Hollywood Princess

by Dana Aynn Levin

  “You haven’t shaved in a few days.” Eli stroked my two-day growth.

  “Am I hurting you?” I hadn’t thought about my rough stubble against her soft skin when I decided not to shave yesterday. Sometimes I got so sick of it. Ironic, as only a few years ago I had wanted so badly to be a man I had shaved peach fuzz.

  Elizabeth gently caressed my cheek.

  “I like it. It’s very masculine.” Then she kissed me. “Let’s run on the beach?”

  “Run on the beach?” Ugh, no! Eli had already sapped my energy.

  “It’ll be fun. It’s such a beautiful morning.”

  “Haven’t we had enough exercise already?”

  Elizabeth considered this. “How about a walk?”

  “Okay,” I sighed, “But not too long. I did plan one part of the day.”

  “You did?” Eli asked, curious.

  “I did, baby. I have coming to our home,” I said slowly and deliberately to build suspense, “Not one, but two masseuses so we can have massages, together, outside on the patio.”

  “Seriously?” Elizabeth asked. She was so excited.

  “Seriously,” I laughed.

  Elizabeth reached for me and kissed me again. I ran my finger up her spine causing her to squirm. “Daniel, you’re the best.”

  “No, you are.” I pulled Eli to me and devoured her luscious lips.

  We never made it to the beach. We barely made it to a quick shower before the massage team arrived.

  An hour and a half later, we were like two extra limp noodles.

  “First shower,” I ordered Eli.

  I knew full well that she’d be in the bathroom for at least half an hour. I could take a much-deserved nap.

  San Vicente Boulevard, Brentwood’s main shopping district, was unusually busy today, but this was where Elizabeth wanted to be. The wide boulevard is lined with upscale shopping, restaurants, and a Whole Foods market. The passing runners reminded me of what we hadn’t done earlier and I grinned at the memory of our more enjoyable work-out. Keeping fit the Newman way. I sighed, content.

  Some things about Elizabeth I would never understand. Maybe all girls were like this. I didn’t know. I lacked experience. But on a day when we could have done anything, or gone anywhere, Elizabeth insisted that what she wanted to do the most was shop at the Free People boutique.

  “Didn’t you buy new clothes two days ago?” I had asked, half hoping my question would make Elizabeth rethink her retail plans.

  Instead I was the recipient of a glare that made me feel completely inept.

  “Those are for the beach. I can’t wear them to the studio. And forget about couture.” In case I’d been ready to suggest Beverly Hills.

  I understood, but I had to laugh. Unless you’re working in Hollywood, which she was, Free People’s edgy feminine styles did not qualify as work clothes anywhere else. Elizabeth would be in for a rude awakening if she ever worked on Wall Street or at a law firm.

  Eli in a business suit! I caught myself laughing out loud as we neared the store entrance. My arm was around Eli’s shoulder and she cocked her head in my direction.

  “What?”

  She was adorable, no doubt about that.

  “Nothing,” I smiled. “A thought struck me as funny.”

  Elizabeth shrugged and narrowed her eyes. She was confused, but not enough to further inquire.

  “Elizabeth!” A very attractive blonde salesgirl warmly greeted Eli as we entered the store. She was probably my age or a little older and, I assumed, an aspiring actress. If I were she, I would remember Elizabeth Jacobs too.

  The level of attention she would lavish on Eli would be in direct proportion to her ambition. I was twenty years old and already a jaded cynic. Not so Elizabeth.

  “Monica, I need some new clothes. I start my summer job on Monday.”

  “Oh, of course,” Monica concurred with the appropriate level of understanding.

  I laughed again. Only in Brentwood!

  Eli frowned, looking at me crossly. I shrugged. It didn’t work. She was pissed.

  “Don’t mind him, Monica,” Elizabeth said sourly.

  Of course that’s exactly what Monica now did. She minded me. Monica regarded me, all of me, and looked me straight in the eyes while turning on her best business smile. Had I not been accompanying a favored customer, say we’d met at a bar, I would have been the recipient of the flirtatious version of that smile.

  “Who’s this?” an intrigued Monica asked Elizabeth.

  “My roommate. He’s sharing a private joke with himself,” Eli answered coolly.

