by J. Kenner
They’d find out about the protocol and poke into that. And they’d definitely analyze his work to death. Ripping apart his primary theme of physically or emotionally scarred antiheroes who somehow manage to find redemption.
And wouldn’t that be fun, living inside a snow globe while the outside world shook him up?
“—don’t you think?”
“Sorry, what?”
She flashed an indulgent smile. “I was just saying that this is one of my favorite hotels in the city.”
He had to agree, all the more so as they passed through the ornate lobby with the stunning floral arrangements, then finally settled into their penthouse suite, courtesy of the studio.
“This is exceptional,” he said, pulling her close as they stood by the window admiring the view that reached all the way to the Pacific. “I should make it a habit of dating movie stars.”
“So long as that movie star is me, I have no objection to that policy whatsoever.” She spun in his arms and smiled at him. He’d taken off the hoodie once the bellman had dropped their bags, and now he wore only a plain, black T-shirt, his face and neck unprotected.
Gently, she cupped his face, and though he couldn’t feel the sensation of her hand against his raw, damaged cheek, he could feel the brush of her thumb along the unburned part of his jaw, and that sweet, subtle sensation shot straight to his cock.
“Careful,” he said. “I don’t think you have time for more than one kiss.”
She flashed a flirty smile. “I didn’t realize my touch was so arousing.”
“Everything about you turns me on,” he said. “How could you not know that?”
“I should,” she said, brushing her lips over his, just a quick tease of a promise to come. “After all, I feel exactly the same way.” Truth shone in her eyes, and his heart melted a little more.
Gently, she pulled out of his embrace. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I have to go. I have a fitting in less than an hour.”
“And after that?”
Her delighted laugh filled the room. “Hair and make-up here, and then downstairs to the conference rooms for a series of press interviews. Then back up here to put on my dress. Then it’s off to the theater. How about you?”
She’d said it with no bitterness, no question, no underlying hint of disappointment. Even so, he couldn’t help but feel as if she was disappointed.
Then again, he was certain that was true. But she was damn good at hiding it.
“You’re sure you’re good?”
“You forget I used to live out here.”
“Right. So you’re going to see your sister? Friends? The hotel has an amazing restaurant and bar.”
He took her hand. “Seriously, don’t worry about me. I already texted Kelsey about getting together, and I promise I’ll be here when you get back.”
She nodded. “I’m skipping the after-party. We’ll have our own.”
“I’d like that. But this is your work. Do what you need to do. What you want to do. Enjoy the night, okay. I promise I’m not going anywhere.”
Her shoulders dipped as she exhaled, and her words, so heartfelt, almost knocked him over. “Thank God for that.”
Her cell phone chimed in time with her words, and she grimaced as she looked down. “Studio publicist. She’s got a car downstairs to take me to my fitting.” She leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Back soon.”
As soon as she’d left, he kicked back to enjoy the room, putting an action movie on the large screen TV, opening a beer from the suite’s refrigerator, and settling in to wait for his sister who, in true Kelsey fashion, showed up right in the middle of the final chase scene.
“No talking. No hugs. No catching up. Not until this sequence is over.”
She rolled her eyes, but settled in, tucking her legs under her on the couch, and focusing on the film. But the second it was over, she squealed and threw her arms around him. “I’ve missed you so much. I’m so glad you called this week. Next week we’re traveling again.”
“You guys need to slow down.”
“Nah, we’re loving it. We’re seeing the world, enjoying each other.” From the expression on her face, their enjoyment hadn’t slowed down at all. “It’s great to be able to travel and work together, and Wyatt’s new show is amazing. It’s like we work during the day, then honeymoon at night.”
“Nice.” Honestly, he was a little bit jealous. Or, correction, a little bit more. He’d been happy for Kelsey from the moment she and Wyatt got together—well, concerned, then happy. After all, he knew their backstory better than anyone. But it soon became clear that between the two of them it was the real thing. And while he’d been genuinely thrilled for his sister, he’d also felt the sting of envy. Of wishing that it was him who was falling in love and finding that perfect someone.
Now, he’d found her—but while Kelsey and Wyatt were all in, he and Beverly had limits. His limits.
“What?” she demanded, because there’d never been a time in his life that Kelsey didn’t read him perfectly.
“Honestly? I was just thinking about Beverly.”
She adjusted her legs under her as she turned on the couch to face him more directly. “It’s serious?”
“It’s heading toward serious. I think we both want serious.”
“Think?”
“Know,” he says. “She wants it as much as I do.”
“Good. She seems like a smart woman with great taste. Glad she proved it by falling for my brother.”
He rolled his eyes. If nothing else, Kelsey was his biggest cheerleader.
“Tonight’s the Crypto Games premiere, isn’t it?”
“Are you going?” he asked. Kelsey’s husband Wyatt was part of a huge Hollywood family and tended to have access to any and all parties and premieres.
“We were invited but turned it down. But I know a lot of folks who are going.” She listed a few familiar names from a Who’s Who in Hollywood and LA. “We’ve been on the road so much. But if you’re going we could change our plans…”
He shook his head. “I’m staying here. I’m the guy she comes home to.”
