by Jillian Dodd
"Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"
Still keeps running.
A stitch in my side causes me to stop and catch my breath.
I'm getting ready to yell at the top of my lungs when he stops.
Turns around.
And, ohmifuckingosh, it's him.
I think.
Maybe?
Most of the night is so blurry I don't remember, but I do remember how he looked in the morning.
"Well, well," he says, strutting up to me. "Long time no see."
There's sweat running down the middle of his chest. I find myself mesmerized by it and watch it roll between his pecs and down through his well-defined abs.
And his abs are as delicious as I remember. I want to have a picnic on them.
"What are you doing here?" he asks me.
"What are you doing on my beach? Are you stalking me?" I accuse.
"Uh, I think you're the one screaming like a maniac all the way down the beach."
"You heard me?"
He shrugs, pulling the towel from around his neck and patting it across his chest.
God, I want to be that towel.
"What are you doing here?" I ask again, mostly because I can't think of anything else to say.
He points down at his tan, shirtless, buff-ass body and says, "Running? What are you doing here, Hotass?"
"I live here. And I've been trying to find you and no one knows a Ben Smith. I even looked at the guest list."
He smirks at me. "Missed me so much you're going over the guest list? I bet there was no Ashley Simmons on it either."
I fold my arms across my chest and huff, "Why were you at the wedding?"
"Because I was invited," he replies smugly.
"Harper and Maddox don't know who you are."
He grabs my hand and looks pointedly at the ring on my finger. Why the hell did I put it on this morning?
"I'm glad to see you're still wearing it." He holds his hand up and flashes a wedding band. "Me too."
"What the hell is up with that? Why would you spend like a quarter million dollars on a ring for me?"
"Two rings, actually. I got you both a wedding and an engagement ring." He touches my face tenderly. I wasn't prepared for it. "You deserved the perfect rings."
I back away from him, all of a sudden feeling pissed. "Tell me your real name."
"If you wouldn't have ditched me in Vegas, you'd already know my name."
Smart ass.
"I panicked," I tell him.
"Your problem."
Carter Crawford sticks his head out of a nearby house and yells, "Bacon's ready, bro."
Bro? It sinks in. Why he looks familiar.
"Are you his brother!?"
He shrugs.
I point my finger at him. "Tell me your name!"
"Cash Crawford. My parents saved the best for last."
I punch him in the chest.
"Ouch," he mutters.
I throw my arms up in the air and start screaming and stomping in the sand. "What the fuck? Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I can't even fucking believe this. Fuck me!"
He grabs my arm and puts his smug face close to mine. Even though he's sweaty, he still smells good.
"You wanna fuck, Hotass, all you have to do is ask."
"I don't want to fuck you. I want to fucking kill you! Why didn't you tell me you were my agent's brother? And we were on Carter's plane and you never said a word!" I throw my hands out to my sides. "For god sakes, I've kissed Carter."
"I won't hold that against you. It's hard to resist the Crawford charm."
"How many of you are there?"
"Just Cade, Carter, our sister, Chloe, and me. And, thankfully, you didn't do anything but kiss Carter, because that would have been awkward at Christmas."
Oh, he makes me mad. "But you told me you're from Seattle!"
"You asked where I lived. I'm from here originally, but I live in Seattle. But don't worry, I won't be here long."
My face drops, the anger sliding out of my body as disappointment takes over. "You're leaving?"
"I'm getting my own place."
"Where?"
"Not sure. I haven't gotten that far yet."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you said you wanted a no-names, one-night thing."
"And you were okay with that?" I huff.
"Yeah, sure. Why not?"
I look at him with disgust. "You're a pig."
"Takes two to have a roll in the mud, Hotass."
I point toward myself. "Take a look at my face. Can you see how pissed I am?"
"I see how cute you are." He leans to the side and looks behind me. "And you have a mighty fine--"
"Oh my god. Stop looking at my ass!"
He gives me a sexy smirk and rakes his teeth across his lip. "Would you rather I spank it?"
I grab my hair and stomp my feet in the sand. I cannot even believe this.
"Your little tantrum is turning me on. All that pent up anger. I want to help you release it."
I exhale audibly and internally chastise myself for behaving like an idiot. "Why didn't you come find me?"
"Because you left. I was crushed." He holds his hand over his heart. "Besides, you didn't tell me your real name either."
"Oh, like you didn't know."
"I need to go eat my bacon. When you calm down and want to have a civilized conversation, let me know. I'll be around."
He grabs my face, kisses my forehead, and then turns around and walks away from me.
The kiss makes me melt. His walking away pisses me off.
I spin on my heels to march back toward my house.
But I can hear him laughing at me.
And I can still see the smug look on his devastatingly handsome face when he saw I was wearing the ring.
He calls out, "You like bacon?"
I turn back around and walk toward him. "No, I don't want--wait, did you tell your brothers about us?"
"Nope. I don't kiss and tell."
I stand close to him. I can't help it. Part of me wants to wrap my arms around him and kiss him. The other part of me wants to punch him in the face.
