“Time to go,” Lucky announced.

  Everyone took their positions, and Lucky gave Sienna another pep talk before the doors opened and they headed out to the sound of cheers. The hall was huge, divided up into sections with numerous booths and tables housing various celebrities, artists, and vendors. Mason and the rest of the security team did exactly as Lucky instructed, escorting Sienna to the movie studio’s booth. She smiled and waved to her fans as she stepped behind the wide table. The line was akin to those in theme parks, wrapping around to make room for as many people as possible. Mason folded his arms in front of him as he stood to Sienna’s side. She seemed nervous at first, but when Lucky placed his hand on her shoulder, she visibly relaxed. After the first few encounters, she was off, and by the second hour, she was working the crowd like a seasoned pro. She smiled, chatted with her fans, joked, and posed for the camera from her seat. The crowd loved her. She also seemed to be enjoying herself.

  The first two hours went by in a blur, and thankfully everyone behaved themselves. A couple of rowdy teenage boys stepped forward, their expressions less than wholesome as they whispered conspiratorially to each other. One of them approached Sienna and opened his mouth to say something when he glanced up at Lucky and promptly decided against whatever he’d been planning on saying. Mason sneaked a peek over at Lucky and had to cough into his hand to keep from laughing. If looks could kill, the teen would have been eviscerated on the spot. Lucky’s narrowed gaze was a warning and a dare all in one.

  The kid promptly handed a T-shirt over to Sienna, and while she signed it, he kept sneaking glances at Lucky. If Lucky made any sudden movements, Mason was pretty sure the kid would shit himself. Lucky wasn’t as tall or big as Mason or the rest of the bodyguards, but one look and you knew the guy was trained in a way that meant pain for anyone stupid enough to force him into action. The kid was so freaked-out, he thanked Sienna, bowed awkwardly, turned, grabbed his very confused friend, and hauled ass.

  Things went smoothly after that, and next thing they knew, it was time for Sienna to take a break. They escorted her back into the dressing room, where food had been brought in. Sienna moaned at the sight of the huge burger with the side of fries.

  “Oh my God, that smells so good.” She ran over to the couch and dropped down onto it. “Don’t tell my dad. He thinks because I’m famous now, I’m going to start eating like a freaking rabbit. It’s not like they don’t make me work out all the time. Besides, they’re so mistaken if they think I’m going to give up fries.” She popped one into her mouth and did a little happy dance. It was cute.

  Lucky stole one of her fries, and she gasped in mock offense. Watching Lucky with Sienna was fascinating. As she ate, she chatted with him like they were best friends. With Sienna, Lucky was charming, warm, kind, and soft-spoken. He teased her, made her laugh, and provided a distraction when she needed it. With the rest of the security team, he was firm, professional, but polite, giving them a smile to assure them he was helping.

  The second half of the signing went even quicker than the first half, and by the end, Sienna was exhausted. “I can’t wait to get back to my room and have a bubble bath.”

  “The front desk called,” Ryan informed them. “They’re ready to have us move upstairs to the new rooms.” He turned to Sienna. “Also you have that interview tonight, remember?”

  Sienna groaned. “Darn. I’d totally forgotten about that.”

  Lucky turned to Ryan with a frown. “Wait a second. What interview?”

  “It’s a last-minute thing. One magazine reporter, and it’ll be in Sienna’s room. We don’t need to change anything.”

  “What time?” Lucky asked.

  Ryan looked at his watch. “Um, in half an hour?”

  “Okay, we change rooms. Then Mason and I will come to the room.”

  “It’s not necessary. It was a last minute promo op and—”

  Lucky arched an eyebrow at Ryan, and Ryan held up a hand.

  “Right. Sorry. You’re right.”

  With that settled, they headed for the elevator. Unfortunately that meant passing the conference hall and the many people outside it. This time they had the rest of the security team, and they formed a wall between Sienna and the crowd that made a rush for her the moment someone spotted her. Mason and Lucky gently but quickly hurried Sienna toward the elevator.

  “It’s loud,” Sienna said, her voice barely audible. “I didn’t know there’d be so many people out here.”

