by Pamela Ann
“Here you are. Is everything to your liking Mr. Lombardo?” Alyssa asked in a saccharine tone.
“Perfect, thank you.” Martin dismissed her in a polished manner as he came over and gave me a quick peck and pulled out my chair for me.
“Good evening, Martin, Bass.”
“Emma,” Bass greeted me through gritted teeth.
Cold indifference, I hate that. It made me feel like shit.
Sensing the tension, Martin stepped in. “Still looking beautiful as ever, Emma, how are you? How was Tahoe?” Martin inquired as he poured me a glass of Shiraz.
“It was revealing, I suppose.” Revealing was the right word. It was a weekend full of revelations.
I looked at Bass but he was busy on his phone as he sipped on his wine.
The waiter came and took our orders and Martin waited a minute or two before speaking again. “Thanks for taking on the role as Angela in such a short notice, Emma. I must say that I am quite anxious to start filming this movie. The studio had a lot of reservations about it in the beginning once the script was done, but that didn’t deter me. You and Bass will make it happen for me. I can’t wait to see it on the big screen.”
Wow, pressure much? “Thank you. It’s not like I could decline it. It’s a great opportunity for me and thank you for offering it. You don’t know awesome this is.” I cleared my throat before I continued, “You know, just in case I totally suck, you can take the money back. I’m doing this because I really love to act and not for the money.”
That caught Bass’s attention. He and Martin roared with laughter.
“Oh, Emma Anderson, you are a gem. Where have you been hiding all this time? I like your personality. You’re going to be great, so your money back guarantee assurance is of no need, my dear.” Martin shook his head in wonderment.
Yes, the money is great. Come on, now it’s five million dollars…but in all honesty, I’m really doing this for myself. There was no other reason behind it.
“So what were you up to this weekend, Emma?” Bass finally diverted his attention to me as he slipped his phone inside his pocket. His azure eyes drawing me in, looking very decadent and sinful.
I licked my lips. “I…uh, got drunk and the usual. It was good. It was very good.”
Martin’s excused himself to take a phone call. Bass waited until Martin was out of earshot before he spoke again. “And Carter? You’re back with him, aren’t you?”
Shit. How did he do that? He seemed to just know…
“Yes, we did get back together.” I braved it out and took a quick glance at him. Sigh, why did he have to be so…so everything?
Bass was playing with his fork, making circles with it as he stared at it. “It was going to eventually happen. It was a given when you decided to join them. A part of me hoped you didn’t though.” Bass lifted his eyes. It burned holes in me. Ah, fuck.
We stared at each other as I took in his face. How did he get such perfect skin? Was he a fan of facials? Fuck and those lips…I dreamt of those lips…why was he so stingy with his kisses? I still don’t get it. It was like the more he hesitated, the more I craved it.
But it was just as well…I was with Carter now.
“Bass…are you angry with me?” He gave me a sad smile before he shook his handsome head. His dirty blonde hair stuck out in all sorts of directions—bed head—but he sported it perfectly. In fact, it made him look sexier.
“What should I be angry about, Em? That you’re in love with Carter? No, I am not angry. I’m not a dolt.” Bass huffed out a sigh. “As long as you’re happy, nothing else matters.”
“Bass! Fancy seeing you here so soon! I’ve missed you. Do you want to come over again tonight? I’m free and available for you.” A stunning lithe tall woman interrupted us and gave Bass a long lingering kiss on the lips.
No. Shit. This woman had the privilege to kiss him? I eyed her with a covetous stare.
When the blonde woman came up for air, Bass introduced us. “Lydia, this is Emma Anderson. She and I will co-star in ‘Blasphemous’.
When Lydia finally turned to me, I was rendered speechless. Hell, she looked like a pretty angel with her clear blue eyes. Wait—Lydia? As in Lydia Cornwell? Ha! She really was an angel… a Victoria Secret Angel.
“Hello, Lydia. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Same with you, Emma,” She quickly gave me a great smile before looking back at Bass. “Call me, tonight? I’ve got to go. My agent is here with me. I will see you tomorrow. I can’t wait for Canada!”
