by Pamela Ann
My eyes scanned the vast sea of people passing. The dusk had settled so it was difficult to pinpoint where he was exactly. Where was he hiding?
Me: I can’t see you.
My phone immediately shrilled with his reply.
Carter: Come out and meet me.
Damn. Should I? I was in the middle of my decision making process when my phone beeped once more.
Carter: Don’t think about it. Just do it.
Damn again.
Me: Fine. Coming out now.
Getting up, I didn’t even bother changing my white cut-off shorts and my loose midriff shirt as I headed towards the backdoor entrance that led towards the beach. Before I managed to open the door though, the doorbell of the front door chimed, halting me in the process.
Backtracking, I was skipping towards the hallway to seek the front door entrance. Once I got there, I yanked the brass handle open and found myself even more surprised. “Brody—” I had a confused smile on. “Hey, come inside.” I opened the door wider. “I’ll go ahead and get…” Who? Amber or Lindsey? Shit. “Amber?”
He nodded, pressing his lips together. “No need. I’m here to see Lindsey.” He moved forward and stepped inside the house. “I’ll just go upstairs and try to see if she’ll talk to me this time, if that’s okay?”
Uh-huh. I nodded. “Sure, go ahead.” Well…this is weird, I thought as I watched him make his way upstairs. As much as I would like to see if Lindsey was going to talk to him this time, I knew I shouldn’t pry into their business. Besides, Carter was still waiting on me downstairs.
Making my way outside, I was starting to think that he’d decided to leave because I took too long, but nope, he was there all right, joined by two girls touching his biceps. WTF?
The moment I joined them, Carter was grinning from ear to ear as he greeted me with a soft kiss on the cheek before he had the gall to introduce me to his “cheerleaders”.
“Ladies, this is Emma.” He introduced me with suave as the ladies turned to me and gave me their million dollar smiles. “This is Cami and Ashley.” Since both were on each of his sides, he started with Cami who was a brunette and had an easy smile, but who had eyes that never really left Carter. Ashley was just as friendly, yet it was obvious that these two knew Carter very well.
“Girlfriends of yours, Mason?” I smiled back, trying to give a low ounce of sarcasm. “Still like them in double doses, huh?” Yeah, I sort of failed there.
Instead of responding to my sarcastic quip, Ashley interjected, “I saw your movie, by the way. You were great. It must be nice to work with two hot guys like that.”
She totally ditched the whole awkward moment there and just went to familiar territory. “Yeah, something like that,” I answered lamely. The girls were nice and all, though for some reason, I wasn’t feeling all that nice myself. Before my mouth could get me in any trouble, I took the initiative to look for an excuse. “It was great meeting you two,” I addressed his cheerleaders. “Carter.” I nodded towards him. “Goodnight,” I murmured before walking away and back to where I had come from. My heels couldn’t take me away fast enough.
What was the deal anyway? I asked myself before giving my brain a good mental shake. I was thinking way too much, that’s why my brain wasn’t functioning normally.
Once inside the house, I went straight to the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee. Opening the fridge to get the milk carton, I gave out a loud yelp when Carter was standing behind it the second I closed it shut. “What the fuck? It’s not Halloween yet, idiot! Try to give someone else a fright.” I glared at him, ignoring him altogether as I worked the cappuccino maker.
“It’s all for laughs. Come on; lighten up a bit, yeah?” He was smiling that smug I’m-so-hot-you-can’t-help-but-drool-over-me smile of his, which ticked me off some more.
I snorted. “I am enlightened. Now go take a hike.” I was busy filling up coffee grinds before pressing it down with the metal presser, about to flip the switch because Carter wouldn’t leave me alone.
The man came up behind me, almost touching yet not. “Whoa. What’s gotten your undies twisted, baby?” His breath hit the side of my neck, sending goose bumps all over my body.
Damn him! He needs to stay the fuck away! “My underwear is none of your concern.”
“You know…” He trailed off. “You used to get like this when you were jealous.”
