The entrance to the theater was like a giant gateway or temple to a stone dragon sitting under a tall pagoda shaped roof. Everything about it was gaudy and meant to impress, from the lion dogs guarding the bright red columns to the sharp fanged masks up top.
Cade guided her toward a fountain and pointed to a small plaque. “Marilyn Monroe used to come here and try to fit her her foot into one of the imprints. She believed anything was possible … almost.”
“Almost. Love it.” Andie laughed. “Are you angling for me to wish on something?”
“Maybe …” Cade winked and tossed in a coin.
Andie closed her eyes and counted to three. Of course she wished for Cade’s love and for his baby to be okay, but she wasn’t going to tell him.
“Okay, you got me.” She opened her eyes and skipped around the courtyard. “Let’s act like tourists all the way.”
It was crowded with people sprawled on the floor taking pictures. One woman was lying with her leg inside another leg pressed on the concrete.
They skipped from print to print, noting the names and dates. A crowd was gathered around one with the words, “Carpe Diem.”
“It’s Robin Williams,” Andie exclaimed. “Mom always told me to seize the day, Carpe Diem.”
“You want to get a picture?” Cade whipped out his cell phone. “Who’s the tourist now?”
“It seems sad, kind of, but Mom would appreciate it.” She took off her sunglasses and tucked them into her purse. “She loved Robin Williams.”
They waited for an opening, and when it was Andie’s turn, she sat next to it and placed her hands in Williams’s imprints. Smiling her cheesiest grin, she allowed Cade to take her picture and text it to her mother.
Soon, she was getting into it, snapping shots of the one for the Harry Potter stars and comparing the faded older ones with the sharper newer ones. Cade had gone to the other side to take a shot of the leg imprint, so she wandered around noting the different styles of shoes from the different decades.
A man was bent over the Matt Damon imprint, so she passed it by.
“Andie? I can’t believe it’s you.”
Andie’s blood froze in her veins, and her heart stopped. Her ex, Declan Reed, pulled himself up from the floor.
He approached her as if two years hadn’t passed, and a stream of models and starlets hadn’t graced his bed. Fight and flight symptoms erupted throughout Andie’s body.
She’d pretend she didn’t hear him, that he was talking to the woman behind her. She kept walking, only now, she was dodging tourists left and right, trying not to trip over a body taking pictures on the floor.
“Andie,” Declan called out, following her.
She broke into a panicked sprint. Where was Cade? She’d left him snapping pictures of Betty Grable’s leg.
A police officer stopped in front of her.
“Everything okay?” His gaze darted toward Declan.
“I’m fine, thanks,” Andie said.
“Then be careful. Wouldn’t want you to fall.”
“Sure. I thought my tour bus was leaving, that’s all.”
Must calm down. Must. It’s only my ex. Not a big deal, really.
Declan appeared at her side as soon as the policeman turned away. “Hey, sorry I scared you. I was just surprised to see you. I thought you said you never wanted to come to California.”
Deep breaths. Deep breaths.
Andie couldn’t look into his face—the lying sneak. The last time she saw him, he was between the legs of a showgirl in Vegas a few days after they’d eloped. Thankfully, he’d served her with divorce papers right before he signed a lucrative movie contract.
“I’m only here for business,” she said slowly to counteract her speeding heart.
“Oh, really? I thought I’d never see you outside of that stuffy library. What business would you have in Hollywood? Don’t tell me you’re auditioning for a movie.”
The way he sneered at her, all derisive, as if no one in California would deign to have her within fifty feet of a movie studio made her stomach grind.
“Actually, I’m here as an expert consultant.”
“Pfft.” Declan snorted. “On what? Dead kings and priests?”
Well, la-di-dah. He acted so high and mighty, but Andie had the say on whether he’d get the role of a dead king or not. Creep.
“As a matter of fact, I saw your headshot for the role of King David, and sorry to say, I nixed it. You’re too much of a wuss to handle two hundred Philistine foreskins.”
