Page 12 of Unbound
“Jasper,” came the gruff response. “Open up.”
I crossed my arms. “No.”
“What?”
“You wanted me here, all safe and padded. So I’m staying here, all safe and padded.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I know you had something to do with me being kicked off the set earlier!” I shot back. “I’m no idiot. I saw the plainclothes cop at the set, and Mike is better at directing than he is acting. I saw right through what he was trying to do. They were trying to get me out of the way. And I guarantee you had something to say about it.”
“Cari, open the door.”
“Nope. I’m staying in here, and I’m not letting anyone in. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? I’ll stay here and go fucking stir-crazy just like everyone wants. Hey, why go out and face the problem head-on when I can sit in here watching soap operas and game shows and hope it goes away on its own? Scram, Jasper. I have some daytime television to get caught up on. These Spanish telenovelas are addictive once you get into them.”
No response from Jasper. Shrugging, I turned on my heel and headed back to the bed. I’d been lying about the telenovela. There was no way in hell I was watching—
I heard the lock disengage seconds before the door opened. Jasper strode in as calmly as if he were entering his own room, and his nonchalance made my temper rise.
“We’re doing something special tonight,” Jasper said. “Dress classy. Forget the panties.”
“What?” Heat pooled instantly between my thighs at the promise in his voice. “What are we doing?”
“Did I stutter? Be ready in two hours.” He looked me up and down in a way that made my toes curl. “Oh, and pack a bag. You’ll be gone overnight.”
With that, he stalked off, leaving me to stare, awestruck, at where he’d just been.
Okay, okay, calm down. Jasper wanted me to dress classy. What did that mean? Did it mean dress sexy? Yeah, he had to mean sexy because he didn’t want me wearing panties. So I’d wear something sexy, something short. But not too short. Unless he wanted me to wear something short?
I shook my head to rattle my brain back into the present moment. Okay, never mind. I needed to do some grooming.
I tiptoed over the remnants of my door and speed-walked to the front desk.
“Hi,” I said to the girl behind the counter. “Do you have extra towels?”
“Sure,” the girl said.
Taking a cue from Jasper, I leaned with one elbow on the counter to survey the lobby so nobody could get the jump on me. Nobody else there, though, except for Jasper and the manager, who looked like he might pee his pants under the bigger man’s unyielding stare. I met my bodyguard’s gaze, and he motioned me back to my room with just the slightest nod.
The girl returned with the towels.
“Thanks,” I said, spinning around.
Rounding the corner, I walked headlong into Nolan. We collided, the towels nearly tumbling from my arms in the process.
“Oh! Sorry,” I said. “Hi, Nolan.”
“Hi, Cari,” Nolan said. He grinned at me. “You’re in a hurry.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I’m on a deadline.”
“I stopped by your room. I think there’s something wrong with your door.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I noticed.”
“Listen, now that I have you—you want to hang out tonight?” He punctuated the question with a smile, the sexy one that had drawn me to him in the first place. I couldn’t help but smile back.
“Can I take a rain check? I have plans tonight.”
