He hadn’t meant to attack Emma. Really, he hadn’t. He’d walked into the hotel lobby and after seeing the mob, almost walked out again. That was until he saw the flash of blonde hair in the middle and heard several fans screaming her name. Then, he’d pushed and shoved his way through the crowd. When he’d seen the fan pull out the scissors, he’d no longer cared if he was gentle. He’d done everything he could to get her free from their clutches.

When they were alone in the elevator, he’d lost his hold, needing her.

Now, they were both breathless, leaning against the wall. He was pretty sure he’d ripped her blouse and panties.

“You okay?” he asked again.

“I’m much better now that you’re here.” She sighed against his shoulder. “Especially after that.” She chuckled. “I needed a release. You?”

He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “I needed you.” His hands ran over her soft curves and he felt himself grow hard again. “Still do.” This time, he wanted her in the massive bed across the suite. Gently, he picked her up and carried her across the marble floors and entered the huge bedroom. The bed was bigger than any he’d seen. When he’d checked in, he’d dropped his luggage off, then had gone across the street for some necessities. He hadn’t expected to run into the mob downstairs. When he’d left to run across the street, they hadn’t been there.

He laid Emma down gently on the bed and smiled down at her completely naked body. He’d missed her.

“What?” She smiled up at him. “Come here.” She crooked her finger at him. “I need to feel you against me.”

He moved down and covered her. Their legs tangled. His fingers dipped into her curly hair.

“I like your hair like this, loose for my hands to run through.” Their eyes met. “I like you naked, underneath me.” He moved his hips and watched her silver eyes heat before slipping closed.

The moan that escaped her lips had him growing even more. This time, he slipped into her. He could spend the entire night making love to her.

He told her how she made him feel every step of the way, whispered in her ear what she did to him as her nails dug into his skin, holding him as close as she could.

Sometime after the room had grown dark, they both slipped into oblivion together. He held her as their bodies cooled and darkness filled the room.

“Are you hungry?” he asked when he knew she wasn’t asleep.

“I could eat.” She chuckled. “What did you have in mind?”

“Well, since I’m pretty sure I ripped your pretty blouse, I was thinking of ordering room service.”

She sat up slightly and glanced around. “I think I tore your shirt too.”

He laughed. “I have plenty more. I doubt you brought…” He stopped when she glanced back at him and he saw the look in her eyes. “Okay, so maybe you planned ahead?”

She chuckled. “I brought a change of clothes for the morning.”

Sitting up, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soft lips. “God, I love a woman who plans ahead.”

He thought he felt her tense slightly, but he kissed the moment away and then jumped out of bed to hand her the hotel menu.

As they waited for the food, they hopped in the massive marble shower. They got out when they heard someone knocking on the outer door.

He threw on a hotel robe and answered the door. The bellman entered and, as he set up the food, apologized for the mess in the lobby.

“We’ve doubled our security. The managers have assured me that security has been handled for both you and Miss Wilder.” At this point, the man glanced around the empty room and JT knew he had to get the guy out of there as quickly as possible.

“Thank you,” he interrupted and walked him to the door. “Goodnight.” He waited until the man was just outside of the doorjamb before shutting the door quickly.

When he heard a chuckle behind him, he turned to see Emma standing in the doorway, a matching hotel bathrobe covering her.

Her wet hair fell over her shoulders and she smiled as she walked towards him.

“I think you scared him off.”

He frowned at the door. “I guess we won’t be able to keep it a secret that you spent the night here, with me.”

“Did you want to keep this a secret?” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“It’s our business. No one else’s.”

“This is Hollywood. We’re lucky if it’s not already all over town.” She leaned up on her toes and kissed him.

“I’ve missed you,” he said, changing the subject. “I guess I fooled myself into believing we could hide out here like we did at home.”

She sighed and rested her forehead against his chest. “I’ve missed the quiet.”

“With Cora around, it’s no longer quiet,” he joked.

She leaned back and their eyes met. “You’re enjoying having her around.” It was a statement, not a question.

He dropped his arms and walked over to remove the cover on their food. The wonderful smells hit him full force and he realized he hadn’t eaten anything since the breakfast he’d plowed down between his flights earlier that morning. “She’s growing on me. Bo adores her and those cats and kittens are living on the back deck.” He sat down and patted the spot next to him for Emma to sit. When she did, he set her food in front of her.