  “I’m sorry, babe. I’ll explain later,” I kissed Elizabeth’s forehead. Roommate, huh? “Go find lots of nice things, honey,” I instructed.

  With Monica’s assistance, Eli did indeed find lots of nice things. Guaranteed, she would be the most fashionable summer intern in Culver City.

  Once Elizabeth entered the dressing room, I removed my American Express card from my wallet and handed it to Monica.

  “Whatever Elizabeth wants, put it on this,” I instructed.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Eli protested afterwards.

  Her pleased smile told me otherwise. Eli would have to get used to my spoiling now that she lived in my house.

  After driving down to the heart of San Vicente, we stopped in M.Fredric for a few more things. Later, strolling down the boulevard, we picked up a light snack at Whole Foods that would tide us over until dinner.

  Again my arm was around Eli’s back, my hand resting on her shoulder, while I carried her shopping bags. She was enjoying the chivalry. I was too. On Eli’s Day, Eli did not carry shopping bags.

  I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and kissed her. Eli’s face lit with joy.

  “I love you, babe,” I murmured.

  Then Eli did the unthinkable for Eli. She grabbed my cheeks and kissed me in the middle of the busiest street in Brentwood!

  Click! Click, click, click.

  “Eli, someone took our picture.”

  “What!” She exclaimed, horrified.

  “That wasn’t a tourist.”

  “Why?” She frowned.

  “Don’t sweat it, baby. At least you were kissing me,” I grinned.

  Elizabeth smiled. “I was, wasn’t I. But why would anyone care?”

  “People Magazine.”

  “The premiere?”

  “We’re gossip worthy. It’s almost two months and we’re still together.”

  “Does that mean they’ll be speculating about our wedding and kids?”

  “Probably. Better keep a flat stomach or they’ll say you’re pregnant.”

  When we returned home, what little was left of the afternoon Elizabeth wanted to spend relaxing on the sun-drenched patio.

  “I’ll be down in a few,” I told her after she had changed into a bikini.

  I didn’t want Elizabeth watching me go through my side of the closet to prepare for packing. I planned to leave as much as possible here and take more from Brentwood. Elizabeth should not feel as though I’d moved out.

  Tomorrow I would bring my filled suitcases to my parents’ house. I was leaving Sunday in the early afternoon from Santa Monica Airport. Dad wanted to settle me in at the hotel in Vancouver and share dinner before he left for an early evening meeting. I hated being alone in a hotel room. My iPad would be my savior this summer.

  After arranging my clothes for easy packing, I changed to swim shorts and hurried out to join Elizabeth.

  CHAPTER 109 - DANIEL

  Waiting for Eli. Waiting for Eli. Waiting for Eli!

  I sat in the great room waiting for Eli. In keeping with the drama of the day, she insisted on making a grand entrance.

  CNN did not hold my attention this evening. I was antsy, though we had plenty of time to get to Geoffrey’s, one of the most romantic restaurants in Los Angeles. With its cliff side location and to die from ocean views, it was a Malibu institution. Though Geoffrey’s was perhaps five minutes from
our house, I still found myself constantly checking my watch.

  If this is what Elizabeth meant by making it feel like a date, then I was glad we were beyond the dating phase. Now that I thought about it, I couldn’t remember ever formally picking Elizabeth up for a date. In the dorm, I simply knocked on her door and waited while sitting on her bed. Even for our first date I did that.

  Before I saw her, I sensed Elizabeth’s presence on the staircase. Always beautiful, my eyes were riveted to the gorgeous woman who stopped mid-step when she saw my jaw drop open in awe. Elizabeth was absolutely stunning.

  I walked over and took her hand. She smiled demurely. I kissed Elizabeth’s hand French-style, while my eyes locked on her shimmering emerald ones. Eli blushed. She was amazing, no exaggeration.

  Elizabeth wore an ankle-length skirt of lightweight sea foam green cotton. A slit reached up her right leg to mid-thigh allowing movement despite the skirt’s straight style. Eli’s off-shoulder peasant blouse of gauzy white cotton fell to her hips. A narrow double-wrapped bronze leather belt accented Eli’s waist. It matched the flat sandals on her feet.

