by Jayci Lee
Even in the storm of his troubled emotions, exhaustion lulled him to sleep.
* * *
Muted light invaded the room through closed curtains, alerting him that morning had come. Landon instinctively reached for Aubrey, but she wasn’t in bed. He frowned, impatient to have her … at least twice. He raised himself on his forearm. His scowl transformed into slack-jawed astonishment. She was on the floor beside the bed stretching like a languid cat, her breasts thrust forward and her sweet ass curved into the air.
“Damn, Aubrey.” His growl of need and appreciation sounded feral even to his own ears. The cat startled and popped up to her knees—eyes wide and blinking. “Michelangelo wouldn’t be able to sculpt a more perfect bottom than yours.”
“More poetry?” Aubrey laughed. “And so early in the morning.”
“While being presented with a premium view of your delectable behind is nothing to complain about, I’d much rather wake up to feel your body next to mine.” Landon grasped her hand and tugged her back into bed.
“You were exhausted. I wanted you to sleep a bit longer.” Aubrey scanned his face and nodded with approval. Apparently, he didn’t look dead on his feet anymore. “Besides, I didn’t want to wake up Grouchy Landon, your evil alter ego.”
“You already know a very effective cure for that affliction.” She gasped when he cupped her ass in his hands. “Sweet buns.”
She kissed him with a smile on her lips, and the teasing banter ceased. His world shrank to this single moment, intense and vibrant. The feel of her skin, her sweet moaning, and his name on her lips. That was all. He made love to her with frantic desperation, because he yearned for her even when she was in his arms.
He buried himself in her warm core and set a pace that had her writhing under him, begging for release. When he didn’t think he could hold on any longer, she came apart in his arms and he met her at the peak, their fingers threaded above her head. He stayed inside her as their breaths slowed and the tremors going through their bodies quieted. Then he rolled to the side, taking her with him, and drew her head against his chest.
“Best morning ever,” Aubrey whispered.
His laughter was closer to a growl. Every morning with her had been the best in his life, and he didn’t want them to stop.
18
Landon woke her up at the crack of dawn and surprised her with chocolate-dipped strawberries on ice. His intentions weren’t all innocent, but the juicy, tart, and sweet strawberries made the best after-sex breakfast. The morning with him was the high point of her day.
It was her last day of filming, and he’d dropped her off at the schoolhouse before heading to his meetings. She welcomed and feared this day—excited to return to Comfort Zone and afraid to lose Landon. Aubrey walked inside, expecting to find Aria in the center of the chaos, but she was nowhere to be seen. Worry niggling at her, Aubrey went through the motions of being dressed and made-up. Still, there was no sign of Aria.
Feeling awkward standing around as the crew ran about, she escaped to the outdoor deck and found the person she was looking for. Aria sat motionless in one of the chairs, gazing pensively at the surrounding hills. Aubrey never thought she’d use Aria and pensive in the same sentence. Her eyebrows drew together as she walked up to the deck and sat beside Aria.
“Hey there.”
“Aubrey.” Aria seemed startled to find Aubrey sitting next to her. It was odd since she hadn’t exactly tiptoed up to the deck. “When did you get here? Are they ready to go?”
“Not yet. We still have a few minutes.”
Rather than start her usual chatter, Aria fell quiet, and her eyes drifted out toward the horizon.
“Is something wrong?” Aubrey asked.
“No. Yes. I don’t know.” Aria trailed off, choking on the last word.
“Do you want to talk about it? Maybe it’ll help.”
“Oh, you know, it’s the typical stuff that Italian operas are famous for. Unrequited love, desperate yearning, and all that.” Aria’s tremulous smile made Aubrey reach for her hand. “I know he feels the same way I do. I can feel it in my bones, but he keeps pushing me away.”
“You mean Lucien?” The words popped out before she could stop them.
Aria sucked in a surprised breath. “Landon wouldn’t have mentioned anything.…”
“Of course not. I guessed something was there that night you sang for us.”
