I can feel my cheeks heating.
“You were incredible. Seriously…” she continues. “It was the performance of a lifetime. You should be really proud of yourself.”
I don’t know when we stopped walking, but we’re standing stationary, and she’s back in my arms.
“You changed the way I see things.”
“I didn’t do anything – that was all you.”
I shake my head in disagreement as I clasp her jaw in my hands and lower my lips to hers.
“It was all you,” I argue as our lips meet.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Blaire
This can’t be my life.
I’m walking hand in hand with Beckett Thorn and he told me he loves me.
I don’t know which part of it is more insane, that he’s a world-famous movie star, or that we feel this way after only spending a day together over a year ago.
The whole thing is beyond crazy.
I don’t know what’s going to happen next – he said he was taking me to his house.
Fan. Girl. Down.
I repeat.
Fan. Girl. Down.
I might be desperately in love with him, but I’m not about to stop acting like his biggest fan – in fact, now that I seem to have him within my reach, I might ramp it up a couple of notches.
He stops walking and glances up and down the street.
“Angus and John should be here soon.”
He seems relaxed here. This is nothing like the ridiculous public appearance earlier.
That reminds me, he still doesn’t know I was there.
“I came to your event today. I called out your name,” I confess.
He looks curiously down at me. “You called out ‘Daniel Beckett’, didn’t you? I fucking knew I heard it.”
I giggle and cover my face with my hand. “It was all I had.”
“I knew I wasn’t going insane,” he says gleefully as he picks me up and spins me around, his face burrowing into my hair as he inhales deeply.
“Fuck I’ve missed you,” he murmurs.
“I missed you too,” I whisper as he sets me down on my feet.
“I’m keeping you, you know that, right?”
“You barely know me.”
“I know enough to know I’m not giving you back.”
“Okay,” I reply lamely. I can’t think of anything else to say.
It’s been a year of hell, but for the biggest reward I could possibly imagine.
A big black car with heavy tints on the windows pulls up at the curb and Beckett tugs my hand.
He slides in ahead of me, a shit-eating grin on his face as he pulls me in behind him.
The man sitting in the seat opposite us eyes me curiously.
“I was never very good at spot the difference, but I’m pretty confident when you left, it was just you.”
Beckett chuckles, now totally at ease as the car pulls away.
“This is her,” he tells the man I presume to be John, and the way he says the word ‘her’ makes me shudder.
There are all the intentions in the world in that one word.
His eyes flicker from Beckett, to me and then back again.
“Her her?” he asks in surprise.
Beckett nods, and his smile is so beautiful I can’t look away.
“John, this is Blaire.”
He leans down into my ear. “My manager, John,” he confirms.
“Hi,” I squeak.
“Angus, take the next left, we need to head down town to get Blaire’s stuff,” Beckett suddenly calls out to his driver.
Truthfully, I’d already forgotten about my stuff.
“John Collins.” He offers his hand to me and I take it.
“Blaire Miller,” I reply.
“Miller,” Beckett says with a smirk. “Doesn’t sound as good on you as Thorn would.” He chuckles.
“Blaire Miller,” John interrupts Beckett making my heart race. “Why do I know that name?”
“I sent you an email,” I reply sheepishly.
“With a message you didn’t pass on,” Beckett adds, his tone unimpressed.
“It’s fine,” I cut in quickly. “I get it,” I reassure John.
“I must say, it was a rather… colourful response you sent back.”
I frown at him. “I didn’t respond…”
“So you didn’t tell me to, and I quote ‘hand over Beckett fucking Thorn’ or you were going to ‘make meatballs’ out of me?”
I gape at him; I can feel the laughter bubbling up my throat.
Don’t laugh. I warn myself, but it’s too late. I’m laughing.
“I’m so sorry,” I choke out between bouts of giggles. “I asked my friend Jen to check my emails for me. She’s a proper psycho, I’m so sorry.”
I can feel Beck shaking with laughter next to me.
John’s face morphs into a smile.
“Oh, god.” I cackle. “That’s so embarrassing.”
“God, I’ve missed you,” Beckett says again against my ear. “You have no idea what I would have given to hear that laugh all this time.”
“Well I’m here now, what are you going to do with me?” I whisper back.
He pulls his head back, just a fraction, so he can land those beautiful bright blue eyes on my face.
“I’m going to do everything,” he says, and it’s a promise.
***
“So this is it,” he says, his arms outstretched.
“I think it’s bigger than the town I grew up in.”
He chuckles and dips his head. “It’s a little big, I’ll admit. But it’s got the privacy I need, and hell, it’s not like I couldn’t afford it.”
“Valid point,” I say as I run my fingertips over the marble bench top and look around his elaborate kitchen.
I can feel his eyes on me from a few steps away.
