“I’ve been guilty of buying a tabloid magazine once or twice,” I admit. “I just never thought it hurts so much when you are the subject. They called me a pig!”
“You are beautiful, and you know that,” Isla says fiercely. “Don’t let those assholes get to you.”
“It’s not just the insults.” I tell her about the call with my mother and my response.
“I’m proud of you,” she says. “But I also feel bad for them. It’s tough living in a small town; everyone is in your business. It’s just not fair to keep comparing you with your parents.” She contemplates me for a moment. “What you said about Kyle, about not missing out on a good thing because he’s famous. Do you mean that?”
I let out a shaky breath. “I don’t know. I did when I said it.” I’d made a decision that I would end things with Kyle when the press found out about us. Now that it’s happened, to my surprise, I don’t feel as if my world has fallen apart.
“There’s nothing wrong with falling in love with a celebrity,” she points out gently.
“Except for the lack of privacy and the cruel articles.” I think back to my own behavior. “The worst thing is that I read those articles sometimes. If I’m in an airport and I find one lying around, I’ll leaf through it. It seemed such harmless fun.”
“I’ve done it too,” Isla says with a sigh. “And now I feel so bad.”
“Let’s make a deal not to ever read those trashy magazines again.”
“Deal,” Isla says. “One more thing. I’ve never seen you as happy and settled as you have been since you and Kyle started dating. Give it a chance. Enjoy the ride.”
I inhale deeply and noisily. I’m frightened, but at the same time, I can’t bear the thought of losing him. Which means that I’m going to have to deal with my biggest fear. My privacy. But maybe after the initial buzz of excitement, they’ll move on to someone else, and we can continue with our lives.
I smile at her. “I’m a grown woman, and I’m not going to let those fuckers ruin the best relationship I’ve ever had.”
“Atta girl!” Isla says. “Now give me a tour of this gorgeous house!”
Chapter 23
Kyle
I’m miserable as Ethan drives us through the gates of my house, leaving a pack of hungry paparazzi outside. Thank God for tinted and soundproof windows.
When I left this morning, I couldn’t wait for the hours to go by so that I could return home. Now, a cloud of despondency has settled over me, and I feel as if I’m on a countdown for the beginning of the rest of my miserable life.
Chris sent me the links to the stories that appeared everywhere of Grace and me at the pool yesterday. It’s against the law, but the fuckers must have used a drone to access my property and take pictures of us. I’m so angry I want to punch something.
I wish they had directed their mean comments to me. I wouldn’t care. But to my Grace ... Worse, I know what it means to our still-new relationship. Even though she’s never actually said it, I know that news of her identity would be the last straw for her. So I am not looking forward to going home, knowing that Grace is probably practicing her break-up speech. I don’t blame her either.
The lack of privacy is tough, but the bullying can be unbearably painful. It’s bad enough for veterans, people who’ve been in the limelight all their lives. I imagine how it is for someone like Grace, who has lived her life as a regular person, even sacrificing a career in art for her privacy.
Yeah, I’m sure right now she’s probably pacing up and down, waiting for me to get home. Chris only let me know about it in the evening. If he’d told me in the morning, I’d have come right home. Added to the distress of knowing that the one good relationship I’ve ever had is about to end is the fact that I wasn’t there for her when she needed me.
I get out of the car and stroll to the front door. I’m expecting silence as it’s late and Maria has probably left for the evening. Instead, I’m met with chattering voices, and I follow them to the kitchen. Grace is seated on a barstool at the island having dinner, and Maria is sitting opposite her and engaged in what seems to be a very lively conversation. Maria stands when she sees me, and Grace swivels around in her stool and beams at me.
To say that I’m surprised is an understatement.
“Would you like me to warm your dinner before I go?” Maria says.
“No, I’ll be fine, thanks,” I tell her without taking my eyes off Grace. I move closer and kiss her on the mouth.
“Hello you,” she says. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in days.”
