Hollywood Scandal (11 page)

“That’s because you’re a guy. It’s actually very sweet.”

“Well, let’s hear it, then.”

“Thanks are often too few. Please know that your work and your kindness are appreciated by many. May the beauty of these blooms bring you as much pleasure as your beauty brings to those around you.”

“You still think it’s Dr. Lazarus?”

“I hope so, I sent the man a thank you for the flowers.” She poured more wine into her glass and wrinkled her nose. “I’ll be horrified if it’s Jeff MacKay.”

He hid a wince. She wasn’t going to be happy when she found out it was him. “I don’t think MacKay could come up with his own prose. Not something as kind as that. Try not to worry too much. Jeff MacKay would never think to send flowers anonymously. He’s too narcissistic.”

“I suppose.” She shook her head and downed some more wine. “Right now you’re the only man I trust outside of my brother.”

He hadn’t lied, repeatedly, like this for years. And now she tells him she trusts him. He was going to go to hell for sure.

As soon as MacKay was dealt with, he’d sit her down and explain his deception. That way, if she wanted to scream at him, punch him, or take a tire iron to his car, she could do so without the press taking pictures of it all. He made himself smile. “Excellent.” He turned the corn on the grill, because if she saw his face, she’d know something wasn’t right.

“Oh God, I just remembered.” She took an extra big gulp of wine. “I have no car.”

“Don’t panic. I’ve got it covered.”

“You do?” she asked, letting her forehead rest on the cool granite countertop.

“I’m going to act as your chauffeur until your car is back on its tires again.”

Her head came up. “Alex, you don’t have time for that.”

“Who says I don’t?”

“I do. You’re a practicing lawyer with a thriving business if this house is any evidence.”

“So?”

“So, I won’t allow you to let your other clients down. Especially since I’m not paying you in actual money.”

“Calla, I’m a big boy,” he said seriously. “I can take care of myself.”

“I know. I don’t want to cause you anymore trouble than I’ve already caused.”

“You’re not causing trouble. That idiot MacKay is.”

He moved from the stove to grab two plates and began dishing up the food. “Grab some cutlery from the drawer over there and join me at the table.”

She did and sat down next to him at a small bistro-sized table at the far corner of the kitchen. She took a bite of steak and closed her eyes.

“This is wonderful,” she said on a sigh.

“Thank you.” He nudged her shoulder with his playfully and said, “Try the corn.”

They ate and talked about wine and food and restaurants. He poured them both another glass of wine and led the way to a large living room. It was furnished with butter-soft leather chairs and couches in a rich brown, with a few throw pillows added for color.

“Did you decorate this yourself?” Calla asked, settling herself in the opposite corner of the couch he was sitting on.

Having her that close, relaxed and content, gave his hands naughty ideas. “My grandmother picked out most of it. If she hadn’t been a movie star I think she would’ve been a decorator.”

“I like your grandmother. She surprised me.”

Hardly anyone used the word
surprise
when talking about his grandmother, at least not in a good way. “Surprised you how?”

“I’d heard she wasn’t very approachable, but I found the opposite. She was funny, curious, and she obviously loves you very much.”

“Obviously?” Why did hearing the
L
word out of Calla’s mouth make him sweat?

“She’s quite protective of you, Alex. She made a point of finding out my opinion of your job and how you conduct yourself when your attention was elsewhere.”

“What did you tell her?”

“The same thing I’ve told everyone else who brings it up. I like you. I like the way you operate.” She sipped her wine. “It really irritates me when people criticize you for being honest.”

She
liked
his honesty? “Why?”

“Because it’s part of who you are, a person you’re comfortable with. Most of the time, I see people who don’t like themselves, so they seek to change or alter their appearance, which is an insidious sort of lie. Reshaping their nose or chin or lips is the easy way, but it doesn’t really work.”

“No?”

“No. The only changes that matter are the ones we make on the inside.” She pointed to her chest. “And those kinds of changes take time and a lot of hard work. You can’t cheat and have someone cut it out or paste something over it.”

“You’re not what I expected, either,” he said, letting his gaze linger on her curves and expressive face. Should he tell her he wanted to spend hours naked with her so he could run his hands over every inch of her skin? Discover every pleasure point and place that incited her lust? “When I first met you, I thought you were just one more, shallow, money-hungry doctor who panders to the whims of celebrities and the rich. You’re not that person at all.”

“I need money, you know that, but I don’t pander to anyone.”

“No, you don’t. You champion the helpless and lost causes. You give more of yourself to others than anyone I’ve ever met. You don’t hesitate to tell someone they’re stupid when that’s what they are.” Watching her do it was damn near erotic. Alex raised his glass. “A toast to you.”