  Similarly casual, I wore chino shorts and Italian leather flip-flops. My white t-shirt with its rough-edged v-neck made it appear as though the man wearing it had cut it open himself. Not this man. Over it I donned a light blue linen shirt, which I wore open. I chose these shirts because Elizabeth had bought them. Let her see that I genuinely appreciated her gift.

  Elizabeth’s waves tumbled past her shoulders, thick and glossy. She didn’t wear any make-up. With Eli’s natural beauty, it was unnecessary.

  “Wait right here,” I ordered. “Don’t move.”

  In a few long strides I picked up my phone from the coffee table. For a phone, it had a pretty good camera. My model impatiently fidgeted while I opened the camera app and focused.

  “Don’t move. Smile.”

  I pressed the shutter icon. Perfect!

  “Now you’ll never be further away than my pocket.”

  I smiled as I saw her fight a frown. Eli blinked hard. Damn! I had made her think about Sunday. I gathered Elizabeth into my arms.

  “We are going to have the best time this evening, right?”

  “Right.” Eli’s smile returned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get emotional.”

  “I’m trying too,” I admitted. “Tonight should be as memorable as our first date. We have Rach to thank for that one, you know. She forced my hand.”

  “What did Rachel have to do with it?”

  “She never told you? Rachel was sick of me living in denial. That afternoon she and I returned to Berkeley Hall only moments before you arrived with Jackson. I yanked Rachel into the stairwell so you wouldn’t see us.”

  “Danny, you spied on me? That’s creepy.”

  “I wasn’t spying! Seeing you with Jackson was the kick in the butt that I needed.”

  “You were jealous!” Eli gasped.

  “No I wasn’t!” I protested, embarrassed by the memory. “Maybe... No, not jealous. Fearful. I thought Jackson might ask you out, and you’d say yes. You were so animated.”

  “I like Jackson. He’s a good guy.”

  “Yeah, well Rach saw my reaction. She made me realize if I didn’t make my move, somebody else might and I would lose you.”

  “Thank you, Rachel,” Eli said and smiled. “She’s such a good friend.”

  Soon I ushered Eli into Geoffrey’s. Checking in with the hostess again reminded me that tonight was our last night out in Malibu for a long time. I wanted a keepsake.

  “Would you please take our picture?” I asked the hostess, and I handed her my phone. Eli beamed.

  Then the hostess led us to an intimate table on the ocean view terrace. What a beautiful, clear evening. The moon sat low over the Pacific. A light breeze blew in. Heating lamps kept us comfortable.

  I reached for Elizabeth’s hand. I didn’t know if I could let go of it. Not ever.

  If a magical power could be harnessed to slow down time, this would have been the night I’d have chosen to utilize it. I wanted to cherish every moment, as did Eli.

  While we dined, we couldn’t take our eyes off of each other. At every opportunity we shared quick kisses. Electricity pulsated between us.

  “It really does feel like our first date,” I observed.

  Dinner was winding down. Eli and I shared crème brulee made richer by a bottom layer of chocolate mousse. I slowly sipped a cup of coffee.

  “No, it doesn’t,” Elizabeth contradicted.

  “It doesn’t?” I grimaced. Hadn’t I succeeded in making this evening just as special?

  “Tonight is so much better,” Eli answered enthusiastically. Her warm smile lit her face and erased my frown. “That was a great evening,” she continued. “I’d love to go back to the Beach House, but tonight is better. I was such a wreck.”

  I laughed and squeezed her hand.

  “Me, too. I spent half the night wondering what the hell I was doing.”

  “Well I spent half the night wondering what the hell you were doing too!” Eli laughed. “It took you forever just to admit it was a date even though it was so obvious. I mean really, who drives two hours to a romantic lakeside restaurant with a buddy?”

  I laughed at the memory. “It was that obvious?” I asked.

  “Yes. But that’s you. So until you were ready to admit it was a date, I felt that element of doubt. What if I had misread your signals? And then you had all these warnings.”

  “Was I that bad?” I knew the answer.

  “Yes, but you were so cute. I didn’t care because then you kissed me, and I nearly died. I wanted more. I had to have more.”

