Page 78 of Hollywood Undercover
“Are you trying to get yourself found out?” she asked softly, gazing up at theceiling.
Maybe Iam.
* * *
It was easierin theory than in practice to avoid this man who let Alexandra share his livingspace.
She woke up hungry the next morning, and needed to find something to eat right away. Opening her door a crack, she peered out and listened for Bash. Nothing moved. She didn’t hear a sound. She hurriedly tiptoed downstairs, discovering which steps creaked and which ones didn’t as she headed down to the kitchen, hoping he wasn’t up yet. After having seen him in just a towel, she couldn’t predict what her sex-deprived body might do if he was around and almost nakedagain.
Sneaking around the place got tricky too, considering she wasn’t familiar with the layout of his house. Finally finding the kitchen, she opened each cabinet with her body tensed up and eyes nervously sealed shut, praying the hinges wouldn’t squeak. Sebastian’s pantry looked about as well stocked as anybachelor’s.
What was Iexpecting?
She pulled down a box of cereal and gave it a shake, only to hear nothing but crumbs rattling around inside. A glance in the fridge revealed a ton of stuff that required cooking, and she wasn’t the world’s best cook. Sighing, she pulled out a carton of orange juice, avoiding the bacon and eggs, and searched out something easier to fill her growlingstomach.
“Okay. Here we go,” she whispered when she found a box of toaster pastries in the back of a cabinet. She tossed a couple of them into the countertop toaster oven. The ticking of the timer was a quiet tap, certainly not loud enough to be of concern. Relaxing at last, she found a glass and poured a cup of orange juice from the carton, waiting for the pastry to warm. After a few minutes without ading, she checked it. The toaster wasn’t evenhot.
“Oh, come on.” She blew out an exasperated breath, her anxious eyes darting to the kitchen entrance in case Sebastian wascoming.
It’s fate. Seriously, fate hatesme.
Fate is conspiring to put me and Sebastian in the same room, but I am master of my own destiny, and I’m not about to let it run me likethis.
Swearing, she yanked the toaster oven forward to examineit.
I haven’t broken the thing just by touching it, haveI?
There had to be a reason it wouldn’t work. Maybe it never worked. She picked it up and shook itslightly.
“You’re upearly.”
Fumbling with the oven, Alexandra swiftly shoved it back on the countertop all in onemove.
“Bash!”
Like I said,fate.
Tensing, she watched him as he approached with a sleepy smile. She swallowed hard, trying not to notice he was only in pajama pants. His chest was bare, and a fuzzy beard covered his cheeks and chin, making him look extra…edible.
“Try plugging it in,” he told her, reaching for the dangling cord as he gotcloser.
Fuck. I must lookridiculous.
“What? I don’t get it. I heard it tickingbefore.”
“That’s theclock.”
Crap.
Suppressing a groan, she quickly plugged in the device and set the timer. “Thank you,” she answeredawkwardly.
Alexandra tried not to gawk as Sebastian leaned on the countertop directly in front of her, launching in into a lazy conversation about his plans for the day. She barely registered a word he said, finding herself staring at his tanned skin with something like craving. She wasn’t even hungry any more. What she needed, she couldn’t have. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook herhead.
Sebastian touched her forearm. “Alex? You okay? I asked if you wanted to try beating me on the video games latertonight.”
“Yeah. Yes, sure,” she answered. “I need to look into some construction companies so they can start work on the repairs at Dad’s place, but later tonight isfine.”
To avoid too much more interaction, she excused herself, stealing off with the pastry and darting back up to her room toeat.
