I stare at the mirror and notice my nipples are hard, easily visible through my top. I’m not cold but sometimes I can’t hide them—it probably doesn’t help that I’m still very horny despite my three orgasms last night, and while most of the time I change into something that conceals them better, I decide against it for obvious reasons.

  I make my way down the hall, peeking my head into the guest room knowing for sure that Veronica is still asleep, and sure enough, the blackout curtains are drawn and I hear her softly snoring. Not that Veronica would go running. She hates it and prefers literally any other form of working out. I send her a text that I’m going for a run just in case she wakes up and wonders where I am. I make my way down the staircase and a smile finds my face when I see Damian waiting at the door looking like temptation in basketball shorts.

  He chuckles and raises an eyebrow as soon as he sees me. “So that’s how you’re playing it, huh?”

  “Playing what?” His eyes move off of my face to my chest and then down the rest of my body lingering on my legs before moving up again. His gaze heats my skin and I shift, trying to relieve some of the ache between my legs. “Are you telling me I look good, Mr. Hunt?”

  He pulls a baseball hat onto his head opting to leave it forward, thank God. A man in a backwards hat is my fucking weakness. Damian in a backwards hat? I might faint. “Something like that,” he says as he walks out the front door.

  I slide my phone in the right pocket on my thigh meant to keep my phone snug and look up at him. It’s only about eight in the morning, but it’s July in LA which means it’s already hot and only going to get hotter in the next hour.

  “Once around the community?” he asks, and I nod. It’s about three miles and I usually jog the first mile, walk the second, and jog the third, ending with a sprint.

  To be honest, I wouldn’t mind if we walked the whole three miles today so we can talk.

  We start our run once we’re out of my front gate and begin our silent jog down the street. We don’t usually talk; I’m not in the kind of shape that allows me to have a whole conversation while running. Damian, on the other hand, is a machine and could probably have a full-fledged argument while sprinting. It’s a nice morning, and I note some of the non-gated houses have set up their sprinklers. Some people are already out by their pools. Kids are outside playing. About ten minutes later, we finish the first mile and we slow to a stop.

  “I have to start pushing you harder. You barely broke a sweat,” he says and I pull the AirPods out of my ear, holding them in my hand as we continue walking.

  “Excuse you, I liked that pace. And there are other ways you could push me that will make me break a sweat. Probably more enjoyable too.”

  “I don’t know, it’s pretty enjoyable for me running behind you.” I shake my head, turning back towards the road as a smile slowly finds my face. “I can’t stop thinking about last night.” Oh, this is almost too easy. Part of me thought he wouldn’t be up for talking about it, but he’s openly flirting with me?

  “Oh?”

  “I pride myself on keeping it together. Not losing control and yet…all I want to do is lose myself in you.” My eyes widen at his confession and I reach for his hand when he pulls away slightly and shakes his head. “Forget we’re in public?”

  “Right. Yes.” I let out a breath because there are always eyes watching. Even in this gated community, where there aren’t usually a ton of paparazzi. Even fellow celebrities have big mouths. It’s fucking annoying.

  “I can’t stop thinking about you either. I thought about you all last night,” I tell him.

  “What did you think about?” His voice lowers, like he knows what he’s asking is private.

  “What it would feel like. You and me. My imagination and my vibrator didn’t really do it justice.” He groans, picking his hat up and moving it backwards to rub a hand over his face, scrubbing a hand over his stubbled jaw which sounds almost as sexy as it looks. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I mutter and he chuckles.

  “Your nipples are poking through your top, those shorts give your ass so much definition, they’re basically molded to you, and you just gave me a visual of you fucking a vibrator while you thought about me, and you can’t handle how I wear my hat?”

  I glare at him. “Correct. Unless of course, you want me to try to mount you in front of all of the gated community of Lakeland?”

  He shoots me a smile, revealing all of his teeth and I swear my heart skips a beat. “I have your itinerary for the day,” he starts, and I note he still hasn’t moved his hat. Tease. “I see you have a party downtown tonight?”

