Alpha Billionaire Series

KAYLA

My brain was reeling. Everything was moving at a lightning pace. I was having a hard time keeping up. And now this incredibl handsome man was kissing me. Wanted to kiss me. This party was full of beautiful women, and I was the one he was flirting with, the one he was kissing.

I was a nervous sweaty mess. I really hoped he didn't notice. He blocked me in, his strong arm on the wall behind me, his broad chest in front of me. I shivered with nerves as he kissed along my neck and ran his fingers down my bare arm.

“Are you all right if we keep doing this?”

His voice was a caress. His lips were stealing my ability to breathe. Everything about him was affecting me. I could barely think straight. I clutched the back of his neck, holding him to me. Maybe I should have agreed to leave with him. If his kisses were like this, what would making love to him feel like?

Was this all right? Yes, yes, this was amazing. Mom would bust a gut if she knew I was at a party making out with a half-nake man. I was about to bust a gut if I thought about it too much.

Los Angeles was so much more than I ever imagined it to be. I never expected to be at some celebrity-filled party. I certainly hadn't expected one of Hollywood's favorite leading men to be interested in me. The last thing I wanted was to say something embarrassingly stupid.

“I like kissing you, Nick"

He laughed. “Damn, that's good. I like kissing you too. I get it, you not being able to get out of here with me. We just met, but can at least see you again?”

He stood up and eased back from me. After rummaging in a pouch on his belt, he held out his cell phone. A movie star was holding out his cell phone to me. I stared at it and back at his face. I only knew he was a star because my cousin told me, showed me his picture, and waxed poetic about how hot and bang-able he was. Right now, he was just a man, incredibly handsome, and interested in me. I think that was more nerve-wracking than his celebrity status.

“I'm only in Los Angeles on vacation. I will leave next week"

“Figures, of course, someone like you isn't local. Can I see you this week before you go back home?" His eyes looked almost pleading.

“I'd like that I could hardly believe I was giving him my number. I took the phone and entered my number.

His shoulders relaxed as he took it from me and looked at the number.

“What? You don't believe me?”

“Memorizing it in case something stupid happens to my phone.”

I couldn't stop the giggle from bubbling up. “You say that with such certainty."

“I memorize lines all the time, why not a phone number?”

“I meant something stupid happening to your phone.”

He shook his head. A grin pulled at his lips. “Yeah, I lose it, I put it in the laundry. Stupid stuff. I've fallen off a boat with it in my pocket”

“You fell off a boat?”

“I was practicing a stunt and forgot my phone was in my pocket and not back in my trailer. Dumb mistakes. So, I memorize the important numbers.”

“Like who? Your mom?”

“My mom, my assistant, my agent, my girl”

My breath caught and my heart skipped, but not for a good reason. I felt like I had been doused with a bucket of cold water. closed my eyes and—

“That is, if you'll go out with me again?”

My eyes flew open. He spoke faster than my own self-doubt could ruin a perfectly lovely evening. Thank goodness. I didn't want to think he was necking with me while he was in a relationship.

“So, no girlfriend currently?” I asked.

“None. The studio keeps trying to set me up with these waifs in hopes to create some kind of Hollywood power couple. You know the kind where the paps can come up with some combo name.”

“Like Bennifer, or Bradgalina?”

“Exactly” Nick rolled his eyes. “It's exhausting.

He wasn't what I had been expecting at all. When he burst through that door with all muscles and rage, I expected him to continue to behave like the barbarian he was dressed like. But he was a real gentleman.

“You don't want a couple's name?” Our name would be Nikayla or Kaylick. The first was almost a pretty name, the second wa not flattering. The entertainment gossip columns could be mean, with my luck they'd pick Kaylick.

“When I'm ready for a couple's name it's going to be Mr. and Mrs. But that's not on my horizon any time soon.”

He had no expectations of a relationship. So why was my heart fluttering all over the place being near him? Because this wa all so thrilling. Because Nick was paying attention to me in a way I hadn't really had opportunities to experience much before.

“We shouldn't hide in the corner the whole time; he announced.

