One Wild Night (Hollywood Chronicles #1)(19)

Kaylee, can you tell me about your relationship with Paxton Myles.

Are you dating Paxton Myles, Ms. Burton?

Is it true you are an aspiring actress?

Can you comment on being released from your position at Kensington Palisades?

Kaylee.

Kaylee.

Kaylee.

It all became a buzz of horror in my ears. I finally got the door open and stumbled into the dim light inside. Gasping for a breath, I slammed the door shut behind me.

Thankfully, all the drapes were drawn over the windows to keep out the light, not to mention the outside intrusion and speculation.

I pressed my back to the door. Trying to calm my racing heart. Trying to shove off the panic and to slow the quickly settling dread as I fully began to process what fooling around with a Hollywood god had cost me.

That gorgeous, Greek god.

The man with a wicked smile and a perfect touch.

It had cost me everything.

I dragged myself to the couch and slumped down on it, fighting the tears that burned at my eyes, wishing there was a way to drown out everything. To go back and change the decision I’d made.

But there was no escape.

Because throughout the day, the doorbell continued to ring.

Anger and frustration and sorrow burned in my blood, ramping into irritation and anxiety. My nerves shot, and my stomach in a million knots.

When it rang again, I’d had enough.

I’d had enough of the prying.

Enough of the intrusion.

With my hands balled in fists, I stomped to the front door and threw it open, a slew of profanities poised on my tongue, because I refused to cower and hide.

Then everything froze. All except for my heart that took off at a sprint.

Because standing at my door was none other than Paxton Myles.





Chapter 10





Paxton





My knuckles sting from beating on this door for the last five minutes, but I'll be damned if I'm going anywhere until she opens it. I refuse to glance over my shoulder at those heathens trying to get another shot of Kaylee with their cameras.

“Pax, can you tell us the status of your relationship with Kaylee Burton?” one reporter from a tabloid television show hollers from behind me.

“Can you confirm if she was fired from her job at Kensington Palisades as it's been reported?” another yells.

“Open the fucking door, Kaylee,” I mumble to myself as I rap on the door again, this time with more force…more desperation. I lean forward, my head hanging in defeat as another reporter hollers an inaudible question from behind me.

A gush of cool air assaults me as the front door flies open and, when I lift my head, my heart stops as Kaylee stands stunned in the open doorway.

“Kay,” I say quietly, hoping she'll let me in. The reporters behind us go nuts, yelling questions, while cameras click wildly, trying to get a glimpse at the both of us.

“Can I come in?”

She stares at me, tears hanging heavy in those beautiful eyes of hers. She nods and steps aside, and I carefully push her out of the way before shutting the door, leaving the world outside.

“Why are you here?” she asks, her voice breaking as she swipes at the tears that finally began to fall. I want to pull her into me and hold her, smell her. Just feel her. I need to feel her.

“Why did you leave the other morning?” I take a careful step toward her, giving her space, but closing a bit of the distance between us.

“Because I didn't want this.” She flings her arm toward the door and the chaos just outside it. “Pax, I had a great time…I didn't want to leave, but you and I—” Her voice breaks, and she looks down to her feet.

“You and I what, Kaylee?”

“We're from two different worlds. I'm a kindergarten teacher…well, was a kindergarten teacher. You're a Hollywood hunk—”

I scoff at that remark.

“What? You are,” she continues. “We got caught up in a wild night and the last thing I wanted was for it to affect your career…or mine.”

She pushes past me, and I hate the feeling of her fleeing from me. She tosses herself down on her couch and pulls a pillow tightly into her lap. “What have we done?” she says quietly. “What have I done?” she corrects herself, placing the blame on herself.

I'll be damned if I'm going to let her do that, take the blame.

I take a deep breath and walk across her living room toward her. She looks up at me, those beautiful eyes marred in red, her cheeks splotchy from crying.

“Stand up,” I order her and hold out my hand for her to take. She hesitates, dropping her eyes to my waiting hand. “Come on, Kaylee,” I encourage her. She swallows hard and tosses the pillow from her lap onto the couch next to her.

With a shaky hand, she reaches for mine, her soft fingers sliding into the palm of my hand. I gently tug her closer to me when she stands up, finally getting her where she belongs—next to me. I brush my thumb across her damp cheek, wiping away any remaining tears.

“You didn't do anything wrong. I didn't do anything wrong. What we did, we did together,” I start. I brush a stray piece of hair off her forehead. “What we did wasn't wrong.” I pull her closer, snaking my arm around her waist. “What we did I enjoyed…and I want to do it again.”