  “Unfortunately. I’m supposed to go with Paxton.” I shake my head. “I am so fucking angry with him.” He doesn’t respond. “I trusted him.” I sigh. “It’s weird though; I feel nothing for him. It’s like he’s a totally different person to me now. Learning about that kind of betrayal—” I scrunch my nose. “I’m disgusted. How will I ever trust anyone again?”

  “Not all men cheat.”

  A smile ghosts over my face, but I don’t look at him. “Never cheated on anyone?”

  “No,” he answers instantly.

  “Not even emotionally? Maybe when you were overseas and a little bit homesick?” I probe, putting my thumb and index finger an inch apart.

  “No. When I’m with a woman, I only have eyes for her.” I turn to look at him and our eyes meet. Dark, intense eyes that I can’t look away from. My heart flutters thinking about him with his eyes on me. Only for me.

  I nod and turn back towards the road. “Good to know.”

  “If there’s any point that you want to go,” he starts, “you let me know.” I cock my head to the side wondering what he means when he clarifies. “Tonight?”

  “Oh. Right.”

  I want to say something about us or what later tonight after the party could mean for him and me or what any of this means for him and me, but he speaks before I can figure out how to phrase it. “Race you the last mile?” He looks at his watch before turning to me. “Come on, I’ll go slow.”

  I put my middle finger up although it wasn’t a dig. He can run a mile in six minutes and it takes me somewhere around ten.

  “Fine.” I narrow my gaze at him, and just before he finishes his countdown from one, I take off back towards my house.

  I spend most of the day getting ready for Lorenzo DiLaurenti’s party, the It director in Hollywood and the director of Paxton’s most recent film. It’s my first time being invited and I’ll admit I am excited. The Enzo Gala is the event of the summer and will have dozens of directors in attendance. With it being my final season of the show, and as I’m staring into the abyss of the unknown, it would be nice to see what else is out there. What else this world can offer me. Lorenzo’s movie is anticipated to sweep the Oscars with nominations in all five major categories and several others. This party is the whole reason my PR team advised that I not end things with Paxton and yet I’m dreading going. I don’t want to fake anything. I don’t want to be on Paxton’s arm. I knew there would have to be some pleasantries and despite my anger last night, I knew there would be touching and perhaps even a kiss.

  My hair and makeup team are just finishing up and I’m extremely pleased with how I look as I twirl in my full-length mirror. A floor-length champagne-beaded gown hugs me in all the right places giving me an even more cinched waist and tasteful cleavage with its sweetheart neckline. The back is completely open and goes down to a few inches above my butt and I am so grateful for all of the yoga and Pilates I’ve been doing recently to give me such a toned back. There is a slit that goes up to just above my knee and I hope it’s enough to still catch Damian’s attention. My hair is pulled off to one side, falling over my left shoulder and I can’t help picturing Damian’s mouth running over the skin exposed on the right side of my neck and shoulder. His teeth sinking into the flesh when we get back later tonight.

  That is absolutely the plan.

  I’m not planning to have any house guests tonight but I’m planning to have Damian in my bed. My lips are painted red but that is the boldest thing about my makeup; my eyes are covered with a mix of gold and bronze to complement my dress and my complexion.

  Usually, Paxton and I would be arriving at something like this together but I told him there was zero chance of that happening and that I would meet him there. This isn’t a red carpet event, so it’s not as if we need to take pictures together. My manager, Cooper, did order a limousine for me tonight and I’ll admit, a wicked thought floats through me about what Damian and I could do once the privacy screen goes up. Usually, he rides in the front, but there have been times when he’s ridden in the back with me if he wants to go over any precautions or if it’s a club I haven’t been to and he wants to let me know where he’ll be stationed.

  He would actually get blueprints of where we’d be and mark it like a treasure map. X’s for where he’d be and dotted lines of routes I should take if anything happens and I can’t find him.