It was so gratifying to see Declan’s jaw slam to the concrete footprints below. “You? On Love Lives of King David?”
This time, it was Andie’s turn to lift her nose high into the air. “None other. I’m the research consultant working with scriptwriter Leroy Chan. He liked your headshot, but since I know how you really are, I convinced him you’re not three dimensional enough to portray David. You’re speaking to the leading expert on King David. Me.”
“No, Leroy is,” Declan had the nerve to argue. “He knows more about David’s writings than you.”
“Yes, but this is concerning David as a romantic hero, and Silver Studios requires a woman’s judgment for that.” She skewered him with a pointed glare, then moved her gaze to his crotch and snickered.
Holy Vienna sausage to you too.
At that moment, Cade put his hand on her shoulder. “Hey, you met an old friend?”
“Oh, not really,” Andie said. “We were just chatting about movies and such. He’s a Matt Damon fan, like I am.”
Cringe. She was such a liar!
Chapter 17
Cade couldn’t get enough of everything Andie, from her sexy fragrance to the texture of her hair, to the bounteous breasts and soft curves, to her smooth skin. Heck, he even loved her freckles and would happily count them all.
After the tourist traps, Cade and Andie had gone home to walk their dogs, and shower and dress for their evening at the Hollywood Bowl. He was able to snag box seats from his team manager and order a gourmet picnic dinner which came in a wicker basket.
True, they had to share the box, which had four seats and two tables, with another couple from the team, but the night was romantic enough that after a bit of small talk, each couple retreated into their own worlds.
Tonight was going to be perfect. He crossed his fingers under the table.
“You didn’t get us the vegan picnic, did you?” Andie whispered in Cade’s ear as the other player’s date moaned over her vegan hotdog. It looked like congealed barf with bits of orange, green, and brown speckled inside a burnt mustard yellow roll.
“We have to keep our food upwind from theirs or she’ll get nauseous.” He chuckled, taking the covered plates from the basket. “Try pan seared flat iron steak with horseradish cream and Yukon gold potato salad with apple crisps.”
“Mmm … you’re my kind of guy. Meat and potatoes.”
“And … chocolate cheesecake for dessert.”
“I’m going to have to start working out if you keep feeding me.”
“I’ll be glad to offer you an exercise regimen that’ll have you working out and sweating and crying for more,” he muttered beneath his breath.
She blushed, oh, so bright red, as she wiggled her shoulders and licked her lower lip, but turned her attention to the food.
Was she nervous about the evening? Something was up. Ever since she ran into the Matt Damon fan, Andie had been more reserved than usual. They hadn’t even teased each other while walking the dogs, and now she was avoiding his sexual innuendo.
He had the feeling the guy was harassing Andie, but she insisted she was fine. Cade turned his attention to the food, laying it out on their shared table. It was probably nothing. He was still stressed out about Roxanne, and she sensed the tension. The waiting game over the baby was always in the back of his mind.
He checked his text messages before silencing his phone for the concert. No news was good news, right?
Andie
wormed her hand into his after he put his phone away. “Everything okay?”
“Rob hasn’t texted me or anything. Guess they’ll keep her overnight.”
“Everything will be okay. They have monitors on her, and I’m sure she’s worried about the baby, too.”
“You’re right. She was just stressed this morning about her work. Probably in shock at having to stay in bed for the next four weeks.”
“Try not to worry. The food’s delicious, and I love everything about this place. The sunset, the cool breeze and how it’s not humid and sticky. Everyone’s so friendly.” Andie glanced at their box mates and smiled.
“Yeah, I kind of intruded last minute. They would have had this box to themselves because Joey cancelled his date.”
“Who’s Joey?”
“A good buddy of mine. We went to college together. He’s a wide receiver, so we’re always practicing and in the same drills.”
“His loss is our good luck.” Andie came around the table and snuggled into his lap. “Guess we didn’t need both of the seats after all.”
“Perfect position for me to feed you the chocolate mousse.” Cade spooned a dollop into his mouth and angled his lips over hers.