  “Like this?”

  I reached for Eli’s beautiful face, cupped it in my hands and slowly kissed her. She gasped in delight.

  “Not quite.” Eli smiled her brightest smile. “It was more like this,” she teased.

  Elizabeth pressed her lips to mine while my hands in her hair held us together. Her hands went around my back. Eli’s soft pink lips parted, and she expertly teased my tongue with hers. She tasted sweeter than she ever had. When I had to inhale, Eli’s eyes opened wide in amazement.

  “Am I still alive?” she asked.

  “I think so.” I smiled at her pleasure. “Want to do it again?”

  “Yes, please.”

  With urgency our lips met, and I held her in my arms for the longest kiss. Eli’s face glowed with love. Our faces touched against each other and she tenderly kissed me.

  “I only imagined we could be this happy back then,” Elizabeth whispered.

  “And we are,” I added.

  “We are,” Eli breathlessly agreed, and we shared a quick kiss.

  “Are you ready to go home?” I asked.

  Eli’s eyes lit up. “Let’s go dancing,” she announced.

  “Dancing?”

  We usually didn’t dance except when we were at The Cellar or at a party. The only place I knew for dancing was a dive bar a few miles down Pacific Coast Highway.

  We were the only Porsche in the parking lot when we arrived. That and the preponderance of pick-ups should have been clues as to what to expect inside, but Eli and I were too into each other for it to register.

  Country night! There was a live cowboy band. Even sawdust was spread on the worn wooden planked floor. The other patrons wore jeans and cowboy boots. Many even had Stetson hats.

  I felt many sets of eyes starring at us. A beach prep and his fashion model date were out of place in this crowd.

  Elizabeth wanted to dance. We would dance.

  The band was playing a Texas two-tep. “C’mon,” I said, and I pulled Elizabeth to the dance floor. Eli gave me a look that said, “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “Baby, you wanted to dance,” I reminded Eli as I began to lead her around the floor.

  “I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Elizabeth laughed.

  I grinned at Eli and we chuckled, as I positioned her hands. For a tr
ained dancer, Elizabeth was so clumsy. She was definitely out of her element and unhappy happy about it. Dance was one skill I was not supposed to be superior at.

  “How do you know the two-step?” Elizabeth blurted in frustration.

  “Three years ago I spent half the summer in Oklahoma.”

  “You never told me that,” she said sourly.

  “I didn’t? Well, three years ago I spent half the summer in Oklahoma,” I laughed.

  “So you said,” Eli answered coolly.

  “C’mon, don’t be sore. Just follow my lead. You’ll get it, Eli. It’s fun.”

  Determination rapidly replaced Elizabeth’s confusion as she doubled her efforts to learn.

  “What were you doing in Oklahoma?”

  “Working on a failed political campaign.” I smiled wryly.

  Eli laughed. “Of course it failed. They never elect Democrats in Oklahoma.”

  Elizabeth was correct, and I laughed at the memory of the most futile campaign my family had ever supported.

  Having gotten the hang of the two-step, Elizabeth now enjoyed herself, even smiling at her stumbles. She relaxed, and had a good time, going with the flow. And when she did trip because her new sandals slipped on the sawdust, Eli happily let me catch her and shrugged it off.

  We didn’t leave the bar until nearly two o’clock! Giddy with laughter, I held Eli against the side of the Porsche and kissed her.

  “This was fun!” she admitted.

  Elizabeth’s hands reached around my neck and as I held her we kissed as passionately as we had at Geoffrey’s.

  “E, let’s go home.”

  “I hope so, Daniel. It’s two a.m.”

  I pulled my lady into the house. Before the door from the garage had even fully closed I was on her. My body pressed Elizabeth against the wall. Our fingers twined.

  My other hand cupped her face, forcing Eli onto her toes for our lips to meet. She held tightly to my back while I hungrily devoured her. Time stood still.

  Then Eli’s leg found the opening in the skirt created by its slit. She rubbed her foot against my calf, adding to the excitement. Our hearts pounded.

  It didn’t seem possible, but I leaned in even closer. I unbuckled Eli’s belt and let it drop to the floor. Not a word was spoken. Our kisses did all the talking.