Every step of his, I took two, awkwardly skipping by his side, closer and closer to Creep. I wanted to close my eyes, but morbidly, I couldn"t look away.

Creep turned sharply, stabbing his plastic key into a lock and pressing frantically on the door handle.

He wasn"t fast enough.

David tapped him on the shoulder, and never letting go of me, ploughed his fist right into his face. "Don"t hara.s.s another woman who says no, you f.u.c.ker."

I winced as the crunch of a broken nose and the wet splatter of blood sprayed across David"s dressing gown.

"Ow, you motherf.u.c.ker!" Creep swung up, his eyes watering with pain. The fist swung in my direction. I squeaked, burrowing into David"s chest.

The strike never connected.

The stomach curdling sound of another fist hitting home sent Creep from consciousness to dream world. He sprawled in a suit-tangled pile at David"s naked feet.

Oh, my G.o.d.

"What did you do?" I breathed, looking frantically up and down the corridor. "Hotel security will have seen that. We better go."

Squirming again, I said, "Let me go."

His grip tightened, then released-his large arm draping off my shoulders, leaving me feeling tiny and cold without his immense strength and heat. "Stay."

Stay? Like a well-trained poodle?

No chance.

What other choice do you have? Stroll nonchalant to the lift and ask reception for a spare key? What if I came across Creep Number Two?

While my brain charged after useless thoughts, David stooped down, pinched the key card laying beside his unconscious victim, and inserted it smoothly and unhurriedly into the lock.

The light turned green, and he opened the door, backing in and keeping it wide with the aid of his foot.

With an effortless yank, he pulled Creep"s body inside and left him in a crumbled heap.

I stared at the b.l.o.o.d.y man on the floor as the closing door hid him from view. "Don"t you think we should tell someone what happened? He might need a doctor."

David didn"t reply.

Instead, he checked the door was locked, then in a flash grabbed my wrist with extremely long and exceptionally powerful fingers.

"Hey!" I tugged on his hold. "Let me go."

All thoughts of thanking him for his help flew out of my mind. What the h.e.l.l was he doing?

He c.o.c.ked his head. "I"ve seen a lot of women in various states of undress this morning, but none as fine as you."

I narrowed my eyes at his messy blond hair and the five o" clock shadow bristling on his jaw. His eyes were rich-a blue that seemed depthless-like a puddle that led to h.e.l.lish temptation. "I appreciate what you did for me and for playing along, but I need you to let go."

"No."

"No?" My heart bounced uselessly around in my chest. "What do you mean no?"

He scowled, striding down the corridor, further and further from my room. "I mean exactly that. No, I will not let you go."

s.h.i.t.

I looked over my shoulder, willing another Good Samaritan to appear from the emergency exit and save me. This d.a.m.n underwear. Never again. I would stick to tatty t-shirts and torn shorts.

"You can"t do this."

He just kept walking, carting me away as if I were a balloon drifting demurely behind him.

Slowing, he pulled a key card from his pocket and slotted it into the reader. The instant the green light flashed, I snapped. Twisting in his grip, I used the element of surprise to break away and bolt.

"f.u.c.k," he muttered. The soft footfalls of his steps gave chase. I didn"t get far.

In a second, he caught me, yanking me to a stop and clamping his large hands on my shoulders. "Stop, will you?"

Breathing hard, I struggled in his hold. "Just because you saved me from that guy, you think you can get what he was after?"

His lips pursed, leaning over me until his face was mere inches from mine. "No, I"m not a f.u.c.king c.u.n.t like he was."

I stopped breathing as ferocity rippled around him. I preferred it when that anger was directed at someone else. Taking a deep breath, I tried to stay calm. "What do you want then?"

His thumbs moved, tracing circles on my shoulders where he held me. "Do you want a truthful answer or a lie?"

I froze. What sort of response was that?

He watched me as if he could see past my smoke and mirrors. Did he sense I wished I had more of what he did? More of his confidence? His commanding control?

What does he want?

"The truth. Give me the truth."