Lydia then said her goodbyes, giving Bass another kiss before she turned to me and gave me another fucking smile. Her smile, it was genuine, not one of the fake ones. I simmered even more.
“She’s an actress too?” I didn’t know that.
“No, I invited her along to join me. I didn’t want to get bored in Canada.”
Right…because a pretty angel will be making all your wishes come true.
“Well good for you. I guess now we’re both happy. How quaint,” I said sourly.
“Sorry the call took up a bit fellas.” Martin slid back to his seat.
I was rather grateful that Martin chose this instant to come back. I couldn’t look at Bass. My stomach was churning and my mind was working overtime.
Ding dong, what do you call that? Oh yeah, jealousy. It was twisting me up like a damn pretzel, the salted kind, mind you.
Once the food arrived, the conversation stuck to the film we were all about to do. The food was excellent. It was fine French cuisine with a twist of fusion. After the two hour four-course meal, we were ready to head out.
After Martin signed the bill, he spoke. “I will keep in touch, Emma. My assistant, Jack, will contact your agent directly if there are any requirements that are altered or added. If you have any questions, you can call me directly.
Bass, have a safe flight. I will speak to you soon, son. I have to go to a film screening at Scorsese’s house. Drive carefully you two.” We all stood up to leave and with a quick hug he abruptly left us alone.
“Have a great evening Mr. Cole. Come and dine with us again sometime soon,” Alyssa called out.
“I will. The food was excellent as always. Thank you,” Bass spoke with sincerity and graced Alyssa his signature popular smile. I think Alyssa almost died. The love-sick puppy blushed and almost freaked out. Sigh.
Outside, we both handed out our tickets to the valet attendant. We waited side by side for our cars.
I suppose, this was it then. I thought sickly.
“Will you stay the night with me, Em?”
I tensed.
Crap. “Bass, I don’t think that would be good for either of us.”
He exhaled and looked at the passing traffic. “I know it isn’t, but I’m asking anyway. I won’t be seeing you until Greece. That’s months from now. I just want to spend time with you for the last time.”
“But Greece is months from now. I thought we’d stay friends?” Was he planning to just drop and unfriend me?
“I know and we are.” Bass’s azure gazed captured me then. It was hard to tear away from the beautiful depths. “I choose not to see you until Greece because it will take a long time for me to get over the fact that I’ve been rejected for the very first time. What’s bruised my psyche is that you were the first woman I wanted to have a real relationship with. I just want this night with you, Em. That’s all I ask. If it’s too much, then I’ll understand.”
I stared at him with my arms folded, my lips pressed together and my foot was tapping. I’m thinking big shit right now. I don’t know how I can go do this without hurting anyone. Carter will go shiznitz when he learns that I decided to stay the night with Carter.
Did I want to spend time with Bass? Yes, very much so. I’m going to miss him when he leaves.
“Give me just a second. I need to make a quick call.” With my phone in hand, I stepped a few yards away from him. Lindsey picked up the on first ring. Thank God! “I have a mammoth size prob
lem.”
“Spill”
I groaned before I spoke. I hated to be in this position. I wanted to kick something and at the same time hyperventilate. “Bass wants to spend time with me tonight. How do you think I can do that? Carter will lose his shit if he ever found out!”
“Well are you planning on screwing each other tonight?”
“No, Lindsey. Bass hasn’t even managed to kiss me. He just wants to hangout I guess like the usual stuff we do, I suppose.”
“Good because if that was the case, I don’t want any part of it. I might not like my brother for you, but he is my brother and I don’t want him hurt either. Now that we’ve cleared that, why don’t you tell Carter that you’re visiting your parents and you’re staying the night with them? It’s the best excuse.”
It was a perfect excuse. “You’re the best Lindsey. I’ll call you soon, okay?”
“Please do and please, please don’t do anything that isn’t PG-13, got it? Now, go be a good girl.”
“Will do. Bye doll.”
