Page 20 of Hold Me Closer
I eye her sideways. "Has anyone ever told you that you're terrifying?"
"Yep." She beams at me. "All the time, buddy. All the freaking time."
I nod, not really surprised. It's honestly impressive how she fits so much attitude into such a little package. Then again, Nadia is the same way.
Fucking hell.Nadia.
If she isn't already mad as hell at me, she's going to be furious when she finds out about those photos. Emelia may think she'll be easy to convince, but my publicist doesn't know her like I do. Once Nadia makes her mind up, nothing changes it.
I've got six years of radio silence to prove it.
Chapter Five
Nadia
"Morning, sweetheart," Mom says,far too early the next morning. "Are you and Zoya on the way to the studio?"
"Not yet." I groan, stretching my arms over my head. "We're getting a late start. Someone decided we needed to drink vodka after the show last night."
My mom laughs quietly. "She gets that from your father."
"Clearly. The stuff is terrible."
"Are you hungover?"
"A little." I scowl as Zoya goes sailing past my bedroom, already fully dressed and far too chipper. "Apparently, she's not. She's already up and dressed."
Mom laughs again. "You two are having fun then?"
"Yeah." I roll out of bed, stumbling a little as my head throbs. Crap. It's going to be a long day. "I'm really glad she's here."
"I wish we were there too. We miss you, sweetheart."
My heart pulses, my throat closing up. "I miss you too, Mom. So freaking much."
"Are you doing okay?"
No.Not after last night.
"I saw him last night," I whisper, clutching the phone tight. "Teo."
"Oh," my mom whispers softly. "Did you run into him?"
"No. Um, he came to my show."
"Oh." I hear the surprise in her voice.
I barely slept last night because of him. Every time I closed my eyes, I remembered the way his lips felt against mine. It felt like I was seventeen again, being kissed by him for the first time. Only, there was a whole lot more raw hunger to this kiss than there was back then, as if we've both been starving for another taste all these years.
He was my whole world for seventeen years. I waited for that kiss back then for so damn long. For about five minutes, it was perfect. And then the whole thing fell apart. I didn't need a reminder of how much I miss him, of how I've never gotten overhim. And that's exactly what this kiss did. I've been starving for him for six years.
And I'm mad as hell that he kissed me and brought that hunger into screaming focus all over again. I'm mad as hell at myself for kissing him back. Mostly, I'm mad as hell that I let him hurt me again. If he doesn't want to be seen in pictures with me, he should stay away. Then his little groupies will never have to know that I even exist. Problem freaking solved.
I hate the jealousy burning in my chest at the thought of him with football groupies. He can sleep with whoever he wants. He isn't mine anymore.
So…why do I still feel like his? Why have I always felt that way?
It's infuriating!
