My footsteps echo in the empty hallway, around the corner from the dressing rooms. Emilie disappeared through the first door on the left, which had a piece of paper with her name attached to it. Trailing her, Rinaldo gave me a salute and went into a room on the right.

He and Ems dated for five years.

He had his hands—and more—all over her.

And now he’s back in town.

I prowl around this empty corridor, trying to get myself under control. Rinaldo’s trying to make trouble. Seems like the type. Cocky, Spanish jock. Expects things—including women, especially women—to fall at his feet. Emilie didn’t look too happy having to deal with him, though. Which clearly pissed him off.

For whatever reason, she wants me. She’s mine. My brain freezes at this thought.

A door closes and I rush around the corner to see if it’s Ems. Instead, the tall, tanned soccer player stands in front of her dressing room, his hand reaching forward.

“She hasn’t come out yet.” I cross my arms across my chest.

Rinaldo turns away from her door, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. A smirk crosses his face. “I was only going to check on her.”

I lean against the wall, my posture screaming I don’t believe him. I raise an eyebrow.

“Hey,” he comes over to me and punches my arm lightly. “So, you and Emmie are together, huh?”

What does he think—that we’re friends? Hardly. And what’s up with his calling her “Emmie?” I reciprocate the arm punch. Harder. “Yes. We are.”

“And you’re her,” his gaze bounces between my head to my feet and back again, “bodyguard.”

I don’t owe this guy an explanation, so I tip my chin.

He laughs. “So tell me, William.”

My chest constricts. “Wills,” I growl. Only FPU calls me by my full name.

“Wills, right.” He rubs his hand against his stubble-clad jaw. “How does it feel to stand behind your girl and watch as she does all the work?”

I bite my inner cheek. Does this guy have brain damage from so many balls flying at his head? He’s messing with the wrong person, and way out of his element. Ems would be pissed if I rearranged his face, right?

“I mean,” he continues when I don’t respond. “I remember when she was out on the town with Cole Manchester. I saw the pictures—he had his hands all over her. I wasn’t even dating her anymore, and those photos pissed me off.”

My ears pop from the grinding of my teeth. Cole was with Rose by then. It was an act, but that doesn’t mean I liked it. This guy’s just trying to get under my skin. “You know what they were doing.”

“Sure do. Emmie and I met through a publicity date, as a matter of fact. Sometimes true feelings can’t help coming through the most scripted scenarios, you know what I mean?”

I swallow, willing my temper down. I don’t have to defend myself to him. Or anyone, for that matter.

“But then again, you know all about those, right?”

“I was doing my job.” Better than chasing a stupid ball around all day, in my book. Where the fuck is Emilie? Why does it take her so long to change?

“Listen, are you coming with us to the after-party?”

Crap. I had forgotten all about that. “Yeah. I’ll be making sure that no entitled, sleazeball douche nozzles cross the line with Emilie. That’s my job, remember?”

He laughs and says, “I like you.”

I don’t have time to process his reaction when Emilie’s door opens. We both turn and a couple of women exit. Rinaldo addresses them. “Ladies.”

I disappear into the wall. My specialty. While they flirt, I focus on containing my seething temper with deep breathing exercises Nolan Kates taught me to stay calm when I first started working for his PI firm. Finally, the women walk away. While the door to Emilie’s dressing room remains open, she doesn’t appear.

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 to rendezvous and 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.

“Hey,” I place my fingers under her chin. My whole body lurches forward, wanting to remind her who she’s with. My lips cover hers, generating a soft moan from her.

“Wills,” she says in between kisses.

My tongue reaches out, seeking entrance into her mouth. She opens for me like she always does, her fingers threading through my hair. This is what we need. No more talking.

I rip my lips from hers and place hot kisses across her cheek, ending with her earlobe between my teeth. “I want you.”

“Oui,” comes out of her mouth on a pant.

Without my even telling her to do so, her hands fly to her pants. The sounds of the zipper precedes her shimmying them over her hips. I unzip my jeans, lifting my hips to push them and my underwear to my ankles.

Her soft thigh comes into contact with my hard, hairy one. My breathing picks up as my cock juts upward, only to be enveloped in her hands. She drops to the limo’s floor, in between my splayed legs.

Mouth open, she looks at me in question. “Yes,” I respond.

She drops her head, sucking and licking and making figure eights with her tongue. My head falls backward, contacting the headrest. My eyes close for a brief moment before I open them. I want to memorize her every movement.

My cock still in her mouth, her eyes seek mine. Filled with me, she offers the most erotic smile I’ve ever seen. Dipping her head, she takes me in deeper. When she hums, my balls contract. “I want to come inside you, not down your throat.”

Not letting me out of her mouth, she hollows her cheeks. Oh, no. I’m the one in control here. I reach down and put my hands in her hair, slightly tugging it backward. My cock falls out of her mouth with a resounding “pop.”

“On my lap, Angel.”

