Tinseltown

by Stephanie Taylor

  “Hey, I gotta run,” he said and hung up. “Your bath awaits, milady,” he said. But his voice lacked the drama she would expect from that kind of statement.

  “I brought you dinner. Who was on the phone? What’s all this?” she asked with a grin.

  Without answering her questions, he walked over to her, taking the tray and setting it on the coffee table. He then returned his attention to her and pulled her into his arms. Deb didn’t try to pull away. It felt too right standing there, thigh to thigh. She looked up at him, waiting.

  After the talk with her mother, she was more confident than ever.

  Zach shoved his hands in his pockets. He swallowed hard and appeared to be searching for words. He focused his attention on her hair and brushed it back from her shoulder when he spoke.

  “I’m sorry I got angry before you left.” When she started to say something, he quickly continued. “My dad once told me something like that, and I guess it just reminded me of it.”

  “What did he say?” she whispered, loving how it felt to have his hands on her body.

  “He told me that once I found out how hard it was to break into Hollywood, I’d give up and do something else.”

  “Was it hard for you?”

  Zach grinned sardonically. “I was lead in my high school play when an agent discovered me. I’d sent my headshots to a few agents, and they all rejected me, except one. He decided to come out and see me for himself then asked to represent me, and that’s how I got my first real gig in Santa’s Christmas.”

  Deb remembered the movie and Zach’s boyish good looks as the movie’s main character’s rebellious teenage son. It hadn’t been a blockbuster, but it was a cute, feel-good movie. “And the rest was history, as they say?” she asked. She closed her eyes as his palm pressed against her neck, and his thumb lazily rubbed her jaw.

  “Yeah,” he whispered.

  Deb’s eyes fluttered open, and she could see the fire burning for her in his eyes. But he wasn’t allowing either of them the pleasure, because of the promise he had made to her. She was beginning to think she was going to have to write the question on her forehead.

  “Thank you for sharing with me,” she said.

  “Yeah, well, don’t use it against me,” he echoed.

  “Deal. So what’s all this?” With a sweep of her arm, she gestured to the candles and the bath.

  “Looks like you could use a bath, so I thought I’d try to do it right. And it’s also my way of apologizing.”

  She punched him playfully in the arm and grinned. “You’re forgiven. But can I ask you something first?”

  Zach took a deep breath and nodded.

  “Will you give me the benefit of the doubt before you jump down my throat next time? Based on the things you’d said, I figured you had a bad relationship with your parents, but until you trust me enough to tell me what happened, remember I’m not a mind-reader, okay?”

  “I’m sorry I hurt you,” Zach whispered.

  “You didn’t hurt me. I just didn’t understand why I offended you.”

  “No, I’m a lot harder to offend. It’s hard for me to hear someone tell me I’ll give up on something. I haven’t given up on anything, ever.” He shifted his weight and drew her closer, touching his forehead to hers. “And even though my male pride is battered right now, I don’t intend to give up on you any time soon either.”

  Deb grinned and outlined his jaw with her fingertip. “I guess that means you’re a pretty determined guy.” She cocked an eyebrow. As she gazed at his lips, she realized how badly she wanted to feel them against hers again.

  “More so than most, yes.”

  “You could get a little annoying.”

  Zach smiled as they began swaying in a flirtatious dance. “No, sweetheart. When I put my mind to something, it’ll be what we both enjoy.”

  Deb pretended to look impressed. “Really? What would that be?”

  Zach stopped their bodies and slid his hands down to her bottom. Pulling her close against his hardness, he moved his lips within a breath of hers and whispered, “Believe me, I’m going to drive you crazy.”

  “I look forward to it,” she returned, moving her lips up to his, giving him the signal he could kiss her, even though she knew he wouldn’t. She reached between them, trailing the back of her finger down his chest to his belly and inserting it underneath the waistband of his jeans. There, she traced the inside of his jeans and felt his hot skin and the sexy happy trail she was dying to see for herself. “But it’ll have to be after my bath.” Removing her fingers, she pushed away.

