One Hot Secret: A Second Chance Romance (Love on Fire)

by Sarah J. Brooks

  I shake Greg’s hand, and Kyle drapes his arm around me as we move to the next piece. It’s another landscape, this time of a forest, but the more I look at it, the more layers begin to emerge. I spot squirrels hiding underneath the underground as well as insects and small plants winding around the massive trees. It’s like going on an Easter egg hunt, and I find myself chuckling at every new discovery.

  “Did you see this?” Kyle says, pointing at a frog relaxing by the side of a narrow stream.

  I laugh. “I hadn’t seen it.”

  We spend the next couple of minutes pointing out hidden animals and other objects in the painting. Greg tells us about the artist. He’s known all over the art world, and I tremble inwardly at the thought of my work hanging on the same wall his work hangs.

  “I’m beside myself with excitement,” Greg says and laughs softly. “I’ve been dropping hints to everyone, but they all want to know who my new discovery is. Of course, I don’t intend on telling anyone, but it’s fun to see the excitement build up.”

  “I hope they won’t be disappointed,” I say, voicing my fears.

  “I promise you, they’ll be blown away,” he says in a way that allays my fears.

  We spend an hour at the gallery, looking at the paintings and hearing about the various artists Greg has worked with over the years. Most of it is for my benefit, perhaps to give me confidence that he really does know his stuff. I’m grateful for what he’s doing, given that he doesn’t have to.

  I’m more relaxed on our way back home, and Kyle comments on it.

  “Your friend is a good person,” I tell him in response.

  “Yeah, Greg is awesome, and he loves art. He lives and breathes it,” Kyle says.

  “I feel bad that we kept him for so long, but it was exciting being there. I lost track of time.”

  Kyle chuckles. “Don’t. Greg will be there for another two hours or even more. He’s a workaholic if I ever met one.”

  That makes me feel a whole lot better. Back home, we let ourselves into the quiet house. It feels so peaceful shutting the world away and just being the two of us. I’ve become comfortable in Kyle’s house very fast. He was right that it would be better to stay with him rather than at my apartment for security reasons. His home is like a utopia. Here, I feel protected from the harshness of the world and mostly the media. Kyle sued the tabloid magazine, which used a drone to take pictures of us in the swimming pool, and though he has assured me that it won’t happen again, I’m still shy about going out there.

  Maria has left us dinner in the oven, and Kyle gets it out and serves it on the island. As always, it smells wonderful.

  “I’m becoming spoiled and too used to this lifestyle of yours,” I tell Kyle.

  “I hope so, that way, you’ll never want to leave,” he says.

  “You might want to leave me.”

  He shakes his head. “Never going to happen.”

  He makes me feel like the winner of a beauty contest. We chat as we eat dinner, and afterward, we carry a bottle of chilled wine and some glasses to the cozy living room. The lighting in there is muted, giving it a romantic atmosphere.

  “My stylist will come the day after tomorrow with some clothes for you to pick from,” Kyle says. “You’ll enjoy it. Most women I’ve worked with do.”

  I make a face. I don’t get my kicks from shopping for clothes, and while I don’t mind it, it’s not something I’m looking forward to. “What about my size?”

  “I texted it to her,” Kyle says.

  I don’t even want to ask what size he guessed I am. “Is the awards ceremony usually fun?”

  Kyle shrugs. “Mostly depends on your company. This time will be fun for sure.”

  “I’ve heard about the wild after-parties,” I continue.

  Kyle gives me an amused look. “I don’t plan on attending any after-party. We’ll have our own wild after-party here at home.”

  He places his wine glass on the table and does the same with mine. Then he pulls me onto his lap, and I straddle him. I’m wearing a dress, and it rides up my thighs, exposing my lacy panties. Kyle doesn’t waste any time, and he slips his hand in and starts to stroke my pussy lovingly.

  “You’re so wet,” he says.

  “For you,” I tell him and sigh with contentment.

