Common Ground

by Wendy Smith

  My heart.

  “Goodnight, my beautiful girl.”

  I pick up the book from beside the bed, and this time I don’t get anywhere near halfway through before she falls asleep.

  “You know it’s the reading that does it. I used to sing her to sleep and rock her, but that stopped working when she was four. Now I read her a story and she’s out like a light. I’m enjoying that while it lasts.” Delaney leans against the doorway.

  I stand and walk toward her. “I’ve got to be on set early tomorrow, but I can stay the night.”

  Delaney wraps her arms around my waist. “Good. I think Mummy and Daddy need some quality time.”

  “That’s going to take some getting used to.”

  She rests her head against my chest. “You did so well. She’s so happy.”

  “I love her calling me Daddy.”

  “I’m glad.”

  I take a breath and kiss the top of her head. “Do you mind if I keep sitting in there with her for a while?”

  Delaney pulls back. “Of course not.”

  “It might sound weird, but I just want to look at her. While she’s not jumping all over the place.”

  She smiles. “I think that’s a lovely idea. I’ll go and clean up the kitchen and get ready for bed.”

  “Meet you there?”

  Delaney raises her face and I give her a tender kiss.

  Today has only made me love her more. She’s the one who’s given me the whole world. Right when I thought I had everything.

  Delaney’s in bed when I reach her room. I strip down to my boxers and slide into bed beside her. Spooning her, I pull her tight against me.

  I love how normal this feels. My life has been anything but normal for years. But in this little house, in this small town, I’m content and settled.

  This isn’t what I’m used to. In LA, I have a house. It’s huge and private, but it’s not a home. Home feels like this.

  I’m not sure what I’m going to do when I’m away.

  “Delaney,” I whisper.

  She turns her head far enough that I can make up the distance and kiss her.

  “You alright?” she asks.

  I nod. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For her. For all this.” I take a breath. “Come with me when I leave.”

  “We can’t.”

  “Can we talk about it tomorrow?”

  “Of course.”

  She turns back, and I press myself against her, my arm over her waist. Once filming is over, I’m travelling to the UK and then the Philippines for my next project.

  It was all arranged before I knew I had a family here.

  I don’t want to go.

  Twenty-Six

  Delaney

  Josh is gone in the morning when I wake.

  I knew he would be. He has to head over early for costume and makeup and whatever else he has to do before his day starts.

  Pania opens the diner in the morning at seven-thirty and I drop Melly at school an hour later before heading over there.

  It’s late morning when the order comes through.

  “Someone has it bad.” Pania grins as she gets off the phone.

  “What?”

  She dangles a piece of paper in front of my face. It’s so close that the writing’s all fuzzy.

  “Order for Mr. Josh Carter. Omelette, salad, and thickshake to be delivered to set. He’s requested a particular person to do the delivery.”

  I grin. “He’s so naughty.”

  “Bet he is. You look much happier lately, and I’m sure it’s all tied up with an appendage of his.”

  I nod. “It really is. He has the cutest nose.”

  Pania slaps my arm. “I’m just proud of my girl for getting some. And sorting all that historical shit out. I bet that’s a weight off your shoulders.”

  Letting out a long breath, I nod again. “Amelia adores him. Though she did before she knew he was her dad. And things between us are really good.” I bite my bottom lip. “He wants us to go with him when he leaves.”

  Her eyes widen. “No way.”

  “I’m not ready for anything like that. Besides, I can’t just walk away from you and the diner. He has to understand that I have commitments here.”

  “Delaney, I don’t think anyone would begrudge you for putting your family together. I’ll put this order together now, but at some point we need to sit down and talk about it.”

  I nod. I guess it’s inevitable now that at some point things will change. When? I’m not sure. What I am sure is that it’s up to me.

  “I’m guessing this delivery could take a couple of hours?” she teases.

  Shrugging, I turn my back to hide my grin from her. “Maybe.”

  “Grab the chance before he does leave. I’ll get this food cooked.”

  “No, I’ll do it.”

  “Cook it with love.” She laughs.

  “Something like that.”

  I love cooking, especially for my family, and Josh is a part of that now. He deserves my best. Especially after what I put him through.

  It doesn’t take long to fill his order, and I throw it all in the insulated bag to take to him.

  “Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Pania calls.

  “That doesn’t leave a lot,” I call back.

  And still, I grin all the way to the car because Josh can’t go a day without seeing me. Which is good, because I’m not sure about going the whole day without him.

  George waves as I pull up to the set.

  “Josh told me you were coming. I’m to take you to him.”

  “Well, aren’t I special?”

  He grins. “I hear you are. Park over there, and I’ll walk with you. He’s filming right now, but he won’t be long.”

  “He’d better not be. His food will get cold.”

  George laughs. “I’m not sure he’s too worried about that.”

  I drive over to where he indicates and park the car. Climbing out, I grab my bag, the food, and his shake out of the cup holder.

  “Lead me to him.”

  We walk side by side through another gate, and I see the cameras and crew before we get close.

  George nudges my arm. “You never told me you had history with Josh.”

  “I didn’t tell anyone. How do you know?”

