Bright Lights Billionaire Box Set: A Sexy Bad Boy Movie Star Series (Box Set Extravaganza Book 1)

by Ali Parker

  "Alright. I'm not promising anything, but I'll come up there." He took a deep breath. "And Ethan, thanks."

  "Anytime." I dropped the call and let out a yelp of victory. Riley would so be happy with me and the help I'd given Deza. Happy wife? Happy life.

  I just needed to fix the wife part. Soon.

  Chapter 16

  Riley

  "I can't believe it's over." I glanced over at Margo, one of the outfit coordinators as I stood in my dressing room in my nightie.

  "Right? It seemed like these things are going to take forever, but you blink twice, and it's done." She smiled and walked toward the door. "I put you a few things over there to choose from for the party. Frank said everyone needs to help decorate, but you do not. You and Ethan need to just take your time getting ready. The event is mostly to celebrate you guys." Her smile was warm. I liked her.

  "It's to celebrate all of us." I turned to face her instead of watching her in the mirror like a creeper. "We couldn't do anything without everyone playing their part."

  "Touché." She winked at me and turned, walking out with a measuring tape around her neck and the cutest high heel boots I'd ever seen. "Ugh," I groaned as the door closed. I had little to no style. Why? Why couldn't I have been gifted with the ability to figure out how to put outfits together?

  I'd be in the public eye until I finally decided to retire, and probably even then I still would.

  Walking over to a large ottoman in the middle of the room, I grabbed a bottle of water and dropped down before twisting the cap off and taking a long drink.

  Had Ethan and I really had sex on the stage behind a closed curtain?

  I giggled, unable to help myself. The giggle turned into a belly-laugh, and I slid to the floor, laughing so hard that tears dotted my eyes.

  What a life. I was beyond grateful for the chance to live something so much bigger than I thought possible. I'd struggled my whole life to have a dollar in my pocket, and now I had more money in the bank than I knew what to do with.

  "I wish you were here, Mom," I whispered and reached up to wipe at my happy tears. I'd have spent a huge chunk of the green stuff on her. Buying her a house by the water where we'd talked about living when I was a little girl.

  The door opened behind me, and I crooned my neck to look over the Ottoman.

  "Baby?" Ethan's voice was soft but drove spikes of joy in me nevertheless.

  "Down here." I waved.

  "What the hell are you doing on the floor?" He walked over, looking like a million bucks. The man had to be the sexiest thing alive.

  I extended my hand, and he helped me up. "I was just thinking about how cool it would be if my mom was still here."

  "What would you do if she were?" He reached out and brushed a tear away as worry clouded his expression. "Help her out of debt."

  "No, well, yes, but I'd get her a beach house in Santa Barbara. She always wanted one." I shrugged. "I did too. Maybe one day we can get one together and spend our quiet time out there."

  "Not sure how quiet it would be." He chuckled and slid his hands over my hips, squeezing the top curve of my ass softly. "Not because of us, though I see where your naughty little mind is headed."

  I laughed. "Then why would it be loud?"

  "It's the beach down from LA. There are a million people there, waiting to see a movie star or run into a songwriter or singer. It's crazy over there."

  "There's got to be a quiet part of the beach that's private."

  "Oh course there is, but it's fucking insane expensive." He leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose. "Come on. Let's get over to this party."

  "Alright." I pulled out of his hold and yelped as he popped me in the butt. "You're going to get payback for that, Mister."

  "I hope so." He wagged his eyebrows before sitting down in my makeup chair and turning toward the mirror. "So I called Darren."

  "What?" His words stopped me in my tracks. I spun around and walked over to him, sliding my hands over his shoulders and leaning down to kiss the side of his neck. "You called Deza's Darren?"

  He awarded me with a cocky grin. "Um, yeah. Do you know another Darren?" The warning look on his face said that even if I did know another Darren, I’d better not tell him.

  I chuckled. "No. What did he say?"

  "That I was a nut job, but that he'll be at the party today."

