“Probably,” Ryan says quietly. “You want anything to drink? Soda? Water?”
“No, thanks. I don’t know how I’ll get used to this. People watching me everywhere I go. Documenting everything I do. Heaven forbid I should pick my nose or something and it will be all over the news.”
Ryan snorts. “It is a little difficult to deal with.”
“How can they do that? Why don’t they get a life of their own instead of following others around?” I am getting hysterical and emotional. Ryan comes to sit by me, pulling me into his arms. “How can anyone live a normal life with that in their face?”
“Love, it’s ok. It’s not always like this. We made some big news today and yes, it will be crazy for a while and it will be again when we get married and when the baby arrives, but it will calm down.”
We go to bed and Ryan just holds me in his arms, comforting me until I fall asleep. I wake up a while later and find the bed empty. I look around the bedroom but don’t see him. I get up and walk out to the sitting room. He is sitting in a chair by the window, looking out. I am not sure how to describe how he looks. His hair is a mess from running his fingers through it. His body language is giving off depressed or defeat signs.
He makes my heart race.
I walk over to him silently, slip my arms around him. He jumps a little, but is quick to pull me to his lap. I loop my arms around his neck, laying my forehead against his. I know something is massively bothering him but he hasn’t said anything to me.
“I missed you in bed,” I say.
“I need to talk to you.”
He is silent again. It seems like he doesn’t want to talk.
“Baby?”
“Olivia, I… You were right earlier about the reporters following us around and when we have the baby, they will swarm us. As long as I’m acting, they will always be around. I want to give you the option to end this now. You don’t have to deal with this. You can leave.”
What? How can he think I could, would leave him?
“Ryan, I won’t…. No, that’s not correct. I can’t leave you. I’ll get used to being followed. I’m new to this so it kind of freaked me out earlier, plus my emotional state is not so good right now, you know, because of this little guy or girl. But I’ll be ok.”
He looks at me intently, almost willing me to take this seriously.
“Yes, but you don’t have to get used to it. You and the baby can have a normal life.”
I am shaking my head ‘no’ the whole time he is talking.
“Olivia…,” He says, exasperated.
“No, Ryan. If I and this baby don’t get you with that normal life, I don’t want it. I love you, Ryan. And soon, very soon I’m thinking, for better or worse, you’re going to be stuck with me.”
He smiles at me.
“Really?
I nod.
He looks like the whole weight of the world has been lifted off his shoulders.
“God, I love you. You are so perfect for me.”
“I know. You are my soul mate. I cannot live without you. Don’t try to make me.”
I kiss him and reposition myself to straddle him. The kiss becomes deeper. My hands run up and down his chest; then up to his neck and to the back of his head. His hands come down my back and slid around to capture both of my breasts.
“Ryan. Make love to me.”
His control snaps. His t-shirt that I am wearing is ripped off of me. He roughly shoves me to the floor with him following, laying right on top of me. His mouth takes my breast and sucks and bite hard on the sensitive nipple. I scream out. Then he captures my mouth and drives himself into me.
“Is this what you want, baby?” he asks as he pounds into me.
“Yes, Ryan. Oh, God, yes.”
He is moving so fast, but I am keeping pace with him. I come again and he follows, groaning out my name. He falls exhausted onto me. Our breathing coming hard. I can hear his heart beating so fast, as fast as mine. Neither of us can move.
“Sweetheart. You’re going to kill me,” Ryan says when he catches his breath.
“You’re young. You should be good to go,” I tease.
“I’m good to go whenever you want, Beautiful,” he says as he nuzzles my ear.
“You keep doing that and you’d better get ready to go again soon,” I purr back at him.
“Ok. I’ll stop. I need a little bit more time to recover before I devour your beautiful breasts, or move down to your heat and kiss you, lick you until I make you come again…. Or maybe we don’t have to wait…. “ And I feel him getting hard again.
“Oh my! You are good to go, aren’t you?” I ask.
We make love a second time. Somehow we finally end up back in bed and pass out.
* * *
Our morning wakeup call comes way too early. Didn’t we just fall asleep? I guess it was only four hours ago. Ryan says make-up is going to kill him. I go with him to the set. They are hoping to finish today and I want to be there for that.
As soon as we get there, Leslie comes barreling into Ryan’s trailer, practically screaming.
“Oohh!!! Congratulations guys!” she says as she hugs me. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“Leslie, we were a little preoccupied,” Ryan says.
“I know. I warned you about Drey, didn’t I? But noooo! No one listened to me, did they?”
“I’m sorry, Leslie. I should have listed to you,” Ryan apologizes, while he rolls his eyes.
“You know. I had an odd feeling about her when I first met her,” I inform both of them. “I couldn’t figure out what it was, but I felt uncomfortable around her.”
“You never told me that,” Ryan says.
“I thought I was being silly.”
“See, you need to listen to your premonition,” Leslie says. “So, when are you planning on having the wedding?”
“We don’t know,” I answer. “We haven’t had a chance to talk about it.”
“I’d better be invited,” Leslie informs us, grinning like crazy.
“You’d better get your butt back to your trailer and get ready for our last scene,” Ryan says.
“All right, all right. I’m leaving,” Leslie pouts, going out the door.
I laugh.
Ryan’s arms come around me, hugging me to him. “We do need to talk about the wedding. My parents would love to have it here. But I know your parents and a lot of your fiends would love to have it in Kansas City.”
“Hmm. I’ll think about it and we’ll talk it over. I have an idea, but want to think about it a little more.”
A knock on the door and someone yelling, tells Ryan he needs to get on set. I sit and watch. They finish with only two takes and a loud cheer escapes up when the director calls “It’s a wrap.” There is going to be a small celebration at a pub that is close by. Ryan and I go hang out with everyone and lot of fun.
Once we get back to the hotel, we relax for a little while. I finally bring up my idea for our wedding.
“So, I was thinking about our wedding and how we’re going to keep it from the press as much as possible. I would like to get married soon. And I was thinking why not have it back where our story all began.”
“The Bellagio.”
“Yes, the Bellagio. We could keep it fairly quiet and just have a handful of family and friends there.”
“Yes! It’s perfect. Let’s do it.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes, and in the next few weeks.”
“Two months, tops. I will start showing too much after two months. I’ll get the girls to help me. I love you, Ryan.”
“I love you, Olivia. I can’t wait for you to be Mrs. Ryan Paxton.”
So, I have a wedding to plan and also a baby to plan for. I don’t have any more stalkers, kidnappings or crazy reporters posing as girlfriends to worry about, but I do have to deal with the paparazzi. And I am sure I can handle them, as long as Ryan is by my side.
er Lloyd, Tonic
Tonic Page 29
