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Play it cool, Reagan. After all, he’s just a man. He puts his pants on in the morning one leg at a time, just like everyone else.
Yeah. She’d just thought of Declan without his pants on. And that just sent her pulse throbbing.
The moment he turned around to face her once more, that sexy gaze meeting hers, her heart tripped over itself. She brought the glass back to her lips and took a healthy drink, smiling nervously when she found him watching her intently.
“Nervous?” he asked with a raise of his sexy eyebrow.
How can an eyebrow be so damn sexy?
“Thirsty,” she answered. “It’s hot. Here. In Vegas.” Oh God. Could she sound any dumber? She wasn’t out hiking through the desert—she was in an air-conditioned room in a giant hotel.
“Indeed it is,” Declan said, his voice laced with amusement. “Where are you from?”
“Los Angeles.”
“Ah, me too.” Of course. He was an actor, for God’s sake. “It can get fairly hot there too, don’t you think?”
“But this is a much…drier heat.” That they were talking about the weather was totally lame, right? God, she sounded like a complete ninny who didn’t know how to make small talk. “I’ve never been here before.”
“You haven’t?” He looked surprised. “But it’s kind of close.”
She shrugged. “I’ve been busy with school and now work. I don’t get much time off.”
“What do you do?” His question was polite, the tone of his voice almost…bored? Oh no, she’d blown it. He was losing interest because she was babbling like an idiot and talking about the weather.
“I’m an ER nurse.” She finished off her glass of wine, not even worried if he thought she was some sort of lush or whatever. He hadn’t ordered an alcoholic drink and she remembered reading something years ago about him being a total partier. Maybe he’d change
d his ways?
“Really? Now, that’s fascinating.” And he sounded sincere. He even moved closer to her, his head dropping, his mouth near her ear. “I just got a new role for a movie, and I’m playing a doctor.”
“Oh?” She tried her best to repress the shiver that stole over her at his closeness, but it was no use. And she had a feeling he noticed, what with the sly smile that curved his perfect lips.
Perfectly kissable lips.
He stayed close to her, as if he didn’t want anyone to overhear their conversation. “Yeah, this role is my comeback, my first serious role I’ve ever taken on. The doctor I play is a recovering addict who’s tempted by all that surrounds him at the hospital. Pills, women, violence. The man has serious problems and he’s trying his best to overcome them.”
“Sounds interesting,” Reagan said, tilting her head toward him. If he moved just an inch more toward her, she bet his mouth would be brushing her earlobe.
“It is. The role both pushes my limits yet is something I’ve suffered from as well.” He laughed, sounding a bit embarrassed. “I probably shouldn’t have admitted that.”
She loved that he’d admitted that. “We all have our problems.”
“Yeah.” He smiled ruefully. “Just some of us haven’t had them splashed all over the gossip magazines and websites for all the world to see.”
Right. She recalled seeing a few unflattering photos of him coming out of a club, looking a little worse for wear. And that one particular incident when he threw a photographer’s camera on the ground and smashed it to bits. “That was a long time ago, though, right?”
“I hit rock bottom. Sometimes that’s what it takes to make your life turn completely around.” He rubbed his hand along his jaw, and she could hear the rasp of stubble as he brushed it with his palm. She wondered what that face would feel like pressed against hers. Or maybe rubbing against her inner thighs…
“I’ve spent some time at local hospitals recently, hanging out in their ER,” Declan continued as he stepped away from her. Disappointment flooded her at the loss, which was borderline ridiculous. “And I’ve seen some crazy shit.”
She laughed. “That’s a mild way of putting it.”
“I bet you have some fascinating stories.”
“I’ve seen my share of crazy.” She brought her glass up to her lips, realized it was empty and felt like an idiot. How she wished she had something to do with her hands. All she could think about was reaching out and touching him. He’d probably freak, though. Push her away. How many women did he have to push away on a daily basis? He was so handsome. He seemed very charming. Sweet. Sexy. She liked how he looked at her as if no one else mattered.
A lot.
