by Jackie D.
She worked her way to each end of the stage, making sure to touch as many people’s hands as possible. She glanced up at the large screens on either side of the stage. Images of Audrey running through a post-apocalyptic world filled the screen. The dancers behind her mimicked the different fight scenes during the chorus.
Harlow found Audrey in the crowd. Everyone else’s attention flickered between Harlow, the dancers, and the screen, but Audrey was laser-focused on her. She loved it when Audrey watched her, but there was so much charge in her stare now. Audrey was the only person in the room. She was down at her end of the stage, and it was like she was singing just to her. Flashes of her music studio slipped through her mind, and she couldn’t stop smiling. Audrey had the same look on her face, and Harlow wondered if she was reliving the same memory.
She reached the end of the song, and the lights went down again. The other stage where an award would be announced lit up. Harlow jogged off the stage with the dancers. People handed her water and a towel and ushered her away to set up for the next performance.
She hurried over to the other stage, where the next category was being announced for Favorite Face of Heroism. The names were listed, and Harlow knew the cameras were honing in on each to capture their reaction to the winner. She held her breath.
“And the winner for Favorite Face of Heroism is,” the announcer said, allowing for a pause to open the envelope. “Audrey Knox.”
Harlow tried to hear Audrey’s acceptance speech, but there was so much noise backstage, she couldn’t make out the words. She waited to congratulate Audrey, unconcerned about needing to be back in her seat or whatever else the stage directors were trying to get her to do.
Audrey came backstage and walked directly toward Harlow as people pulled the award from her hands and offered their praise. “You waited for me.”
Harlow hugged her. “Of course, I did. Congratulations, you were amazing in the role.”
“Thank you,” Audrey said as she buried her face in Harlow’s neck. “Your performance was outstanding, too, by the way.”
“I missed you.” Harlow knew she’d been hugging her for too long, but she didn’t want to release her.
Audrey ran her hands along Harlow’s back. “I missed you too.”
A stagehand informed them both they needed to move along, so Harlow reluctantly moved back.
Audrey kissed her cheek. “See you at the after-party.”
Harlow nodded because she didn’t trust her voice. She hated herself when Audrey walked away. She hated not being able to kiss her. But if she was honest with herself, that was her doing. She was the only one who could do anything about it. She only thought about running the idea past her brother for a split second. Not everything was up to Casper.
Chapter Twenty-two
Casper, who would’ve normally insisted that he escort her to any public party, had made an excuse to leave. He’d seem agitated and checked his phone constantly. She was going to ask him what was going on, but she also didn’t want to give him a reason to stay. She wanted to spend this time with Audrey without his interference.
Harlow had kept an eye on the entrance, hoping to catch Audrey early. That idea was foiled by a rather persistent movie producer who wanted to discuss a project he wanted her to work on the music for. This is why you keep Casper around at these things.
“Oh, Steve, give Ms. Thorne a break. She just won an award for the last song she worked on for a movie. Let her bask in the excitement for a few hours before you lock her into something else.” Audrey stepped up next to her at the table.
Audrey’s arrival was such a welcome reprieve that Harlow almost hugged her without concern for anything they’d discussed before. She’d been waiting for this time together, and now that it was here, she had very little patience for interference. It wouldn’t have mattered if she’d been talking to Brad Pitt, she still would’ve wanted to shoo him away.
“Audrey,” he said as he tipped his wine glass toward her. “Congratulations on your two wins as well. You’re quite the commodity right now.”
Audrey clinked her glass against his. “Do you mind if I borrow Ms. Thorne for a moment? We need to discuss some upcoming press.”
Bless her.
He looked disappointed but took his leave. “Have a good evening. I’ll contact your managers.”
Harlow kissed Audrey on the cheek. “Thank you. Casper normally gets me out of those predicaments.”
