Madness or Love (Be With Me Book 1) (6 page)

Victoria had been aware of him even before seeing
Stacy’s eyes widening. She felt the masculine charisma and desperately tried to
resist the need to be in his arms. Their eyes met and then locked into that
invisible bridge known only to them. He walked to the front desk, never once
breaking eye contact. She smiled, and that simple act enveloped them in a
bubble of security and trust. He moved next to her and casually brushed her
sleeve with his hand.

“Mr. Young, welcome,” she greeted him.

His smile was a gift meant only for her, and his eyes
told a lot more than the words coming out of his mouth.

“Miss Dean. So nice to see you again.” He gently took
her hand and held it, unwilling to let go of the softness of her skin. Their
eyes locked, and they dived into each other, held by an invisible bond.

“The key to room 310, please.”  With slight
frustration on her face, Victoria turned to face wide-eyed Stacy, who was
gaping at both of them. The girl stood there, incapable of any movement or
coherent sound. Victoria knew all too well the effect Ian Young had on women.
With his latest project believed to become a blockbuster and the premiere just a
month away, his privacy was important, even a necessity. The only two people at
the hotel who knew about Ian’s one-day-ahead-of-schedule visit were Victoria
and her boss. So, Stacy stood dumbfounded, gazing into the gorgeous eyes of the
hottest Hollywood star at that moment.

“Hello, Stacy.” Ian’s voice came like a purr.

That finally snapped the girl out of her daydream. She
turned red but in a flurry, found the key and passed it to the amused Victoria.
She thought for a second about being in Stacy’s shoes in front of Ian “Hot” Young.
She looked at him through her colleague’s eyes and almost gasped. An unfamiliar
current surged through her veins.
He’s just a friend,
a well-known voice
screamed inside her head. By the time she could recuperate, he once more had his
full attention on her, and she knew what he saw in her eyes—a flash of desire,
confusion, and denial mixed into one. What she didn’t expect was what she saw
in his eyes. The bright sparks of friendship were gone to be replaced with blazing
passion. The blue darkened, and a hint of barely-restrained danger appeared in
a flash. He blinked and shook his head, clearly fighting his emotions. Both
looked away. Victoria searched for her voice in vain. She needed an escape and,
with a shy smile, gave him his room key. When Ian reached out, their fingers
collided; the sudden touch resonated deep inside her core and raced through her
veins. Their eyes met. For a brief second, she found a glimpse of curiosity
before he regained his control and smiled sweetly.

“I’ll take this,” he said quietly, and put the key in
his pocket.

She breathed deeply and shook the forbidden feelings
off. “Of course. I’ll show you the way.”

They started toward the elevator, leaving the open-mouthed
Stacy behind.

“When will you finish?” he whispered.

“I have. I was waiting for you,” came her soft answer.

“I’ll meet you at your place, then. Let’s say in an
hour.” He looked conspiratorially over his shoulder.

She barely made herself look at him. A sudden fear of
what she might find written on his face gripped her heart.

“Victoria?” The elevator beeped, he entered, and she
had no choice but to look straight into his hypnotizing eyes. He waited for
her; his eyes were calm with no trace of any of the emotions she’d seen before.

“Yes,” came her raspy answer. “Okay. An hour.”

“I can’t wait.” It was the last thing he said before
the metal doors blocked her view.

***

She stood there on the street near her apartment,
propped on her car, waiting for him. The thought of them alone in the small,
comfy flat sent a shock of pleasant warmth through her body. She sighed in a
desperate attempt to clear her mind and erase the image of their bodies
entangled, hot, and connected into one. When did that happen? The question
popped on the surface and left her restless. All these months he was always
just a friend, or so she’d thought. It was easier to believe in the truth of
that statement when he wasn’t around, though. Was the attraction there before,
or did somewhere between the long phone calls, the laughter, and the
understanding had Ian stopped being her friend? When did he become an
inseparable part of her heart, and when did she fall in love with him?  She
felt exhausted and confused, tired of trying to find answers. She knew the
importance of being rational. Rational and practical were the qualities that
had helped her most in life. So she gave her best to lock her emotions in the
deepest part of her soul and threw away the key.

