“Oooh, a noble swordsman. I could go for that. Except you have a stunt man for the strenuous stuff when you play a swordsman.”
“I’m fine. I was cleared to workout and lift two months ago. And I don’t need a stuntman for what we’re about to do. I’d prefer to do it all myself.”
With that, I laid her on our bed, leaned over, and kissed her deeply, slowly. I savored the feel and taste of her. She was glorious and tasted like home to me. She peeled off my wrinkled travel clothes and ran her hands all over my chest, pausing to trace the scar on my side where they’d removed my spleen. She pressed her lips to it, looking up at me with eyes that bore the pain and fear of that time. I stroked her face then kissed her softly.
“I love you,” I told her. “I’m here. We made it. Together.”
“Thank you,” she said. “Josh, I never want to be without you. Ever.”
“Never,” I said.
Before long, I was above her, the satin warmth of her skin against mine as our legs twisted together. I brushed her hair back from her face. Abby met my eyes, the look of love and patience and loyalty wrenched me. I had missed her so terribly and longed for her every day we were apart. I shouldn’t ask it of her, I knew. But I said it anyway, in love and selfish all at once.
“Come back with me, please. When I fly back tomorrow, be on the plane with me. I’ll get you to England in time. Just spend a few days with me, make love to me in the little apartment where I’m staying above the café, and eat fresh rolls in bed in the morning. Sit by the fire at night in my arms and tell me what you explored in the town during the day. Please.”
She wrapped her legs around me and canted her hips so that the tip of my hard cock nestled against the heat and slickness of her sex. I caught my breath and thrust forward, driving deep into her. Our eyes locked, her lips parted as I made love to her, long and passionate, going deep, my tongue in her mouth and her hands in my hair as we rocked together in an orgasm so sharp and sweet, so strong that it shook us both, left us clinging together.
“My love,” I said into her hair, “always.”
“Always,” she gasped.
We slept in each other’s arms, woke to make love again. Nothing could satisfy the specter of the loneliness we’d suffered without each other, the looming shadow of our coming separation. It felt impossible and cruel that we had chosen this. That being apart was something we had accepted. The idea had seemed reasonable, but in real life, it was horrible. Living a life where I couldn’t turn over and pull Abby against me in the middle of the night seemed miserable and pointless.
“I don’t want this role as much as I want to be with you,” I said to her.
“You have to do this. It’s perfect for you, and it’s what you’ve worked for. This kind of role is what you married me for. You deserve it.”
“Then, don’t I deserve to be with you if it’s what I want the most?” I said, stroking her face as we lay on the same pillow.
“No. I won’t let you throw this away. It’s really hard not seeing you every day, and sometimes talking to you and hearing your voice makes it worse. It makes me just yearn for you. But we’ll be together, we’ll have these stolen weekends. I’m sure there’s got to be a train from England to Romania. I’ll look it up, find out how long it takes to get there. I’m leaving for the Cotswolds next week. We got a lot done on Skype honestly, and I’m optimistic that it’ll go quickly. We speak the same language, in a way, and collaborating with her is like the opposite of working with Randolph. It’s so easy and natural, and when she has an insight or a correction, I already respect her, so it’s not hard to listen to. But I miss you every minute.”
“You’re not coming to Romania.”
“No. I’m not. I’m going to finish revising the third episode with Ellen via Skype while I’m packing things up here, and then I’m going to the Cotswolds next Sunday.”
“I wish you’d let the housekeeper pack for you. You can Skype from Romania.”
“I can’t Skype about episode three while you and I are naked. No matter how I positioned the webcam, she’d notice. And you know we’d be naked,” she said.
“You’re not wrong. It was just a fantasy, what I’ve been dreaming of while I was there.”
“It’s a beautiful idea, and I think we’ll be able to do that for a weekend while we’re both working or when my stint in England is over. We’ll cocoon in your apartment over the café and I’ll eat a ton of hot, delicious rolls.”
“While naked?”
“Yes. Naked. With carbs. It’s a dream vacation.”
“With me.”
“You’re the most important part, Josh. Always,” she said.
And I loved her so much I hid my disappointment and returned to Romania without her.
Chapter 18
Abby
It was hard watching him leave. Knowing I could’ve gone with him. I could’ve been sitting beside him, with his fingers laced through mine, holding my hand as the plane took off. I closed my eyes for a second and let myself imagine that. The closeness we’d shared, continuing without interruption, without separation. I was so happy with him, so fortunate that I shouldn’t complain. But I had experienced such joy and partnership and such sexual release with him that being apart felt like grief.
So I did the packing I’d planned to do, checking everything off my list methodically. I messaged my scenes to Ellen and waited for her reply. Then, when she called me for our scheduled Skype, I asked her.
“Could we do the rest of the rewrites this way? Via Skype? I could make a trip to the Cotswolds for a few days to wrap it up if you think it’s useful. I’m thinking of traveling to Romania, where my husband is about to start filming and maybe working remotely from there until I’m needed on set. Would that work for you?”
