The Sweetest Mistake

by Layla Valentine

  “I should have taken that Valium that Sabrina offered me,” Juliette said with a weak attempt at a laugh. When the plane began to lift away from the ground, she caught her breath. “Oh, God,” she whispered, closing her eyes. She didn’t want to see the ground fall away from her. It made the whole situation much more real.

  A second later, she felt a warm hand close over her freezing cold one. She didn’t hesitate to twine her fingers with his as she forced her lungs to draw in another breath. Dominic allowed her to grip his hand so tightly that her nails left little half-moon shapes in his skin.

  “It’s going to level out in a minute,” he said conversationally. “Then you won’t feel like we’re moving at all. The engines make the most relaxing hum.”

  Juliette gave a very unladylike snort. She didn’t care if the engines sang her a personal lullaby. There was no way that she was going to be able to relax as long as she was several thousand feet above where she belonged.

  “If you can stay awake all the way there, I’ll buy you a drink,” he challenged.

  “I don’t want a drink,” Juliette said. Her lips felt stiff as she spoke; her throat had tightened. The panic wasn’t receding.

  “You might change your mind when we get to Mexico,” Dominic said.

  “Fine. You can buy me a soda,” she said. “How long is the flight, again?”

  “Just a couple hours.” It was closer to three, but he wasn’t going to tell her that.

  Juliette groaned and scrunched her eyes even more tightly shut. “Talk to me, please.”

  “About what?” Dominic asked.

  “I don’t care,” she replied. “Anything. Pick a subject.”

  “The first time I got on a plane was during a thunderstorm,” Dominic said. “The turbulence was crazy, and I was pretty damn sure that I was gonna die.”

  “Why in God’s name would you pick this story as your subject?” Juliette demanded.

  “Will you just trust me, please?”

  She could hear a smile in his voice.

  “Fine,” she said. “Where were you going?”

  “We were filming in Canada,” he answered. “I asked them if I could drive up to the location instead, but they pretty much just laughed at me so I was stuck having to fly out.”

  She peeked with one eye, saw how close the clouds seemed to be, and closed it again. She needed to get back to the conversation.

  “Were you scared of flying?” she asked. That was hard to believe. Dominic always seemed so cool and collected.

  His fingers trailed across her palm, loosening her grip a little. She didn’t take it personally. His fingers had gone cold from the tightness of her grip.

  “I was terrified before I even saw the plane,” he said. “I never thought that I’d be rich enough to fly anywhere and here they were, sticking me on a plane for free to go out to Canada and pretend that I was a soldier.”

  Her eyes opened once more, but this time she remembered to keep her head turned away from the window. “Oh, that was for the war movie?”

  Dominic nodded, pleased that she was looking his way. She hadn’t truly done that since that night at the party.

  “Yeah, it was the most remote place they could find so that’s where we ended up.”

  “So your big break happened after a terrifying plane ride?” she clarified.

  A smile curved his mouth. “That wasn’t exactly the moral of my story, but yeah. It sure did.”

  “And what was the moral?”

  “Oh, that I’m braver than you,” he said with a grin. “And generally cooler in every way.”

  “Ha-ha. Okay. I think that I will take my fear as a good omen,” she said. “It certainly worked for you.”

  “That’s probably a good decision. And you can add some extra good vibes,” he said. “The weather is perfect for flying. When we get over the ocean, you’re gonna be amazed. All that blue water looks like a giant sapphire.”

  “Have you been before?”

  “Not to the island that Ed got for us,” Dominic said. “But I’ve been to a few places in Mexico. When I take vacations, I tend to go out and spend my money in poorer areas. They need it a hell of a lot more than some cruise ship company or big fancy resort.”

  Juliette looked at him in surprise. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

  It was true. She had a list of priorities in the event that she ever became wealthy. The last thing she wanted was to become a rich douchebag who was completely disconnected from struggles beyond party invitations and fancy dresses.

  She hadn’t realized that Dominic had done that. Why didn’t any of the gossip magazines mention that? Surely it was more important than a list of women he’d slept with in the past and speculations about who he might be sleeping with now.

  For some reason, Juliette really hadn’t expected her face to be showing up in tabloids yet, but pictures had emerged of them exiting the studio together. There were also pictures of them arriving at the party even though they’d arrived separately. She thanked God that none of them had been from the club that one night.

  The party pictures had appeared in articles with her headshot and a brief description of her career to date. Chris had offered them interviews, but so far none of the magazines had taken him up on it. Speculation was much more fun at this point.

  A magazine she’d seen in the airport had printed a cheeky article wondering how long it would take, “the newly rising star to succumb to the charms of her playboy co-star.” Apparently, fans could use social media to cast their votes. Dominic had tossed the magazine to the side when he saw it, but the rest of the crew had chuckled—some of them had even pulled out their phones and cast votes.

  Revealed by the survey was yet another reason to abstain from sleeping with him: “Never” hadn’t even been an option on the ballot.

  “Great minds think alike,” Dominic said with a grin. “By the way, you’re still holding my hand.”

