“That does make sense.” He continued to stare at the gorgeous home.
She gazed at the house as well. Yes, it was magnificent.
They both sat there looking for quite a while until the front door opened “Giselle, get in here before Ivy arrives.” One of the Vermont clan came out holding her baby.
She groaned. The woman’s screech rattled through her skull.
“Who’s that?” Wilson got out of the car.
“Fern, the sister. If she’s not careful, we can play hair salon again and this time it will be more than a five inch trim.” Giselle got out of the car wondering if she could use the baby as a shield against Ivy’s weed of a sister. “Everything in this family is a big theatrical production.”
“Well, some families are more dramatic.” Suitcase in tow, he came around the car and grabbed her hand.
“No, the whole family is actors. Classically trained actors. Everyone but Ivy, who is scared of the stage or camera or anyone looking at her.” In keeping with her own role for the night, she coiled her arm around Wilson’s and stood slightly behind him. He was a much better shield than an infant. “Ivy’s mother hates actors that aren’t trained.”
“Good thing Logan isn’t here. He was actually discovered in the street like people dream of.” Wilson’s laugh was cut off when Fern stomped over to them.
“Fern Vermont Pollack.” The older, faded version of Ivy thrust her hand at Wilson. “Welcome to my family’s home, and you are?”
With their bags in one hand, he went to lift his other hand.
Giselle held him fast. “I can make the introductions.”
“Is that Giselle?” Ivy’s mother came outside, as well as her father and Fern’s husband.
“Well, you’re not making them, so what I am supposed to do?” Fern jutted her jaw out.
“I thought we were in a rush with Ivy on the way, so I was waiting to be efficient.” Like any other horrible chore, the best course of action was to dig right in or save it for later. Saving this for later wouldn’t work, and she dragged Wilson into the center of the group. “Wilson, this is Cecelia Vermont, Ivy’s mother, Dennis Vermont, Ivy’s father, Robert Pollack, Ivy’s brother in law, Little Rose Pollack, Ivy’s niece, and the weed, Ivy’s other relative.” She pointed to each person.
“I’m her sister.” Once more, Fern thrust her hand out.
“Only by a freak chance of DNA.” Still, she restrained Wilson’s arm. “Everyone, this is Wilson Alexander. The last name is not a coincidence. He is Logan Alexander’s brother.” At last, she let him go.
“Are you an actor?” Cecelia leaned in.
“No. Never stepped one foot in front of a camera.” Wilson shook hands with Ivy’s father and brother-in-law.
Giselle noticed he didn’t shake Fern’s hand yet. The guy she was seeing was a fast study.
“You are really Logan Alexander’s brother?” Fern kept that hand prone, ready for use.
“I just said he was, they have the same last name.” She stopped short of sticking her tongue out at the woman who outted her every time she told Ivy a secret.
“Welcome to my home.” Cecelia’s face lit up in a smile, and she shook Wilson’s hand as well. “Everyone, let’s go inside, I want to show Giselle the cake.”
In a move that even impressed her, she managed to corral Wilson past Fern and followed Ivy’s mom.
“Now with you safely here, and my eyes on you and your cell phone, I will tell you why you are here.” Cecelia led them into the kitchen and held her hands out to the cake.
At the words on the cake, she stumbled back, but Wilson caught her. “I don’t understand.”
“Still unable to read?” Fern came over. “It says, ‘Happy Engagement Ivy and Matt.’”
Wilson bent down to her ear. “Who’s Matt?”
Of all the times she should have opened the bag and rolled out a red carpet to let the cats out, she stayed quiet.
“Ivy’s fiancé.” Fern continued to spew her brand of facts. “He’s surprising her with the engagement tonight. That’s why we’re all here.”
Barely realizing it, Giselle shook her head.
“What’s wrong?” As if guarding the cake, Cecelia moved in front of the table with her arms out.
“Ivy is not seeing Matt in the same way that I am seeing Wilson.” Though she said the words, it sounded as if someone else were speaking.
