37
Corey glanced next to him. It probably wasn’t the time or the place, but his girl’s silky smooth skin was calling him. He dropped his head, pressing his lips against the soft hollow where Taran’s neck and shoulder met.
“Mmm,” she hummed, which was evil because it enticed him to do something that he shouldn’t do here.
“How do you feel about beard burn on the red carpet?” Even as he asked the question, his lips moved along the smooth skin.
She pushed him back with a chuckle. “Bad, I feel bad about that.”
He groaned. “You just look so fucking hot, chipmunk.”
Her gown was off the shoulders, and her hair was pinned up so her satin skin was on full display. He traced her collarbone and dipped into the sweetheart neckline of her dress. She shivered, and that constant pull of desire that Taran brought out surged deep in his gut.
“And your legs in those heels.” He groaned, loving how the blue fabric parted, showing off legs he wanted to uncross and wrap around his waist. “You’re killing me.”
“We can leave as soon as you accept your mother’s lifetime achievement award, and I promise to make it worth the wait.” Her mint-green eyes sparkled with dirty promise.
“God, I love you,” he said.
It had been two weeks since she came to his apartment with the contract he’d sent her. Taran had agreed to help him write the book and find the balance of letting the public in and keeping his boundaries. He had complete faith in her.
Unfortunately, Hot Shots felt very strongly that if he was telling his story and wanted it to come off in the right light, he needed to step up and accept his mother’s lifetime achievement award at the Tonys. But he wasn’t doing it without Taran beside him.
“I love you too. But we’re going to shock the press and probably most of the world when we step out of the limo together. Let’s not make it worse by looking like we were fooling around on the drive over.” Her eyebrow shot up.
“Fine,” he pouted and sat back against the leather seat, but he rested his hand on her bare thigh. There was something about the grounding assurance he felt when she was right there with him that gave him the strength he needed to push through this night. And the warmth of her against his palm did that. It kept him grounded in this moment with her.
“We’re officially on deck.” The driver’s voice came through the intercom.
“You’re sure about this, right, Cor?” Taran asked.
“No, I absolutely don’t want to accept this award, but Sean says I have to.” Corey cracked his neck.
“No.” The concern in her voice had him turning even as the car moved forward. “I meant about bringing me. Are you ready for this story?”
He shifted to face her, resting his palm around her jaw. As he stared into her green eyes, he saw his whole world. “Chipmunk, it’s more than a story. It’s the start of our life together, and I’m a hundred percent sure of us.”
Her smile set his heart on fire, and the door beside him opened. Corey stepped out, turning back to grab her hand. Because with Taran beside him, the flashing lights and calling questions didn’t matter.