I laugh, hardly daring to believe that this relaxed beautiful woman is Grace. A disturbing thought crosses my mind. What if she doesn’t know that she was the subject of gossip today?
“In that case, I’ll see you two tomorrow,” Maria says, and her footsteps fade away.
“Don’t look so worried,” Grace says and strokes my cheek. “I saw the gossip, and I survived it.”
I grin like an idiot. “Yeah?”
She makes a face. “I have to be honest. I wasn’t this calm in the morning when my mom called me to scold me about how I’m embarrassing them. I called Isla, and she came over.”
I’m relieved that she was not alone, even though I wish I’d been the one to be there for her.
“I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t going to let them get to me, and so here I am.” She squares her shoulders and lengthens her neck.
I laugh. “I’m so proud of you,” I say and then grow solemn. “I thought I’d lost you for sure.”
She stands and moves between my legs. I rest my hands on her hips and slowly run my hands up and down. Arousal hits me, a combination of pent-up emotions. My cock strains against my jeans as it swells and grows hard,
“That had been the plan, but I hadn’t factored in my feelings. I’m addicted to you, Kyle Bryce,” she says, holding my gaze. No words have sounded sweeter.
“Don’t ever stop being addicted to me.”
“I won’t. Not when you keep doing the kind of things you’re doing with your hands,” she says breathlessly.
My hands are softly stroking the edge of her panties under the light material of her dress. I inhale the scent of her arousal just as she hugs me to her. My head is cradled against her breasts, and I move it up and down her cleavage.
I bring my hands up to cup her breasts and raise my face to kiss her. Her lips are so soft and malleable; they mold against mine perfectly. I could stay this way forever, with our lips unmoving but touching. She groans and opens her mouth, and I do the same. Our movements are synchronized as our tongues find each other and tangle together. Her nipples are hard points under her dress, and I flick them with my thumbs. Her sweet moans fill the room as I pleasure her with my hands.
Then she makes a reluctant noise and pulls away. “I’m being selfish. I know you’re hungry, and here I am just thinking of myself,” Grace says, moving away from me.
“I don’t mind you being selfish.” I try and reach for her, but she steps out of my grasp.
She laughs. “I’ll warm your food; then I can be selfish after you’ve had some dinner.”
“I would have preferred the other way around.”
Seeing Grace in my kitchen when I’d expected her to have run off fills me with a deep sense of contentment. The future is suddenly splashed with color. By refusing to be frightened off, she has opened my mind to endless possibilities. Things I’d never thought were part of my future.
Love. Marriage. A family.
It’s too soon to talk about such things with her, but that is my endgame. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve found the missing part of my puzzle, and I intend to keep it.
She brings over my dinner and pours me a glass of water. “How was your day?” She sits down on the opposite side of the island, out of my reach.
“Good. I met with my costar; I’m sure you’ve heard of her. Skyler.” The gifted but temperamental actress is the only actor in Hollywood who goes by one name. Having
her as my costar is almost a guarantee that the movie will be a box office hit.
Grace’s eyes widen. “Oh, wow. Everyone has heard of Skyler and seen her movies. She’s beautiful.”
“She’s good at what she does. We ran a few lines together, and I was happy to see how excited she is for this movie.”
Then Grace frowns. “Isn’t she the one who is rumored to have affairs with all her leading men? I don’t care how beautiful or gifted she is; she had better stay away from my man.”
Seeing her acting all possessive makes me want to carry her upstairs and make love to her. “No chance of that happening. This leading man is very much taken.”
“Good,” Grace says.
“Got any painting done today?” I ask her.
“Yes, I worked all afternoon. It was a nice distraction from all the noise,” she says, and I smile at her adoption of the word ‘noise.’
“Will you let me see it when it’s finished?”
She laughs. “How can I say no when you look so cute asking?”
I frown at her. “That’s not the look I was aiming for.” I get up and carry my plate to the sink. “I need a shower. Care to join me?”
