gone according to plan, with the possible exception of Jillian’s falling on Troy and Blake’s rushing to the stage earlier. He was high on success. It was a foreign feeling, but mighty good.
“Nadia recognized me as your assistant. She said she’s filing a law suit because I entered the contest. Also, she’s going to the papers.” Jillian repeated everything the ousted contestant had said.
He should have known something like this would happen. As soon as he’d seen Jillian standing in line, he’d sensed a potential blowout. Damn, why had she decided to be heroic? If she’d dragged anyone else in, this wouldn’t be happening. It was his fault as well. He should have forced her to leave after the first round instead of encouraging her. Now he had a problem on his hands.
The air drained from his lungs. He could barely breathe. His show and his honor were at stake. If Nadia went public, people would assume the worst. Once the actual truth got out, it would be too late. Everything he’d dreamt of and worked for would go up in smoke. The resulting damage would spread as swiftly and devastatingly as a wildfire. He’d turn into a show business pariah, and no one would trust him.
He wouldn’t let it happen. He had to deflect Nadia and the public’s wrath, but how?
“Damn, I don’t need this,” he said.
“I’m so sorry. I was only trying to help. If I’d known this would happen, I’d never have done what I did.”
He shook his head. “God save me from well-meaning females.”
The problem was he couldn’t think straight. Jillian, the girl who was always in control, looked ready to bawl.
Through the mounting irritation, a ray of compassion filtered through. He placed his hand on her bare shoulder. Ignoring a bolt of electricity, he looked into her clouded jade eyes. “It’s too late for regrets. Let’s deal with the here and now.”
“I’ll do anything you want to make it right.”
Anything. Her words and tousled hair conjured up a suitable act of penance unrelated to the problem at hand. Amazing how even in the throes of crisis, his body asserted itself over his mind. All it took was the right stimulus.
That brought Blake down to earth with a jolt. Right now he was swimming in dangerous waters and acting way too much like his mother. Hormones were his worst enemy. He’d best not forget it.
He jerked his hand away. “An offensive attack might work. No one’s completely clean. Time to rake up some goods on Nadia.”
“Can I help?”
He raised his eyebrows. “You’ve done enough. Under the circumstances, it would be best if we stayed as far apart as possible.” His words came out colder than he’d intended.
She flinched as if struck. Opening his mouth to soften the blow, he clamped it shut instead. Better not promote closeness. The situation was perilous enough.
Her soft full lips trembled. He wanted like hell to cover them with his own lips, press down and force the trembling to stop. After that, he’d pull off that blasted virginal gown.
“You’re right,” she said, interrupting his wayward thoughts. “I’ll go first, so no one notices us together.”
“Good. That’s a start.”
She turned her back to him and started out, hips swaying. He instinctively tried to catch up, ready to spin her around, press himself against her so he could make those hips move in frenzied motion beneath him.
What was he thinking? When would he get it into his head she was off limits? It didn’t matter what prompted him to lose himself inside her, he’d never do it. He had too much at stake.
He stood there, regret welling up inside of him. What perverse fate made him get a thing for her, of all people, at this most dangerous of times? Sure, she was attractive, but not the only woman around. No, but the only one he wanted, damn it.
Blake waited a few more minutes to ensure Jillian had caught the elevator before making his solitary way down the corridor. The haunting piano melody from
“Nadia recognized me as your assistant. She said she’s filing a law suit because I entered the contest. Also, she’s going to the papers.” Jillian repeated everything the ousted contestant had said.
He should have known something like this would happen. As soon as he’d seen Jillian standing in line, he’d sensed a potential blowout. Damn, why had she decided to be heroic? If she’d dragged anyone else in, this wouldn’t be happening. It was his fault as well. He should have forced her to leave after the first round instead of encouraging her. Now he had a problem on his hands.
The air drained from his lungs. He could barely breathe. His show and his honor were at stake. If Nadia went public, people would assume the worst. Once the actual truth got out, it would be too late. Everything he’d dreamt of and worked for would go up in smoke. The resulting damage would spread as swiftly and devastatingly as a wildfire. He’d turn into a show business pariah, and no one would trust him.
He wouldn’t let it happen. He had to deflect Nadia and the public’s wrath, but how?
“Damn, I don’t need this,” he said.
“I’m so sorry. I was only trying to help. If I’d known this would happen, I’d never have done what I did.”
He shook his head. “God save me from well-meaning females.”
The problem was he couldn’t think straight. Jillian, the girl who was always in control, looked ready to bawl.
Through the mounting irritation, a ray of compassion filtered through. He placed his hand on her bare shoulder. Ignoring a bolt of electricity, he looked into her clouded jade eyes. “It’s too late for regrets. Let’s deal with the here and now.”
“I’ll do anything you want to make it right.”
Anything. Her words and tousled hair conjured up a suitable act of penance unrelated to the problem at hand. Amazing how even in the throes of crisis, his body asserted itself over his mind. All it took was the right stimulus.
That brought Blake down to earth with a jolt. Right now he was swimming in dangerous waters and acting way too much like his mother. Hormones were his worst enemy. He’d best not forget it.
He jerked his hand away. “An offensive attack might work. No one’s completely clean. Time to rake up some goods on Nadia.”
“Can I help?”
He raised his eyebrows. “You’ve done enough. Under the circumstances, it would be best if we stayed as far apart as possible.” His words came out colder than he’d intended.
She flinched as if struck. Opening his mouth to soften the blow, he clamped it shut instead. Better not promote closeness. The situation was perilous enough.
Her soft full lips trembled. He wanted like hell to cover them with his own lips, press down and force the trembling to stop. After that, he’d pull off that blasted virginal gown.
“You’re right,” she said, interrupting his wayward thoughts. “I’ll go first, so no one notices us together.”
“Good. That’s a start.”
She turned her back to him and started out, hips swaying. He instinctively tried to catch up, ready to spin her around, press himself against her so he could make those hips move in frenzied motion beneath him.
What was he thinking? When would he get it into his head she was off limits? It didn’t matter what prompted him to lose himself inside her, he’d never do it. He had too much at stake.
He stood there, regret welling up inside of him. What perverse fate made him get a thing for her, of all people, at this most dangerous of times? Sure, she was attractive, but not the only woman around. No, but the only one he wanted, damn it.
Blake waited a few more minutes to ensure Jillian had caught the elevator before making his solitary way down the corridor. The haunting piano melody from
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