by Pamela Ann
But for reasons I couldn’t fathom, I did.
I knew it when I saw him speak to other women and felt like I was being stabbed to death. It wasn’t jealousy because jealousy wouldn’t drive me to feel that kind of feeling. It was much more intense and heart-wrenching. When he got hurt during a soccer game against UCLA he blacked-out for a good minute and I thought of never being with him again. I knew then that I loved him, much to my dismay. Those short months with him, I willed hard not to go to that damning direction, but in the end, I still ended up there.
There’s a lot of truth about a person when they fall in love with the wrong person–your brain may tell you it’s a horrible idea, but the heart rules everything. It just does, plain and simple.
“I just do. I can’t explain how or why I did. I remember that it just dawned on me one night. It’s been hell ever since.”
“You don’t seem very happy about that.” This wise man observed.
“No, I am not. He’s not an easy man.”
Hell, yeah Carter Mason was not easy! He was a walking contradiction—for reasons I had no clue.
“I understand” he sighed and closed his eyes.
“Bass, let’s go for a swim? I feel restless.”
“Seriously? It’s like three in the morning, Em.” I got up and left the movie theatre.
“Last one there has a sore, hairy butt crack!” I yelled after him.
“Whoa, there!” Bass uttered as he saw me wiggle out of his boxers and hastily placed it on the pool lounge.
The moon was high and the City of Angels glittered before me–thriving, alive and so full of life!
It really was beautiful here, especially at night. It just looked downright riveting.
The huge swimming pool looked too enticing to be resisted. The color matched the color of Bass’s eyes.
What was he waiting for anyway? The known bad boy was hesitant.
“What’s wrong Bass? Admitting that your ass is a sore hairy butt crack?” I teased, but he was too stunned to reply. His blue gaze stuck to my skimpy thong-clad bottom.
A jolt of excitement coursed through me as Bass took me in his eyes. It was intoxicating and it made me feel beautiful.
“Hello, earth to Bass Cole?” I waved both hands at him.
Bass cleared his throat. “I don’t think this is a good idea, Emma.”
Yeah, right. I’m only young once and I want to live and let live. Who cares if I had my heart broken? Who cares if Carter doesn’t love me? At least I’m alive–alive and breathing, and enjoying Bass Cole’s arousing countenance.
I am grateful for life’s good blessings just fine, I thought mischievously.
“Why not, it’s not like this is the first time you’ve swam almost naked? In fact, it was your suggestion to skinny dip if I recall correctly.” I pouted at him.
Seriously, Bass looks like a living, breathing epitome of a sex god. The way he broods when he’s in deep thought or the way his hands held his hips when he doesn’t agree on something. Every single move he does just oozed of sex. Bass was potent with masculinity and I found it erotic and stimulating.
According to most females, they felt this way towards him too. But all that fame and power didn’t seem to get into his head. He was quite grounded and not stuck up, surprisingly enough.
I don’t know what precisely triggered my audacious attitude, but tonight I felt like I had some kind of clarity.
Maybe it was the tiny stint of acting in Martin Lombardo’s home or the talk I had with Bass or quite possibly the wine talking—but it didn’t matter because I felt fan-fucking-tastic!
“Beauty is only skin deep. If you go after someone just because she’s beautiful but don’t have anything to talk about, it’s going to get boring fast. You want to look beyond the surface and see if you can have fun or if you have anything in common with this person.”
- Amanda Peet
15
Bass Cole
“Emma, I’m telling you again, this is not the wisest of ideas.” I croaked out as my eyes gathered the delectable supple perfection of her tight booty.
RAWR!
Hell, why wasn’t she paying attention?
Emma merely shrugged as she pulled the hem of her shirt, lifted it upwards and off her body.
I swallowed.
My tiny thread of sanity was lost amidst the sudden throb of my cock. I knew her body was in great shape. Hell—I’ve been fantasizing about it too much. But nothing prepared me to see her tight body up close. And what nice breasts they are…I just wanted to feast on them, over and over again.
Her nipples perked up as the mild air hit them. The raving beauty then turned to me, “Ready to swim?”
Fuck yeah, I’m ready to swim. But not in the damn swimming pool but in your deep, moist, and very hot channel, I thought wickedly.
Who would’ve thought a blondie would have me so whipped? I was a brunette kind of man and have a thing for exotic beauties. But all that changed when I caught a glimpse of this woman swaying so seductively on the dance floor. I remember my breath caught at the mere sight of her and it’s been a fucking battle to the wills ever since.
It hasn’t been easy keeping distance from her. But what could I do? She was in love with someone else.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Emma Anderson.” I warned as I placed a bottle of vodka and my phone at the edge of the pool.
The woman just gave me a seductive smile.
Fuck, was she doing this on purpose? She wanted me to kiss her. But fuck, I couldn’t do it. Not when she’s not ready for it. I didn’t want to be second best. I wanted to be first place, but shit like that didn’t matter when she was obviously still broken.
What did I want from Emma? Tricky, tricky question—but for now—I’d gladly settle to be what she wanted me to be.
Without breaking eye contact, I took off my clothes—all of them. What’s a skinny dip if one didn’t go commando?
