by Jillian Dodd
"I know, we just didn't want to tell anyone until we knew if we were going to stay together."
"But you just told me that you do want to stay together. Ash, his family is really close, and they would be hurt if they found out about this from anyone but the two of you."
Locked Lips
Cash
I'm in my office this afternoon reading through a new script that Cade thinks might be perfect for Ashlyn. They have already attached Palmer Montlake to the project, and she and Ashlyn would play sisters who go back home for their mother's funeral. It's poignant and sad in places, but it's also funny. I've really enjoyed reading it.
I glance at the clock, surprised to see it's almost time to leave for drinks with Cade and Vanessa Flanning. We're meeting to debrief on her meeting with Ashlyn today.
Carly marches in. "Your brother says to get your ass in his office, now."
"Oh, okay," I say, getting up. "Is he ready to go for drinks?"
"Uh, not exactly."
When I get to his office, I see Vanessa Flanning sitting on the couch, looking sexy in a tight black suit and sky-high heels. She looks calm, cool, and collected. My brother, on the other hand, has a red face, is pacing and pulling at his tie, and looking like he's about to go ballistic.
And I think I know why.
Somehow, he found out about the wedding. That I was the guy on the plane.
He's pissed as hell and is going to fire me on the spot.
As soon as I step into the room, he starts yelling at me.
"This is exactly what wasn't supposed to happen!" He slaps a photo down on the table. "She's kissing Zach Ellison after the way he treated her? The press is saying they are back together? What do you know about this?"
"I don't know anything about it."
"How can you not? Your one and only job was to make sure shit like this didn't happen!"
I sit down, feeling like I got punched in the gut, and not because I screwed up my job.
I'm pretty sure my heart just broke.
"And look at this one!" Cade continues, adding another paper to the pile. "This one says they are back together and fucking married?! When the hell did they get married?"
"Um, I don't know."
"And then there's this one. It claims they are engaged. And look, she's even wearing a ring."
I look at the photo he just slammed down on his desk. In it, Zach is holding Ashlyn's hand out for everyone to see the ring. My ring. What the hell is going on? Why would she kiss him?
"Uh, I better go talk to her, see what I can find out," I say, lumbering out of the office, my heart in my throat.
"Yeah, you better go find out what the fuck is going on," he says. Then his phone rings and he says, "Marty! I'm as surprised by the news as you are. You know how impetuous kids are these days. Yes, I know the deal was contingent upon that--"
"Cash," Vanessa says, following me. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"
"Uh, sure," I say.
We sit down in the reception area. "It's not always how it looks."
"Excuse me?"
She holds up the photo of Ashlyn and Zach kissing. "I'm saying that it's not always how it looks. I'm observant. And I know, based on the look on your face just now, that you like her. I understand if you want to hide whatever is going on between you two from your brother, but don't hide it from me--that's rule number one. I don't like surprises."
I wrestle with whether or not I should tell her the truth.
Finally, I decide I better.
"That ring she has on--Zach didn't give her," I confess. "I did. We got married in Vegas the night of Harper and Maddox's wedding."
"That explains the ring then," she says, calmly.
"Promise me you won't tell anyone. We haven't told anyone yet."
"I won't. Client privilege."
"She didn't tell me she was going to see him, but I guess this says it all."
She shakes her head. "That's because you're looking in the wrong places."
"I shouldn't be looking at their locked lips?"
"Cash, if you're going to be with a movie star like her, you're going to have to learn not to jump to conclusions, talk to her before you believe a tabloid report and, in this case, I'd say you better take a closer look." She covers up Zach with her hand and says, "Look at only Ashlyn in this picture. Her arms are at her side. She can't talk without using her hands. I would assume she can't kiss that way either."
I think about how she's always touching me when we kiss. I shake my head. "You're right, she can't. But what does that mean?"
"Now, look at Zach's hand. His knuckles are practically white."
"So you think he grabbed her and kissed her?"
"I think he ambushed her. I met with her just this morning and she didn't say a word about him. He probably felt the ring and grabbed it, thus all the pictures. So you got married on a whim in Vegas. Now what?"
"We told each other there that we'd get a quickie divorce, but we don't think we want one."
"And why haven't you told your family?"
"Because the next day, Cade gave me the job of babysitting her and said he'd fire me if I slept with her."
"But you already had?"
"Well, it was our wedding night." I let out a sadistic chuckle.
"That's a big ring. Did she pick it out?"
"No, I did. I liked her right away. She's amazing. Fun. Crazy."
"So it's real?"
"Yeah."
"Interesting."
"Ash is going to be upset by all this, isn't she?"
"I would think so. Being ambushed by the press can be a scary thing. Not to mention the rest of it."
"I'd like to go ambush that asshole Zach. Trust me, I wouldn't want the press there."
"It would be bad press for her if you did. Is there something more constructive you can come up with?"
"Yeah, I'm going to go check on my girl."
When I let myself into her house, I find her curled into a ball on her bed, sobbing.
I sit down and pull her into my arms. "Shhh, baby. It's okay."
"You're . . . Going . . . To . . . Hate . . . Me."
