“Oh, Rosemary,” I said. “That’s not going to happen.”
“I have a feeling. Promise me. But only if you love him.”
“Only if I love him,” I said. “I promise.”
And as much I do love Dylan McAlister, I refuse to wait for him. He knows it and he’s not all that happy about it.
Dylan: I’m calling you. Pick up.
Evie: No. I’m working.
Dylan: I miss you.
Evie: I miss you back.
Dylan: When are you done with this job?
Evie: Few weeks to a month.
Dylan: How about after you’re done I visit you in Chicago?
Evie: Yes, please.
Dylan: Wait... Mom says you should come here.
Dylan: Texas.
Dylan: Mom misses you.
My heart sinks. He’s right. Rosemary’s the mother I always wanted and she’s going through another round of treatment.
Evie: I miss her back. Gotta go.
Dylan: Phone sex, baby?
Evie: Fuck you, baby. No.
Dylan: That’s what I was asking about.
Evie: Keep dreaming, player…
Ping-ping-ping more texts come in.
Ruby: Where are you?
Evie: Working. What’s up?
Ruby: Mom’s been hiding her pills.
Evie: What?!! Why?
Ruby: Don’t know.
Ruby: Her doctor called me. Wanted to know if I knew why she’d be acting out.
Aw crap.
Evie: I wonder if it’s because I canceled our trip?
Ruby: Don’t know.
Ruby: Don’t worry about that.
Ruby: You can’t control everything, right?
Evie: Right.
Ruby: I’m going up there in a week. You might want to do that too.
Evie: As soon as I’m done with this job.
Ruby: Where are you this time?
Evie: You know the drill– not supposed to disclose.
Ruby: Right. Okay, Batgirl.
Evie: Not Batgirl. I wish. Talk soon.
I head to the kitchen and pour myself a cup of coffee. Nikki wanders in wearing a rumpled T-shirt and sweats, looking like she just rolled out of bed.
“Jake around?” I ask.
“As far as I know he’s up and out,” she says pouring herself a bowl of cereal.
“He rolled in last night around 2 a.m.” I say.
“He does that a lot lately,” she says, spooning down breakfast. “Ever since he shut down. Do you want some cereal? Sorry. That was rude of me not to ask.”
I point to my bowl of berries and yogurt. “I’m good, thanks. Do you know where he goes?”
She shakes her head. “I asked him a month or so ago. He wouldn’t tell me. I assume typical guy stuff.”
“I Googled the hell out of him before I flew out here, and to be honest, I couldn’t find all that much credible information.”
“Did you see the thing in the Inquirer about him fathering the alien baby?” She makes a face.
“Truth! Baby looked just like him. Jake’s mom died a few years back. She wasn’t that old. Is that part of the problem?”
“Nancy was a piece of work,” Nikki says. “They adored each other. She was a smoker. He tried to get her to quit for years but she wouldn’t. Sudden heart attack.”
“Is he still grieving?”
“He’ll grieve forever,” she says. “But no, I don’t think that’s it.”
“His girlfriend of two years ran off with a director.”
“The lovely Jacqueline. She met the guy on an indie movie a few years back. He was ten years younger than her and smoking hot. I would have fucked him three ways to Thursday.”
I blink. “Hotter than Jake?”
She laughs. “Hot in a different way. They’re living in Provence, now. It threw Jake for about a month. He worked out a lot and banged about a hundred girls. I used to tease him that his dick was going to break.”
I cover a smile. “Did it?”
“I haven’t seen it, so I don’t know.”
I saw it last night in passing and it looked just fine, if a bit on the substantial size.
Adam walks into the kitchen, throws his keys on the counter, and heads for the coffee pot.
“Morning sunshine,” Nikki says.
“Talk to me after caffeine,” he says. “Jake here?”
“Nope. Maybe he’s working out.”
“We’ve got that meeting with Howard from Tru Blue…”
“Jake mentioned something last night about postponing the Tru Blue meeting,” Nikki says.
“I’ve postponed it twice,” Adam says downing his coffee. “Howard’s going to think we’re dicking him around.”
“Not my call,” Nikki says.
“Right.” He plucks his phone from his back pocket and begins typing.
“Business as usual?” Nikki asks.
“More like business that never gets done now that Jake keeps changing plans,” Adam says.
I raise my hand. “Is there anything I can…”
“Yes,” Adam says and scowls at me. “Do your job. Spend some time with Jake. figure out what’s wrong. Fix him.”
“Um…”
“Douche nozzle.” Nikki throws a berry at his head. “Evie’s been here under 24 hours. You know how Jake is. He’s here, he’s there. He’s oh so sweet.”
“Super sweet,” I say.
“Then he does his imitation of ‘The Shadow’ and splits,” she says. “It’s not like Evie can rendition him and get the job done. Hey… Not a bad idea?”
I shake my head. “I suck at rendition-ing.”
“We’ll do that another day,” Nikki says. “I’m supposed to entertain you for a few hours. Jake’s joining us after.”