  Zach’s low growl told her she had gotten to him as much as he’d gotten to her, and she enjoyed this game of cat and mouse. He was good at seduction, and it was hard for her not to run back and beg him for a kiss. The anticipation was as fun as the games.

  She closed the bathroom door and locked it, just in case. As she undressed, she realized one very important thing.

  Her mother was right about everything.

  * * * *

  Zach wasn’t sure he would be the one to drive Deb crazy. The one thing he could count on was their physical attraction. It had been apparent since day one, and he had to build on it. Yes, she had rejected him, but it wasn’t like the scene she’d made before in front of everyone. No, this time, she rejected him for fun. She enjoyed watching him struggle to win her over.

  His body couldn’t take many more cold showers. So he decided right then and there, tonight he would make love to her. Quickly eating his soup, Zach ran downstairs, almost forgetting she needed more medicine. She had coughed in the bathroom, and it reminded him she still wasn’t well.

  Zach enjoyed taking care of her. It was intimate and domestic. Those were two things he had never really experienced. Listening to her breathing as she’d slept on his chest earlier had felt like a precious gift. Waking up to her lying in his arms was also a gift. Then he had gone and ruined it with a petty outburst. She had no idea what he’d suffered from his father’s abuse, and she certainly hadn’t known his father once had said almost the same thing she had said to him. It still hurt to think of his own father feeling resentful toward him, but Deb had offered him a way out. And she’d also shown him a bit of vulnerability by letting him know she thought he would leave her.

  It stunned him that she didn’t know her worth. She was one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. Good ol’ Brad had certainly done a number on her confidence over the years. If Zach had known what he knew now, Brad wouldn’t have walked away with a warning. He would have given him a nice shiner as a souvenir. Love, Zach.

  His protective instincts overpowered anything else, and if she didn’t feel the same way, he was in trouble. He wasn’t educated in love or relationships or even intimacy, but he felt different when he spent time near her. It wasn’t like the other women he usually dated. Those relationships centered on the physical and fizzled out as quickly as they started.

  Then, the tiny detail of him being her husband spooked him. He just wasn’t sure which scared him more, the thought of being married to her, or the thought of not being married to her. Maybe she would get wrapped up in the romance of it all. Her parents seemed to be a shoo-in for supporting their relationship, and he got along well with her father. Never before had he met the parents. From what he gathered, however, one usually took a leap before marriage.

  Once he was back upstairs and Deb walked out in a satin robe, looking sweet and fresh, he decided he was going to ask her for the truth. If she hurt him later, he had no one to blame but himself.

  Before he said anything, the candlelight glinted off something in her hand. No, scratch that. On her hand.

  He swallowed.

  The cheap wedding ring he had given her in Vegas encircled her finger. When she noticed the direction of his gaze, she twisted the band for a moment.

  “I guess I might as well accept that I’m stuck with you,” she said. By her tone, he gained the impression her words were supposed to be a joke, but Za
ch wasn’t smiling. At the thought of Deb wearing his ring, displaying whatever it was nestled between them when their guard wasn’t up, his heart soared with happiness.

  Zach walked over to her and pulled her in his arms, tucking his face in her neck as he inhaled her sweet scent. “Mmm,” he groaned. “You smell like heaven.”

  She giggled and pushed at his shoulders. “Let go, I’m starving.”

  “Me, too.” He nibbled at her neck. He heard her soft intake of breath and continued. His lips closed around her satin flesh and suckled, swirling his tongue against her. She groaned and leaned her head back for more.

  “You like that?” he asked in her ear.

  “Um hmm.” Her voice sounded husky.

  He ground his hips against hers, feeling the softness of her robe and her flesh beneath him. His focus over nursing her back to health was lost much quicker than he wanted, and he pulled away.

  “Good. Now go eat.” He swatted her on the behind.