  “We’re right here with you,” Lucky assured her. “Are those Gucci?”

  Sienna looked down at her shoes. “Yeah, my stylist insisted on them.”

  “They’re beautiful. They go perfect with that dress.”

  “You think so?”

  “Honey, trust me. I know my Gucci.”

  Sienna giggled.

  “You should tell her about the time the dog ate your Gucci sandal,” Mason prompted, knowing what Lucky was trying to do.

  Lucky crossed himself. “My poor Gucci. You are in a better place.”

  The crowd was huge, everyone trying to get past the wall of muscle to get to Sienna, but she quickly forgot all about the noise and people as Lucky regaled her with the tragic demise of his Gucci sandal at the paws and jaws of a fluffy golden retriever.

  They reached the elevator and pressed the button, and the doors immediately opened. As they stepped inside, a large group of men and women with bags and equipment rushed forward, intent on joining them in the elevator. Sienna’s entourage. Mason moved in close to Sienna anyway, aware of how she sucked in a sharp breath and gripped Lucky’s arm tight.

  “Lucky… I don’t think…. It’s too many people.”

  Lucky stepped into the doorway, his shoulders back, body rigid like he was standing at attention. He held an arm out to the group, and they came to an abrupt halt in front of him. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’m afraid you have to take the next one.”

  A woman in front wearing a bun so tight it had to be cutting off her circulation turned her nose up at Lucky. “We’re with Ms. Scott. We’re her hair, makeup, and wardrobe team.”

  “Yes, I understand, but you need to wait and get the next elevator or take a different one.”

  “What? That’s ridiculous. There’s plenty of room. Just squeeze in.”

  “Please,” Lucky stated pleasantly but firmly.

  “There’s. Plenty. Of. Room,” she repeated like he didn’t understand her.

  Lucky’s eyes narrowed. “I heard you the first time. You’re still not getting in this elevator.”

  “I don’t think I like your attitude, Mr…?”

  “Eduardo Morales. Four Kings Security. My job is to ensure Ms. Scott’s safety and comfort. No one else is getting in this elevator. You can meet her upstairs, and make sure no one follows you. Can you do that?”

  “Excuse me?” the woman asked indignantly.

  “Can you or can you not get to the room without being followed? If not, I’ll send security up with you. In fact….” Lucky craned his neck and pressed his PTT button. “Francis!”

  One of the guards turned, and when he saw Lucky, he came running over. “What can I do for you, Mr. Morales?”

  “Escort Sienna’s people upstairs to her new room, please. I don’t want anyone following and finding out where it is.”

  “Sure thing.”

  “Fine,” the woman replied through her teeth before she spun around, the rest of the entourage following her as she stomped away after Francis.

  Lucky stepped back and hit the button to close the door. He immediately turned to Sienna. “Okay?”

  Sienna nodded, her eyes filled with stars as she gazed up at him. “Yes. Thank you, Lucky.”

  “You’re very welcome.”

  Mason was a little starstruck himself. He’d never really seen Lucky in bodyguard mode. He hadn’t known what to expect from him while on the job. Lucky often came across as sort of a hothead. If he was unhappy about something, the whole world was going to know about it, but as it turned out, the guy was far more complex than Mason gave him credit for.

  The rest of the day flew by, with them moving their stuff to their new room six floors up as well as helping Ryan and Wyatt move Sienna’s belongings to the new room next to theirs. The magazine reporter arrived for the interview, and they stood guard inside the room.

  Thankfully the interview was pleasant, with no inappropriate or sexist questions. Mason had seen his fair share of celebrity interviews, and it never failed to shock him how inappropriate the questions became when female celebrities were being interviewed. Male celebrities were asked about their acting process, how they did their own stunts, or what inspired them to create that particular piece of music, while female celebrities were asked about what they wore under their costumes or about their diet. What the hell happened to manners? To respect? Fuck, he sounded like his granddad, but his granddad had been right on that front, so he’d take it. The interview lasted about an hour, and by the end, Sienna was pretty much asleep standing up, poor girl.

  “Goodnight,” Lucky said. “If you need anything, just call.”

