“They’re watching you. Not me,” I tease him.
“Good.” I stare up at him, wishing I could read him better. This attraction that I have for him keeps growing by the second.
“Let’s circle around the room, and I’ll place a few bids.”
Locke guides me around. I make small talk with a few people. With him by my side, I’ve noticed men stay far away, but the women's eyes always linger on him. I can’t blame them. There are sexy women everywhere, and I’m almost positive he could take his pick of them if he wanted to.
Unfortunately, I’ve never landed in the sexy category. It’s why my new manager was hoping I’d get the role with Beckstrand. I’ve always been the girl next door or the girl the hot guy doesn't fall for until he gets to know her.
I don’t know how I pick up on it, but I sense Locke growing impatient when he pulls me away from a conversation with a group of people.
“You okay?” I press myself into him, my hand running up his chest. His hands have been drifting around my body all night. I suppose I should be doing the same if we’re trying to sell this boyfriend/girlfriend thing.
“You have no clue how fucking sexy you are, do you?”
“What?” I drop my head back to stare up at him, but his gaze is on something behind him. Did he really say what I think he said? My hands freeze on his chest when I realize his cock is pressed against my stomach. Every hard inch of it. My body instantly responds. Could Locke actually be attracted to me? A glimmer of hope sparks inside of me at the thought.
“A man with blond, wavy hair is closing in on us. He looks really pissed.” It takes me a second to register his words.
I peek back over my shoulder and see Kevin Hawthorn heading straight toward me. I haven't seen him in years. Not since my sitcom days. We pretty much grew up together on set. He's a jerk and a giant reason I never had an interest in dating other actors.
“He asked me out a few times,” I whisper. “I think I told him I wasn't up for dating. He’d laugh and tease me that he didn’t want to date me anyway. That he only wanted to fuck me.” He was always so crude. “He enjoys getting a rise out of me. I usually avoid him at all costs.”
“He what!” Locke growls, sending a delicious thrill through my whole body. Normally when I’m alone and I see Kevin, I run and hide. But with Locke standing with me, I don’t move. Well, I don’t move much.
I don’t know why I do it or what comes over me, but I grab the front of Locke’s button-up shirt and pull him down to me. He comes willingly, pressing his mouth against mine. He wastes no time claiming me.
Everything else in the room fades. At this moment, there is only Locke and me. I gasp, swearing the world shifts under my feet. His tongue slips past my parted lips, deepening our kiss. I moan into his mouth. One of his hands tangles in my hair to hold me to him while the other wraps around my waist to steady me.
“Sadie the lamie is all grown up.” Kevin’s words have me falling back to earth. He uses the stupid nickname he gave me when I was maybe ten. He’s basically tortured me. I never got to go out like all the other kids did. There had been no afterparties for me. Or fun for that matter. I tried not to let it bother me, but deep down inside, it hurt.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Locke growls, lifting his mouth from mine. I notice his lips are redder now. Kevin smirks, ignoring Locke.
“You finally loosened up some, I see. Was it Charlie that got your cherry or this guy?”
I’ve always thought Kevin was stupid, but this is on a whole new level. Then again, he’s always protected by the limelight. The boys always are. It’s the girls that always get dragged through the mud.
Too bad for Kevin that Locke clearly has his own set of rules. It looks like I’m going to be in the headlines again tomorrow.
Chapter Ten
Sawyer
This guy wants a scene. He wants to be punched out so some clickbait lowlife can get Internet coin off of Sadie Causes a Big Scene or some shit like that.
“Thanks for the soundbite,” I improvise. “When E calls tomorrow, I’ll be sure to play this for them. It’ll be good for your nice guy rep.”
I take Sadie’s cold hand in mine and walk toward a reflecting pool with giant candles floating in between flowers.
“Hold up.”
I keep moving because if I have to talk to this asswipe for another second, I’ll forget that I’m supposed to protect Sadie’s reputation as much as her person.