Audrey squeezed her hand. “It was a selfish move. I wanted you to myself. Although it was slightly entertaining to watch him fall all over himself.” She leaned closer and kept her voice low. “But if I can get my production company off the ground, I’m going to make you promise to give me a song for our first movie.”
“It was a great idea when you told me about it a few days ago, and it’s an even better one now that I know you’re interested in using me.” She winked. “I love your dress, by the way. It makes you look every bit the badass.” Harlow traced her finger up Audrey’s side to her arm.
She knew the touch was more intimate than what they’d agreed to, but she didn’t care. The desire to touch Audrey was overwhelming, and she didn’t care what looks it elicited.
Audrey glanced at Harlow’s finger with a subtle look of confusion. “I wore it hoping you’d want to take it off me.”
Harlow slid her hand behind Audrey’s back, pulling her closer. “Where’s your mom?”
Audrey still looked confused, but she didn’t protest. “She went home. She’s not a fan of the after-parties.” Audrey looked around. “You know people are staring at us.”
Harlow nodded but couldn’t stop looking at Audrey’s lips. “I don’t care.”
“Are you sure? We can always just go back to my house. We don’t have to be together in public.”
Harlow contemplated her options. If she wanted to continue to avoid questions, they should leave immediately. Then she thought back to what it felt like at the show. She hadn’t been able to be with Audrey the way she wanted. She hadn’t been able to support her or kiss her. She didn’t want that with Audrey. She didn’t want to pretend she was something she wasn’t. She wanted Audrey, and she didn’t care who knew it. And Audrey knew what she was getting into.
Harlow rested her cheek against Audrey’s. “I’ve been reconsidering that whole agreement. I don’t mind answering a few questions if you don’t.”
Audrey smiled against her cheek. “I don’t mind at all.” She took Harlow’s hand. “How about a drink?”
Audrey tugged Harlow through the crowd to a table near the bar. Harlow was accustomed to people staring at her when she was in their proximity. She was used to the whispers and the pointing, but this felt different. This would be the first time she’d be publicly linked to anyone, and it wouldn’t just be speculation. It didn’t feel the way she thought it would. She’d pictured herself being uncomfortable, or at least a little more timid. But Audrey made her feel brave, even emboldened. She just hoped it would be the same for her.
She still wasn’t ready to make a public announcement to define what they were to one another. She fiercely guarded her personal life and wanted to keep it that way. She knew the questions would start as they always did when she was spotted with someone. She expected it, and so did Audrey—that’s how their lives worked. But she didn’t want their relationship to overshadow Audrey’s movie or her tour.
Audrey handed her a whiskey. “You okay?”
Harlow took a sip of the amber liquid and let it warm her throat. “I just don’t want us being together in public to derail anything for either of us.” She wished she could take it back as soon as she said it. It sounded shallow and heartless—even if that wasn’t how she meant it.
Audrey raised her left eyebrow and leaned closer. “What could possibly go wrong? The press becoming overly obsessed and not covering my movie or your tour and only focusing on whether we’re together?”
Harlow sighed in relief. “I was scared you’d think I was
shallow. But of course, you get it.”
Audrey glanced to the other side of the room. “When Tia and I got together, she ended up getting three television spots because of the increased press coverage.” There was a bit of pain and irritation in her eyes.
“I don’t want to be on television, nor do I ever want to be in a movie.”
Audrey smiled as she ran her hand down Harlow’s arm. “Perfect. I don’t want to sing in front of thousands of people.”
“Look at us, solving all the hard problems up front.”
“And people say relationships are hard,” Audrey said as she smiled. She took the glass from Harlow’s hand and set it on the table. “Come dance with me.”
A few hours later, they were waiting in the glass-enclosed lobby for their cars. Harlow had dreaded this moment all night. She had no desire to be away from Audrey for a minute more than she had to be, but they hadn’t discussed what would happen at the end of the night. It wasn’t like in Monterey, where they were holed up from the rest of the world. Paparazzi cameras were flashing nonstop, and there were plenty of people watching, undoubtedly wondering if they’d get in the same vehicle.
