Page 36 of The Prince's Game
From the look on the crew’s faces, this was not part of the plan. It wasn’t what I had in mind either.
“You want to take a walk?”Instead of going upstairs and taking off our clothes?
“I do.” Evan’s brown eyes brimmed with a devilish charm that could tempt an angel to fall. “There’s a path behind the hotel that runs along the Mississippi. Want to walk with me?”
“Uh, yeah, sure.”Awkward foreplay, but okay.
One of the crewmen pulled out a phone and walked out of hearing range, while the other followed closely with a camera. I tried to ignore them, but the bright light in the dark night was intrusive. “So I’m thinking we can have a movie night later this week. At my house.”
“Your house?”
“Yeah, tonight’s our last night in the hotel.” The cameraman stumbled at his words, an indication that Evan was not supposed to be telling me this. “That’s why I thought a walk might be nice. Tomorrow we’ll be out in the country. I love New Orleans, but I’m looking forward to being home and surrounded by oak trees. You like creepy things; wait until you see them all with the Spanish moss. It’s gorgeous.”
We reached the path he was talking about, the other crewman running up behind us with the spiky-haired director hot on his heels.Great.
“So what do you think about the movie night?” Evan asked.
“If it gives me a chance to properly introduce you to horror films, I’m in.”
His grin was extra bright thanks to the cameras. “We can have it in your room since you’ll be just down the hall from me. Assuming you accept the key I plan to offer you.” Paul beamed at this, the opposite reaction to my confusion.
“Another key?”
“It’s a theme.” He stopped and pulled me close. “You are all moving in tomorrow. Two of those rooms are in my wing of the house, and I want you to stay in one of them. Accepting the key grants you access to my personal quarters of the house.” He tucked a strand behind my ear and palmed my cheek. “Would you like that, Sarah?”
I would prefer the key to his bedroom, but staying near him worked, too. “Yes.”
“I hoped you’d say that.” He cradled my face between his palms. Thatlookwas in his eyes again, the one that told me I was seconds from being devoured. A girl could get lost in that stare. It carried an allure that made me want to stay frozen in this moment forever, with him. This pull went deeper than lust, and I wasn’t sure I had it in me to care. I wanted him, and not just in my bed.
His lips touched mine, slow and steady. Passion brimmed on the surface, flooding my veins with anticipation. Butterflies overwhelmed my abdomen as if this was our first kiss. Every time felt like the first time, something I couldn’t wrap my head around. I should be used to him by now, expecting what he would do and getting a little bored by it. But his lips were heaven against mine, coaxing a fervent response I couldn’t contain.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, closing the gap between our bodies as he deepened the kiss. His tongue deserved to be worshiped. So much skill should not exist in one man’s mouth. The heat in my belly went lower, readying me for more. We were moving faster than I usually liked, but I needed as much from him as I could get in the short time we had together. It was the only way to get him out of my blood. I could spend a lifetime craving more from this man.
His hands were in my hair, holding me to him as he delved deeper. The wine from dinner was thick on my tongue, warming me down to my toes. I was about to let my hands wander when Paul whispered something about angles to the cameraman. Lost in our embrace, I forgot about the crew. Now that I remembered their presence, my body tensed, something Evan felt.
He eased away with a gentle kiss before resting his forehead against mine. We stared at each other like that, saying so much with our eyes that couldn’t be said out loud. Not in front of others. Getting the hint, the cameras shut off.
19
The Director’s In Charge Now
“It’s about fucking time, man,” Paul muttered and turned to the crew. “That dancing scene from Bourbon Street will need more screen time, too, and we’ll need to redo some of the hotel scenes to enhance their chemistry. Especially that office scene.”
“Got it,” said one of the techies.
“You’re going to need a wardrobe change before we continue filming.” Paul was looking at me when he said it.
“Uh, it’s almost midnight. My only wardrobe-changing plans are to put on pajamas and go to bed.”Preferably in Evan’s arms again.
“Oh no, we have too much time to make up here.” He poked Evan’s shoulder. “You’ve been holding out on me. I wasn’t sure how to handle you dismissing Leanne ahead of schedule or insisting on the graveyard date, but now I can see the real you. All those other kisses were shit compared to what you just did with Sarah. I need more ofthisEvan”—another poke—“for this series to sell.”
He turned to another crew member. “Grab Amber and put her in that dress from their date. Get Tiffany and Kristin, too. And Georgiana. We’re redoing everything.”
Evan faced the director and folded his arms. “I have no interest in redoing that scene or any others. They’re fine as is.”
“Look, Evan, sex sells, and so far, all I have on film is a bunch of virginal shit no one is going to want to watch. That kiss you just landed on her is what I wanted the first night of filming. You’ve been holding out on me, and it stops now.”
I was starting to hate this guy.