“Abby, you know of my husband surely.”
“I know he was a costar of yours.”
“Yes, so handsome, a few years younger than me. We’ve been together ten years now. I never go anywhere without him. What works for some doesn’t work for others, but we found early in our marriage that being apart more than a day or so was too burdensome. We stagger our projects so we can accompany one another. I can sympathize with your situation, and I assure you we can complete most of this via Skype as it’s been so successful thus far. As far as I am concerned, you can work remotely from Romania until such time as you’re needed in the Lake District. And you’re welcome to bring your husband. I’m sure he’d have a great deal in common with my Geoffery.”
“Thank you. You are a goddess. I mean, you’re cooler than Maggie Smith. For real,” I said, laughing at myself.
“I’ve met her, darling. No one on earth has ever been as cool as Maggie Smith.”
I got my things together and went to the airport. It was an incredibly long flight, but I slept through most of it. That was for the best because I wanted so much to surprise Josh, but it was so tempting to call him and tell him where I was—as in, over the ocean. Thanks to the long nap and in-flight meals, I survived the flight and landed in Romania. Ginger had arranged things for me on the ground so that a car was waiting to take me to his apartment building. I’d left about six hours after him, so I knew he’d be home and probably sleeping off jet lag. I was practically jumping up and down in the back of the car from excitement. I’d be with him, in his arms, in a matter of minutes.
When the car pulled up to a lovely old building with tables on the pavement, I stepped out and saw my husband sitting alone at a café table drinking coffee.
“Hey, Josh,” I said. He looked up. That sexy, movie star grin spread across his face. He leaped up, knocking over the wooden chair and rounded the table. I ran to him, and he caught me in his arms, lifting me off my feet.
“What are you doing here?”
“Surprising you. Agreeing with you. I want to be with my husband. Ellen says I can work remotely until shooting starts, and then go back and forth so we can be together. I had to make a deal, but she wants to tell
you about that when you visit me on set,” I said with a light laugh. Everything felt good and happy and right being there with him.
“Thank you, Abby. For this, for everything. When I said I needed to change my image, what I didn’t know was I needed a change in my life. I needed you. I always will.”
“Always,” I said.
Josh brushed his lips against mine. “Welcome home.”
The End
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His Muse (Preview)
Chapter 1
Ben - Five Years Ago
“You look beautiful,” I said.
Winnie slid into my car as I sat there on the corner, waiting for her.
“You look pretty handsome yourself,” she said, smiling.
And when she smiled, I couldn’t help but capture her lips with my own.
With her parents’ house only two blocks down the road, I knew I was risking it—her parents or brother seeing us. Holy shit, if Steve ever caught us, I’d be dead.
His best friend kissing his little sister?
I’d surely burn in hell for something like that.
She tasted like the candy lip gloss she’d painted onto her lips. My hand cupped her cheek, stealing her warmth. She lifted herself off the seat, poising herself to climb into my lap. But when I felt her pressing harder into me, I pulled back and broke the kiss, gazing into those gorgeous dark green eyes.
“Come on. I have a surprise for you,” I said.
“Lead the way, tiger.”
I chuckled as she sat back down. She buckled her belt and away we went, driving through the neighborhood without my headlights on. Once we got to the exit, I turned them on. Once I knew we were free of her family, I headed for the coastline. I loved living in Gold Bend. Our little coastal town boasted of the best times, every day of the year. Not to mention the many times I’d been able to woo girls with a picnic lunch in my teenage years.
But none of them affected me the way Winnie did.
I slid my hand into hers and laced our fingers together. With the radio blasting music and her thumb tracing soft circles against my skin, I paved our path for the evening. I knew I didn’t have much longer in this little town, though. Mom and Dad had been arguing on the phone all damn day, every day, for over a week now. And despite what I wanted with my life, I knew I’d have to go back to Boston soon. Back to be with my father.
Back across the country and away from Winnie.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
I grinned. “It’s a surprise.”
“Oh? What kind of surprise?”
“The kind that includes food, the ocean, and a decent enough view.”
“And here I thought I dressed for better than ‘decent enough.’”
I pulled up to a stoplight and came to a grinding halt. Then, I pulled her arm and tugged her against me to crash our lips together again. My tongue slid across hers, marking the roof of her mouth with my movements as I swallowed her moans. Oh, how sweet her sounds were. I’d miss those fucking sounds.
“I hope you like picnics,” I murmured.
I put everything out of my head and drove us out to the beach. I stowed away my parents’ issues. Boston. Steve, and his wrath if he ever caught us. I wanted tonight to be about us. About what we’d found with one another. Both of us had known this was only supposed to be temporary. Something to pass the time during the summer before she went off to college, before she went to carve out her own life as a big, bad lawyer. I didn’t know if I could say I was in love with my best friend’s younger sister.
But I was pretty damn close.
“Any luck with your muse today?” Winnie asked.
I snickered. “My muse has been present all summer.”