I shut my eyes, chanting that I was engaged to Bass as I felt Carter press his chest against my back, making me stifle back a groan.
“Am I reading this all wrong, Emma?” He spoke like he was almost out of breath.
Mother. Fucking. Hell. “I’m not jealous,” I hissed. “I’m ticked off because you invited me to come out and yet you were busy being praised over by your army of—” Skanks. “Women,” I finished off, not needing to let him know how I truly felt deep inside.
Carter tsk-tsked, moving his lips close to my ear. “When will you ever learn that lying is bad for you?” He pressed his crotch against my bum, making him moan against my neck. “There’s a lot of women who want me, but this is all yours, baby.” He breathed me in, his nose making a loud sound of him inhaling deeply while he pushed against me. His body heat was intoxicating. I knew it was wrong to keep this game going—however, I was paralyzed on the spot.
“I love you.” He kissed the base of my neck. “Dream of me tonight. You know what’s going to be in mine, Emma.” Carter kissed my check one last time before pulling himself off me. “Those twenty-one sweet, honeyed kisses, baby.” He spoke so loud, I was afraid everyone could hear him.
My birthday last year; FML.
He greeted me last Saturday, but he didn’t say much else. I knew that he was aware that I was with Bass, that’s why he stayed away. But why bring that memory up? Was it because it was about last year when we started engaging physically? Or to mainly put me in a position where I was even more aggravated since the last time I saw him?
It didn’t matter because yes, I admit, I was extremely attracted to Carter, yet I was crazy about my Bass. The thought of him brought guilt into my heart. I knew Bass was aware about Carter still pining for me, but if he knew as to what extent Carter was stretching it lately, I knew he’d be beyond angry.
Even if my romantic life was gearing up for the future with certainty, when it came to my career, I had no doubts as to where I wanted to be heading.
I was my own woman after all, no matter what happened with Bass or Carter later down the road, I knew I had my work to keep me occupied.
~E~
Barbara and I had a meeting round lunchtime along with signing other important documentation for the movie I had just recently signed up for. It was a romantic comedy and I was pretty psyched because it was a project to be shot in Chicago.
I was in the living room, going through the script and the list for the movie Sleeping with my Best Friend. One of the main things that stood out was how the movie needed me to have black hair. The big question was, did I want it dyed or in a wig?
I was surrounded with my girls, sans Amber, discussing the movie and what other girly things we liked to gush about when they saw what I was looking at.
“Black hair? On you?” Trista’s eyes were full of ideas. “Bass will marry you in a heartbeat.”
If she only knew that I was already engaged to him. Soon, I really was going to tell everyone about that. For the meantime, back to the current problem, my blonde tresses. “Great input, Tris. Thanks.”
Lindsey shook her head along with a strangled noise when she saw that I was about to circle the wig selection. “Why don’t you dye it black instead of a wig? I’m sure your man will nut in his pants when he sees you.”
It was no secret to everyone that he preferred dark hair. Would Bass like it if I did, though? I was tempted because a big part of me was cheering on, wanting to see his reaction, too.
The decision was made. Hair dye it was.
Seeing Carter last night, and now with this movie swirling
around my head, it was time to cleanse everything out and get into perspective. I needed to do that.
Since it was a night of surprising myself, I booked the biggest surprise of all.
Chapter 10
Bass
I was checking my emails as I distractedly opened my trailer, letting out a heavy sigh as I went inside. When a call from Taylor came through while writing a message to Martin, I picked it up. “What’s up?”
“I just heard about your parents. What will you do?” asked my best friend.
His question didn’t surprise me. I’m sure his mother told him about the details without me needing to rehash everything. “I’m not backing down. They can both go to hell for all I care.” I meant those words too. My parents were despicable beings.
I strode towards the kitchen and opened bottled water, drinking it halfway before I noticed something across the end of the trailer, towards my bedroom.
Striding towards it, I heard Taylor on my ear. “Fuck. I can’t believe them. Anyway, I gotta go cause Trista just got here and I promised to take her somewhere tonight. Later, man,” he said before cutting the call.