  She jerked hers away. She didn’t think anyone had seen, and she didn’t want to give the crew any reason to believe that she wasn’t planning to go to bed with Dominic, after all. That was when she saw how reddened the skin of his hand was.

  “Oh my God,” she said with a gasp. “Was I hurting you?”

  Dominic shook his head. “I mean, don’t get me wrong—that was an impressive grip, but I think I’ll live.”

  Juliette traced her fingers over the back of his hand, noticing the indentations of her nails. “You should have said something.”

  Dominic grinned and sat up straighter. “But then I wouldn’t get to look like I was suffering nobly for the sake of a distressed lady. It’s some of my best work, you know.”

  Juliette smacked his arm and rolled her eyes. “There aren’t any cameras on board, in case you haven’t noticed.”

  “Damn. You’re right. There I go again, wasting my best work.” He leaned back in the seat and glanced up at the panel above their heads. “I didn’t mean to make you feel awkward at the party,” he said suddenly.

  She felt her cheeks heat up. “You didn’t make me feel awkward.”

  “Don’t lie, Juliette.”

  “I’m not lying.”

  And she wasn’t. She didn’t feel awkward. She felt confused. Being with Dominic felt entirely natural; she loved talking to him, working with him, and going to bed with him. Every single time they spoke to each other, she found out something else they had in common. They agreed on all of the important things.

  That was the problem. They worked so well together that it wouldn’t be easy to get over him once he moved on. And he would move on. He always did. But how could she tell him that? How could she tell him that she was weighing the pain of losing him against the pain of never having him?

  “I meant what I said that night,” he went on in a low voice.

  She fidgeted, toying with her seat belt just so she would have something to do with her hands. “Dominic, I—”

  He held up his hand. “Just let me finish, please
. I’m not trying to push you, Juliette, I’m really not. I won’t mention this again. I just wanted you to know that I didn’t say it because of the alcohol or because of what happened before we talked.”

  Albert Price might not be on the plane, but other members of the crew were. He couldn’t come out and say what that kiss had done to him. He still remembered it. The passion that she’d met him with had the capacity to make his knees weak even three days later.

  It had been all he could do not to push her dress up right there in that dark garden that night. He missed the way she felt around him, and even more than that, he missed the sound of her voice in his ear. The feel of her nails digging into his back.

  It wasn’t just him, damn it. He knew that she was as drawn to him as he was to her, and he wasn’t about to give up yet.

  Chapter 14

  Juliette turned around in a slow circle, taking in the ocean view and the beach behind her. Dominic hadn’t oversold the beauty of the island: the water really was crystal clear, and the white sand looked impossibly clean. There were small villas facing the beach, and she set off toward the one she’d been assigned, at the far end.

  They’d come in on a small boat because the tiny island didn’t have a landing strip for the plane, even though it was about the size of a matchbox car. Dominic definitely owed her a drink at some point because she hadn’t fallen asleep once. Her back and shoulders were so tight that she was surprised she could move at all. Lying down was her top priority right now.

  When she pushed open the door to her little villa, she caught her breath. She’d expected that it would be nice, considering that it was on a private island. But she hadn’t expected it to be so pretty!

  Just past where she’d stopped in the doorway, three small white couches were set around three corners of the coffee table. Blue and gold throw pillows stood on their points on each couch. There was also a small fireplace that she assumed was simply for ambiance because she could feel a warm breeze floating through the villa.

  Juliette put her bag down beside the closest couch and then walked on into the house that would be hers for the next month or so, depending on the filming schedule. The walls were a mix of local stone and what looked like reclaimed wood, which added to the warm feeling. As she rounded the corner, she saw the big bed that stood in the center of the bedroom.

  The sheets on it were snow white. More blue pillows were arranged on it in front of thicker pillows for her to actually sleep on. There was a knitted blanket folded at the foot of the bed, but she doubted that she’d ever need it. It looked so soft and inviting that she couldn’t resist falling down onto it right away.

  Juliette sighed as her spine finally began to relax; the bed was just as comfortable as it had looked. She felt it conform to her body and smiled as she sank down—just the right combination of soft and firm.

  When her eyelids started to grow heavy, she forced herself to sit up. The bed was inviting, but she wanted to explore the villa fully before she went to sleep.

  A walk around another partition revealed a deep stone tub with a waterfall shower head above it. Now she wasn’t sure which she’d rather do once she was done exploring. Should she go to bed or soak in the tub?

  As she looked, she discovered a basket of bath items packed with bath salts and bath oils. There were also hair and face masks and shaving cream and deluxe pink razors still in their packages, better than any brand she could afford.

  That settled it. She would definitely bathe first.

  There was a door leading out onto a small patio. It was open, letting in that warm breeze she’d noticed earlier. She stepped outside to find an impeccably maintained outdoor area. There were native plants in big pots all around, lending the place a jungle-like vibe even though she was so close to the ocean. There was also a lounge chair and a wooden privacy fence.

  The sun beat down and soothed the tension in her shoulders. Too bad she couldn’t just stay out here.

