Free American Diva by Julia London Page A

needed and stood up . . . only a little too fast. She had to put her hand against the wall to steady herself. When she could focus again a moment later, she noticed that Jack had come to his feet and was watching her closely.
    “Are you okay?” he asked, moving toward her, his expression full of concern.
    “I’m fine .”
    His gaze fell to her mouth and she felt something stir inside her. “How often are you taking pills?” he asked softly.
    The question stunned her so that she reared back. “ What ? What are you saying? Who in the hell do you think you are?”
    He didn’t answer, but let his gaze drift down her body before lifting it to her eyes again, and in those really stunning blue eyes, Audrey could see Jack was onto her.
    “Just shut up,” she said angrily, and brushed past him, headed for the bathroom. “It’s not a big deal and it is so not your business,” she spat over her shoulder as she stalked inside. She slammed the door, turned on the shower full blast and scalding hot. She slipped out of her clothes and climbed into the stall, and the moment the water hit her, Audrey melted.
    She slid down the tiled wall to her haunches, her vision blurred by the tears that suddenly welled in her eyes. With her fists pressed against her mouth, she silently sobbed.
    But when Audrey emerged a half hour later, she was completely composed, an art she had learned the last year in the course of her dizzying rise to fame and fortune. She was wearing a very short skirt and a T-shirt that had been doctored to look torn at the neck and arms by someone who thought three hundred dollars was what the look was worth.
    Jack was standing at the window now—not that Audrey noticed or cared. She padded across the room to the trunk that held all her shoes and threw it open. She could feel Jack’s eyes on her as she dug a pair of Ugg boots out if it. She stood and smoothed her skirt. No one had ever made her feel quite as naked as she was feeling at the moment.
    Not even Lucas.
    A sliver of guilt jabbed her. Audrey swallowed it down as she bent over and pulled one boot on, then the other. Jack was still watching her, but his expression had a predatory edge to it. It seemed almost as if he were restraining himself from capturing her and taking her back to his cave.
    She walked across the room, picked up the little bag that held her cell phone and lipstick and mints—no money, she never needed money anymore—and said, “Let’s go.”
    She didn’t look back to see if Jack followed, just walked. She could feel him at her back as they stood waiting for the elevator, his gaze burning her body every place it touched. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body.
    When the elevator arrived, Audrey stepped inside and slumped against the wall. Jack pushed the button for the second floor. As the elevator sped down, he clasped his hands behind his back and said, “You don’t need pills to sleep.”
    “Oh dear God,” she muttered angrily as the heat of shame crept into her neck. “I said it’s none of your business.”
    He turned his head and looked at her; there was something new in his blue eyes. Dear God, was it concern? “I know,” he said calmly. “But you’re young and about to embark on the ride of your life. Why screw it up with pills?”
    “Don’t try and understand, Superman,” she said. “You cannot imagine what my life is like. I have a lot on my mind.”
    “My guess? It’s not your life that’s convincing you to take those pills,” he said casually. “Either you’re not getting what you need, or someone is talking you into it.”
    That drew her up short—she cocked her head and eyed him curiously. “What do you mean, getting what I need ?”
    Jack gave her a very lopsided smile. “Exactly what you think I mean, cupcake.”
    She gasped; he smiled as the elevator door opened. “After you,” he said, and put his big hand on the small of her back, guiding her out.
    Audrey suppressed another bothersome