She mirrored his move.

“I think you’re a little crazy, Dr. Roberts, but I like it.” Boy did he have it bad. He wanted her, but he should pull any thoughts on having her right out of his head. Despite the image they were portraying to the world, she wasn’t his girlfriend—she was his client. The line between the two was one he never wanted to cross again.

…

The expression on Alex’s face, a full-blown, no-holds barred, sexy smile, transformed him into the most attractive man Calla had seen in years. It hit her in the pit of her belly like a hot branding iron. “I like you, too,” she said, staring at his mouth.

His only response was the surprised lift of his eyebrows.

She put her glass of wine on the coffee table next to the couch, then took his glass from him and set it down, too. “Notice I didn’t say the other
L
word. Once burned was enough for me, but you’re the first man since my ex-fiancé walked out that I trust enough to want to…”

She scooted closer, leaned forward, and when he didn’t back away, kissed him.

“I like you a lot,” she whispered against his lips. Her mouth clung to his and the heat in her belly spread like a wildfire through her.

“I like you, too, but maybe we shouldn’t—”

She kissed him again. She didn’t want to hear maybes or shouldn’ts, she wanted to feel special and wanted. She was so tired of being alone, of not having someone to hold her.

But… Damn it, if he didn’t want her she should be running for the front door, not trying to seduce him.

She pulled away abruptly. “I’m sorry.” Standing, she moved a couple of feet away from the couch, her arms around her middle. “I think I had too much wine.”

Looking him in the eye wasn’t possible.

Her feet were moving toward the front door before she could think of anything else to say. What was there to say? He had rejected her in the nicest way possible, yet she went ahead and kissed him again. What kind of woman does that?

Desperate and dumb, that’s what kind.

Chapter Twelve

She shoved the front door open and stumbled outside, only to discover that it was pitch black and she had no idea where she was. She plopped herself down on the step, pulled her knees up, rested her crossed arms on them, and stared out at the street lights that were distant enough not to make a difference in the darkness.

“Hey.”

Her shoulders tensed up as Alex sat down next to her.

“Hey.” The rest of the words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat. She cleared it, but still came close to chewing on the next few words. “I should call a cab and go home. What’s the address?”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, and her stomach tightened up so much she thought she might throw up.

“Don’t go.” He didn’t say anything else.

She might as well paint a giant
L
on her forehead. “Why not?”

“I didn’t mean to stop you.”

A bark of laughter almost had her choking, and she put her head down on her arms. “Lie.”

“No, no really. I just wanted to slow down, to make sure you really wanted to… I didn’t want you to have regrets later.”

She turned her head so she could see him. “You think I’m too drunk to make an informed decision?”

“From a glass and a half of wine?”

She lifted her head and gave him her full attention. “Do you…want me?”

He met her gaze squarely. “Yes.”

God, she felt ridiculous. “I’m not usually like this. I’ve never taken the initiative before.”

“Then I’m even more sorry for stopping you.”

“You were right to.”

“Was I? Because right now I feel like an idiot. What man stops a beautiful woman from kissing him?”

“I think there’s only one kind of man. A gentleman.”

“A gentleman, huh?” He leaned over, caught her chin with one hand, and angled her face toward him. Slowly, ever so slowly, he lowered his head.

By the time his lips touched hers she was breathing fast, her hands clutching his shirt, mouth eager to rediscover the drugging pleasure of his kiss.

Their mouths touched, gently, softly, and with the tenderness of a man confident enough to take the time to be sure of his welcome.

She followed when he retreated slightly, running her tongue along his bottom lip. All tentativeness in him disappeared as he took over the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers, his teeth nipping at her. By the time he pulled away, they were both breathing fast.

His voice took on a deep, dark quality as he said, “I’ve been called many things, but never that.”

“Really, well now I’m curious,” she said on a happy laugh. “What else do people call you?”

“In school I was known as Beak. I’ve also been called Big Bird, Big Mouth, and Honest Abe—none of which were compliments.”

Though the name-calling was years before, she could see the hurt the memory caused him in the tightening of the corner of his eyes. The possibility of pain was very real for both of them in the here and now. “I know my staying here is a good idea legally, but emotionally I’m really, really confused.”

He studied her for several moments, then asked, “What do you want?”

The answer was an easy one. Saying it out loud was hard. “You.”

He stared at her, tiny frown lines appearing on his forehead.

Calla gathered up every scrap of courage she could find inside herself and asked, “May I speak bluntly?”

“Please.”