I heard Emma gasp as I pulled down my boxers and stepped out of them. I used to get smug when women saw my cock and relished it with their rabid expression, but with Emma staring at me the way she was made me feel like a damn king.
”Is it up to your approval, my darling?” I amorously asked the golden beauty.
Emma licked her lips and she tried to drag her eyes away from my prized possession. It involuntarily twitched from her avid attention. She simply just groaned and hastily dived in the pool.
I just laughed at her blushing expression.
How lovely you are Emma, I thought as I joined her in the pool, diving head first and did a few laps.
When I came up for air, I noticed she wasn’t in the deep end. Instead, she chose distance. We were both in opposite ends of the pool, not my choice because if it was, I’d rather have her close—close enough for me to almost taste her but not.
“Scared of me already?” I called out, as my hands skimmed through the warm water.
“Hell, no, should I be?” Emma asked.
Heck, you really should be because the way the pool lights are flickering over your nice body, giving it a nice silhouette form, I might just eat you whole and never gasp for air. I bet she tasted as sweet as ripe nectar—to be savored and relish ever so slowly.
Fuck, I cussed over and over again.
My brain seemed to only think about Emma and her fucking body. And right now, the only functioning brain left it seemed was the brain of my shaft. I’m so hard, it’s painful. I think this is the longest I’ve ever gone without sex. But since I met Emma, I haven’t been interested to hook-up with other willing beauties. This was a first for me.
I really needed to get my head out of any sexual thoughts. It’ll only get worse if I didn’t. I obliged myself with a shot of vodka. Opening the bottled drink, I took a gulp from the frosted drink–loving the feel of it burning down my throat and settling its warmth in my stomach. Yeah, that feels much better, I thought with contentment.
The soft ripples of water hit my back softly
, an indication that Emma was swimming towards me. My chest was thumping wildly at the thought of her bare-chested and so close to me.
“You’re not going to share that? Greedy man, you are, Bass.” She teased and settled herself right next to me, our arms touching.
“I’ll share whatever you want me to share, little lady.” I retorted back as I handed her the bottle of vodka. My eyes zeroed in on her lips as she placed the bottle opening to her lips, threw her head back and took a quick gulp.
She shivered, “Argh!” Emma muttered as she placed the bottle back on the white cobbled floor, next to my phone.
As much as I want to divert my eyes below her neck and study her amazing breasts, I trained my eyes to look elsewhere. Anywhere but.
“Bass, are you nervous?” she leaned close. Her perfumed skin hit me full-on. My cock hardened even more. Fuck, what will she think of me if she suddenly decided to look down and see my Johnson all hard?
There was no need to answer her because it was damn obvious that I was. Without much thought, I went under water and swam away from her. Away from the delicious temptation that was off-limits to me.
When I came up for air, I swam towards the middle of the pool and broodingly studied the city above me, but seeing nothing.
My body tensed when I felt Emma’s heat behind me. I let out a soft moan when I felt her kiss my shoulder as her breasts pressed against my back. My body raged as my blood scorched and my mind went lull. In haste, I grabbed her waist and drew her before me, pressing her back against the pool wall.
Face to face, we stared at each other, both hearts on a wild stampede. With the searing power of my eyes, I caressed her—slowly, decisively and acutely. I spoke out, but my eyes stayed on her lips.
Exquisite, so lush and pure
Will you taste as sweet as I have dreamt you to be?
I’m staggered by your magnetism, your beauty and your truth—
Will I captivate you as you have done me?
Sweet Emma, your name alone, spoken from my lips gives me enough sweetness
Savored and cherished as one should be
As much as it killed me not to kiss this lovely woman, I willed myself not to because I knew that I would not be able to stop at just kissing her. Instead, I buried my head in her neck. I softly bit it as she moaned and threw her head back, exposing her neck and giving me full access to it.
”Bass…,” she gasped my name.
From the base of her throat, my hot tongue snaked out and licked her wet skin—all the way to her chin. My hand found her nipple, placed it between my thumb and finger, twisting it back and forth as I sucked on her neck and bit into it as her legs locked on my hips. “I want…Bass…your lips…kiss me,” she pleaded, breathless.
I can’t. I want you too much.
No, my mind was resolved.
Her hips grinded against me and her scantily covered hot mound rubbed against my naked cock. Jesus, sweet Jesus, I thought as I panted against her neck as Emma became determined with her grinding.
The hazy lust-filled moment that blanketed us, instantly left me when I heard my phone ring. I cursed, not knowing if I should be grateful for the interruption or be pissed off that I had Emma wantonly aroused and ready for the taking.
No, Emma didn’t deserve me being a selfish knob taking her like this. Well, at the same time, it was a good heed because she was on the rebound. That alone should have put me off immediately, but didn’t. Instead, I am more than willing to wait for her when she’s ready to date again.
Do I want her? I wanted to possess her without uncertainty.
Do I want her body? I craved it like no other!
Do I want her love? I didn’t think I did, but I do now—I wanted her love, to the very last ounce.
Kissing her forehead, I unlatched her legs from my waist and swam towards my ringing phone.
Martin Lombardo, my godfather.