One hand fell from my shoulders, moving upward to sweep the messy hair that"d flopped over his forehead. His other thumb never stopped its ceaseless torment of caressing circles. "First, you can answer some of my questions. Then I"ll decide if you deserve the truth."

I swallowed hard as he inched closer, his bare legs flashing beneath the wrap of his robe.

Oh, G.o.d. Was he naked under that thing?

Dropping his voice from angry to alluring, he murmured, "Where exactly were you running off to in your-I must admit-s.e.xy as f.u.c.k underwear?" The corner of his lips twitched, showing a side I hadn"t seen. A side that had the potential potency to sweep the world from under my feet and deliver me into corruption.

"Fire alarm," I breathed. Clearing my throat, I tried again. "You know-the loud shrieking noise that promised our imminent doom if we didn"t flee the building?"

His lips twitched a little more. "I heard it. And I get that part." His eyes trailed from mine to my cleavage, a steely glint entering their blue depths. "What I was asking was, why are you practically naked?"

My mind went blank, eyes landing on the hotel emblem on his robe.

He followed my attention, his voice dropping to gravel. "It was hanging on the back of the bathroom door. I"m guessing every room has one." The intense interest in his gaze pinned me to the floor. "Either you didn"t see it, or decided against it. In which case, that leads me to believe two things about you."

My heart stole all my energy with its over beating thrum. "Really? And what"s that?"

He smiled lopsidedly. It transformed his face from scary fighter to charming seducer. "That you"re either un.o.bservant or secretly wanted men to look. Wanted to see how badly they"d react to a f.u.c.king gorgeous woman when blatantly faced with nipples as tight as yours and a p.u.s.s.y as inviting as the one hidden behind that ridiculous lace."

My breath caught at such crude conversation. It flowed from his mouth like aged port, reeking of time-mellowed barbarianism.

He licked his lips, running his hand expertly from my shoulder to the nape of my neck. His fingers closed around the base of my spine, keeping me in place, sending shockwaves of need right to my toes.

I"d never been held like that and never by a complete stranger. I"d never been talked to that way or watched like I was delicious prey. And I certainly never thought I"d stand by and permit it.

The urge to scream wasn"t there. The instinct to run mysteriously absent. He"d tied me up with mystery and s.e.x appeal.

When I didn"t respond, he murmured, "Which is it? Innocent or temptress?" The muscles in his neck tensed as he swallowed, giving away a flicker of knowledge that his words were weapons, but I wasn"t the only one turned on.

What did he hide beneath that robe? How affected was he standing so close to me with no one around and no rules to obey.

My mouth opened but no sound came out.

He tightened his hold on my neck, moving me closer until my body pressed against his. "Want to know what I think?"

I bit my lip as something hard and most definitely male pressed against my lower belly.

"I think you"re completely clueless. You have no idea what you"re doing, or how you look dressed like that. You"re more afraid of yourself and what others think of you than how much danger you could invite being dressed like an untouchable wh.o.r.e."

Fire flashed through my system. "I am not a wh.o.r.e."

He nodded. "I know that; I"ve figured you out."

No, you haven"t.

His eyes gleamed; a pink tongue ran over his bottom lip. "You ran from your room when the alarm woke you up, probably more focussed on your belongings rather than safety or dress code. You bolted without thinking of taking your key, and now have the dilemma of being stranded with no way of hiding and trapped by a man who has no self-control, decency, or the pretence of being a gentleman."

I should"ve been scared, terrified-but instead, I felt exposed and desperate for more of his insight. He read me so well. I couldn"t permit that with my new world. I couldn"t let others see past my projection and guess what a fraud I was.

"What gave me away?" I honestly wanted to know. For some reason, I lost the sense of danger and sought his help to hide the things I wanted to keep hidden.

His eyebrow rose. "What?"

Looking into his deep blue gaze, I said, "You were right. About everything. How did you know?"

