Page 54 of Uncharted Desires

“Yeah. Something about being lost on an island has been rather inspiring.” His deep voice reverberated in his chest and warmed Kat’s body.

“That means you’re going to forget the acting then?”

He was silent for what felt like an eternity. “Nice try, sweetheart.”

Kat pulled away, moving across the veranda, annoyed with his answer. “So, you write a new song, but won’t do anything with it? I don’t get it. Acting just seems so superficial for you.”

Was she purposefully picking a fight with him?

Most likely. He was breaking down all her defenses, and her heart was becoming a puddled mess in his hands. If they crossed the line tonight there would be no going back for her. He would own her, body and soul.

A corner of West’s mouth quirked up, and Kat backed up farther into the room, feeling her pulse pounding with fear, or maybe it was something else, as his gaze bore into her. He pushed away from the column and moved toward her slowly and deliberately, like a panther stalking its prey.

She felt rooted to the spot and couldn’t move, even if she wanted to. In just a few short strides, he reached her. He leaned in close until his breath tickled her ear.

“Kat, what the hell are you so afraid of?” His voice was low and intimate, sending shivers down her spine. He saw right through her, and Kat hated him for it.

Wrestling out of his grip, Kat walked across the room. “Me? You’re asking me what I’m afraid of?” She let out a sardonic laugh. “How about you? You’re going to take the easier route simply because you can. God forbid you take a chance on yourself, on others in this infernal industry. You have a chance to make a change in alternative music, but you’re too worried about your bottom line, about your cushy lifestyle, about failure. It would be a shame if you couldn’t get into those rich-kid clubs anymore.”

It was a low blow; she knew it, but she had to put distance between them. Kat turned away from him, placing her hands on the dresser in front of her, willing the stinging in her eyes to go away. She wanted him to be more than he was. Deep down she had continued to hope that if he was willing to do the right thing and stand for something in the music industry, maybe he’d change in other ways too. Ways involving his love life. Ways, dare she think it, involving her. The wishful thinking was stupid on her part.

A firm hand turned her around and pushed her back into the dresser, his heat and powerful body igniting all her nerve endings.

“Fine,” West ground out, anger and something else glowing in his eyes. “You want me to start an indie label? I’ll do it, and guess who my first signed artist will be?”

Kat glared at him, both hating and loving the feel of him.

He tipped her chin up. “Take a guess, Kat.”

“I don’t know,” she said more breathlessly than she wanted.

“You.” He dipped his head, and his tongue blazed a scorching trail from her collarbone to behind her ear. Her body betrayed her with a shudder.

“I don’t want it,” she said through clenched teeth.

He bit her earlobe, and she turned her head away. His teeth raked up her neck.

“Now who’s scared?”

“I’m not scared. You’re not even serious, you’re just trying to bait me. You won’t do it. That would require giving a fuck about anyone besides yourself.”

He let out a guttural sound that sent a shiver through her, his powerful arms lifting her off the ground with a single movement. Kat yelped in surprise as West held her close to his body, their faces inches apart in the pale moonlight.

“Oh, trust me when I say I give a fuck,” West said, pinning her against his body and the wall, his face shadowed. “I give such a fuck that all I’ve been able to think about is you. About your smile. About your laugh. About how much you care for everyone else over yourself. About what you taste like, and what you’ll feel like coming apart on my cock, the sounds you’ll make as I push that pussy to its breaking point.”

Kat’s head spun. She was supposed to be mad at him, not falling to pieces in his arms with her legs wrapped around him, her panties wetter than if she’d just jumped in a swimming pool.

He pushed his arousal against her. “You feel that, sweetheart? You do that to me and trust me, it wouldn’t do that if I didn’t give a fuck.”

“I’m the only woman you’ve seen for days,” Kat reminded him.

“Dammit, Kat.” West spun her around, laying her down on the bed. “At some point, you’re going to have to trust me. God willing, I hope that moment is now because I’m about to take all your clothes off and fuck you until the only name you can remember is mine.”

Kat searched his face for any hint that he was just using her, but all she could see was the same intensity and passion that had been building up in her for days. “I trust you,” she whispered.

His lips crashed into hers, claiming her with a kiss like no other. Their tongues intertwined, tangling together as West explored her body with his hands. All conscious thought faded away, and Kat allowed herself to be swept away in his passionate embrace.

West pulled back, lifting her shirt over her head. She winced at the pain in her arm.