Next call, Carter. I’m not really a big fan of lying, really I am not. But in special circumstances such as this—selfish as it is—I’ll have to make an exception. I don’t know why I have the need to spend this night with Bass, but I feel like we owed it to each other. Like sort of an ending to the little ‘something’ we had. Only that it wasn’t little. It was much more than that, but I wasn’t ready to look beyond the surface and dig deeper. Ninny? Just a tad. At the same time fearful of what I would find if I did dig deeper.
“Carter, hey,” I greeted him as he came on the other line.
“Are you on your way home babe? Is it going to be my place or yours tonight?” Carter happily asked regarding our sleeping arrangement.
Yeah…about that…
“I’m driving to go see my parents tonight. My aunt is living with them temporarily and I want to see if she and my baby cousin, Joey, are okay.” Wow the lies, good one.
“Oh. Sure, no prob. What time will you be back tomorrow? I want to take you out for dinner.”
“Yeah, that would be nice. I’ll see you tomorrow, Carter.”
“Love you, Emma.”
“Yeah, me too.”
I cut off the call before he had the chance to question me. I didn’t know what was going on either. I did love Carter, didn’t I? But I couldn’t bring myself to say I loved him when Bass was so close behind me.
Turning around, I strode towards the awaiting Bass, leaning against my car, waiting and watching every move I made.
The valet attendant waited for me to finish my call before he handed me my keys. I graciously thanked him as I gave him a tip.
“I’m all set. I will follow you to your house.”
He shook his head. “That won’t do. You have to ride with me. I’m not letting you out of my sight. I will have someone pick your car up and drive it back to my place.” Bass held out his hand, “Your keys?”
Okay, that was workable and made total sense.
I handed him my car keys as he guided me towards his car. Bass instantly called Lou, his driver, to pick up my car. Bass gave the location and instructions to drive it back to his house and leave the keys on the table in his entry hall.
The ride back to his house was silent. Bass’s usual happy demeanor that I was so accustomed to didn’t surface. He was rather quiet and serious, never bothering with small talk. I suppose we both were so engrossed in our own conflicted thoughts.
Once we got in Hollywood Hills, I started to fidget. What the hell was I doing? Carter will kill me. But, at the same time, I I feel like Bass and I have unfinished business…but to what extent? That’s the million dollar question I have yet to find an answer to.
“A desire arises in the mind. It is satisfied immediately another comes. In the interval which separates two desires a perfect calm reigns in the mind. It is at this moment freed from all thought, love or hate. Complete peace equally reigns between two mental waves.”
- Swami Sivananda
24
“Do you want anything to drink?” Bass asked as he strolled towards the kitchen.
My feet shifted as I held my clutch in both hands. “Water would be great, thank you.”
Bass cocked his head towards me. “Do you want wine as well?”
Shit. Did I really need alcohol right now? Is that even wise? In a sense…yes. I’m nervous. I don’t know why. I’ve been here…in his house before and on both times, nothing crazy really happened. I guess the only thing that I should be worried about is me…because Bass is making me think of things that shouldn’t be sprouting in my head.
“Um, sure that would be lovely.”
Bass gave me a dimpled lazy smile, “Right away.”
Oh, geez. That smile of his…
The silence was short lived because Bass’s cell phone started ringing. “Yep?” He answered as he pulled a bottle opener from a drawer and slid it close. His teeth bit his bottom lips as he concentrated on opening the wine bottle at the same time listening to the person yapping in his ear. “I might check it out. Yes, might. Gotcha, bye.”
I moved towards the marbled counter and sat across him. He was still biting his bottom lip when he looked at me. Smolder overdose anyone?
“There’s a promotional bash at a club tonight. Do you want to come and party for a little bit with some of my friends?”
Should I?
“Will there be paparazzi lurking around?” Yeah, I had to ask. I would be in the meat grinder tomorrow if Carter or anyone from school found out for that matter.
“Yes, they are always around, especially at hot spots, but we can go through the back door and no one will know that you’ve been partying with me.”