Her eyes stray to my pulsing erection one last time before she clambers up, straddling me. My hands caress each knee, slowly making their way up her thighs. I stop my right hand on her upper thigh while my left curls around her ass, squeezing her bottom cheek. Her neck elongates, exposing the thin column to me.

I squeeze her bottom once more, while my lips graze on her neck. Sliding my head downward, I lick her left collarbone. As my lips head toward her tits, my right hand continues its journey to where my cock is screaming to go. I close around her pink nipple as my finger crosses her entrance.

“Wills.” Her hips shift on top of me, her head falling backward.

I am in total control of her. She is mine. With my index finger, I circle her clit, wringing another moan from her. Releasing her nipple, I mutter, “I love that you’re soaking for me.” Then I latch onto her other nipple.

Her pussy pulses while my finger explores her heat. I insert two fingers into her and let my thumb trail over her clit.

Her French accent becomes more prominent as she loses herself in what I’m doing to her body. “I need you.”

Agreed. “Pick up my jeans, Angel. Condom.”

Unfocused eyes search the floor of the limo. Her arm reaches for my pants as I curl my fingers inside her.

“Oh.” My jeans slide from her fingers.

A pained chuckle escapes. “Try again, Angel.”

She grabs the material and pulls out a couple foil packets.

I swirl my finger around her clit, then pull my fingers out of her and place them in my mouth. “You taste so good.”

She rocks her hips on me, fumbling to open the condom. When she tosses the empty wrapper over her shoulder, I know she’s lost total control. I’ve never seen anything more erotic.

“Open your mouth.” She does. I offer her a taste of herself. Sucking on my fingers, she mumbles, “Mmm.”

Both of us panting, I order her to put the condom on me, which she does. I grab her by the hips, line us up and let her sink onto me. Stars explode behind my eyes.

“Yes, Angel. Yes.”

She starts to move up and down, my hands guiding her by the hips. I seek her lips again, so we are joined on so many levels. Her movements become faster and faster as our breaths become more erratic. I swipe her hair off her face, tangling our tongues until we cannot breathe.

Within seconds, her pussy clenches around my cock, her low moans turned into frantic screams of “Wills.” Her orgasm pushes me into my own climax. My balls tighten to an almost painful point, then release into her body.

“Emssssss,” I groan, yanking her body to mine. Holding her so tight it’s as if we are one. When our pants level out to mere gasps for air, I lift her off my lap and place her, gently, next to me. I help her put her jeans back on, stealing her panties for myself. When she’s redressed, I slip back into my own clothes.

“Wow.” She turns and wiggles onto my lap again. “That was amazing.”

I kiss her forehead. “You’re amazing, Angel.” We remain locked in our embrace for the remainder of the trip back to her house.

Once inside, we shower and I take her against the tile wall, wanting to cement us on her brain before we head out to the party. Wash away all thoughts of her former boyfriend on set today. And before.

Leaving her in her massive closet, I grab a pair of black trousers and a white button-down shirt, a slight twist on my standard attire for parties like these. While I wait for her to get changed and primped, I wander out to her pool.

Sitting down on a chaise, I pull out my phone and call David. “How’s everything going at Complete? How are you doing?”

David clears his throat. “I’m doing okay, honestly. Everyone here is so supportive and helping me clear my things out. They’re looking forward to you taking over.”

“I am too. It’s going to be a big change, for both of us.”

“So true, brother, so true. I spoke with my movers a little bit ago. I would be lying if I told you I’m not a little excited for the changes. This house hasn’t felt like home for a long time now.”

“I get that.” I track some birds flying overhead. Oh, their freedom.

“Are you feeling ready to take over? It must be nice to get to set the pace for once, instead of letting others dictate it?”

My stomach flips. I hadn’t considered this before. Am I? Am I ready to take control over my life instead of following others through theirs? I keep advising Ems to do this. “You know, I think I am.”

He chuckles. “Well, that’s good. You might as well be prepared to move into the gym because it has a way of taking over your life. I’ve spent one too many nights sleeping on the couch in my office, and not just to avoid an empty bed. It’s a lot of work, bro, but it’s all good.” Our conversation veers to less charged topics like databases and marketing plans before I click off.

Only eight days until I take over the reins at Complete. Then Ems will have a new bodyguard. My stomach tightens at the thought.

I check the notes on my phone for bodyguard referrals my former boss, Nolan Kates, sent. He pre-screened all three of the guys, so I feel confident in their abilities. As I’ve met the last guy on the list, I shoot him a text. If he’s interested, I’ll tell Price that he’ll be my replacement. He’s married with two kids.

My stomach plummets at the thought of Ems traveling without me. Who am I kidding? I’m more worried than anything that she’ll realize I’m not the hero of her dreams—and I never have been. Mocking words said by FPU and Rinaldo ring true.

Maybe this time will be different.

All my thoughts scatter when Ems appears at the French doors. Her hair’s up in some sort of funky twist that looks fucking hot. And that dress. The caveman in me wants to rip it off her and not let the world see what I see.

“I am ready,” she says, walking toward me.