“Of course not, dear, you and Wilson just started seeing each other. Ivy and Matt have been together for a long time.” Cecelia’s tone turned parental.
Apparently, this called for further explanation and she leaned in. “Wilson and I have sex, a lot. Ivy and Matt, not a lot.” Ivy and Matt were on again off again, mostly off and now with Logan…Logan. Oh no, this was going to get bad.
Ivy’s father wiped his brow.
“Well, not that it’s anyone’s business, but maybe Ivy and Matt aren’t as forthcoming about their private activities as you are.” Now Cecelia spoke through clenched teeth.
“If anyone is privy to Ivy’s private activities aside from the guy she is with, it’s me and trust me, it isn’t happening, and we don’t call it private activities.” Above all else she had to get to her best friend. “I need to use the bathroom.” She clutched her purse and went to leave.
“Oh no, you don’t. Not with this.” Cecelia caught her and wrangled her purse away.
Giselle put her hand to her chest and went to plan B. “Well, Wilson and I need to go to the bathroom.” She reached out for him.
Ivy’s father stepped in front of her. “You go to the bathroom with Wilson?”
Think! “I told you we had sex a lot, I feel the urge coming on right now.”
“Ha!” Fern gave the baby to her husband and dashed to the window. “Your plan has been thwarted, Matt just pulled up in the driveway.”
“Thwarted!” Giselle moved to make a clean getaway, only to be stopped by Ivy’s father. However, she couldn’t go down without a fight, she had to protect her best friend. “Thouest don’t know what you’re doing, it is you who shall be thwarted.” If only she had a sword or that baster microphone.
“Let’s go greet Ivy and Matt with our banner.” Cecelia grabbed a huge roll of paper and some balloons.
The rest of them, including Fern, walked past her and out the door.
She turned back to Wilson.
Wilson winced. “That’s Logan’s car.”
“Life is a very intricate balance, and when one doesn’t play their role, things get off kilter. I should have tattled.” She grabbed on to Wilson’s arm. He made a pretty good life preserver, and she might need it. “Come on, this will be better than the Fourth of July in terms of fireworks.”
By the time they made their way outside, the show was already in full force with Ivy and Logan in one corner and the rest of her family in the other.
“Ivy Raleigh Vermont.” Cecelia let go of her balloon. “What is going on?”
“Why don’t you tell me?” Ivy took Logan’s hand and got out of the car.
“Oh, God! It’s him!” Fern jumped up and down and ran toward them.
“Fern always said she wasn’t starstruck by Logan.” Giselle looked up at Wilson and shrugged.
“It’s always like this the first time.” Wilson shook his head and laughed.
“Fern, calm down!” Cecelia shooed Fern away and went to Ivy. “I ask again. What’s going on?”
“Yes, missy, please explain.” Dennis joined them. “For someone who never liked improvisation, I have to say you have thrown us for a surprise.”
Ivy, her best friend, the same one who once caught Giselle’s throw-up with her shirt in seventh grade, the same one who slapped the first guy who broke Giselle’s heart, and the same one who never called her stupid, needed her help. After over two decades of friendship, Giselle knew by her stance, her bestie was ready to bolt and burst into tears. She needed to help, so she let go of Wilson and ran forward to help clarify. “This isn’t Matt. Um, we may b
e a bit premature on the engagement.”
Ivy glanced at her and then back to her mother. “Matt was premature on the engagement. We weren’t even dating. We barely had sex!” She stomped her foot. “Where did you get the idea he was proposing to me?”
Giselle stepped back, only to be caught by Wilson. “I told you they didn’t have sex.”
“I take it that means Ivy knows everything about us?” He whispered in her ear.
“Pretty much.” She chuckled.
“You were right about the drama.” Wilson held on to her.
“He was perfect for you.” Cecelia lowered her voice.
“He was perfect for you,” Ivy shot back.
Giselle took a long inhale, filling her lungs with air to that point where she finally felt satisfied. Why did everyone have to get involved with other people’s relationships? Why did the fun have to be taken out of everything?
