Was that what she wanted – for it to be a casual fling, forgotten about in a few short days, once their tans had worn off? He sat up, feeling like a prize idiot. He’d been so certain this timethat Ellie was the right woman for him, that she had also decided she wanted more. But was that a mistake, wishful thinking? Had he opened his heart to yet more betrayal and disappointment?
‘It’ll be a shame to get back to normality,’ he said, testing her response. Hoping that she’d… what? Say that she wanted him for ever?
Pathetic.
‘Your life isn’t normal, Alex. I don’t think it could ever be normal.’ Her voice was quiet, sad almost, but he couldn’t see her expression fully in the darkness.
Was it his lifestyle she didn’t want? The constant running from paparazzi, the shallow luxury, and lack of privacy. Where Eddies were all over your personal belongings and sexual health. Where blatant lies were snowballed into gossip and intrigue.
Who would want his life? He didn’t.
For once, he’d allowed a woman to see the real him, pulled out his trust issues and opened his heart fully, shown her the man beneath all the gloss and the bullshit. But he still wasn’t enough.
He dressed and helped Ellie back into her clothes, ignoring the sensation that his heart was splintering inside his chest. They stumbled back to the house and he went into their bathroom to dispose of the condom.
After washing his hands, he headed back into the bedroom, and snuggled into Ellie’s warmth, throwing a blanket over the pair of them.
‘I want more than just a holiday,’ he whispered, but he could tell by her soft, shallow breaths that she was already asleep. He resolved to talk fully with her tomorrow. He didn’t want a fling; he wanted Ellie.
All of her, for ever.
He knew she was afraid of being hurt again, and that he couldn’t defend her from the press, no matter how much hewanted to. But surely, as long as they were together, everything would be fine.
Unable to quiet his thoughts, he crept from the bed and went into the lounge area to check his phone. There were no new notifications in his alert folder. But there was one particular email that surprised him, and he immediately clicked on it. Legendary actress Francesca Tatiana was interested in working with him – and it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Chapter Thirty-One
Ellie woke up with Alex’s beautiful face inches away from hers.
Had she really had sex with him last night? By the look of the naked Adonis next to her, she’d have to say that,yes, she had. Without a shadow of a doubt, Ellie Jones had had sex with Alex King last night, and it had been fantastic!
Straight off the back of that realisation, regret began to climb like rising damp up through her bones. Not because it hadn’t been one of the best and most liberating sexual experiences of her life. No, what she regretted was the inevitable change in their relationship. Last night had ruined any hope of her getting out of this situation unburned.
She slipped out of the bed and went to shower. It was one thing to have passionate, wild sex with your best friend, quite another to wake up to the same best friend the morning after.
As she washed away the scent of their lovemaking, Ellie tried to process what had happened.
Alex was only just getting over his break-up with Savannah.
Yes, he seemed a lot better about the whole thing, but yesterday must have still been emotional for him. No wonder he’d sought comfort andromance –as he called it – with her, and, well, she was only human.
A gorgeous, kind and generally awesome man sweeps you off your feet, telling you that you’resexy and perfect…Well, it’s a tale as old as time. Of course she’d had sex with him.
Ellie rolled her eyes as she finished drying herself off. Now she had to think about damage control.Herdamage, because how many times had she read into something like this only to be disappointed by the eventual outcome? Too many to count. And even worse, this time she’d known from the start it was goingto lead to nothing, and she’d still let it happen regardless, like a bloody moron.
How should she play it? Cool and relaxed?We had fun. I’m a cool, independent woman. Of course I can enjoy holiday sex without expecting more.
Ellie frowned. She was none of those things. She was the type of woman who slept with a guy and then practised writing out her future married name to get the signature just right.
Fuck. No wonder she was single.
She put on a swimsuit and kaftan that had been drying on the towel rail, hoping that some exercise would help clear her head, and left the bathroom.
Alex was awake but still in bed. He turned his head towards her as she entered. His dark hair flopped adorably as he rubbed his eyes and sat up. ‘Hey, beautiful,’ he said with a gentle, hesitant smile.
Ellie’s stomach did a somersault. ‘Hey…’ she replied weakly.
He scraped his hand through his hair, and leaned back. ‘So, about last night…’
