So Toxic(Bad Boy Next Door Book 4)(300)

Lou drifts past, behind the crowd, and my heart stutters.

I hold my hand out to McDowell. “Sir. It was great to see you.”

He shakes my hand and nods, but is still talking to some director or other, so I slip away.

I take a couple of glasses of champagne as I pass by a waiter and catch up to Lou. “You want to ditch this party?”

“I thought you had to be here.” She takes her drink and sips, making a face. “Not the best stuff, is it?”

“Not really my favorite, but it’s expected, so…”

“So you pretend. You pretend a lot don’t you?” She sets her almost full glass on a small, marble-topped table filled with an over large urn of fresh flowers.

I shrug and back her against the wall in the alcove hidden by a small potted tree. “I’m an actor. I act.”

She laughs. I’m not sure if she’s laughing with me, or laughing at me. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s both.

“It’s kinda weird. You spend all your time pretending to be something you aren’t, only to end up doing a reality show to prove to the public who you really are.” She quirks one eyebrow.

My face heats for a moment. “Busted. That’s exactly what happened. But don’t we all run around acting like something we aren’t most of the time? Don’t you?”

Her back goes rigid under my hand. “I guess I do. After all, I’ve spent the last five years trying to outrun who I am and where I came from, only to find myself right back in the same situation doing what the whole town always expected of me anyway.”

Her words loop through my mind as I tug on my suddenly over-tight collar and bowtie. “That’s not what I meant, Lou. Really. I just meant—”

She lays her hand on my arm. “It’s fine, Buck. It is what it is. And I’m fine with it as long as it stays between you and me.”

I slide my hand along the bare skin of her back where her gown dips low, pulling her close and leaning near her ear. “No one knows a thing. To the world, you’re just my new girlfriend.”

She pushes past me out of our hiding spot.

She grabs another glass of champagne from a passing waiter and downs it. “Yeah, that kinda makes me nervous.”




I drop a kiss on Lou’s forehead before she climbs into her car. “Hey, I forgot to tell you: the crew’s going down to the French Quarter to get some stock footage and shots of me walking around, having a drink, whatever. I want you to go with us.”

She rolls her eyes, expelling a frustrated sigh. “This gig is getting old, just so you know. We’ve been back from LA for ten days. I’ve spent most of that time running here and there, for this and for that on the show, and most of it they won’t even use. Do I have to?”

I pull a wad of bills from my wallet, shoving them through the window. “These say you do.”

She frowns at the money. “You’re screwed once I get the last few things fixed up at Aunt Delores’s place. You know that, right?”

I lean in and slide my fingers to the back of her neck.

I pull her to me, kissing her hard on the mouth. “Well, I guess I’d better figure out some other reason to keep you coming around to spend time with me. Won’t I?”

She snatches the cash from my hand and stuffs it into her purse. “Whatever. I can’t imagine what would be able to do that. I have other shit to do than dance to your tune.”

“Two o’clock.”

“I’ll meet you down there.”

She takes off out of the hotel parking lot like her ass is on fire.

That is one hot piece of ass. I can’t help but smile.

The sun glints off something at the edge of the tree line, pulling my attention from the tail end of Lou’s car. I squint. A man jumps up from behind the tall grass and thrashes through the greenery.

Fucking photographers.

I don’t even bother chasing them anymore. They’re everywhere. He probably got tipped off by the stupid hotel clerk. People will do anything for an extra dollar in their pocket.


* * *

I pull up at Nan and Pops’ place. A red Corvette is situated across the lawn like someone doesn’t know that you shouldn’t park on people’s grass.

Thug Two steps out of the RV, his shades hovering over the hard line of his mouth. “Boss, we can’t do our jobs when you sneak off like that all the fucking time.”

“Some things a guy wants to do without an escort.”

He tips his hat and takes up his post at the bottom step to the porch.

I grab the front door handle, but it opens before I turn it. Arianne stands inside, dressed like she’s just crawled out of a magazine.

I step back. “What are you doing here?”