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  Guy moved his head back, with his lips tightly enclosing her flesh until it was pulled free and popped out of his mouth. He switched back over to her other breast, taking that nipple deeply into his mouth. Dahlia’s

  eyes were closed tight as she concentrated on the pleasure sweeping through her.

  Dahlia couldn’t begin to fathom how she’d gotten into the position of lying on her back, the leather seat reclined until it was completely prone. Guy was propped above her as he continued to suck and then lick each hard nipple. He then slid into the seat with her, easing his body against hers and dropping his hands down to the waistband of her jeans as he worked to get the garment undone. She called his name, hesitancy ringing in her tone. “Guy, please...”

  Guy hummed against her flesh. “Shh! It’s okay,” he said, his tone patient and soothing. Dahlia’s gaze moved to the silver cover that blocked her view of the movie screen and the movie that was playing in the background. Soft music oozed from the speakers; nothing else was discernible. She drew her hands across the back of his head, her fingertips grazing his soft dreads. She closed her eyes, and waves of pleasure began to heat every nerve ending.

  “I can’t...” Dahlia whispered softly.

  “Just let me touch you, please,” Guy begged as he slipped his fingers into the opening of her pants and let them lightly slip over her silk panties. He moved his mouth back to her mouth and kissed her feverishly.

  Dahlia grabbed his hand, stalling his search. It took every ounce of her fortitude to resist the impulse to throw caution to the wind and give in to his seduction. She grabbed his hand and pushed hard against his chest, drawing her knee up between them. Both were gasping heavily as Guy slid back over the center console and fell back into his own seat, one hand cupping the bulge that had bloomed hard between his legs. He swiped his other hand across his face, removing the rise of sweat that beaded his brow. Dahlia took a deep breath and then a second as she snatched her clothes from the car floor, fighting to get back into her bra.

  “I’m sorry,” Guy said suddenly, brushing a hand over his bare chest. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  She shook her head as she rebuttoned her blouse. Her voice came in a hushed whisper, her cheeks burning red from embarrassment. “You don’t have to apologize. We both got carried away.”

  He reached for her hand and held it, squeezing her fingers tightly between his own. “I just...” He stopped, meeting her stare. “I want to make love to you, Dahlia. And I think you want to make love to me, too. But it shouldn’t happen like this. You deserve better than the front seat of my car.”

  “Even if it is a luxury Jaguar?” Dahlia said teasingly, desperate to ease the rise of tension between the two of them.

  Guy laughed. He leaned back over to kiss her cheek. “Baby, you don’t deserve anything but the very best! The next time I’ll drive the Rolls.”

  Chapter 13

  Like a love-struck puppy Zahara eyed Guy with eager anticipation. They’d had a full week on set together and it seemed obvious to everyone except Guy that Zahara was quite smitten. Even Dahlia had taken note of the woman’s obvious interest in him.

  Since their encounter at the movies there had been an awkward tension between them. Dahlia purposely avoided Guy if it didn’t have anything to do with the film. And the film had been as good an excuse as any to keep him at bay. Dahlia acted as though she was too busy with business to entertain the prospect of any kind of a good time.

  Guy hadn’t pushed, confused about what was happening between the two of them. But he missed her and the easy time they enjoyed sharing with each other, and with nothing else on his mind but Dahlia, he wasn’t paying the likes of Zahara Ginolfi an ounce of attention.

  As she eased her way to Guy’s side, he couldn’t help but think that she was becoming a bit of a nuisance.

  “So, what’s on your mind?” Zahara questioned, one hand brushing against his chest as she looped her other through his arm. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for ten minutes now and you’ve been ignoring me.”

  Guy smiled sweetly. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t trying to be rude. I just have a lot on my mind.”

  “So, I see. Anything a girl can help you out with?” She flipped her dark locks over her shoulder.

  Guy pulled his arm from hers, pretending to stretch his body. He crossed both arms back over his chest, locking his palms beneath his underarms. “No, thanks, but I appreciate your concern, Zahara.”

  She took a step closer to him, pressing her body close to his. “It’s the least a girl can do,” she said as she peered up into his eyes. “I was thinking,” she continuted coyly, her voice dropping an octave. “I was thinking that it would be good for the movie if you and I were spotted out together. Some free publicity for the film. Fuel the headlines, so to speak.” She gyrated her pelvis against his. “We could make it fun while we’re at it,” she whispered.

  Guy felt his manhood twitch ever so slightly at her touch, then falter like a flame beneath a cold breeze. She blew warm breath into his face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “It could be a lot of fun,” she said with a raised eyebrow, apparently noticing his hesitation.

  Guy took a step back as he pulled her arms from his neck. He continued to smile sweetly. “You’re bad, woman! But I can’t do that,” he said.

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m in a relationship,” he said, the words flying out of his mouth before he could catch them.

  Zahara eyed him suspiciously. “With who? I was told you’re not dating anyone.”

