Ben laughed—a deep chuckle that she felt vibrate through her bones. "I hope that's a good thing."
"It definitely is," she assured him, placing a hand on his arm. The moment she touched him, she pulled back, immediately embarrassed.
He. Is. My. Boss. Get it together, Aria.
He didn't chide her, or look uncomfortable, which she took as a good sign.
Aria returned to her original position beside him, and they stared out at the darkened water lapping the sides of all the boats docked around.
"Want to hear something funny?" Aria finally broke the silence, but kept her voice low. So low, he had to lean in to hear her.
"Tell me."
"My parents met in this very marina. She was a caterer and he was a deckhand—still teenagers. Barely old enough to know who they were, let alone what they wanted out of life. Still, they knew what love was when they stumbled upon it, and they knew enough to never let go." Aria's heart beat a little faster, warming at the memories.
"Wow. Are they still together?"
Aria nodded. "Barely spent a day apart since. My mother is actually my manager, and she works insanely hard for me, but my father always comes first. He's the love of her life."
"Love like that is special. Rare."
"Is it?" Aria tilted her head to the side. "I'm not sure it's as rare as it is a choice, a commitment, and the strength to follow through each and every day. There were times they could have given up—maybe lived an easier life with someone else—but they made a decision that this was the love they wanted, this was the life they wanted, and in that choice comes a confidence, a happiness, that most people deny themselves."
Ben was quiet for a minute. Finally, he inhaled loudly, then blew it out in one long breath. "That's really beautiful, Aria. Hits a bit close to home, I have to admit."
"I'm sorry." Aria frowned, turning to face him and just leaving one elbow on the railing. "I didn't mean—"
He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I just finished going through a divorce about six months ago, though we'd separated the year before that. I think you're right—love is a choice. Making love work is a choice. And yet...if it's not with the right person, then it's the wrong choice."
"Soul mates." Aria raised one brow. "You believe in that?"
Ben stared at her for a moment...a long moment. The kind of moment that made her shift her weight from one leg to the other, her skin heating under his gaze. "Yes. I believe in soul mates."
She tilted her chin up ever so slightly, going for lightheartedness. "Well, we all have our flaws. You couldn't be entirely perfect."
Ben laughed again. "Believing in soul mates is a flaw?"
"Buying what you're selling is definitely a flaw. You're a movie producer, so you sell fantasy to the world."
"I think we can have the fantasy." His eyes danced, but his smile was gone. "Don't you want the fantasy?"
Aria turned back to the ocean, looking out at the waves. This was too much, too real, too soon with a man she barely knew. A man who was pretty much her boss. "Who wouldn't want the fantasy?" she said dismissively. "Some would say I'm already living it."
"That's certainly true. Everyone on this yacht, everyone in this city...Hollywood. It's all a fantasy of some sort." Something in his tone sounded so...sad? A small ache pulled at her heart, and she felt like they'd opened the door to something different. Something different than studio exec and actress. Something more than strangers who just met today.
Her humanity connected to his, and they were just two people standing on a boat wishing it could float them away from their picture-perfect lives.
"Do you know why I love Scarlet's Letters?" she said softly, her voice barely above the whistle of the wind around them.
He stepped closer, his elbow pressed against hers on the railing now. "Why?"
"It's something I can be proud of. A story I'm proud to tell. The strength of a woman in wartime, a French woman saving innocent people during the Holocaust...a woman picking her truth over a man, over love. Have you read the script?"
Ben nodded. "I have. Two years ago, when it was making the rounds. It's powerful, and from what I've seen, you do an amazing job in it."
"Thank you. When I first saw this script—or rather, read the book it's based on—I knew I had to play this part. No matter what I had to give up. This was mine."
She'd never connected to anything more than she had this script. It was empowering, and taught courage in the toughest of circumstances. It was a tiny snapshot of a much larger scale event, showing the decisions and atrocities suffered at such a human, personal level. It was a woman denying her own privilege and luxury to help fellow humans who didn't have that reach.