Audrey glanced at the paparazzi and tucked her hair behind her ear. She looked as if she wanted to say something but didn’t. Harlow realized she probably didn’t want to push her to do something she wasn’t comfortable with in public.
Harlow grabbed her hand. “Come home with me.”
Audrey’s smile was immediate. “Do you want me to meet you there?”
Harlow felt no hesitation now. “No, my driver will take us.”
The driver opened the back passenger door, and Audrey and Harlow hurried into the car, ignoring the questions about where they were going together. The driver said it would be thirty minutes to get to Harlow’s place and rolled up the privacy barrier.
“How are you feeling? You okay?” Audrey’s face was full of concern.
It hurt Harlow to think Audrey was feeling unsure about how she felt about her or the decision to spend time together in public. There were millions of words available to articulate her feelings. She could string several of them together in a sentence and hope her point was made, but it didn’t seem sufficient.
She slid her hand behind Audrey’s neck and pulled her closer. “My only regret is not kissing you as soon as I saw you in this dress.”
Audrey smiled as she kissed her. The kiss was sweet and slow. It was filled with a tenderness that Harlow couldn’t quite pinpoint. Audrey deepened it, pulling Harlow further into the moment. She’d wanted to be this close to Audrey all night, and now she couldn’t wait until they got back to her place.
Audrey pulled away and picked up her purse. “Sorry. This thing won’t stop buzzing.” She pulled out her phone.
“Everything okay?” Harlow gently rubbed Audrey’s arm.
Audrey turned the phone off and put it back in her purse. “Just my agent telling me to look at Twitter.”
“Do you need to check it?” Harlow’s pulse quickened, thinking about what people could already be saying.
Audrey ran her hand over Harlow’s face and through her hair. “Not tonight. We only have a few hours. I’ll deal with it tomorrow.”
Harlow watched Audrey’s eyes. She needed to know if that sentiment was sincere. All she saw looking back was blatant honesty and desire. She leaned into Audrey’s palm and kissed her wrist.
“What time do you have to leave tomorrow?” Audrey whispered.
“I have to be on my plane by seven.”
Audrey shifted her wrist to bring the gold watch face around to the front. “You have five hours to make sure I don’t forget you while you’re gone.”
Harlow laughed. “Is that so?”
Audrey kissed her. “Wasting time, superstar.”
The car rolled to a stop, and the driver came around to open the door. “Have a pleasant evening, Ms. Thorne.”
“You too, Thomas. I’ll see you in the morning,” she said to him, but she couldn’t pull her eyes away from Audrey.
The low light inside her room cast shadows across Audrey’s face. Harlow had always thought Audrey was beautiful, but there was something different when they were alone. Her flawless features had been a part of her quick rise to fame. Her long neck and perfect jawline seemed like the work of an artist. Her pursuit of movie stardom in the genre of action films had sculpted her body like a goddess. But when they were alone together, she softened. Like every protective wall fell away to reveal the gentle, sweet beauty underneath that she reserved just for Harlow.
Audrey slid her hands down the front of Harlow’s jacket and released the front button. She pushed it off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Harlow watched as Audrey’s pulse quickened under the skin of her neck as she pulled Harlow’s shirt over her head. Harlow reached around Audrey’s back and slid the zipper down. Audrey stepped out of her dress to reveal her black lace bra and underwear.
Harlow’s emotions were on overdrive as Audrey pulled her in to kiss her. She loved how her soft skin felt pressed against her body. Harlow had been with dozens of beautiful women over the years, but none of them compared to this. She had never been so utterly dominated by someone’s touch or presence. She didn’t ever want it to stop.
She hadn’t tasted Audrey in weeks, and the sweetness on her lips was better than she’d remembered. She tasted like champagne and chocolate, like desire and home. Her skin was soft and warm. Harlow ran her lips down the soft expanse of her neck to her shoulders. She smiled against Audrey’s skin when she felt her shudder.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you touching me,” Audrey said as she ran her hands through Harlow’s hair.