"Because of this?" I hold out the photo of her and Zach kissing.
"Yes," she cries.
"What I want to know is if you're okay. You're shaking. Come here." I stroke her hair as she sobs against my chest.
"I'm so stupid. I shouldn't have gone. I swear, he kissed me. I didn't expect it. Do you hate me?"
I kiss the top of her head, still holding her tightly. "I could never hate you."
"I was so afraid you would. I wanted so much to tell the world I'm married, but now they think I married him! Or am engaged to him. And I don't know what to do!"
I pick her up, carry her out to the pool, and toss her in.
"The fuck?" She comes up sputtering. "Why did you just--"
I jump in, clothes and all, doing a cannonball that soaks her.
When I come up next to her, she's laughing. "What the hell are you doing?"
I bring my hands behind her neck. "Making you laugh."
She responds with a hard kiss.
Then she starts trying to strip off my soaked shirt.
Her tongue is in my mouth when she starts laughing. "I saw a scene like this in a movie. The couple got caught in the rain and were easily stripping off their wet clothes. This isn't easy."
I pick her up and set her on the edge of the pool, unbuttoning her pants and pulling them off along with her underwear while she slides out of her shirt.
"It's cold," she says, shivering on the edge of the pool in just her bra.
I pull her back in the pool and carry her over to the hot tub. "Get in."
She scurries into the spa as I shed my clothes.
As I slide down into the warm water, she sits on my lap, this time kissing me slowly.
Her hair is slicked back off her face and the water is making her long eyelashes stick together. Her lips are the perfect shade of pink and match
the color of her nipples.
I bend down and take one in my mouth as she guides my hard dick into her. I pull her nipple taut in my teeth, let go, then swirl my tongue around it. Then I rub it between my fingers as I suck my way up her neck. Even though I'm inside her, I'm not moving.
When my mouth finds its way to her lips, I give her a hug and say, "Tell me what happened."
She looks at the ring. "I love this ring. I used to leave it in the safe when I went to work, but I've been taking it in my purse and putting it on the second I leave. Vanessa had invited me to meet her, you, and Cade for drinks later. So I was on my way home to freshen up when Zach called and asked me to meet him for dinner. He said he wanted my advice on breaking away from his family. Although I was mad about the way he broke up with me, I really don't have any hard feelings toward him, so I said sure. We sat in the bar and when I wanted to order dinner--because I was fucking starved--he got all weird and said, No, I can't stay long. And then he kept looking at his watch. I stupidly assumed I had misunderstood and that he invited me for drinks not dinner, so I went along with it. Then all of a sudden he was like, Let's go. And I stupidly went. When we got outside, the place was mobbed with paparazzi and he grabbed me and kissed me."
I hold her hips and slowly move inside her.
"And then what?"
"He felt the ring. I forgot to take it off. When he held it out, the cameras really started going crazy. It was like a feeding frenzy. And everyone was like, Zach, Ashlyn, are you engaged? Did you get married? He gave them a big wink, said No comment, and then pulled me into a waiting limo."
I stop moving.
"You shouldn't have gotten in a car with him."
"It was the first time I've ever really felt afraid of the press. Even after the sex tape, I never felt scared. But they kept getting closer and closer to me." She puts her hands on top of mine. "Please don't stop."
"Next time something like that happens, you go inside and call me."
She nods as tears threaten again.
I kiss her gently and sweetly, moving my hips in time.
She clings to me.
"Cash, I don't just Vegas love you, I love you love you."
I kiss her face, her cheek, and her forehead. Then I look her in the eyes and say, "I love you too. And as soon as I'm done showing you how much, I'm ordering you a pizza."
"You do know how to sweet talk me," she says then kisses me.
When we finally get out of the hot tub, I grab my phone and place an order.
"What are we going to do about Zach? About the ring?" she asks.
"You don't have to say anything."
"I want to tell everyone that we're married."
"Then maybe we should think about doing just that."
The pizza arrives and as we scarf it down, we talk.
"I'd like my family to know," I tell her. "What if we go back to Vegas and get remarried?"
"Did you ever picture what your wedding would be like?" she asks me as she pulls cheese off her pizza and eats it.
"Not really, other than lots of friends and family. Have you?"
"I'm a girl. Of course, I have. I want a ridiculously big princess gown, a beautiful location, lots of fall-colored flowers, and a reception where everyone eats a really good dinner, has cake, and then goes home."
"Goes home? What, no big party? No dancing?"
"No, because the big party I want is the honeymoon. I want to do it the old-fashioned way, where the bride changes into her going-away outfit, everyone stands in a line to see them off, and they go directly to their honeymoon. That's what I want to spend the most money on. A ridiculously fantastic honeymoon."
"Where do you want to go?"
"The Greek Isles."
"If you want a big dress, an amazing view, and a great dinner; then that's what we'll do. I want you to have the wedding of your dreams."
She laughs. "Do you even remember our first wedding?"
"Yeah, I do. You looked beautiful. I have your dress, veil, and shoes. You left them in the hotel room. That's the other reason we need a do-over. The morning after my wedding, I want to wake up with my wife in my arms."
