Suddenly Starstruck (Shower & Shelter Artist Collective Book 4)

by Brooke St. James

  "Stop," I said even though it was the last thing I wanted him to do. We both knew Ethan was leaving his mouth on my hand far too long, and we smiled because of it.

  "Five o'clock?" I asked.

  "Five o'clock."

  Chapter 18

  Zoe called Whitney, the hairdresser, and Lu called Rhonda, the dress-hoarder, and before I knew it, I had finished work, gone to Rhonda's to choose an outfit, and come back to the collective to get dressed and have my hair done. I chose to get ready there instead of my apartment because it was closer in to Ethan's and Rhonda's and would be less driving for everyone.

  Thank goodness Zoe was willing to call Whitney and work something out for me. Whitney couldn’t make it, but she sent Becca who styled my hair curly, but partially back in braids. She had curly hair herself and she did a great job. I gave her a good tip on top of the price for the house call and thanked her profusely for working me in.

  Rhonda had sent two outfits with me—both of which she thought were perfect for the occasion. Both of them were black—one was a dress and the other a one-piece pantsuit. I tried them both on for Zoe and Becca, and both girls agreed that I should wear the pantsuit. Rhonda had also loaned me a pair of red pumps that looked great with either outfit.

  Before Becca left, she and Zoe took me down to the artist housing, where they had a field day going through about three different artists' costume jewelry and fixing me up with accessories. They actually did a great job factoring our budget and time constraints. None of it was anything like I'd worn before, but I loved how the outfit had come together. We got done in the nick of time. We went back up to Zoe and Lane's apartment so Becca could get her salon tools and leave, and Ethan text me about two minutes later.

  "That's Ethan," I said. "He's about to get here. I think he's planning on coming up. Is that okay?"

  Zoe nodded. "Tell him to call us from the lobby and we'll buzz him up."

  I fanned myself. "I can do this."

  Zoe stood in front of me, looking me over with an appraising eye. I hit send on the text I composed to Ethan, telling him to let me know when he was in the lobby so we could buzz him up.

  "Seriously, Macy, you look gorgeous. Becca did a great job with your hair, and that suit looks like it was made for you."

  "You think I need a jacket?" I asked.

  "No," she said. "It'd cover this beautiful suit. Plus, it's not like you're gonna be outside, anyway."

  I was nervously staring into my borrowed black clutch when my phone lit up with a text from Ethan saying that he was in the lobby.

  "Tell him the elevator should let him up to the penthouse," Zoe said. "I just hit the button. If it didn't work, just let me know and I'll try it again."

  I sent a quick text telling Ethan basically what she said… that the penthouse button should work and that I was in apartment number 1.

  "I can't believe he's coming up here," I said after I sent it. "I'm so nervous I can barely breathe."

  "I'm gonna let y'all see each other first," Zoe said, taking off backwards toward her bedroom with her hands outstretched. She threw a thumb over her shoulder. "I'll pretend I'm using the restroom, and I'll give y'all a minute to say 'hi' before I come out here to see you off."

  "You better not stay gone too long," I said.

  "I know," she said. "And it's okay if I miss him. If I'm still in there when you leave, just yell for me, and I'll come say 'bye'."

  "You don't have to run off," I said. "It's your apartment."

  "I know, but want to give him a minute to see you like this."

  There came two unexpected knocks on the door, and she and I stared at each other like we were stunned he had made it up so quickly. She covered her mouth with one finger as she tiptoed into her room and closed the door.

  "Come in," I called, knowing the door was unlocked. I had been crossing the living room, but I stopped in my tracks when Ethan opened the door. We were about ten or twelve feet from each other, and both of us just stood there, taking the other one in.

  He was dressed in all black the same as me. His suit was perfectly tailored but his top button was undone and he didn't wear a tie, which made him look formal and casual at the same time. I smiled and did a little curtsey when I looked at his face and realized he was looking me over. He came into the room, looking around to see if we were alone. He scanned the room before staring at me again.