She saw the black Mondeo, and for a fraction, the fear
that she was transparent to him gripped and locked her body in place. Ian knew
her too well. Usually, she loved the connection and the silent understanding
between them, but Victoria felt that her desperate attempt to hide her emotions
was about to fail. She put a smile on her face and hoped it was genuine enough
to fool him. Ian got out of the car, exchanged a few words with the driver, and
looked in her direction. His face lit up, and two seconds later, she was in his
arms. He lifted her up in the air, laughing, leaving her breathless.

She ignored the stab in her chest. “Ian.” The protest
in her voice was barely notable.

“I’ve missed you so much,” came his muffled words.

“I can see that,” she said, laughing, but his reaction
touched her deeply.

He swirled around.

“Put me down,” she insisted. “Please.”

He gently did what she’d asked but never took his
hands off her. Imprisoned by his sensual eyes, she felt the electric current
race between them again. And for a second time that day, she saw the flash into
the blue and felt Ian’s muscles tighten. His smile never wavered, but he let
her free of his embrace. Disappointment took over after she’d lost the warmth
of his hands.

“Let’s go in,” he urged.

She led him to the back of the building and up the
staircase and opened the door. Ian stepped over the threshold, mesmerized by
the place. He could see her touch everywhere—from the recycled décor pieces and
the splashes of color, to the custom, handmade chandelier. The design presented
an open door to her true self, her hidden nature. Behind her smart look she
could be a devastating force and a gentle touch, day and night, confidence and
insecurity, pure love and deep passion. She had let him know her. She had let
him deep into her soul.

“It’s so you,” he managed.

“Thank you! I guess,” she said, studying his face.

He smiled reassuringly. “I love it.”

“Do you want some coffee?” She needed to distract herself
from the sudden awkwardness.

“Sure. Do you have decaf?”

“Yes. Feeling edgy?” she teased.

“No, but I hoped to close my eyes for five minutes.”
Ian felt crushed by the lack of sleep. Living in that fast-paced reality had
its toll on him, but the dark-haired vision in front of him was all worth it.
He lay on the couch, letting his muscles relax, and desperately tried to shut
off his brain. He was safe here next to “V”—his best friend. The thought felt
wrong, at least a part of it—a friend. He closed his red eyes and drifted into
sleep.

* * *

  Victoria leaned over the gorgeous masculine body of
her friend sound asleep on the couch. He seemed relaxed, and she hated to
disturb him. “You have to wake up, Ian.”

He instantly opened his eyes and, seeing her, dazzled
her with a smile. He reached for her face but stopped midair.

“Any plans for tonight?” he asked instead, and tried
to control the urge to touch her full lips.

“Yes, we have.” Victoria sat next to him. “We are
going out.”

Still feeling a bit sleepy, Ian thought he hadn’t
heard right. “You’re joking, I assume.”

“No, I’m not.” She had anticipated such a reaction,
and a tiny smirk rose on her face.

“You’re serious.” There was a hint of shock in Ian’s
voice.

“You sound scared. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” She
made a serious face. “Where is the threat that needs to be eliminated, sir?”

“Hey,” he protested, and knocked her on the soft
furniture piece while she laughed uncontrollably. The sound reverberated
throughout the room—enchanting, musical, and unique. He held her head gently
until she calmed down. Their eyes met and locked by the invisible bond that had
entwined their fates. She dived deep into the blue, and her eyes finally
projected what the words failed to say. Having Ian so close was a blessing and
a torture mixed into one devastating power build of denied passion and
forbidden thoughts. She closed her eyes, cutting off the spell. Victoria gently
pushed him away, but he responded instantly and let her free.

She focused and looked at him seriously, concern
written on her face. “Tell me what the point is to be who you are,” she paused,
“young, sexy, and famous, if you’ll become a prisoner of your home?”

“You think I’m sexy?” he teased.

