For the Night: Complete Box Set (37 page)

Summer

I couldn’t believe I’d
just sat there, watching myself having sex on screen with Daron, while Logan
sat next to me holding my hand so tightly. The longing pooling in my stomach
was unbearable, I’d never felt so horny and one discreet glance at his crotch
said he felt equally turned on. I don’t know why I was having an internal
argument in my head about spending the night with him. It wasn’t like he was
asking for money, money I didn’t have, and I already knew how amazing sex with
him could be.
So what was it? Why was I holding back?
I watched the
final scene on the big screen in front of me, the one where I walked away from
Daron after he revealed one of his secrets, and I realised why I was so
reluctant to spend the night with Logan. I was scared of having another amazing
night with him, for him to walk away from me in the morning like he had last
time, never knowing if I’d ever see him again. I shouldn’t have developed
feelings for him so quickly, especially not after that first meeting, when he
was just doing the job I’d paid him for, but they’d developed nevertheless. I
hadn’t stopped thinking about him in all that time, so what would I be like
after another night together? The credits started to roll and people in the
theatre started standing and clapping, giving me the chance to pull my hand out
of his.

‘You were incredible, you’re going to be a massive
star,’ Logan advised, as he stood up next to me.

‘We’ll see,’ I mumbled, embarrassed at all the
attention. Logan placed his hand in the small of my back and steered me towards
the exit, then stood back, as I was guided off by the producers to do more
press and TV interviews. Everything happened in a blur, I was passed from one
interviewer to another, Daron following behind me, along with the rest of the
cast and I couldn’t help but notice Logan, always keeping an eye on me and
giving me a reassuring smile when we locked eyes. I started to get face ache
from smiling so much for the cameras and was pleased when I was told it was
over and I could make my way to the after party. I looked around, desperately
searching out my parents, wondering if I’d completely freaked them out and bit
my lip as I saw them standing in a corner. It was all probably a bit much for
them. They rarely went out, we didn’t have the money to and they’d been most
cross when I’d spent the last of my savings on a new suit for Dad and a dress
for Mum for tonight, but they looked amazing. I held up my finger and shook my
head as Logan approached, I wasn’t ready to explain him. If I didn’t understand
our “relationship,” how the hell would I explain him to my parents? He frowned
as I walked away from him and went to join them.

‘Summer,’ Mum grinned as she hugged me tightly.
‘You were amazing, we’re so proud of you.’

‘Really?’ I beamed. ‘You’re not just saying that?’

‘Really,’ nodded Dad as he hugged me as well. ‘I’d
rather you were fully clothed, but you can act. I think this is the start of
big things for you.’

‘Thanks, that means so much. Please tell me you’re
coming to the party?’

‘I don’t know, it’s not really our thing,’ Mum
protested.

‘
Please
, it would mean so much to have you
there. I’ll try and spend as much time with you as I can.’

‘And what about your date?’

‘What date?’ I replied, feeling my cheeks go pink.
I hated that my emotions showed so easily on my face.

‘The tall exceptionally good looking one who’s
standing watching you now, we saw you arrive with him. I thought you were
coming with that Daron?’ Mum asked.

‘Plans changed at the last minute. He’s just a
friend.’

‘That’s no friend, not the way he’s looking at
you,’ Dad scoffed. I rolled my eyes, but was secretly pleased that they’d
picked up on Logan’s attraction to me. Maybe it was for real after all.

‘He’s just a friend,’ I repeated.

‘Whatever. I’m just glad you’re not spending the
evening with that wanker Daron at your side.’

‘Dad!’

‘Well he is. I’m a great judge of character and
let me tell you, he’s shady.’

‘Give me a minute will you? I’ll come in your car
to the party, to make sure you go, as I have a feeling you’ll try and sneak off
home,’ I advised. I headed back to where Logan was standing.

‘Your parents?’ he enquired, as he stood with his
hands in his trouser pockets. Damn him, looking so hot and sexy. It was hard to
focus on anything but how badly I wanted him.

‘Yes, how did you guess?’

‘You have your mum’s looks. Are you ready to
leave?’

‘Yes, but if you don’t mind I’d like to travel
with my parents, I think they’ll try and get out of the party if I don’t
accompany them.’

‘You’re going to the party?’ He frowned as he
looked down at me.

‘Yes, of course I am. Where did you think I was
going?’

‘I thought you’d be coming back to spend the night
with me, I’d reserved a suite at The Dalton,’ he replied. I gasped as I slapped
his bicep, then winced and shook my hand. He was solid, and totally
insensitive. He really thought I’d want to spend the night with him at his go
to fuck hotel? Did he make a habit of screwing the ones he was attracted to out
of business hours? Did he do this when he was having a quiet week sexually? Was
that all this was?
That
made my mind up. No way was I spending the night
with Logan
bloody
Steele. ‘What?’ he exclaimed, without flinching.

‘First of all, it’s the biggest night of my
career, of course I’m going to the party, it’s required. Secondly, thank you
for my beautiful flowers and this gorgeous dress and for accompanying me
tonight, but my answer is no. I won’t spend the night with you.’ I could hear
my voice wavering, as I tried to be firm and watched as his face fell.

‘Are you serious?’ he gasped.

‘Yes. I’m so sorry that you’ve gone to all this
unnecessary expense, send me a bill. As soon as I’ve earned enough money I’ll
pay you back, so you’re not out of pocket.’

‘I don’t care about the money, Summer. Why have
you changed your mind?’ he demanded with a look of fury in his eyes.

