Playing the Perfect Boyfriend (Gone Hollywood)

by Julie Particka

  Austin pointed Jade to her mark on the floor, and Dean hit his.

  “And…action.”

  He blew out a slow breath and did his best to put on the character of angry leading man. “Why don’t you just go home, then? You came here thinking small-town life would solve all your problems, but instead you just brought them with you. We don’t need them, and I damn well don’t need you.” Turning his back to her in that instant was the hardest thing he’d had to do in a long time.

  Then her hand fell on his arm. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I carried my problems with me because I didn’t know how to let go.” What the hell was she doing? That was not her line. “I did it because I’d never known what life without them could be like…until you.”

  At the casting table, Austin was flipping through the script like a madman, hunting for words that weren’t there. Dean didn’t care if he yelled cut and stopped the cameras from rolling. Whatever this was, they were going to play it out to the end. He turned back toward Jade, drinking in the sight of her like a man dying of thirst. One who knew this might well be his last drop of water. “Your point?”

  “I shoved you away and kept you at arm’s reach because I was scared. I was terrified if you knew where I’d come from and what kind of baggage I brought with me that you’d run, just like every other man in my life. As much as I claim to be honest all the time, I was always pretending with people, just like you. The world saw a woman who had everything together when I was really only held up by stubbornness and determination.”

  She stepped off her mark, moving toward him. “But you saw that in me, even before I showed it to you. You looked at every facet of me and embraced it all. The sheer fact that I felt like I could confide in you was the thing that scared me most of all. So I hid, and then I ran. But the only person in the world who has ever made me feel complete just by being who I already am…is you.”

  Austin was moving toward them, likely planning to break this up, to ruin everything. Fuck that. “You’re more than complete. You’re amazing.” Dean took a step toward her, closing the distance.

  She bit her lip and dropped her gaze toward the floor, like she was afraid of what she’d see in his eyes if she looked at him. “I never left. I got off the plane before it even moved from the gate. I couldn’t bear the thought of not waking up next to you in the morning or not falling asleep with my head on your chest. And I would have hated myself forever if the only time I’d ever said I loved you was in a fever dream that might not have been real.”

  She loved him. Not like. Not loved some random therapist-accepted part of his personality. She loved him. For a long minute, he couldn’t respond. He couldn’t do anything other than stare at her, thanking every lucky star he’d ever wished on as a child for bringing him Jade.

  He must have stood silent longer than he thought, because she took a step back, and only then did he notice the tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m…sorry for wasting your time.”

  She spun and rushed to the door. Thankfully, his words made those damned five-inch, fuck-me heels skitter to a stop. “You forgot your last line. As I recall, it’s something about asking me to kiss you and make a promise to grow old and gray together.”

  Her delay was a lot shorter than his. A single tear escaped as she turned around. “Kiss me, damn you.”

  In three long strides, he closed the distance between them, covering her mouth with his, tasting her, savoring her, secure in the knowledge that this wouldn’t be the last time. It was the first of many more to come. When their lips finally parted, he swiped her tear away with his thumb, and she leaned against him, holding him tight.

  The sigh that escaped her lips was peaceful, happy. “But I am never going gray, and this is the last time, in all the years I plan on us being together, that you’re going to call me old. Got it?”

  “As long as I’ve got you, we can figure out anything else.” He pressed his lips to her forehead, not caring about Austin or the screen tests or anything else. “I love you, kitten.”

  “Love you, too, tiger. Now how long until you can take me home and remind me what being in love feels like?”

  For what felt like the first time in forever, he laughed, the sound rolling through him. “Home sounds good. Better than good. As for the other…” He held her at arm’s length, hungrily taking in every glorious inch of her. “I think I have a lot of overdue books. You might have to take the fine out of my hide.”

  An exasperated groan came from behind the camera, reminding them they weren’t alone. “For fuck’s sake, Dean. I’d tell the two of you to get a room, but you’re on the clock. Can we finish this?”

  “Sure thing, Austin.” Because the sooner they were done here, the sooner he could get back to the life he thought he’d lost. He pulled Jade close and kissed her once more. “Wait for me?”

