Page 57
After a few moments alone with my thoughts, I step back out.
And run into him.
“If you’re waiting in line, you’ve got the wrong door.”
I point toward the “Women’s Restroom” sign. His little smile makes me want to kill him.
“You went and hid in there instead of coming to say hello, Lancaster?”
He’ll never stop goading me.
Vadim steps even closer, and I’m quickly overwhelmed by his scent and magnetic presence. My heart races, pounding against my chest much harder than it should. Tonight, there is something almost animalistic about the beauty of the man tormenting me, and I’m filled with a tangle of conflicting emotions, all fighting for space.
I hate him… but I want him.
“Clearly, you’re not in L.A.,” I say coldly. “You’re here, parading her around with you everywhere you go. How long do you plan on making a fool of me, Vadim?”
He lets out a low chuckle that sends a shiver through me. “I came back for you, Alma.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet. And did you bring her for me, too?” I shoot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I wish you both all the best. You make a very beautiful couple.”
I walk away, but in a few short strides, he catches up and plants himself in front of me to block my path.
“Just listen, instead of believing this bullshit.”
“No.”
“She was with me in L.A. We just got here. I was planning to go to your place right after this dinner.”
“The door will be locked.”
He sighs. “Alma…”
“Vadim.”
“I missed you, dammit.”
“Not that much, apparently.”
“You have to stop being so beautiful when you’re angry.”
“Believe me, I’ll be even more beautiful when I leave you waiting outside all night.”
He closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them to stare at my lips. With that disarming intensity.
“I only want you, Alma. Why do you refuse to believe it?”
“Actions speak louder than words. And your actions tell me the exact opposite.”
“This thing with May is just a marketing stunt! She’s only here for my image and the company’s. She knows that, and she gets something out of it too. If the public thinks we’re together, it’s good for business.”
I know that, in the movie industry, a supposedly romantic relationship can be just another marketing tool, but it still gnaws at me.
“Put yourself in my shoes. If the roles were reversed, how would you feel?”
“There’s only you. I’m obsessed with you, but no matter how many times I say it, you always end up doubting me.”
As our conversation continues, we inch closer, almost without realizing it. Our taut bodies are almost touching. I feel his warm breath brush against my face.
