“I took that class. I don’t remember the teacher mentioning that.”
“If you were confused you should have asked. Teachers like questions.”
Sable caressed Colt’s firm butt. The skin was smooth—taut. Mentally she began a to-do list. Number two? Bite Colt’s ass. Number one involved getting his clothes off and cock inside of her.
“I didn’t plan on this, Sable.”
“Sure you did. You let me know from day one that we would wind up in bed. And naked. Speaking of which.” Sable pushed at Colt’s pajama bottoms. “Why are you wearing so much clothing?”
Sable loved the feel of Colt’s big, hard body lying on top of her but it made getting his clothes off a tad difficult. However, she was a gamer. She inched his t-shirt up his body.
“It would be so much easier if you helped.”
Colt took pity on her and removed the shirt.
“Happy?”
“You have no idea.”
Catching him off guard, Sable flipped Colt onto his back. There wasn’t a person in the world with access to a computer who didn’t know what he looked like without a shirt. Pictures. Videos. Thousands littered the internet. But, oh, baby, nothing compared to the real thing.
“You could make a fortune selling tickets.” She spread her fingers over Colt’s drool-worthy chest. Eyes twinkling, Sable’s gaze met his. “Oh, that’s right. You already do.”
Happy to let her explore, he gripped the headboard. Symbolically, he placed his hands exactly where Sable’s had been. “Hello. Thespian. There’s more to me than my muscles.”
“I appreciate that you are an artist. But at the moment, I couldn’t care less if you can act your way out of a paper bag.”
“You only want me for my body?”
Sable looked him up and down, then let out a long, expressive sigh.
“Can you blame me?”
Colt’s laugh turned into a groan when Sable licked his nipple. She admired his fortitude. After several orgasms, she felt loose and ready to play. Colt was still on edge. It wasn’t fair. It was time to make him feel good.
“Off with these.” Sable finished removing his last piece of clothing, tossing the pajama bottoms onto the floor.
“As I was saying before you distracted me, I didn’t expect this to happen tonight.” Colt hissed when Sable wiggled her hips. “No condom.”
“Ah. Sexy movie star and a Boy Scout. No wonder women find you irresistible.”
“Not a Boy Scout. They kicked me out after only a week.”
“That’s a story I’d like to hear.” Sable leaned over, opening the end table drawer. “Later.”
“You keep condoms by the bed?” Colt’s eyes widened. “You swore you wouldn’t sleep with me. Who were those for?”
“Deep down I knew you and I would end up right here.” Sable opened the packet. “I wasn’t a Girl Scout, but I know it’s important to be prepared.”
“Thank God,” Colt sighed when she slid the condom into place. “I was five seconds from begging you for a hand-job.”
“Really?” Sable moved over him, teasingly rubbing the tip of his erection with her slick folds. “If you prefer, I can do that.”
“I’m dying here, Sable. Do you want to be the one who has to explain to my mother what happened to me?”
“It’s an erection.” Sable began her slow decent. “Can you die from that?”
Colt grabbed her hips, pulling until she was fully seated. In unison, they gasped.
“Shut up and move. Please.”
“Since you asked so nicely,” Sable laughed, repeating his earlier words.
“Sable… “
“Shh.” She kissed Colt, her tongue running along his. “No more waiting. For either of us.”
Colt was in no condition to take it slow. And Sable wasn’t in the mood for any more teasing. The ride was hard and fast. There was no build. One. Two. Three strokes and Colt shouted his release. Sable tumbled with him, moving her hips in rhythm with his.
It couldn’t be called smooth or perfectly choreographed. It was raw and intense. Wild. Heart-stopping. And infinitely satisfying.
Sable had no words. Neither did Colt. She slid into his arms. Boneless. Spent. She had just enough energy to brush his chest with her lips before she collapsed.
Colt’s breathing slowly returned to normal. Sable rested her head on his chest. With no wasted movements, he disposed of the condom and pulled the covers over them. In seconds, he drifted off to sleep, but not before he settled Sable into his arms.