  “For you? Always.”

  Epilogue

  Nine months was a long time. Time enough for Dean to almost finish filming the first season of Providence Academy. And for that damn movie to get canceled. Long enough for Chaz to establish himself as an exemplary photographer who, by all rights, could probably open his own studio if he wanted. More than enough for Vicky to go a week past her due date and give birth to the most beautiful baby Jade had ever seen. And even time for Jade to do three months worth of photo shoots featuring little Juliette. Birthdays. Holidays.

  A lot could happen in nine months.

  Jade’s hand started shaking so badly she wanted nothing more than to put the piece of plastic down. “Is it time?”

  Dean shook his head and rubbed slow circles on the small of her back. “Not yet.” Suddenly a dog started barking, and Jade almost leaped out of her skin. Dean sheepishly silenced his phone. “Sorry. Looks like it’s time.”

  “Good, because for a minute there I was afraid you decided to surprise me with a dog.” She blew out a breath, trying to steady her frayed nerves. This was the moment that could change everything. “You ready?”

  “Is anyone ever really ready?”

  Jade turned over the piece of plastic, staring at the ink. “What does that mean? Dean?”

  “No idea? Where’s the damn box?”

  “Bathroom.” Jade bit her lip to prevent the extra few seconds from making her panic.

  “One line or two?”

  “One.”

  He tossed the box on the ground, grinning. “Kitten, we’re not having a baby!”

  “Oh, thank fuck.” All the tension in her body melted away. For a week, she’d been waiting, wondering, worrying.

  Dean practically tackled her onto the bed. “Since we’re not having one now, want to pretend we’re trying to make one?”

  He nuzzled her neck until she laughed. “Let me throw this away first.”

  “Toss it on the bed, we’ll get it later.” His hand was already under her nightgown, fingers rolling her nipple gently.

  “A pee stick? On our bed? Are you nuts?”

  “Could have been a baby peeing on our bed. I think we’ll survive.” His mouth replaced his fingers, and Jade’s eyes rolled back, pregnancy test happily forgotten as it tumbled from her grip onto the floor.

  “I was thinking we should celebrate,” she murmured, already losing herself to the pleasure of his ministrations.

  “Isn’t that what we’re doing?” He worked his hand between her legs, his fingers teasing at her clit until she shivered.

  “Bigger celebration,” she said on a moan.

  Dean rose on his elbow and arched a brow at her. “Kitten, you did not just insult my manhood.”

  Laughing, Jade cupped his erection, and then she slid her hand into his shorts to trace the vein that ran the length of it. “Never. I only meant making good use of this”—she gripped him just firmly enough to make sure she had his attention—“someplace other than here.”

  “And not a no-touch couple’s retreat?”

  “If you ever—”

  Dean flipped her onto her back, pinnin
g her to the mattress, and cut off the rant with a hungry and demanding kiss. “Vegas?”

  He pressed his knee between her thighs, and she opened wider as she sighed. “I like Vegas.”

  “Good. Because you know what they have a lot of in Vegas?”

  For a second, she froze, her heart pounding so hard she could barely hear herself when she said, “Elvis impersonators?”

  “No.” He let the silence drag out, almost like he was hoping they were going to play a guessing game.

  She tried not to let her fear show, but she had to swallow hard before she could speak. “If you even mention chapels, I might smack you. I want you forever, and I don’t need a damn piece of paper complicating something as simple and wonderful as being in love.”

  “No paper necessary.” Dean’s laugh rolled through the bedroom. “What I was thinking were all the awesome places to have sex. Long elevator rides. Rooftop pools. Clubs where no one is watching. Hotel rooms that are nothing but windows…”

  The last made Jade crack a smile as she thought of Evan and Stasia. “Tiger, where the hell have you been all my life?”

  “Well,” he said, fighting a losing battle against a smile, “for the first eight years of it, I didn’t exist.”

  Jade bucked under him, laughing. “Damn you! I thought we agreed not to bring that up.”

  “Your terms, not mine. As far as I’m concerned, that’s eight years I need to make up for…starting now.”