“He’s goofing off instead of taking the meeting with Tru Blue?” Adam asks.
“You can’t have it both ways,” Nikki says. “Unless Evie’s clairvoyant, she’s going to have to spend time with him.”
“Fine,” He grumbles.
“Sounds good,” I say. “What are we doing?”
“It’s L.A. We’ve got the beach. Beverly Hills. History. Studio Tour. Theme parks. Boats. Surfing. Shopping. Farmer’s market. Whatever you want. Pick your poison. We’ve got a lot here.”
“I want it all,” I say, nearly spilling my coffee.
“Yay! The All Access Pass tour,” Nikki says. “My favorite.”
“I’m coming with,” Adam says.
8
Not a Regular Girl
NOT A REGULAR GIRL
Over the next five days I learned how to surf at Topanga Beach.
Jake showed up in time to watch me stand up on the board for the first time and ride a wave to shore. Nikki and one of the guys crushing on her took me to a theme park. Jake showed up wearing a ball cap and shades. Later that night we hit a Dodgers game.
Five days later he leaves work early and we go to the Grand Central market, a cornucopia of food booths, housed in the hustle and bustle of downtown L.A. We sit at a little counter in front of two guys in chef uniforms cooking Vietnamese seafood and noodle dishes on a range.
“I’m not in the mood to gear up for a movie launch,” Jake says. “But you know what is refreshing?”
“No. What?”
He takes my hand and strokes the back of it. “Except for a handful of people no one knows about us. You and I have this thing, this friendship. I mean, technically you work for me. I know that.”
“I know,” I say, uninvited butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
“Do you ever wonder if it’s more than work?”
He kisses my hand and I smile at him. “I’m not supposed to wonder about that.”
“I’m wondering,” he says. He leans in and kisses me, his full lips on mine, his hand on the back of my neck.
My heart bumps in my chest, and for a second I forget about healing him. I forget about his pain. I just kiss him back, just like that girl in the m
ovie in the drowning rain.
We park the motorcycle in the garage of his Spanish style house high above Sunset Boulevard.
“Hey,” he says. “About that kiss.”
“What about it?”
“First time we kissed in public. You okay with that?”
“Yes. You?”
“Yup.” He holds open the door from the garage to the laundry room for me. “I’m pretty sure the crew here thinks more is going on than just kissing.”
“I’d bet on that.”
“Still, it’s not like I want to open this up for discussion right now. Everyone dissects everything I do.”
“No worries,” I say.
I’m not delusional. I know we’re not a couple, not in love. But we definitely like each other. There’s a spark. If Jake was a regular guy and I was a regular girl we’d be dating. If we were in Chicago, we’d go to my favorite burger joints under the el. We’d take in more baseball games, cheer on the Cubbies or the Sox, hit the bike path that winds along Lake Michigan, and race each other around all those pretty sailboats.
But he’s not a regular guy and I’m not a regular girl. Which is why it’s a little off-putting when Nikki screeches as we walk into the kitchen.
“OMG there are pictures of you two posted on HotCelebs’ Instagram page,” she says. “They’re being shared everywhere.”
“They’re hashtagging the new movie, Jake,” Adam says. “Wondering who Evie is and if you met her on set. Hiring Evie is brill, man.”
Jake’s shoulders sag. “I had a great time,” he whispers to me. “For what it’s worth, today wasn’t PR.” He squeezes my hand, then heads to the backyard.
“Jake!” I call after him but he doesn’t even break stride.
“Sorry,” Nikki mouths.
I walk into the backyard. The soft light flicks on in the bungalow. I make my way around the pool. Jake shuts down his laptop, drops his head in his hands then grabs his keys. He’s leaving again. I can feel it. He’s retreating into the field of hurt and I can’t reach him right now because if I push too hard I’ll just push him away.
I ball up my feelings and march back inside the house. I know more about him than I did a week ago. I like him more than I did a week ago. I hear his bike rev and peel out of the garage. It tears me up a little more than it did when I first got here.
“You hungry?” Nikki asks.
“Nope. I’m going to call it an early night.”
“I’m sorry,” she says.
“Me too.”
There’s a knock-knock-knock on my door and I startle awake. I look at the clock on the side table. It’s 2 a.m.
“It’s me,” Jake says from the hallway.
I get up and open the door. He smells of incense, frankincense, and sage. His eyes are clear. “Are you okay?”
“No,” he says. “I wanted to say I’m sorry for leaving like that. I wanted you to know I’m not drunk. That’s all.” He turns and walks away.
“Stay,” I call after him. “I’d like it if you stayed.”
9
Lucky Me
LUCKY ME
Jake enters my room, and shuts the door quietly behind him. He pulls me toward him, wraps his arms around me, and kisses me.