Her heart hammering in her ears, she threw caution as far away as she could. “I find you
very
attractive.”

His frown lines dug in deeper.

“Look, beauty isn’t only skin deep. I should know, it’s my job to know. You’ve got everything I want in a man and a few things I didn’t know about until…”

“Until what?”

“Until you kissed me.” She shivered. “Your lips are…amazing. They make me want to rip my clothes off and your clothes off and do hot, sweaty things to you.” Her laugh was shaky as she hands ran up and down her arms. “Just thinking about it is making me want to kiss you again.”

He cleared his throat. “Will I sound like a moron if I say the feeling is mutual?”

“That would be a relief.”

“Come inside with me.” He stood and held out his hand to her. “Please.”

She put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet. Inside the house, Alex led her upstairs to a large, masculine bedroom. No time to process the décor or anything else, because he pulled her close and kissed her.

This wasn’t one of those tentative touches. It was serious, deep, and for her. Only her. His lips showed her things about herself she’d never known before. How fast her heart could beat, how boneless the right man’s kiss could make her, how much she could want his touch.

His hands pressed her to him, one behind her head, the other at the small of her back as he took her mouth the way she prayed he’d take her body. His teeth nibbled and nipped at her lips, her jaw, her neck, and her earlobe.

She shivered and groaned, clutching him closer. Her hands spanned his wide shoulders and she petted the lean muscle. She wanted to stroke all of him.

He hummed under his breath and pulled away long enough to unbutton a couple of buttons and pull the shirt over his head.

She did the same, then unhooked her bra and let it slide down her arms.

He stared at her breasts, and then his hands came up and cradled them, his thumbs teasing the nipples.

“So beautiful.”

“When you say it, I actually believe you.”

“That’s because I don’t lie.”

“Look at all this muscle,” she said as she stroked his well-developed chest and abs. He was beautifully formed. A mouthwatering specimen of male perfection.

She put her lips on his and licked. He tasted as good as he looked.

He shivered as she teased one of his nipples, then groaned as he grasped the back of her head and lifted her face to meet his kiss.

Pleasure rippled through her, heating her blood, the pit of her stomach, feeding a hunger for him that seemed to only get stronger every time he touched her.

His hands came down her back and curved over her buttocks, lifting her into him, pressing his erection against her pelvis. Lord, he wasn’t a small man.

She fumbled with his pants and managed to get the button undone and the fly down. Her hand stroked him over his underwear. Nope, not small at all.

He groaned and pulled her hand away. “Too much of that and we’ll have to start all over.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

He chuckled. “I’m only looking out for your best interests.” One of his hands abandoned her butt for her breast. He stroked and pinched until she was ready to attack him.

“I can see that,” she said, breathing hard. “Your dedication is admirable, but I want this off.” She tugged at his pants, then sank to her knees in front of him. With his hands cupping her face, she was able to focus on getting him out of his clothes.

She pulled his pants and underwear off at the same time. His cock bobbed as it came free, the hard length pointing up towards his abdomen.

“Now you see, if everyone knew that your cock and your nose shared similar size attributes, no one would ever say it’s too large.”

He laughed and she put her mouth on him, letting her tongue have its way. His laugh transformed into a deep shiver and he pulled her to her feet. “Your turn.”

He tugged at her jeans and peeled them down, leaving her underwear on. She moved to get rid of them, too, but he stopped her. “No, leave them on for now.”

“You like the tease?”

“I like naughty and I don’t want to rush.” He kissed her as he walked her backward toward the bed. “I want to take my time and find every place on your soft skin that brings you pleasure.”

She stroked his erection. “So do I.”

“You’ll get your chance.” He took her hand and placed it on his chest. “I promise.” He kissed her and bore her down to the bed. His mouth went to her neck and earlobe, then he nibbled his way across her collarbone and down to one breast. His teeth carefully gripped her nipple while his tongue lashed it. Pleasure whipped through her.

He settled himself between her thighs, then switched to the other breast.

She arched her back and pressed him closer. “I’ll give you fifty years to stop that.”

“Hmm, I don’t know if that’s long enough.” He trailed open-mouth kisses down her abdomen, then splayed her open with his hands on her knees and nibbled at the spot where her thighs and pelvis met.

“Oh my God,” she whispered, fisting the bedding. “I had no idea that was an erogenous zone for me.”

One hand held her down while the fingers of his other slipped under her panties, teased her clitoris, then carefully penetrated her. “Hot and wet.”

She wiggled. “Impatient.”

He tested her again, and she nearly came off the bed. “Tight.”

“Tease.”

