“We could make that work.”
“We film in New Zealand… for three months.”
My heart sinks into my stomach, and a beat passes between us.
“Is that a problem?”
For me, yes. Now that I’m slowly falling for Nico, I don’t want him to leave. But who am I kidding? I knew from the start of this relationship that Nico would eventually move on to something shiny and new.
“No, not at all,” I choke out. “But, I need to speak to Nico.”
“I need an answer. You have until tomorrow morning.”
We discuss a few more details about the role and Nico’s salary, and then we hang up, my stomach in knots. I remove my cell phone from my drawer and send Nico a text, telling him I’m coming home with big news. As I stuff my phone into my bag, Ash pops her head into my cubicle.
“Hey, girl. How did your meeting go?”
Two hours ago, I had a successful lunch with Carrie Le Blanc, and I felt like I was on top of the world. I still do, though my fear of losing Nico hampers my excitement.
“Carrie agreed to work with me.”
“Does Burke know?”
I shake my head. “I haven’t had the nerve or the chance to break the news to him.”
“He won’t be happy about losing a major client to a junior agent.”
I snicker at her comment. “Tell me about it. Why do you think I’ve been hiding in my cubicle? I’m not ready to face him.”
“You must tell him at some point.”
I log off my computer and slide the keyboard back into place. “I have even bigger news,” I whisper, afraid someone will overhear our conversation. “Doug Cavanaugh just called me.”
She gasps. “The head of Firehouse Films?”
I nod. “He wants Nico to star in Savages.”
Ash covers her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide. “Shut up,” she says between her fingers.
“He’s giving me until tomorrow morning to talk to Nico.”
“What?” Ash lowers her hand to her side. “Why didn’t you say yes on the spot?”
“Because it’s not just my career. What if Nico doesn’t like the script as much as I do?”
She frowns. “Girl, you know you’re stalling because you want him all to yourself.”
I press my finger to my mouth. “Shhh…”
Ash giggles and then playfully swats her hand at me. “Calm your tits, woman. I won’t say anything.”
“Did you tell Dylan?”
“I tell him everything,” she confesses. “But he won’t say anything. You have nothing to worry about.”
“If Nico takes the role, he’ll be in New Zealand for three months.”
“And you don’t want him to go?”
“This movie could revitalize his career. But yeah, the selfish part of me wants to lock him in the house.” I get up from the desk and sling my bag over my shoulder. “I told Nico I’d meet him at home.”
“At home?” Ash cocks an eyebrow at me. “You’re so screwed with him.”
I groan. “Tell me about it.”
Ash follows me out of my cubicle, accompanying me to the elevator bank. I hit the button on the wall, and when the doors open, Ash taps me on the ass, pushing me into the elevator.
“Good luck,” she says with a smile as the doors close.
* * *
When I pull into the driveway, Nico is waiting for me on the front step, tapping his fingers on his thigh. His mouth stretches into a smile when I get out of the car. My stomach does somersaults as he appraises me.
Nico closes the distance between us. “How was your lunch with Carrie?”
I grin so wide my cheeks hurt. “She signed on the spot.”
He wraps his muscular arms around me, hugging me so tight I wish he never had to let go. “I knew she would.”
Nico holds me at arm’s length. “So, what’s the news?”
“Doug Cavanaugh called me. He wants you to play the lead role in Savages.”
His eyes widen. “For real?”
I nod.
“I thought they cast Ryan Stark for that role.”
“They never completed the deal.”
Nico smothers me with another bone-crushing hug. “Thank you,” he whispers into my ear. “All of this is happening because of you.”
“It’s because of all the hard work you’ve put in lately.”
He slides his hand beneath my chin until our eyes meet.
“Mark needs an answer by tomorrow.”
“Yes,” he says without hesitation. “Rick Mallory is directing the film. I haven’t worked with him in years. Everything he directs is brilliant.”
“They shoot in New Zealand in a few weeks.”
His mouth slams shut, a grim expression crossing his face for a split second as he realizes how this will affect our relationship.
“You’ll be there for three months.”
“Oh.”
“It’s okay, Nico.” My voice has a reassuring tone, even though I’m dying on the inside. “Take this role.”
He sighs. “Come with me.”
“I wish I could, but my job is in Los Angeles.”
He runs the pad of his thumb along my bottom lip. “I’m so used to having my lucky charm with me.”
“I’m a phone call away,” I promise.
Nico leans into me, his lips so close I can feel the heat from his breath. He teases my lip with his finger, stroking it along my skin, and then he kisses me. He tastes like mint toothpaste, his spicy aftershave filling my nostrils. With each flick of his tongue, I lose myself, consumed by this gorgeous movie star who makes all of my dreams come true.
Nothing matters when I’m in his arms. It’s like I’m outside of my body, drunk with pleasure and desperate for more. I can never get enough of Nico. I knew after our first kiss that it would never be enough, even though it should have ended there. What we are doing is crazy and reckless. We claw at each other’s clothing like two horny teenagers making out in the backseat of a car.