“Stop it! Can you truly enjoy life, be whomever you
want? If not, it’s not worth it. You are finally at that place you always
wanted to be, but if you choose to shut yourself out of the real world, that
would be the saddest thing.” She stopped and took his hands. “The next month
will be a constant flow of press, interviews, autograph signings, and photo
shoots. The only people around you will be managers, agents, stylists,
journalists—people who don’t give a damn about you. And you’ll close the door
behind you at the end of each day, only to find out that you are in the latest
impersonal hotel room.”

“Thank you for the cheer up,” he pouted.

“I can give you one real moment, one night to hold on
to, a fraction of time to spend with a person who cares for you, a taste of
reality.”

He touched her cheek with feather-light fingers.
“You’re right, as always.”

She fought the overwhelming feeling to let go and give
in to the attraction. Humor was her only escape. “You’ve said you’ll be mine
for the night, so you don’t really have a choice.” Her smug smile hid the
turmoil in her heart.

Ian decided to play along. “I did promise you the night,
and I’m all yours.”

Was there a double meaning in his words, or was she
imagining things? “Great! We better get going, then. Don’t worry, I bought you
a cap. No one will recognize you.”

“Why am I not surprised? You always plan to the last
insignificant detail.”

“Yep, that’s me. Come on, we’ll be late.”

Ian sighed. He admired Victoria’s energy, her free
spirit, her livid, vibrant aura, her bubbly laughter, but he was at the last of
his strength. He couldn’t resist her life force, though, and he gave in.

* * *

They stood in the corner of the dance floor, so close
to each other like they were surrounded by thousands. In fact, the small venue
was half full, and people were chatting in groups. The band had arrived moments
ago, and the boys were warming up and tuning the instruments. One could feel
the buzz in the air, the anticipation and eagerness as more people gathered in
front of the stage. Ian and Victoria didn’t move. They had found the perfect
spot to enjoy the performance and protect their privacy at the same time. The
band started playing some Nickelback cover, and the crowd sang along. The vibe
surged across the venue like a hit wave. Victoria glanced at Ian, finding him
humming quietly, moving his body with the beat.

“I’ll get us some drinks,” she shouted in his ear.

He nodded mindlessly, totally consumed by the
experience. She had been right to bring him out into the real world, and the
glow on his face was proof enough. She brought back a double bourbon on the
rocks and a pretty blue-green Midori and Smirnoff cocktail. The delicious
liquid exploded in her mouth—green bananas, juicy orange, and a pinch of
pineapple. No hint of alcohol at all.

They could barely hear each other over the loud music,
so they gave up conversation and dived into the rhythm. Song after song she
felt her mind relax, and five glasses of the traitorous drink later, she was a
bit tipsy. She tried to focus through the dizziness and saw Ian’s hand wrapped
around her waist. The alcohol made her blood hotter, like blazing lava flowing
in her body. She felt the heat, the clenching of her lower stomach, the racing
heart in her chest. Her curves fit Ian’s body perfectly. Why was she fighting
the lust, again? She couldn’t think of an answer. She ran out of reasons why
they shouldn’t be together. He had no one in his life, and neither did she.
Both were single and clearly attracted to each other. Where was the problem?
He
is your best friend,
a tiny voice whispered.
You are gonna lose him,
came from the back of her mind, but the alcohol clouded and tuned out the sound
of her subconscious.

Ian’s grip tightened, and he spread his fingers across
her belly. The response of Victoria’s body was instantaneous. The warmth of his
touch spread through her veins; her body craved to touch and to be touched, and
she let go. She leaned back, her head resting on his shoulder, so ready for
him, so desperate to feel whole again. Ian stopped breathing. The deafening
sound of their heartbeats, mixed into one, drowned every other tune around
them. She wanted to see him, to read his eyes, and turned around slowly until
they were face to face, so close that she could feel his ridged breathing on
her inflamed skin. Ian’s face betrayed no emotion, with the exception of his
eyes. The blue was on fire, melting, burning her like a scorching sun. His eyes
were the only part of him that had surrendered to the passion and the
temptation, the only feature that had lost control. Both stood there, frozen in
time, momentarily consumed by the new sensations.