  I make my way downstairs and am surprised I don’t see Damian waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs like he always does. I’m just about to text him to let him know I’m ready when I hear a sharp intake of breath followed by a “fuck” from behind me.

  I turn towards the source of the sound and see him coming towards me in a full black tuxedo with a glass of champagne in his hand and my mouth drops open in shock. “You’re having a drink?”

  He doesn’t respond; he just runs his gaze all over me like he doesn’t know where to look first. His eyes ping-pong between my breasts and my legs and my face—more specifically my mouth—then my eyes then my mouth again. He hands me the flute of champagne and I realize it’s for me to calm my nerves. “You look…breathtaking. My God, you’re a vision.”

  I gently graze my bottom lip with my teeth, grateful I’m wearing a lip stain that won’t move. “Thank you.” I move towards him and run my finger over his black tie beneath his vest and jacket. “You look very nice as well.” I rove my eyes over him the same way he did to me. “You didn’t have to wear a tux.”

  He shrugs. “It was the safest option and you know I like to blend in as best as possible.”

  I nod as he reaches for my hand and spins me around slowly. I shiver when his hand finds the bare space of my lower back. When I’m facing him again, his eyes are on mine, and if he doesn’t stop staring at me like he wants to devour me, I am not going anywhere.

  “Stop looking at me like that.” I take a sip of my champagne, tipping my head back but still keeping my eyes on him. My cheeks are heating and the tiny thong I’m wearing is already getting wet at all of the sexy fantasies flying through my head.

  He takes a step towards me. “I can’t look at you like this out there, so I have to get it out of my system now.”

  He lightly runs his knuckles over my cheek and down the side of my neck that’s exposed and then between the valley of my breasts, dragging his finger along both slopes. Goosebumps erupt all over and I gasp before taking a step back. “Damian.” My nipples pucker against the fabric and all I have to do is slide the dress gently off one shoulder and he could be staring at my naked breasts. I contemplate doing it, giving him a glimpse of what’s to come later but his phone beeps, breaking the tension.

  “The limo is here,” he says moving away from me and towards the door.

  I take a larger sip of my champagne and the words leave my lips before I can stop them. “You haven’t kissed me.”

  He turns around and tilts his head to the side. “Come again?”

  “You haven’t kissed me.”

  He stares at me as if he doesn’t understand what I’m saying. “And now is the time to do that for the first time?” He moves back towards me. “You think now, while the driver is waiting outside to take you to a party, is the time for me to put my lips on yours for the first time? While I have to be careful about your lipstick and your makeup and can’t slide my tongue between your lips? What, you’re expecting a nice, simple, and polite kiss on the lips? You don’t think I’ll want to rip this dress off? You really think the first time we kiss should be…now?”

  The words die on my tongue and I’m at a loss. I guess I agree and maybe I should have phrased the question as “when are you going to kiss me?” I finish the rest of my champagne before setting the flute on the credenza in my entryway and grabbing the clutch I’d set down.

  “Later,” I tell him as I walk by and I feel his warm hand on the small of my back all the way to the door before he drops it.

  The driver is already outside and he opens the door just as I start down my walkway. I can hear Damian behind me, and when I get to the door, I look up at him. “Can you ride in the back with me?” I ask and he nods once before darting his eyes to the driver who appears unfazed. Limo drivers exercise the most discretion. They all sign strict NDAs so they can’t share whatever they see or hear or think with anyone. I lift my dress and sit in the seat closest to the door so I don’t have to move around too much. Damian walks around the other side so I don’t have to move and sits next to me. Immediately, I press the button to raise the privacy screen and Damian’s hand tries to swat mine away to keep it down.

