She didn’t have to look at him to know he regretted the kiss. Her lips still tingled from the brush of his beard; she still tasted his minty flavor in her mouth. And her body would continue to remind her of what she’d lost. He’d been so amped up from escaping the crowd, he’d forgotten how he really felt about her.

He exited the car first. She slid across the seat and stepped out, accepting the hand he offered. Xander Kingston was nothing if not a gentleman.

Then he slammed the door shut and she forced herself to meet his gaze. His closed-off expression told her all she needed to know, and she had no intention of prolonging the inevitable.

“Thanks for dinner and the information about Amanda. I’ll see you on set,” she said, turning to go.

“Wait.” He touched her shoulder, and she glanced back. “I’ll walk you to your room.”

She had no desire for a long goodbye. “Thanks but I’ll be okay.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You hoped for the same thing when we left the restaurant. Humor me,” he said, gesturing for her to go first.

She knew better than to argue, and they headed inside the hotel, walking through the lobby. They reached the elevators, and he stood beside her as she pressed the up button.

She glanced at him. “I’m sure I can get to my room without a problem.”

The doors opened and he stepped inside along with her, subjecting her to his heady body heat and scent in the enclosed space. With a deliberately loud sigh, she pulled her keycard from her purse and watched the floor numbers go upward, waiting in silence while wishing this awkwardness would end.

She had nothing to say and clearly he didn’t either. His one-word curse earlier had been enough.

The elevator stopped, the doors opened, and she strode to her room. She opened the door, planning to turn and tell him to leave, but the sound of familiar voices distracted her.

In the suite sat Cassidy with Rebecca and Dina Addams, her publicist, who was located in LA but had come to the city for meetings this coming week.

“What’s wrong? What is everyone doing here?” Sasha entered the room and Xander stepped in behind her.

“It’s about time you got back! Since when don’t you check your phone?” Rebecca asked.

“I… We were busy talking. What’s going on?” Sasha glanced at her team.

Rebecca, a dedicated career woman at sixty years old, still looked closer to fifty. She wore her hair in a short bob and was the epitome of New York chic. Dina was in her early forties, dressed like she was twenty-five, and handled some of the most famous people in Hollywood.

“Shut the door,” Dina said.

Xander immediately let go and the door closed behind him.