“This better be important, Papa.” I call my father, dad. I call my godfather, papa by the time that I talked. No one really explained to me how I came about calling him that, but calling him that fits. He was more of a father figure to me than my own father. Martin was my paternal grandmother’s best friend’s son. Martin and my father grew up together but my father didn’t seem to like Martin, quite possibly because Martin was a genius, plain and simple. While my father, a total waste of space and a fucking loser, couldn’t do anything right. He leeched of grandma and her money as did my mother, though beautiful was another airhead. It could possibly be the result of their coke-snorting lifestyle but hey, why make excuses?
“I know its past decent hours to be making social calls, but I knew that you wouldn’t be asleep anyway. I just got an email from one of the execs from the studio. They need a replacement for Samantha Knowles by the end today.” That doesn’t sound good.
But what did I have to do with it? Shouldn’t he be calling casting agents? Or go through actor profiles? My brain registered as I pulled myself up out of the pool and scoured for my abandoned jeans. Stepping into them, not caring how wet my body was.
“I’ll get to the point, son. For the last few hours, I’ve been considering other options. How do you feel if I cast that pretty Emma as your lead? Her acting was great and I could hire tons of other actresses that are seasoned and famous—but what captured my attention was the chemistry you two have. I want that crackling magnetism in my film. That’s what I lived for, for my kind of movies—that chemistry. That alone could make the film itself. It doesn’t hurt that she’s not bad to look at. She’s beautiful but you know that already. So, what do you think, Bass?”
What do I think? I want to fucking howl. I should send Samantha Knowles a fucking thank you present for landing me this opportunity. Emma with me—for months in Greece. What could be better? It was fucking perfect!
“I think it’s a brilliant idea. I just have to run it past her though. I’ll call you before lunch time.”
Martin cleared his throat. “I need to hear from you before nine. If she says no, I need to get the back-ups. But if she says yes, she has to come to the studio and not to mention she needs to look for an agent.”
“No worries, I’ll make the steps easier for her.”
“I’m sure you will, child. I’ve never seen you so love-stuck. She’s a lovely woman. You better treat her well.”
I chuckled. “I learned from the best. I’ll get back to you soon. Bye.” Martin laughed on the other end and cut off the call.
“Emma?” I called out.
She was on the lounge chair wearing my shirt as she studied the stars above. “Yes?”
Strolling towards her, I sat on the edge of the lounger and stopped myself from reaching out and touching her legs. “That was Martin. He’s wondering if you’re interested in replacing Samantha in the film?”
She sat up, her eyes popping out. “Shut up!”
Shrugging and smiling at the shocked Emma.
“If you say so”
Emma’s mouth hung open. “Martin wants me? But I fucking suck compared to other actresses. I’m a newbie, an amateur, what could I possibly offer?” She was excited to be sure, but her doubts were creeping up, full blast.
“Chemistry, he said we crackled with it.” I reached out and stroked her calf, loving the satiny feel of her skin. “Martin is known for picking out fresh faces and he has an eye for making a hit. He thinks you and me will be a hit. That alone proves how much he wants you to be onboard. Will you do it, Em? Filming doesn’t start until summer time anyway.”
“Bass, are you crazy? Of course, I want to do it! It’s a fucking Martin Lombardo film. I am not dense not to recognize this once in a lifetime opportunity. But what I’m worried about is…I don’t want to disappoint any of you guys. This is major for me. I’m psyched and freak out at the same time.”
“Baby, look at me,” I asked, “You’re great. I’m not saying this just because I feel like I should—but you were fantastic. Didn’t we just speak about you following your dreams
? Well, this is it. It’s the universe calling out to you and handing you this amazing opportunity. What other fantastic way to debut your acting chops other than being a lead actress in a Martin Lombardo film?” I thoughtfully said.
Yeah, I do want to spend time with her in Greece, that’s a given. But, also, I believe that it would be a great way for her to see if she really wanted to become an actress or not. I do think she has it to make it in the industry. Looks aside, her acting was believable. I felt her emotions and frustrations when she read her lines tonight.
She was going to do great, I knew it. This was her calling. I just needed her to see it though, but her insecurity was doing a massive tsunami in her mind—washing away all her excitement, her faith in herself, and her fire.
“I don’t know.” She shook her head and let out a long breath. “Can you guys give me until the weekend to think it over?”
I shook my head, feeling disconcerted at her hesitation.
“Martin needs your answer by nine in the morning.”
“Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it.”
- Danny Kaye
16
“Martin needs your answer by nine in the morning.” Nine in the morning, that’s like five hours from now—more or less.
Bass was right on one thing though, what better way to debut myself other than a Lombardo film?
But as amazing the idea is, I can’t help but feel frightened. What if my acting is subpar? What if they hated it? Would I be able to handle acerbic reviews and comments angled towards me by critics?
My heart was galloping at a speedy rate. It was already heightened by Bass’s nipping and biting, but now it had skyrocketed to an unparalleled level. I’m agitated and in dire need to speak to someone other than Bass. But first, I need to be alone and soothe my nerves before I call Lindsey.
Yes, I would call my friend even at this ungodly hour.