From a distance, I hear a snapping sound that pulls me back to reality. Our lips separate. My body shakes when I see a man on the sidewalk with a camera in front of his face. The flash clicks one after the other, followed by his footsteps pounding across the pavement.
“Get in the house,” Nico says to me, pushing me behind him. “I’ll deal with him.”
“Nico,” the man says. “Is that Willow Duvall?”
Harley owns this house, so it’s not like he would know where I live. Taking Nico’s advice, I turn on my heels and haul ass toward the front door. I open the door and stand in the entryway, leaving it open a crack to listen to their conversation.
“Was that your agent?”
He remembers me. The media photographed us at the Flashbang movie premier when Nico announced I’m his new agent. Burke will have my head tomorrow morning.
“Get lost,” Nico growls at him.
A few seconds later, Nico storms away. He pulls open the door and slams it behind him.
“Are you okay?”
I point my finger at my chest. “Me? What about you?”
“I’m used to getting harassed by these assholes.”
He cups the side of my face with his hand. “I shouldn’t have kissed you outside. I wasn’t thinking… It just felt so right. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“If that asshole sells the pictures, Burke will fire you.”
“I know.”
“Willow…” He caresses my skin with his fingers. “I’m sorry, baby.” His eyes fall to the floor, and he sighs. “After everything you did for me, I fucked things up for you.”
“I’m a big girl, Nico.”
“You should know something,” he breathes against my lips. “This is real for me. You’re not a fling or just someone to pass the time with. I care about you. A lot. More than I thought I could ever care about a woman.”
“We haven’t known each other that long,” I point out.
“
True. But I feel like we’ve known each other for years. I can tell you anything. And you accept me no matter what. I like who I am with you. You make me want to be a better man.”
His words bring a smile to my face. “Are you still going to like me when I’m a jobless loser?”
Nico laughs. “You’re still my agent, no matter what happens.”
“You think I could do it? Start a talent agency.”
He brushes his lips against mine. “You can do anything, agent girl.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Willow
The asshole paparazzi sold the images and Nico and me kissing within days of finalizing Nico’s deal for Savages. I got a phone call late last night from Burke’s assistant, telling me to be in his office at eight o’clock. Everyone in Hollywood has seen the pictures by now, maybe even the world.
They splashed my face across social media. The press is having a field day over a Brenton-Lake agent hooking up with a client. The headlines are the worst of all, some of them so rude I cried on Nico’s shoulder for over an hour last night.
When I stroll through the door, Ash is waiting for me in the lobby of our office building. A newspaper is in her hand, a worried look on her face.
“Dude, you’re so screwed.” She hands me a copy of Variety, the picture of Nico and me kissing in front of my house on the front page. “You and Nico are all everyone is talking about.”
I close my eyes for a second and sigh. “I didn’t mean for this to happen…”
“Hey, girl. No judgment here. I dated my brother’s best friend behind his back for years. I know what it’s like to keep a massive secret.” Ash hooks her arm around my back, crushing me with a hug that I desperately need. “You’ll get through this.”
“How?”
She smirks. “With alcohol.”
“I’m so fired.”
“If people will give Nico a second chance, you’ll get one, too.”
“I doubt that. Burke doesn’t tolerate shit like this.” I sigh. “I wasn’t thinking. When I’m around Nico, it’s like he sucks all the air from the room, and my brain stops working.”
“Is Nico worth it?”
“Yeah,” I say without hesitation. “There’s so much more to the man than the movie star.”
“Then you made the right choice.” Ash hits the button on the wall to call the elevator. “Look where I was a few months ago. Evicted from my apartment without notice, forced to live with my brother and Dylan. And since then, my entire life has changed for the better.”
The doors open for us, and we step onto the elevator. My heart pounds like a jackhammer as we ascend the floors to Brenton-Lake. Today may very well be my last day working for the agency. Weston Burke has a strict no fraternizing policy among agents, let alone the ironclad clause in my employment contract. Kissing my client is grounds for dismissal.
The air drains from my lungs when the doors open to our floor. Assistants are shuffling about, folders in their hands, and cell phones raised to their ears—just another day at the top talent agency in Los Angeles. And soon, to be my last.
Ash cups my shoulder for support. This time, we don’t exchange words, the sadness on her face slicing a hole in my chest. We would typically make plans for lunch, but I doubt I will make it through the morning. She turns left at the reception desk, and I go right toward my office.
There’s nothing I can say to change my actions. The image of Nico and me in the paper haunts me, like a bad dream or a nightmare. It felt so good to kiss him and know what it felt like to have his soft lips on mine and his arms around me.
Within seconds of dropping my purse onto my desk, Burke’s voice booms through the intercom speaker.
“Willow, in my office! Now!”
As I make my death-row walk down the hallway, I curse myself for ruining my career. I should have been more careful. But I don’t regret kissing Nico.
I rub my sweaty palms down the sides of my dress. My throat is dry, my tongue as rough as sandpaper. Burke’s assistant waves me on when I enter his reception area. She purses her lips, giving me a weary look that confirms my suspicions.
Burke is behind his desk, hands balled into fists with an angry snarl aimed at me. He grabs the paper from his desk and flings it at me. “What is this shit?”
