Rumors on the Red Carpet

by Carole Mortimer

  ‘Could we get a move on, do you think?’ Lucien snapped tersely, giving a pointed glance at his wristwatch. ‘I told Dex I’d be there in five minutes and it’s been over ten.’

  Cyn blinked at his vehemence. ‘Of course. Sorry.’

  She grimaced as she once again fell into step beside him, leaving Lucien feeling as if he had just delivered a kick to an already abused and defenceless animal.

  Not that he thought of Cyn as defenceless—she was too independent, too determined ever to be completely that. But he had no doubt that Miller’s real reason for inviting her to come to New York was going to upset her.

  It was hard to believe, considering the tension between them now, that the two of them had been making love just minutes ago—that he now knew Cyn’s body intimately, and exactly how to give her pleasure.

  On the plus side, his erection had got the message that the night of pleasure was over and had deflated back to normal proportions. Not that it would take much to revive his desire...just a sultry look from cobalt blue eyes, the merest touch of Cyn’s hand anywhere on his body. Which Lucien already knew wasn’t going to happen in the immediate future. If ever again.

  Another reason for Lucien to be displeased at Miller’s increasingly erratic behaviour. If he needed another reason. Which he didn’t. Forget the drugs and the affair with Simone Carew; the man was an out-and-out bastard for attempting to use Cyn as a shield for that affair. Not that the ruse had worked, but that didn’t excuse Miller’s callous behaviour towards a woman who had thought he was her friend. Or the fact that the other man had held Cyn so roughly the evening before he had succeeded in badly bruising her.

  And Cyn was annoyed with him, because he had fired Miller for blatant and continuous breach of contract!

  ‘Dex.’ He greeted the other man grimly as they turned a corner and he saw his bodyguard standing outside a door to the right of the hallway. ‘He’s in there?’ He nodded to the closed door.

  Dex scowled. ‘Yes.’

  ‘And has he quietened down?’

  ‘Some.’ Dex nodded grimly before shooting Cyn a frowning glance. ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea for Miss Hammond to go in with you. Miller is violent, and he’s also throwing out all sorts of accusations,’ he warned with a pointed glance at Lucien.

  ‘I’m going in,’ Cyn informed them both stubbornly.

  Lucien’s mouth tightened. ‘As you can see, Dex, Miss Hammond insists on accompanying me.’

  ‘It’s really not a good idea, Miss Hammond,’ Dex warned her gently.

  It was a gentleness Lucien hadn’t even known the other man was capable of. No doubt Dex found Cyn’s beauty and her air of fragility appealing—but the fragility was deceptive. There was a toughness beneath that fragile exterior that made Lucien think Cyn would be capable of stopping a Humber in its tracks if she chose to do so! Hopefully Dex was concerned in a fatherly sort of way, because Lucien knew he wouldn’t be at all happy with his bodyguard having a crush on the woman he—

  The woman he what...? Was falling in love with? Was already in love with?

  Now was hardly the time for Lucien to think about what he might or might not be feeling for Cyn. Damn it, they had met precisely three times now, and shared one evening together. Admittedly it had been the most enjoyable—and arousing!—evening Lucien had ever spent with a woman...

  The depth of his desire for Cyn was unprecedented—to the point that Lucien really had thought he was going to come just at the taste of her on his tongue.

  And for the early part of the evening she had believed him to have deliberately hidden her away in his apartment because he didn’t want to be seen in public with her. She may still believe that, for all he had denied it.

  Damn it, he should have tanned her backside earlier rather than making love to her!

  ‘I appreciate your concern, Dex.’ Thia answered the older man softly. ‘But Jonathan is my friend—’

  ‘No. He really isn’t,’ Lucien rasped harshly.

  ‘And I have every intention of speaking with him tonight,’ she continued firmly, at the same time giving Lucien a reproving frown.

  ‘I agree with Mr Steele,’ Dex murmured regretfully. ‘Mr Miller’s behaviour earlier was...out of control,’ he added.

