CHAPTER TWO

 

 

He lifts dark eyebrows, gazing up at me with interest from where I’ve accidentally pinned him to the library floor.

“In a hurry to get some reading done?” he asks from beneath me in a deep, husky voice that’s as alluring as his face. In fact, he’s so gorgeous that I can’t even convince myself to climb off him just yet. I haven’t been in a hunky guy’s arms in a while.

I laugh a little breathlessly. “Something like that.”

Adrenaline fades and mortification finally starts setting in and I force myself to ease back onto my knees. He pushes himself into a sitting position, grinning at me as he shakes his head. Tall and well-built, he’s probably only a few years older than me. Maybe twenty-four or so.

“Um…I’m sorry for running into you,” I sputter, hurriedly grabbing a few of his books from where they’re scattered around on the floor and thrusting them at him.

He shrugs his broad shoulders before climbing to his feet. He sets his books down on a nearby table and then holds out his hand to help me back to my feet.

I slowly take it.

The moment his long fingers curl around my palm, electricity zips through me. I inhale sharply and butterflies materialize in my stomach, whirling around wildly. The sensation is so intense that I have to physically try to remember how to breathe. If he wasn’t still holding me up, I probably would’ve toppled right back to the floor.

I don’t know what’s going on with me, but my knees are quivering and I can hardly look up into his beautiful brown eyes.

I'm not used to being speechless around men—even ones as handsome as this particular Adonis—but his gaze is both warm and piercing and it feels as though he can see right through me to my soul.

But that isn’t the only reason I'm shocked by this man.

He’s looking at me with intrigue and interest—and without a hint of recognition.

This guy has no idea who I am.

It’s been years since I could walk down a street unrecognized, especially here in busy Los Angeles.

At least one G&G fan always recognizes me. If the girls and I go anywhere together, forget about it. We’ll spend way more time signing autographs and taking selfies than we would doing whatever we’d originally planned.

Don’t get me wrong, I adore my followers. I read every single one of the messages I get and I try to respond to as many comments as I can. Without them, G&G would literally be nowhere. Heck, it wouldn’t even exist. But there’s a lot of pressure on a woman when it comes to being a beauty and fashion influencer. When I step out of the house, my clothes and makeup have to be flawless because I never know when someone is going to take a photo and post it on social media. One wrong look and our whole brand could tank. It’s fun to be the “It” girl, but it’s downright torturous at times, too.

I have to be perfect or else I could lose everything that I’ve worked so hard for.

“Hey, are you all right?” he asks gently. “You’re spacing out on me. You didn’t hit your head, did you?”

He leans down a little closer so he can gaze into my eyes. His warm hand rests lightly on my shoulder, dragging me back to reality with a bolt of white-hot lightning that sears right through me.

Crap. I’m acting like a total weirdo. I need to pull myself together, just like I always do. Plastering on a practiced smile, I push back my shoulders and beam brightly up at him.

“I’m totally fine,” I said enthusiastically.

Maybe a little too enthusiastically if the slightly concerned look he gives me is anything to go by.

He appraises me before shrugging. “If you say so.”

But he doesn’t sound convinced.

The library’s air conditioning rattles as it comes to life and the heady scent of his cologne washes over me like an inviting, intriguing wave. The fragrance is woody and rich and as smooth as his outfit. He’s a pretty well-dressed guy. Actually, it looks like he probably has a big round of meetings to get to today as well, judging from his charcoal suit, light blue dress shirt and power tie. Damn, if he doesn’t make the ensemble look good.

“It seems like you had something on your mind is all,” he offers, his head tilting one way and then the other.

Why is he looking at me like that?

Is he suddenly realizing how familiar I look?

Is he thinking I might be crazy?

Am I crazy?

“Don’t we all?” I quip with a coy smile.

He chuckles. The sound is rumbling and deep and the hair on the back of my neck slowly lifts up on edge. A shiver runs up my spine, traveling vertebra by vertebra. When he looks at me, every inch of skin beneath his gaze tingles. The way I feel when I’m near him is strangely addicting—and I hardly even know him at all.

“Are you going to be lost in thought tonight?” he asks offhandedly. When I look at him in bewilderment, he adds, “I thought maybe you and I could meet up and do some…reading together.”

“Reading?” I echo.

Even as I’m trying to figure out what he’s talking about, my eyes lock on the clock across the library.

Oh, hell.

I’m late.

Really late.

For a girl as professional as I am, even a minute or two is devastating. Glossed & Glammed has a perfect record when it comes to meeting execs, sponsors, and collaborators, and I’ve just destroyed that all because some handsome guy batted beautiful brown eyes at me.

“Actually, let’s eat instead,” he suggests. “La Chanterelle has some mind-blowing souffle.”

My eyelashes flutter as I focus on him again. This tall, sexy, broad-shouldered guy is seriously asking me out right now. Not just to anywhere either. La Chanterelle is one of the fanciest, most expensive restaurants in the city. Their waitlist is a mile long and he thinks he can just waltz in there with me on his arm tonight? He probably doesn’t even know what he’s saying. Or maybe this is simply his favorite line. Either way, I’ve already got plans tonight—even though this guy really is tempting.

“Girls running into you must be your thing if you’re willing to take me to La Chanterelle afterward,” I tease.

He flashes me a devastating grin. “Maybe so. The name is Grayson Hill, by the way. I didn’t catch yours.”

This time it’s my turn to smile at him. “That’s because I haven’t mentioned it.”

Chuckling again, Grayson lightly bites his lower lip and eyes me. “So? How about it? You tell me your name and I’ll treat you to a nice evening out.”

In all honesty, I’m contemplating his offer, even if I can’t go out tonight. It’s been so long since a guy has interested me like this. And judging by the way he’s looking at me now, he’s interested in me, too.

Before I can consider Grayson’s interest for long, the sound of familiar giggling drifts over from the entrance of the library. My ears prick and my back goes rigid. I know it’s the girls who were eagerly chasing me before. Now, they’re closing in on me.

I’d better get a move on. If I don’t hightail it to my first meeting of the day, I’m going to blow our partnership with that boutique Liv has her heart set on. Besides, I already have so much on my plate, and Sutton and Liv are depending on me to keep our G&G ship afloat business-wise. This has been a fun little distraction, but now it’s time to focus on what’s really important.

My admirers are getting closer and closer. I can hear their subdued whispers and shrill laughter as they’re firmly asked to hush by the nearby librarian.

Just as I’m trying to figure out how to gracefully reject the best-looking man I’ve ever seen, the little boy from before dashes by the table and knocks over the stack of books. When my handsome rescuer turns to catch them before they fall on the floor, I take my cue to leave and quickly duck out the side door of the library. By the time he turns around, I’ll be long gone.

And by the time I get home, this will merely be something to giggle about with Sutton and Liv.

But if that’s true, why does every step away from Grayson feel like the hardest I’ve ever taken?