“What are you thinking?” he asks.
I answer without looking at him. “I’m thinking you have all of this… you’re you and you have everything. What could I possibly have to offer a man like you?”
“You,” he says simply. “All of this,” he glances around, “it’s nothing without you anyway. My career, my achievements, money, all of it – I’m literally on top of the world, but I’m missing you up here with me.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s something,” I whisper, my voice shaky with emotion.
He shakes his head as he prowls towards me, an action so sexy it makes my toes curl.
“I’ve pictured you here so many times,” he says, his voice like gravel as he slides his hands around my waist and kisses me on the lips.
“Oh yeah?” I breathe. “What was I doing here?”
I gasp as he lifts me clean in the air and sets me down on the bench top.
He settles between my legs at the same moment his fingers slip under my shirt and trail across my skin.
“We did all sorts of dirty things,” he murmurs as his fingers continue driving me crazy. I’ve fantasised about his hands on my body for so long.
“Mmm?” I ask, my reply almost a moan.
“Yeah… like the dishes…” he says with a cheeky grin.
I smack his arm lightly and laugh. “You’re a tease.”
“Is there something you’d rather be doing?” he asks, his brilliant blue eyes seeking permission from me to take this further.
“I want you to show me your bedroom,” I whisper as I lean in to press my lips against his.
He deepens the kiss until we’re both panting.
I’m on fire. No man has ever lit me up the way Beckett does.
“Seriously, your bedroom…”
He chuckles and scoops me into his arms, his big hands gripping my ass as he carries me through the dining room, down the hall, up the stairs, down another hall, before finally coming to a stop outside a door.
I take one last inhale of his neck before he puts me back down.
“This is it.”
I wander into the room
before him, giving it no more than a quick once over with my eyes.
It’s a typical male’s room, there’s not much happening, but all I really care about right now is the big bed against the far wall.
I reach down and unbutton each button on the front of my shirt slowly and deliberately until it’s hanging open in the front.
He’s hovering near the doorway, his entire focus on me, and to his credit, even when I slip the shirt off, revealing the scrap of a white bra I’m wearing, his eyes never once stray from my face.
I go lower, unbuttoning my jeans and sliding the zip down slowly. Given the almost pained groan he just let out, I’d be willing to bet his focus has shifted to my body.
I work them down my legs and watch as his throat bobs as he slowly swallows.
I never thought I’d be here, doing a strip show for this man, but this is really happening and I’m nervous as hell.
I kick my legs free of my jeans and just like that I’m standing before one of the most desired men in the world, wearing only a couple of tiny pieces of lace.
“Well fuck,” he chokes out. “Jesus you’re so beautiful.”
I’m sure he’s seen better, this city is crawling with super models and actresses, but I don’t say a word.
This moment isn’t about them, it’s about us, and I’ve waited long enough for it.
He must feel the same way, because in a flash he’s in front of me, his shirt already pulled over his head and his own jeans halfway down his legs.
“Holy shit,” I breathe. He’s got Calvin Kleins on. Black boxer brief ones. Of course he does. They’re the hottest underwear he could possibly be wearing.
I’m such a fangirl right now, because all I can think about is an article I read in some trashy magazine that said these were his favourite type of underwear. I guess sometimes what you read is true after all.
He pushes his jeans down all the way and steps out of them, making our bodies flush, skin to skin.
“I hope I can live up to your expectations,” I whisper as I reach up and grip his neck. “Your imagination might be better than the real thing.”
“You’ve already exceeded every single expectation I ever had.”
His hands roam over my bare skin, leaving behind a trail of fire and want so intense, I don’t know how we’ll ever make it out of this bedroom.
“You’re mine now, Blaire,” he tells me, and it’s a promise, one I get no say in even if I wanted to argue it.
Luckily I don’t.
Not even a little bit.
I nod in agreement, my teeth biting down on my bottom lip.
“That god damn lip,” he growls.
His mouth finds mine in a frenzy before moving on to my neck, my collarbone, and then going even lower.
His fingers make short work of the clasp at the back of my bra and he sends it flying across the room.
My hands are all over him, touching and exploring every chiselled part of him.
“God you’re perfect,” I moan against his shoulder as he tugs one of my nipples into his mouth and sucks hard.
He chuckles and the sound vibrates through my whole body.
I’m on my back on his bed before I even register him picking me up.
He tugs my underwear down my legs before removing his own.
I swallow deeply at the sight of his hard length.
He lowers himself on top of me, his eyes never once leaving mine as he pushes inch by inch inside of me, bringing the final piece of us together.
EPILOGUE
Beckett
Six months later
“Beck?” I hear Blaire calling out to me. “Where the hell are you?”
I chuckle. She’s been here for months now yet she still manages to get lost in the place.