As they ate, she filled him in on everything that had happened since he’d seen her last. He was upset to find out that Mark Rayes was being possessive of her still.

“You’ve broken things off with him.” It was a simple statement, yet he could see the weariness in her eyes.

“Yes, multiple times. He continues to claim that it’s all for show, but the funny thing is, he continues to act that way when we’re alone.” She sighed and pushed her half-empty plate aside. “When I talked to Jim about it, he encouraged me to follow along, at least until after…” She stood up and walked over to the window to look out.

The room was on the top floor. The view was something few people get a chance to see, yet he doubted it even registered with her.

Walking over to her, he laid his hands on her shoulders, then turned her around until he could see her silver eyes. “What are your plans after all this?”

Emma closed her eyes and leaned against his chest. “I haven’t decided. I was stuck in New York for a few days, and I doubt I could last a week there, let alone move there to continue my career.”

He thought about her being as far away as New York and felt his heart break slightly. So, he did something he’d never done before.

“You could always return and stay with me.”

* * *

Emma tensed for a split second, but it wasn’t for the reason she knew JT thought it was. She tensed because she’d been waiting for his invitation from the moment she’d seen him again. She’d imagined what her life would be like, living on his island with him and Bo. She’d wanted it so badly, dreamed about it, desired it. But she knew she had to make something of herself first before relying on someone else.

“There’s nothing I’d like better…”

“But?” He reached up and took her face gently in his hands. “It’s not you?”

“I need something first.” She sighed. “I have to prove something. It’s funny.” She stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t hear a lot of what they’re saying about me, since you don’t follow the gossip, but there’s nothing but talk about how I’m riding on Mark’s coattails.” She closed her eyes as the pain surfaced. “They haven’t even seen the movie or what I can do yet, and they’re already knocking me.”

“That’s what they do. Destroy, tear down, belittle. That’s one of the reasons I chose to separate all that from my life.”

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a smart move.” She turned back to him. “But I can just imagine what the papers are going to read tomorrow morning.” She felt her stomach drop out slightly. “Emma Wilder rides the coattails of another.”

“Hey.” He moved over and took her shoulders again. “This has nothing to do with your career.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Doesn’t it? We met because of it. You’re writing a sequel that would have never been, because of who I am.” He stepped back as if he’d been slapped. Tucking her arms more tightly around herself, she moved back to the window. Maybe this was for the best.

She couldn’t continue with the fantasy that they could be together. Not only did they live on opposite sides of the country, but opposite sides of the industry.

He was silent as she moved around, pulling on her clothes. They were wrinkled and he had been correct, he’d torn her shirt. Pulling her backup blouse from her bag, she tossed it over her head and tucked her almost dry hair into a sloppy bun.

“Stay,” he said, his voice rough and his eyes pleading.

“I can’t.” She shook her head, fighting back the tears. “I can’t afford the talk if I did.”

“Damn the talk.” He moved closer to her. “I want you here, with me.”

“There are a lot of things we both want. I have a job and a promise to keep. At least until next month, I’m still engaged to Mark.”

This time he did look shocked he looked angry.

“That’s just for show.”

“Yes, but that’s the business I’m in.” She leaned up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you at the party tomorrow night.”

His eyes closed slowly as she took a step away from him.

“Is there anything I can say that would keep you here?” he said, his eyes still closed.

“If I have to tell you, it’s not worth saying.” She turned and left just as a tear slipped down her cheek.

She called for a car in the elevator and prayed that the lobby was clear, since it appeared she would be waiting close to five minutes for the car to take her home.

When the elevator doors opened, she sighed when she saw the empty lobby.

Wrapping her jacket around herself, she tucked her wet hair under the hood and waiting by the door until the app told her the car was outside.

A light rain started as she stepped out and slid into the back seat of the car. She didn’t talk to the driver as they made their way towards her condo.

She ducked through the heavy rain and entered her building soaking wet. Her head was down, avoiding the rain. She made it to the elevator before she realized someone was standing in front of the doors, blocking her.

When she looked up, she met Mark’s eyes and knew that her night was going to get worse.