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CHAPTER1
PEYTON
My phone vibrating on the nightstand woke me with a gasp. My head jerked up, and I groaned as I tried to open my eyes; it felt as if my lids were sandpaper scraping against them.
I was dizzy and nauseous, almost like the feeling of being on an upside-down roller coaster. The room was dark, but I could see bits of sunshine peeking through the hotel curtains. Reaching for my phone, I hissed when the edge of the nightstand scraped against my arm. Ultimately, I knocked my cell onto the floor, only to hear it continue to vibrate.
My mouth was dry, and I had a horrible hangover, thanks to all the lemon shots at the Labyrinth. I needed to remind myself never to do that again. However, it was fun at the time. The vodka had gone down nice and smooth.
The only thing giving me a small reprieve was warm silky sheets against my bare skin, but even that couldn’t distract me from how miserable I felt. I might’ve been drunk last night, but at least I remembered the ceremony.
I never thought a last-minute Vegas chapel wedding would’ve been romantic, but it was. Especially the part where my brother said his vows to my best friend, Reagan. All our friends were in attendance, which made the evening even better. Our parents, unfortunately, might have some choice words to say when they find out.
The phone call I just ignored was likely from either my agent or my mother. I had no doubt the story had already leaked onto the internet. That was the price for being in the public eye. And it wasn’t just me that had to worry about the paparazzi. All my friends were well-known in the entertainment world, and just this week, six of them won their UFC matches here in Vegas.
Getting a bunch of MMA fighters together, mixed with alcohol, was a surefire way of drawing attention. However, even without them, I couldn’t go anywhere without the paparazzi skulking somewhere around the corner. That was my life. There wasn’t such a thing as having an off day; I had to beontwenty-four-seven. It was exhausting. There were days I just wanted to beme, not the Hollywood starlet I’d been labeled as.
Burying my face in the pillow, I squeezed my eyes shut and froze. There was a familiar scent on the sheets, a particular cologne that I recognized all too well. Visions of the events last night replayed in my mind. First, there was the party at the Labyrinth, the wedding, and then . . .
Holding my breath, I slowly turned my head, my eyes landing on the man next to me. His dark hair was in disarray, and he was on his back with an arm behind his head. When my focus landed on his lips, I bit my own, remembering what it felt like to have him kiss me and stare down at me with his ocean blue eyes. Holy shit. What the hell have I done? Hopefully, I could sneak out and get back to my room unnoticed.
Not only was Ethan Jameson four years older than me, but he was Emma’s twin brother. So much could go wrong if word about what we did last night got out. It was reckless and stupid of me to fall for his charms, but I’d wanted to give in for some time now. The alcohol just helped give me an excuse.
I’d always wondered what it’d be like to be with him, to feel his protective fighter arms around me. Ethan wasn’t the polished Hollywood actor type I spent my days and nights with on film sets. Oh no, he was far from it. Ethan Jameson was an MMA fighter, skilled and dangerous in the ring, and loved by everyone—primarily women. If the paparazzi were to see us together, it’d ruin everything. Out of all the celebrities I’ve worked with, none of them have had long-lasting relationships. They’ve always been torn apart by the tabloids. I didn’t want that to happen with Ethan.
We had our fun-filled one-night stand, but that was it. It had to be. The night had quelled my need for him. Who was I kidding? Even as I thought that my insides ached to feel him inside of me again. My body yearned for him more now than before.
Slowly, I slid out of bed, wanting desperately not to wake Ethan up. If I could avoid the awkward morning-after spiel, that’d be good. My dress and heels were on the floor, so I scooped them up with my phone and purse. The only thing missing was my damn underwear.
I scanned the floor, but couldn’t find them. Great.
Fumbling with my phone, I looked down to see I had several missed calls from my agent, Marisa. I just hoped the paparazzi didn’t get photos of Ethan and me together. I might’ve been a little drunk walking along the Sin City strip with my friends, but I was careful. I’d spent most of my life knowing to expect the unexpected. There was always going to be someone around the corner trying to catch me in some kind of scandal.
As soon as I slipped into my dress, I tiptoed to the door, cringing every time my ankle creaked. It'd never been the same since I sprained it as a kid. There might as well have been a horn blaring with how loud it was.
I didn’t want to look back at Ethan, so I focused on the door. I was almost there, just a few more steps. Reaching for the handle, I held my breath and latched on, praying that the light from the hallway wouldn’t beam in and wake Ethan up. I could hear my heartbeat in my ear and feel it pulsing in my throat as the lock slid free.
I opened the door just a tad.
Almost home free.
I could do this.
“Sneaking out on me, Peyton?” Ethan murmured, his voice right by my ear.
Grabbing my chest, I let out an audible gasp and jerked around, my pulse making my head pound even harder. I slammed my back into the door, and it shut with a loud thud that I knew echoed down the hallway. My heart thundered so hard in my chest I thought it would break my sternum.
“Dammit, Ethan, you scared the shit out of me,” I huffed, sliding my hands down to my stomach. He caged me in and smirked. It took all I had not to look down at his gloriously naked body.
“I’m waiting for the answer to my question. Are you sneaking out on me?”
I rolled my eyes. “No. I’m going back to my room. Our fun is over.”
His gaze moved down to my lips. “Says who? I seem to remember us having alotof fun last night.”
I stood my ground, determined not to let him persuade me back into bed. I had to get out of his room undetected, but with how loud the door slammed, I had no doubt it’d caught the attention of the occupants in the nearby rooms. “And we did, but as I said, it’s over,” I reiterated. “It was a one-night thing. Drunk or not, I remember us making that decision.”
Ethan chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right.”