“I just want you to be happy and have a stable life.” Cecelia sighed.
Ivy shook her head. “Is anything really stable?”
Exactly. Giselle fought the urge to let out a big amen at Ivy’s statement. Was anything ever stable? Why did people worry so much, bring on the anxiety. This was precisely why she didn’t want the relationship with all the trappings.
“Excuse me!” Fern yelled. “Love or not, engagement or not, I think we are all forgetting the sheer fact that Logan Alexander is standing on our driveway.”
Everyone there turned to Logan.
At least Giselle could best her nemesis, and she leaned over. “And you didn’t believe me.”
“You didn’t believe this was an engagement party until you saw the cake.” Fern shook her head.
Oh, Giselle knew this game. The pile of dried up leaves was trying to get her and Ivy in a fight. “You didn’t tell me until I saw the cake.” She pursed out her lower lip and turned to Wilson, listening behind the scenes as Ivy’s family tried to calm down and sort through this whole thing. People didn’t need to be paired up and settled to be happy, they just needed to be happy and do what felt right at the time.
“It’s going to be okay.” He pressed his hand to the side of her face.
However, there was something to be said for having someone with you at the right time. Wilson reminded her of sexy hot chocolate. All warm and fuzzy, but with an edge.
“Come on, Giselle.” With the baby in her arms, Ivy trudged passed her.
“I’ll be back.” She knew Ivy’s tone and had no choice but to follow.
Without a glance in her direction, Ivy made her way through the house to one of the back bedrooms. At last, she turned. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I really didn’t know.” She made a face at the baby. “I was sworn to secrecy.”
“You didn’t know something was up when they said you could bring Wilson?” Ivy bounced the baby, but stared her down. “You should have said something.”
“Then have you get upset when I wreck a surprise even though you hate surprises?” She plopped down on the bed. “Everything will work out.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. Logan, Matt, whatever.” Ivy sat next to her. “It’s easier to be you.”
Of course it was easier to be her. Look at her best friend’s misery. The baby started to cry and Giselle stood. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
With sex in the bathroom out of the question for the time being, she went to go freshen up when the sound of male voices in the living room stopped her.
Like a spy, she pressed her back against the wall and listened. Hey, she was a girl after all. If she took one step in there, all conversation would cease.
“I’m thinking of going out on the golf course tomorrow if anyone wants to join me.” Ivy’s father’s voice came through loud and clear once the baby stopped crying.
Giselle wrinkled her nose. Seriously, they were talking about golfing? After the huge disaster, they were discussing sports? Guys were dumb. Plus, Wilson better not agree to any outing and leave her here.
“Thanks, but Giselle and I have some errands we have to run for the bar tomorrow.” Wilson chimed in.
Fine, she would reward him later.
“Well, according to Giselle, you’ll be having a lot of sex. I wouldn’t golf either.” Fern’s husband let out a low chuckle.
Giselle rolled her eyes, but the truth of the matter was Wilson would be getting sex. Hell, she needed it after all this.
“Well, at least with you she kept her mouth shut, even if it was at Ivy’s expense,” Ivy’s father said.
She balled her hand in a fist. What did they want her to do?
“You put her in a really terrible position. Maybe it would have been better to tell her the truth and let her blow it for the surprise. At the end of the day, Giselle would have looked out for her friend if she knew.” Wilson’s voice took on a hardened tone, one she’d never heard before.
“Who knows with her? Maybe she would have kept quiet to just see what would have happened. You never know what she’s going to do.” Fern’s husband interjected. “I don’t even think she knows what she’s doing.”
Her mouth fell open and she went to charge out there when Wilson spoke up again.
“Excuse me, but trust me when I tell you that Giselle absolutely knows what she is doing, and she would have helped her friend.” Wilson barked. “Also, part of the fun of being with her is you never know what she will do or say.”
At his words, she had no choice but to join the men. No one, absolutely no one, not even Ivy, ever defended her like that.
The moment she entered the room, Wilson stood. “Hey.”
