“It wasn’t a quiet Saturday night for me,” he said.
A tremble raced over Helen.
“It was the best night of my life.” His hand settled on her back. “And I’m ready to go home.”
“The premiere was a hit?” Julia asked as she started pushing the buggy toward the door.
“A sensational hit,” Jack said. “Better than I’d hoped.”
The warmth of his palm penetrated Helen’s bare skin of her back as the pressure of his hand encouraged her to follow Julia.
“I’m excited to see the theater. Plan on going tomorrow night with the tickets you gave me and the girls,” Julia said.
“Shirley was there,” Jack said, “with Walter...”
The two of them continued talking as if nothing other than the premiere had happened tonight. Helen held her silence. Her thoughts were too thick to speak over. It couldn’t end this way. Years of hiding, of running. She couldn’t forget. Pretend she wasn’t who she was.
She stopped in the hallway, watching as Jack turned on the light and Julia pushed the buggy into his office. But she had already been pretending. For weeks. For years.
“Want me to carry Grace?” Jack asked.
Hugging the baby closer, she shook her head. “No. No.” She’d never be able to forget tonight. Forget the terror of thinking something had happened to Grace.
Jack and Julia couldn’t forget, either. They were pretending. Talking about the premiere as if nothing had happened in the hours between then and now. But things had happened.
At the apartment, Julia collected her purse, and then crossed the room to where Helen stood, Grace still sleeping in her arms.
“I’ll watch her anytime,” Julia said. Then leaning closer, she kissed Grace before whispering, “You have an amazing man who loves you. That’s all you need to think about.”
Helen turned, watching Julia walk to the door. Jack stood there, looking at her.
“I’ll walk Julia down to her car. You’ll be all right?”
“I’ll be fine.” Oddly enough, she was fine. Helen carried Grace into the bedroom and laid her in the crib. Jack couldn’t love her, but she did love him. And they both loved Grace.
A heaviness settled in her chest as she stood there. She tried to push it out in a sigh, but it wouldn’t leave. She’d thought her worse fears had come to light tonight, but in truth, they hadn’t. It could have been Joe who had taken Grace tonight. She’d rather face Uncle Vinnie a hundred times over than facing that.
“Is she still sleeping?”
“Yes.” She drew in a deep breath before turning around.
Jack stood in the doorway, one hand on the frame.
“How are you doing?”
Looking at him, still dressed in his tuxedo, a warmth spread inside her. There was one thing she hadn’t been pretending. Him. She loved him. Loved him in a way she’d never imagined. Deeply. Wholly. Completely. “I’m fine.”
He lifted a brow.
She took a step forward. Then another. And another. Didn’t stop until they were face-to-face. “Is it past midnight?”
He frowned slightly. “Yes.”
She’d known that, but was testing the waters. She was going to forget about Uncle Vinnie. Forget about Joe. Jack had just released a movie that was going to take the world by storm. She was going to take the world too in this moment. The one she wanted.
Jack trailed a knuckle over her cheek. “Why?”
She looped her arms around his neck. “Because I still feel like Cinderella.”
His smile was all she needed. She pressed her lips against his.
Within seconds, she knew this kiss was different than all their others. There was an immediate desperation to it, a need neither of them had let be released before. They kissed several times, long ones, short ones, as if neither of them could get enough.
His hands roamed her back, her sides, all the while keeping her pressed tightly against him. Her breasts tingled and an amazing heat pooled deep inside her.
Jack was still smiling when he broke the kiss. “I’ve fallen in love with you.” He sounded breathless, and happy.
She believed him. Truly believed him. “I’ve fallen in love with you, too.”
His eyes never left hers. “I don’t want to live without you, not even for a day.”
“I feel the same way.”
He glanced toward Grace’s crib. She knew what he was thinking and grasped the back of his neck, pulled his head downward. “We’ll cross that bridge when it happens.” Sliding her other hand inside his coat, she added, “And not think about it until then.”
She kissed him long and slow, drawing it out until she had to break for air.
“I want you, Helen.”
“I want you, Jack.”
“I mean—”
“I know what you mean.” She stepped back, letting her fingers trail along his jawline. “And I know what I mean.”
He released her and shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket, eyes locked on her. “You do?” He tossed the coat aside, with no regard as to how it crumpled on the floor.
She pulled the fingers of one glove loose, then tugged it down her arm, loving the way he watched her. The excitement in his eyes doubled that inside her. Finally, when the glove was free, she dropped it onto the floor. “Yes, I do.”
Restraint wasn’t an option right then. Not for either of them. Clothes were discarded, flung in all directions. Shortly, winded from kissing and undressing, all that was left was her dress, and his pants.
He’d already removed her headband was plucking out the pins from her hair. “Are you afraid?”
“Should I be?”
He ran his fingers through her and then framed her face with both hands. “No.”
“Then, I’m not,” she answered in all honesty. “I’ve never been afraid when I’m with you.”
“I’ll never hurt you, not intentionally.”