  "What?" I yelled and moved around him, getting up into his lap. "You seriously did that? All by yourself?"

  His eyebrow lifted. "I am a big boy. You've had me between your legs enough to know. Women. Jeez."

  "I'm so proud of you." I ignored him and leaned down to press my lips to his. I shifted a little to straddle him and sunk down into the warmth of his arms around me.

  We took turns licking and kissing at each other's mouths until we were both breathless and panting.

  "How do you do that to me?" He asked and reached up, sliding his fingers into the back of my hair before pulling me back down for another long round of kisses. The thick rod between my legs let me know that he would be more than happy to miss a little bit of the party and pick up again with our on-stage activities.

  I didn't think I could ever get enough of him.

  "Do what?" I mumbled in between kisses.

  "Make me want to flip off anything and everything but you?" He pulled back. "Alright. Get off my lap and get dressed. I'll wait in the hallway. Frank and Deza are going to kill us if we don't show up before all of the public gets there. We can pick this up later."

  "What if I want more now?" I pouted playfully.

  "Woman, you keep poking out that bottom lip, and I'm going to take advantage of your cuteness and put you over my knee. You like spankings?" He massaged my ass with his free hand, and I leaned down and kissed him long and hard again.

  Someone knocked at the door behind us, and I jerked up and yelped.

  "See?" He responded. "I told you."

  "Alright. Damn." I got off and walked over to the clothes rack, my body ticking with desire thanks to him and his fantastic kisses. "I'll meet you over there."

  "You sure?" He stopped at the door and glanced back, his eyes roaming over me as if he'd never seen me half-naked before.

  I pulled the nighty off and bent over, sliding the panties down my legs with my back to him. "I'm sure."

  "Unfair!" He closed the door behind him.

  I laughed and got dressed quickly as excitement bubbled in my stomach. I'd never been to an end of production wrap up party. Obviously, because I'd never wrapped up a movie before. It sounded like fun, and if we were going to be drinking and dancing with all of our friends, how could it not?

  Darren is coming.

  Worry raced through the center of my chest as I thought through how that could be good or bad. It seemed that there were a lot more chances for things to get messed up than go well.

  I forced myself to stop thinking about all of it and went back to feeling grateful. Ethan and I were spending almost every night together at his place, and he was dropping hints all the time about us getting married or having kids, or at the very least, moving in together.

  It was going to happen soon. I could feel it in my bones.

  I checked my hair and lipstick one more time before walking out of my dressing room and taking the long way over to studio six. I passed by the practice rooms where Clayton taught me so many things and paused.

  He and Ethan might have had a vendetta against each other, but I missed him. I'd played the fool somehow, and yet I wasn't sad about it. I reached up and brushed my fingers down the small square piece of glass in the door as my favorite memory of the handsome acting teacher rolled through my mind's eye.

  He was in his mid-thirties and far too old for me, but he was insanely dreamy. Dark hair and charcoal-colored eyes. I hadn't known a woman that didn't swoon over him. He was Ethan, less playful, more grown up. Solemn. Beautiful and talented, and unfortunately bitter.

  "Sorry to keep you waiting." I walked in and stopped short.


  "Not a problem. That Ethan Lewis can captivate all of us, me included." He smiled. "All right. Shake out your shoulders. We're going to do some improvisation. You know what that is, surely?" He lifted his eyebrow and gave me a challenging smile.

  "Of course. Throw your best at me." I rolled my shoulders and took a few deep breaths through my nose.

  "We've been together for five years, and you've been waiting on a ring from me. We're at your favorite restaurant. Go."

  "Are you here with me, or am I pretending like you're here?" I rolled my arms in big circles, not feeling nearly as foolish as I should have. He had a way of calming me completely. I loved it.

  "No questions. Use what you want. Do what you need. Improv. Go."

  "Oh my God." I pressed my fingers to my lips as tears filled my eyes. "Yes. Yes to all of it." I reached out and pretended to pull someone close to me, kissing the air and spinning around.