“I’m going to go slow,” he said, drawing out the last word into a groan.

She lifted her head and stared at him incredulously. “Are you trying to kill me?”

His grin dripped sin. “Only in the best way.”

“Well, I’m dying now.”

He pushed up and pulled her panties down her thighs, then tossed them on the floor. He sat back on his haunches and studied her, his gaze traveling her body until he met hers. “Gorgeous.” He pulled open a drawer on the bedside table, pulled out a condom, and rolled it on.

She took in his toned muscles, aroused body and the desire on his face. “I ache for you.”

That seemed to drive him wild. He dove down to kiss her, made room between her thighs and teased her with the head of his cock. He entered her, and it felt so good to be connected so intimately to him.

He did go slow. Much, much too slow.

“God, you feel huge.” Like he was becoming part of her.

“I promise to be careful.” He pressed deep only to stroke out and press back inside.

“Careful is going to kill me.” She rocked her hips up. “I need faster.”

“I think you can wait,” he whispered into her ear as he slowly drove her insane with his measured, controlled thrusts.

She opened her mouth to beg, but he kissed her before she could make a sound.

His kisses should be illegal. They destroyed all rational thought and made her want nothing more than to stay in bed with him for days. Weeks. Years.

He abandoned her mouth and licked his way down her neck to her collar. “Arch your back,” he ordered in a husky voice. “I want your nipples in my mouth.”

She had no wish to deny him and gave him what he asked for. The sensation of his mouth suckling her while he plunged in and out was almost more pleasure than she could bear. “Please, faster,” she moaned. “I’m so close.”

He groaned and gave her what she asked for. Thrusting deep, the pleasure had her crying out. An ache began to build as he moved in and out, speeding up.

She grabbed her knees and pulled them back to her chest, changing the angle of his entry. “Oh God, right there.”

“Yes,” he hissed, and fucked her harder. Over and over.

Her orgasm slammed into her, turning her inside out, her body clutching at his.

He groaned, thrust twice more, then jerked against her as his own orgasm overtook him. Breathing deep, he buried his face against her neck.

She stroked his head, threading her fingers through his hair. “Wow.”

Body shaking, he lifted his head and she saw he was laughing. “Wow is right.” He pulled out, took off the condom, got up, and tossed it into a trash can on the other side of the bedside table. He came back to the bed and gathered her up in his arms. “Next time, it’ll be at least an hour.”

She ran her finger over his lips. “I can’t wait.” She kissed him, then kissed him again. “I love your kisses.”

…

Alex could have stared into Calla’s happy gaze for hours. But her hands drew his attention down as she stroked his chest and lower. “Hmm, I think you’re up to no good, Doctor.”

“Who, me?” Her smile could charm the largest despots in Hollywood. “I promise I’m up to plenty of good.”

“Oh yeah? I think you should tell me exactly what
good
plans you have.”

“Well, I thought I’d start with kissing you. You do funny things to my insides with your kisses.”

“Funny things? Is that an official medical diagnosis?”

She laughed. “Absolutely. Then I want to taste you…everywhere. Though…” She ran her index finger down his chest. “There are places I’d like to nibble on more than others.”

“Doctor, I’m shocked. You’re far more naughty than I thought.”

“Disappointed?”

“Nope. Inspired.” And proved it by tasting her delicious mouth again. He took her hands and pinned them on the bed. “Very inspired. In fact, I think I need to taste you all over so I can decide what I want first.”

She tried to tug her hands free, but not very hard. “When will I get my turn?”

“Later. Eventually.”

“Why does that sound so good?”

He moved lower and lower until he tasted her essence. At the first touch of his tongue on her clit, she shivered and pressed upward. He took that as a silent demand for more and made it his mission to bring her to orgasm once more.

Watching her succumb to pleasure made him hungry to do it again. And again. And again. When she almost immediately fell asleep, he had to stifle his laughter and reign in his need to see her fly.

Though she did snore a little.

Alex considered telling her when she woke up, but some truths were best left unsaid, unless the subject came up, of course.

Calla lie next to him on her side with him curled around her body from behind, spoon-like. Despite being a lot shorter than he was, she fit perfectly in his arms. She fit in other ways as well. Her sense of justice mirrored his own. Her willingness to help others, and her wicked sense of humor when life wasn’t trying to be funny at all.

Until now, being completely honest had been easy.

Now, he felt like he was standing on the edge of a knife that would cut him in two if he stepped wrong.

His truth had changed. He’d gone from an emotionally distant, intellectually driven man of the law, to an emotionally entangled man in love with a woman who was far, far too good for him.