I had a red carpet to walk.
Trying to muster the courage to take that step toward Matt, I took a deep breath, hovering at the velvet rope. My knees almost gave way as I caught sight of Matt’s bright-blue eyes and too-long hair further along the line of guests slowly making their way up the red carpet. I wanted to push past everyone and launch myself at him, but that would attract a little too much attention.
Carefully, I stepped inside the velvet rope, never taking my eyes off him. I willed him to look over at me. He was smiling, chatting to photographers as he made his way along the carpet. There were about eight or ten people between us but the walkway wasn’t wide enough for me to overtake anyone.
“What’s your name, please?” one of the photographers in front of me asked. My attention was pulled from Matt.
“Me?” I asked, half relieved that he didn’t know and surprised that he cared. When he nodded, I took a breath and replied, “Lana Kelly.”
I heard people ahead of me mutter and they turned to glance in my direction. I didn’t care. As Ruby said, I didn’t know them and their opinion of me was none of my business. I kept my gaze on Matt as I took a few steps forward.
Someone whispered in Matt’s ear and he lifted his head up and our eyes met.
I couldn’t help but smile at him. I’d missed him so much and even being this close to him made me feel better.
Matt looked like he’d been turned to stone. His expression wasn’t fierce, but it wasn’t joyful either.
People were looking from him to me and back again. And I didn’t care one bit. I just wished he was close enough to touch, to pull into a hug.
The line kept moving forward except Matt stayed still. I inched closer and closer to him until finally he was right in front of me.
“Hi,” I said, my voice trembling.
“Hi,” he replied, then froze as if he didn’t know how to greet me. What I wanted him to do was pull me into his arms. “You’re here.”
I nodded. “I’ve stopped running.”
His eyes widened. “Does this mean that . . .”
“I know what you did. Ruby told me everything.” I sucked in a breath. “It proved you were the kind of man who would do his best to shelter me from any storm. But no more secrets, right? I feel like I can handle anything if we’re together, side by side.”
“I promise,” he said. “And I’m so sorry.”
“And I promise I’m done running. When I’m with you, I’m where I need to be.”
His face burst into a grin and then he glanced around at the photographers taking picture after picture.
I reached up and stroked his jaw, bringing his attention back to me. “As long as I have you, I can handle whatever strangers have to say about me. Or whatever pictures. I didn’t understand how if I let myself love you, the other stuff just dissolves into noise.”
He frowned. Had it been the wrong thing to say? It was a risk to tell him I loved him, but he deserved to know. And if he didn’t love me back? Well, that was what ice cream and reality show reruns were for.
“You love me?” he asked, his voice a low rumble.
“I do,” I admitted. “I’m sorry if that’s too much, but we agreed no more secrets. I am in love with you, Matt Easton.”
“Thank God,” he gasped as his gaze dipped to my mouth, then back to my eyes. “I’ve loved you since the moment you rescued me from the Worthington bandstand,” he said. “And I thought I’d lost you.”
Relief burst through my body and he pulled me toward him and cupped my face.
He wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb. “Don’t cry. I only want to make you happy.”
“You do. I’ve never been so happy.”
He pressed his lips to mine and I sank against him. No matter where in the world I was, I was home if I was with Matt.
The snap of cameras drifted out of my hearing. Nothing mattered. Not if I was with this man.
He snaked his tongue into my mouth and I set my palms against his shoulders. I might not care that everyone knew Matt and I were together, but my views on PDAs hadn’t changed.
He pulled back. “Did I hear someone suggest we get a room?” His hands circled my waist.
“Nope, but I think that’s an excellent idea. As much as I don’t mind being in public with you, I like being in private with you even more.”
He might be one of the world’s most famous movie stars, but no one knew the Matt Easton I did. No one knew quite how sexy he was. Or how kind, generous and thoughtful. Because when the cameras were gone, it was just him and me. Boy and girl. Two people in love.
Forever.
Twenty-Eight
Matt
I pulled Lana inside the suite and pinned her to the door with my hips. I couldn’t believe she was actually here. I’d missed her scent—the ocean breeze mixed with summer flowers. Missed the way she looked at me as if I were her everything. How had I survived without her for so long?
Seeing her today was the last thing I expected. I was a guy who normally took things in his stride, but the sight of her sent a bolt of shock through me that almost had me paralyzed. I’d been terrified that she’d come to end things.
Before things went any further, I needed to tell her everything. Something I hadn’t told Ruby. I put my arms around her and held her body against mine as I moved us away from the door. “I have to tell you about Bobby.”
She nodded. “Ruby told me you paid him off. Thank you.”
“We could have called the police but that would have just attracted more attention.” I dropped a kiss on her forehead.
“I agree. You were protecting me. I wouldn’t want to go through a court case.” She swept her fingers over my lips.
“There’s more.”
Her eyes narrowed as she looked up at me.
“Sinclair told me that he would handle it, that I shouldn’t go with him to hand over the cash.” I focused on the dining table across the room. I couldn’t bear to see disappointment in her face. “I told him I’d stay in the car. I just wanted to see the fucking weasel—to see if he’d have the nerve to show up. When he arrived, I couldn’t help myself. I ended up punching him. In the face. I think I might have broken his nose.” I winced. “I’m sorry, I just lost it.”
When she didn’t respond I glanced down. She was rolling her lips together as if she was trying to stop herself from smiling.
“You’re not in trouble are you?” she asked.
I shook my head. “He knows he can’t go to the police—he’d be charged with extortion.”
She pushed her fingers through my hair. “I think I love you even more.” Lifting up on her tiptoes she pulled me down to meet her mouth and I sighed, so relieved she wasn’t mad.
* * *
“I love you,” I whispered as I dipped my head and placed a kiss under her ear. I enjoyed the way that sounded.
“I love you so much,” she replied, and my cock jumped in my pants as if she was talking dirty. I’d never thought those words could be a turn-on.
I reached down for the bottom of her skirt and slid my hand up to cup her ass. “You wore a skirt,” I said.