"The way you talk about it...I'm jealous," Ben admitted.
That got Aria's attention, and she turned to face him. "Jealous? Of what?"
He pushed off the railing, looking up at the stars before settling on her gaze. "Passion. Excitement. Purpose. You know what you want. You know who you are and what your goals are."
"And you don't?" He had to be nearly thirty, if not over. Striking and fresh faced, but his features still said experience. Aria was only in her twenties, but at times she felt decades older.
Ben shook his head. "I thought I did. I built a life. Got married. Worked my way up in Maguire Industries. Everything was mapped out. Everything was...easy."
The ache from earlier was back, the sadness in his voice. Aria placed her hand on his forearm, a comforting gesture. Partly for him, but mostly for her. She needed a physical connection when they were connecting on so much more.
"What happened?" she pried, squeezing his arm ever so slightly.
Ben looked down at her hand, his eyes lingering. He didn't move or pull away, and when he lifted his head to face her again, there was a need in his eyes that made her insides heat. "The woman I trusted with all my secrets? She sold them to the highest bidder the moment I wasn't able to be a stepping stone for her career."
Aria didn't reply, sensing there was more.
"She used every connection she had to get me blacklisted. Took everything. Now Maguire Industries acquired Shepherd Films, expecting me to fail. Pushing me out."
"Not many would call being the CEO of a film studio a demotion," Aria pointed out.
"When you're used to being the landscaper, it's hard to become the rose."
Aria laughed, letting go of his arm. "First, soul mates. Now, roses. You're a poetic man, Ben Lawson. A true romantic."
Suddenly, his fingers intertwined with hers, pulling her to him. Pressing her body to his, chest to chest, heartbeat to heartbeat. His eyes never left hers, and she watched him wrestle with something...doubt, uncertainty. As if he didn't know why he'd just hugged her to him, but then need. Pure need darkened his eyes as something deeper pushed the rest away.
Her breath was lost as she concentrated on standing, her knees already threatening to buckle. She'd taken every second of the journey with him, and now she wanted more. Something about the way he smelled ignited every nerve ending in her body. The way he held her, one arm wrapped around her back, was so secure, so comfortable, so protective, so intimately. No one had ever held her like that in her entire life.
She didn't want him to let go.
He was fire. She wanted to leap into his flames.
"And what are you, Aria Rose?" Ben's fingers tipped her chin upward, her eyes finding his. "Who are you?"
The words rumbled in his chest, vibrating against him as he spoke. There was a genuineness to it that terrified her, unnerved her, and completely overwhelmed her. Their souls were laid bare and he was asking for more.
A perfect stranger. A moment of truth. An absolute mistake.
She couldn't do it. Her walls shot up and she let go of him, fear coursing through her. "I'm an actress, Mr. Lawson. Just an actress."
And just so much more.
Chapter Four
Ben was still two days away from officially starting his new job at Shepherd
Film Studios, and he had already almost fucked it up his first day on the lot.
Lesson learned, my ass.
Two weeks ago at the wrap party, he'd come insanely close to kissing Aria Rose. Aria-fucking-Rose. He'd spent every day since then preparing for his new job, ingratiating himself to the board of Maguire Industries, and doing everything he could to erase that gorgeous woman from his mind.
The number of ways that would be inappropriate were never ending. She was, essentially, his employee. She was also the face of his company's biggest project at the moment. His future in the film industry, and the entire future of Shepherd's Film Studios, rested on the success—or failure—of Scarlet's Letters.
The moment he'd realized how close he was to pressing his lips to hers, he'd let go and taken off. Literally. Just turned and walked away without saying a thing. Fucking asshole. She must have been so confused. Or irritated. Or plain mad. He had no idea, and certainly hadn't stayed around to find out.
Now he was spending his second Saturday since in his future office, prepping for Monday. Reading scripts, looking over marketing plans, budgets, staff, prepping what he'd say in the staff meeting on his first day—there was no end to the amount of work that would be on his plate.
