Course of Action

by Gun Brooke

  “Fine, thanks. Before I forget, I’ve got something for you.” Carolyn reached into her bag. “Here are your copies.”

  “The contracts?” Annelie put them in her briefcase.

  “Signed, sealed, and delivered,” Carolyn quipped. “When I went by Grey’s office, I realized how many plans I have to change to do these movies. It’s a good thing I’d put off committing to any major projects after my last season.”

  “I’m glad you were available. I did check your schedule before I offered you the role, though. Just to be sure you wouldn’t delay the project.”

  “I’ve never broken a contract in my life, but this could have been a first.”

  Annelie wrinkled her nose at the cheeky gleam in Carolyn’s eyes. Knowing Carolyn’s reputation for complete professionalism, she doubted it.

  “Speaking of contracts,” Carolyn continued, “I’m so glad to be working with some of the audiobook cast, especially Harvey and Helen.” She paused. “Did they know during the convention?”

  “Actually, they signed a few weeks ago, but they have a confidentiality clause too. Choosing Diana Maddox was the last piece of the puzzle. Your performance at the convention ended any doubts on that score.”

  “Thank you. So, how was your morning?”

  “Very productive. We’re trying to start new homeless shelters in several cities. It’s just typical that several of my pet projects come to a critical point simultaneously.” Annelie smiled and cocked her head. “And before you ask, yes, you’re one of them.”

  Not sure how Carolyn would take the joke, she was delighted when the other woman tossed her head back and laughed. Several heads in the restaurant turned, and Annelie suddenly felt proud to be the one there with Carolyn. Of all the people who adored Carolyn Black, Annelie was the one who’d spent the night with her and was the center of her attention.

  “So I’m a pet project.” Carolyn grinned. “Well, I take that as a true compliment.”

  “Good. Now, have you ordered?”

  “No, I waited for you. I peeked at the menu, though. The pasta looks tempting, but I don’t know…Should I start watching my weight again?”

  “Absolutely not. You’re perfect, and if you’re thinking of the role, remember your character is a real woman, not a supermodel.”

  Carolyn raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips. “So you mean I shouldn’t try to look like something I’m not?”

  Appalled before realizing Carolyn was yanking her chain, Annelie groaned. “Funny. You know what I mean. Be yourself. A little more you, a little less Carolyn Black.”

  As soon as she’d said the words, Annelie understood something about her final casting decision. It was not Carolyn’s glamorous public persona that made her ideal for Maddox; it was her private self, the woman Annelie was coming to know. The fact that Carolyn could thrill the film’s target audience would certainly help convince distributors to get on board with her, but the role itself needed the real person.

  To her surprise, Annelie felt a soft caress along her stocking-clad leg under the table. Staring at Carolyn, she didn’t see any indication the other woman was guilty of the furtive touch. “What are you up to?” she murmured, opening the menu.

  “Me? Nothing. Except being myself, of course.”

  The foot kept up the caress, well hidden by the long white tablecloth. When it reached her knee, Annelie quickly grabbed it and tickled underneath. Watching Carolyn bite her lower lip, probably to keep from giggling, she let go after a stern look. “Behave.”

  “I would’ve, if you hadn’t winked at me when you said it,” Carolyn replied sweetly, but relented. “Okay, for now.”

  Amazed at Carolyn’s unexpected playful side, Annelie tried to focus on the menu. Glancing up, she caught Carolyn looking at her with a warm expression.

  “Are you going to the next convention?” Carolyn asked after they ordered pasta. “I went over the next month of commitments with Grey, and Los Angeles is coming up in less than four weeks.”

  “Yes, I’ll be there. I haven’t been to California in quite a while, so it’ll be fun.”

  “I think so too. I usually stay there several months a year when I’m filming, but I haven’t been at all this year.”

  Annelie gazed at her. “Do I take it you’d like me to be there?”

  “Of course I would. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be with.”

  Feeling warmed inside by Carolyn’s remark, Annelie fought to keep the exchange casual. “I’ll arrange for all of us to travel from LaGuardia. This time, the crew from Florida won’t go. Jem told me they’re up to their necks with work. She sounded exhausted.” Annelie shook her head.

  “Jem’s a good friend of yours from way back, isn’t she?”