“I already know that, Jack.” To prove her point, she reached up and pulled the off-the-shoulder sleeves down, letting the dress fall along with it. She suddenly felt a bit unsure of what to do next. He took her hand, helped her step over the mass of gold material tangled around her feet.
He pulled her close then, kissing her. Kissing him was even better with their skin touching, her breasts against his chest. She could feel other things too, the hard bulge inside his pants, pressing against her bare stomach.
She grew clumsy when he spun around and pulled her toward the bed. Their legs tangled, and by the time they landed on the bed, their arms and legs were entwined.
“Well, that didn’t go as planned,” he said, laughing.
“Good thing the bed is as big as it is,” she giggled, scooting up to rest her head on a pillow.
He placed a hand on each side of her and slowly made his way upward, kissing her stomach, her breasts, her neck. By the time his lips found hers, she was throbbing in places she didn’t know could throb.
She should have known Jack would be as thorough in this as he was in everything else. He didn’t miss a detail. There wasn’t a part of her that he left untouched. She explored him too, all over. Enthralled by how muscular he was, how sleek his skin felt beneath her hands.
When he positioned himself over her, and the tip of his erection rubbed against her entrance, she sucked in a breath and planted a hand on his chest.
“Are you sure?” he asked, leaning down to kiss her forehead.
“Yes.” She was ready, more than sure. “Are you?”
“I’ve been dreaming about this for weeks.”
She lifted her hips, pressing herself harder against him. “Me, too.” She’d never have admitted that to anyone else, how she’d thought about doing this with him, but she had. Numerous times.
He used a hand to slowly inch his way inside her, then out a
gain, several times. Each time she wanted more. When that happened, when he slid deep inside her, she gasped, not sure if it was caused by the quick snap of pain or the pleasure that instantly followed.
“Does it hurt?” he asked, stock still.
“No, yes, it did for a second, but not now.” She hooked her heels behind his legs. “Don’t stop. Not now. Not ever.”
From that point on, it was as if he transported her to some magical world, much like the characters in his films. They were on a journey together, each time he thrust inside her, each time she rose up to meet him, they reached another milestone.
The intense cravings inside her were partially satisfied at the same time they kept growing and growing. Pressure built inside her, like a bag stuffed too full. Something would have to give and she had no idea what that might be.
“Are you feeling that, Helen?”
“Yes, yes.” She was glad he’d asked. “I don’t know what to do.”
“You’re doing it darling.”
He sounded out of breath, yet kept going, kept the pleasure in her building and building.
“But what do I do next?”
“Let it go.”
“Let what—” An explosion happened, like a dam bursting, a big one, that released all the pressure and filled her with more euphoria than imaginable.
Jack had gone rigid, and she held on to him, sensing he was experiencing the same thing as her. She clung to him as several miniature little explosions let loose inside her and continued until they slowly, sweetly dissolved. Sinking deep into the mattress, she let her arms fall to her sides, feeling completely spent. And happy.
Oh, so happy.
* * *
Jack untangled himself from her and rolled onto his side. Trailing a hand over her ribcage, he kissed the side of one of her perfect and pert breasts. “How are you doing?”
“Wonderful.”
He could say the same. Petting, lovemaking, had never been so intense. It was as if her flesh was magical, had put him under a spell that made him feel everything deeper, stronger, longer. The aftermath of his climax was still living inside him, spreading pleasure all the way to his toes.
“And you?” she asked.
“Sorry.”
She shot up.
He laughed. Teasing her was nearly as pleasurable as lovemaking. He licked one of her nipples. “Sorry that we hadn’t done this long before now.”
She fell back down on the bed. “There’s a time for teasing, Jack McCarney, and for not teasing.”
“I did not know that.” He licked her nipple again and then took it between his thumb and finger, rolling it. Could it be possible for him to want her all over again, this soon?
“Yes, you did.” She gave out a little moan and then looked at his hand, how he was touching her. “What are you doing?”
It was possible all right. He wanted her all over again. “Teasing you.” He pinched her gently. “But can stop if you want.”
Her eyes were smoldering when she brought them up to look at him. “No, don’t stop. I like your teasing.”
Chapter Seventeen
Jack took the steps up to the apartment two at a time. Not even in his wildest dreams could he have imagined the movie would have been this successful. The money had started coming in practically the day after the premiere, and continued to flow, in large amounts. The Broadbents were completely paid off, every one of his crew members, staff and actors, received bonuses they continued to gush about, and he still had more money than he knew what to do with. No, that wasn’t true. He knew what to do with it. Had already sent out casting calls for his next movie. The State theater had offered him a contract to host exclusive premieres for his next four films, with an amendment to include the next four after those. Even though the theater was owned by the Outfit, he trusted Helen’s uncle enough to take him at his word. Yes, financially they were involved, but Jack knew that would never touch Helen or Grace ever again.