He starts with my lips, brushing his against mine. He takes his time. Tasting, exploring, as our bodies get to know each other. He grows bolder, his tongue slipping inside my mouth. Goosebumps erupt on the backs of my arms. He pulls back, and glances into my eyes. Then he kisses my forehead, before moving his lips to my cheek. He runs his fingers through my short hair, scraping his nails against my scalp and I arch under his touch. Shivers zip up my spine. My nipples pebble.
He reaches one firm hand behind my waist, and pulls me flush against him. I place my hand on his muscular chest, and caress it through his thin T-shirt. I move my hand to his shoulder, enjoying the definition in his muscles, then draw my hand up and down his arm. I practically will him to take off his shirt.
Lucky me.
I get my wish.
He tears off his T-shirt and drops it to the floor. His mouth is back on mine. I feel his arousal through his jeans. He’s big, already hard, and he’s growing even harder by the second. The V between my legs throbs and I grow wet.
“Evie,” he says, exhaling, and walks me back toward the bed.
I breathe him in, practically melting under his touch.
He grazes his lips against the soft skin of my neck, and slips my nightshirt over my head before tossing it aside. The night air is cool, and goosebumps prickle on the backs of my arms. I am bare from the waist up, wearing only my cropped cotton pj bottoms that skim the tops of my thighs.
“Let me look at you.” He leans back, his gaze traveling from my head to my toes. “Gorgeous,” he says, palming my breast, before rolling the nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
Excitement courses through me like I’ve had a glass of Champagne. He moves his hand to my other breast, caresses it, then bends his head, and takes my nipple in his mouth and suckles it.
I groan. This man is sexy as sin.
When I have sex with a client, the first time is all about getting to know each other. I don’t need to heal him in our first session. It’s about trust and play, comfort and endorphins. It’s about getting used to each other, seeing what he likes, him learning how to pleasure me.
But right now I cop to being oh so lustful for Jake Keller. I want more. I want to feel his hard cock inside me. I want him to rock my world. I want to rock his. I place my hand on his waistband and look into his eyes for assurance.
“Yes,” he says.
I run my hand over the bulge in his pants. He is throbbing with need. I unhook the metal button, pull the zipper slowly over his cock and take it in my hand. He’s big and full and hard. I circle his dick with my hand mid-shaft. I slide my closed fist over the head and then back down, and repeat, stroking him faster.
He groans. “Hang on,” he says and strips off his jeans.
Photos do not do this man justice. Jake Keller is beautiful naked. Six pack abs. Hard hips. Wide shoulders. A brush of hair on his arms and legs.
I kiss his mouth and he kisses me back slowly. He draws a hand down my body, skimming my breasts. My nipples harden.
“Your turn,” he says, snagging the side of my PJ bottoms. He drags them down my leg.
I hold his shoulder and step out of them.
He looks at me appreciatively, a slight glaze to his eyes. His thick erection juts out from his pelvis. “You’re so pretty, Evie.” He grabs his jeans from the floor, and pulls a condom from his wallet. Ripping it open with his teeth, he rolls it on.
I wrap my arms around his neck. He walks me backward, his cock bumping against my pelvis. Butterflies flutter in my abdomen. My legs hit against the edge of the bed and we topple onto the cushy mattress.
He climbs on top of me, and edges himself between my legs. He runs his fingers over my sex, my folds, then back over my clit, and I squirm.
“So wet, Evie. So delicious.” He slips a finger inside me and I arch under his touch. He slips in two fingers, then draws them out and pushes them back in.
I sigh. He is the fantasy. “I think you should be inside me for real.”
“Not yet,” he says. “We’re still just getting to know each other.” He fucks me with two fingers, stroking the hard nub of my sex with his thumb as I rise under him, my back arching.
“Oh, Jake.”
He places one hand on my pubic bone, pressing my pelvis into his other hand and I am under his control, under his fingers that I am learning are so talented. I buck against him, groaning. Thirty seconds later I have my first orgasm with him. Time flies away, tingles erupt over my body.
Moments later when I open my eyes he’s grinning. “Good?”
“Good,” I say and smile.
He kisses me, lines up the head of his cock against my sex, rubbing it back and forth against my wetness until he eases inside and I take him in.
I
feel him deep in my core. He is warmth, and lust, and friendship, and kindness. I wrap my legs around his waist as he rocks into me. We find a rhythm. We find our way. Minutes later it’s his turn to come, one hand on my breast, the other bracing himself against the mattress. “Evie! I’m coming.” He shudders, his face contorting in pleasure.
He collapses against me, slick with sweat. I run my fingers through his hair and kiss his face. Eventually he falls asleep.
We’ve got a ways to go with healing — but I guarantee this is good start.
10
Messy
MESSY
It’s non-stop sex for three days.
Sex in the mornings. Sex in the shower. Sex in the afternoons. It’s sex before, after, and sometimes during dinner. On the fourth morning, Jake leaves at dawn for an early morning magazine photo shoot. His movie’s launching soon, there’s a screening of it tomorrow night, and the PR machine is gearing up.
My phone ping-ping-pings.
Amelia: How’s it going?
MOVIE STAR Page 6