  Thia had come to like and trust this man over the past couple of days—how could she not like and trust a man who had stood guard all night outside her bedroom in that awful hotel in order to ensure she came to no harm from any of the staff or other guests staying there? In fact she felt slightly guilty now, for thinking Dex looked like a thug the first time she had seen him. He might look tough, but she didn’t doubt there was a heart of gold under that hard exterior.

  And she valued his advice now—as she did Lucien’s. Although his scowling expression indicated he thought otherwise! She just didn’t feel she could abandon Jonathan when he so obviously needed all the friends he could get. She had no doubt that all those shallow people who had been all over Jonathan at those celebrity parties would drift away the moment they knew he had been dropped as the star of Network.

  ‘I appreciate your concern, Dex.’ She smiled her gratitude as she placed a hand lightly on his muscled forearm. ‘I really do.’

  ‘But she’s going to ignore it,’ Lucien said knowingly.

  Her smile faded as she turned to face him, knowing how displeased he was with her by the coldness in his eyes as he looked down the length of his nose at her, but unable to do anything about it.

  She accepted, despite that interruption to their lovemaking, that Lucien had become her lover this evening—was closer to her and now knew her more intimately than any other man ever had. But by the same token she had been friends with Jonathan for two years now, and she didn’t desert her friends. Especially when one of those friends was so obviously in trouble.

  She drew in a deep, steadying breath. ‘Yes, I’m afraid I am.’

  * * *

  Lucien had known she would. She had to be the most irritatingly stubborn woman he had ever known!

  As well as being the most beautiful—inside as well as out. And the funniest. Her comments were sometimes totally outrageous. She was also the sexiest woman Lucien had ever known. And definitely the most responsive!

  That in itself was such a turn-on—an aphrodisiac. Lucien was an accomplished lover, and had certainly never had any complaints about his sexual technique, his ability to bring a woman to climax, or in finding his own release. But with Cyn there had been no need for that measured and deliberate technique—just pure pleasure as, after her initial shyness, she had held absolutely nothing back and responded to his lightest touch, at the same time heightening his own pleasure and arousal.

  To such an extent that Lucien knew Cyn was fast becoming his own addiction...

  And yet here they were at loggerheads again, just minutes later—and over Jonathan Miller, of all people. A man Lucien didn’t consider as being good enough to lick Cyn’s boots, let alone to deserve her loyalty and friendship.

  ‘Fine,’ he bit out harshly before turning away. ‘You had better unlock the door and let us in, then, Dex. The sooner we get this over and done with the better for all of us,’ he added grimly.

  ‘Lucien...?’ Cyn prompted almost pleadingly.

  ‘You’ve made your decision, Cyn.’ He rounded on her angrily, hands clenching at his sides. ‘I only hope you don’t live to regret it. No, damn it, I know you’re going to regret it!’ He glared down at her.

  Thia had a sinking feeling she would too... Both Dex and Lucien seemed convinced of it, and she had no reason to distrust the opinion of either man.

  Yes, Jonathan had been less than a polite host since she’d arrived in New York—to the point where his behaviour the previous evening meant she’d had no choice but to move out of his apartment. She just couldn’t quite bring herself t
o turn her back on him if he needed a friend.

  Lucien followed Dex into the room, the two of them blocking her view of Jonathan until they moved aside and Thia finally saw him where he stood silhouetted against the darkness of the window. He looked a mess: his denims were covered in soil—from the pot plants he had thrown about the hotel reception?—his T-shirt was ragged and torn, but it was the bruises on his face and the cut over one eye that dismayed her the most.

  His lips curled back into a sneer as he saw the shocked expression on her face. ‘You should see the other guy!’

  ‘The “other guy” is at the hospital, having stitches put in the gash to the head he received when you smashed a lamp over him,’ Lucien rasped harshly.

  Jonathan turned that sneering expression onto the older man. ‘He shouldn’t have got in my way.’

  ‘Watch your mouth, Miller. Unless you want him to press charges for assault,’ Lucien warned grimly.