  Chapter 25

  Kyle

  Grace’s panties are soaking wet, and she moans and then brings her mouth to mine. She takes charge, meshing her lips with mine. She tastes sweetly of wine. The combination of her taste and wine is intoxicating. I continue rubbing her pussy over her panties, and she presses herself to my hand.

  I withdraw my hand from her pussy to caress her breasts without breaking the kiss. Her scent envelops me, drawing me into a world where nothing else exists except the pleasure we’re giving each other. She moans softly into my mouth as I rub her nipples through her dress.

  She moves up and grinds her pussy against my erection, and I almost cream myself.

  “Fuck, Grace,” I swear loudly.

  “I love this,” she says as she coats her juices onto my pants. I cup her ass and help her move faster and harder.

  I pull away from her mouth. “I want to be inside you, Grace.”

  Without a word, she stands down and shimmies out of her panties. I unbuckle my belt fast and pull down my pants and boxer briefs. By the time Grace pulls her dress over her neck, removes her bra, and straddles me again, I’m naked from the waist down.

  She rubs her breasts against my chest and then kisses me deeply. I move my attention to her breast, taking a nipple into my mouth. I suck on it hard while caressing her curvy ass.

  “Oh yes, Kyle,” she says over and over again.

  I raise her hips and move my cock to her entrance. She gasps when the bulging swollen head of my cock makes contact with her pussy lips. She lowers herself onto my cock and moans deeply as I slowly penetrate her.

  She’s so fucking tight. I grasp her hips and pull her down all the way until she’s buried to the hilt. I guide her in long, slow strokes, moving her up and down on my impossibly hard cock. I close my eyes, trying to focus on something else apart from how close I am to coming.

  I slide a hand between us and tease her clit as she bounces up and down on me. She lets out a series of whimpers as I circle her swollen nub. Her pussy tightens around my cock and then clenches around it.

  Grace screams. “I’m coming.”

  That’s all I need to hear. I let my control go, and my orgasm builds up to a crescendo, and my cock gushes out cum deep into Grace’s pussy. I let out a deep growl and hold her in place as I raise my hips up and down, pumping through the orgasm.

  When it’s over, I slow down to a complete stop. Grace drapes her arms around my neck and rests her head on my shoulder. We stay that way for a few minutes as our breaths get back to normal. She’s the first to move, and as she tries to stand, I grip her hips to keep her in place.

  She giggles. “What are you doing?”

  “I like my cock inside you like this,” I tell her.

  “Me too, but we can’t stay like this,” she says. “Besides, we have to clear the wine glasses, and our clothes are on the floor. We can’t let Maria find them tomorrow morning.”

  “Why do you have to be so practical?” I moan, but it’s a fake complaint. I love having a practical woman. And a thoughtful one. I’ve had affairs with women who behaved like divas, expecting the help to pick up after them.

  I gently lift her off my cock, and we dress and carry the leftover wine and the glasses to the kitchen. We go upstairs, take a shower, and slip into bed. Grace arranges herself on my chest, and I stroke her hair as we relax.

  “What are your plans tomorrow?” she asks, her voice sleepy. She sounds so cute when she’s sleepy.

  “We’re starting to shoot a few scenes tomorrow,” I tell her.

  “How are you feeling about your lines?” she asks, struggling to stay awake.

  “Pretty good, actually.” I’ve wor
ked on my character for months, and I’m confident that I can step into Damon King’s shoes. “Sleep, we’ll talk tomorrow.”

  She murmurs something that I don’t quite catch, and I kiss the back of her head. I muse over how much my life has changed over the last few weeks and all because of Grace. My life feels full and purposeful now in a way that work cannot make you feel. Only love can.

  I’m startled by the realization that I love her. I’m in love with Grace Hughes. It has crept up on me and settled in as if I’ve always loved her. She makes me happy. I start to drift off to sleep with a smile on my face.

  ***

  It’s an early start for me, and I leave Grace sleeping soundly. I have a call time of 7 AM, which means I had to get up at half past five. The LA traffic is heavy, and it takes us a good forty-five minutes to get to the set.

