Life was good, almost too good.
Serge had a blockbuster show on his hands, two more in the works, money flowing in hand over fist, and a gorgeous woman in his bed. He had managed to keep his identity a secret from the rest of the contestants, keep his relationship with Kat between the two of them, and made sure Catch a King proceeded without the slightest hint of scandal.
He should be content, relaxed, satisfied.
Instead, he was sitting on the couch in the corner of his bedroom, watching the sun come up, struggling to understand the feeling of dread that had awoken him in the middle of the nig
ht. He didn’t do dread and had never let that ugly stepchild of fear affect his life or his decisions.
But here he was, awash in the unfamiliar feeling and losing sleep for the first time in fifteen years.
The first rays of daylight spilled through the twelfth-story window of his apartment, creeping onto the bed where they found the red hair spilled across his white pillowcases, setting it aflame. Kat was beautiful in the morning, her face soft and makeup-free. Another unfamiliar emotion washed over him as she shifted in her sleep and one small but perfectly shaped breast slipped from under the covers. Then she started to snore, a feminine snuffle that made him want to laugh every time he heard it.
You think her snoring is cute. You’re done for.
He vaulted from the couch, running anxious fingers though his hair, and turned to watch the city come to life. How many times had he stood here, looking out at Kingdom City, filled with the silent determination to do whatever it took to rise to the top? His goals had been clearly outlined, simple, and achievable.
But now…
“You’re up early. Couldn’t sleep?” Her voice was husky, sexy, sleepy, and enough to make his cock thicken before he even turned around.
“I couldn’t seem to quit thinking,” he said, telling her the truth without thinking twice about it. The tension in his chest built, making it hard to draw a long breath. When had intimacy grown so easy and the thought of hiding from Kat so hard?
“I told you not to eat the entire box of truffles. Too much caffeine.”
“I had to keep my energy up.”
“I think you’re addicted to Quinn truffles.” Grinning, she propped up on one elbow, letting the sheet slip down to her waist, baring her breasts. “Do your friends know you have a womanly love for chocolate?”
“No, and I’m trusting you to keep my secret.” He returned her smile, unable to help himself. Even in the midst of the anxiety that plagued him this morning, he couldn’t look at that grin and be unaffected. Katarina was beautiful no matter what expression graced her face, but when she smiled, she was enough to make a man sell his soul.
“And what if I don’t? Will I be punished?” Her grin turned wicked as she crawled from beneath the covers to the edge of the bed. “I hope not, since my wrists are still sore.”
“Say it isn’t so,” he said, taking her wrists in his hands and lifting each to his mouth for a kiss. They were a bit chafed, but he knew she wasn’t in pain and that she loved the games they played together.
He’d never come as hard as he had with Kat, never felt like his entire being would dissolve from the strength of his passion. If he was addicted to anything…
Well, it certainly wasn’t chocolates.
“I’m fine, I just have sensitive skin.” She looped her arms around his neck and hugged him closer, until her bare skin was pressed against his chest and his erection threatened to burst through his thin pajama pants.
“Why did you put these on?” She tugged at the tie at his waist, easing the pants down over his throbbing cock. “You knew we’d just be taking them off again.”
“I was standing at the window.”
“Worried about Peeping Toms?” She kissed a trail down his chest, over his stomach and further down until he felt her breath hot against his shaft. “I thought you enjoyed the thrill of possible discovery.”
He groaned at the memory her words inspired. “That’s only when I’m having sex.”
They’d had sex in the shower at the gym, the dressing room at his favorite clothing store, and she’d given him a blowjob in the garden of one of the castles they’d visited on a shoot. He had never been into risking getting caught before, but with Kat it made him insanely hot.
“And only when I’m having sex with you,” he added softly.
“Because I’m your girl?” She followed the words with a swirl of her tongue across the head of his cock.
“Yes, because you’re my girl.” The words were affectionate, but the hand he fisted in her hair wasn’t gentle. “Now open your mouth.”
“Why?” She teased him, licking up his shaft before he tightened his grip at the base of her neck.