  Thia paled at the knowledge that Jonathan had attacked another man with a lamp, necessitating that man needing to go to the hospital for stitches. ‘You’re just making the situation worse, Jonathan—’

  ‘Exactly what are you doing here, Thia?’ Jonathan turned on her, eyeing her speculatively as he took in the whole of her appearance in one sweeping glance. ‘You look as if you just fell out of bed. Oh. My. God.’ He gave a harsh laugh as he turned that speculative gaze on Lucien and then back to Thia. ‘You just fell out of his bed! How priceless is that—’

  She winced. ‘Jonathan, don’t.’

  ‘Shut up, Miller,’ Lucien bit out coldly at the same time.

  ‘The prudish Thia Hammond and the almighty Lucien Steele!’ Jonathan ignored them both as he laughed all the harder at a joke obviously only he appreciated.

  Thia felt numb. Lucien was obviously icily furious. Dex remained stoically silent.

  Jonathan’s humour was so derisive and scathing Thia felt about two inches high—as he no doubt intended her to do. ‘You aren’t helping, Jonathan.’

  ‘I have nothing left to lose,’ he assured her scornfully as he gave a shake of his head. ‘You stupid little fool—don’t you know that he’s just using you to get back at me?’ He looked at Thia pityingly.

  ‘You’re the one who used her, Miller,’ Lucien scorned icily.

  Jonathan glared. ‘I tried to convince you that Thia and I were involved, yes. In the futile hope of getting you off my back. But what you’ve done tonight—seducing Thia—is ten times worse than anything I did!’ He gave a disgusted shake of his head before turning to Thia with accusing eyes. ‘Damn it, Thia, we actually dated for a while two years ago—until you made it obvious you weren’t interested in me in that way. And yet you only met Steele yesterday and already you’ve been to bed with him! Un-bloody-believable!’ He eyed her incredulously.

  When he put it like that it was pretty incredible, Thia acknowledged with an inner wince. Not that she and Lucien had completely consummated their lovemaking, but that was pure semantics. After the number of times Lucien had brought her to sobbing orgasm he was definitely her lover. A man, as Jonathan had just pointed out, she had only known for twenty-four hours...

  Lucien had heard enough—seen enough. Cyn’s face was tinged slightly green and she was swaying slightly, as if she was about to pass out! ‘I suggest we talk about this again tomorrow, Miller,’ he snapped icily. ‘When you’ve had a chance to...calm down.’ He eyed the other man disgustedly, knowing by Miller’s flushed cheeks and over-bright eyes that he was high on something—something he needed to sleep off overnight. Preferably with Dex keeping a sharp eye on him to ensure he didn’t take anything else.

  ‘You would no doubt prefer it if Thia didn’t hear all the sordid details?’ the younger man taunted.

  Lucien shrugged. ‘They’re your sordid details.’

  ‘Not all of them,’ Miller challenged. ‘Something I’m pretty sure you won’t have shared with Thia either.’

  Lucien’s mouth tightened. ‘Not only do your empty threats carry no weight with me, but they could be decidedly dangerous. To your future career,’ he added softly.

  ‘You don’t think Thia has a right to know that the real reason you’ve been trying to break my contract the last couple of months—the reason for your being with her tonight—is because I’ve been having an affair with the woman I seduced out of your bed?’

  ‘We both know that isn’t true, Miller.’ Lucien’s teeth were clenched so tightly his jaw ached.

  ‘Do we?’

  ‘Yes!’ he rasped. ‘Something I will discuss with you in more detail tomorrow,’ he added determinedly.

  ‘And will you also fill me in on all the juicy details of how you succeeded in seducing and deflowering the Virgin Queen?’ Miller came back tauntingly.

  ‘What the hell...?’ Lucien muttered.

  ‘It’s what I’ve always called Thia in my mind.’ The other man grinned unrepentantly.

  Lucien stilled as all thought of Miller’s accusations fled his mind. Barely breathing, he felt his heart pounding loudly in his chest as he gave Cyn a brief disbelieving glance—just long enough to show him that she had somehow managed to go even paler. Her cheeks were now paper-white.

  The Virgin Queen?

