Page 2 of Kiss Me, Darling

She beamed, coming to life under the combination of praise and recognition. Lorelei was a typical movie star in the making. She was a good enough actress, but what she really craved was the fame. The constant input of attention.

That was what made Scott different. He became a movie star almost by accident. He relished it, as any young man would. But now, years later, he approached each project based solely on the art. Honestly, it made my crush a thousand times worse.

The only thing hotter than a sexy man, was a passionate one.

“Lucy,” Scott took my elbow in his hand. It surprised me and I jumped, “I need you for a minute.” He shot Lorelei a deprecating smile. “Sorry.”

He essentially pushed me through the throngs of people all dressed up in glittering gowns and suits, out the door and into the cool night air. “Oh thank god,” he sighed as we ducked into the shadows. “I know she only wants the press that comes from being seen with me, but she makes my skin crawl. I wish I knew why.” He shuddered, looking genuinely confused.

My heart thudded again. Stupid confused heart. “Because she doesn’t care about you. She’s only using you.”

A pained look crossed his features before he erased it with the sexy smirk he was so famous for. When I first took him on as a client I secretly melted at that smirk while working hard to capitalize on it for his career. Now I knew it was a mask he pasted on to hide his emotions. Good ones, bad ones, all hidden behind his ability to render people stupid with his good looks.

“Yeah, well, I did need to speak with you, so it was as good an excuse as any.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “Lily and I are starting a production company.”

It took my brain a moment to shift from worrying about him to comprehending his news. I blinked and sputtered before finally forming a coherent response. “How am I just now hearing about this?”

Lily Lawrence was Hollywood royalty and Scott’s frequent co-star. They’d become good friends and excellent creative partners. In a way, this news didn’t surprise me at all, just the fact that this was the first I was hearing of it. I thought Scott shared pretty much everything with me.

I guess the crush distorted a lot more than my feelings.

But then his eyes dropped and his cheeks turned a shade of pink. “I didn’t want to mention it until I was sure.” He said all that so softly it made my heart beat a little faster and my breath catch. Because hello! Hotandvulnerable?

“Well, tell me all about it.”

“Lily wants more control over the projects she takes and I want more opportunities to play other roles. Interesting roles, not just the big macho hero. We decided we had the right combination of talent and interests to make this work. What do you think?” He finally looked up and locked eyes with me.

Air? What was air? I certainly didn’t need it tobreathe. Not when I could live off the power of his gaze for the rest of my life. “I think it’s amazing. I only wish I knew you were thinking about it so I could cheer you along. Why didn’t you tell me?”

His eyes searched my face before softly replying. “I care what you think, Lucy. Of me.”

“Why?” I whispered due to the lack of oxygen readily available in my lungs.

“Well for one, you believe in me...and that makes me want to impress you.”

He wants to impress me?I didn’t have another client who’d ever say that about me. I knew that with one hundred percent certainty. “And two?”

He slowly slid his hand out of his pocket and tookmy handin his, squeezing it once. That pressure sent a delicious shiver through my entire body. “You’re the smartest, most driven person I know. I want to be good enough for you.”

I blinked again. A lot.

I want to be enough for you.

That...that couldn’t possibly mean what I thought it meant. I had to be twisting it all around in my lovesick head. “Scott?”

His other hand wrapped around mine and he pulled it to his lips, eyes locked on mine. “I’ve tried so hard to not want you, but I can’t fake it anymore. I’m not that good of an actor. I can’t hide my feelings for another day.” His lips brushed over the back of my hand and my panties became instantly damp as I full-on swooned. “Tell me to stop.”

Stop?What insanity was this? I wanted him to pick me up and bang me against the wall! “Stop.”

He immediately dropped my hand and stepped back.

“No, not like that. Just...slow down and let my head catch up. You...like me? Really?”

His eyes went wide with surprise. “I thought you knew already. I’m the idiot who calls you everyday because I have to hear your voice. I stare at you constantly. You’reamazing.”

“You like me?” I repeated, still not convinced my ears were working correctly.

Scott stepped a little closer again. “You really didn’t know?”

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