The Actor Read Online Free Page A

She should make herself free from his arms,
she really should, but her will was weak and she relaxed.
    Leaning her
head against him just for a moment couldn’t be all that sinful.
    He was there,
solid and strong, and she was more tired than ever before.
    Marc held her
closer.
    “I know it’s
late, but don’t fall asleep.”
    The driver
looked back at them.
    “You two going
somewhere or are you just sitting there?”
    Marc handed him
a couple of bills.
    “Take us to a
nice jazz club with food. I owe the lady dinner.”
    I don’t like
jazz.
    The words never
left her tongue. Sitting so close to him, with those arms she’d dreamed of so
many times wrapped around her, made both thinking and talking difficult. He ran
a hand over her hair in a gesture much more gentle than she expected.
    “You’re still
awake, right?”
    “Sure…”
    Did he say
dinner? Who eats at one in the morning?
    She wanted to
stay in the taxi and sleep curled up to Marc. Forever would be good, or at
least until the end of her natural life. Giving him her heart was the worst
idea ever, but how was any woman supposed to resist him?
    The thought
disappeared into dreams, and she woke from his fingers caressing her cheek.
    How could she
sleep snuggled up to her idol? Well, his idol status was a bit jagged at the
edges, but she still adored him. Strange time for a nap.
    “Wake up,
beautiful.”
    The car idled
outside a club.
    I don’t want
to walk anywhere.
    Marc smiled and
sounded as if he could read her mind.
    “You’re going
in there, even if I have to carry you.”
    “I’m coming,
I’m coming…”
    They got a table
at once. Someone else probably had to wait.
    A waiter pushed
a menu in her hands, but it didn’t make any sense at all. It took a few long
moments to realize it wasn’t because of her; it was in French. Marc stared at
his and tossed it over his shoulder.
    “Useless. Do
you like fish?”
    She nodded and
listened with half an ear as he talked to their server. Surely, she must have a
deer-in-the-headlights look in her eyes. At least the music wouldn’t let her
fall asleep...
    Not until the
food arrived and Laura tasted it did she realize how hungry she was.
    “Wow, this is
really good.”
    “It is.”
    Eating helped
Marc sober up even more, and he fell into his most charming persona. It was
impossible not to listen to him, and she heard herself laugh at his jokes even
when she didn’t want to. Damned man doing this to her when she tried so hard
not to care for him.
    Once the food
was gone, he leaned back in the chair and waved to a waiter. Laura watched him
slip the man a bill, and a few moments later, the band played another type of
song, less syncopated and easier for her to follow.
    Marc winked and
held his hand out.
    “Come on,
beautiful, time to dance.”
    It was
impossible not to be seduced when he held her, doing his darndest to impress
her.
    He was right;
she did have the night of her life and the sky was getting brighter when they strolled
towards the hotel, arm in arm. Her feet ached, but that wasn’t important.
    Please don’t
let this night end. It would be so great if it could go on forever, just a tiny
miracle so I can keep him a little longer.
    A little longer might not do it. She didn’t want him to go away, ever. This might only
be an illusion of the man she wanted, it could be just another role he played,
but that didn’t seem important.
    Marc stopped a
few steps away from the entrance. He turned towards her and ran his fingers over
her cheek.
    “You’re a
beautiful, intelligent, and funny lady, and I want you very much. I’ll call you
a taxi if you really want one, but…”
    The butterflies
in her stomach just wouldn’t settle. She wanted him too, of course, had always
wanted him, and he had been so close, touching her all day and through the
night. Fought for her, even. How much was one girl supposed to handle?
    “Really? So what
are you going to do about it?”
    He laughed
softly and pulled her