Out of habit, Sable checked the clock. The alarm was set to go off in less than two hours. Christ. She didn’t know how Colt would be able to function on so little sleep. He would be dragging by mid-day. But she would bet almost anything he wouldn’t have a single regret.
Sable felt the same. What would be the point? From day one, this had been inevitable. Fighting it was counterproductive. Now, they could enjoy each other. They could play out the attraction and when her job was finished, part as friends.
Sable ignored the twinge in the region of her heart. Colt had no room in his life for anything permanent—nor did she. They would say goodbye. There would be no happily ever after Hollywood finale.
The ending of this story had already been written.
CHAPTER NINE
COLT WASN’T FOND of days off. When he started a film, he liked to stay immersed in the story and the character. Colt believed in working hard and playing when the work was done. He had plenty of time to rest between projects. As the saying went, he could sleep when he was dead.
However, now there was Sable. She made the thought of a day off appealing. When an unexpected rainstorm washed out the day’s shoot, Colt didn’t curse as he normally would have. He looked up at the sky and thanked the weather Gods.
Instead of fake canoodling, he planned on staying in bed all day. With Sable.
“You’ll get tired of me.”
“Not going to happen.”
Colt grabbed Sable’s hand, preventing her from getting out of bed. It was early. Seven o’clock. Normally they would be at the set. As they were heading out the door, Colt received the surprising news. They were washed out for the day.
It took another hour for the rain to hit downtown Los Angeles. By then, he and Sable were resting up from a particularly vigorous round of sex.
“An entire day? Your dick will be crying for mercy.”
“My dick is a big boy.”
“I’ll say.” Sable waggled her eyebrows.
“Thank you. But you didn’t let me finish. Big boys don’t cry. A day? I can do that standing on my head, with my hands tied behind my back.”
“I told you. I’m not into ropes.”
“Bet I could change your mind.”
Sable appeared to be considering the idea. Colt wasn’t surprised when she shook her head.
“Nope. But if you stand on your head, I’ll give you a whirl.”
“Why don’t we save the acrobatics for another day.” Colt nuzzled her warm, soft neck. “Today, all I want is some good old-fashioned sex.”
“I need food.”
“The fridge is empty.”
“Right.” Sable sighed. “We need to hit the grocery store. Now that your groupies aren’t making their weekly pilgrimage, the coffers are getting bare.”
Colt put the word out that he no longer required food deliveries. Or cleaning services. Or laundry pick-up. After a week, he realized how much he had come to depend on those things magically getting done. He would leave the house, go to work, and when he returned, there was fresh food to eat, his bathroom sparkled, and his underwear was neatly folded and put away.
For years, his brothers teased him about his harem of household helpers. Colt accepted the ribbing with careless good grace. He didn’t think twice about the arrogance it took to allow these things to be done on his behalf. He appreciated it. He made sure his assistant sent each woman flowers once a month and gave them tickets to his movie premieres.
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br /> And then what? The names and faces changed. For almost six years, a club had existed for the sole purpose of making Colton Landis’ life easier. Now, it was over. He hoped it ended without hard feelings, but he didn’t know. Because he didn’t want to.
The truth wasn’t pretty, but Colt didn’t mind looking it straight in the face. If it weren’t for Sable, he didn’t know if it ever would have stopped. Colt chuckled. He imagined himself at ninety, still being cared for by a bevy of… Seventy-year-olds?
“What’s so funny?”
“Do you think my fans will age as I do?”
“Your fans will get older. And younger.” Sable understood the way the world worked. “Look at your father. He’s a fox. Unless you let yourself go to pot, women will drop at your feet until the day you die.”
“Either way, I need a housekeeper. And a laundry service. And a place that delivers groceries.”
Sable rolled out of bed.
“Hey,” he protested.
“Unless you want me to tinkle on your designer sheets, I need to go to the bathroom. While I’m gone, order some takeout.”
