Out of Control(57)

“I don’t know.”

“Exactly, and that’s the way you like it. Remember? You don’t make plans, and you don’t do commitment.”

He wanted to argue that he could change. And for the first time in his life, he wanted to change. Wanted to be the sort of person Dani would be happy to spend her life with. Not some emotional cripple who couldn’t give her what she needed. But he wasn’t sure. And he needed to be one hundred percent. He couldn’t bear to be the next person to let her down.

She cast him a weak smile as if she knew what he was thinking, and a wave of guilt washed through him.

“Look,” she said. “We agreed that we would be together until the situation changed for either of us. Can’t we just enjoy the time we have left?”

She pushed the sheet down, baring her breasts, then crawled across the bed toward him. Cupping his face in her palms, she kissed him, her small tongue thrusting into his mouth.

He was hard from the moment her lips touched his. Now, he grabbed a condom from the table by the bed, tore it open with his teeth, and rolled it on. He shifted her so she lay beneath him, kicked the tangled sheet out of the way, and pushed deep inside her. It felt like coming home.

At least he could give her this—a temporary oblivion. Her inner muscles gripped him tight in the slippery heat of her, while her legs wrapped around him and she held him with a grip bordering on desperation.

He made love to her slowly, building the pleasure then holding her teetering on the edge, determined that she would forget everything but the feel of him inside her. But as they finally both found their release, the thought crashed through his mind—time was running out.

…

Dani was alone when she awoke the following morning, though the scent of him still lingered on the pillow. From the brightness of the light filling the room, it was quite late in the day. But then she hadn’t slept much the previous night.

Zach had made love to her for hours. Each time she’d thought she couldn’t take any more pleasure, he had proven her wrong.

And each time had felt as though it might be the last.

She showered and dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, dragged a brush through her hair and pulled it into a ponytail. She grimaced at her expression in the mirror. She couldn’t compete with those other women, so what was the point in trying? Shoving her feet into flip-flops, she was as ready as she was ever going to be.

Zach would just have to like it or leave it. But she suspected he liked it. For now at least. The thought brought a smile to her face—she wasn’t going to worry about the future.

She was coming down the stairs when the door to the lounge opened and Zach’s agent stepped out. He glanced up and smiled.

“We were waiting for you,” he said.

She chewed on her lip as she descended the rest of the way. “You were?”

And who exactly did “we” involve?

“Yes. We’re leaving this morning but didn’t want to go without saying good-bye.” He gave her a wicked grin. “That’s not actually true. The girls wanted to get a look at you.”

“They did? Not much to look at.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

She nibbled her lower lip. “Why are you leaving? I got the impression you were staying a few days at least.”

“We decided that we would go take a look down the coast instead. Leave you and Zach to…do whatever it is you do together.”

“There’s no need to go on my account,” she muttered.

“But there is on mine.” Zach emerged from the room behind Julian. “Don’t try and dissuade them now.” He leaned across and kissed her lingeringly on the mouth. She glanced up and caught Julian’s look of speculation but ignored it.

“Come and get some breakfast,” Zach said. “And meet the gang.”

The gang consisted of three women—a blonde, a redhead, and a brunette. Celine, Marie, and Theresa. Plus a young man introduced as Paul, Julian’s assistant. The women she gathered were all actresses but actually seemed friendly, not at all what she’d been expecting.

“You okay?” Zach asked, pouring her a cup of coffee. “You don’t have to answer their questions, you know. Tell them to mind their own business.”

“I don’t mind. They’re bound to be curious.”

“They’re nosy cows, but don’t say anything you don’t mind being bandied around Hollywood.”

“I somehow doubt it will get back to me, so I’m not too bothered.”

“Zach,” Julian said, breaking into their conversation. “Before we go, could I have ten minutes of your valuable time? I really do want to go over the details of that deal with you.”