"Will you spend the night tonight?"
I don't reply, just pick her up and carry her into the bedroom.
Conflict & Misery
Ashlyn
"Fashion Week is a blur of shows and parties, but it's really fun," I tell Cash as we're headed to the first show. "I have certain designers who I love to wear to events. And they pay me to come, so that's nice too."
"They pay you?"
"Yes, the celebrities you see in the front row are usually paid. My stylist, Zoey, works with my publicist and me to determine where I'll be."
"You fired your publicist."
"But I've had the schedule for months and I gave it to Vanessa. She was going to follow up on all the invitations and will send me a finalized list. She's already in New York."
"What about the clothes you wear to your red carpet events? Do you have to pay for those?"
"No. For the big events, like the Academy Awards, celebrities are sort of walking billboards. They get paid to wear what they do. Someone nominated for an award can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars that night. I, personally, signed a multi-million dollar deal with a designer last year. I'm expected to wear their gowns at major events for three years and shoot print ads for them."
"Wow, I have a lot to learn about this business."
"I think you will be a good agent, Cash. You're a lot like your brothers. Honest and smart. That will take you a long way."
He gives me a smirk. "I thought you hired my brother because he was hot?"
"Well, trust me, if you are signing young female talent, the way you look, won't hurt." I can't help but laugh.
"I love when you laugh," he says, running his hand gently across my cheek. "When you're happy, I'm happy. So will the press be crazy here? Will they all be asking about your engagement to Zach?" He takes my hand, touching the ring on my finger. The one I probably shouldn't be wearing.
"Probably. Cash, I have something I need to tell you. When the reporters ask, Vanessa says I'm supposed to say that it's just a ring."
"Okay?"
"I'm a good actress, Cash, but that's going to be difficult for me. Because this is so not just a ring to me." I look down at it. "This ring means everything."
"I told you before, all that matters is what you think. You know, once they find out we're married they won't care what you do. Happily married couples are boring to the press. They like drama, conflict, and misery. We won't have any of that. Only happiness for us."
"Don't forget your vows, Mr. Sexy," I tease.
"And lots and lots of amazing sex."
My phone buzzes. I look down at it and frown. "I swear, I'm going to block his number."
"Whose number?"
"Luke. He keeps messaging me and saying he needs to talk to me. I have nothing to talk to him about."
"Then you shouldn't reply."
Killing Me
Cash
I'm sitting in the VIP section of a club surrounded by models.
I can see why my brothers enjoy the perks of their jobs. Carter is being fawned over by Vale. Cade has a stick of a girl sitting on his lap. She's gorgeous and he seems into her, but the broad smile suddenly slides off his face. I half expect to see Mom when I turn around, but instead I see Palmer Montlake, dressed in a slinky black dress that hugs her long body in all the right places.
Palmer completely ignores Cade, walking straight up to Carter and giving him a hug. Then she greets Ashlyn. "So are we going to do that movie together, or what?"
"What movie?" Ashlyn asks.
Palmer narrows her blue eyes in Cade's direction. "If he didn't tell you because of me, I'm going to kill him."
"I just read the script," I blurt out.
She looks me up and down, then there's a flash of recognition. "Are you--?"
"I'm Cash, yes."
"You've
grown since the last time I saw you," she says, giving me a hug too.
"I think the last time we saw each other I was still in high school."
"So how did you get the script?"
"He's working with Cade," Ashlyn says. "But he didn't tell me about the script. Why not? I'd love to work with Palmer."
"I was reading it when the news broke about your engagement," I say.
"What's up with that?" Palmer asks, grabbing Ashlyn's hand and looking at the diamond. "That's fucking gorgeous."
"It's not an engagement ring from Zach," Ashlyn replies. "So, Cash, tell me about the script."
"You two play sisters who go home for a funeral. Which you think would be sad, but it really has some funny moments. I liked it."
"When would it start?"
"Next year," Palmer says. "I hope you decide to do it. And I hope his"--she nods toward Cade--"feelings toward me don't influence your decision."
"His feelings?" I ask, just to see what she'll say.
"He hates me," Palmer states with a shrug, but then she glances at him with the same haunted look Cade was wearing.
It's not hate, I realize. It's regret.
We chat for a bit and when Palmer leaves, I whisper to Ashlyn, "Are you ready to go back to our hotel?"
We're in the elevator heading up to our room when I can't take it any longer. I push her into the corner and shove my tongue down her throat. It's been killing me not to kiss her.
As soon as the elevator doors open, I scoop her up and carry her into our room, where we can't get our clothes off fast enough.
She unzips my pants and pushes me on the couch, jacks her dress up, and sits on top of me.
But that's not what I want.
I flip her over and bury myself in her.
"Wow. What got into you?" she asks, laughing.
"Did you see the way Cade and Palmer looked at each other?" I'm holding her tightly and running my hand through her silky hair.
"You mean how they act like they hate each other, but their eyes tell a different story?"
"That's exactly what I mean. You're very observant."
"So are you, apparently. But that's one of my most favorite things to do. I love to people watch."