you’re crazy” look and pulled around the block to park.
    For once she didn’t feel compelled to keep up a stream of friendly chatter, determined to give Gabe the silent treatment he seemed to crave. He held her arm stiffly, barely touching her with his fingertips as he walked beside her. No doubt he was in as big a rush to get away from her as she was from him.
    So she took her time perusing the junk food aisle, picking up and replacing snack foods with apparent deliberation.
    The toe of his oxford beat out an impatient rhythm. “How long does it take to pick out a Twinkie?” he finally muttered.
    “I’m looking for the one with the best expiration date,” she said, studying the label of a Snowball.
    Peering over her shoulder, he snapped, “What, December 2008 isn’t far enough in the future for you?”
    A snappy comeback was forming on her lips when Gabe suddenly stiffened, shifting her subtly but firmly behind him. “Let’s go,” he whispered tightly.
    “I still need to get my Ding Dong,” she protested.
    “We’ll stop somewhere else. I don’t like the looks of that guy.”
    Reggie angled her head to see whom Gabe was looking at. A skinny guy in a windbreaker and tattered jeans was loitering over by the magazine rack, shifting uneasily from one foot to the other, his hand repeatedly touching the small of his back.
    Sure, he looked a little strung out, a slightly unusual sight in this relatively upscale