Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Lana
I want him so much that it’s like denying the other half of my soul. -Lana
I can hear the murmurs of the television in the living room. I’ve been tossing and turning for the last three hours. I realized about an hour ago that I’m not going to get any sleep tonight.
I turn on my side again and tuck my arm under my head.
I know Grainger is out there just a few feet away.
He has night babysitting duty as I’ve come to call it.
I feel like such a weakling, needing protection like this.
It’s been a week and nothing else has happened.
Maybe the police were right. Maybe the cat was done by a one-off nut who got his kicks and is now out of my life. Who knows?
What I do know is that being around Grainger is slowly killing me.
What’s worse is he’s probably not aware of my internal struggle.
He acts like it’s business as usual. He watches me with those intense grey eyes of his like he knows a secret about me that he’ll never tell.
He’s silent most of the time and I have no idea whether he feels anything other than pity for me.
But I know how I feel. I feel like I’m burning up inside. I want him more than I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone in my life. It’s like an itch under my skin that won’t stop.
I rub my legs together again. There’s an ache there. An ache for him. And I’m afraid it won’t ever stop.
I finally decide to just get out of bed and confront the source of my problem. It’s time to do something about this infernal desire. Maybe I can just seduce him and get this out of my system. Maybe I can just…
My hand pauses on the doorknob. Who am I kidding? I don’t know anything about seducing a man. Hell, before Scott all those years ago, I was a virgin. I didn’t have any experience. He’ll laugh at me. He’ll think I’m a fool.
I square my shoulders and shake my head.
You’re an actress, Lana. Get your shit together and act your ass off.
Act like you’re a seductive goddess. Act like your character in One Hot Night.
I picture the gutsy woman I played in that movie.
She knew her own self-worth. She knew she could get any guy.
I take a deep breath. For the next few minutes, that’s who I’ll be. That’s who I have to be to soothe the hot flow of desire that rages within me.
I smile as I turn the knob. It’s a smile of confidence. It’s a smile that says I know I’m about to knock the socks off this man. Fuck, he’s not going to know what hit him.