  The first thing that I do when I arrive is check in with the director, and then I’m shown to my trailer. I love having my own space for moments when I need to practice my lines or come down from the high of playing someone else before going home.

  Someone brings me a coffee and a bagel for which I’m really grateful. Before I finish my coffee, someone knocks on my door. It’s a woman from the wardrobe. I’ll need to make my way there in half an hour. I’ve barely sat back down before another knock comes, this one noisier and impatient.

  Fighting down my irritation, I fling the door open to find Skyler standing there, all decked out as if she’s on her way to dinner. She smiles widely, and I smile back. Skyler has that effect on people, and I’m guessing it’s the same star quality that Marilyn Monroe had.

  “Hey, can I come in?” she says in her signature husky voice.

  I’m willing to bet that Skyler features in a lot of men’s secret fantasies. She’s built like a Barbie doll, all boobs and curves. She doesn’t do it for me, though. Actresses never have. I learned a long time ago to separate my work and pleasure.

  “Sure,” I tell her, and she enters and plops down on the couch. She places her script on the table and pats the space next to her. It’s too close, and I sit at the end of the couch. “I’ve been really nervous about this movie.”

  I’m surprised. “Why? I know portraying real-life characters is tough, but you’re an old hand, Skyler. You’ll be wonderful.”

  She smiles. “Thank you. Anyway, I came by to ask for a favor. Can we run through one or two scenes together? Just to get a feel for it.”

  “Sure.” I’m more than happy too. It’s our first time working together, and it’s probably how she does things. She grabs her script, and I pick up mine, which is under the table. She turns the pages before returning to the first page.

  “Let’s do the first scene,” she says.

  I’ve memorized the whole script, and the first scene is between Damon Knight and his wife. It’s the night before the fire, and they are getting ready for bed while discussing their daughter’s high school graduation, which will be in a few weeks.

  “Sounds good,” I say, and she begins.

  We go through our lines, and I’m more than impressed with Skyler’s portrayal of Damon’s wife, Sarah. Her sexiness disappears, and she comes across as a regular housewife. That’s the mark of a good actor.

  I don’t realize when it happens, but we’re seated next to each other with Skyler’s skirt-clad legs angled my way and her knees touching mine. My instinct is to move, but it will seem too obvious. I stay put, but I’m uncomfortable as fuck, and I can’t wait for her to leave.

  When we’re finished with the scene, she looks up from her script and smiles. “That was beautiful, wasn’t it?” she says.

  “It was,” I agree, now itching to move.

  She places a hand on my chest as if it’s the normal thing to do. “I’ve always wanted to work with you, and now it’s happening. I’m so excited,” she purrs and holds my gaze.

  I’m left with no doubt of what she wants. This time I don’t hesitate. I gently remove her hand from my chest, and she pouts. Then I shift away from her and glance at the time.

  “We ought to be on set now.”

  “Okay,” she says, recovering quickly. She winks at me, stands up, and glides out of the room.

  I stand back and let out a sigh. It’s going to be a long movie to make. I’ve heard it said that Skyler bangs all her leading men and was sure it was just the usual rumors from tabloids. Now, I’m not so sure.

  It turns out to be a long day. Skyler touches me unnecessarily a lot, and the people on set, including the director, shoot me sympathetic looks. I wish I could tell her to save her attention for someone else and that I’m taken. But I can’t. I’ve also heard what a diva she is, but because of her talent, no one complains. As long as she performs.

  Later that afternoon, as Ethan is driving me home, I feel as if I’ve been working for two days. Dealing with Skyler and working on my performance is akin to doing two jobs at the same time. I was so excited by this movie, but Skyler’s attempts at seduction are exhausting.

  I’ve never been so glad to be home. Grace is nowhere downstairs, and I bound upstairs in search of her. The studio door is half open, and I peek in just as she’s mixing some paint.

  Her face lights up into a smile when she sees me. She jumps to her feet and runs to me.

  “What a nice surprise,” she says as I enclose her in my arms. “I wasn’t expecting you until later.”