  Outside in the hall, Lucky loosened his tie. “I’m starving. Want to grab some food?”

  “Sure. What did you have in mind?” Mason followed Lucky’s lead and loosened his tie. Man, he was beat.

  “We never leave the hotel during a job unless our team is in charge, so it looks like it’s hotel food, but one of the restaurants here is actually pretty good.”

  “Lead the way.”

  Turned out the restaurants were packed to the brim with a wait time of over an hour. Way too tired for that nonsense, they decided to order in pizza. The moment they walked into the room, Mason got that feeling again. Like something was off. It was starting to annoy the hell out of him because nothing looked out of place. If someone had been in their room, Sienna’s guards would have noticed and said something. Hell, if someone had been in their room and taken something, or moved something, Lucky would have been the first to notice.

  “You okay?” Lucky asked, concern written all over his handsome face.

  “Yeah, just feeling outta sorts. Probably from being on high alert all day.” Not that he wasn’t used to being on alert as a cop, but working a security job for hours on end meant not letting his guard down for even a moment and being prepared to spring into action from one heartbeat to the next.

  Lucky nodded. “You’ll get used to it.”

  While they waited for pizza, they took turns in the shower, and it wasn’t until after they’d eaten and it was time to turn in that Mason remembered the whole one-bed situation. With views of the night sky and city lights from the large window, along with the glow of the beside lamps, the room looked a little too intimate for Mason’s liking.

  “So, um, which side do you want?” Mason asked, doing his best not to stare at Lucky’s ass or the way the thin soft-looking material of his pajama bottoms accentuated his plump cheeks. His feet were bare and his graphic T-shirt fit snug against his sleek torso and tapered waist. He probably smelled amazing too. Fuck, this was going to be a very, very long night.

  “The right. I always sleep on whichever side is closest to the door.”

  Mason didn’t ask why that was, and Lucky didn’t offer an explanation, which told Mason it was either something from his childhood or his time in the military. Both were very plausible. Mason closed the curtains while Lucky climbed into bed beneath the duvet and turned off his bedside lamp. Joining him, Mason turned off his lamp, then lay on his back, same as Lucky. He stared at the ceiling, feeling like an idiot. They were both so aware of each other. Their arms barely touched, but Mason felt Lucky’s heat as if he were pressed against him. Thank God, Lucky liked the room cool, because Mason was burning up.

  “Goodnight.” Lucky rolled onto his side, most likely away from Mason.

  “Goodnight.”

  They were both clearly very awake. Mason could feel it. He rolled onto his side, facing the center of the bed and found Lucky facing him. “Hey.”

  Lucky’s smile was sweet. “Hey.”

  “Some day, huh?”

  “Yes. We make a pretty good team, you know?”

  “We do, don’t we?”

  “When we’re not trying to kill each other or—” Lucky cleared his throat, and Mason was pretty sure if there’d been more light in the room, Lucky’s cheeks would be pink. Mason knew exactly what he’d been about to say. He smiled wickedly.

  “Fuck each other?”

  Lucky huffed out a laugh and rolled onto his back. “You are taking this honesty thing to heart.”

  “You asked me to.”

  Silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of the air conditioner turning on.

  “It’s weird, huh?” Mason asked wanting nothing more than to reach out and touch him.

  “What is?”

  “Us sharing a bed after… everything. Then I guess this whole whatever you want to call it between us kind of came out of nowhere.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “No?”

  Lucky rolled onto his side again to face Mason. He searched Mason’s eyes, for what Mason had no idea. “You can’t tell Ace, though. He’d never let me live it down.”

  “You have my word.”

  “I was jealous of him when he was dating you.”

  “You were?” Mason had no idea. Lucky had never given the slightest indication.

  “I was jealous he’d found this gorgeous man to be his. Ace is a one-man kind of a guy. He wants the fairy tale. The husband, house, dog, and happy ever after.”

  “And you don’t want that?”

  “I do.”