She put her hands behind her and leaned back. “Seriously? And you just started dating? I thought you liked her.”
“Are you kidding? Like only scratches the surface.”
“Then this is hardly the way to get off to a good start.”
“You’re one to talk. You and Wyatt got started when he hired you for a series of nude photos.”
“Actually, we got started long before that, and you know it. So let’s not go there, okay?”
“Dammit, I’m sorry.” She was right. She and Wyatt lost touch as teenagers because of him. Because he’d been an idiot with a match.
She exhaled, obviously readjusting her approach. “I get that you’re nervous. Uncomfortable. And I don’t blame you. But let me ask you this—does she want you there?”
“She understands why I don’t want to go.”
Her head tilted as she flashed a big sister look. “That wasn’t my question. Does. She. Want. You. There?”
He sighed. “Yeah.”
“So you’re starting your relationship by not being there on what is probably one of the most important nights of her life? Certainly it’s her biggest movie by far.”
“Kels…”
“Come on, Griff. Are you really going to tell me it doesn’t matter to her? Because I bet it does. And you know what? That’s a good thing. Caring, I mean. Do you care about her?”
He swallowed, her words making more sense than he wanted them too. “Of course.” His shoulders dipped. “I don’t want to fuck this up with her.”
“Good. Don’t.”
“But I also don’t want to walk down that red carpet and then see pictures of my face all over the trades tomorrow. That’s not me, Kelsey. You know it’s not.”
“I do.”
He heard the sympathy in her voice. “And it’s not like I can wear a formal hoodie.”
&n
bsp; A tiny grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I have an idea. What time is she coming back to change?”
“Around six.”
She flashed a stage-ready smile. “That should give us just enough time.”
Chapter Nine
Beverly lost her smile the second she stepped into the elevator, her cheeks screaming with relief. She’d been on for the last two hours, moving from conference room to conference room as she either spoke to large groups of media reps or did one-on-one interviews with the journalists whom the studio considered influencers.
At this point, all she wanted to do was go into the room, fall face down on the bed, and pass out.
Or, better, strip naked and let Griffin massage her back. She’d learned just how talented his hands were the other night, and she was craving his touch. So much that she’d actually zoned out in one of the interviews, only to be brought back to the present when her co-star had gently kicked her shin under the table.
Now, thank goodness, she had a full fifteen minutes of downtime before the dress would arrive along with the hair dresser and the makeup artist. Somedays, the hoopla that surrounded Beverly The Actress made her feel like a princess. Other days, it exhausted her.
Today, she wished it would all go away so she could veg on the couch with Griffin, watch any movie that she wasn’t in, then make love slowly by candlelight.
A nice fantasy, but not one that would happen tonight. Instead, she’d be going stag to her own movie premiere.
She told herself she understood, and she did.
But understanding didn’t erase the disappointment. And, yes, the fear. After all, she’d been in the front row as she watched the drama of her parents’ marriage disintegrating, torn apart by the distance—both emotional and physical—between them.
Her father had been a long haul pilot, her mother a stay at home mom. Her mother drank too much, and in later years Beverly realized that she drank to forget, or at least to dull the pain of her cheating husband, who, as the cliché went, had a woman in every port.
After her parents’ divorce, Beverly’s mother had told her that no man was worth losing your heart over. Beverly didn’t know if that was true or not, but where Griffin was concerned, she didn’t have a choice. She’d fallen so damn hard for him, and she believed that he’d fallen equally hard for her.
According to her mother, though, she and Beverly’s father had been head-over-heels when they’d first started out, too. But like erosion, time and distance had chipped away at the foundation of their marriage until it had no choice but to topple and break into a million pieces, too shattered to even try to repair.
Was that what she had to look forward to with Griffin?
No.
It was completely different. He was there for her. Hell, he was just a few floors up. So what if he wasn’t coming to the premiere, he was still there. Still ready to hold her afterwards, still willing to hear her stories.
But still…
It mattered. She didn’t want to tell him the stories, she wanted to live them with him. And yet she couldn’t beg. She could only be grateful for what he was able to give. He’d come all the way to LA with her, after all. And that was a lot.
Her thoughts in a jumble, she left the elevator and hurried to the room, hoping for at least a few minutes with him before the insanity of prep began. She slid her key over the magnetic lock, pushed open the heavy door, then stepped inside the well-appointed foyer.
“Bev?”
“It’s me,” she called. “Are you—”
The question caught in her throat as he stepped into the hallway, and her hand flew to her mouth as she took in what he wore. “Griffin?”
“Does your offer to go with me still stand?”
“Always, but—”
His mouth twitched as he fought a smile. “I couldn’t just wear my hoodie. I thought this might do. What do you think?” He turned in a circle, fashion show style, and she felt tears prick her eyes. He’d done this for her. Created an outfit suitable to hide his scars so that she’d have a date for her premiere.