Entering the room, my eyes scanned about to check if something was amiss, but there was none. That was, until I felt a soft fabric caressed my cheek before it swiftly covered my eyes, closing it shut before knotting it tight behind my head. I gave a hiss before I felt the cold steel cuffing my wrists. “Don’t move,” the woman rasped against my ear.
Damn, I thought before I was roughly shoved into the chair behind me. Then I felt her hot breath against my ear, sending shivers all over my body, arousing me in a heartbeat. “Listen to my voice carefully, Bass. Memorize it. Feel it. Love it.”
Oh yeah, it was her. That smell alone gave it away. One sniff and my cock was already surging forth, ready to battle.
In a quick succession, I had the woman swiftly thrown on the bed, hoping to thoroughly acquaint myself to my visitor. But when I was about to crawl over her body, I immediately froze, noting the vast changes she made to her looks.
“Holy fucking Jesus!” My throat ran dry. “You look—” my upper brain function seized as my lower one took charge. “You look like—” I was becoming incoherent. Damn, did she do this for me? Oh fucking God. “You look like—” I mumbled again, my eyes couldn’t tear away from the sight of her. Don’t get me wrong, I loved her with all of my heart—I did—and I accepted her just as she was…but her with raven hair…I was dumbfounded. “Fuck!”
“I look like…fuck?” Her brow rose. “That’s nice,” she gritted out, confused and hurt.
Hell, she was now angry. I had to turn this bad situation around and make it all okay. “No—I mean, I was expecting it to be you, that’s all.”
She folded her arms underneath her breasts, making them topple over and about to set free from her lace-up bustier. “What do you mean? Who did you expect it to be?”
Fuck, don’t go there, Emma. “You’re getting this all wrong—”
“You thought I was Nikki, didn’t you?” she suspiciously asked, enraged as she eyed me with disdain.
Yep, she really did go head to that blasted direction. “Hell no! Will you listen to me, Emma? You’re doing it again, let me explain.”
She frowned, before taking a deep breath. She looked like she was thinking about something before she excused herself, heading straight to the restroom.
“What the fuck is going on?” I yelled after her. “Am I missing something here?” I was beyond confused with her attitude. This was not the Emma I used to know before.
But of course, the crap I piled on our relationship took a toll on her. Her self-confidence took a beating with all the tabloid rags printing foul and ugly things about her. The icing on the cake was Nikki and her bundle of surprise.
There was no one to blame with her erratic behavior but me. This was all my fault. Now this was all up to me to fix it.
It was vital that I did.
Chapter 11
Emma
“Emma,” Bass spoke against the door. His voice didn’t sound angry, but more like complacent, as if he knew what I was dealing with.
The whole surprise was ruined because the jealous, ugly head reared out of nowhere and engulfed me in a heartbeat. I could’ve fixed it, but the picture of Nikki I just saw online today shopping for baby clothes already had me in a twisted knot.
Each day I felt like I was deteriorating inside because I kept wishing and praying that Nikki’s baby wasn’t his. Instead of focusing on my script and new filming coming up, I was more in-tuned with the tabloids and reading up scraps about Nikki. No one knew about this odd fixation I had as of late, but truth be told, it was scaring me more than I cared to admit.
Here I was, in Bass’s trailer, staring at myself in the mirror, wondering if I could survive this. What if Carter was right? What if I really was meant to be with him and all of these emotions I had for Bass was merely a mirage of what I wanted too badly, but was never going to happen?
Being with Bass was easy before, yet this time around, it certainly was changing me, turning me upside down.
A knock on the door made me almost jump out of my skin. “Emma! Please let me in.”
Slowly cracking the door open, I met his gaze with embarrassment. “I’m sorry. What happened out there was uncalled for.”
“Come here.” He enveloped me in his arms, cradling my head against his chest. “You don’t have to explain, my love. This is all my fault.” He stroked my hair with soft, rhythmic strokes. “I’m so sorry for putting you through this.”
“I’m sorry, too,” I murmured before kissing the base of his neck.