  He clapped and laughed. It was a simple one, but fun.

  "Bravo. You'd think for a ring I'd get a little bit of tongue action, but great job."

  I laughed loudly and rolled my eyes. "You men are all the same."

  "Are we?" He rubbed his hands together and pressed the tips of his fingers against his lips.

  Tears blurred my vision. What had happened to throw him so off course? Could jealousy really do that to a person? I pulled myself away from the room and walked to the studio, the sound of voices forcing me to tuck my questions away for later analyzing.

  Would someone stab me in the heart that I thought was a brother or a sister?

  "Look. I know what we've been through, but I can't keep doing this. Tell me you'll go out with me this weekend, or I'm leaving for Miami, D. I love you too much to see you all the time and know that we're both just standing on the sidelines, waiting for the other to fuck up." Darren's voice surprised me, and I jerked over to the side of the hall, hoping like hell they hadn't seen me.

  "I understand all of that." Deza sounded so lost. So hurt. "I just don't want to give you my heart again, and you find some reason to beat it up before you give it back. My career is very important to me-"

  "It always has been," he bit out.

  "Let me finish." She didn't sound too pleasant either.

  I felt like an ass for standing in the hall, listening, but there was only one way out, and my shoes would clink all the way down the hall. There was no way I was fucking up this moment for them.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out, fumbling with it to see a text from Ethan asking where I was. I didn't respond, so he dropped another text.

  Tomorrow. Me and you? Day of fun together? The movie is over. Let's dance and drink tonight, fuck like rabbits when we get home and tomorrow... a surprise for my girl.

  Excitement filled my chest, but I swallowed it down and held my breath, trying to make out the muffled tones of Deza and Darren again.

  "My career means a lot, but you were right. It can't mean everything. I've loved you since I was a girl, you asshole."

  His chuckle was sweet. "I know you have, sweet girl. Let's try again. Besides, your crazy white boy in there said he would send a hitman after me if I fucked with you anymore."

  "Did he? I think he's lost his mind. The only one that goes after folks that fuck with us is me." She laughed. "Come here, handsome."

  The sound of kissing filled the air, and I bent down and slipped my heels off. The night was starting out perfect, and if I knew my crazy white boy, it would end even better.

  Chapter 17

  Ethan

  Riley wasn't too thrilled when I took her back to her apartment after we got sloshed at the party, but I told her my stomach was upset and I would see her the next morning. Not a good thing to do with a possessive woman in love.

  I turned off my phone an hour after getting home and took a long shower as excitement bubbled up inside of me. I had big plans for the next day and had been texting on my phone all fucking night to get it all set up for her.

  She was going to be blown the fuck away. Just knowing that it would be my fault had me giddy as I rolled out of bed the next morning. It was still early, but I was good with it. I wanted everything to be perfect.

  I pulled out my phone and texted my brother, Deza and Riley’s best friend, Charlotte to make sure everyone knew where they needed to be and what part they were playing.

  "And here you thought I was just sitting on my hands." I glanced down at my phone. The picture of us eating ice cream like two little kids always made me smile.

  I hadn't just found a partner and a lover. I'd found a best friend.

  A knock at the door caused me to jump. "Yes."

  "Open up. Housekeeping. Would you like your pillows fluffed?"

  I opened the door and rolled my eyes at my brother. "You have the worst housekeeping accent ever. You should try something else."

  "Fuck you too." He walked in and handed me a bag of donuts. "Alright. The house is all set, and the patio is put together like you asked. The musicians will be there around eight-twenty, so don't be late. Alright?"

  "And the chef?" I walked behind him, eating the food he bought far too quickly. I reached back in the bag to find it empty. "Really? Just two."

  "Fatty." He walked over to the fridge and pulled out a gallon of milk, opening it and drinking from the jug.

  "Gross. You can't do that shit once Riley moves in." I sat down at the bar and smiled as he glared back at me.