He doesn't wait for me to decide. He grabs my hand and leads me to the house.
And damn if I don't like the forceful way in which he does it.
When we walk into his brother's gleaming stainless kitchen, he points at me and says, "I picked up a straggler for breakfast. She says she knows you."
"Hey, Ash," Carter says.
"I saw him running--thought he was you. Realized he wasn't and then you asked about bacon and--"
"You thought I was Carter?" Cash says. "I'm way better looking than him, not to mention bigger."
Carter swats his brother on the back of the head then flashes a bicep. "No way my little brother is bigger than me. What do you think, Ash?"
"Uh." I gulp, thinking about a different part of Cash. "It's hard to tell. Cash is a little taller--"
"Only because he has on running shoes," Carter counters. "Anyway, you two should have met at the wedding, but Cash's flight got delayed and he didn't make it. Hell, I think I might still be hungover from the wedding." He points to me. "She kept making me do shots." He lowers his voice. "I heard about you and Zach. Sorry."
For a second, I'm like Zach who?
I look at Cash shoveling huge bites of an omelet into his mouth.
"My brother will probably be seeing you around. He started working for Cade."
"Oh, did he?" I say, suddenly fuming again. "Hey, thanks for the bacon. I have to get going--get on set. Uh, nice to meet you--um, what was your name again?"
Cash gives me a devilish grin. "You can just call me Sexy."
Carter says, "His name is Cash."
I shake his hand. "Very nice to meet you, Cash."
My Business
Cash
I go to the set right after breakfast and meet the director and most of the staff. Ashlyn is in hair and makeup, so I don't see her until she's on sta
ge doing an emotional scene where she's comforting one of the other mutants. She tells him about her life and how she's been on her own since she was a teen. How even though his mother died recently, he knew what love felt like.
After reading about her personal life, I can't help but wonder if the emotion she puts into the scene is motivated by her real life.
Watching a movie being made is interesting and tedious, with the multiple takes and different variations of the same scene. I'm also learning a new language. To me, blocking always involved hitting another guy with football pads on. But here it means something entirely different. It's planning out the actors' movement on stage in relationship to the lighting and camera angles.
I also get to see what it's like when they shoot in front of a green screen. During the emotional scene in the movie, there will be an attack on the mutant's hideout, so she and the other actor have to pretend there is an explosion behind them. The movie's assistant producer seems to have taken me under her wing and has been sitting next to me all day explaining everything in great detail. She may be flirting with me too.
Doesn't matter though.
I'm obsessed with watching Ashlyn.
When everyone breaks for lunch, I sit with my back facing hers. I don't want her to see me today. I need to sneak over to her house tonight to find out if she filed for a divorce yet and tell her about my job.
Although what I really want to do is kiss her again.
Okay, maybe I want to do more than kiss.
I'm lost in thought when I hear that asshole Kenton speaking loudly to her.
"So, Ashlyn, I saw that Zach broke up with you because of the sex tape. I keep telling you, when you put yourself out there in public the way you do, that's the kind of thing that happens."
Rage fills me. I stand up, turn around, and grab the asshole by the neck. "You need to shut the hell up. She's been through enough."
He pulls away from me. "Who the hell do you think you are laying a hand on me? I'm Kenton--"
"You're an asshole, is what you are."
"Stay out of what's none of your business."
"That's where you're wrong. She is my business. Leave her the hell alone."
"I don't have to listen to anything you say. You're a nobody."
"Today's my first day on the job and I already know why you're such an ass to her. It's because you're jealous. Plain and simple. Because for every dollar the studio pays her, they earn back almost seventy. What's your ratio, Kenton?"
"I have no idea," he says, running his hand down the front of his shirt to straighten it.
"That's okay. I do. For every dollar the studio pays you, they earn back about twelve. It's cool that you chose the path you did in your career, but stop taking it out on her."
He notices the glares of the people gathered around having lunch, most of whom are nobodies just like me.
"Well, I never--" he says, quickly leaving the room.
I watch him leave then turn to face Ashlyn, only to see her hot ass retreating toward her dressing room.
I follow.
Then wait just around the corner, because I think I know what she's going to do next.
Sure enough, she opens her door, peeks down the hall to see if the coast is clear and--joint in hand--heads to the exit.
I grab her and push her back into her dressing room.
"What the hell are you do--"
I push her up against the door and grab the joint from her hand. "You don't need this."
"How did you even know that's what I was going to do?"
"You told me that you sneak out back and get high just to calm yourself the fuck down."
"You don't know what I need."
"The hell I don't. This is what you need." I kiss her. Hard.
She pushes against my chest, trying to get me to stop before she gives up and returns my kiss.
Things heat up quickly, her body responding just like it did this weekend. She moans into my mouth, wraps her legs around my waist, and unzips my fly.
I hold my breath until I'm in.
Then I'm out of control, pounding her until she comes undone.
Then I lose it too.
"I hate you," she says, while I'm still inside her.
"No, you don't." I gently kiss her forehead.
She lets out a big sigh and leans her back against the door, her body clearly feeling satisfied and betraying her words.