Helen had told him about Chicago, how the North End Gang had been a rival of the Outfit and murdered her family in a raid at a restaurant while the Outfit had been celebrating Vinnie’s birthday. True to his word, her uncle hadn’t contacted Helen or him again, and Jack hoped it stayed that way. Although Helen acted happy, he could tell her past still bothered her. He was at a loss as to what to do about that, and hoped today’s news would give her something else to focus on.
He opened the apartment door, and grinned at the sight of Grace sitting on a blanket in the center of the living room. She’d started sitting up last week, and like everything else, had mastered it almost immediately.
“You’re home early today,” Helen said, walking out of the kitchen.
She was wearing a blue polka dot dress with an apron tied around her waist, and looked more fetching than any woman on or off screen.
“I haven’t even started supper yet,” she said, stepping closer.
He hooked her around the waist. “Good, because we have some place to go.”
“We do?”
Not only beautiful, she was the best necker on the planet, and he couldn’t wait a moment longer to taste her lips. Her response made it hard for him to not carry her into the bedroom. He managed. Somehow.
“We do,” he answered as he ended the kiss.
Her hands slipped off his neck. “Where?”
“Get ready and I’ll show you.”
He loved this about her too, that she was always up for an adventure. Within minutes, they were in the car and driving up the boulevard that was familiar to both of them.
“Are we going to the studio?”
Excitement nearly had him telling her, but he refrained. “You’ll see.”
“Sometimes you drive me crazy.”
“In or out of the bedroom?”
She laughed. “Both.”
Unable not to, he reached down and felt his pocket, made sure the little box was still there. He’d carried it around for almost a week now, waiting for the right moment. There had been one thing that kept that moment from happening.
Joe.
There still hadn’t been any word from him. His brother could show up at any time and say he was taking Grace to Florida with him, or anywhere else. That would break Helen’s heart. Taking Grace away from her.
It hadn’t been until this morning, after yet another sleepless night that Jack had decided he was done. Done waiting for Joe to return. Done concentrating on the past, done living his life fulfilling dreams others had started. This was his dream. Helen. Grace. And no one was going to take it away from him.
It felt good to take a stand. Good to focus on what he wanted.
He prayed it was what she wanted, too.
“Where are we going?” Helen asked, twisting to peer out his window of the car as they rolled past the studio.
He shot a glance her way, and lifted a brow.
Pointing out the windshield, she said, “There’s nothing out this way except Hollywoodland.”
She was right. Nothing but acres and acres up for sale, to those who had enough money. The land wasn’t cheap and houses had to be built to specific standards to keep the entire development area riff-raff-free.
He downshifted the Chrysler as he started driving up one of the many hills in the area. The lot he’d picked out was on top of a hill, with mature trees. One of which he’d already picked out a branch of to hang a swing on for Grace.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“You’ll see.” A couple turns later, he was on the last stretch. “It’s right up here.”
“What is? There aren’t even any houses up here.”
“No, there’s not. Some of those we just drove by are nice, though, don’t you think?”
She shifted Grace onto her other knee. “Nice? They are gorgeous. Especially that white brick one. Did you not
ice the arched porch over the front door?”
“Blake Owens built it. He built the State theater.”
“I recall that. He does fantastic work.”
His smile grew. Blake had already agreed to build their house. The plans were in the backseat. She hadn’t noticed that, probably because there was a large stack of papers back there. Copies of his next script. She’d typed them for him.
He slowed and pulled off the road, onto the grass he hired someone to have mowed yesterday. “We’re here.”
She scanned the area out her window before turning to him. “And where is here?”
Giving her a wink, he opened his door. He walked around the car, opened her door and took Grace so she could climb out. “I just bought this lot. Blake Owens is going to build a house on it.” He probably should ask her to marry him first, but was saving that for this evening. Julia had agreed to be at the apartment in an hour, to watch Grace, and he was going to take Helen out to dinner downtown. Now that he’d made up his mind that today was the day, the ring was burning a hole in his pocket.
“A house?” Her eyes sparked as she laid her hand on his.
“Yes, a house. The plans are on the backseat. I’ll show you them, but first, come take a walk with me. Let me show you it.”
They walked the entire perimeter of the lot. He showed her the tree that would be perfect for a swing, and told her how the driveway would make a horseshoe in front of the house.
She was quiet, solemn, when they arrived back at the car.
“You don’t like it?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No, it’s beautiful. I can imagine the house just as you described it.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” She stretched on her toes and kissed his cheek.
The smile on her lips was strained, and there was no shine in her eyes. He considered asking her to marry him then instead of later, but sensed that wouldn’t solve what bothered her. He lifted her chin. “I can tell something is.”
* * *
Helen had to swallow against the burning in the back of her throat. The land he’d purchased was lovely, and she could imagine a house there just like he described, right down to the swing in the backyard. The past few weeks of falling to sleep in his arms, and waking to the feel of his hands roaming over her had been so wonderful. Waking up to that delight had set the tone for every day that followed, and the nights.
Baby On His Hollywood Doorstep (Brides 0f The Roaring Twenties Book 1) Page 21
