Tagged & Ashed(53)

Oh well. Who cares? I don’t.

I stagger off to head away from the eyeing blond and my friends, as I make my way toward the quiet patio. I grab a bottle of champagne from the chilled ice, and I smirk as I see the fountain Tag once crashed into.

“Well, hello, mermaid,” I say to the statue in the middle. “Are you lonely? I’m available it seems.”

“Are you now?” a voice says from behind, and I whirl around to face the blond guy who refuses to stop staring. Apparently he's resorted to following me around as well.

“Really? Is my dress on backwards or something?” I slur out, and he laughs a little while coming to brush my hair from my face.

“Not at all. Your dress is on perfectly, and it’s a very nice dress on you. Melanie tells me you’re still single, even though you live with your baby’s father.”

That’s because we’re fucking weird.

“Yep, single but not available. Sorry.”

I turn to walk away, but he follows me.

“Are you going to hang out behind me all night? I’ve already got one stalker, I don’t need two.”

He tilts his head curiously, and then he takes a seat on the side of the fountain.

“I’m sorry. I heard about that as well. I’m not trying to stalk, but you really are beautiful. I’ve heard of Tag - he’s rather infamous in our circles. I hate to see you’ve landed in his web. I’m just here to try and be a friend.”

Recognition strikes, and the face on him becomes familiar. It makes sense now.

“A friend,” I repeat with a sigh. “I need more champagne, not a friend. Tag Masters is my son’s father, so if you’re expecting me to say something bad about him to a guy I don’t know, you’re sadly mistaken. You see, I know who you are now. Jason Marks. You’re a reporter. I’ve seen your picture. You’re a long way from home, since you report in Chicago.”

“Clever girl, but I’m not on duty tonight. I simply came to be a friend to Melanie.”

“Or you’re here because Tag is about to launch his latest business which is still under wraps. I’ve been getting calls from newspapers all around. Everyone wants to get the first look at his latest project, and the competition is waiting to find out how to compete, wanting to beat him to the punch. Sorry, but I’ve got enough friends.”

I turn to walk away, my champagne still in tow, and his hand gently tugs at my elbow to halt my retreat.

“I’m sorry. I really didn’t ask you to say anything at all about Tag Masters though.”

“That’s because you seduce your sources first. The thing is, I can’t be seduced anymore, at least not by anyone like you. You were wasting your time from the beginning, and you’re wasting mine now,” I mumble.

He looks over my head, and his eyes widen as he backs up.

I turn just as Tag comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist very protectively.

“Is there a problem?”

“Yeah, what happened to those bodyguards watching over me?” I grumble as I stagger into his body.

He holds me tighter to steady me, and then his eyes move over to a man who basically comes running.

“What the hell?” he snaps to the guy I didn’t know was even around.

“Hey, I was just trying to have a friendly conversation,” Jason says while trying to walk away.

“He’s a reporter. Ask Melanie if she really knows him,” I murmur while turning into Tag and pushing my head against his chest.

The security guard starts patting him down and finds his recorder, and Jason’s head pops back in defeat.

“Told you,” I murmur as Tag pulls me a little tighter.

“What’s going on?” Melanie asks as she rushes out to join us by the fountain.

“Do you know this guy?” Tag asks.

“Yes, he’s a journalist doing a story on my newest business that just launched.”

The security guard rewinds and then plays the only thing recorded.

It’s our conversation, and he finally hits end after it plays, “I need more champagne, not a friend. Tag Masters is my son’s father, so if you’re expecting me to say something bad about him to a guy I don’t know, you’re sadly mistaken.”

“If he was doing a story on your business, he wouldn’t be recording a conversation with Ash. Get him out of here,” Tag says, and the guards usher out the conniving reporter.

“I recognized him. My dad has an obsession with newspapers. Don’t ask,” I slur, and Melanie lets a sigh out before giggling.

“Only Ash can be smart when drunk. You got her?”

“Yeah, I’ve got her,” Tag murmurs softly while scooping me up.