“That obvious, huh?”
“It was the song. I couldn’t stop crying.” Aubrey squeezed the hand she held. “But Lucien. The way he looks at you and talks to you. I don’t think your love is unrequited. Far from it.”
“You are so sweet,” said Aria, a sad but genuine smile lighting her face.
“I’m also right.”
“It’s time, ladies!” one of the crew members? yelled from the doorway.
“It was wonderful to chat. You have a way of making people happy.” Aria linked her arm through Aubrey’s, and they headed for the set.
Aubrey’s second day of filming went much more smoothly than her first. She still couldn’t stand the crowd, lights, and heavy makeup, but for the most part, she felt less like a train wreck. All in all, she couldn’t wait to be done with her television career.
From the first “Ready. Set. Action!” there was no hint of sadness left in Aria as she threw herself into her show. She was a pro through and through. Aubrey’s respect for her grew even more.
“Something smells marvelous in here. It must be your cookies.” Aria turned toward Aubrey. “Should we take a peek at them?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” Aubrey said, putting on her oven mitts. “Do you see how golden brown they are around the edges? They’re ready.”
“Mmm. They look and smell marvelous.” Aria sounded genuinely excited as she watched Aubrey pull out the cookies from the oven. “I wonder how your Moscato sorbet is doing.”
“Why don’t we check?” Aria’s excitement was contagious, and Aubrey opened the ice cream maker with a little flair. The stunt sorbet they scooped out of the ice cream machine was perfect per script. “It looks ready, but there’s only one way to know for sure.”
In real life, as she’d written in her recipe, the sorbet would need two hours in the freezer to be firm enough to hold their shape between the cookies yet soft enough to scoop. Television magic made perfection a few steps quicker.
“It’s time to taste test the ice cream sandwiches.” Aria clasped her hands together.
“Let’s go to the assembly line.” Despite it being part make-believe, Aubrey couldn’t help getting excited about her Moscato sorbet sandwiches. “This batch of cookies was baked earlier in the morning so they’re ready to be assembled. Be sure to cool your cookies to room temperature at home before you assemble the sandwiches.”
It was so much fun putting together the ice cream sandwiches and chatting with Aria that Aubrey almost forgot she was being filmed. When they toasted each other with the finished product and took their first bites, they moaned in unison and dissolved into laughter.
“Cut! Great work, ladies.” This time, Stan said it with a smile. “Now, I think the rest of the crew should enjoy some of those ice cream sandwiches.”
To the cheers of the crew, Aria and Aubrey assembled the rest of the sandwiches and passed them out. Aubrey was filled with joy and pride. It was so gratifying to see the crew devour them with appreciative murmurs. Impressing them was no easy feat, considering these people were used to eating the fine cuisine that celebrity chefs prepared on their shows.
As she turned the corner to feed the rest of the crew, she heard Landon greet Stan and Aria. Her heart picked up speed with anticipation. She’d missed him all day, and she couldn’t wait to see his face. Moving as quickly as she could, she made sure everyone had their sorbet sandwiches. But as Aubrey turned to walk back, something stopped her cold.
“Landon, do you have a minute?” The voice belonged to the director.
“Sure. What can I do for yo
u?”
“I wanted to speak with you about some concerns.”
She heard footsteps, and their voices drew closer. They had moved into the hallway leading to the kitchen, on the opposite side of the wall from where Aubrey was standing.
In a hushed tone, Stan said, “There are some rumors circulating among the crew. Of course, I’m always the last to hear, aside from the star of the gossip.”
“The suspense is killing me.” Landon’s words remained light, but tension underscored them. “Just spit it out, will you?”
“Some of the crew have been talking about your uncomplimentary review of Aubrey’s bakery and why you flipped your opinion by casting her for the show. They’re speculating your change of heart has something to do with your sleeping arrangement. Some of the jokes are turning bawdy.” He continued when Landon remained silent. “If their gossip gets out, it wouldn’t be good for the show and would be disastrous for your reputation.”
“Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Perhaps you and Aria could run a refresher course on professionalism and discretion.” She hardly recognized Landon’s voice when he spoke. It was so tightly controlled, she couldn’t find a hint of her Landon in it. “They’re industry professionals who have signed nondisclosure agreements. They should know better than to spread rumors.”
“If there is no truth to the rumors, I suggest as a friend that you cut ties with Ms. Choi immediately,” Stan said solemnly.
“Thank you for your concern, but there is no truth to the rumors. Aubrey Choi is a talented baker that I casted for the good of the show. Apart from that, she is nothing to me.”
The blood drained from Aubrey’s face, and the tray in her shaking hands tilted precariously. She couldn’t hear the rest of their conversation over the ringing in her ears. She is nothing to me. Her heart trembled and shrank back, searching for the safe place where even her father’s disdain and indifference couldn’t hurt her. But it was gone. She’d let Landon in too deep, and there was no place to hide.
Nothing? She meant nothing to him? Did he want to keep her around as his dirty little secret?
No.
Landon would never do something like that. He would never treat her like a plaything to be used and cast aside. She wouldn’t give up on their relationship based on one overheard conversation. He cared about her and respected her. Aubrey knew that. She trusted him. And she would not crumble in front of the people who believed she would peddle her body for a step up in life.
Her pride and iron will reasserted themselves in full force. She had to pull herself together. Though the ringing in her ears receded, the shock left her limp and nauseous, but she’d crawl across a bed of rusty nails before she would let anyone see that. Filling her lungs with air, Aubrey returned to the kitchen with slow, measured steps.
“Whoa. Careful with these. It’d be a tragedy to waste them.” Landon appeared at her elbow and took the tray from her limp hands. When he got a closer look at her, his smile froze on his face. “What happened? Are you okay?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.” She shook her head to clear it. “When did you get here?”
“A few minutes ago. Just in time for dessert.” He was smiling again, but he still watched her warily. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Not really. I’m beat.” Landon wouldn’t believe her if she kept insisting everything was okay.
“Let’s go back to the villa, then.”
“Actually, I want to lie down for a few minutes.” A little time and space should restore her equilibrium. “Can I use one of the guest rooms?”
“Of course,” Landon said, gently cupping her elbow. Aubrey flinched away from him, and confusion and hurt clouded his expression.
“Sorry,” she said with a tense smile. “We need to be more careful in public.”
* * *
Landon put down the tray on the counter, and the crew swarmed around it like zombies dog-piling a human body. Fucking pieces of shit. The sight of them devouring Aubrey’s ice cream sandwiches was vulgar. Even an imbecile could taste the genius in her creations. They didn’t deserve her desserts.
He had to protect Aubrey.
Unless they wanted their careers to crash and burn, the crew wouldn’t dare violate the nondisclosure agreements and publicly spread derogatory statements involving the show. The contractual damages were a slap on the wrist, but if word got out they’d breached the nondisclosure provisions, they would never find a job in the industry again.
But for how long could they hide their relationship? He’d flat-out lied to Stan and denied Aubrey meant anything to him. His first priority was protecting her reputation as a baker and ensuring that Comfort Zone’s expansion and reopening wouldn’t be derailed by nasty rumors. That had been the core reason which had held him back from writing a second review for her. That was why he’d offered her a spot on the show instead. To fix his mistakes without hurting her professional reputation. Without hurting his.
A slash of fear cut through his thoughts. His brand. His reputation. He’d sacrificed his dream to take care of his mom and Seth. He had worked day and night to build his reputation as a food critic. His reviews—his word—were worth something because he’d earned the respect of his peers and readers. One word of his relationship with a subject of his review could end that.
