The Price of Fame. Anne Oliver

dry still-tingly lips. ‘Is he still watching, do you think?’

      That kiss-me-I’m-gorgeous smile continued playing around his mouth as he toyed with the button on her jacket, knuckles grazing her chest, eyes locked on hers. ‘Does it matter?’

      Her nipples tightened beneath his barely there touch and the corner of her mouth curved up. ‘No.’ Not one iota. Right now it so didn’t matter. Give Stalker Man something to gawk at and enjoy herself at the same time, right? Meanwhile, the pest would get the message, find someone else to harass and she’d be free to reclaim her anonymity. All perfectly public and safe.

      ‘Nic.’ She rose up on tiptoe and planted her lips on his. Not tentatively this time. Winding her arms around his neck, fingers playing with the tips of his silky hair, surprised and amazed that she could let herself and her inhibitions fly away so easily.

      Nic’s wasn’t the smooth, close-shaven jaw she was accustomed to and the unfamiliar masculine texture tickled her chin, sending reverberations all through her body.

      Which hadn’t happened in a really long time.

      Her mouth softened and parted without any help on her part. He swallowed her sigh and quickly took the lead, his tongue sliding against hers as he shifted closer, his hands sliding over her bottom, tucking her against him. Outrageously intimate and a long way from publicly acceptable.

      She didn’t know and she didn’t care how long they stood there, locked together until she heard a man mutter, ‘Get a room,’ as he trudged by.

      Nic broke away; his head came up. ‘Sounds like good advice.’ His voice sounded a little hoarse and husky. He slid her glasses back on her face, then picked up his bag, hefted it onto his shoulder. ‘Let’s go.’

      ‘Wait …’

      He glanced back at her and Charlotte saw that his eyes had changed. Not just amused now, but … surprised? As if she wasn’t what he’d expected. And hungry, as if he’d like to devour her at the first opportunity. A delicious little shiver shimmied down her spine.

      She looked about at the passengers already swarming over the sky bridge towards the hotel. A curious mix of disappointment and relief threaded through her system. ‘Looks like we might already be too late.’

      Grinning, he caught her hand. ‘Then it’s lucky I booked a room earlier.’

      CHAPTER TWO

      LUCKY for him, she decided when they arrived in the congested lobby. Because now she thought about it—rationally—no way was she going with him to his room, no matter how expert a kisser he was. She’d filled her quota of daring, uncharacteristic behaviour for … oh, the next ten years or so.

      ‘Wait here,’ he told her as they entered. And as if the crowd parted for him, he made his way to the desk and spoke to one of the busy staff. But Charlotte shuffled to the end of the queue. There had to be something still available.

      He returned moments later holding a couple of swipe cards. ‘Okay, we’re set.’

      She shook her head. ‘Thanks for everything, but I want to book my own room.’

      Quirking an eyebrow, he grinned. ‘You don’t trust me after all we’ve shared?’

      And that was the thing, wasn’t it? She’d shared all that with a stranger. ‘So why did you kiss me?’ she murmured as the crowd milled around them.

      He grinned. ‘You can ask me that when you called me honey pie?’

      There was that. ‘You could’ve just stopped at “get lost”…’

      His grin vanished. ‘I don’t like bullies.’ He shrugged but she saw the tension in his shoulders. ‘I just reacted.’

      And she knew right then that he’d had firsthand experience with harassment. Something in his own past had triggered his Good Samaritan act. ‘Thank you,’ she said quietly.

      ‘If I—’

      ‘Please don’t apologise.’ I enjoyed every memorable mind-numbing second.

      ‘Why would I apologise?’ The grin was back. ‘I’m not the least bit sorry. Are you?’

      Not at all. But it was over. ‘Thanks for your help but I still want to get my own room.’

      ‘With this crowd?’ He shook his head. ‘There’s someone I want you to meet.’ He guided her to the business side of the desk, a light hand at her back. ‘Kerry, this is …?’

      ‘Charlotte.’

      ‘Charlotte.’ He said her name like a caress, his eyes lingering on hers as he said, ‘Is there anything you can do for my friend here?’

      Kerry, an attractive blonde with cornflower-blue eyes, barely looked up, her fingers busy on her keyboard. ‘Sorry, Charlotte, we’re fully booked. But Nic spoke with me and we’re happy for you to share at no extra cost.’

      Their earlier performance played in front of Charlotte’s eyes like some hot romance movie. A public kiss was one thing, sharing a room with a guy she knew next to nothing about was something else, no matter how chivalrous he seemed. ‘It’s okay.’ She tightened the grip on her bag and prepared for a long evening ahead. ‘I’ll buy a book or magazine and find somewhere else to wait.’

      Kerry flicked Nic a look, then motioned Charlotte aside. ‘My partner, Steve, and I have known Nic for years. He’s an okay guy. You’ve got the chance to spend the next twelve hours or so in comfort; I’d take it if I were you.’

      Charlotte nodded. ‘Thanks, anyway.’

      ‘Your decision.’ Kerry inclined her head. ‘Excuse me …’ She was already moving away to deal with a woman who had one hysterical child attached to her leg.

      ‘Look, you take the room.’ Nic pushed a swipe card into her hand. ‘I’ll use the gym, catch up on some work at the business centre, then chill out in the terminal. I’ll let you know when they’re flying again.’

      ‘Oh, no. That’s very generous but I can’t accept.’ It just wouldn’t be right. ‘I’ll wait in the terminal.’

      He frowned towards the lobby’s entrance. ‘What if our friend turns up again? The jerk’s persistent enough. And sneaky enough.’

      Charlotte’s skin crawled and she couldn’t help glancing towards the crowded entrance. ‘Then I’ll just come clean with him and maybe he’ll leave me alone. About that … I should probably explain …’

      ‘But you don’t want to. And that’s okay, I don’t need to know your business. Here’s what we’ll do.’ He curled his hands around her upper arms. ‘We’ll check into the room together, then I’ll park my stuff and leave you to it. Okay?’

      There was an openness and honesty in those dark eyes. So attractive, so alluring. And something she hadn’t seen since that last time her father had kissed her goodbye and called her his princess. Right before her family had climbed aboard the doomed helicopter …

      Her father had been the one man she’d always been able to count on. To trust. Somehow she imagined Dad would approve of Nic. That he’d tell her she could trust him too.

      She nodded once, but for the life of her she couldn’t make her voice work.

      ‘Right, then, that’s settled.’ He took charge of her bag and they walked towards the elevators.

      They didn’t speak in the crowded lift. Nor as they walked down the dim, thickly silent corridor to their room. Nic swiped his card in the slot, motioned her through, then followed with their hand luggage.

      The clouds had rolled away, leaving a hard blue sky. Blinding late afternoon sunshine flooded in, reflecting off the distant tarmac where scores of stranded aircraft waited for the ash