𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 ━━ 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐳𝐳𝐨

EIGHT | cherry red

"Ready to go, Jenny?"

"No, actually, I'm not."

"No rush, you know." Tony bounces from heel to toe. "We'll just hang out here."

She adjusts her tinted sunglasses. "No need to wait for me. In fact, we are not due to fly out until tomorrow, so why don't the two of you —"

"Yes, sure." He responds rather quickly.

". . .take the rest of the trip off." She completes her statement.

"Should we call you a taxi?" I suggest, but the director extends her right hand. "The car? But it's the two of us and — the keys, ma'am." Reluctantly, I drop the car key into her awaiting hand.

And she walks away from Special Agent Decker's funeral without saying goodbye.

"Tony, where's the nearest car rental shop?"

"If you would have taken the family phone plan with me, we could have used our brand new iPhones to see —"

"Excuse me!"

"Or you could just ask someone."

Instead of renting a car, Tony and I take a taxi for a short ride back to the hotel. He and I spend some much needed time alone in the room before moving down to the pool.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

"Tony, why are you taking pictures of me?"

"Um, because you're gorgeous. Is that even a question?"

"Well, thank you, but I thought we were spending some time away from each other."

"Only because you wanted to read a book, and I wanted to eat."

"We ate two hours ago, Tony." I remind him of the room service he ordered over the phone.

He scoffs loudly. "That meal was meant for a kid, and you know it."

"Do you need something, Tony?" I slip the bookmark between the pages "Because you're kinda covering my sun."

"Well, you'll thank me later for that. Now come on, let's go."

"Seeing as you're more relentless than a child. . .where to?"

Tony lets me change into something more covering before leading me back outside. . .where a valet pulls up with a cherry red convertible.

"Zero to sixty in 5.2 seconds."

"I could say the same about you in —"

"You're joking." Tony lets out a forced laugh. "She's just joking."

Our self tour of Los Angeles has been filled with nothing but beautiful views, famous landmarks, and possibly a few celebrity homes.

But there's one downside to it all: traffic.

"You wanted the authentic L.A. experience, didn't you? Because I am giving it to you, baby."

"Maybe we shouldn't have left Jenny alone."

"Eva. . ." His hand curls around the top of my denim-clad thigh. "Eva, Eva, sweet Eva."

"Let me just call her."

With one hand still on the steering wheel, he rips the cellphone out of my hand. "The director is a flesh-and-blood woman with flesh-and-blood needs. If you want to call and ruin her private party. . .be my guest."

A few rings, and Jenny picks up.

"Yes, Eva?"

"Hi, Jenny. I just wanted to know how everything's going with. . .whatever you're doing."