One Wild Night (Hollywood Chronicles #1)(8)

The bartender poured our drinks, and Paxton passed mine to me. He lifted his tumbler with a subtle tilt my direction, our glasses clinking as he made a toast. “To this magical, unforgettable night.”

His words were packed with innuendo, and I nearly choked as I took a sip of my wine. A blush I couldn’t fight streaking everywhere, this unfound attraction spreading far and fast.

Stupid girl.

Casually, he set his hip against the bar. “So, tell me, Kaylee Rose, how is it you know Eleanor Ward and her family? You seem a little…out of place.”

I felt my brow draw. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I wanted to be offended, but his observation wasn’t any different than what I’d been thinking all night.

He chuckled, the sound so seductive all those secret places inside me clenched with desire.

Damn him.

He edged closer, and when he spoke, his breath washed over me like a delicious breeze. “Oh, come on, beautiful girl, there’s no need to play coy. You’re much too sweet to belong in the midst of all these vultures. They’d rip you to shreds.”

Arching a brow, I leaned back and met his eyes. “Vultures? You mean vultures like you?”

He laughed, deep and low, the man encroaching into my space, towering over me as he dipped his nose to run it along my hairline and down to my ear. “I’d gladly tear you apart, Kaylee Rose. But I promise you, it will be in the very best way. So good, in fact, you’ll be begging me to do it again and again.”

Shivers skated along my flesh.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

There was no question in my mind he’d make good on his promise.

A dangerous, dangerous fantasy.

That’s what this was.

Too close for comfort.

I cleared my throat. “Elle and I were roommates during our first year at UCLA.” Affection laced with irritation filled up my tone. “She’s definitely from a different world than I am.” I gave an offhanded, helpless shrug. “But somehow, we became best friends through it all.”

He raked his teeth over his bottom lip. “Opposites do attract, and all of that.”

Yep.

More innuendo.

And again, I felt shaky and itchy, wanting to lean forward to inhale the essence of his man, all the while wanting to run before I fell into his trap.

Right then, running sounded like the best plan.

I stepped back and downed my wine, set the glass on the bar. “If you’ll excuse me.”

I rushed for the hallway and into the ladies’ restroom, pressed my hands to the counter, and stared at myself in the mirror as I tried to calm my rapid breaths.

Paxton Myles was so absolutely right.

I didn’t belong here.

I was out of place. Ignorant. Just begging to be slaughtered. But it wouldn’t be at the hands of anyone else at the after party.

It would be at the hands of a man who was far too appealing for my own good. He’d use me up and spit me out, and I’d be left with memories I wasn’t sure I could handle.

I pushed out a breath, gathered my composure, before I dug into my small handbag and pulled out my phone so I could call for an Uber.

I had to get out of here before I completely fell prey to the man’s charms.

Five minutes the app promised. Five minutes, and I’d be safely tucked away in a car that would carry me out of this fantasy world and set my feet firmly back into my reality. Where I was plain and ordinary and didn’t draw the attention of movie stars who could snap their fingers and have any woman they wanted begging at their feet.

Where I lived a simple life teaching the kids I loved and didn’t attend movie premiere after parties.

Where I was safe.

And safe was where I wanted to be.

Sucking in a breath, I drew open the door and stepped out into the hall dimmed with shadows and the echo of the party happening at its end.

But in it, the presence was profound. Something great and intense. The breath I’d sucked in left me on a whoosh when I was suddenly pinned up against the wall by a big body.

So warm.

Overpowering.

Gorgeous.

Fingertips trailed along the slope of my neck, and my heart shuddered and shook, my pulse erratic as I looked up at the man staring down at me. “Are you okay?”

His worry took me by surprise.

But more surprising was the answer that popped up in my head.

No.

I was definitely not okay. This man had managed to knock me from my axis. He was making me want things I would never allow myself to have.

“Why would you think I’m not?” I asked instead, caught off guard by his concern.

In a flash of that playful mischief, a smirk pulled at one side of his mouth. “Oh, I don’t know…a gorgeous woman suddenly runs into the restroom to remove herself from the unwanted advances of a man. It sounds like Ditch the Douchebag 101 to me. And that’s not a label I take so kindly to.”

It was all a tease wrapped up in what I was sure was true concern, those brown eyes deep and dark and intent.

I swallowed around the lump in my throat, my eyes blinking through the cloud of confused attraction. “You make my head spin,” I answered in all honesty.

He backed me up farther, my body plastered to the wall, his hot as hell body pressed against me.

My thighs shook when I felt his length pleading at my belly, heavy and hard and more prominent than any wild fantasy I could have conjured.