“I forgot to say, but you look stunning.”
That made us both laugh a little, breaking the ice. “I thought you might.”
“You know I love you in whatever color you choose to dye your hair, right? Be it purple or orange, I’d still love you and think you’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever beheld.”
When Bass talked to me that way, my insecure heart melted all for him over and over again. Moments like these made all this torture worthwhile.
Since my surprise visit was already a bust, Bass decided to take us back to his hotel room and order room service while we chose a movie to watch.
After a dinner of steak and potatoes, we were on the bed, heads joined together as we browsed through the movie catalogue when my phone decided to disrupt our alone time.
Moving to fetch my phone on the nightstand, I muttered a silent curse when I got a glimpse of the phone screen. Carter was calling my phone, but I was putting him on silent. Tonight, I wanted the rest of the world to vanish.
“Answer it. Tell him you’re with me and that you’re pre-occupied,” Bass said behind me.
I tensed, eyes bulging out of my sockets. Since when did his territorial streak emerge again? “Stop spying.”
“I wasn’t. I didn’t even move a muscle. I could just tell by your immediate reaction. Your body always tells me when it’s him calling.” He was still browsing, but I could tell that something was not right.
“That would be harsh, babe. And besides, he doesn’t know that I’m in Canada.”
His jaws locked. “Carter doesn’t need to know your ins and outs, Emma.”
He did have a point. Carter was my ex. “Right, yeah. You’re right.” I nodded with affirmation as I prayed for Carter to just quit calling my phone and bug someone else. I was hoping that he wouldn’t do this, but shit, when my phone indicated I had a voicemail, I bit down on my lip, hard.
“Aren’t you going to listen to that?” Bass kept on pestering.
“I’ll do it later.” I was about to shove the phone back on the nightstand when the shitty night started to become shittier.
“Are you hiding something from me?” he asked, shutting the television off then moving to face me.
Wait, where the hell was that coming from? “No, why should I?” I said nervously. “I can listen to this now if I wanted to. Hell, I’l
l even let you hear it.” Was there anything I hid? I panicked as I tried to make a quick rundown of all the things that might get me in slight trouble.
Bass scrutinized me before folding his arms behind his head, resting against the headboard. “Okay, let’s hear it.”
“You mean now?” What the shit.
“Unless you have any objections?”
“No.” F.M.L.
When I didn’t move, Bass nodded towards where the phone was still gripped in my hands as if it was a life sentence. But was it? Why was I so paranoid anyway? I didn’t do anything wrong. I wasn’t hiding anything, so there shouldn’t be any reason for me to become all skittish.
I pressed the ‘Listen’ button and Carter Mason’s voice came to life.
“Hey baby. I’m out with the boys, but for some reason I just wanted to call and was hoping to hear your voice.” He paused, making a small grunt. “I know you’re busy doing your thing, but I’m missing you like crazy, baby. I’m drunk as a skunk, girls everywhere, but all I want to do is see you, Ems. Everyday I wake up feeling like shit, but I always remember your promise and I keep going again.” He sighed heavily. “Can’t wait to see you again.” Carter sighed again, this time it sounded like he was getting choked up. “Don’t keep me out of your heart for too long, it gets too lonely for me. Love you, Ems.”
Fuck, my heart broke for him. The last part, hearing him like that, so broken; it made me feel like the worst person ever. My emotions took over and I almost forgot that Bass was right next to me before he spoke up and placed a barrier along my road to sadness route.
“Did you purposely not announce our engagement because of Carter?” He was frowning, looking at me with hurt in his eyes.
“Bass—”
He gave me a slashing look. “Answer the question, Emma. It’s a simple yes or no.”
How could it ever be simple? “A part, maybe.” Did he not hear that? Carter was breaking and I hated that I was the reason for it.
Bass looked away, raking a hand over his hair, mussing it up some more. “Why do you care about his feelings so much? Who cares if our engagement will make him angry? Sooner or later he has to deal with the fact that you’re mine. You know that, don’t you?”