  "I like this girl a lot, but don't you think this is just a little too fast?"

  "Nope. Not in the slightest." I leaned my head back and lifted the empty bag, shaking it above my face in hope of some crumbs.

  He snatched the bag and gave me a stern look. "Cole got married to his wife in a matter of months, and look at them now. Divorced and he's having to change his whole fucking life so he doesn't run into the mean bitch."

  "He didn't leave Cali for her, Liam. You know he's wanted to restart his career and become a cop. He's good at security, but owning your own business left him answering phones and filling out payroll." I swatted at my brother as he ruffled my hair. "It's the reason neither of us wanted to own our own shit."

  "I basically own mine." He walked toward the living room. "You gotta set it up right, or it ends up biting you in the ass."

  "Alright. Thank you for the business lesson." I walked him to the front door. "Thanks for breakfast. Wish me luck."

  "Nope. You're on your own, ass sucker."

  "Ass sucker?" I walked out onto my driveway and waved at the couple across the street that called out 'good morning.' "Fuck me. People are up this early?" I mumbled and walked my brother to his latest sports car. "Anything new with that pretty girl that has you acting like a prick?"

  "Mona? No." He opened his car door and gave me a look. "She's lucky she has the board behind her. I'd spank her ass and have her on her knees, worshiping my body by the afternoon if not sooner."

  I snorted. "I'm not even believing that shit."

  "No?" He lifted his eyebrow.

  "Nope. She might have you under her desk, drinking from her fountain of youth, but your ass ain't breaking this girl. I saw her. She's gotcha by the balls."

  "You're wrong, little brother. She ain't got nothing on me." He shrugged and got in the car.

  "You got a hard-on?" I leaned over the top of the open door. Sure enough.

  "Fuck you too. Good luck with your woman. Call me and cry to me when it blows up in your face." He smiled and winked at me. "I'll eat ice cream and watch sappy movies with you."

  "You will?" I used as feminine of a voice as I could muster.

  "Nope. Bitch." He pulled the door closed and hit the gas, leaving an ugly black mark on my circular driveway. The looks on my neighbor’s face made it all worth it.

  My brother was in big trouble with this woman. No matter what he said. He was fucked.

  ***

  I knocked on Charlotte and Riley's apartment door and moved back, the red flowers in my hands holding
one white rose.

  Riley opened the door rubbing her eyes. "Baby? What are you doing? It's before ten."

  I handed her the flowers and pulled her into my arms, laying a few kisses on her lips and smiling down at her. "Get dressed. We got shit to do."

  "This early?" She blinked and looked around as if confused. I'd never seen anything more perfect in my whole life.

  "Yeah." I moved away and pointed to the moving truck. "Our trucks waiting right there. Let's get your stuff and get moving. This day isn't going to wait much longer for us."

  Her eyes widened, and she turned her attention back to me. "Wait. I'm moving in today?"

  "Yep." I walked past her and winked at Charlotte. "Jace coming to help?"

  "Already here, man." He walked out from the kitchen and extended his hand to me. "I never thought I'd see the day where I'd help someone steal Riley from me, but I guess it's come, hm?"

  Charlotte walked into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Jace. "And you have a new girl."

  "I'm going back to bed." Riley walked past us and picked her walk up to a jog as I laughed and took off after her. I scooped her up and dropped her in her bed before pressing her to the mattress and grinding into her.

  "You didn't tell me Charlotte and Jace were seeing each other." I kissed the side of her neck and settled between her legs as she cradled me.

  She crinkled her nose. "It's weird, but I'm trying to get used to it."

  I leaned down and pressed my mouth against her ear. "It is weird. Now, get dressed and let's get this thing rolling."

  "Why didn't you tell me we were moving today so I could have packed last night?"

  "I packed for you." Charlotte walked in with Jace in tow. "In the closet. Everything is in boxes, marked and labeled."

  "And you're okay with this?" Riley asked Charlotte.