"You pretended like you didn't know me in front of your brother this morning. You're embarrassed that you were with me."
"I'd never be embarrassed to tell anyone about you. But you made me promise not to."
"Why are you here? In my dressing room? On my set?"
She jumps when someone knocks on her door and says, "We need you back in makeup, Ashlyn."
"Shit," she says, as I gently let her down.
She runs into the bathroom for a minute then walks out.
I try to say something but the door slams in my face.
She doesn't speak to me the rest of the day.
I go home, have dinner with my brother, and then feign exhaustion and retreat to my bedroom.
I lie on the bed and think about her.
Her number is included in the packet Cade gave me. I could call her. Text her.
But it's not enough.
So I sneak out of the house and make my way up the beach.
A Beautiful Ring
Ashlyn
I'm sitting on my balcony looking out at the dark ocean and trying to focus on the sounds of the waves and not think about him. About how hot the sex was today.
About how he is exactly the kind of guy who Harper told me I should marry.
Except, I already did.
Now what am I going to do?
I hold my hand up and stare at the way the ring glitters in the moonlight. I know I shouldn't be wearing it. I know I should give it back.
So what's stopping me?
Why did I get mad at him for standing up for me today? Why was I mad at him for not telling his brother about us when I so clearly told him not to?
"Hey," his soft voice startles me but, at the same time, I'm not surprised he's here.
"Why did you buy me such a beautiful ring?"
"I know you're crazy, smart, and independent, but that doesn't mean you don't need a man to take care of you." He takes my hands in his and pulls me out of my chair, so that I'm pressed against him. "Seriously when's the last time a guy has taken care of you, like I did in Vegas?"
"Um--"
"Sexually, physically, emotionally. I'm the full package."
"I'm rich. I have to be careful," I tell him, trying to be smart about my life. I just got chewed out by his brother for not handling my business professionally. He'd probably fire me as a client if he found out I got drunk and got married--even if it was to his brother.
"You made me sign a prenup."
"I did?"
"Yep. I promised not to take your money. You see this ring I bought?"
"How does a--how old are you?"
"Twenty-six. How old are you?"
"Twenty-five." She studies the ring. "You just graduated from law school and you can afford this?"
"I have a trust fund. A very nice one. One I've never touched until I bought this for you."
"But I don't understand why. Why would you do that?"
"Because I knew when I bought it that I wouldn't want a divorce. When I said those vows, drunk or not, I meant them."
He picks me up off my feet, bringing me to his lips.
"I love how strong you are."
"I have a little problem though," he says, as he slides his tongue into my mouth and pulls me onto his lap.
"What's that?"
"My brother told me you're off limits."
"Off limits, how?"
"I'm supposed to be babysitting you. Keeping you out of trouble. He told me that I could flirt with you, but I was not to sleep with you."
"Except you already have."
"Exactly. So I didn't tell him. In Vegas, you told me we would get a quickie divorce. Is that what you want?"
"I don't know what I want."
"You're wearing the ring. You don't want to divorce me."
"No, I don't. It's crazy, but I don't."
"Then let's take some time to get to know each other."
I slide my hand through his hair. "You have cute hair."
"You told me that when we met. I told you I have a lot of other cute parts."
I burst out laughing. "I remember that. And you saved the champagne. I liked you right away because of that." I slide my hands down to his biceps. "And how strong you were."
"Wanna know a secret? When Cade told me my job was to babysit you, I was really hoping you'd get in trouble, because I wanna take you over my knee and spank that hot ass."
"I think I'm definitely going to be naughty then," I say, getting off his lap and leading him into my bedroom.
When my alarm goes off in the morning, I roll over to kiss him.
But he's gone and I feel very alone.
I wrap my arms around myself and cry, knowing that I'm losing it.
A House Whore
Cash
I feel bad about sneaking out early this morning, but she was sleeping so peacefully I couldn't bring myself to wake her. Plus, I didn't want Carter to know I was gone. He's three years older than I am and, although not as bossy as Cade, is good at giving me unwanted advice. Out of all of us, Carter is the most perceptive. It's partly what makes him such a good agent. He understands what drives his clients. He once told me that playing professional football isn't just about making money. He equates it to little girls who dream of the fairytale prince. Most of his clients have been dreaming of making the big leagues since they were old enough to understand the game. He has a roster full of young and talented clients. They're all like him, incredibly driven. He's also a really good judge of character, which means his clients rarely get into trouble. It's also why living with him while hiding my feelings for Ashlyn is going to be tough. If I say anything to him about her, I'm afraid he'll see right through me.
I consider calling my twin sister, Chloe. She's a good listener too but, unlike Carter, can't keep a secret to save her life.
It feels weird trying to hide my marriage from my family.
I want to tell them. Hell, I want to shout it to the world, but I can't.
Even though Ashlyn says she doesn't want a divorce, I know her life is crazy right now. I don't think she knows what she wants.
But when I'm with her, I don't care. I'll take whatever I can get. She makes me feel almost desperate.
And even though I was with her just a few hours ago, I can't wait to see her again.