“What are you in the mood for?”
“Chinese? No, a juicy hamburger. Check that. Macaroni and cheese.” Sable paused to pull on Colt’s t-shirt. “You decide. When I’m hungry, everything sounds good.”
“Why do you bother with clothes?” he called out.
“Habit. For years, I lived around thousands of men. I forget I don’t need to cover up for one.”
Good answer, Colt decided. They hadn’t shared a bedroom for very long. He couldn’t expect her to get used to him in only a week. But she would. Colt was determined to have her walking around, naked as a jaybird, in no time at all.
It had been a good week. Better than good. After that first night, there was no question of going back. Sable kept her things in the other bedroom, but she slept with him.
Sable was slowly adjusting. He was over the moon.
The lovely Sable. His to play with anytime he wanted. And Colt wanted to play often. Luckily for him, so did she.
They played in bed. In the shower. On the sofa. The cement counter in the kitchen turned out to be the perfect place for a little post-breakfast fun. For the first time since he had moved here, Colt made regular use of the hidden window blinds. The last thing he needed was some industrious member of the paparazzi taking pictures of Sable and him as they enjoyed the benefits of living with his lover twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. At one time, Colt wouldn’t have cared. But this was different. Sable was different.
Colt frowned. There it was again. Why did he keep thinking that way? Yes, Sable wasn’t like the other women he had known. So what? What did it mean? Colt didn’t want to worry about it. He had a day of nothing but Sable ahead of him. He wasn’t going to let unsettling thoughts ruin their fun.
Food. He’d promised Sable something to eat. Colt picked up his phone, but before he could scroll through his list of go-to delivery places, it rang.
Wyatt.
“Hey. What’s up?” Colt asked. He turned on the speaker phone and began scrolling. Instead of picking one thing, he decided to order a variety. “That place with the amazing egg rolls? Do they deliver?”
“Yes. But forget it. You have the day off and Mom wants the whole gang there for lunch.”
“How did you know I wasn’t working?”
“I’m a producer. I know everything.”
Wyatt’s explanation was simple and true. Not much happened on a Landis production without his brother knowing about it. Usually seconds after the fact.
“Come right away. Lorena made guacamole. Once Nate arrives, there’s no guarantee anyone else will get any.”
He did love Lorena’s guacamole. There was no chance of leftovers. Not with Nate, the human vacuum cleaner around. “I’ve already made plans.”
“Cancel them.”
“But—”
“Mom wants you here. Need I say more?”
Colt hesitated. No one said no to Callie Flynn. Especially her sons. But he was tempted. He didn’t know how many opportunities he would have to be alone with Sable for an entire day.
“You can’t get out of it, so don’t bother trying.”
“I didn’t say anything.” Damn. It wasn’t easy to get anything past someone who had known him all his life.
“Who knows the way your mind works better than I do?”
“We’ll be there.” Colt sighed. The best-laid plans, etc. “And Wyatt? Just so you know? I’m giving you the finger.”
Wyatt ignored the verbal jab. “Your beautiful bodyguard must be sick of you by now. She can use a change of scenery.”
Sable. Well, shit. The second they walked in the door, everyone would know things had changed. After the dire warning to keep his dick to himself, his father wouldn’t simply call him into his office. He would give him the look.
Caleb Landis never raised a hand to his sons. He could metaphorically flail off a layer of skin with one laser-sharp, blue-eyed gaze. His didn’t use it often. Which made it all the more effective.
He loved his family. But come on. He wasn’t a child. Neither was Sable. What two consenting adults did in private was nobody else’s business. And it was a damn good thing they didn’t know. Some of the things he and Sable had done were likely illegal in some states.
“That’s quite a grin. I didn’t know calling for takeout was so entertaining. What did you decide on?”
Sable hopped onto the bed and into his arms. Colt wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her scent. A blend of his soap and her shampoo. And something he couldn’t put his finger on but it drove him crazy. He would forever call it simply, Sable.