“I’ll pass,” Grace says. “However, I’ll be waiting naked in bed when you’re done with your shower.”
I let out a ragged breath as the vision of her soft body forms in my mind. “What are we waiting for?”
I head straight to the bathroom, ignoring Grace’s laugh. The shower I take has to be the fastest I’ve ever had. In less than ten minutes, I’m strolling back into the bedroom, stark naked and sporting a massive hard-on.
Grace simply stares at me, her gaze moving from my face to my cock. “I would be scared if I didn’t know what pleasure that gives me,” she says, gesturing at my cock.
She throws back the covers to reveal her perfect curvy body.
I gaze at her hungrily, zooming in on her pussy. Suddenly I can’t wait to taste her. Instead of joining her in the bed, I kneel at the edge and pull her until she’s seated at the edge of the bed. I move her further out and push her legs apart, exposing her gleaming pussy. “I want to taste you so badly,” I tell her before I lower my mouth. I don’t waste any time, and I eat out her pussy with the desperation of a man who had spent the day fantasizing of that moment. Her moans are music to my ears, and moments later, she flops back onto the bed as if the pleasure is too much to handle.
I push two fingers in while my tongue flicks her clit. She cries out my name until her voice goes hoarse. Then her muscles clench around my fingers as she comes, her body writhing from side to side.
I stand up, lift her legs onto my shoulders, and slowly push my cock into her slick pussy. It feels like dipping into molten heat. Her ass slaps into my hips with every quick, deep thrust.
“Yes, yes, yes,” she cries.
“Grace!” So much emotion is packed into her name. This woman has come to mean everything to me in a short time. This is a celebration of what we have and what she is to me. My chest expands with happiness as I look at her, her eyes glazed over with desire.
My woman.
I’ve never felt the need to be proprietorial over a woman, but with Grace, I feel things I’ve never felt before. I want to claim her as mine and tell the whole world.
When my orgasm comes, it’s long and drawn out, and I let out deep groans as Grace’s walls squeeze my cock, milking it of every drop of cum. I want to stay buried in her forever, but the angle is awkward, and I settle for having her in my arms.
“That was great,” she says.
I raise an eyebrow. “Great?”
She laughs. “OK. Wonderful, superb, the best …”
“That’s better.” I touch her cheek. “You’re officially my woman.”
She covers my hand with hers. “I like being your woman.”
I lean forward to capture her mouth in a kiss. I thank my lucky stars for the day I walked into Fire Station 255. I shudder inwardly as I think of how easy it would have been to miss crossing paths with Grace.
Chapter 24
Grace
“You look like a little kid being taken to a toy store,” Kyle laughingly says.
“That’s how I feel.”
It was Kyle’s idea to drive me down to the gallery to tour where my artwork will be displayed. I can’t sit still in the car, and I keep imagining my paintings hanging up for people to see and buy them. It’s exhilarating and frightening.
The only sad thing is that I can’t share the news with my mother. It’s been a week since we exchanged words, and though we’ve spoken once, the conversation was stilted and just a formality to check on each other. It saddens me that our relationship has deteriorated so rapidly.
Still, I’m not willing to do what she asks and end my relationship with Kyle. I’m not twelve years old, and even though I’m making a mistake, it’s my mistake, and I’m the one who’ll have to live with it. I expect support from my parents, not condemnation.
I understand where they’re coming from, having been in the same place myself. Looking back, I can’t believe the blanket judgment I had for everyone in the public eye. It was an unfair conclusion to reach that all celebrities are party animals, unfaithful, and irresponsible.
One good thing that has come out of this week is that the media attention in me has waned. They’ve moved on to other people and scandals, and I’m glad they have stopped camping outside Kyle’s gate. I’ve even managed to pop into my apartment to check on things.
It’s been the most amazing week getting to know Kyle with no interruptions apart from our work. We’ve been like a regular couple with him going off for final wardrobe fittings and pre-shoots, and I, of course, working on my painting.