“It’s nothing personal Bass. I just…” don’t want Carter to know…for now. Carter doesn’t even know about the movie yet. I’ll tell him after I tell my parents tomorrow, most definitely.
Bass poured us a glass of wine. His fore and middle finger held the middle of the wine glass’s stem and slid it carefully towards me. “Carter, got it.”
I opened my mouth to deny it but ended up shutting it and instead decided to swirl my wine glass before I took a small sip.
“What’s the verdict?” He asked whilst raking a hand through his dark blonde hair making it look all hot and messy.
“Yeah, I could do with some dancing.”
“Awesome! Let me just get a quick shower then we’ll head out, is that cool?” Bass asked and drained his entire glass, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down looking sexy as sin.
I licked my lips and blushed. Without looking him in the eye, I responded, “Yes, sounds great.”
Why, oh why does Bass fucking Cole have to make menial things such as drinking make me think of sex?
Bass was off to go shower and I was left alone with my thoughts. And they were full of IF’s. Ugh!
Taking my wine with me, I strolled towards the patio and stared at the bright lights of the City of Angels. Tonight…tonight felt different with Bass. I suppose it’s because I’m with Carter now and it made things feel even more…not weird…constricted, perhaps? Leaning towards restricted? I think it’s because during the short time with Bass, he infiltrated inside me. He made his mark. Bass marked me without me even noticing it. He was rooted somewhere deep inside and I don’t know if I can erase or eradicate that stamp he made.
I feel wretched and cut open. I mean, here I was restarting my relationship with Carter and yet Bass was hounding my thoughts. I don’t know if I was so blinded with the realization that I fell in love with Carter that I didn’t really see or realize what was really going on before me.
After ten minutes, I heard him. “Ready?”
I turned around and found Bass standing next to the automatic sliding patio glass door. His hair was still wet but what really caught me was how the plain white shirt and his washed out jeans made him look like a hot smoking rock god. I felt my nipples tighten at the very sight of him. I was in so much trouble!
/> “I know I look too plain for a club but I really don’t feel like dressing up and all that.”
Uh, the prepped up Bass looked sexy…but the laid back all-American look was just downright yummy! I’ll take both please!
I shrugged, bothered that my thoughts were really bordering on cheating. Is that cheating? When I fantasize about another guy instead of Carter? A little….perhaps?
“Let me just grab my clutch then I’m all set to go,” I muttered as I walked past him and my senses went in hysterics when I got a whiff of that fucking shower gel that he uses. I almost stopped, almost. I just wanted to drown in that sexy fucking smell. I am such a basket case. How the hell am I going to get through the rest of the night if I all I can think about is Bass fucking Cole?
Once I got to the barstool where my clutch sat, I stared at it while my thoughts rampaged on. I was seriously losing it…
I almost fucking moaned when Bass touched the side of my hip and asked, “Everything okay, Em?”
NO! It’s not okay. My body seemed to be wired with a crazy amount of sexual energy and all I can think about is fucking you until I couldn’t take it anymore! No, nothing is okay.
“Yes, let’s go.”
Lying, I seem to have acquired it with ease lately. I was never a fan of it. But it seems that lately, it was my cover up. I guess each person has their own limit with honesty.
I think I’ve just reached mine.
“Emma, how is Bass in the sack?” The hot brunette asked me, giggling.
I think she was dating Bass’s friend, Stan…Stud…Stew? Meh, I don’t remember. Bass introduced to me a lot of people tonight and I didn’t manage to grasp any of their names.
“I heard he’s a beast! I heard Sheila’s friend, Masie, actually spent a night with him at some hotel. She said Bass fucked Masie four times in one night. I’m so jealous of you, Emma,” The blonde honey-eyed chick said.
“Yeah, he surely is a beast,” I giggled back. Here I go again lying. I found that there was no point in trying to rationalize with these women when I arrived with Bass tonight. It seems that in Hollywood, once a woman arrives (or is seen) with a sought after actor anywhere, it’s a given that they’re sexxxing it up.