In truth, he didn't mind a heavy workload. Staying busy kept his mind from wandering, his heart from aching. It was too quiet at home, and too empty inside. Hell, it was too quiet in this office.
Pushing away from his desk, Ben stood and stretched his arms over his head. No better time than now to explore the studios. Filming was wrapped and everyone was off for the weekend to celebrate, so he'd have the place to himself.
A couple minutes later, he was strolling across the sunny lot, taking it all in as he paced his way across the entire compound. Parking lots. Warehouses. Giant hangars with built sets inside. Outdoor sets. Offices. While certainly not the largest studio lot he'd been on, it was impressive. One of the oldest in Hollywood, but you wouldn't know it by the spectacular upkeep.
Ben came to the building where he'd watched Aria perform in her final scene. He tested the handle, finding it unlocked. Probably should change that policy.
Stepping inside, he was plunged into darkness. One single light came from the bend at the end of the hallway, and he made his way toward it.
"Damn it! Get off!"
Ben frowned, walking faster toward the muffled grunts and sounds coming from the end of the hallway.
"Did they glue it on here? What the hell?" the voice said again, louder and angrier this time.
Finally, Ben stepped around the corner and found Aria standing on the counter of a large kitchen set. She was holding a screwdriver, pushing it behind a plaque on the wall that looked like it was permanently attached.
"Do not make me come back here with a hammer," she threatened, still unaware of his presence.
Ben stifled a laugh, not wanting to alert her. Was she talking to the wall? Wait...was she stealing that plaque from the set? Ben couldn't stop the smile that spread over his face. This was too good.
"Would it help if I said please? Please, please let me rip you off the wall and steal you?"
Ben couldn't hold it one more moment, deciding to blow his cover. "SECURITY! STOP!"
"Ack!" Aria screamed and leapt backward, her feet missing the edge of the counter and causing her to tumble to the ground.
"Shit!" Ben rushed forward, reaching for her and grabbing her inches before she hit the ground. "Are you okay?"
She blinked a few times, looking up at him. "Ben? What the hell! You scared the crap out of me."
"Admittedly, not my most thought out prank."
Aria snorted, rolling her eyes. Pushing back up on to her feet, she shooed him away and he instantly missed the touch of her. Holding her that first night, and now…he could do that forever and not get bored.
"Well, great. The brand new big-man-on-campus catches me stealing. Fantastic."
Her sarcasm was so thick that he had to laugh. "I don't officially start until Monday, actually."
One perfectly arched brow raised. "Really? So, if I were to take this right now..."
"I couldn't do a thing about it," Ben replied with a shrug. Truthfully, she could take whatever she wanted and he'd let her have it.
"Perfect, then can you get it off for me? I swear, it's glued to the freaking wall." She pointed to a wooden plaque over the sink with a quote painted in white.
"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." —Emily Brontë
Ben felt the corners of his lips twitch. "That plaque?"
Aria nodded. "Yep."
"The one about soul mates?" he clarified, a thrill running through his body at what felt like a victory. This couldn't be a coincidence. It couldn't.
She felt it, too.
"It's just a sweet phrase. Let's not read too much into it," Aria hastened her reply, her cheeks already turning bright red. Even the slightest of blushes stood out against her pale skin and blond hair. "I just wanted a memento from my time here."
Ben pulled a chair over to stand on and took the screwdriver from her, managing to get the plaque off the wall with a bit of finagling. Climbing back down, he handed it to her. "Whatever you say, Aria Rose."
She eyed him, clearly annoyed. "Do you have a few free minutes?"
"I can make time," he replied, though he technically had the whole day free.
"Good. Come with me." She motioned for him to follow her, then tucked the plaque against her chest and headed down a long corridor with doors on either side that had actors’ names on them.