He finished his turn and stood facing her. She studied the elegant silk suit, the raised collar of the suit coat, the black glove that concealed his right hand. She noticed the wig he wore so that it appeared that his hair brushed his shoulders, the right side hanging like a curtain to hide his scars. And the dark gray fedora, the brim tilted to provide additional coverage, along with the dark glasses.
He looked like a character in one of his stories, a wounded vigilante out to save the world. He looked a little ridiculous with the wig and the upturned collar. Mostly, though, he looked amazing. He looked like a man she could love.
“You did this for me?” Her throat was thick with tears.
“For us. It’s a little odd, I know. You okay being seen with me?”
She was too overcome to speak, but she nodded, tears staining her cheeks. She brushed them away, laughing as she sniffled. “Good thing someone’s coming to do my makeup. You’re sure?”
“Unless you’ve lined up another date.”
“Never.” She slid into his arms. There was no one else. How could there be? What man would ever give as much of himself to her as Griffin did?
“What changed your mind?” she asked.
“The thought of you. The wisdom of my sister.”
“Wisdom?”
“Well, the way she more or less called me an idiot. Rough, but probably wise.”
“I can’t wait to see her.”
“Soon. Right now, I want you to kiss me.”
“Perfect timing,” she said. “Once Becca gets here to work her magic, there will be no kissing. Can’t have smudges.”
“So many rules,” he said, before kissing her sweetly.
When they broke apart, she playfully tugged a strand of his wig.
“Like it?”
“If it keeps you beside me, I love it.”
His expression turned serious. “One thing—I don’t want anyone to know it’s me. They’ll track me down, start posting pictures. I can’t—”
“I get it. That’s fine. I’m just glad you’re here.” She pressed close to him, sighing with pleasure as she felt his heart beating against her. She’d been so worried about the long distance thing, about the parallels to her parents. And here he’d gone and erased those concerns with one fabulous, wonderful, ridiculous costume.
“I’m glad, too,” he said. “I couldn’t stay here knowing you were there.”
“This feels right,” she said on a sigh. “More than right.” She tilted her head up to look at him, then smiled. “It feels like a damn good omen.”
A velvet rope lined both sides of the red carpet leading up to the Pacific Theaters at The Grove in Los Angeles where Crypto Games was celebrating its star-studded premiere. Fans and paparazzi lined the barrier, all trying to get a peek or a picture.
Griffin walked toward the inside, Beverly’s arm tucked in his.
She looked as beautiful as he’d ever seen her. Her dark hair was piled onto her head, and a thin wire dotted with diamonds had been woven through the curls, making the style sparkle in the light. Her dress was strapless and form-fitting, highlighting her perfect figure, the thigh-high slit accentuating her sensational legs. Her make-up was perfect, giving her the look of a Hollywood beauty from the Golden Age, elegant and coiffed and entirely sophisticated.
It was sexy as hell, and Griffin still couldn’t quite believe that this spectacular vision of a woman was on his arm. Even more that she wanted to be there.
Now, she held onto him as she waved and blew kisses to the fans. Griffin didn’t follow suit; instead, he kept his head down, noticing more about the texture of the carpet than he did about the fans, the surroundings, or the elegant attire of his other companions on the red carpet.
A few fans called out to Beverly, wanting to know who her escort was, but she either ignored the questions or replied that he was her sexy secret. A response that was good for his ego, but m
ade him fear that someone might try to discover the man behind the mystery.
Hoping to forestall that possibility, he kept his attention diverted, almost wishing that she hadn’t talked about good omens earlier, because now he was looking for bad ones.
“Doing okay?” she asked as they approached the step and repeat where the actors and other celebrities stood to be photographed, often with their escorts. In this case, Griffin stood back.
As he did, Christopher Deaver stepped in, taking Beverly’s arm. “You look positively radiant,” the slim, gray-haired man said, drawing her in for a kiss on the cheek. A kiss that had Griffin seeing red. Smoothly, Deaver stepped in beside Beverly, taking a photo with her before leaving her to her solo shot.
When they’d moved off the staging area, Deaver shot a glance toward Griffin. “I suppose I should return you to your escort. Although I swear, if you were solo tonight, I’d steal you away for myself.”
“You always know how to flatter a woman,” she said. “That’s what makes you such a good director.”
“And you always know just how to respond. That’s what makes you a pleasure to work with.” He kissed her hand, then nodded toward Griffin before disappearing inside the theater, for another short reception before the film actually began.
And as he walked away, Griffin felt a cold green ribbon of jealousy curling inside him.
Once they’d entered the lobby, he grabbed a glass of wine for each of them, downed his, then replaced it with another.
She frowned, then leaned close. “Are you okay?”
“Just taking advantage of the refreshments.”
She watched him for a moment, and he wanted to call back the words. Hell, he wanted to call back the last half hour. Jealousy wasn’t something he was used to, probably because he’d never before believed that he actually had enough of a hold on something that he couldn’t lose it. But with her…
God, how quickly he’d come to think of her as his. And seeing her now through another man’s eyes only underscored how much he had to lose. And how easy it would be to lose it.