Without caring about anyone else there, she bee-lined for him, wrapped her arms around his neck and planted one on him, opening her mouth and pressing her body to his.
He responded accordingly, and she loved how he deepened the kiss.
Finally, she pulled back and wiped a bit of extra lip gloss off his lower lip.
“What did I do to deserve that?” He gave her a light peck.
“I just felt like it.” She wiggled against him. There might be something to be said for having someone around when you needed them. For the first time with Wilson, she wanted him around. Her heart raced at the thought.
* * * *
“I HAVE TO SAY THAT I AM dying to see what you wear to bed.” Wilson called to her from the bedroom.
Giselle glanced at herself in the bathroom mirror, smoothed down her hair and dropped her robe to the floor. “Are you sure? You may be disappointed.” Fine, she teased him a bit.
“I don’t care if you’re wearing a torn up t-shirt, you’ll make it gorgeous,” he answered.
With one last toss of her hair, she prepared to leave the bathroom in…well, in nothing. She opened the door and revealed only one arm and one leg. In a sultry move, she caressed her hand along the door.
“You have my full attention.” His voice lowered.
She curled around the door, displaying all her naked glory, pressing her back to the door, and spreading her arms and legs to make sure he got a good look. “Did I ever mention I don’t wear pajamas?”
He sat up and pulled off his t-shirt and tossed it off the side of his bed. “I’m quite sure I would have remembered you telling me that.”
“Maybe it slipped my mind.” Her head held high and jutting her breasts out, she made her way into the bedroom. “My, my aren’t we messy. I can’t sleep like this.”
His focus on her, she walked around the room, turned off the main lights and then made a big deal turning her back to him and bending way over to pick up his t-shirt.
“Giselle, come to bed.” His tone became more serious.
“Is something the matter, Wilson?” She looked over her shoulder at him.
He leaned up, pulled off his pants, letting them fall off the side of the bed. Even under the sheet she could make out the clear outline of his erection. “I want you, right now.”
“You know what?” With slow steps she w
ent to the bed and repeated her action from earlier, bending way over and picking up his pants.
“What?” He ran his hand along her backside and down her leg.
“Of any man I have ever known, you’re the one who deserves to get what you want.” She spun around toward him and got up on the bed, straddling him.
“Then I’m going to do what I want.” In a sudden move, he grabbed her, pulled her down and got her on her back.
Before she had a chance to come up with a line, or take control again, he crushed his lips to hers, treating her to a more passionate kiss than she was used to, and she focused on the way their mouths melded together and their tongues touched. Something about how he kissed her and tended to her always amplified her arousal.
After kicking the sheet away, his hands wandered over her body, brushing over her breasts, her stomach and down to her thighs.
Right as she raised her hips to direct him where she wanted his attention, he skimmed his hand along her side. She let out a whimper and reached for him.
“In time.” He growled in her ear and gently nudged her hand aside. “Relax and let me enjoy you.”
For the first time with him, or really anyone, she let herself become lost. Honestly, she had no choice, not with the way his lips traveled over her, creating shudders and shivers. His soft kisses, licks and nips made her writhe and she arched her back when he finally captured her nipples between his teeth. She was left with no choice but to bite her lip as he kissed his way over her stomach.
Her whole body tingled. She combed her fingers through his hair and moaned as the need he created in her intensified. Right when she was about to beg for any sort of relief, he moved between her legs and lowered his mouth exactly where she needed it most.
“Oh.” She twisted the sheet in her fist as his tongue swirled over her, paying careful consideration to the one spot that drove every woman wild.
Even better than his attention to detail, or what one would call his extraordinary technique, was the way he took his time, never rushing her as he brought her closer and closer to her climax.
“Wilson.” She moved with him, but tried to hold back, hoping he would create his special brand of magic. “God, that’s good.”
Rather than words, he answered her cries by sliding two fingers inside her. In gradual motions, he curled his finger and stroked upwards.
Hollywood Stardust Supporting Roles - Wilson and Giselle Page 5