I brought her hand to my lips, and she giggled.
“You always know just what to say. How do you do that?” she asked.
“I just tell you the truth. And my truth happens to line up with how incredible you are.”
“You keep sweet-talking me like that and you’re going to be in for a surprise of your own.”
“Oh, really now.”
“Mhm.”
“And what kind of surprise is this?”
She grinned wildly. “The kind of surprise I’ve got hidden underneath my dress tonight.”
Warmth trickled through my veins. As I pulled into the parking lot for the beach access ramp we needed, I felt my cock hardening, despite the fact that I told myself I wouldn’t sleep with her this summer. I’d relegated myself to kisses and soft petting. Nothing more. Because the last thing I wanted to do was take her virginity before she ran off to college and distance parted us like never before.
“You excited about college starting up?” I asked.
She sighed. “Two weeks until move-in day. I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
“You know you’re going to do great, right?”
“You think I’m really cut out for law school?”
“Cut out for it? I think you’re going to rule it. You’re an excellent arguer. And you have a passion for helping people. I think you’d make an incredible criminal prosecutor. Or even defense attorney.”
She paused. “I’m not sure if that was a backhanded compliment or not.”
I grinned. “Guess you’ll just be in the dark, then.”
She giggled. “You’re an asshole sometimes.”
“And you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”
I cupped her cheek and brought her lips back to mine. Again. I couldn’t help it. They were plump and red and made for kissing. I slid my hand back into the soft locks of her blonde hair. It glistened as the moonlight poured through my car windows. Every time she kissed me, the world faded away. Every time she touched me, my mind focused solely on her. And I knew that no matter where our lives took us, she’d always be my muse.
She’d always be the center of my artistic works.
“Come on. Let’s get down to our spot,” I murmured.
“Sounds good to me.”
We got out of my car, and I reached for the supplies I had in the trunk. I pulled out a basket, a massive blanket, and two glasses for the virgin cocktail I’d mixed up beforehand. I wanted to respect the fact that Winnie didn’t like alcohol. I mean, Steve had no issues drinking. He’d been downing beers consistently with me since we were seventeen years old.
Sometimes, it seemed as if he and Winnie were polar opposites.
I offered my arm to her, and we walked down the beach ramp access. We pressed ourselves into the darkness, giggling and whispering as we dodged spotlights and possible police car headlights. I heard music thumping from a beach house party not too far down the way, and people laughing in the distance, cheering and clapping their hands. But once we got underneath the pier, I tucked us back up into the shadows, off the wet sand and encased completely by the darkness that surrounded us.
It had become our little hiding spot over the summer.
“The ocean looks beautiful tonight,” Winnie said.
I fluffed the blanket out. “You look beautiful tonight.”
“You’re so crazy, you know that?”
“Crazy for you.”
She swatted me playfully, and I spun around. I picked her up and held her close, feeling her wrap her legs around me. My cock swelled at her warmth, at the feel of her soft, youthful thighs around my waist. She cupped my cheeks and smiled down at me, her hair curtaining us off from the rest of the world.
I took a snapshot of the moment—the smile on her face, the light dancing in her eyes, the smile crossing her cheeks and reddening her skin.
I didn’t want the summer to ever end.
“Thank you for coming out with me tonight, Winnie.”
Her forehead fell against mine. “Thank you for inviting me, Ben.”
“Ready to see what I whipped us up for dinner?”
“I’m more ready to cuddle than anything.”
“I can do that, too. So long as you let me feed you.”
I settled us down on the blanket, and she straddled me, teasing my aching cock as I begged for it not to grow any more. I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to ruin such a perfect evening. Because I knew this would be an evening I crafted on canvas for years to come. I reached for the cooler and slid it our way. I opened it up without even looking and rummaged around. Winnie giggled and kissed me softly, capturing my lips over and over and causing my cock to pulse against her before she gasped.
Shit. I need a distraction.
“Care for a grape?” I asked.
Winnie nuzzled her nose against mine. “I’d love one.”
I pulled back a bit, putting some space between us. When I held the grape to her lips, her eyes met mine. She wrapped her mouth around it slowly, brushing her lips against my fingertips. Electricity sizzled down my spine and my toes curled against my flip-flops. I picked up another grape, feeling her scoot closer to me as her clothed pussy slid against my pelvis.
She’ll be the fucking death of me.
Her dark green eyes reminded me of etched emerald from the depths of the sea. Her wild blonde hair that never quite stayed straight accented the vibrant, youthful glow of her creamy skin. I loved how quickly I could make her blush, how my teeth marked her neck when I couldn’t stand it any longer. I loved how easily embarrassed she was and how deep the flush of her cheeks became with my compliments. Winnie was young, virile, fraught with delicate curves and full, luscious breasts. More than once, her body called to me, haunting me at night and taunting me in the shower before I wrapped my hand around my dick and stroked myself to the memory of her bubblegum taste and the velvety, smooth feel of her tongue.
“Are you going to eat?”
Pretend Wife Page 16
