“You feel like taking a walk?” Dalton asks me.
I look away. “Yeah, but I don’t think we should.”
“Yeah, guess not.” He stands up, and I get a sinking sensation when I realize he’s leaving.
“I need to return an email from my agent and I have to do it from my laptop because of security.” He glances over hisshoulder, making sure no one is close enough to hear him. “So if I happen to come by your room around eight, will you be there?”
I should say no, but I don’t even consider it. Instead I just nod, not trusting my voice.
His gaze darkens slightly, raking over me like a long, sensual stroke. He picks up his plate and glass from the table, then comes over and takes mine, too.
“See you soon,” he murmurs, his lips hardly moving.
I’m so worried about giving away my excitement that I force my mind onto something bland. My grandma used to knit hats. I make a mental inventory of every hat she knitted for me and Will. My favorite one was pink and purple with a giant fuzzy ball on top. He didn’t have a favorite; he pretended to love the hats in front of her and then pulled them off and stuffed them into his pockets before anyone at school could see them.
Okay, that helped. I sigh heavily, feigning boredom, and scroll on my phone. Inside, I’m doing jumping jacks, though.
I got all of Farrah’s spa treatments today. I’m fully polished, waxed and moisturized. Even if Dalton just wants to hang out and talk, I at least smell nice.
My heart is galloping at full speed, though, because I’m hoping he wants more than that.
I know I do.
fourteen
Dalton
My mind was noton that email to my agent. I had to read what he wrote three times just to make sure I knew what he was saying before I responded.
It was an endorsement deal offer for deodorant. I told him to negotiate the best terms and I’ll do it if he thinks I should. Why not? Endorsing not smelling bad is a safe bet.
Speaking of...I sniff my pits one more time as I pretend to sit casually in the great room, looking at my phone. There are two entrances to the staff hallway Alice’s room is in--one through the kitchen and one from the outside of the house.
I can’t risk the outside one because I don’t know what the security setup is here. If an alarm sounds, I’d be busted. So I have to wait until there’s no one in the kitchen so I can slip through that door.
It’s hell, knowing she’s so close and pretending I’d rather be sitting here. Every time I looked at her today, I wanted her back in my arms. Our kiss last night is all I can think about.
“Dalton, come out and swim!” June walks out of the kitchen carrying a bottle of wine, wearing a white bikini and a sheer cover-up.
She sounds tipsy. I flick an annoyed glance at her. “No, I’m good.”
My anger flares as she walks over to me. I’m not in the mood for her whining. “Come on, Dalty. Have some fun for once.”
“I want to be alone.”
She huffs out a breath, cradling the bottle close to her chest as she goes over to the doors that lead outside. “Fuck you very much. You don’t even get the point of this show.”
I don’t react. Once she leaves, I wait for her to get several yards from the door before I shoot up from my seat and race into the kitchen. Fucking finally.
Once I’m on the other side of the door, I breathe a quick sigh of relief and hurry to the end of the hall, where I knock lightly on Alice’s door.
She opens the door, motioning me inside. I step in and she closes the door. I take in her casual, formfitting black tank top and red boxers with white hearts, the white straps of her bra peeking out from under the tank top. Her hair is loose and curly around her shoulders.
“You’re beautiful,” I say, my gaze sliding down her body and then back up again.
We stand that way for a few seconds, me drinking her in with my eyes, my hands flexing at my sides, as she gives me a shy smile. When her eyes slide down to my crotch and she sees my arousal, her smile turns bolder.
“If you wanted to kiss me some more, that might be nice,” she says softly.