He had enough set aside to make sure his family would always be taken care of, but he couldn’t let his entire life crumble over an affair. Landon couldn’t throw everything away to chase his dream. To chase Aubrey. Losing his father had taught him that family, responsibilities, and security should always come first, and his infatuation with Aubrey almost made him forget that. But what of it? Letting Aubrey go wasn’t an option. They just had to do everything in their power to keep their relationship a secret.
Landon caught a glimpse of her leaning against the far wall, waiting for him. Her face was drawn, and the pallor of her skin worried him. He buried his panicked thoughts. Aubrey needed rest. The filming seemed to have drained her, but he sensed there was something else. It bothered him that he didn’t know what it was. If he knew, he could fix it and erase the hollow look in her eyes.
“I’ll show you to the room I’ve been using,” he said, walking down the hallway. “It’s the farthest room from the kitchen, so the noise won’t bother you as much.”
“Thank you.” She sounded distant, and the knot in his stomach tightened.
He breathed a little easier when her face brightened at the sight of the room. It was one of the smaller rooms in the house, but the robin’s-egg wallpaper and the white wainscoting made it the most charming one. The bed was dressed in the same motif, and Aubrey sighed as she sank into it. Maybe there wasn’t anything else. She really might be just tired.
“Sleep tight.” Landon tucked her into bed and kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ll come back when everyone clears out.”
* * *
Long after the crew wrapped up and the stars filled the sky, Landon kissed Aubrey awake. Her wide eyes were cloudy with sleep, but a lovely smile lit her face when she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed. His heart clenched and warmth filled him. He was tempted to climb into bed with her, but he had a reason for waking her up.
“Hey.” Landon leaned down and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Feeling rested?”
“Mmm-hmm. What time is it?”
“Almost ten.”
Aubrey gasped at his response, her mouth forming an adorable o. She’d been dead to the world for nearly five hours.
“Come outside. You should eat something before going back to sleep.”
“Aren’t we going back to the villa?”
“We’ll stay here tonight. There’s no filming until late tomorrow morning, so we won’t be invaded by the crew.”
“Ugh.” She shivered. “The crew.”
Landon shot her a sharp look, trying to discern whether she was kidding or not. Had she overheard him speaking with Stan? No. If she had, she would’ve confronted him about it a
lready. He was being paranoid. Aubrey never enjoyed being swarmed by the crew, especially the makeup and dress-up part.
Besides, he planned to tell her about what Stan had said so they could discuss a long-term plan to keep their relationship a secret. But not tonight. Tonight, Landon only wanted to make her happy.
He helped her out of bed and led her down the hall. When she stepped out on the deck, her hand fluttered to her mouth. The fire pit glowed with crackling wood, and the strand lights beckoned like miniature moons. He’d set out fresh fruit, cheese, and crackers on a small table with white linen.
“Oh, Landon,” she breathed. “This is lovely.”
He tugged on his collar as heat washed over his skin. Grateful for the dim lighting, he gestured toward the table. “Should I pour us some wine?”
“Uh, you go ahead,” Aubrey said. “I’m still a bit groggy. I don’t want to doze off on you before I can enjoy this moonlight picnic.”
They sat quietly on the deck, enjoying their dinner, but Landon felt his nerves fraying. They hadn’t talked about what happened after Bosque Verde. Neither of them was ready for this to end, but how could they continue seeing each other in secret once they left the villa? He had to figure out a plan.
“Since you’re done with your portion of the filming, are you planning to head right back to Weldon?”
She stared down at her feet for what felt like hours, and then she finally lifted her head. “I think it’s time to get back to the real world.”
Get back to the real world? Something about her tone made his gut clench.
“How about you? Do you have to stay here until they’re done with filming?”
“No, there isn’t much left for me to do. The production team and the crew are working well together, and everything’s running smoothly.” He glanced sideways at her, forcing his face into a smile. “It’s best for me to get out of their hair for the time being.”
“So you could leave anytime?”