She hasn’t officially moved over here yet, but I’ve made good on my promise of not letting her go back, and she seems more than happy to stay.
“Beck?” she calls again.
I follow the sound of her voice and find her opening and shutting doors off the hallway – searching for me.
“I’m right here, baby. And that’s a linen cupboard…”
She jumps at the sound of my voice behind her.
“We’re getting a smaller place,” she grumbles. “I don’t care how many millions you’re worth. This house is too freakin’ big for two people.”
I pull her into my arms. “Whatever you want,” I promise her as I kiss her neck.
She leans into me on instinct before trying to shove me off. “Don’t distract me; I came to talk to you about something important.”
I kiss her neck again, ignoring her half-hearted attempt at stopping me. “Mmmm? Tell me all about it then.”
She tips her head to the side and lets out a breathy moan as I brush my lips against the spot she loves.
“I don’t think I’ve told you, but I used to design a calendar every year.”
“Mmm,” I murmur against her soft skin.
“It was for a local photographer.”
“Mmm hmm.”
“Are you even listening?”
“Of course I am,” I reply lazily.
“What did I say?”
“Something about a calendar?”
“I designed it, Beck.”
“That’s really… interesting,” I say as I slide my hand up under her t-shirt and graze my fingers over her ribs.
“It was actually. The organiser gets these really hot guys to pose for it and I got to look at the images of them all for hour after hour….”
I pause from kissing her neck. “Alright I’m listening. What’s the point of this story?”
She wiggles free of me and takes a step away, out of my reach.
“She’s planning the next one.”
“Is that so?”
She nods eagerly.
“Can you design it from here?” I ask. I’m not sure where this conversation is going, but if she’s thinking about going back to the place she used to call home, she’d better think again.
“I can.” She smiles at me coyly and I relax.
I still don’t know what’s going on here, but I’m getting the distinct impression that it somehow involves me.
“Spill it, blondie. You’re up to something.”
She does that thing she knows has always got me going – ever since the day I met her – and tugs her bottom lip between her teeth.
“I’m not going to like this, am I?” I groan in defeat, knowing that even if I don’t like it, I’ll do anything if she asks me to.
She shrugs and leans against the wall behind her.
I step towards her and press my hips against hers.
“Tell me.”
“She asked if you’d be part of the calendar.”
“What do you mean by ‘part of’?” I growl.
She looks at me sheepishly. “Mr. April?” She winces as she waits for my reply.
I groan and let my head hang in the space between us. “Baby, you know I hate that shit.”
“It’s just one photo shoot.”
“It’s never that simple.”
“Please?” she begs me. “You’d really boost the profile of the project. Imagine what you being on there could do for them.”
I groan again and rest my forehead against hers.
“It’s for charity,” she adds in hopefully. “C’mon, you know you want to be labelled as an ‘enticing movie star’ or something like that.”
I don’t know who I think I’m kidding. We both know I’ll do it. I’d do anything for her.
“Fine,” I mumble. “I’ll do it. But I’m not showing my ass. That last time was enough to last me a lifetime.”
She kisses me. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, she’s going to be so excited.”
“I do have one condition.” I smirk to myself as the thought occurs to me.
“Name it.”
“I want to know who number five on your list is.”
“I don’t have a list anymore.”
“Humour me.”
She deliberates for a few moments before giving in. “Casey.”
I frown. “Who’s Casey?”
She giggles. “You know, from that series on Passionflix… Casey Deidrick… the tall one with the sexy voice…”
“Alright, I get it… I almost regret asking.” I chuckle.
“I tried to warn you.” She smirks.
I lean in to kiss her again but she slips under my arm and away. “I’ve got to go and email her back.”
I chuckle. “Are you trying to tell me that you haven’t already agreed to me doing it?”
She looks back over her shoulder at me and grins triumphantly.
“At least it’s for charity,” I grumble.
“Yeah… I’m pretty sure it said something about charity,” she says as she disappears around the corner.
I run my hand through my hair in frustration.
I’m pretty sure I just got duped.
“It’s not for charity at all, is it?” I yell.
No answer.
“Baby?”
I shake my head in amusement and take off after her.
THANK YOU!
Thank you for reading Mr. April, I hope you enjoyed it.
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Please remember:
This book has been written using UK English and may contain euphemisms and slang words that form part of the New Zealand spoken word.
Please remember that the words are not misspelled. They are slang terms and form part of everyday, New Zealand vernacular.
I.e: I’m from New Zealand and sometimes we say weird things down here… please try and be cool about it.
Thanks again!
MR. MAY
Mr. May – Calendar Boys Series, Book Five, will be releasing May 10th 2019.
Mr. April: A Celebrity Romance (Calendar Boys Book 4) Page 14