Mandy stared up into his burning gaze. "And after you have me? What then? Ethan, I'm in a relationship. I can't throw it all away just to be your whore. Even if I … I let you take me to bed right now, we are never going to be what each other needs."
She'd said it to make him let her go. She couldn't think with him this close. The sensation of his steel-cut body against hers was driving her crazy, pushing her close to the point of no return, erasing all logical, sensible thought and leaving her a wanton woman who so desperately needed to feel this man's desire.
Ethan stiffened at her brutal words and his lips tilted in a mocking smile. "I am exactly what you need, Mandy … and you know it."
He lowered his head to catch her mouth with his, his fingers entangled in her hair. Mandy should have turned away and refused him, but she didn't. He growled at the taste of honey on her lips, sinking into a deep kiss as a line of fire ran through his veins.
Reluctantly pulling away, he moved his lips to her earlobe, licking the soft, curved edge, his mouth brushing against hers in a deep whisper.
"What if I gave you the chance to know the real me? The man that no other woman has ever known?" Ethan asked her, his breath warm as it fanned her neck. "Maybe we were meant to meet, sweet Mandy. Perhaps this really is something special."
"Why would I want to know the real you – except on a professional level? I told you, Ethan, I … "
"Yes, I know … you have a boyfriend," Ethan replied, his voice a dangerous rumble. Suddenly, he dropped her wrists and took a step back from her. Mandy wrapped her arms around herself protectively as she felt the warmth of his body move away, leaving her desperately shivering with desire.
"But you know what I think? You aren't in love with him. In fact, you've probably never been in love with anyone before, have you? That man of yours … he has never made you feel the way that I just did. I can see it in your eyes, Mandy."
Mandy bristled at his words, wishing she could disappear from his sight before he saw just how right he was. When she didn't reply, his smile stretched thinly.
"Okay then. I've got practice with the band in a couple of hours so whatever you need us to get done today, we better get moving … "
"We need to shop … it won't take long." Mandy squeaked, barely able to talk. The closet suddenly felt like an inferno, the heated tension between them floating in the air.
Ethan ran his eyes over her beautifully curvy frame one more time before turning away.
"Sounds good. I'll let the others know that I'll be gone for a while. You good?" he asked, combing his fingers through his hair.
"Yeah, I'm good," she replied. "I'll finish up in here and be right down."
Quickly, Mandy escaped the confines of the walk-in closet, heading straight across to the bathroom down the hall. Once she locked herself in, she gazed at her reflection in the large mirror. Her lips were puffy, her eyes glazed. Even her hair was a complete mess. To her annoyance, her nipples were hard, the nubs pressing against the thin material of her blouse.
She tried hard to process what had just happened between them. How could she have been so naïve? Ethan had the worst reputation when it came to women. From the first moment they'd met, he'd made it known that he was attracted to her. She really should have stood up to him and refused his advances instead of simply melting in his arms.
A feeling of dread and shame overcame her as Mandy realized she'd not only betrayed Marcus but herself as well. This must never happen again. Ever.
Ethan Tyler treated women like objects of pleasure and nothing more. She'd do best to remember he was bad news – and always would be.
"Damn it," Mandy sighed. Despite everything – despite the fact that she knew it was wrong to want Ethan – if she was honest with herself for just a moment, she would have to admit she still did. Very, very much.
Chapter Four
Mandy knew that what had happened between her and Ethan would only complicate their business relationship and make everything feel awkward.
The shopping excursion brought them around to the most exclusive shops in the city, with many of them featuring designs from the top names in the industry. Mandy was certain that she'd be able to stay focused on what was important – finding Ethan a few pieces that would blend with his natural style.
He brought along a single bodyguard with them, mainly for crowd control, and it was a good thing because hordes of groupies followed them from shop to shop. With his trademark good looks, chiseled face, and piercing eyes, he certainly stood out in the crowd, forever the rock god.
Mandy was grateful that a shopping experience with Ethan meant chaos and a whirlwind of non-stop activity. It removed any chance of awkward silence and also meant that they were never alone for more than a few minutes before some fan would appear on scene, her face melting in a feverish blush, screaming his name at the top of her lungs before being led away by security.
There was no chance for conversation on the way back either, with the bodyguard up front beside the driver, so Mandy took her place on the opposite side of the passenger seat of the luxurious Range Rover and flipped through her notes. Ethan spent most of the time on his cellphone, talking to his manager, his band mates, and even a female friend that he invited out for dinner after band practice.
Mandy tried to zone out his conversation, guessing he probably intended to lick his wounds with some willing female companionship tonight.
I knew it … she thought. Thank God I never gave in to that man.
Her mind flashed back to the things he'd said about her not being in love. What did he know about love, anyway? He hadn't been with any one woman for more than a few short months before replacing her with yet another celebrity socialite.
He could ignore her as much as he wanted, Mandy thought as the car glided through the city streets, when something hit her like a ton of bricks.
She had cheated on Marcus.
Suddenly, Mandy was terrified to face him, feeling as though the guilt would be etched onto her expression, shame flickering in her eyes. Would he be able to detect that she'd been unfaithful?
Because she had been; she'd let her client kiss her like no man ever had before. He'd pushed her hard against the wall and she'd felt every masculine contour of his virile frame. Ethan had switched on a torrent of pleasure that had lain dormant for so long. Never in her adult life had she been so highly aroused by the opposite sex, and all with one kiss. She was pathetic.
Mandy knew she had to face the truth about what she had done, but she also had to face the truth about something else – the effect that Ethan had on her. Suddenly, her phone wailed its usual alert. It reminded her that she had messages and she flipped through the caller ID to see who had called while she was out shopping with Ethan.
Two of the messages were from Marcus, asking how her day was going. Mandy felt the gut-rotting ache of guilt in her stomach once again and she forced herself to breathe slowly, deliberately, until her head stopped whirling. She thought about just how trusting Marcus was, knowing that she would be working with the Ethan Tyler and still showing nothing but absolute support and encouragement. There was no hint of jealousy or concern.
His last message to her indicated that he'd be home from a meeting early if she needed to talk or if the entourage ever made her feel uncomfortable and she needed to step out and get some fresh air. "I'll be right there to get you, wherever you are," he had said on his last message.
It's too late to rescue me, Mandy thought as she stared through the tinted glass of the car window. She sent a quick text to let him know that she was fine and was on her way back to the office.
Mandy knew there was no one else to blame. She made the decision to let Ethan kiss her – and she'd done less than nothing to stop him from kissing her again when it had almost reached the point of no return. Thankfully, Mandy had found a way back to her senses and denied Ethan the opportunity to add her to his list of conquests. She could only imagine just how uncomfortable the week-long London tour would be, and she shuddered at the thought.
Her emotions ran the gamut from anguish at the thought of betraying Marcus's trust to anger at the thought that she was the only one feeling guilty when Ethan obviously had no problem making a pass at a woman with a boyfriend.
She searched her brain for an explanation, but she was certain that she hadn't encouraged his advances in any way. He simply felt entitled to every woman that crossed his path, Mandy thought with a growl. Well, lesson learned. She'd focus on her job and get it done and ignore everything else. If he wanted to treat her differently just because she refused him, then so be it. She'd leave that for his sycophants and groupies.