Breaking Stars (The Celebrity 2)

She’d gotten snippy when I called her Princess, which made me want to call her that more often. I liked getting a rise out of her; it made me laugh.

“Princess?” I shouted at her.

“Stop calling me that,” she yelled back, and I fought back a smile.

“What are you doing online? Reading about all the people who can’t live without you?”

She sighed loud enough for me to hear, before her voice lowered. “I was just sending an e-mail to my mom and my best friend.”

There was a hint of sadness in her voice, and I wondered if I was being too hard on her. Walking from my room into the living room, I sat on the couch behind her and watched her typing.

“Did they know you were leaving?”

Paige jumped in the chair before turning around to look at me. She scanned my shirtless chest before moving to my eyes and locking on. “I told them both before I was leaving that I was going. But I didn’t know where I was heading. My mom was probably worried sick, so I wanted her to know I was safe.” She shifted uncomfortably. “I am safe, right?”

Unable to hold back a grin, I pushed up from the couch and walked straight over to her and leaned down. “Depends on your definition of safe.” I slid my thumb across her cheekbone before I could stop it. “How long are you thinking of staying, Paige?”

Her eyes squeezed shut for a second as she sucked in a silent breath. I watched as her chest moved in and out, all the while fighting the urges that came with being a guy alone in a room with a ridiculously sexy girl.

Shallow much?

Opening her eyes, she looked up at me cautiously and stuttered, “I-I…don’t know.”

“Will you leave right after your car’s fixed?” I asked, my agitation growing. I shouldn’t care at all when she planned on leaving. I shouldn’t be anywhere near a girl like Paige Lockwood, but here I was.

Here we are.

“I guess.” She shrugged. “I’m not really sure why I’d stay longer.”

Her response was like a bucket of cold water, helping me gather my wits. Feeling a little disappointed—and hating myself for it—I moved a safe distance away

.

Can’t Do Anything Right

Paige

No matter what I said, it was always the wrong thing when it came to him. Tatum had asked me how long I planned to stay here, but I really had no idea. Would I leave as soon as my tire was fixed? I had no clue. But why would I stay here any longer than that?

Did he want me to?

Did I want to?

I didn’t have anywhere else to be, and I couldn’t keep driving forever. Eventually I’d have to find my way back to where I came from. And drive there. Alone. The farther I drove away, the farther I had to drive back. Staying here for a little while might be as good an option as any. So why couldn’t I just tell him that?

When Tatum moved away from me, storm clouds back in his eyes, it occurred to me why I’d held information back from him. He ran so hot and cold that I didn’t know what to expect from him, and I’d only known him for half a day! But when he touched me, I almost melted right into him. One simple touch from this guy, and I was drooling like a schoolgirl. I really needed to get out more.

Colin was beginning to feel like a distant memory as Tatum demanded all of my mental energy and focus without even trying. I was so caught up in his general hotness that it was all I could see. Of course I was still hurting over Colin, but being out of Los Angeles seemed to help tremendously. There was true peace in being let out of the cage. I would have never known this kind of serenity existed if I hadn’t run away.

A subtle ping redirected my focus back to the computer. A new e-mail from Quinn appeared and I clicked on it, already smiling before I read its contents.

What’s a Tatum and is it hot? And before you ask, YES, that’s all I got from your e-mail. :)

I laughed out loud before glancing back at Tatum, who watched me with an eyebrow raised as I typed out a quick response.

Tatum’s the guy who owns the mechanic shop. And had I known that guys like this existed outside of LA, I might have left a long time ago. Ha!

“Who are you chatting with?” His voice startled me, sending chills shooting through me, but I willed myself to stay calm.