Page 3 of Fame and Obsession

I have no doubt whoever defended me can hold his own, but I can still take everybody out with one flick of the wrist. Chivalry feels warm and fuzzy, but I learned a long time ago that one hundred and fifty volts feels electric and twitchy.

Cocking my chin, I whisper, “It’s fine, I’ve got this.”

A low laugh rumbles against my neck. “You so don’t got this.” I watch his eyes hard as skilled fingers trace a whispered path down my neck. “You’re up my ass, shit-for-brains. Don’t ever touch what’s mine.” He shifts his lips against my ear. “Right, baby?”

One suitor tests my patience, but two pushes my limits.

I open my mouth to tell him off, when he steals the moment and presses his lips against mine. I don’t know what to do, so I push against his chest, mumbling veiled threats as he smiles against them.

What the hell?

Instead of deterring him, my aggression seems to spur him on, and he pulls me closer. This is crazy. I nearly sent another guy to the hospital for the same thing, yet here I am, melting into a failed wave of aggression.

Before I know it, I’ve wrapped my arms around his neck.

After a few heartbeats of kissing a complete stranger, I finally regain what dignity I have left, shove his chest, and face him with fire blazing in my eyes. Instead of apologizing, he grins and waves as my aggressor stalks off.

Shooting him a death glare, I reach for my drink, and after scanning for witnesses, I tip it back.

“Thirsty?” He smirks.

“What the hell was that?”

He snatches the drink out of my hands, giving me a wink before draining it. “You weren’t exactly pushing me away. Besides, you’re welcome for saving your ass.”

“I didn’t ask for your help!”

“Well, we’re not all perfect, are we? Besides, somebody had to step in, or you’d have spent the night in jail with that concealed, illegal shit in your purse. Luckily for you, I’m a gentlemen, unlike our friend, Heath Vaughn, who was inches from having a hand up that thing you call a dress.”

God, he’s a smug asshole…

“I don’t even know who the hell you…” My words trail off as his words detonate. “Wait, who?”

“Are you telling me you didn’t know that was Vaughn? Maybe because we haven’t time-warped back to his 1995 five minutes of fame.” Letting out a cocky laugh, he walks past me, a smirk plastered across his face.

A few seconds pass before I shake off the shock and run to catch up with him. “That’s a joke, right?” I demand, grabbing his shoulder.

“Afraid not. Vaughn in the flesh, and apparently in the sauce too. Why do you care so much what he thinks?” He eyes me curiously, his jade-green eyes knocking me breathless.

Finally allowing myself a good look at him, it isn’t long before my pulse races, and I have to avert my eyes.

Chaotic chocolate spiked hair points in every direction, hinting at a carefully constructed morning-after look. A small silver earring catches flashes of light in the darkness, and tattoos decorate each uncovered arm.

Remembering to breathe becomes a chore.

“Because I’m screwed!” I shout, frantically waving my phone. “My boss is already pissed at me, and I was supposed to meet Vaughn here for an interview, and—why am I telling you this?”

“Calm down.” He grins, a dimple sinking deep into his left cheek. “Look, the dude’s so tanked he won’t remember he was here, much less that you were. Give me your phone.”

“I’m not giving you my phone. I don’t even know you.”

Rolling his eyes, he snatches it out of my hands. “Didn’t stop you from making out with me, did it?” He scans the email I’ve been checking all night. Typing furiously, his lips curve upward as he hands it back. “All fixed.”

“What did you do?” I silently thank my self-defense training instructor for stressing the importance of never labeling emails with personal information. In the darkness of the club, he’ll never scroll back far enough to know my name.

“Why must you question brilliance?” He sighs. “You sent him an email concerned for his safety since he never showed for your interview. You waited but had to leave because you actually work for a living. You’d love to reschedule since you’re such a huge fan and were disappointed at the missed opportunity to hear all about his crap-ass reality show, since I assume that’s all he would’ve wanted to talk about.”

I could kiss him—if I hadn’t already. “You’re an evil genius.”

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