  “You know he won’t say anything,” I whisper. “You vet all the drivers too.” The screen gets to the top and I turn to face him. “Did you see my shoes?” I turn to rest my back against the door and lift one of my feet adorned with a glittery ankle-strapped stiletto to rest on his knee, careful not to let the bottom of my shoe touch his pants. He glares at me knowing what I’m doing and yet his hand finds the strap wrapped around my ankle and rubs the skin there before trailing slowly up my leg.

  “I love your legs,” he says, not pulling his gaze away from my legs, letting his eyes drag up along with his hand.

  “I know,” I tell him and his eyes snap to mine at my response.

  “You know?”

  “Yes, did you know you’re never exactly discreet with how your eyes devour my legs when they’re on display?”

  He lifts my leg and I sink further in my seat as his lips find my ankle and trail up my leg. “Is that so?” His tongue darts out and trails up my leg almost to my knee and I bite my bottom lip, hoping and praying that his tongue will make it higher.

  “I don’t want to go anymore,” I blurt out. I know we are probably almost there as Lorenzo doesn’t live that far from me, but suddenly, I care less about the party that could potentially help my career and more about this man’s tongue on my clit.

  “Yes, you do,” he grunts.

  “No. I want you,” I argue, reaching for the switch to lower the privacy screen to tell the driver to turn around, but Damian swats my hand away.

  “You need to go. More importantly, you want to go. Stop thinking with your pussy, Shay.” He sets my leg back across his lap but makes no effort to move it.

  I scoff even though the vulgar words falling from his lips make me shudder. “Excuse you? I was doing fine. You’re the one that started eye fucking me and touching me the second I walked down the stairs. Maybe you should stop thinking with your dick until you decide you’re ready to use it.”

  “Who says I’m not?” He gives me an inquisitive look. “We haven’t exactly had a lot of time since last night.”

  I roll my eyes petulantly even though he’s right. We’ve only had a small window where we’ve truly been alone and I know that we need more time to explore whatever this is. We need all night.

  “Will you stay in the main house tonight?” I ask him.

  “Are you planning for any house guests?” I shake my head and give him a devilish grin.

  “No. Just me.”

  He licks his lips as he traces his eyes down my body. “I think that can be arranged.”

  “Please,” I push, wanting something to look forward to as I prepare for a night of fake pleasantries and making nice with Paxton.

  His blue eyes trail back up my legs and settle on the apex of my thighs that’s barely covered by my dress and licks his lips. “So, about that kiss…” he says as his eyes slowly move up to mine.

  “You can’t be serious. NOW? You said there wasn’t enough time when we were at the house, but now, minutes before we arrive is the time?”

  “I didn’t mean those lips.” My mouth drops open and a whimper leaves my lips at the thought of his hot mouth pressed against my wet cunt.

  “Now?”

  “Now.” His eyes are dark and they flair wickedly as he moves in front of me to the floor of the limo. He raises my dress just as the limo slows. “Fuck,” he grits out as his eyes drop to his watch. “I thought we had more time.” Then his face is between my thighs, his stubble rubbing deliciously against the skin as his mouth inches closer to my pussy and his breath against my wet flesh has the beginnings of my orgasm dancing beneath my skin. I feel the limo slowing further and just before it comes to a stop, he presses a kiss to my satin-covered pussy, so light and so gentle that I convulse.

  “Oh my god, Damian.” My clit is hard and pulsing and desperate for his lips to wrap around the sensitive flesh. I raise my hips closer to his mouth for more contact when he chuckles and pushes my hips back down.

  “Later,” he grunts as he helps me to pull my dress back down.

  I don’t know what possessed me to do that, tease us both just before we arrived, and I know she’s just as frustrated with my actions. I get out of the car and make my way around the limo to open the door for Shay, when Paxton, dressed in a tuxedo and holding a single red rose, appears standing next to her door preparing to open it. “Thanks for getting her here.” He nods at me though I sense something dismissive in his tone as he opens the door.

  From my vantage point, I can’t see her face but when he holds his hand out for her, I can see her shoo him away. She gets out of the car on her own even though I know she needs some help with the way the dress conforms to her.