  "No, no, no, now you've got me wanting to skip this thing completely," he said quietly.

  I smiled. "You're not so bad yourself," I said as I took a small step toward him.

  There were still about five feet of space in between us, and we closed the gap slowly, looking each other over the whole time. We were smiling at each other when we stopped only a foot or two away. I took a deep breath in order to calm my nerves, and he smirked and shook his head at the sight of me.

  "What?" I asked.

  "You," he said. "I want you next to me."

  "Good, I was hoping that spot wasn't taken."

  I caught him glancing at my hair, and I said, "Zoe called her friend at the salon."

  His eyes met mine. He looked dark and dangerous, and he was staring at me like he wanted to eat me alive. An uncontrollable smile spread across my face, and he reached out to touch my cheek. "You make me think about getting married and having babies," he said.

  I let out a giggle, and he pulled me toward him slightly using his hand around my back. "You're smiling, but I'm serious," he said. "I look at you and I feel like I want you in my life—like you're the one I want. You know, with me doing life stuff."

  I felt so swept away that I just stood there and whispered his name. "Ethan."

  "What?"

  "I like what you say."

  He smiled. "You do?"

  I nodded.

  "You want me to say it again?"

  I nodded and took a hitching breath as he leaned in to whisper into my ear. "I want you, Macy," he whispered, causing my blood to run warm. "I want all of you. I want you in ways I've never wanted anyone else. I want to toss you over my shoulder and take you home with me. I want no other man to have you again ever."

  I could feel his warm breath on my ear as he whispered. I had grabbed the lapel of his jacket when he first started speaking, and by the time he finished, I was holding onto it for dear life. My eyes were closed because I'd been enjoying the sensation of having him whisper the most irresistible words ever into my ear. He was quiet for what must have been five full seconds before I opened my eyes and realized he was staring at me, watching me clinch his jacket and close my eyes tight. He was smiling at me when I opened my eyes, and I smiled back at him.

  "I like you, too," I said.

  I was just about to surprise him with a kiss when Zoe came out of the bedroom. She made noise opening the door, so I had the time to pull back.

  Ethan, being stubborn like he was, smiled at me teasingly when I pulled away and pulled me closer with a light grip around my back.

  "Oh, I’m sorry," Zoe said. "I didn't hear y'all out here, so I thought you had left."

  Ethan pulled me toward Zoe so that he could shake her hand and thank her for "making me look good enough to tempt him to skip the event". We talked for a minute or two before Ethan said we needed to be on our way to the theater.

  There was a driver waiting for us when we went outside, and he took us to the venue. We had a special pass, which allowed the driver to drop us off right at the front.

  Ethan talked me through the whole thing, protectively shepherding me in the right direction with a hand on my back. He was constantly whispering words of encouragement, which eventually resulted in me relaxing enough to enjoy myself. It was honestly more low-key than I thought once we got through the arrival and that initial flashing of cameras.

  Ethan was the one who gave me the confidence I needed, though. He kept me by his side, making it clear with his body language that I was his date. More than a few times, he swept in to steal a quick kiss from my neck or cheek, causin
g me to do something like pinch him or steal a kiss in return. We flirted with each other all evening.

  There were about thirty of us who opted not to watch the actual movie during the screening, and we all hung out with Jacob and a few other stars who didn't watch. Jacob was in and out of conversations with Ethan the whole time, but Ethan kept me right by his side. He had introduced me to everyone we encountered, but no one had come out and asked him what his relationship was to me.

  Soon, the room flooded with moviegoers who were anxious to attend the after party. Ethan and I were standing near Jacob when the crowd started filing in, and they shared a conspiratorial expression.

  "So, who's the pretty young lady on your arm?" asked an older man who came to stand near us.

  "This is Macy," Ethan said, stepping aside so I could greet the man.

  I shook his hand.

  "This is Paul Collins," Ethan said.

  "He's a talented television writer."

  "He's too kind," Paul assured me, wearing a big smile. "Hello, Ms. Macy."

