The Controversial Princess (The Smoke & Mirrors Duology #1)(73)

“Oh my God,” the maid shrieks again. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!”

“Come on, love.” She’s gently ushered from the room by the friendly smiles of Josh’s security before one of the men looks back at our less-than-decent forms with apologetic eyes.

As soon as the door closes, panic finds me, and I have my very own little meltdown.

That’s it. My time in Josh’s heaven is over. Poof! Gone.

“This is a disaster.” I start pacing the room, at the same time fighting my way into my underwear.

I’m halted in my frantic actions when Josh appears in front of me, taking the tops of my arms and holding me still. “Stop panicking.”

“I’m not panicking,” I screech, less than calmly, managing to fasten my bra. I step into my dress and get it to my waist. “She’ll be dashing to the office of the nearest national newspaper and tomorrow it will be front-page news. You and me. Naked. In a room at The Dorchester.” I run out of breath as a result of my screeching episode, but quickly pull in more air, not quite done yet.

Josh’s hand lands over my mouth, his eyes like saucers. “Will you calm down?”

I snatch his hand away. “Calm down? This is the worst thing that could happen.”

Stunned eyes quickly transform into … what is that? Anger? “The worst thing?” His jaw goes stiff. “What, ashamed to be associated with a lowly actor?”

Is he trying to be funny? “Don’t be so ridiculous.” I step away, holding my dress to my front with my arms to stop it from dropping to the floor. “It’s just …” My eyes plummet.

“Just what?”

“It’s just …” What can I say?

“What? Goddamn it, Adeline. What?”

I burst, my frustration and helplessness pouring out of me unstoppably. “When they find out, they’ll find a way to stop me from seeing you again,” I yell, making Josh recoil warily, though I can’t be sure if it is because of my shouting, or what I’m shouting. I breathe in deeply to calm myself down. “And that will be the worst thing that could happen,” I say calmly, keeping my gaze low, wishing I would think before I speak. But I’ve dived in now. May as well see it through to the end. So I take the plunge. Feet first, in I go. “I like you.” I frown to myself, the words so alien. “That’s not happened before, me liking a man so much. It’s a very lovely feeling, but equally terrifying.”

There’s silence, a long, painful, awkward silence, and it’s not long before I’m regretting being so loose-lipped. I’m such a foolish idiot. He’s the epitome of Hollywood, for goodness sake. And the most desired man on earth. He is free to cavort with any woman he pleases. Me? My love life is hampered by things out of my control, and now, more than ever, I hate everything about my existence. I might just be a score for him. A challenge. An accomplishment. A private one, since no one will ever know about it, but an accomplishment nevertheless.

I clear my throat of the silly lump that has formed, collecting my clutch from the bedside. “I’ll be going now.”

I don’t make it two paces toward the door before he’s blocking my path. “Wait.”

“No, really, I must go.” I skirt past him and pull the door open.

It’s slammed shut by Josh with me on the wrong side of it, and I suck in air when he pushes me front forward into the wood with the length of his body. “Someone’s forgotten the rules of our game.” His accent is rough again, low and serious.

“This isn’t a game, Josh.” I’m not sure when it turned into something more than that, but it has. For me, anyway.

“It’s a game, Your Highness,” he breathes in my ear. I swallow, my eyes darting across the wood before me. “And now you are winning.” His teeth nibble at my lobe, and then his tongue traces the shell of my ear. Before I can control myself, I’ve lent back against his chest, the magnetic pull too much to stop. “By a long fuckin’ shot, Adeline. You may have already won, in fact.”

“What?”

He turns me around and brushes his palms over my hair, holding my head. “I like you.” Unlike me, Josh’s eyes remain glued to mine as he speaks his confession. “A lot. A real lot.”

My stomach lunges, that statement turning it in circles. “You do?”

“I can’t believe you’re asking me that. The Princess of fuckin’ England. The expert seductress. You’re asking me if I really like you?”

I ignore his statements and question. I’m not interested in those. Only one thing matters to me. “You do?” I want confirmation. Need confirmation. Anything to tell me that this hasn’t been my imagination. That he’s felt it as deeply as I have. That I am not alone in these crazy feelings.

He smiles and drags the pad of his thumb across my bottom lip. “You have completely and utterly blinded me to anything else but you, woman. That good enough for you?”

I press my lips firmly together, stupidly not wanting him to see how happy that makes me.

“You can wipe that shit-eating grin off your face.” He laughs.

Seems I lost my battle. My smile is way too big to conceal. But it quickly falls when I remember why we’re having this conversation. “The maid.” Now I’m even more anxious. Now I’m even more determined to keep what we have under wraps, since we appear to be on the same page in liking each other a real lot.