# # #
The concert ended with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture, complete with cannons and fireworks. Andie’s lips were locked to Cade’s, and she didn’t want to ever let him go.
Around them, people were getting up and exiting, but she was in her own little bubble with the most exciting man on the planet.
They really needed to get a room, but there was no sense hurrying to the parking lot only to wait in a long line of cars. The evening had cooled quite a bit, but she was warm, even hot, being wrapped in Cade’s arms.
“Thanks for being so wonderful,” she said when they finally came up for air.
“You are the one who’s wonderful.” His eyes were two deep pools of blue. “How’d I get so lucky?”
“You want to get even luckier?” She winked and ran her fingertips down the side of his neck.
He swallowed hard and shifted underneath her, putting a hand in his pocket. She’d take that as a yes. Too bad they couldn’t make a mad dash to somewhere more private.
Cade glanced around and licked his lips, removing his hand from his pocket. His knee jittered and he cleared his throat.
Uh oh. Had she said the wrong thing? Been too forward? What if he really did see them as two roommates enjoying a night out together? He seemed to want her to get off his lap, so Andie scooted onto one of the chairs vacated by the other couple.
“Everything okay?”
Cade wiped his hand across his forehead and nodded. Leaning forward, he took ahold of Andie’s hand and held it to his chest. “Andie, I have something important to say to you.”
No. He was going to let her down gently. After the beautiful day, the fun they’d had, and the awesome concert. It was always the same. She overreached and guys ran from her. They’d say they would call, and she’d never hear from them again.
Andie couldn’t bear to look in Cade’s eyes, but he tipped her chin and she couldn’t look away.
“I told you once that I loved you,” Cade said. “That was back in Itasca, when I claimed to be another man.”
Andie bit her lip. Where was this going? Even though he’d given her a false name and hidden his identity as a football player, he was still the same Cade underneath. She swallowed a lump in her throat. What if the impending birth of his baby made him rethink whether to have her in his life?
“Hey, you look worried.” He brushed a finger over her brow and blew out a short breath. “I’m nervous, too.”
“About what, Cade?” She couldn’t help blinking. “Are you trying to let me down gently? I had a wonderful time tonight, but I know you’ve got a lot on your mind.”
“Let’s not think of that, okay? What I’m trying to say is …” he paused, looking more and more distressed.
Andie put a finger up. “It’s okay, don’t say more. Roxanne’s moving in with you and so is your mother. I can step aside. You’ve been so kind to me, letting me stay at your place. I’ll try and find an apartment next week and get out of your way.”
“That’s not what I’m trying to do. I’m not good at this.” He placed a box in her hand. “For you.”
“A gift?” Andie’s breath hitched, and butterfly wings fluttered in her belly. Her fingers trembling, she opened it.
A necklace with a sparkling ruby red slippers charm winked at her from the box.
She gasped as happiness gushed from her heart. “It’s beautiful. I love it.”
“Will you be my girlfriend?” Cade whispered.
“Of course I will.” She threw her arms around him. “I’ll always be yours. How did you know that was my wish?”
His eyebrows jolted up in mock surprise. “You wished for ruby red slippers?”
“No, silly. I wished for you, and for your baby to be okay.”
“Then we asked for the same thing. I love you, Andie. I might not know exactly how to act as your boyfriend, because I’ve never been anyone’s boyfriend before, but I’ll try to always put you first.”
“I feel the same about you, Cade.” She pressed her lips gently over his. Now would be the time to tell him she loved him, but she didn’t want him to think she only said it because he’d said it first.
Instead, she kissed him with every ounce of love and affection she could muster. Next time, she’d plan a surprise for him and give him the special, loved feeling he’d given her.
Chapter 18
Cade wanted to take it slow and make this evening romantic, but damn it all, having Andie so close in the Porsche, surrounded by the traffic streaming out of the Hollywood Bowl parking lot was driving him nuts.
They’d gone beyond necking and kissing, and had been groping and humping when a security officer tapped at their table and cleared his throat loudly.
