Page 79 of #Starstruck

His hand went still against my hair. “What? Why would you ask that?”

Not a denial. “Because I saw the pictures from London. Where you two were about to kiss.”

“That didn’t happen.” I felt him move and realized he was digging around in his jeans pocket for his cell phone. A minute later he turned the screen toward me. “Are you talking about this?”

It was the right picture. I nodded.

“We were doing an interview at a café during lunch. These photos were taken by the photographer the interviewer brought with her. At this point Amelia had dropped her napkin and was leaning over to pick it up. They just have to catch you at the right moment and angle, and it looks like something it’s not.”

“But there was an article with it saying you guys had reunited and were going to move in together.”

“And who am I with right now? It might be a little awkward if I’m supposedly going to live with Amelia, but here I am with you like this.”

“Oh.” It was all I could think to say because I felt so stupid.

“We’ve talked about this. I told you how the tabloids are. It’s probably the studio’s publicity department trying to manufacture a relationship between me and Amelia to sell more tickets.” He put his fingers under my chin and drew my gaze up to his. “I have to say I’m kind of disappointed you thought any of this could be true.”

“You didn’t have to say it,” I grumbled. “You could have just thought it.” I already felt bad enough that I had doubted him.

He repositioned himself so we were lying side by side, looking into each other’s eyes. “You have nothing to worry about. I would never give you any reason to doubt or distrust me. I would never want to hurt you like that. Because I’m in love with you.”

My heart stopped, the air in my lungs turned to ice, and there was a definite ringing sound in my ears. This was not real. This was not happening. I was still asleep and needed to wake up.

“Ow!” he yelped. “Did you just pinch me for saying I love you?”

“No, I thought I was dreaming and meant to pinch myself.”

A satisfied grin spread across his perfect face. “This isn’t a dream. If it was, there’d be a lot less clothes involved.”

But I couldn’t play along with his teasing. This was too serious, too important. “You love me?”

“I love you,” he repeated, punctuating his declaration with a kiss that made me melt, like chocolate chips in cookies fresh from the oven. “When I was gone, I wanted to call and tell you about everything that happened. I realized you’re the most important person in the world to me.”

“I love you, too,” I told him, but before I’d finished the last syllable, his lips were parting mine. As we kissed, everything felt different because he loved me. There was so much emotion behind his embrace I’d never registered before. He showed me with his sugary, addicting kisses that his words were true.

“Um, I should probably go home,” I managed as he showered feathery kisses along my jawline. I didn’t want to, but I wasn’t sure I could remain strong if I stayed.

“You probably should,” he agreed. He kissed me soundly one last time before sitting up. He put his discarded shirt back on and grabbed his phone. “I’ll call the car service.”

“Or I could stay.” The words were out of my mouth before I could tamp them down. “If we can keep it PG.”

His back was to me, and his shoulders hunched, like he was tense. I reached over to trace the bit of his spine he’d exposed with his actions.

“Your mom’s event is tomorrow, and the movie premiere the night after that. This way we wouldn’t have to drive back and forth to everything.”

He turned toward me, one eyebrow raised. “Does that mean you’re planning on spending the night tomorrow night, too?”

I looked down at his comforter. “I guess I’m feeling a little vulnerable and needy. I just want to be with you.”

Chase sighed. “I want that, too. I’m trying to decide if I can handle it. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve had to leave the room when we’re together because I’ve wanted so badly to rip off all your clothes and have my way with you?”

His words started a pulse throbbing in my stomach, low and hard. “I’ve wanted that, too.”

At that, he let out a groan and covered his face with his hands. “You can’t say stuff like that. I’m barely keeping myself in check here.”

“I promise I’ll behave,” I said with a smile.

He dropped his hands in his lap. “It’s not you I’m worried about.”

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