“Hey before I forget, the award show is in a few days,” Kyle says. “I’d really love it if you came as my date. Everyone knows about us; there’s no harm, is there?”
I take a deep breath and give him a shaky smile. I’ve lived my life privately for years, and when asked to go out in public, I default to the Grace, who would do anything to keep herself from the public eye. “I don’t have a dress.” I can’t believe that’s the best excuse I could come up with. I sound like a child.
Kyle smiles indulgently. “I’m sure we can find a way around that.”
It dawns on me how unfair I would be if I refused. I can’t date Kyle and insist on privacy when he’s a movie star. It’s not only unfair; it’s naïve. I need to accept Kyle for who he is and support him in his work, just as he has been supporting me in mine.
I smile widely. “Okay, the answer’s yes.”
He wears a skeptical look. “That smile is as fake as they come, but I’ll take it.”
I let out a genuine laugh.
Kyle takes my hand and stares at me solemnly. “I’m very proud of you. I know how hard it is for you.” He turns my hand around and kisses it. “Thank you.”
I turn to mush. I’m too emotional to respond, but I don’t need to as the car slows down. I peer out and stare at the gallery. It’s huge. A lot bigger than I expected, and my heart pounds crazily in my chest. I suddenly feel like an imposter. Solo shows are for famous artists, not amateurs like me who have never even shown their art to more than five people. The car glides to a stop, and Ethan cuts off the engine. Terror grips my insides, and all I want is to turn back and go back home.
“Hey, you look as white as chalk,” Kyle says gently.
I stare at him. “I think this was a bad idea. I’m not ready for a solo show.”
“Imposter syndrome?” Kyle says softly. “I get it too sometimes, just before we start filming, and I have to remind myself that the casting director knew what he was doing when he gave me the role.”
Kyle is so cool and composed. It’s near impossible to think of him as insecure about his talent. Everyone knows how gifted he is.
“Even if you feel that you’re not ready for a solo show, can you at least trust that Greg knows his job? It’s not up to you to decide. It’s G
reg’s, and if he thinks your work is good enough for his gallery, who are you to say otherwise?”
I inhale deeply as his words penetrate my brain. “You have a point there,” I say tentatively. The more I let his words sink in, the more they make sense. Greg has been in the art industry for years, and in that time, he has seen a lot of work from various artists. He definitely knows what he’s doing. “I may not be the best judge for my work.”
Kyle grins and squeezes my hand. “That’s my girl. You deserve this, Grace, and you’ll be awesome. I can’t wait for the world to discover you.”
His enthusiasm is catching. I grin back. “Let’s do this.”
“I’ll just let him know that we’re here,” Kyle says and fishes out his phone.
As he types the message, I look at the space above the entrance where they write the name of the featured artist and imagine my name up there. Grace Hughes. That will be one special day. I hope that my parents will make it to the show. It will mean everything to me to share that day with them.
“He says we can go in now,” Kyle says, and we get out of the car.
We walk up to the closed double doors, but when we get nearer, they slide open, and a smiling woman lets us in.
“It’s nice to see you again, Mr. Bryce. I’m sorry I gave you a hard time the last time you were here. I didn’t recognize you,” she says.
“Don’t worry about it,” Kyle says and gestures to me to enter first.
The woman’s eyes are on Kyle, and I could just as well be invisible as far as she’s concerned. I walk past her, and she doesn’t shift her gaze from Kyle. It’s a bit amusing but also offensive. I’m soon distracted and forget the woman’s bad manners and start to admire the art on the walls.
The pieces are gorgeous, and I’m soon lost in a world of colors and feelings as the artwork evokes deep emotions in me.
“Your work is even more beautiful,” a deep voice says behind me, and I jump, startled.
I whirl around to find Greg and Kyle beaming at me. I was so lost in admiring the forest landscape in front of me that I didn’t hear them come up behind me.
One Hot Secret: A Second Chance Romance (Love on Fire) Page 14