My legs urge me to stand up, yet my heart keeps me rooted to the chair. Ems stops in front of me and stoops down, her dress riding up on her thighs as she balances on her high heels. I swallow.

“You look beautiful, like always.”

How does Lizzie’s fiancé deal with dating a supermodel? Fuck, so many guys jacked off to his soon-to-be-wife’s poster. Same for Emilie’s posters, I’m sure. What did he tell me? Be confident in love.

Yeah, like confidence is my strong suit—my demons having wrestled that to the ground years ago. Never mind love.

Her hands land on my knees for support. “Let us go now. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get back here. And you can show me again and again how beautiful you think I am.” She giggles. “That is, if you have any showing left in the tank after your last performances.”

Then she says shit like that. My eyebrow raises. “Believe me, I’ll have a full tank by then.”

I lace her fingers with mine and together we walk through the house. My eyes scan the horizon. “I’m going to have to drive since it’s already starting to get dark.” The long summer days won’t extend long enough for her to have daylight for the entire trip.

“That is okay. I have a surprise planned for you for tomorrow, and I will drive us.”

“A surprise, huh?”

Her lips form a secretive smile, and her head bobs up and down. “Tomorrow.”

No one has surprised me in a very long time. I help her into my Jeep and plug in the location where we’re meeting up with Rinaldo, my mind still distracted by whatever she has planned. “You didn’t have to get me anything you know.”

“I know.” She turns her head to look out the side window. The small smile plays around her lips tell me she’s excited.

We arrive at the rendezvous point sooner than I wanted. Now I have to turn her over to Rinaldo, who’s standing outside a red Mercedes convertible. He just broke the scale from douche to uber douche.

I pull up next to him and look at Ems. She launches herself at me, kissing me like we’re never going to see each other again. Because I want this, I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight, my tongue exploring her mouth as if it was our first time.

Get a grip, man. Stop being a pussy, as Zak would say.

My hands slide from her waist to her shoulders, and I pry my lips from hers. Leaving my forehead against hers, I say, “Go on. I’ll be right behind you the whole way. I’ll find you inside and keep you safe.”

“Promise?” Her index finger lands on my chest, right above my heart.

“Always, Angel.”

“Wait here, I’ll get your door.”

“Such a gentleman.” She runs her hand over her lips. “Until I’m under you.”

I chuckle. “You got that right.” I hit the unlock button and hop out, walking around the front to get Emilie’s door. I refuse to look at her “date” for the evening.

When she stands next to me, her hand finds mine and together we turn. Tonight is about Emilie’s success as an actress, even if it meant she had to kiss her soccer player ex on set. She was acting, I remind myself and steal another kiss. A real one. One that she doesn’t have to turn her cheek to accept.

Time to face the music for tonight, named “Rinaldo in D Minor.” A smirk crosses my lips. I guess Cole rubbed off on me after all.

Uber douche pushes away from his convertible, eyes squarely on Emilie. “Emmie. You look fantastic. The papps are going to eat you up.”

Her hand clamps down on mine for a split second, her face a beautiful mask. In response, I squeeze her hand and whisper, “I’ll be with you the whole time.”

“Bon noite, Rinaldo.” She inhales a deep breath and walks toward him.

He reaches out to do the European double-cheek kiss greeting, which she reciprocates. It means nothing, Wills. They’re just being polite, European-style.

“Nice car. Wills is teaching me how to drive.”

The fact that she can bring me into the conversation so effortlessly fills me with pride. See, soccer boy. She’s with me now.

“Hey,” I say, extending my hand. Might as well act civilized.

“Hola,” he responds, shaking my hand with a death grip.

Uber douche. I break the contact. “Emilie is a natural driver.”

“I bet she is. Like she’s a natural actor. But I suppose when it comes to certain emotions and how we express them, acting isn’t necessary.” He turns to her, arm outstretched. “Here, let me help you into my car.”

While he’s being overly solicitous, I check out his wheels—which cost more than I made last year. Gross.

Rinaldo reappears in front of me. He points to the twenty-foot two-seater. “Picked this up for a steal. Can’t believe how cheap things are over here.” He punches me in the arm. “You got it good.”

Having nothing to say, I raise my chin.

“So, don’t be worried about this party, dude. I got Emmie all covered. The papps will get their photos of us on the way in, to get their tongues wagging. But don’t worry, I won’t give them a show like the one you just gave me.”

My chest rises on my inhale as I try to keep my temper in check. “Get her in the door. I’ll take over from there.”

He waves his hand as if my words were of no consequence. “Of course, we’ll make it look real for the cameras. After all, we need to keep everyone happy.” He punches me again. “Ain’t that right, William. Wills.”

Enough of his shit. “Drive carefully.”

“Yeah. Always do.” He jumps over the driver’s side door, his ass landing squarely in the driver’s seat. The engine roars to life.

Ems dons a scarf to protect her hair from the wind the convertible’s going to generate. She blows me a kiss and they take off like a bat out of hell.

And just like that, I’m left alone to trail behind. As usual.