  Guy shrugged. It was on the tip of his tongue to call Dahlia’s name, but he instinctively knew that to do so would put a wedge between them that he didn’t need to go up against. He couldn’t call Dahlia’s name until Dahlia was ready for their relationship to be public. And Dahlia certainly wasn’t ready because they hadn’t yet defined what their relationship was. He suddenly realized that there was much the two of them needed to discuss, and soon.

  “No one you know,” he said aloud, the little white lie rolling off his tongue.

  Zahara reached for her requisite cigarette, holding it between her fingers. “Is she in the business?”

  Guy smiled. “You ask a lot of questions.”

  “You’re not gay, are you?” Zahara asked, her eyes narrowing as she tapped the cigarette in the center of her palm. “She’s not a he, is she?”

  He rolled his eyes, ignoring her question.

  “So why won’t you tell me who she is?”

  “She’s someone very special, and we’d like to keep our personal life personal.”

  “Well, if you’re off the market I know a few women who are going to be completely heartbroken,” Zahara mused.

  “I hardly think so,” he said, chuckling softly.

  Zahara pressed her thin frame against him one last time. “I know so,” she said, her voice dropping deeply. “But if you change your mind, I’m always available,” she concluded too eagerly.

  Guy nodded, winking his eye as he eased himself away from the woman. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, still laughing.

  “Do you have a light?” Zahara asked, gesturing with the unlit cigarette she’d been holding on to.

  He shook his head. “Woman, you know you can’t smoke in here.”

  Across the room Dahlia eyed the two of them curiously. Just like a man, Guy seemed to be enamored with the attention that Zahara was tossing in his direction. So much so that Dahlia suddenly found herself bristling with jealous indignation. She took a deep breath as Zahara kissed his cheek then eased out of the room.

  She paused, standing like stone in order to not to draw his attention. She watched as Guy looked around the space to see if anyone might have been watching before turning his attention back to his cell phone. Dahlia was suddenly reflective, thinking that
maybe she’d been right to hold off taking their relationship to the next level.

  * * *

  They’d made plans to talk over dinner, and Dahlia was eager to welcome Guy into her home. But Guy looked frustrated as Dahlia opened her front door to greet him. As he eased inside, frustration gave way to irritation and discord washed over his face. His cell phone was pressed to his ear, tucked between his head and his shoulder as he maneuvered an armful of grocery bags.

  Dahlia’s moved to help him with his packages, curiosity painting her expression as she eavesdropped on his conversation.

  “Really,” Guy said unenthusiastically. “I appreciate the invitation. I really do, but I just can’t make it tonight.” He stopped talking to listen, his eyes rolling around and around as he took in what was being said to him. “Maybe another time,” he offered.

  After dropping the bags against the granite counters he leaned in to kiss Dahlia’s cheek, his eyes still widened in annoyance as he continued to navigate his phone call.

  “I really have to go, but again, I appreciate you calling.” Guy paused to listen. He let out an exasperated sigh. “That’s my other line, Zahara. I will talk to you later,” he said as he finally disconnected the call.

  He then slid his phone across the counter and tossed his hands up in exasperation. “Sheesh! That woman is persistent.”

  Dahlia laughed. “Zahara giving you a hard time?”

  “I could take a hard time. What I can’t take is pushy and aggressive. Today alone I had to tell her no a half-dozen times, and she still isn’t taking the hint.”

  “What did she want?”

  “To meet for dinner. I told her that tonight wasn’t a good night. And I had to tell her more than once.”

  “I warned you that Zahara can be eager when she wants something. It looks like she wants you.”

  “Well, I don’t have anything for her.”

  “You sure about that?”

  Guy eyed her curiously, noting a hint of something he didn’t recognize in her voice. “Are you jealous, Ms. Morrow?”

  “No, of course not,” Dahlia answered, shifting her gaze from his.

  Guy leaned against the counter, his arms crossing over his chest. “You sound jealous.”

  Dahlia rolled her eyes, refusing to acknowledge the emotion that had painted her spirit. Despite Guy being able to read her like a book, she refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing that his flirtatious nature was an issue for her.

  Guy laughed, pulling her into his arms. He kissed her cheek warmly. “My baby is jealous!” he teased.

  Dahlia laughed again. “Be nice. I can’t afford for you and my leading lady to fall out with each other.”

  “What you can’t afford is for your man to be more interested in dining with an obnoxious superstar than cooking a five-course meal for you.”

  “Five courses?”

  “Give or take two or three,” Guy said.

  “Hmm. That sounds exciting. So, what are you cooking?”

  “Spaghetti.”

  Dahlia shook her head. “That’s more like give or take four courses.”

  “I was going to make dessert, too,” Guy said, a wide smile filling his face.

  “You’re funny!”

  He leaned to kiss her again, his lips touching hers gently. “That’s why you and I get along so well. You have a sense of humor.”

  “Well, I have some work I need to do. I’ll be in my office.”

  “You’re not going to help me cook dinner?”

  “Nope!”

  Guy leaned back against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest. “That’s another reason why you like me. You’d starve if I wasn’t around.”

