Chapter Five
Chloe
Once back in my apartment, Blake settled on the couch as I got us each a drink. I tried not to show how much my hands were shaking as I gave him his beer. I was feeling surprisingly jittery, unsure of how this night would unfold now that we were back at my place, and alone. Not that I was going to let anything happen. This was work. Nothing more.
“Stay put,” I said as I pulled the blinds, making sure to leave them open a crack.
He narrowed his eyes, still not liking taking orders. I’d brought him a beer. “Where are you going?”
“The script calls for me to change into something more comfortable.”
“The script?”
“You were right about the press. We already have an audience. I assume it’s reporters that followed us from the restaurant. They smell a scoop.”
“How would they know anything?” he growled.
“My guess is that as soon as Bert Walker called in his story he decided to pick up some extra cash by tipping off the tabloids about the all-star hockey player’s new girlfriend.”
“Son of a bitch!”
I was surprised by his anger. He didn’t seem to have a problem with tabloids when he’d been at that party with the drug-dealing brunette.
“Well, more power to him. That was exactly what we wanted. I expected to have more time to prepare, but that’s okay.” I dared a glance out of the partially opened blinds. I couldn’t see anything other than the blanket of nighttime darkness, but I knew they were there and that made my heart race. I was used to writing the script, not being one of the performers, especially with the leading man being a guy like Blake.
He raised his glass. “Well, here’s to something more comfortable.”
As he leaned back, I went into the bedroom and changed out of my heels and tight dress and into a robe. It didn’t show anything, but it was sexy and I had panties on, just in case, although I wasn’t sure what I was concerned about. Yes, this was work, but I was a woman. Did I want to impress Blake and not just the media?
When I walked into the living room, I caught a flicker of interest in Blake’s face. That irrational, maddening warm feeling between my legs lit me up again. This was annoying. I’d handled bad boys before, but most of them weren’t nearly as sexy as they thought and I found them totally resistible. Blake Collins was just as taken with himself, but something about the chemistry between us was dangerous and different. I was drawn to him by some unstoppable force. I wasn’t sure if he felt the same connection but I would find out soon enough. The game meant I had to look sexy when I was with him, pay attention to him, be close and generally try to appear smitten…that all added to the real heat I felt and I was afraid that over time my actions would turn into real feelings. I already knew I had lust in the bag, whether I wanted it or not.
Walking into the living room and feeling his eyes on me, I felt naked and exposed. Vulnerable. I took a deep breath and smiled, feeling awkward for the first time since our encounter began.
We were playing roles, but me? I had two. I was sure every actress worth her salt had moments of insecurity while playing a part, or at least that was what I tried to tell myself. I had to make most of the world think I felt for Blake and let lust dictate my actions. I had to make them think he’d bedded me and I’d fallen in love with him.
He had to play his part in that, which probably wasn’t too hard since he had women flinging themselves at him all the time. I also had to make Blake think I was only acting when I stared at him with longing and need, that I was solely keeping a professional attitude about him. My mind was playing ping pong with itself over these roles and I was exhausted already—and it was just the first night.
I did want the conceited jerk, but I couldn’t afford to let him know. I craved his touch. I hadn’t felt that kind of desire for a man in a long time. I hadn’t slept with one for over two years, and the last time had been a disaster.
I focused my attention back on the role. Shadows near the window told me that the reporters had discovered the crack in the blinds. As much as their presence outside of my apartment window totally creeped me out and made me feel violated, I had to stay focused here. I knelt on the couch beside Blake and ran my fingers through his soft hair, then looked at the window more obviously and looked shocked.
“Oh my God! People are looking in.” I jumped up and ran to the window and closed the blinds completely.
Blake laughed. “Now what?”
I picked up my phone. “I’m going to report a peeping Tom,” I said, tugging my robe as closed as possible. “After the police come and we make our statements, you should go home.”
He leaned back and I saw the bulge in his pants. “Do I have to?”
It was exactly the right thing to do. I knew it was. But as I called the police and heard them promise to send a car around, I wanted him to grab me and throw me on the floor, yank the panties off my hips and fuck me silly.
Just thinking of it made my knees grow weak.
“Yes, you do,” I said, but I was burning to have him inside me. I had to follow the plan, even if I wore the batteries out on my vibrator in the process.