  Mason was floored. “But I thought—”

  Lucky put a finger to his lips to quiet him. “But I’m not willing to risk the heartache that comes with trying to make that fantasy come true. In the end, you broke Ace’s heart. I was jealous, but I never wanted that for him. I wanted him to have his fairy tale.” He traced the line of Mason’s lips with his finger, his eyes on Mason’s mouth.

  “So, what you’re saying is this is all on me?” Mason wasn’t angry or upset. He was just trying to understand where he stood with Lucky. How did he fit into Lucky’s life, if he fit in at all?

  Lucky closed his eyes and sighed. “No, Cowboy. This is on me too. That is why I have sex and nothing more.”

  “And do I fall into that category? Sex and nothing more? I’m trying to work out what I am to you. Friend with benefits? Lover? Occasional fuck buddy?” Mason caught Lucky’s hand when he started to pull it away from him. He placed a kiss to his palm. “You don’t have to answer that, darlin’. Go to sleep, okay? Get some rest. Tomorrow’s gonna be another long day.”

  Lucky nodded. He gently pulled his hand out of Mason’s before rolling over onto his other side, curling up on himself, the gesture squeezing Mason’s heart. He reached out but stopped. If he started something now, he’d end up feeling like shit for it later because Lucky clearly needed time to figure this out. Hell, they both did. The bed felt too big, too cold, the space between them a chasm rather than the few inches it was.

  This was ridiculous. How could Mason offer forever when there was no such thing? He couldn’t promise Lucky he wouldn’t break his heart. Lucky was right. Look at what happened between him and Ace. He hadn’t planned on hurting Ace, but he had, and now what? He was going to do it all over again with his cousin? Because if he didn’t tell Lucky the truth about what he’d done, he’d be living a lie, and Lucky would end up walking out, like Ace had. And if he told Lucky everything, Lucky would leave anyway.

  Rolling away from Lucky, Mason closed his eyes in the hopes he’d get at least a few hours of sleep, but as he suspected, he was plagued by nightmares, but they were the least he deserved.

  Chapter 8

  Warmth.

  Lucky snuggled closer to whatever was radiating the incredible warmth. There was nothing like sleeping in a cool room under a warm blanket. It was heavenly, and he was so comfortable he didn’t want to move. He sighed in pleasure and rubbed his cheek against the soft cotton. Something heavy tightened around him, and he snapped his eyes open. Wait a second….

  Shit. Mason.

  The warmth was coming from Mason, who had his beefy arm wrapped around Lucky. It wasn’t the only limb wrapped around Lucky. They lay on their sides, facing each other, their legs intertwined, Lucky’s arm around Mason’s waist, holding him close, and his cheek pressed to Mason’s chest. There was also the not-so-little matter of Mason’s very hard morning wood poking Lucky in the stomach, and Lucky’s own dick, which was eager to play with Mason’s. Judging by Mason’s breathing, he was still asleep.

  Well, if Mason was still sleeping….

  Lucky inhaled deeply, loving Mason’s scent—a mixture of fabric softener, shower gel, and his male musk. Gingerly he rubbed his cheek, like a cat leaving his scent. He splayed his fingers against Mason’s lower back just above the curve of his ass. God, how he loved this. He never stayed long enough in anyone’s bed after sex, and if he did, it still wouldn’t make him feel the way Mason did. After sex, Lucky was usually up and out as fast as could be. There was no time for cuddling—and Lucky loved to cuddle. No time for getting to know every inch of the person next to him, to become familiar with every dip and curve. He wasn’t interested in listening to their heartbeat or the way they breathed.

  Mason let out a soft sigh in his sleep, making Lucky smile. Such a big man yet so tender. Mason stirred, and Lucky remained very still. He closed his eyes, his heart melting when Mason placed a kiss to Lucky’s head, his words whispered in a sexy, sleep-filled drawl.

  “Good morning, beautiful.”

  Did Mason realize they were tangled together, or was he still half-asleep?

  It was wrong for him to pretend to be asleep, but he told himself one more minute. One minute of Mason’s strong arms around him, holding him close, like nothing could touch them while they were like this. For that one moment, everything was perfect. Opening his eyes, he placed a feathery kiss against Mason’s chest.