  Was it possible that on this subject at least Miller might be telling the truth and Cyn had been a virgin? Correction: she was still technically a virgin—despite the intensity of their lovemaking earlier.

  Had Lucien taken a virgin to his bed and not even known it? Would he only have realised it the moment he ripped through that delicate barrier?

  Lucien was the one who now felt nauseous. Sick to his stomach, in fact, at how close he had come to taking Cyn’s innocence without even realising until it was too late.

  Perhaps he should have known.

  He had noted that disingenuous air about her the first time they met. There had also been her shyness earlier, in regard to her own nudity as much as his. Her confusion when he had assured her he had a clean bill of health and her hesitant confirmation that she did too. And the glaringly obvious fact that Cyn wasn’t on any birth control.

  Because she was a virgin.

  Even during the wildness of his youth Lucien had never taken a virgin to his bed—had stayed well away from any female who looked as if she might still be one. A woman’s virginity was something to be valued—a gift—not something to be thrown away on a casual relationship, and Lucien had never felt enough for any of the women he had been involved with to want to take a relationship any further.

  What had Cyn been thinking earlier?

  Maybe she hadn’t been thinking at all? Lucien knew he certainly hadn’t. He had been too aroused, too caught up in the intensity of his desire for Cyn—of his growing addiction to her—to be able to connect up the dots of her behaviour and their conversation and realise exactly how innocent she was. As it was, he had been on the point of thrusting into her, of taking her innocence, when the ringtone of his mobile had interrupted them.

  Sweet, merciful heaven...!

  CHAPTER TEN

  ‘LUCIEN—’

  ‘Not now, Thia.’

  She almost had to run to keep up with Lucien’s much longer strides, and Jonathan’s mocking laughter followed them as they walked down the deserted marble hallway towards where the main lifts were situated, in the reception area of the hotel. The lifts Thia would need to use if she was returning to her suite on the tenth floor. Which it seemed she was about to do...

  ‘Is Dex going to stay with Jonathan tonight?’ Thia hadn’t been able to hear all the softly spoken conversation that had taken place between Lucien and Dex before Lucien had taken a firm hold of her arm and escorted her from the room, but she had gathered that Dex intended taking Jonathan out of the back entrance of the hotel and then driving him to his apartment.

 
Lucien nodded abruptly. ‘If only to make sure he stays out of trouble for the rest of the night.’

  She winced. ‘Is the drug thing really that bad?’

  ‘Yes,’ he answered grimly.

  Thia frowned. ‘Lucien, what did Jonathan mean? He seemed to be implying that there was a woman involved in your decision to fire him from Network?’

  Lucien turned to look down at her with icy silver eyes. ‘I don’t think that’s the conversation we should be having right now, Thia.’

  The fact that he kept calling her Thia in that icily clipped tone was far from reassuring... Not that she wasn’t totally aware of the reason for Lucien’s coldness. It was as if an arctic chill had taken over the room the moment Jonathan had so baldly announced her virginity. Lucien’s shocked reaction to that statement had been unmistakable. As if she had a disease, or something equally as unpleasant! Good grief, he had been a virgin himself once upon a time—many years ago now, no doubt, but still...

  ‘I don’t understand why you’re so annoyed.’ She frowned. ‘It’s my virginity, and as such I can choose to lose it when I damn well please. It’s no big deal.’

  ‘I’m guessing that’s why you’ve waited twenty-three years to even think about doing so?’

  Thia smarted at his scathing tone. ‘It isn’t the first time I’ve considered it—and that’s my bruised arm, Lucien!’ she complained, when his fingers tightly grasped the top of her arm as he came to a halt in the deserted hallway before swinging her round to face him.

  He released her as abruptly, glaring down at her, nostrils flaring as he breathed deeply. ‘What the hell were you thinking, Thia? What were you doing going alone to a man’s apartment at all?’

  ‘Accepting an invitation to dinner in a man’s apartment isn’t saying Here I am—take me to bed!’

  ‘It’s been my experience that that depends on the woman and her reasons for accepting the invitation.’