  Annelie nodded. “I’ve known her since I was nineteen. When I moved to New York, she followed suit, and we shared an apartment the first months. And, no, Jem and I were never lovers.” She smiled at Carolyn’s sheepish look.

  “I wasn’t going to ask.”

  “But you wondered.”

  “Yes.”

  Annelie appreciated the honest reply and, slipping out of her shoes, gently tapped one of Carolyn’s feet, making her jump. “It’s okay to be interested.”

  As they ate in silence for a few minutes, Annelie wondered how much Carolyn knew of her past, how much Jared might have told her.

  “What about you? Who’s your oldest friend?” Annelie broke the silence.

  Carolyn looked surprised. She opened her mouth as if to answer, but hesitated. “I guess my sister Beth is my best friend.”

  “I always wanted a brother or a sister.” Annelie’s voice was wistful. “I grew up in a neighborhood with lots of children, though. There was always someone to play with.”

  Carolyn only nodded and smiled. “I was a very serious child. I didn’t have much time to play.”

  Though this last statement sparked Annelie’s interest, she realized this wasn’t the time or place to pursue it. She and Carolyn would have plenty of time to get to know each other.

  “About dinner tonight…” Annelie began, her eyes narrowing at Carolyn’s expectant look.

  “Yes?”

  Carolyn seemed as anxious about the future of their relationship as she was. “Is it okay if we just stay at the apartment? I’d planned for us to eat out, but on second thought, perhaps we need our privacy to talk.”

  Carolyn seemed to relax. “I like the idea of having you to myself.” Blushing faintly, she paused before continuing. “Do you want me to…stay the night?”

  “I’d love for you to stay, just like last night.”

  “All right.” Carolyn leaned back against the leather backrest. “When do you want me?”

  Annelie wanted to groan out loud at the other woman’s ability to talk in double entendres. Not convinced Carolyn was unaware of it, she pushed her empty plate aside and leaned in closer across the table.

  “Any time after seven o’clock.”

  *

  Carolyn leaned down and let her fingertip lightly bounce along Annelie’s CD collection. Jazz, classical, musicals, pop, and rock—Annelie had an eclectic taste in music. She selected Ella Fitzgerald, one of her favorite singers, letting the legendary voice calm her nerves.

  “Good choice,” Annelie said as she entered the living room carrying two large coffee mugs. “Want to sit out on the balcony?”

  “Sure, it’s a nice evening.”

  Annelie placed the coffee on a small table in front of a cane furniture suite and then walked over to a console by the door. After she pressed a few buttons, Ella’s voice drowned out the distant noise of the traffic. Carolyn sat down on the soft cushions.

  “Not too loud? Good.” Annelie sat next to Carolyn. “It’s been a while since I’ve been out here. I try to stay in Florida as much as I can, but I make sure the apartment is ready at a moment’s notice.”

  “The view’s wonderful.” Carolyn reached for a mug and sipped the strong coffee. “Mmm, I needed this.”
>
  Annelie tilted her head to one side. “So, is it beginning to sink in yet—you playing Maddox?”

  “Yes, and I meant to ask you, is it okay if I tell Beth and Joe? They won’t tell anyone.”

  “That’s fine. I trust your judgment. Does your sister know you were interested in the role?”

  “I’m not sure, really. Our conversations have mostly been about her recently. So giving her something else to think about is probably a good thing.”

  Annelie angled her body toward Carolyn, pulling one leg up underneath her. “What does your sister do for a living?”

  “Beth’s a registered nurse.”

  “A nurse? She must possess a special kind of strength.”

  Carolyn stopped with the mug halfway to her mouth. “Yes,” she said, “I think you’re right. I guess I’m rather protective where she’s concerned, since I raised her.”

  “I can understand that. What’s her husband like?”

  “Joe’s a great guy and adores Beth and Pamela. He’s not overly impressed with my fame, either, which makes it possible to talk to him like a human being. Actually, he treats me more like a sister than John does.”

  “John’s an artist, isn’t he?”

  “Yes. I haven’t seen him in a while. His choice more than mine. When he’s in one of his creative phases, he treats me like a leper. You know, I’m so commercial I might contaminate his process.” Carolyn smirked. “Personally, I think he’s going through either a midlife crisis or a seriously delayed puberty.”

