Illusions of Love

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Illusions of Love Page 41

by Michelle Betham


  She looked up into those eyes, her heart hammering hard against her ribs, a ridiculous feeling of excitement welling up in her.

  ‘It shouldn’t be too hard, after all, should it?’ Dominic whispered, his mouth almost touching hers as he spoke. ‘I mean, we’re actors, aren’t we? We should be able to do this – effortlessly.’

  Her head was spinning with the thought of what was going to happen next, that beautiful feeling of anticipation sweeping over her as he continued to stare into her eyes. And even though it wasn’t what she’d planned to happen tonight, she had no choice left but to run with it because, right now, she wanted this man more than she’d wanted anyone in a long time.

  She smiled at him, running a hand through her hair, arching her back and pushing her breasts out towards him. Okay. If he wanted a game then she was more than willing to play along. ‘So, you liked what you saw, huh?’

  He smiled too, that full-on movie star smile. ‘Oh, you gotta believe it, honey. I liked what I saw. You are one red-hot walking fantasy.’

  She felt an overwhelming ache for him. The need for him to touch her was almost taking her breath away – that tingling feeling between her legs, those butterflies in her stomach that had just flown loose again, it was all happening.

  ‘You want to see me naked?’ she smiled, taking a deep breath, willing him to touch her yet wanting him to wait until they were safely behind closed doors, because she knew that once they finally got round to making love, it was going to be one hell of a crazy ride.

  He felt himself dangerously close to one killer erection as he looked at her. Her breasts were pushed up against his chest, her hips digging into him and all he wanted to do was touch her down there, feel how ready she was for him, because he knew she was. He could see it, sense it. In seconds he’d turned this situation round and he suspected he had daddy to thank for that. Maybe he had inherited some of the Michael Walsh charm after all. He just had to make sure he used it to his advantage a lot better than his father had managed to.

  ‘Take a shower in front of me,’ he whispered. ‘I want to watch you do that. I want to watch you naked and wet, soaped up and sexy… Jesus, I want – I need to watch you do that.’

  She searched his face, her stomach doing a million somersaults all at once, which made her feel slightly light-headed. ‘And then what? You going to join me?’

  ‘Hey, I’ve only just met you,’ he smiled – that sexy-as-hell killer smile. ‘Should we be showering together?’

  She reached out and touched his rough chin, running her fingertips over the stubble, resting them on his mouth. ‘So, two strangers meet, fuck in the shower, what harm are we doing? Who are we hurting?’

  He took her hand, kissing her mouth slowly and gently, her fingers tightening around his. ‘We ain’t hurting nobody, baby. We ain’t hurting nobody.’

  ‘We need a room,’ she said, realising that, if they didn’t make a move soon, things could quite easily get out of hand, and given their history of rather-too-public displays of affection, they really did need to move fast. ‘Come on, stranger. We’re out of here.’

  ***

  Jimmy watched from the dark and secluded corner of the bar as Charley followed Kenny Ross outside and India talked to Dominic MacDonald. Everyone was still here, everyone was still in one place, but that wasn’t going to be for much longer.

  He knew the wrap party was just around the corner, his final chance to play his trump card, to carry out what had always been his intention – to hurt Charley Maine in the only way he knew how.

  Finishing off his drink he pulled his hat further down over his eyes, sinking back into his seat from his position near the bar, close enough to have heard almost everything that had been said, yet far enough away to make sure nobody had seen him.

  He hadn’t expected Charley and Kenny to grow so close, in fact, that had almost thrown a curve ball at Jimmy. For a very brief moment it had made him think twice about revising his carefully laid out plan. But it now seemed that Charley really did still love Vince Maine, and Vince Maine really did still love Charley. And that was good. It was imperative that things stayed that way. It would be ideal if they could resolve their differences and be back to that sickeningly perfect couple they’d been before, but, even if that wasn’t the case, even if things still weren’t perfect, Jimmy knew that the impact of what he was about to do would still leave everyone reeling.