A few minutes later, they arrived at a door that read ARIA ROSE in big bold letters. She swung it open and stepped inside...into complete chaos. Clothes and boxes were strewn across every surface of the dimly lit room with no windows.
This is the dressing room they gave her? Ben made a mental note to change the crappy set up for upcoming films.
"Sorry about the mess. I'm packing my dressing room and taking it all home today." Aria waved around her at the piles of clothes. "Annnnd...I could use some help."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Ben leaned against the doorframe. "Are you asking the CEO of one of Hollywood's oldest and most prestigious studios to help you pack?"
"You're not the CEO yet." Aria's smile was teasing, wicked. He hadn't seen this side of her yet, but it might be his favorite. "In fact, you don't even work here right now. I'm pretty sure that means you're trespassing. Help me pack, and maaaaybe I won't call security."
He chuckled. "You make it hard to say no, don't you?"
"Do you really want to say no?" She picked up a box and tossed a pair of shoes into it.
"Not even a little." His answer came without a second thought.
She glanced at him, pausing at his words, or maybe his tone. The huskiness in his voice. Her lips twitched, but she hid her smile. "Well, grab a box then."
He did, and they spent the next thirty minutes in near silence, stuffing clothes in boxes and carrying them down to her car. There wasn't as much as he'd first thought, now that it was neatly packed into several boxes.
"That's the last of it." She closed the trunk of her car. "I'm officially all moved out."
"Are you going to miss it?" Ben turned to look at the building.
She took a deep breath then shook her head. "No. I won't. I'll be back."
The studio had a few other small budget movies currently filming, but nothing she was involved in. The next one set to film didn't have her on the cast list either. Though, he would certainly love any excuse to keep her around. "You will?"
"I will."
He wanted to push at her, tease her confidence. "What makes you so certain? This movie could tank and we'd never use you in another film again."
She didn't take the bait, turning dreamy, blue-gray eyes to his. "I'll be back."
Suddenly, every time he'd tried to push her out of his mind over the last two weeks broke down. She was too beautiful, too enticing, too mesmerizing.
<
br /> He needed to feel her again. He needed to kiss her. He needed her.
Closing the gap between them, he stepped toward her. One hand on her back, pulling her against him; the other, cupping the side of her face. For a split second, they stared at each other, then, unable to resist, he pressed his lips to hers.
Soft. Slow. He waited for her response, for her to encourage him, to want him. She moaned, barely above a murmur, and leaned into his chest. It was all he needed to do what he'd wanted to do since the moment he’d first seen her on set.
He kissed her deeply, eagerly. She parted her mouth, and his tongue plunged inside, tasting everything she gave him.
Her hands twisted in his shirt—tighter, pulling, needing. She moaned against his lips, his tongue, his body.
Every doubt in his mind, every reason why they shouldn't be doing this...disappeared. Nothing about this felt wrong. She felt perfect. She felt like she'd been meant to be his all his life, and he was just realizing it now.
It was dizzying. Maddening.
When he pulled away, they were both panting and trying to regain their breath. Her chest rising and falling against him at a fast pace, distractingly provocative.
"Ben..." she breathed, blinking rapidly.
"I'm sorry." He tried to find a way to explain his complete break with sanity. "And I'm also not sorry at all. I've wanted to do that since the moment I saw you. And it's completely against the rules—if there even are rules. It's entirely unprofessional, and I should know better."
"You should know better," she agreed, her head tilted to the side and a small smile on her face. "But so should I."
He grinned, but kept his tone serious. "This shouldn't happen."
"It definitely shouldn't." She pulled her lips between her teeth and let go. Full pink lips that he'd just been kissing…and wanted to be kissing again. "It would be completely inappropriate."
Ben felt sure his entire body was about to explode. His jeans suddenly felt entirely too tight, and his skin entirely too hot.
Aria slid her tongue across her lower lip. "Or...maybe it's not?"
"I'm listening." Anything.
NUDES: A Hollywood Romance (Exposed Book 1) Page 3