  It feels so good to hold her. I love the way her body naturally contours into mine. “The first days usually end early. There will be long days ahead, so let’s enjoy these short ones.

  “I agree.” She kisses my neck and then peppers light kisses on my jaw until she reaches my mouth.

  Her lips are soft on mine, and I cup her face and deepen the kiss. Heat whips through me, and my cock swells as if on command. Not once did I get aroused by Skyler’s antics, but I don’t want to think about her now. I drop my hands and run them down Grace’s spine.

  She forks her fingers through my hair and then freezes and draws back. “Oops, my fingers have paint.”

  “I don’t care,” I growl and pull her in for another kiss.

  I caress her everywhere, our movements growing more frenzied by the second. I lose track of time as we kiss and touch each other. Then Grace pulls away, leaving both of us panting.

  “I could do with a shower,” she says, a twinkle in her eye.

  “Me too,” I tell her. “But what about your work?” I don’t want to distract her from the work she had planned to do this afternoon.

  “I’ve gotten a whole lot done today, so I’m okay if I stop now,” she says. “Besides, I want to hear how your first day of shooting went with Miss Skyler.”

  “She’s good at what she does.”

  I’ve already made up my mind that I won’t worry Grace with Skyler’s antics. It’s annoying as fuck, but I can handle it, and soon, she’ll get tired and turn her attention to someone else.

  Grace hits me playfully. “That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”

  Chapter 26

  Grace

  My concentration has been horrible this morning, and I’m glad to leave the sunroom and take a shower. The stylist, Stella, is due in about two hours, and the thought of it makes me break out in a sweat. I’ve watched them on TV working with clients, but I never imagined that one day I would be a client.

  As I shower, my mind drifts to Kyle and how his day is going. Just thinking about him is enough to calm my mind. Memories of the previous day wash over me, and my body heats up. After he returned home early from shooting, we had showered together and spent almost an hour in the bathroom.

  Sharp arousal unexpectedly comes over me, and a deep ache forms between my legs. My plan was to shower quickly, have lunch and wait for Stella, the stylist. Instead, my hand snakes between my legs, and I rub my clit in circles as I imagine that it’s Kyle’s massive hand down there. I push a finger in, followed by another, and keep up a steady rhythm, pumping in and out. My imagination does the rest for me, and
my fingers are Kyle’s.

  I cry out his name as my climax draws closer and closer. When I come, it’s like a roll of waves, one over another, until everything goes still. I breathe heavily as I lather my body, not sure whether to be proud of myself and the speed at which I can bring myself to orgasm or embarrassment for the same.

  After my shower, I agonize over what to wear. I settle for a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, after all, I’m going to be trying on clothes. Downstairs, I find Maria and Chris in the kitchen chatting while he’s eating lunch. I’m surprised to see him as he and Kyle are always together.

  He must have noticed my surprise because after we exchange greetings he explains that he’s headed to the set and was only grabbing something from his office. “Maria tempted me with lunch. I’m too weak to resist,” he says, and Maria blushes.

  “Have a seat, Grace. I’ll dish you up some pasta,” Maria says.

  “Thanks.” I slide onto a stool at the island and marvel at the quantity of food Chris has on his plate, considering his lanky frame.

  “Stella is coming around today to get you ready for the awards show, right?” Chris asks.

  “Yes. I’m nervous as hell about that.” I surprise myself with my honesty. I don’t know Chris very well, except, of course, that he’s Kyle’s PA. Whenever we run into each other, I’m with Kyle.

  A sympathetic look comes over his features. “I promise you there’s nothing to worry about. You don’t even have to say a thing if you don’t want to. Stella is used to dressing mannequins, and she doesn’t expect conversation.”

  That makes me giggle, and the tension I feel dissipates.

  “If you want to talk, though, Stella’s great. She’s been around forever and is one of the most grounded people I know.”

  Maria sets my lunch on the island, and we exchange a warm smile. I can understand why Kyle sees them as his family. They are good people.

  “Thanks for the tips. I was feeling as if I’d be expected to catwalk down a runway with every new outfit I try on,” I tell Chris.