  "Hello there," I said. "It's nice to meet you."

  "Likewise," the man said with a slight bow. He studied me more intensely and for a longer period of time than a person would normally do on a first meeting, and I smiled shyly under his scrutiny. "What is a woman like you doing here with the likes of Ethan Prescott?" he asked, teasingly.

  I looked at Ethan who seemed entertained by watching me encounter Paul. "He came by my work today and asked if I'd come with him to this." I shrugged. "I found it difficult to refuse him. He's got a certain charm."

  "If you were smart, you'd hang onto this one," Paul said. His words had an edge of warning to them, and Ethan pulled me closer using a hand around my waist.

  "What make's you think I'm not?" he asked.

  Paul wagged his finger at me. "You better keep him in line," he warned.

  "I'll do my best," I promised, since that seemed like a good enough response.

  I looked at Ethan as Paul walked away, and he made a silly face that made me laugh.

  "Should I be scared?" I asked once the other man was out of earshot.

  "Scared of what?" he asked.

  "I don't know, getting my heart broken."

  Ethan shrugged. "If that's what we're talking about, I think I'm the one who should be scared."

  Chapter 19

  Ethan and I were still at the movie premier when I got a text from my sister that sent a wave of anxiousness crashing over me. I had gone to use the ladies room and decided to check my phone before I went back to find Ethan.

  Tabitha: "Know you're busy. Taking Iz to the hospital again. Not sick. Fell off the couch and is crying about her arm. Don't feel like dealing with the ER, but I'd feel bad if it's really broken and I didn't go. We're fine, I just didn't want you to worry if we're not home tonight."

  The text had come in two hours before, and all the blood left my face as I wondered where the two of them were now. I knew which hospital they'd gone to without Tabitha having to say, so I sent a text to her saying that I was on my way. I was so compelled to tell her I was coming, that it was only after I hit send when I thought about Ethan and wondered what he'd decide to do.

  I stuck my phone back into the small clutch, and headed back into the after party where I knew I'd find Ethan. He was standing with a group of about five or six other people. He was smiling and talking, and they were all looking at him like he was telling a story. I was glad I had a huge, crowded room to cross because I hated to interrupt whatever he was saying and hoped he'd be done by the time I got over there.

  I was on edge about Isabel, but not so much that I was too distracted to appreciate the sight of Ethan, smiling and talking to his friends. Part of me felt anxious about Isabel, but I was comforted by how confident and in control Ethan was, so I relaxed somewhat. Just the way he carried himself made me feel secure, like he was capable of handling anything. He was a natural leader, I could appreciate it simply by the way the group listened to him. Even Jacob Vance was still standing in their midst, and he too seemed engrossed by whatever Ethan was saying.

  I was walking slowly, but the room was only so big, so eventually, I made my way to the place where Ethan was standing.

  "Ethan was telling us you've got him doing challenges," one of the men said when I walked up. I knew he was speaking to me because of the volume of his voice and the fact that he was looking directly at me. I knew his words were directed at me, but I hadn't registered them on account of my preoccupation with Isabel and Tabitha.

  "Are you okay?" Ethan asked seeing my blank smile.

  "Yeah," I said to Ethan, since several of the people standing around had heard him ask.

  I turned to the man who had spoken to me with a forced smile. "What were you saying?" I asked.

  "Ethan told us you've got him learning how to solve a Rubik's cube."

  I smiled at him and then at Ethan who was regarding me with a somewhat concerned look on his face. He put a protective hand around the small of my back, and I turned away from the group and leaned into him, whispering, "I have to go. Isabel hurt her arm. Tab's got her at the hospital. I'm sure they're fine, I just want to go check on her."

  I pulled back to regard Ethan, expecting him to think about what I said and decide what he wanted to do. I expected him to address me when he first spoke, but instantly, before I even knew what was happening, he let go of me and stepped forward to hug his friend. He gave Jacob a squeeze around the shoulders and a couple of pats on the back.

  "We're taking off," Ethan said. "But I'm proud of you. You did good."

