The Redhead Plays Her Hand (Redhead #3)(8)
Author: Alice Clayton

“Fucking Nuts Girl, do you know what you do to me?” my Brit whispered, teeth sinking into my skin and shocking me still. My eyes rolled back in my head as I felt him, hard and thick against my back. I reached up, but he grabbed at my hand, turning it and pinning it behind me, holding me tightly. He pressed my hand against him, letting me feel exactly what I had done to him. I moaned, the beat pulsing and continuing to assault as he turned my face to the side. Kissing the side of my neck, he thrust himself against my hand, and I couldn’t resist giving him a squeeze.

He groaned low in his throat, and he released my hand, encircling my waist with his strong arms, pulling me even more flush against him, moving now with the music. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and one of his hands came up to tweak my nipple, causing me to gasp.

“I thought you didn’t dance,” I said, pushing my hips into his, relishing in the lust that was cooking on this dance floor.

He turned me roughly in his arms, hitching one of my legs up high around his hip, his fingers dangerously close to my panties. He played with the lace, slipping underneath and grazing me, watching as my eyes grew wide.

“I’m not dancing,” he breathed, then crushed his mouth to mine. In the middle of the dance floor in the middle of Hollywood, Jack Hamilton pressed his fingers against me, hidden from the crowd and only known to me. Working to the beat, he thrust, the green on fire in his eyes as I struggled to keep upright.

“Jesus, what are you— Ohhh,” I moaned. Knowing how dangerous this was made it sweeter, and I was on the verge within seconds of his skin meeting mine.

“I love watching you,” he panted, keeping me pulled tightly into him, totally at his mercy, his hand hidden between our bodies.

“Yes, yes! God, Jack, yes,” I panted, riding his hand shamelessly, my nails digging into the back of his neck as he hissed in pain.

“You ready?” he asked, his eyes on mine as I got close, so close, so very close. I nodded, incapable of speech, lost.

“Great, let’s go,” he grinned, removing his hand and straightening my dress. I stumbled slightly, and he grasped my hand, pulling me through the club. Waving at Holly, he motioned toward the door as she smiled back, mouthing to me, “Call you tomorrow.”

I was stunned, my skin still warm from his touch, still tingling from what had just happened. I shook my head to clear it, not believing I had let things get carried so far away. I let him guide me to the door, and he released my hand as we neared the entrance. “I can’t wait to get you home,” he whispered in my ear, that grin that always made me smile stretching back across his face.

“I’m gonna get you for that, George,” I warned, sighing as he pursed his lips in a silent kiss.

“Counting on it.” He winked and leaned back into the door.

Which opened into a barrage of flashbulbs.

four

Jack pushed back against me, slamming me into the wall as the paparazzi surged, flashes going off from every direction. My head hit the brick, and I let out a gasp as I fumbled for my balance. People were screaming his name, shouting and yelling and trying to get their shots.

“Jack! Jack! Over here!”

“Hey, Hamilton, who you got with you there?”

“Hey, Jack, right here! Can you smile? Come on, right here!”

A bouncer had us back inside within seconds, but it was minutes before I could see clearly. Jack clutched at me, shielding me as another member of security ushered us back to another part of the club, quieter and more secluded.

“Jesus, Grace, you okay? Shit!” he exclaimed. I blinked back the flashes I was still seeing and accepted a bottle of water from someone.

“I’m fine. I’m fine!” I told him as he looked me over. “Come on, I mean it. I’m fine.” I tried to smile, patting the back of my head.

“Where the hell is the security in this place? Dammit, why wasn’t someone at that door?” Jack yelled as a manager hurried over.

“Sir, Mr. Hamilton, I’m so sorry,” he tried to explain. “I didn’t realize you were heading out that way, I thought—”

“Are you bloody kidding? What’s the point of having a VIP section if you can’t even keep those f**king animals away from my girlfriend?” he exploded, pulling his phone out of his pocket and dialing angrily.

I crossed to him, placing my hand on his arm. “Who are you calling?”

He held up a finger. “Yeah, Bryan? Hey, can you pick us up? Right, we’re at Bar the Door. Great, twenty minutes? Thanks, man,” he finished, putting his phone away and grabbing for my hand.

Bryan. His new security guy he used for public appearances.

Your boyfriend has his own bodyguard . . .

Wow, did I just have a hit of Hollywood.

“Bryan’s on his way, he’s going to take you home.” Jack kissed my forehead and kept me close against him.

“Why don’t you let me take her home?” I heard a familiar voice say. I looked around and saw Holly walk up behind Jack. He closed his eyes, biting down on his lip—not in the way I was used to seeing it, though.

“Yeah, why don’t I go with Holly?” I scratched at his scalp and prodded him to open his eyes.

“I’d really prefer you go with Bryan. He can get you in and out of here without—”

“Without what, Jack? Paparazzi?” Holly interjected. “It’ll be easier if she and I leave together. They’ve already seen you. They’re only looking for her if she’s with you. You go out with Bryan, and we’ll head out another entrance.”

“I don’t know. I’d feel better if—”

“Jack. You’re famous. She isn’t yet, but she’s gonna be. You two wanna go out dancing? This is gonna happen. Let me take her home,” Holly interrupted, her voice taking on the tone that was not to be messed with.

“I’ll see you there, okay?” I said, leaning in and squeezing his hand before starting after Holly.

“I’m sorry, Grace,” he called after me.

“Hush. You be careful,” I called back, meeting his eyes, which now looked red and tired. Letting Holly lead me back into the crowded club, I took one last look at Jack, head hanging.

This was not good.

“So that was weird,” I said twenty minutes later. Holly and I were packed into her car and speeding up Robertson toward the canyons.

“That? That was nothing. This was just your first real taste of it. It’s gonna get worse. You remember what it was like at his premiere, don’t you?” She passed me her bottle of water. Now that I was outside the club, I could feel my dress sticking to me. I rolled down the window and let the breeze fluff out my hair and clear my brain a little. On the way back out of the club, I had noticed how packed that dance floor really was.