  Making sure every drop of liquid had been drained from his tumbler he stood up, quickly checking to make sure he wouldn’t be seen as he left the bar. Things were going to plan for Jimmy Cash. Everything was working out just as he’d hoped it would. He was on track for the finale he’d waited so long for and this time, he was going to be the one who had the happy ending.

  ***

  Dominic leant back against the bathroom wall, running a hand round the back of his neck, pulling at the collar of his shirt. The heat of the shower and the sight of India’s naked body soaped up and doing everything in its power to turn him on like he’d never been turned on before was making him feel light-headed and dizzy.

  She was putting on one hell of a show; this woman really was a walking wet dream, a living fantasy, and he defied any man to stand where he was standing now, watching what he was watching now, and not get a hard-on from heaven. It was all he could do not to go down there and bring himself to that climax that was aching to be released. But that would be a waste, wouldn’t it? He needed to be with her, inside her, making himself a part of her but, Jesus, she was making the waiting hard.

  He watched as she slowly rubbed soap all over her skin, the water cascading down over her incredible naked body, running down between her legs, making everything soaking wet and sexy-as-hell, sending every imaginable fantasy crashing through his head like some speeded-up porn movie.

  When she closed her eyes and began rubbing the soapy bubbles into her breasts in slow, circular movements he could take no more. His willpower had run out and he ripped off his clothes like a teenage kid about to indulge in his first proper fuck, joining her under the warm jets of water, pushing her up against the shower wall, kissing her hard and fast. She responded with kisses just as deep and rough, clinging onto him as the water continued to cascade over them, making them both slippery and wet.

  She felt him hard against her thigh, and she put up no fight when he lifted her up, pushing her back against the wall, her legs wrapping around him as he pushed into her with a force that made her cry out loud, throwing her head back as he thrust into her.

  The water raining down on them, coupled with him deep inside her, only heightened every feeling she was experiencing, every inch of her body tingling every time he moved, every touch of his lips on her skin making her moan and scream and she never wanted it to end, never wanted to let him go.

  It was the most incredible, mind-blowing sex he’d had in a long while, and Dominic MacDonald had slept with some of Hollywood’s most beautiful leading ladies. But none of them even came close to India Walsh. None of them had made him feel as though every inch of him was on fire, none of them had made him want to take a vow to never even think of another woman if he could have this girl for the rest of his life. She fucked with his head, she made him crazy, she had baggage that – under normal circumstances – would have meant he would never have even looked twice but then, so did he, didn’t he? Now. Now he had baggage too. Baggage they shared, complications they could identify with. And he never wanted to have to say goodbye to this woman.

  She buried her fingers in his hair as he pushed hard and deep into her, so hard she was thrown back against the wall but it was the final thrust, and she cried out loud as he exploded inside her, that rush of warmth as he released himself flooding through her, sending her stomach reeling as she reached her own climax, that beautiful white-hot tingle taking over, until both their bodies had no other option left but to give in to the exhaustion.

  Unwrapping her legs from around him she closed her eyes as he left her body, holding he
r close as their breathing returned to normal, her heart still beating hard as his fingers gently stroked her back.

  ‘Baby, baby, baby… you kill me. You fucking kill me,’ Dominic breathed, resting his forehead against hers, stroking her cheek with his thumb as the water continued to rain down on them.

  ‘So, stranger. What do we do now?’ she smiled, reaching out to turn the shower off. But she didn’t want this game to end just yet. The night was young, and she wasn’t ready to re-enter real-life.

  He smiled, kissing her slowly, his tongue flicking over the roof of her mouth as it touched hers, bringing her damp skin out in goosebumps as he pulled her close. ‘We party. You up for that?’

  She smiled too, running her hands up and down his strong, toned arms. ‘Yeah. I’m up for that.’

  Another kiss, another million flips of her stomach as his mouth moved against hers, warm and hard and beautiful.

  ‘India…’

  She shook her head, putting her fingers to his lips to silence him. ‘Strangers, remember? Tonight we don’t know each other, that’s what you said. Tonight we’re forgetting. Okay?’