  He shoots me a sheepish look. “I saw him go after you the night you catered. He looked upset. I know he argued with Jessie.”

  I come to a stop and turn toward him. “You’re a good source of gossip, then?”

  He chuckles. “Not usually, but you’ve been good to me and it involves you, so …”

  I take a deep breath. “Josh and I were involved a few years ago.”

  His eyes widen. “Ooooh.”

  “Yes. And Jessie’s going to shit a brick when she finds out we’re seeing each other again. She never liked me.”

  He nods slowly as if everything’s falling into place.

  “Come on then, let’s get you to him. Maybe it’ll help her shit some bricks.” He grins and I think I’ve taught him something new.

  “I’ll make a Kiwi out of you yet, George.”

  After a short walk, we round a corner and I’m confronted with a wall of cameras and lights. Josh and Jessie come into view.

  “Over there. We’ll just have to wait until they’re finished,” George says.

  I swallow hard. It feels like an intrusion.

  Josh has his arms around Jessie in a romantic embrace.

  “Cut.”

  I clamp my lips together in amusement as the second the word comes out, Josh drops his arms and takes a big step back. Jessie frowns.

  She really does look like someone’s shit in her cornflakes. But I forget about her when Josh links eyes with me.

  “There’s my girl.” Josh beams.

  “I heard some guy wanted food?”

  He takes the bag and thickshake from me, and hooks his arm around my shoulder. “Only from th
e best delivery person in town.”

  “I’m probably the only delivery person in town.”

  “I had to see you,” he murmurs.

  “Couldn’t wait until tonight, huh?”

  “Nope. Have you got a bit of time?”

  I shrug. “I’m the boss. Besides, Pania has everything covered. Why?”

  He gathers everything in one hand and slips his free arm around my waist. “Jessie’s got scenes to film this afternoon. I don’t. I thought we might sneak off to my trailer for a little while.”

  “Oooh, did you now?” I laugh between kisses as he pulls me tight against him.

  And then he kisses me, long and deep, and I’m lost as his tongue claims mine. At first, I’m a bit self-conscious, but then I don’t care if there are cast and crew around. Josh is showing everyone how he feels about me and leaving them in no doubt who he wants. He clearly trusts them.

  And his body’s leaving me with no doubt what he wants.

  “Let’s go to my trailer.” He nuzzles just below my ear, sucking the lobe into his mouth.

  “You’re a bad boy, Josh Carter.”

  “No, just a man who’s crazy about you. And super frustrated that I have to work because I want to spend every available moment with you.”

  I palm his cheek. “Okay. I take part of that back. You’re also a very sweet boy.”

  He grins..

  “Food first, then love.”

  I roll my eyes as he pulls me toward the trailers. “You’d better make this worth it.”

  “You know I will.”

  He sighs as I pull the food out of the bag and place it on the table up one end of the trailer.

  “Thank you. I could eat your cooking all the time. I really wanted a burger and fries, but I need the protein.”

  “Don’t they feed you?”

  He shrugs. “Nothing as good as this.”

  Cutting off a piece of omelette., he takes a big bite. His eyes roll back in his head as he chews. “Oh damn, Delaney. This is so good.”

  I laugh. “As much as I love praise for our cooking, I kinda hope that’s a euphemism.”

  “Well.” He talks with a mouthful of food. “I am eating you next.”

  “Promises, promises.”

  He smirks between bites, and when he’s done gets up and washes his hands in the basin. “Now for part two of this lunch break.”

  I smile. “Which is …”

  He leads me through the curtain that partitions the trailer. A bed fills the far end, and I shake my head.

  “Who would have guessed?” I say.

  He kisses me softly. “Get on the bed, Delaney.”

  I link my fingers in his and lead him the short distance to the end of the trailer.

  Lying on the bed, I pull him behind me, and he cups the back of my head, giving me a gentle kiss.

  “Are you supposed to have me in this trailer?”

  He cocks his head. “I’ll have you wherever I can.”

  “No. I mean, I thought this was for work.”

  “No one’s going to tell me off if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  He kisses me again.

  “I can’t take time off work for sex.” I raise my eyebrows at him.

  “I know. But I don’t have much time left here, and I don’t know if you’re going to take me up on coming with me. So, if we’re going to do this long-distance to start with, I want every moment I can get.” His eyes are so full of emotion. This is such a messy situation in a lot of ways, and I understand where he’s coming from. I want this with him, but I can’t just leave town. We are going to be apart.

  I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him harder. He slides his arms around my waist and kisses me back. There’s so much tenderness in his kiss, and I sigh against his lips.

  “I need you naked,” he whispers.

  The blinds are down, but I still feel a little uneasy at his request.

  “I locked the door on the way in. Not that anyone should be intruding.” He slides his hand up my shirt, freeing one breast from my bra and gently squeezing the nipple. “I need my mouth on these.”

  My strangled laugh surprises even me. “So needy.”

  “Always when it comes to you. I have a lot of time to make up for.”

  “Let me sit up, and I’ll take it all off.”