  Annelie smiled but didn’t avert her eyes. “That’s hard to take, isn’t it?”

  Carolyn shrugged. “Jokes aside, it feels like a rejection. I’ve always been proud of him and for some reason…” Her voice trailed off. “I’m not so sure he feels the same way.”

  Annelie reached out and took Carolyn’s hand. “You have every reason to be proud of your success.”

  “Thanks, and I am. I’ve worked hard. Sometimes John seems to think I worked too hard at mothering him and Beth over the years. He was really angry after our father died.”

  “That was a long time ago.”

  “Yes, but he’s still stubborn as a mule. It was easier with Beth. She just remembers losing one parent, not two.”

  Annelie pulled Carolyn’s head onto her shoulder and encircled her with an arm. Resting her chin on Carolyn’s head, she said in a low voice, “I know what it’s like to lose a parent. My mother died when I was seventeen. In my case, my only parent.”

  “What about your father?”

  “He left us when I was a little girl. I have no idea where he is. Sometimes I wonder, but I try not to dwell on it.”

  “That’s so sad, Annelie. I’m sorry.” Carolyn relaxed against her, inhaling the faint smell of lemon and enjoying the soft warmth of Annelie’s skin above the neckline of her T-shirt.

  “Have you thought about what we discussed last night?” Annelie asked. “About us?”

  Annelie’s faint tone of caution worried Carolyn. “Yes, but I wanted to tell you this first. I slept better last night than I have in a long time. Sure, I woke up a few times and didn’t know where I was. But when I felt your arms around me, I went right back to sleep.”

  Full lips pressed against her hair, making Carolyn sigh and wrap one arm around Annelie’s waist.

  “I thought about you all day at work,” Annelie murmured. “Margo picked up on it. She knows me so well. I told her about you. No details, of course, but she knows I’m interested. You don’t have to worry. She’d never tell anyone.”

  “Does she know it’s mutual?”

  Annelie paused briefly. “Yes.”

  Carolyn tipped her head back, wanting to see Annelie’s face. “What did she say?”

  “That I should give you a chance. Give us a chance, really. She told me to form my own opinion about you.”

  “Smart lady. I like her.”

  “Margo isn’t easily swayed. I could tell she was impressed by you. And I was too. It took a lot of courage to come find me yesterday.”

  Carolyn felt her cheeks grow warm. “I had to.”

  Raising a hand, Annelie traced her lover’s lower lip. Suddenly finding it hard to catch her breath, Carolyn opened her mouth and inhaled deeply.

  “So…” Carolyn’s voice trailed off as she tried to focus. “What did you think…when you thought about me today?” She was afraid of the answer.

  Annelie’s hair tumbled down over her right shoulder as she turned her head to one side. As her fingers traced the arch of Carolyn’s left eyebrow, she murmured, “Hearing your voice first thing in the morning. Waking up in the night, snuggled up behind you, how easily I could—” Annelie broke off.

  “Could what?” Carolyn coaxed after a minute of silence.

  “Could get used to you being there.”

  Tenderness overflowing at Annelie’s apprehensive tone, Carolyn raised both hands to cup her face. “Oh, Annie,” she whispered. “I don’t know what to say to reassure you. I just know how right this feels, how much I want to hold on to you.”

  “What if you decide this isn’t for you after all? What if you stumble on a man who can give you everything? What if another role comes along and you…It would hurt me so much, Carolyn. I don’t think I could take it.”

  She knew Annelie’s fear was talking, so Carolyn placed her fingertips over her lips. “Shh.” Shifting on the couch, she pulled Annelie closer. “Life doesn’t offer many guarantees. But I can’t imagine ever feeling this way about anyone else, male or female. I’ve never felt this way before.”

  The tiny light that appeared in Annelie’s eyes encouraged Carolyn to continue.

  “There will always be roles I want, and I’ll probably be prepared to walk through fire to get them. But I promise I won’t do anything without talking with you.

  “Doing the Maddox films, I’ll have the luxury of being financially independent, so I can wait and pick the roles I really want. You know…I dream of going onstage again, doing a play, maybe in a small format.”

  “So, no big productions after Maddox?”