  Offering him a mocking glare, she sat at the coffee table. “You don’t play fair.”

  He sat, knowing he had to talk to her before he continued his seduction. What did the ring mean? “I need to ask you something, Deb. And I’m doing this because you asked me to. I’m having enough faith in you to tell me the truth.”

  She looked at him as she swallowed a bite of bread. “Okay.”

  “I want you to be honest. Whatever you say won’t affect my decision to help you with your parents, and if the answer is no, then we can go back to just being acquaintances who work for the same people.”

  “What are you talking about, Zach?”

  He looked at her closely, memorizing each navy speck in her sky-blue eyes. “Do you understand what I’m saying? No matter what you tell me, this feud between us is over, and I won’t ruin your parents’ faith in you.”

  “Sure, but get to the point. You’re scaring me.”

  “Don’t be scared. I simply need to know what this ring means.”

  Deb gave him an irritated look. “Zach, is it not obvious?”

  “I’m a man. I need it spelled out for me.”

  She looked at him seriously and took his hand in hers, outlining his wedding band with her thumb. “It means I’d like to see if we can make it. I enjoy being with you and, from what you’ve said, you enjoy me too. I’d like for us to start living like this is a real marriage. But, so help me, if you make me pick up your dirty socks and underwear…” She grinned.

  “So you’re not just doing this for the sake of the movie or your parents?”

  “Absolutely not, and just to prove it to you, I’ll even do this…” She turned around on her knees and straddled him, his heart almost leaping out of his chest. Deb lowered her mouth and moved against him softly. He sat there, unsure if he should kiss her back or let her prove herself. But as her mouth pressed harder, he couldn’t take another second of not filling his hands with her skin.

  Zach’s tongue plundered and explored and told of pent-up desires. They rocked together, breathed together, and touched each other. But mainly the kiss was a way of telling a truth words couldn’t express. Her fingers tunneled through his hair and pulled him back. She let go and grabbed his hand, placing his fingertips between her breasts.

  “Do you feel me?” she asked.

  Her heart thundered against his touch, and he took a deep breath to steady his overwhelming emotions.

  “I can’t fake that.”

  “No, you can’t,” he agreed.

  “I think it’s safe to say I’m totally into you, Zach,” she whispered against his lips. They kissed again, and this time Zach pulled away when he started losing control.

  “Well.” He exhaled, trying to catch his breath. “You’ve thwarted my plans to seduce you.”

  “Honey,” Deb said as she climbed off of him and gave him a sexy grin. “I don’t beg, but just to make sure we’re clear, you’re officially released from your oath.”

  Zach grinned. “It’s about time.”

  Chapter 8

  Deb had officially lost her mind somewhere between Los Angeles and New York. Kissing Zach let her defenses down, what little of them she still possessed. In the days since the kiss, ironically, she and Zach hadn’t spent much time together. Her father continued to pull Zach into countless games of chess, while Deb shopped and baked for the holidays.

  Surprised by Zach’s choice to stay out of her bedroom, Deb felt conflicted. They touched and kissed every chance they got, which wasn’t very often, but when it was time for bed, he’d hold her gently and say goodnight. His restraint haunted her long into the mornings, as she dreamed of the passion she knew he was capable of.

  Her brother and his family would be arriving tomorrow and chaos would ensue. Tonight, however, Zach had asked to take her to dinner. There wasn’t much else she wanted to do other than spend a few hours alone and just talk. Yes, there were so many risks being seen in public together. She had already spotted the tabloids and seen all their speculations. One had even suggested she was pregnant.

  Deb smirked. No way would she have a baby with Zach. Not this soon, anyway. She’d like to figure out how to be married first. Only time would tell where their marriage would take them. She would take this a day at a time, no expectations. Each day was a gift, and she would be satisfied with that.

  Rounding the corner of the kitchen to head upstairs to get ready, she collided with Zach, recognizing him instantly by his smell. He always wore the best cologne, a spicy, expensive smell she couldn’t quite explain.