  He grins, backing away as I sit and tug my shirt over my head. Reaching behind me, I unhook my bra, and I don’t even have it all the way off before he ducks under my arm and sucks a nipple into his mouth.

  “You’re so impatient. It’s like you weren’t in bed with me last night.”

  I lean back, and he chuckles against my skin, his hand caressing the other breast.

  He laves at my hardened peak, and I close my eyes. I swear my nipples are directly connected to my clit. He barely needs to touch me and I’m melting underneath him.

  “Delaney,” he whispers. “All I want to do is touch you.”

  Raising his head, he meets my gaze. Those dark eyes of his are filled with so much love that he doesn’t need to tell me how he feels. It’s all happening again so fast, and this time I just give in to it. We’re not nineteen anymore, and I’m not fighting this attraction off. We might be apart soon, but for now, being together is all that matters.

  I sink into the mattress as he claims my mouth with his. His tongue caresses mine, his hand sliding down my torso until he finds the button of my jeans.

  “Wait.” I’m breathless.

  Confusion crosses his face. “What?”

  “Are you sure you don’t need to Google anything?”

  Josh’s eyebrows shoot straight up. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine. Has your clit moved since last night?”

  I grin. “Not that I know of.”

  He gives me a tender kiss on the lips.

  “Well, I’m pretty sure I’ll find it just fine. Over …”

  Kiss.

  “And over …”

  Kiss.

  “And over again.”

  “Is that a promise, Mr. Carter?”

  Desire crosses his expression. “Oh yes, Ms. Carruthers. That’s a promise.”

  I laugh again as he undoes my jeans and pulls them off, along with my panties. Moving back beside me, he slides his hand up my thigh and strokes my clit with his fingers.

  “Ooooh you found it by yourself,” I tease.

  “Is that some kind of challenge?”

  I bite my bottom lip. “Maybe.”

  “I like a challenge.”

  I let out a long sigh as he slides a finger inside me.

  “I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get enough of you,” he whispers.

  I cup his cheek. “I feel the same way.”

  His eyes search mine. “Damn having to work. I want to spend every day like this.” He rubs my clit, and I arch my back to push against his hand.

  Josh rolls onto his stomach, and I spread my legs to let him in. I let out a long moan as his mouth engulfs my pussy.

  Long gone is the teenager who fumbled with me. Here’s a man who’s sure of himself. And he’s mine, all mine again.

  A warm glow spreads through my body as I grow closer to coming. Josh sucks gently on my clit, and I throw my head back, crying out despite my paranoia that someone might hear.

  He rolls on a condom. There’s so much I want to tell him, so much I want to say. But I hold back because this is still so new even if it feels like we’ve waited for this for so long.

  He slides inside me, and his mouth is on mine in a moment, and I can’t talk anyway.

  The emotion is overwhelming. So long ago, we did this and made our beautiful daughter.

  “You feel so good,” he says.

  “So do you.” Josh kisses me again as he thrusts into me. He’s all urgency and need, and I don’t want this to end, but it will. At least until tonight when we’ll cling to each other all over again.

  The clock is ticking on our time together, and we both know it.

  I thrus
t my hips up to meet him and he moans. As much as I love him being inside me, I also love the deep groan he makes when he comes.

  I’m rewarded with that sound as he slows and drops his lips to my neck. I let out a sigh of contentment, and he nibbles on my earlobe.

  “Tonight, we’re going to bed after Amelia’s gone to sleep.” He chuckles.

  “No argument from me there.”

  Josh rolls off me, pulling me onto my side. “Glad to hear it.”

  “And now I have to do the walk of shame back to my car.”

  His brows twitch. “Do you think anyone heard us?”

  “Probably. But I’m sure no one’s going to think any the worse of the handsome Hollywood star who lured me into his trailer.”

  Josh grins. “Lured?”

  I run my fingernails over his stubbled cheek. “That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.”

  “You’re such a temptress, Delaney. How could I resist? I always behave badly when I’m with you.”

  Laughing, I drop my hand. “I should go.”

  Josh groans. “Do you have to?”

  “I can’t abandon Pania all day. Besides, we’ll see each other again tonight.”

  He pouts, and I just roll my eyes.

  “Stop being so cute, Josh.”

  Chuckling, he squeezes my hand. “I’ll do anything I can to get more time with you.”

  “Well, it worked.” I push myself down to the end of the bed, and pick up my clothes.

  Arms reach around my waist and pull me back.

  I laugh. “Enough. I have to go. As it is, it’ll be time to pick up Melly from school soon.”

  When I say that, he drops his hands and plants a kiss on the back of my neck. “I guess I could let you go for a few hours.”

  A few hours. When he leaves town we’ll be apart for longer than that, but I don’t have the heart to bring that up right now.

  It only takes a minute to pull on my clothing, and I stand, turning back toward the bed.

  Josh pulls off the condom, throwing it in a bin before he pulls on his boxers and pants. “I’ll walk you out.”

  Jessie’s standing a few metres away, giving me a filthy look as I step out of Josh’s trailer. He walks out behind me, still shirtless with all the love in his eyes for the world to see.

  “See you after work?” he asks.