I wanted to pout and ask why not. It was safe in our little corner. No one was judging me, and Nick was kissing me.

“You should be shown off. Let's get you a cocktail and see if we can find Nick Sadler. I'd like to meet myself” he chuckled. Everything happened in painfully slow motion, and all at once. What felt like the actions of interminable minutes happened in a few seconds, if that long at all.

Nick stepped away from me. He twisted and held his hand out for mine. Out of nowhere from behind him, a man, laughing hysterically, darted past us at a sprint. He jumped out of our way and kept running. About a heartbeat behind him was a “group of mostly women. I think there were five or six people in pursuit.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

The first person bumped into Nick. He wobbled but kept his balance. The second person fully crashed into Nick's back, and then someone else ran into them. Completely knocking Nick off his feet.

The chase of people didn't stop but kept going. As they fought to get back on their feet and continue the chase, Nick put his hands out toward me to catch himself. I flinched away from the melee, throwing my hands up.

That's when Nick's hands landed on my breasts and grabbed hold of the fabric front of my dress. The fashion tape was not strong enough. The ties around my neck snapped and the entire front of my dress fell away.

If I thought the actions leading up to this had been slow, time froze. I stood there in complete shock, my breasts fully exposed with bits of tape still stuck to my skin. Nick was on his knees in front of me, looking up at my nakedness. His eyes were wide with horror.

Nick launched himself at me and grabbed my breasts. He had big hands, but I had bigger boobs. He stared at me, and then at his hands on me. He actually flushed. “Oh shit, I'm sorry.”

But his hands stayed put for a few more infinite seconds. He released me and then grabbed me again.

“Turn around, I don't have anything. I'm so sorry. F**k, Kayla. I don't know what..."

I wrapped my arms around myself and turned into the wall. Nick stood next to me, his back to me.

“My dress is ruined,” I squeaked. I didn't want to cry, but I couldn't help it.

“I know. I'm so sorry.” He started fumbling with his costume. “My wrap isn't big enough. Let me think”

“Is there like a couch blanket or something?” I asked. I pressed my entire front against the wall, trying to merge with it in my mortification.

He was quiet for a long moment. I thought he had left me. I hated the way tears burned the back of my nose. I wasn't just going to have streaked make-up; I was going to be red-nosed and snotty now. If my cousin had thought I had been an embarrassment being a complete dork while talking to Marci Wolf, then Gabe had no idea what embarrassing was. I wanted to curl up and disappear.

“Nick?” I really hoped he hadn't abandoned me.

“still thinking”

“Don’t leave me alone like this,” I pleaded.

“Fuck no, Kayla. I'm not going to leave you. I just need... Hold on. I've got it.”

I glanced over my shoulder to see what Nick was doing. He balanced on one foot and pulled a boot off, the other one was already off. He slid his pantaloons off.

“What are you doing?” I gasped.

“I've got long shorts on. And a hip wrap. I'm covered.” His muscles strained as he began to pull the legs apart.

Iturned back toward the wall but looked back when I heard the rip of fabric. His legs were completely exposed. The hip wra didn’t cover much. He hadn't lied, he wore black shorts that came down his thighs a bit. It didn't look like a costume. anymore.

“Here!” He shoved the pantaloons at me.

“What good are these going to do? They are pants.” I was having a very hard time not crying.

“You slip your arms through the legs like sleeves. I tore the seam out, so you can wear them over your head like a shirt. It's 2 trick I learned from an ex-girlfriend. She would turn old fishnet stockings into sleeves this way."

I blinked away tears and stared at him before giving in and nodding. I took the pants. They were scratchy and on the smelly side. But I was able to pull them on like a strangely fitting top. My breasts were compressed, but I was covered.

Itook the ruined front of my dress and tucked it into what had been the waistband of the pants. The drawstring helped me to cinch it in place.

“Kayla, am so sorry."

“I think I need to go home now,” I managed to say.

“Let me call you a car

I'shook my head. I couldn't bear the thought of him being seen with me while his pants were around my neck. Gabe had been right. I was a fucking embarrassment. I couldn't get out of that place fast enough.