  “No, I wouldn’t,” Dahlia said as she moved toward the door.

  Guy tossed up his hands one last time. “Humor me, woman! Don’t you know how to stroke a man’s ego?”

  As she moved out of the space, Dahlia laughed heartily and Guy laughed with her.

  An hour later or so, he called Dahlia’s name as he put the finishing touches on her dining room table, setting two places for their evening meal. When Dahlia didn’t answer, he headed toward the other end of the house.

  Inside her office Dahlia was reclined against the chenille sofa, her legs resting on a cushioned ottoman. Her head was tossed back against a plush pillow, her mouth opened slightly as she snored softly. The papers she’d been reviewing had slipped to the floor, and from what Guy could ascertain she’d probably fallen asleep within minutes of sitting down.

  Easing into the room he took the seat beside her, perching himself on the edge of the sofa. He pulled at the lacings that tied her Grecian sandals, then eased them off her feet. He smiled as she snuggled down into the cushions, stretching and curling her pedicured toes. She purred softly and then muttered under her breath, “Thank you. That feels goods.”

  “Glad to be of service. How tired are you?”

  Dahlia took a deep breath. “Very. But I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

  “I’m sorry I woke you. You need to rest better,” Guy intoned.

  “I have too much to do. I’ll rest when it all gets done.”

  Guy moved to the other end of the small sofa as he guided her legs onto the cushions. He rested her feet in his lap and began to massage the soles, his thumb and forefinger deliberately pressing the stress and tension from her body. Dahlia’s eyes were still closed, but her head swayed slightly with pleasure.

  Guy cleared his throat. “This afternoon I told Zahara that I couldn’t go out with her because I was in a relationship,” he said, cutting his eye toward Dahlia as he waited for her reaction.

  He felt her tense up, the muscles tightening through her calves. He continued, still kneading and stroking her limbs gently. “I didn’t mention your name, Dahlia, but I wanted to. I wanted her to know that you and I are in a relationship. I want everyone to know how I feel about you.”

  Her eyes still closed, Dahlia took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling. There was a moment of awkward silence as Guy waited for her to acknowledge his comment. Dahlia could feel him staring, sensed him eyeing her intently. She opened her eyes to meet his gaze, staring just as attentively.

  “How do you feel about me?” Dahlia asked, her voice a low whisper.

  Guy paused, his eyes skating from hers. “I...well...I...” he stammered nervously then broke out into a sheepish grin.

  Nodding her head, Dahlia smiled. “I haven’t had a lot of success with relationships, Guy. I’m sure you’ve heard.”

  “You were never in a relationship with me.”

  “So that’s the secret to success...being with you?”

  “I think so.”

  Her own grin was a mile wide as she nodded her head. “And you want to go public with our relationship?”

  “I don’t want to hide the fact that we are making a commitment to each other. I want everyone to know that you are officially off the market, completely devoted to me and happy,” Guy said.

  He made Dahlia laugh, and the hearty sound pleasantly filled the room. “That works both ways, I hope.”

  “Of course. I want people to know I’m happy, too.”

  “And off the market!”

  “I don’t know about all that now,” Guy said teasingly.

  Dahlia laughed again. “I do. You are officially off the market, Guy Boudreaux.”

  Guy grinned widely. “Thank you, Gahlia!”

  Dahlia groaned. “The media is going to have a field day with that one,” she said.

  “Wait until we have that baby! That’s really going to send them over the edge.”

  “What baby?” Dahlia asked, her eyes narrowing sharply.

  Guy went back to caressing her feet and toes, ignoring her question.r />
  “What baby?” she asked a second time.

  Guy laughed. “We don’t have to worry about it until after the wedding, of course, but every celebrity couple has a baby. We, of course, will have the celebrity baby of all babies! Think how cute the little thing is going to be!”

  “But it would be a little baby, not a little thing, Guy.” A warm smile filled her face. “You are so crazy,” she said.

  “Let me take care of that, please. I’ve got the baby thing under control.”

  “Except that I would be the one who would have to get pregnant, remember?”

  Guy laughed. “A technicality.” He suddenly turned serious. “Have you ever thought about having kids, Dahlia? I mean, is that something you would want to do at some point? Be a wife and mother? And in that order ’cause my mother would have a fit if we did it any other way.”

  She paused, staring off at a spot behind his head as she pondered his question. She had thought about a family and a future with a man who’d be the father to her children. And she’d thought about it more since meeting Guy than she had ever before. The sudden realization that she wanted it more than she could have ever imagined swept over her spirit. It was in that moment that Dahlia knew beyond any doubts that nothing was ever going to be the same for the two of them again.

  “Dahlia?” Guy caressed her gently, anxiously awaiting her response.

  She turned her gaze back to meet his, a sweet bend to her mouth warming her expression. As she nodded her head, Dahlia’s smile brightened. “Yes, I have thought about it, Guy. And, yes, I do want to have kids some day and be a wife and mother.” She paused again. “But there’s one more thing....” She paused. “I only want those things with you, Guy Boudreaux.”