  He nodded, letting his hand run down her back, resting it in that oh-so-sexy place at the very base of her spine. ‘Tonight, we’re forgetting.’

  She smiled again, taking him in her hand as she moved her mouth close to his. ‘But, before we go anywhere, handsome, I want to give you something that I don’t want you to forget.’

  And as she slowly sank to her knees, Dominic closed his eyes, stopped worrying about the future, and concentrated very hard on the fact that the most beautiful woman in Hollywood was about to take him to heaven and back. Again.

  ***

  ‘Jimmy called me, Kenny. Earlier tonight. He called me.’ Charley proceeded to tell Kenny what Jimmy had said, feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders just by being able to tell someone, because what he’d told her had all but terrified her. ‘What does he mean by that, Kenny? You all take care?’

  Kenny downed a large mouthful of beer, an urge to get completely wasted suddenly sounding like a really good idea, because, not only was this news something that he didn’t particularly want to have to deal with, but he knew that – right now – India and Dominic would be fucking each other senseless somewhere. He’d seen them, watched them, even from outside on the terrace. He’d seen them run off, hand-in-hand, laughing like kids on one hot prom date.

  ‘Kenny?’

  ‘Sorry, Charley… I was just thinking.’

  Charley looked at him. ‘About India?’

  Kenny sat back in his chair, pushing a hand through his black hair as he looked around at the people and the couples and the partying. Yeah, partying seemed like a really good idea right now.

  ‘It’s always about fucking India,’ Kenny sighed, sitting upright again as he caught sight of Dominic and India walking over to the bar, arms wrapped around each other. She leant into him as he smiled at the bartender, laughing at something Dominic said, and Kenny felt his stomach do that dip it always did whenever he saw her with somebody new. He’d never stop that from happening now, he knew that. He was just learning to live with it. He turned his attention back to Charley. ‘You should go home, Charley. You should go talk to Vince.’

  ‘What is there to talk about, Kenny?’

  ‘Jesus, Charley! Will you just go and fight for him? Huh? You’ve got something I would fucking kill for, do you know that? Okay, we made another stupid mistake, but this time it doesn’t have to mean the end of a relationship. Vince still loves you, and you still love him, don’t you?’

  She looked at Kenny, a little taken aback by his reaction. ‘Yeah. Of course I do.’

  ‘Then go home and start trying to make it work. Don’t make the same mistake I did all those years ago, Charley. Don’t let the only person you’ve ever really loved slip away, or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.’

  CHAPTER 38

  ‘So, you and Mr Movie Star. You back together or what?’ Bobby asked, brushing India’s long curls as she sat at her dressing table.

  ‘I suppose we are, yeah.’

  ‘And what about the proposal? Does he still want you to marry him?’

  ‘That’s not happening, Bobby. In fact, that’s never happening again. I am never, ever entering into another marriage. Not ever.’

  ‘Okay, okay, I was only asking. Probably wise, though, Princess. I mean, there are only so many wedding dresses one can wear in a lifetime.’

  She turned round and stuck her tongue out at him, grabbing her hair and pulling it back into a ponytail. ‘We’re taking everything one day at a time, Bobby.’

  ‘Does he know that, Angel?’

  ‘It’s me issuing the ultimatums now, thank you very much.’

  ‘Hmm, and no man would dare ignore that, would they?’

  ‘Not if they know what’s good for them, no,’ India smiled, getting up and kissing Bobby on the cheek. ‘Right. I’m off to see my dad.’

  ‘Do you want me to go see if they’ve got an appointment for you at Charley’s this afternoon? You’ll want to look your absolute best for the wrap party tonight, surely.’

  ‘Bobby, I’m the owner’s best friend. There’s always an appointment for me at Charley’s.’

  ‘Oh. Are you sure you don’t want me to go check? Just to be on the safe side?’

  India smiled at him, tucking her cell phone into the back pocket of her jeans. ‘Bobby, if you want to go check then go check. It’s entirely up to you. And don’t worry, I won’t tell Miguel.’