Audrey pulled her down onto the bed and took one of her nipples in her mouth. Harlow closed her eyes and groaned at the excruciating pleasure that surged through her body. She bit down on Audrey’s shoulder as her hand slid down between her legs.
“I missed you.” Harlow managed to choke out between breaths.
Audrey slid her fingers inside Harlow. “Show me.”
She pushed against Audrey, and everything in her felt like it was lit on fire as Audrey started her gentle rhythm. The orgasm was building inside her, but it was much too fast. She wanted more of Audrey. She wanted all of her. She maneuvered their bodies and forced Audrey onto her back. She pulled away and smiled at the groan of protest that escaped Audrey’s lips.
She slid her mouth over Audrey’s ribs toward her stomach. She quivered and moved against her as she continued her exploration down her body. When she finally reached Audrey’s sex, she heard Audrey whimper.
“Put your mouth on me.”
Harlow did as she was told and was rewarded with a gasp. She slid her tongue along her hot center, loving every blissful second. She drew it out as long as she could, but Audrey’s body was urging her to move faster. Her hips moved under her mouth, begging for more. Harlow knew with a bit more pressure she’d push Audrey over the edge, and when she begged for release, Harlow did just that. Audrey’s tumble into her orgasm dragged Harlow along. She’d never climaxed while pleasuring someone else, but she was quickly discovering that Audrey offered her an array of firsts that went far beyond the physical.
She climbed up next to her and continued to lazily stroke Audrey’s flushed skin. She kissed the back of her neck and loved the quiet hum Audrey offered. She knew there would be more of this tonight. She could already feel her arousal building again, but she wanted to enjoy all the moments she had with Audrey. These times in between, where they lingered somewhere between love and passion, were some of her favorites. Audrey had made Harlow want things she never thought she could have.
Chapter Twenty-three
Audrey drew small circles on Harlow’s back as she listened to her rhythmic breathing. She looked over at the neon numbers glowing next to her and sighed. She picked up Harlow’s hand and kissed her knuckles.
They’d only fallen asleep an hour before, and Audrey knew she was going to b
e wrecked for the remainder of the day. She smiled as she buried her face deeper into the pillow. She’d be blissfully wrecked and wouldn’t change a single second of it. Sex with Harlow was fantastic, but more than the sex was becoming addictive. The way Harlow looked underneath her when she came. The primal possessiveness that spilled out when Harlow would bite down on her shoulder, too overcome with desire to hold back. The way she’d say her name when she was right on the brink. Audrey loved all of it and couldn’t get enough.
Harlow turned her head to look at her. “What time is it?”
Audrey kissed her forehead. “We need to get up if you’re going to make your plane.”
Harlow scooted up and buried her face in Audrey’s neck. “Seven days until San Jose.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Audrey forced herself into a sitting position.
“You better not. Those tickets are expensive.” Harlow slid behind her and wrapped her arms around her. She kissed her shoulder. “You’d be costing me.”
Audrey laughed and kissed her cheek. “I don’t want to be the reason you end up destitute.”
“I know. I’d have to go live in your pool house.” Harlow released her and walked to her closet.
Audrey felt the absence of her body and wished for the millionth time they had more time together. She made her way over to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. Harlow pulled a drawer open and handed her a toothbrush.
“Thank you.” Audrey eyed Harlow up and down. “Put some clothes on before I make you late.”
Harlow smiled and handed her sweats and a shirt. “I figured you’d want these to wear home. As hot as that dress is, I bet you don’t want to put it on right now.” She walked past her. “Don’t follow me into the shower, or I’ll never get out of here on time.”
“I could think of worse reasons to be late,” Audrey said as Harlow stepped into the large shower. “There’s enough room for three people in there.”