“You’ll love the food. But we won’t be eating in.”
“No?” Sable took off his shirt. “Naked Lunch would take on a whole new meaning.”
How could he resist a woman who was so beautifully natural and had read William S. Burroughs? He never should have answered the phone. Next time he would know better.
“We’ve been summoned to the old homestead.”
“Your parents’ house?” Sable scrambled off the bed, searching for his t-shirt.
“They can’t see us, Sable.”
“You can laugh. My job is to watch your back, not suck your— “
“Hey.” Colt put a hand over mouth. “One is your job. The other is between us. Never insinuate otherwise.”
“I hope your family feels the same way.”
“They like you. If anyone gets some flack, it will be me.”
“Yes. They like me. But they love you. I’m replaceable.”
Colt stopped himself from saying the first thing that popped into his head.
Replaceable? Not as far as I’m concerned.
“Let’s hit the shower.”
Colt grabbed Sable’s hand. Stray thoughts had a way of freaking him out. He couldn’t think of a better way to clear his head than hot, steamy, shower sex. With Sable.
“MORE FRIED CHICKEN, Sable?”
“Yes, please.” Sable took the plate from Garrett. “This has the Colonel beat by a mile.”
“Wait until you try Lorena’s pizza. She could start her own restaurant.”
“Shh.” Nate piled his plate with a second helping of mashed potatoes. “Where would I get my enchilada fix?”
“I’ll teach Paige.” The longtime Landis family cook smiled at Nate. She had a basket filled with hot rolls just out of the oven.
“I wouldn’t dare try, Lorena. Your food is legendary. When I spoke with Dad last week, he was still raving about your cooking. I think he and Irene are flying in from Montana next month just for your waffles.”
“Sable.” Jade took a roll and slathered it with butter. “I’ve been working on those self-defense moves you showed me, but I can’t seem to get them right. Will you give me a refresher course after lunch?”
“I’d like to get in on that,” Paige said.
“Me too.”
“You
?” Sable looked at Nate in surprise. “Why?”
“My ego is still bruised from that beat down you gave me. I want a rematch.”
“Give it a rest.” Garrett winked at Sable. “Do you want Paige to witness a repeat of your humiliation?”
“My fiancée loves me.”
“I do,” Paige assured Nate. “And I won’t think any less of you when Sable kicks your ass.”
Colt smiled as Sable easily fell in with his family’s banter. It helped that they already knew each other. But it was more than that. Sable was a warm, open person. She liked people and they liked her. His family welcomed everyone with open arms. Garrett and Nate had the good sense to fall in love with intelligent women with big hearts. It made the meal, and every gathering, a joy to attend.
“Who wants dessert?” Lorena called from the kitchen.
“Who doesn’t?” Nate responded.
Laughter filled the room. Colt looked from smiling face to smiling face. A man would be a fool to take this for granted, and one could call him many things. Arrogant. Pampered. A bit spoiled. Definitely catered to. But he was not a fool. Above everything else. The money. The fame. The multitude of perks that came with his life. Most of all, he was a lucky son of a bitch.
“Colton.”
Over the din, his mother’s whispered word caught Colt’s attention. Smiling, he leaned closer. Good Lord, she was beautiful. In her fifties, she looked twenty years younger. Good genes and a happy life. According to Callie, that was the secret. She passed those genes to him. That and a basically sunny personality. They expected the best from the world.
However, cross them, or someone they loved, and the rose-colored glasses came off. They could be vicious if pushed. Just ask the small list of people stupid enough to push once too often.
“Are you getting younger?” he asked. Taking her chin between his fingers, he turned her head from one side to the other. “Is there a portrait in the attic that I don’t know about?”
“Silly boy.” Callie’s famous gray eyes sparkled. “All women should have sons. You see us as we were when you were little boys. Forever young.”
“We love you. And you never age.” Colt kissed her cheek. “Tell me what’s worrying you.”
Dreaming Of Your Love (Hollywood Legends #3) Page 11