‘I haven’t changed my mind, I never said I’d spend
the night with you. I’m sorry but I really need to go.’ I could feel tears
building up in my eyes, he’d never have any idea how much I liked him, how much
it hurt to run from him, but I didn’t know him. Not the real man.
That
was who I wanted to spend the night with, not Logan Steele, escort for hire to
anyone who could afford him. I turned to walk away, but he grabbed my arm and
pulled me back, heat radiating from where his long fingers curled around my
forearm.

‘Talk to me, what did I do wrong?’ he uttered,
looking at me hurt and confused.

‘Nothing. You didn’t do anything wrong, I doubt
you ever do anything wrong when it comes to dealing with women. It’s just … I’m
not the sort of girl who wants to be one in a long line of women you fuck for
fun. I know myself too well and you’ll just end up hurting me.’

‘It’s not like that.’

‘Then what’s it like, Logan? What do you want from
me? You show up here, you don’t give me any real explanation as to why, other
than saying we have chemistry, yet you expect me to just spend the night with
you? Despite what you might think, because I booked you that time, that was a
one off, I was desperate and scared and needed a professional.’

‘You tried to book me again and you kissed me in
the limo on the way here,’ he reminded me.

‘And it was a mistake. This was a mistake. You
spun my head with your … your good looks and charm and
you
kissed me,’ I
uttered, as I tugged at my arm. I needed to get away from him, before I flung
my arms around his neck and launched myself at him. What hold did this man have
over me that all common sense went out of the window? He fucked women for a
living. I needed to keep reminding myself of that. He wasn’t the sort of man I
wanted to get attached to.

‘You kissed me back,’ he snapped.

‘You’re a good kisser and you took me by surprise.
Please let me go,’ I begged. He didn’t, he just tugged me against his lean,
hard body, making me tremble as he lifted my chin with his free hand.

‘No. Tell me why you’re running from me?’

‘You’re an escort, not my boyfriend. I don’t have
to explain anything. Let. Me. Go,’ I bit angrily.

‘Tell me that you feel nothing for me and I will,
but you can’t can you?’ he whispered, as he gazed down at me. I blinked,
fighting the tears that I suddenly wanted to shed. Of course I had feelings for
him. Wasn’t it obvious to him? I doubted any woman he slept with was immune to
his charms.

‘You’re just a good looking man that I paid, so I
could lose my virginity. It was just sex, Mr. Steele, nothing more,’ I uttered.
‘I told you, you’re just an escort and I was just your client. That’s all it
was.’

‘You’re lying,’ he hissed.

‘You asked me for my answer and I gave it to you.
Please respect that and let me go,’ I ordered more firmly. If I stayed this
close to him for much longer I’d cave and I’d just end up even more hurt in the
morning.

‘If you walk away I won’t come for you again,
Summer,’ he retorted, anger flashing in his grey stormy eyes. ‘I’m used to
getting what I want and I don’t take kindly to being rejected.’

‘I don’t know why you came for me in the first
place, Mr. Steele,’ I replied, searching his face, hoping for some sort of
proper explanation. He stared at me for a moment, then released me and stepped
back.

‘No, neither do I,’ he replied. I watched as he
sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. ‘It was obviously a mistake. I’m sorry,
Miss Beresford, I won’t trouble you again. Goodbye.’ He spun on his heels and
quickly strode away, as I hugged myself and felt a tear escaping from the
corner of my eye. What the
hell
was his deal? All the excitement and
happiness of an amazing evening left with him and I suddenly felt like a
balloon six days after a party, deflated and a shadow of my former self. I
jumped as I felt a hand on my shoulder.

‘Summer?’ came Mum’s voice as I quickly wiped my
eyes. ‘Is everything ok?’

‘Everything’s fine,’ I replied as I turned around
and faked a smile.

‘You may fool other people, but not me. What’s
wrong?’

‘I’m just emotional. It’s a big night,’ I replied
with a nod.

‘It is. Where’s your friend gone?’

‘He had other plans for the evening that didn’t
include me,’ I shrugged.

‘That’s such a shame. He’s
very
good
looking,’ she prodded.

‘So I’m told. Shall we go? We don’t have to stay
all night, but I really need to put in an appearance. Maybe we can go home
together in a few hours?’ I suggested.

‘I thought you were staying in a suite at the
hotel?’

‘Yes, but all of a sudden I’d rather be at home in
my own bed. We can swing by the hotel to pick up my things first,’ I confirmed,
as I walked her back over to Dad and suggested we make a move.

Logan

I headed for the men’s toilets in the theatre. The
cleaning crew had already moved in, everyone was either outside or leaving for
the party. I swung the door open, checked I was alone and then punched one of
the stall doors in anger. She was lying about not having feelings for me. That
kiss in the limo told me that. She’d kissed me back, she’d wanted me.
What
the hell had changed in the time we watched that film?
I gripped the
corners of the sink and took some deep breaths. I was bloody furious. I
splashed my face with cold water, ran my hands through my hair and looked at
myself in the mirror.
What the hell was wrong with me? Running after some
bloody girl?
I’d never had to chase anyone before, if I wanted someone I
got them, first time. If she had some bloody hang ups because of her past, that
was her problem not mine, I was better off just walking away. I didn’t need any
damn complications, my life was just perfect the way it was. I tugged on my
shirt sleeves and blew out a deep breath. I needed sex. I needed someone to
fuck, to get my inappropriate feelings for this damn girl out of my system. I’d
not picked up anyone since Lucy, nearly five years ago, but tonight I needed
it. I strode out of the theatre to find even the TV crews were packing up and
the crowds were dispersing. James was waiting patiently with the limo door open
at the end of the red carpet, which they were starting to roll up.