  Bobby looked at her, pursing his lips in a “trying not to look guilty and failing miserably” kind of way. ‘Why would it bother Miguel? I’m only going to Charley’s to make sure your appointment is sorted.’

  India smiled at him again. ‘Bobby, I know the only reason you want to go to Charley’s is to check out Antony.’

  ‘Antony?’ Bobby asked innocently, fanning himself with a handkerchief he’d pulled from his shirt pocket. ‘Who’s Antony? I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know anyone called Antony…’

  ‘Yeah, not much you don’t. Bobby, if Antony was straight I’d be after him myself so quit with the mock-innocent wide eyes and just go make sure he’s ready for my massage this afternoon.’ She winked at him. ‘And book one for yourself while you’re at it, okay? On me.’

  Bobby fanned himself faster, turning away and flouncing out of the room. India couldn’t help laughing. Despite Bobby and Miguel having a relationship most people would die for, Bobby’s philosophy was very much of the “just because you’ve chosen the main course doesn’t mean to say you have to stop checking out the menu” way of looking at things. And look he did – regularly. But he’d never touch. He loved Miguel far too much for that. He just liked a bit of window-shopping now and again. Who didn’t?

  Making her way downstairs and out of the villa, India made her way quickly along the palm-tree and flower-lined pathways that led to the main hotel, smiling as she walked. Things hadn’t exactly been straightforward here in Vegas, but then, were they ever? Nothing was ever simple in her life, and she should be used to that by now, but some of the things that had happened over the past few weeks – well, nobody could have predicted any of them, could they?

  ‘Hey, you ignoring me or something?’

  India looked up as someone stopped her in her tracks, and her smile grew wider as her eyes locked onto those incredible ice-blue eyes of Dominic MacDonald, looking handsome and sexy in jeans and a white shirt that showed off his tanned skin to perfection, his hair all tousled and messed-up. She felt the breath catch in her throat as she looked at him. ‘How in the world could I ever ignore you?’

  ‘Well, to be honest, India, you’ve had a damn good go in the past.’

  She put up no fight as he circled her waist with his arm, pulling her against him, closing her eyes as he kissed her gently. ‘Yeah, well, it’s been a bit of a crazy time, hasn’t it?’

  ‘That’s one way of p
utting it.’ Dominic stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, his expression changing slightly. ‘India… about what I asked you…’

  ‘Dominic, come on. I’ve told you how I feel about that.’

  ‘I know. I know you have, and I totally understand…’

  ‘Good. Because I’m not changing my mind. I want to be with you, okay? But if that’s not enough…’

  ‘It’s enough. It’s more than enough. It’s way more than enough,’ he smiled, and she returned it, kissing him back, lightly stroking the back of his neck as her lips moved against his. ‘It’s way, way more than enough.’

  ‘Okay. That’s sorted then.’

  ‘But, in the future…’

  She threw her head back and sighed, letting go of him. ‘The future is the future, Dominic, and I don’t have a bloody clue what it holds. I’m not even going to second guess it anymore, so let’s just take what we’ve got, run with it, and see where we end up, alright? Let’s just be spontaneous for a while.’

  He shoved his hands in his pockets, smiling at her. ‘Okay. I can do spontaneous.’

  ‘You sure? No more ultimatums? No more stressing that I’m going to run off with daddy?’

  ‘Are you?’

  ‘Am I what?’ India asked, checking her phone for messages.

  ‘Going to run off with my father.’

  She looked at him, sliding her phone back into her pocket. ‘No. I’m not. I’m just glad he’s okay, and I really hope he can make a go of things with Layla… Look, I’ve really got to go and talk to my dad…’

  ‘You’ve still not spoken to Reece since Michael’s heart attack?’

  India shook her head, desperate to get away before Dominic could start asking any more questions.

  ‘What’s the big secret, India? Come on, honey. If we’re gonna try and make this relationship work then I’m not sure I want secrets hanging over our heads.’

 

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