This morning’s copy of Variety lands on the floor a few feet in front of me.
He points a long finger at the leather chair across from his desk. “Take a seat.”
Ash’s question rolls around in my head. Is Nico worth it? Even though I know what’s coming, the answer is still yes. Nico showed me that imperfect people are perfect in their own ways.
I sit in the chair across from Burke and grip the arms to keep my hands from shaking.
“I never expected this from you,” Burke growls. “You begged me for the chance to work with Nico. I gave you a chance, and this is how you repay me? By sleeping with a client. You trashed our reputation. I had to explain to the head of Sony that this behavior is uncharacteristic for a Brenton-Lake agent. Do you have any idea what that phone call was like for me? Do you?”
“No, sir. I’m sorry about the trouble I’ve caused. I never meant—”
“You didn’t think, Willow. Nico Chase is a liability. I tried to tell you that from the start.”
Burke has yet to look me directly in the eyes. He folds his arms over his chest, staring up at the ceiling as he sinks into the leather chair.
“I’m sorry,” I say in a hushed voice. “I was only trying to help Nico.”
“How did this start?”
“We were rehearsing his lines. The scene required a kiss. And things just spiraled out of control from there.”
“You violated the terms of your contract,” he snapped.
Pushing down my tears, I take a deep breath. “I don’t want to lose this job, Mr. Burke. Please. Brenton-Lake means everything to me.”
“This is an unforgivable offense.”
“Please. I will do whatever it takes.”
He shakes his head. “Unfortunately, we have to end your contract.”
“But I signed Nico and Carrie Le Blanc. They’re my clients.”
“No, they’re clients of Brenton-Lake.”
What’s the point in pleading with someone who’s already decided my fate? He knew before I walked into his office that he was letting me go.
Burke pushes out his hand in front of him to silence me. “I don’t want to hear another word. As per the terms of the agreement, you will give up your commission for Nico’s contracts.”
“But…”
“You can fight if you wish, but you won’t win in court.”
Bile rises from the back of my throat, choking me. “So, that’s it?”
He tips his head toward the door. “Pack your shit. I want you out within the hour.”
I’m leaving Brenton-Lake, but Nico and Carrie are coming with me.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Nico
I’m leaving in the morning. It took me all of twenty minutes to pack, but I can’t bring the only thing I want to take to New Zealand. Willow lost her job because of my stupidity. And now, she’s stuck in Los Angeles, forced to deal with hateful press and paparazzi that have camped out on her lawn for days.
Willow stands in front of the mirror with a towel wrapped around her waist.
I come up from behind her and grip her hips. “I will miss this view,” I say against the shell of her ear.
She giggles. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
I brush her hair off her shoulder as I bend down to plant soft kisses along her skin. “I’ll miss this, too.”
“Are you ready for tomorrow?”
I blow out a deep breath. “As ready as I will be.”
“You can do this, Nico. Stop worrying.”
“I’m not,” I lie.
She smirks at me in the mirror. “Please. I can see it on your face. You’ve been brooding around the house for the last few days.”
I snort with laughter. “I don’t brood.”
“Yes, you do. But at least you’re cute when you do it.”
I wiggle my eyebrows at her. “Cute?”
“Hot. Sexy.” She smiles. “Devilishly handsome. But still broody.”
I tug on her towel, and it falls to the floor, revealing her perfect body. The intoxicating scent of her fruity body wash hangs in the air like smoke.
I will miss everything about Willow—from the smell of her skin to the sounds she makes when I kiss her. But most of all, I will miss waking up with her in my arms. She’s been my biggest fan, my lucky charm from the moment we met. And I’m not sure I can do this without her by my side. I’m fucking nervous about living in New Zealand. A lot can change in three months, and I hope that what I have with Willow isn’t one of those things.
“Nico,” she moans when I reach between her thighs.
She leans back as my fingers slip inside her soaking wet pussy. I watch her reaction in the mirror, studying every curve of her body. Willow’s eyes slam shut as I push another finger inside her. I love seeing her unravel like this, whimpering and trembling from the slightest touch. She moans, my name on the tip of her tongue.
“I want you inside me,” she whispers.
I bend her forward, and Willow grips the edge of the vanity, her reflection staring back at me through the glass. Her nipples harden to peaks that are begging me to touch. My cock is throbbing. The need to be inside her too intense to ignore. I quickly strip out of my clothes, sliding a condom down my shaft before replacing my fingers with my cock.
Screams of pleasure escape her lips. I rock into her, going slower than before, wishing this moment could last forever. Burying myself inside her, we become one, her body molding to mine. I chase the high I want, desperate for release, but I’m not ready to lose control.
I pull out of Willow and then lift her into my arms, kissing her softly as I lower her to the mattress. She spreads her thighs for me, wrapping them around me as I rock into her once more.
“Oh, God,” she moans. “Yes, yes…”
Willow tightens her hold on me, squeezing my cock as her orgasm rocks through her body. She trembles beneath me, her pleasure hitting her in waves. My cock pulses inside her. The peak of my orgasm hits me like a hurricane.
The Fame Game (Love and the City Book 3) Page 10