He chuckled-the sound existed between sin and seduction. "Okay..." His fingers ma.s.saged the back of my neck, drawing me back a little to look at my b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "This is how I knew. You don"t have storage for a key, and as perfect as your t.i.ts are, I don"t see a key card stuffed between them." He smirked. "You wear uncertainty like a perfume, you move as if you"re only just getting used to being a woman, and you"re scared s.h.i.tless of being seen."

Leaning closer, he whispered, "I smell it on you. The doubt. The lack of confidence."

My heart broke. "Really?"

s.h.i.t, everything I thought I"d achieved in the past few days came toppling down in lies. How did I land the lead role if I"d been so transparent?

His fingers released me, dropping from my neck and leaving me bereft. He nodded. "It"s a gift. I sense others" weaknesses." Lowering his voice, he added, "I catalogue them, so I can use them against my opponent. No one is what they seem."

He"d shown my biggest fear. The terror that I would get to Hollywood and someone would point and expose me. That my dreams of living other characters" lives and not having to confront mine would explode in my face.

Something fierce and hot glowed in his eyes. "By the way, my name isn"t David."

The switch of topics slammed me back to reality. I laughed quietly. "It was the only name I could think of at the time." Suddenly wishing for the protection of the magazine I"d thrown at Creep, I added, "My name"s not Lace."

"Pity, it would"ve been rather convenient if it had." His gaze narrowed, temper etching his face. His voice turned husky and dark. "It suits you, though. That lacey bra is doing my f.u.c.king head in." He ran a hand through his hair again, trying to tame the mess of blond. "You can"t see past your issues, but I can a.s.sure you, you have more power than you think."

Something sparked and tingled in my belly. It was beneath me to fish for compliments, but after what"d happened, I needed to hear something good.

"What power?"

He made a guttural noise in the back of his throat. "f.u.c.k, woman. You might be naive, but you"re not stupid. Do you want me to describe the affect you and your barely usable lace is having on me, or would you rather see evidence?" His hands shot to the white belt wrapped around his hips. "After all, fair"s fair. I see you. I should return the favour."

I gulped.

Oh, my G.o.d. He was naked under that thing.

The image of his muscular body being on display, along with the tantalising guess of whatever equipment he had between his legs, stole my breath.

Slowly, his fingers undid the knot, never taking his eyes from mine. "What"s it going to be, Lace?"

"You"re naked beneath that?" I didn"t mean it as a question, more of a statement. I didn"t need a response-it was obvious with the way the material tented out where the hardness I"d felt hung like an unsheathed sword.

"You already know the answer to that," he murmured.

Dammit, did he have to be so intoxicating? I should"ve fetched my key and been coc.o.o.ned in the safety of my room by now. I shouldn"t be talking to a complete stranger who admitted he found me...s.e.xy.

He finds me s.e.xy.

He was right. That was power. Delicious power. Exhilarating power.

I drank him in-taking in the arrogant way he stood with his legs slightly apart and hands ready to pull aside his robe. Cuts marred his knuckles, intermingled with yellowing bruises, and there was a faint swelling beneath his left eye.

In the fluffy robe, he looked like a wolf in sheep"s clothing. No older than late twenties, he seethed with restrained energy and savagery. The s.e.xual glint in his blue eyes was the final touch to a man who was dangerous, capricious, and so far out of my league he might as well have fallen from the stars.

I took a stumbling step backward. "I"ll take your word for it. I don"t need to see."

If I do, I have no idea what sort of woman I will become.

He paused for a moment, his nostrils flaring as if sniffing my lie. Slowly, he retied the belt.

Taking a few steps backward, he leaned against the opposite wall, creating a chasm between us.

His lips pressed together as he blatantly drank me in, doing nothing to disguise the l.u.s.t glowing on his face. "You haven"t run from me yet, so I take that my honesty isn"t freaking you out." He lowered his head, watching me from beneath his brow. "Here"s another truth for you, Lace. You"ve got a f.u.c.king killer body. Curves in the right places-muscle where it"s needed. I want to touch every inch and see if you feel as good as you look."

s.h.i.t, I was in serious trouble.