  "Thanks, bro," Jacob said with a fake punch aimed at Ethan's jaw. "And thanks for coming," Jacob said. He made eye contact with me. "It was great meeting you. Tell Ethan to send me your info, and I'll check out some of your art for some Christmas presents."

  I smiled. "Thank you. It was nice meeting you, too."

  I told everyone standing around that it was nice meeting them, and Ethan hugged a few of them, but within a couple of minutes, we were on our way out, and Ethan was on his phone, asking his driver to bring around the car. I tried to insist that he could stay at the party and that I would just take a cab, but Ethan wasn't having any part of that.

  He told the driver where to go, and he told us it would be a twenty-minute drive. I sat next to Ethan in the backseat, but the first thing I did was find my phone to see if I had a message from Tabitha. There was nothing from her, and I tucked my phone into my purse with a sigh. I shifted to stare at Ethan with a little smile.

  He reached out and pinched at the fabric of my waistband, inviting me to scoot closer, which I did with no hesitation. I smashed myself to the side of him, resting my head on his shoulder and feeling oh so relieved at the physical contact.

  He lifted his arm, adjusting both of us and encouraging the side of my face to rest on his chest. I caught a little whiff of his cologne as we made the transition, and I smiled at myself for taking such comfort and joy in the masculine smell of it. I snuggled up next to him, knowing he'd protect me from whatever was ahead.

  "Nothing from your sister?" he asked.

  I shook my head without taking it off of his chest. "Nope," I said. I let out a nervous yawn. "I'm sure she's got her phone off. But her text made it seem like she wasn't sure if she should take Izzy in or not, so I know it's not a bone hanging out or anything."

  We rode like that for the next ten or fifteen minutes—just me, cuddled up with Ethan, resting my head on his chest. Both of us just sat, watching the city lights as they went by. I could hear his heart beating if I wiggled my ear just right, and I would do it every minute or so just for the thrill of remembering he was there and he was alive.

  "Come here," he said, after a long silence.

  "I am here," I mumbled vulnerably.

  "Not all the way," he said. I knew he wanted a kiss, and my stomach tied into knots because of it. I lifted my chin, offering him a clear view of my mouth. He leaned in and kissed me, letting his warm lips l
inger on mine for a long second. Because of the way we were situated, our lips lined up perfectly—my top lip to his top lip, and my bottom lip to his bottom lip, gloriously lined up in a perfect, straight ahead position. We both let our lips relax, molding into each other for a second or two before finally pulling back.

  "I love, kissing you," I said with a pause between the words 'love' and 'kissing' where it didn't belong. The pause definitely made it seem like I was going to say I love (something else) before changing my mind. It would have been better if I would have said it with no pause at all, but as it stood, it seemed really suspicious.

  "I love (pause) kissing you, too," Ethan said, causing me to giggle and nudge him with my shoulder. He lifted his chin to tell me he wanted another, and I gave it to him.

  "We're here," he said after our last quick kiss.

  The driver pulled up to the hospital, and Ethan told him he'd text in a few minutes to let him know what our situation was. He pulled me toward the information booth once we were inside.

  "I don't do this a lot," he whispered as we walked. "But sometimes…" he trailed off as we approached the lady at the information booth. He gave her a wave. "I'm Ethan Prescott, and I star on a television show called Bad Medicine." He paused and glanced behind him, at the door. "I'm telling you this in case we get followed in by photographers or anything. I don't want to cause a fuss. I've got a friend, Isabel Tillman, who checked in here tonight, and I'd like to get to her room as quickly as possible if you don't mind." He glanced behind him at the door as if we were in danger of a whole team of paparazzi coming in at any moment.

  I had to work not to smile. The lady looked slightly confused at first, but I could tell when recognition dawned on her. "Did you say you play on a television show?" she asked, looking suddenly impressed.

  Ethan nodded and smiled.

  "I recognize you, now," she said. "I've seen you on a commercial."

  Ethan smiled and gestured to her computer. "Isabel Tillman," he said.