Star Crossed (Stargazer #1)(49)
Author: Jennifer Echols

She would let him kiss her only for another second. She pushed her hands back through his short hair.

He released his hold around her waist. Propping one hand on the wall behind her, he stepped even closer so that the whole length of his body lay along hers. As he massaged her mouth with his, she felt his body heat burn through his jeans, through her jeans, into her thighs. And then his other hand crept across her crotch.

“Okay,” she gasped, moving her hands from his hair down to his chest. “We can’t do this, Daniel.”

“Seems to me we’re doing a pretty good job,” he murmured against her lips.

“You might not remember this tomorrow,” she said softly. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

He closed his eyes and rubbed the tip of his nose against hers. She thought this was his way of acquiescing. He would back away now, and their strange, sweet night together would be over.

Instead, his hand kept moving up her jeans. He yanked the buttons of her fly open in quick succession. His fingers found their way beneath her panties and shoved the material to one side, stretching the elastic. “But it’s okay if I take advantage of you, right?”

Before she could answer in the negative, his fingers plunged inside her.

She cried out in surprise and ecstasy. His mouth came down on hers again. The rest of her cries were only guttural noises in her throat as he moved his fingers out of her, then in, then out, then farther in. She tipped up her hips so he could slide his hand even farther into her.

But when his thumb rubbed her clit, she stood straighter in shock and found the strength to push his hand away. “Daniel,” she said firmly, “We can’t. I won’t.”

“Are you sure? You’re so wet for me.” He traced the pointer finger that had been inside her along his bottom lip.

Oh, Lord.

He was so dangerously handsome, tasting her, his dark eyes drilling into her.

As she watched, his hard gaze on her relaxed. His eyelids fluttered.

“No,” she repeated firmly, “I can’t.”

He relented, letting his hands fall to his sides. He leaned against the wall above her.

She wrapped her arm around his waist and led him across the room to the king bed. He weighed more heavily on her than he had all night. They barely made it to the bed before he stumbled on the carpet and collapsed facedown on the luxurious white duvet. He rolled over on his back and blinked at her, struggling to stay awake.

She said, “Give up, Daniel.” This time she had the courage to bend over him and run her finger across his black brows. “You’re safe with me. The only way to get better now is to sleep. Give up.”

His whole face relaxed, going slack. She’d come to associate him with a calculating expression and a gleam in his eye. Without these now, he didn’t look like himself at all.

She glanced down his long body. He was fully clothed. After their intimate episode, she thought it would be okay to take his clothes off, but he was built solidly, and she knew from supporting him through the lobby how heavy he was. She only slipped off his shoes and stowed them in the closet next to the others in a neat row. She would have just flung hers somewhere, but Daniel’s shoes deserved better. Then she found an extra blanket in the top of the closet and spread that over him. His brows went down, disturbed in sleep.

She settled on the plush carpet next to the huge window, looking down over the Strip in all its neon glory. She could have stared at it for hours. Briefly she imagined that this was her room, too, that she and Daniel were staying here together as a couple. But that would do her no good. She erased that thought from her mind. With great reluctance, she dragged her phone out of her purse and clicked through the screens to Lorelei’s latest updates. She hoped to God that Franklin had gotten her out of the Horny Gentleman without any public nudity.

“Wendy,” Daniel said softly behind her. He lay on his side, watching her. His sleepy eyes blinked slowly. “Did I lock the dead bolt?”

“Yes,” she assured him.

“Did I lock the chain?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t open the door for anyone until I wake up.”

He stared so earnestly at her that she asked, “Why?”

“You’re missing more hair.” He held out a hand toward her.

She put up her own hand where he was pointing. Another big lock had been hacked off the side.

She went cold.

When had this happened? Not playing poker at the casino. Lorelei would have noticed Wendy’s hair was missing in the taxi. And not before Wendy pole danced. Someone would have seen.

She remembered pulling Daniel through the crowd. She was several steps ahead of him, and Colton pushed by her. Colton, who would have asked her why she and Daniel were leaving without everyone else.

That hadn’t been Colton.

“If he breaks down the door,” Daniel whispered, “send him over here and tell him to get down on my level. I’ll punch him in the knees.” He was making light of it through his haze, trying to put her at ease, but his eyes were worried. They fluttered closed.

Heart racing, she tried to take her mind off her stalker and put it back on her job, where it belonged. She checked the most prominent gossip sites. The photos of Lorelei and Colton going into the strip club separately or—better yet—leaving it together most likely wouldn’t have been uploaded yet, but perhaps comments had been posted about the paparazzi seeing them there. That would start the rumors on the path that Wendy and Daniel wanted them to travel.

But on the very first site she visited, she came face-to-face with the photo of Lorelei’s untoward dragon tattoo.

So much for Maybe that won’t happen.

She scrolled to other sites, stomach sinking as she went. All of them had posted the picture. Each headline was more creatively insulting than the last. And the comments below the articles—oh, the comments. Accusing Lorelei of drinking, spiraling, going insane, hating her mother, turning out exactly like her.

As she read this last tidbit, Wendy realized she’d clapped one hand over her mouth. Bile rose in her throat.

She glanced over at Daniel again, sleeping now, oblivious to this new obstacle, but dreaming through so many of his own. She’d doubted she could do this job of saving Lorelei. She’d felt better about her chances when she teamed up with Daniel. But now she knew it was going to take more than the two of them to get through this ass scandal, Lorelei’s TV mini-concert tomorrow, and her party tomorrow night, while convincing the public that she and Colton were a couple worth watching on Friday. And avoiding Wendy’s stalker.