Page 95 of Take Hold of Me

Rinaldo turns around and walks to where I’m pressed against the wall. “That girl was smokin’. God, I love American women! Although, they really pale in comparison with the French, don’t you think?”

I don’t respond.

His head turns in all directions. “Geez, Wills, you really got this bodyguard role down pat. You practically disappeared right before my eyes.” He chuckles. “Guess that’s a skill.”

FPU had said something very similar to me when I first was guarding Cole. Mom had showed me a photo of a party Cole attended in one of the tabloids. FPU circled me in red, standing against a wall. “Nice of you to make the magazines, son.” He had said. “It takes real skill to hold up a wall.”

My blood reignites at the memory and at the latest asshole standing in front of me. Both try to make me feel as if I were a cockroach for doing my job. Yet, their flippant words sting.

“Then again,” he continues, “if that’s who Emmie wants to be with—someone who blends into the scenery…” He shrugs.

Finally, Ems strides out of her dressing room, back in her own clothes. She looks down one hall, then turns when Rinaldo puts his hand to his mouth and calls out to her. “Over here, Emmie!” He nudges me in the stomach.

I step to the side, locking eyes with Ems. Her smile is huge. My body starts to react, causing me to shift from foot to foot, despite standing next to the stupid soccer player.

Ignoring Rinaldo, Ems walks right up to me and kisses my cheek. She takes my hand and interlaces our fingers. “Ready to go?”

Her lavender scent wraps around my heart. Hell yeah. Not trusting my voice, I squeeze her hand and nod once. We head toward the exit as I text the driver that we’re on our way.

Rinaldo walks around me to be on her other side. Two blonds and a swarthy Spanish dude. Which one doesn’t belong?

“Emmie.”

Emilie’s hand tightens around mine, but she responds to her ex-boyfriend, “Oui.”

“You’re coming to the party tonight in Malibu, right?”

She sighs. “The Agency arranged for me to go.”

“Great. How about I pick you up and we can go together? Imagine the possible feeding frenzy.”

Her fingers clutch mine in a death grip, yet you’d never know her inner turmoil from looking at the serene expression on her face, or her measured gait. Maybe she really should look into acting.

“We can meet you there.”

“Ah, c’mon, Emmie. I’d be doing you a favor when you think about it. I’m sure your agency would agree.”

I clear my throat. “She said we’d meet you there.” Douche.

He chuckles again. The sound grates on my last nerve. “Hey, hey. Not a problem. Just thought with you playing second fiddle to Geonna lately, you’d like to reclaim some ground in the media. I’m only thinking of you and how I can help.”

I hate to admit it, but the douchebag is right—that is, if Ems really wants to continue fighting to be on the top of the modeling world. I’m not certain she does.

Next to me, Ems deflates. She whispers to me that he makes a good point. Despite hating every part of this, I nod. It is, after all, her career. Addressing Rinaldo, she says, “I will pick a parking lot near the party for us torendezvousand I will get in your car from there.”

Squeezing her to my side, I reply, “Good idea. I’ll drive us to the meeting point and then follow you to the party. That way, we can each leave when we want.” My eyes pin him with a hard stare. Get the picture, jock?

“Sure. Whatever. Text me where you want to meet, Emmie. That is, if you still have my number.”

Her cheeks turn pink. “Oui. I still have it.”

Finally, we arrive at the exit. “Let me check if our driver’s ready for us, Emilie.” I deliberately use her full name. I check my cell. “Yup, he’s here.” Our hands connected, she leads us out the door.

When we’re in the limo, en route to her house, I put my arm around the back of the seat. The need to reassert my place in her life rises up from deep within me. Taking in the divider between us and the driver, an overwhelming desire to erase the soccer player’s lips on hers spurs me on.

“Did you enjoy your first acting job?”

“It was interesting.” She smiles at me, clearly distracted.

---