  Bracing her hands against his chest, she looked up with a smile. “Who won this time?” She watched as he pulled the phone away from his ear and hung up without saying a word. Why was he always on the phone?

  Zach frowned and took a deep, exaggerated breath. “He did.”

  “That makes you what? One for seventy-five?”

  He grinned at her. “Uh, yeah.”

  An awkward silence fell between them, and she looked away. She hoped the rest of the night wasn’t going to be like this. Tenderly, he reached out and took her hand, bringing her fingertips to his lips. “I’m looking forward to tonight,” he whispered, his eyes roaming her face.

  “Me too.” Suddenly, she felt shy. This felt too real, and it was still too new for her to know what to think. She didn’t like feeling like an uncertain school girl.

  He turned his lips to her palm and kissed her there. A sizzling flash of awareness shot through her. She was thankful there wouldn’t be any of this tonight in public.

  Or was she?

  Unable to stop herself, she pulled her hand free from his grasp and hooked it around his neck, bringing him down for a quick, but thorough kiss. His breathy, masculine groan fueled her need for him. The gentle touch of his palms on her face was inconsistent with his hard, passionate kiss. His tongue showed her exactly how their bodies would mate. It made Deb long for a further intimacy.

  “Oh! Excuse me!” her mother said behind them.

  Deb and Zach leaped apart like secret lovers, wiping their mouths and looking everywhere but each other.

  “Oh, come on, guys,” her mother said as she walked past them. “It’s not like I’ve never seen a husband and wife kiss. I’ve even stolen a couple of kisses in my day. And from the looks of things, you’re gonna have to steal every moment you can, since John has been keeping Zach so busy playing chess.”

  Neither of them said anything, but once her mother was out of earshot they took one look at each other and laughed.

  “I’d better get ready,” she said and turned to walk up the stairs.

  He grabbed her arm. “We haven’t discussed how we’re going to deal with the photographers.”

  Deb thought a minute. “No, but I don’t think we should give them much to talk about. One of them reported a baby was due in seven months.” She grinned, but Zach did not.

  “You know going out is just giving them more fuel. If you don’t want to do this, I understand.” He released her arm and looked at her
.

  “I want to,” she insisted. “As long as you don’t get caught putting your hand up my skirt, I’ll consider you a gentleman.”

  He grinned. “What about up your shirt?”

  Smiling, she rolled her eyes and went upstairs.

  * * * *

  Zach was so nervous his fingers trembled. He felt like he was a teenager again, having to play his cards just right. Seconds ticked by as he waited for Deb, making him just a little more anxious. Cars filled with photographers sat at the end of the driveway, as they had been for a week now. They were desperate for some show of the two of them together. Well, he would give them one.

  He wouldn’t dishonor Deb’s wishes by any means… but maybe, just maybe the cameras would show her how he really felt, since he was an idiot and wasn’t sure how to tell her himself.

  She was still reserved, although their kiss earlier definitely felt like a step in the right direction. This past week he expected their relationship to turn to a different level. But instead, he had been pawned off on Deb’s father. The man was pleasant enough, but Zach would have rather spend the time with his wife. Deb also avoided him by spending every waking moment with her mother. He would have to find a gym and fast, because his jeans were snug and he felt like he’d gained at least ten pounds. Of course, shoving his mouth full of the wonderful food they’d prepared wasn’t helping much.

  “She’ll be down soon,” Marie said as she came down the stairs. He stood at the bottom, feeling like an out-of-place statue.

  “Thanks,” he said, swallowing.

  “She looks beautiful,” she whispered as she stepped off the last step and leaned closer. “She also looks like she’s as nervous as you are. Guess it’s not often you have your first real date as husband and wife, huh?”

  Zach grinned, trying to look nonchalant, but Marie gave him a motherly, you-can’t-fool-me look. Man, he’d forgotten how mothers had a sixth sense.