Dimly, he was aware of a few gawkers, likely tourists with their camera phones pointed at them, but it was dark and hopefully he hadn’t been recognized as they ran for the parking lot. Unfortunately, the traffic had yet to disperse, and now he was stuck in the car with a huge case of hard-on.
Cade swore under his breath at the police officers who blocked his lane to allow a tour bus to cut through, and when he finally idled to the street, he roared the opposite direction of the rest of the cars heading toward the freeway.
He lived up in the hills and he knew the backroads.
“What’s the rush, babe?” Andie giggled and caressed his thigh.
As if she didn’t know.
Naughty girl. She moved her greedy hand to his crotch and stroked him, long and hard.
“Ohhh …” Cade couldn’t help the groan, and it was all he could do to keep his foot on the gas. Squealing his tires around the corner, he bounced onto his driveway and yanked her from the car. “Upstairs.”
“Whoa, Cade, one word sentences?” She gave his pants a final tweak.
She had no clue how hard he was for her, and how close he came to fucking her senseless in the middle of his driveway. All day, he’d been turned on and hot. It was unbearable.
Picking her up with one arm, he smothered her open mouth, slamming his tongue with hers. Her legs crushed around his waist with a vise-grip, and her arms hooked his neck. Damn. She was devouring him, taking from his lips and tongue, sucking and biting, her fingernails clawing his back.
Breathlessly, he tore through the front door and sprinted up the spiral staircase. They landed on the bed together in a frenzy of hands and fingers, ripping and clawing at their clothing.
He pounced on her, unhooking her bra and diving into the luscious mounds of her breasts. He could suck them seven ways ’til Sunday and not get enough.
Her head whipped back and forth on the pillow, and she moaned loudly as he exchanged nipples. Damn, she was so hot, so bewitching, he ached, desperate to get inside her.
Unable to wait and be a gentleman, he couldn�
�t help lifting her skirt. Holy hell! She wasn’t wearing panties. Had he known, he would have had her in his lap at the concert. His fingers slipped into her hot, soaking flesh and he almost came with a gush.
Her legs clamped and she tightened around his finger as he slid it in and out, then joined it with a second one. Her clit was already plump and swollen as he caressed it with his thumb.
“Cade, please,” she gasped. “Inside.”
She pushed his hand away and wiggled from her skirt, tossing it off the bed. Then, turning determined eyes on him, she unzipped him and grabbed his dick, firm and hard, stroking him from balls to tip and back.
The zinging feeling was like the bell ringing at the top of a carnival game. Shit. He’d probably come if she kept doing that, and he hadn’t even gotten to feast on her pussy the way he’d been dreaming of.
This time, he stilled her hand and called a time out while he fumbled with the condom wrapper.
Andie was quicker. She ripped another one with her teeth and sheathed him.
“Thank you, ma’am,” he muttered as he flipped her onto her back.
She spread her legs, and he got a glorious view of her slick, pink parts, before she sat up suddenly, shoved him hard and pushed him onto his back. His head slammed against the padded headboard, and she was on top of him, easing her sweet love channel over his huge, hard erection.
Inch, by sweet inch, she surrounded him, her eyes half closed, and her breasts bouncing and jiggling. Cade couldn’t control the jerking of his hips. His hands were busy with her breasts, and all he could do was stare in wonder at the wild redheaded woman riding him.
He couldn’t let himself come so quickly, despite that throbbing sensation over his cock. It wasn’t fair, except he couldn’t keep his eyes from the junction of their joining, the image of his cock standing straight up with Andie’s luscious pussy squeezing it, up and down, and up and down. He focused on her pleasure. He couldn’t come yet and spoil it, so he counted backwards and recited the times table in his head, missing all the numbers. With one hand over her breast and the other one tickling her clit, he forced his gaze from the red thatch of hair between her legs to her face.
Boxed Set: Intercepted by Love (The Complete Collection): Books One - Book Six Page 19
