“Benefit,” she corrected. “Singular. Just tonight—no more.”
“That works for me,” he said. “I’ve got a lot going on, too. I like this… communicating.”
He leaned even closer. He was now only inches away. Every nerve in her body was reaching for him, aching to feel his skin on hers. Marley put her hand on his chest, stopping him from closing the gap between them. She resisted the urge to stroke him under that designer shirt. “I mean it. This can only beone time. Not more. I am in no way looking for a relationship right now. Especially with a movie star.”
He gulped, then nodded. “I’m also not really… in the right place for a relationship now.”
Marley swallowed. Maybe getting this… attraction out of their system with open communication could mean they could move on. Maybe even be friends again one day. “I mentioned I’m going through some stuff right now… I would love to turn it all off for a night.”
“It would be my absolute pleasure to distract you.” He came even closer and ran his hand up her thigh, which caused a full-body shiver and warmed her core. She could feel his breath on her cheek. Her lips were tingling, primed and ready to feel his on hers.
But he didn’t kiss her. He just looked at her, his expression pure leading man.
“I’m staying at this hotel,” he whispered. “That room upstairs where we talked in the bathroom. Give me about fifteen minutes’ head start to make sure the studio people are all gone, then come up. Nine oh seven.”
Good idea. “I’ll go to the drugstore.”
He nodded, then stood, then stared at her for a moment. Intense. When he smiled, it was all Nikhil. “I’ll get the dinner bill. See you soon.” He left the bar.
Marley bought some snacks and a box of condoms from the drugstore near the hotel. She didn’t want to think too much about what she was about to do… mostly because she didn’t want to change her mind. And she didn’t want to overthink it. Just like Shayne and Ruby said, Marley deserved this last hurrah with this body.
At exactly fifteen minutes after they’d separated, she headed back to the ninth floor and knocked on the door of room 907.
Nikhil opened it, and Marley slipped inside before anyone saw her. And then she just stood in the entryway, looking at him.
He was so gorgeous. Still in the deep-violet shirt she’d picked for his interview and slim black pants. He’d taken off his shoes, his hair was pulled back, and his gray socks had red on the toes. Yeah, he’d grown in the last ten years, but the face was the same.HerNikhil.
“I… um…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I know… I mean, we were a little chaotic down in the bar. I totallyunderstand if you want to change your mind. No hard feelings… We can just, you know, Netflix and chill or something.”
Marley frowned. “Do youwantto Netflix and chill?” she asked.
He chuckled. “No. I just don’t want you to regret this again.”
Marley smiled and took a step toward him, kicking off her shoes. “Idon’tregret prom night. I wish we had handled things better after, but I haveneverregretted you,” she said. Clearly, he was getting deep in his own head again. She put her hands behind his neck, stroking the soft skin there. It felt so good to have him close. She watched his eyes hood as his lips quirked up in a smile before she pulled him in for a kiss.
There. That was exactly what Marley needed. His mouth. Soft, sensual, and immediately taking over. Wiping all the thoughts she didn’t want to be having from her head with one sweep of his tongue against hers.
They kissed softly like that for a long time. Exploratory. Marley would have thought that with all the sexual tension down at the bar and in the press junket earlier, this would be more urgent. Hurried. But Nikhil wasn’t the same horny teenager he was before. He was controlled now. And so, so powerful. Marley ran her hands over that broad chest, marveling at the firm smoothness beneath her fingers.
He pulled back a moment. “Come here,” he said, guiding her toward the bed. She tossed the drugstore bag and her purse on the dresser. After he sat on the luxurious white duvet, she sat on his lap sideways, loving the strength of his thighs under her. They kissed again. His hands were in the hair at the back of her head, and her arms were around his shoulders. Marley didn’t think. She just felt… everything. He was so sexy. Total leading-man material.
His mouth moved down her neck, leaving open-mouthed kisses down to the collar of her blouse. She shivered while his hands grazed her top button. “May I?” he asked.
She nodded. She wanted him to just tear it off her, but she could be patient. One by one, Nikhil flicked open the pearl buttons of her gray silk blouse, revealing her white lace La Perla bra. He whistled low. “Did you wear this expecting someone would see it?”
Marley frowned. “No. This is an everyday bra.”
He looked up at her, grinning. “Youalwayswear sexy lace bras? Like, all the time?”
“Usually. I like to wear quality clothes.”
“Well.” He grinned. “If you like expensive things touching you, I’m delighted to let you know I am now very, very expensive.” He ran his fingers ever so lightly over the delicate lace. “This is beautiful, but I think the point is to enjoy what’s inside, right?”
Marley laughed as she reached behind her and unclipped her bra.
She honestly never expected this would happen… that someone would see her naked (other than a doctor or nurse) before surgery.
And the fact that it was Nikhil wasperfect. Sheknewhim. Their expectations were the same. They’d get this out of their system now with open communication like mature adults; then she’d have her surgery, and he’d go off to Hollywood to be a movie star. Every time Marley saw a movie poster or an action figure of him, she’d probably turn bright red and remember the feeling of his hands on her body. One day she’d tell her nieces and nephews about her torrid one-night stand with a superhero. Two one-night stands, technically.