  At the same time, why couldn’t she? She’d closed and locked the door of the villa when she came in, so no one could come barging in on her unexpectedly. Furthermore, she doubted that anyone would have the time or the inclination to do so. Everyone had been given the day off to unpack and get sorted out. That was probably what the rest of the crew was doing. It was also probably what she should be doing.

  Juliette shrugged off the guilt that attempted to rise. She was a light packer, and the wardrobe department was responsible for bringing the clothes that she would wear during filming, so she’d only brought a few things. She could always unpack her small suitcase later.

  No one was expecting her anywhere. She didn’t have to work. There were no chores that she needed to do. She could absolutely stretch out on that lounge chair with no guilt. The only problem might be the heat of the day. But that was easily remedied.

  Feeling a little wicked and only after glancing around several times just to be sure there were no holes in the fence, she lifted her shirt off and then shimmied out of her pants. The hot Mexican sun beat down on her skin, but it felt great. She’d never been the type to simply lounge around half naked, but this was a pretty good argument for doing it more often.

  Juliette stretched out on the lounge chair and lifted her face to the sun, soaking it in. She raised her arms above her head, letting them fall to the back of the chair. She could have sunbathed completely naked here and no one would be any the wiser.

  The thought was delicious. To have this bright, hot sun on her skin day every day? It would be perfection.

  Maybe she could invite Dominic back here with her one evening.

  The thought sent that same electric arousal through her that she always felt when she thought of him. His words from the plane kept replaying in her mind. He hadn’t been drunk when he’d asked to pursue something with her. He hadn’t just been horny. Or at least, according to him. Then again, did she really have a good reason not to trust what he’d said? Dominic was an honest guy, or at least he had been in all his dealings with her so far.

  There was still his history to consider. But then again, everyone had a past. Everyone dated until they found the person they wanted to be with, that was kind of just how it worked. He’d dated an awful lot, true. But he’d had more opportunities than most people.

  She chewed her lower lip. What was the saying—it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Was she really protecting herself by denying their obvious chemistry?

  The more she thought about, the less sure she was. It sounded like the perfect solution to what she really wanted, which was a chance to find out if they had what it took to make it as a couple.

  As she lay on the lounger, the sun began to sink and her eyelids grew heavy again. This time she didn’t fight it. She probably couldn’t have even if she’d tried. It had been an exhausting day. She drifted off to sleep on the lounge chair, the warm breeze caressing her bare skin.

  When she woke up, she saw that the stars had come out. They were twinkling above her so much more brightly now that she was out of the light pollution of LA. The sky was so beautiful that she couldn’t help but stare. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed seeing the stars overhead. It hadn’t been a problem in North Carolina.

  Slowly she realized that she could hear the ocean washing onto the shore and then rushing away again. The lulling noise had probably been a big part of the reason why she’d slept so well. The stress was probably another. Her back felt much better after her long sleep in the sun, but there was still a little tension there. She needed to move.

  Making a quick decision, Juliette stood up. She’d packed her bathing suit, the night was warm enough, and when else would she have the opportunity? When filming started, she might be too tired to even think about anything else.

  She felt strangely light as she walked back into the villa. In a few moments, she’d figured out why. In sleep, her subconscious mind had given her a solution to the problem she’d drifted off thinking about.


  She was resolved to follow it. Whatever happened with Dominic was going to happen. She decided to let their relationship take its course. If he approached her again, she’d agree to see where their feelings took them. If he didn’t…well, she would assume that it was just the way that it was supposed to be. She hadn’t ever considered herself a big believer in fate, but she was perfectly content to let it take the wheel on this.

  Juliette pulled her bathing suit out of her case and tugged it on. A quick glance at the clock told her that it was just after midnight. No one else would be around. That was a relief. She wasn’t a complete introvert, but it had been a long time since she’d been completely by herself. This would be the perfect time to recharge and think about really getting into her character tomorrow.

  She grabbed a towel and walked out onto the sandy shore, dropping her towel on one of the chairs lined up along the oceanfront.

  Then, she strode into the ocean. The water curled around her ankles and then her calves, and she sighed in satisfaction at its warmth. When the water was up to her thighs, she dove in and swam out until her lungs burned for air.

  Juliette let herself bob to the surface, relieved at how quickly the swimming was easing the last of the tension in her body. She wiped the water off of her face leaned back, letting herself float on the water.

  She floated under the stars, amazed once again by their brilliance. She’d planned to close her eyes, but she didn’t want to. It was incredibly relaxing this way. Until she heard a loud splash, that is. She moved quickly, treading water once more.

  Her heart began to pound as she scanned the water for a sign of what could have caused the noise. What kind of sharks inhabited these waters, anyway? She didn’t have the slightest clue. She probably should have looked into it before she went out for a night swim alone—without letting anyone know where she was or what she was doing. Just like the idiotic heroine in a horror movie.

  She began to swim for the shore and then stopped. Was it worse to cause a lot of sudden movement? Whatever it was might be headed straight toward her!