  “Oh, I never say never—perhaps, if the script and the circumstances are right. I simply can’t imagine doing anything that doesn’t involve you.” Carolyn felt tears sting behind her eyelids. “I’m beginning to understand I don’t have to run anymore.”

  “What do you mean, run?”

  “I’ve run to or from things so many times. I admit it’s a rare feeling, and I’m a little afraid, but it feels so good to be where I want to be.”

  “And where is that?” Annelie asked gently.

  Carolyn tipped her head back, looking into the ice blue eyes. “Here, in your arms, in your life.” Unable to resist, she took Annelie’s hand and raised it to her lips, placing a soft kiss on the fingertips.

  Annelie’s eyes darkened, her lips parting as she inhaled deeply. “Carolyn,” she murmured and slid her fingers along Carolyn’s cheek, moving up into her hair.

  Closing her eyes, Carolyn felt satin-smooth lips brush her forehead, dip down to kiss her eyelids, then follow her nose, only to bypass her lips. Annelie nuzzled her cheeks, kissing her way down Carolyn’s neck and making her sigh when pleasure rippled down her spine.

  “Oh, God…don’t tease,” Carolyn breathed. “Kiss me.” She opened her eyes enough to see the desire in Annelie’s before her lover claimed her mouth.

  Carolyn’s eyes fluttered shut again when she parted her lips, allowing Annelie access. Tongues met, played, and tasted the softness, their passion overwhelming. Carolyn drew Annelie closer and felt strong hands move over her back and pull her silk blouse loose from her slacks. With slow caresses Annelie stroked up and down underneath her clothes. Wanting to experience the same, Carolyn slid her arms down along Annelie’s back.

  As she suddenly remembered how Annelie had avoided her touch in Orlando, Carolyn stopped and held her breath. Feeling utterly clumsy, she withdrew, ending the kiss.

  Annelie didn’t let go completely, but gave Car
olyn some space. “You okay?”

  “Yes.”

  Annelie scrutinized her. “Really? I can see there’s something.”

  Carolyn swallowed hard and tried to smile, failing miserably. “I’m sorry, I…I want to touch you, but I was afraid you’d pull back, like before.” Her heart pounded in her chest, as she waited to see how Annelie would react. To her surprise, Annelie rose from the couch, still holding her hands.

  “Come with me. It’s getting chilly out here. No, no, leave the coffee—it can wait till tomorrow.”

  Silently, Annelie circled Carolyn’s shoulders with her arm and guided her toward the bedroom. The room was lit by two small bedside lamps, which cast a soft glow on the walls. Stopping at the foot of the bed, Annelie turned toward Carolyn and held her gently at half an arm’s length.

  “I wasn’t about to pull back, not this time. We agreed to take things slow, as slow as it takes to still feel comfortable, but you can still touch me any way you want.”

  Her mouth suddenly dry, Carolyn tried to moisten her lips with the tip of her tongue. “I feel clumsy.”

  “You’re not.” Annelie pulled Carolyn’s arms around her waist. “Here. Hold me.” She buried both her hands in Carolyn’s hair.

  Carolyn rubbed her cheek against Annelie’s shoulder, again inhaling the faint scent of her citrus soap. Her hands slipped under the T-shirt, and she spread her fingers wide, trying to feel as much of Annelie’s smooth skin as possible. Stroking up and down along her back, she reveled in how exquisite Annelie felt. Carolyn moved her hands up farther, finding the clasp to Annelie’s bra. Her fingers lingered there, carefully examining it.

  “You can unhook it, if you want,” Annelie whispered, gently pulling Carolyn’s head back, kissing her lips.

  Carolyn gave a muted gasp but managed to undo the white lace bra. With no obstacle in the way, she slid her hands up and down the satiny skin. “You feel wonderful,” she murmured. “Simply wonderful.”

  Annelie let go of Carolyn for a moment and pulled her own T-shirt over her head, taking her bra along with it.

  All Carolyn could do was look. Annelie’s full breasts were pale compared to the rest of her slightly tanned body, with plump, pink nipples, now pebbled and, she hoped, eager to be touched. Carolyn lifted her gaze, looking up at Annelie, who stood there half naked, with her hair tousled, trusting her.