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  Author’s Note

  Usually, this is the point where I talk about how many people it takes to make a book and all that, but Playing the Perfect Boyfriend needs to start a little differently. I’ve read my fair share of romance novels, and it seems like the end goals are fairly universal: engagement, marriage, baby—not necessarily in that order.

  Now, there is not a thing wrong with that, it’s the path a lot of us take. But not all of us. In recent years, I’ve really paid attention to my girlfriends who have never been married—many of whom never want to be married—and it made me wonder about their stories. Where were the happily ever afters for those women?

  When reviews came in for Blackmailed by the Hero and people started asking for Jade’s story, I knew it couldn’t follow the usual path, because Jade wasn’t that girl. The thing is, I never would have realized that if not for the group of women who stand up to well-meaning friends and relatives (and strangers) all the time to say, “I don’t want marriage/kids.” So, to all those women, whether I know them personally or not, thank you. Jade wouldn’t exist as she is without you.

  Acknowledgments

  With the above author’s note in mind…Jade also wouldn’t exist if my amazing editor, Karen Grove, and the team at Entangled didn’t see the appeal in her story, too. In my head, Entangled’s tagline of “Romance for every reader…” translates to “everyone deserves a happily-ever-after.” Thank you to the whole team at Entangled for helping me give Jade hers.

  Some detail stuff needs acknowledging. Janelle, thanks for the L.A. info, as always. Mark, thank you for ensuring I made Aaron Allan a crappy therapist rather than a criminal one. Greg, thank you for digging up schedules for actors and answering all my dumb-ass questions about the business. Stacia, thank you for teaching me the beauty in the word “cunt” and killing my hatred of it. And Lzzy, even though we’ve never met or spoken, thank you for creating the soundtrack to my life (and Jade’s).

  Then there’s a group of people who remind me every day of why I do this and encourage me to keep going even when it gets hard. (Especially when it gets hard.) So, thank you to my street team, The Renegades, for the ass-kickings and the man-candy and the belly-laughs. You all make me realize it’s not just about me. Other people love these characters, too.

  Almost finally…Dani. I don’t even know where to start thanking you. You’ve been my beta-reader and my sounding board. You’ve answered the late-night “I need a word!” calls without batting an eye. And you may have blinked, but when I asked “can I get away with this?” you always said yes. Most importantly, you listen without judging every time I need to rant—about publishing, about men, about life. I don’t know how to thank someone for being the kind of friend you are to me other than to say I love you.

  Lastly, to my kids. You two put up with so much weirdness in our house that it’s a wonder you can function in normal society. And you don’t just put up with it, you embrace it. You guys encourage me to follow this dream and never quit on it—no matter what—because you believe in me, even when I don’t. I’m not sure that sort of conviction exists in adults, so thank you for being my biggest cheerleaders every single day. I love you, my awesome nerds.

  About the Author

  Julie Particka was told to get serious about her future in junior high. Several years after getting a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, she realized being serious was overrated and went back to her first love—writing. Now rather than spending her days in the drudgery of the lab or teaching science to high school students, she disappears into worlds of her own creation where monsters sometimes roam, but true love still conquers all.

  She can most often be located in the Detroit area with her favorite minions (the ones who know her as Mom) where she is currently hatching a plot for world domination. It involves cookies for everyone, so she’s pretty sure there’s no way it can fail…except the minions keep eating the cookies.

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  Discover the Gone Hollywood series…

  Tempting Her Fake Fiancé

  Journalist Stasia Grant is in Vegas for the biggest interview of her career…and grappling with a broken heart, her cheating ex-husband, and a serious need for revenge. Her salvation comes from the most unlikely place—charming and sexy action star Evan Stone. After spending his life playing superhero, Evan has a plan for delicious satisfaction: a fake, week-long engagement and some no-strings fun to show Stasia’s ex just what he’s missing. Together, they’re about to pull off the performance of a lifetime…but will they fall for their own con?

  Blackmailed by the Hero

  Vicky Stone is on a post-divorce mission. She’s going to indulge in a night of hot hook-up sex, no-fraternization rules be damned. But when a case of drunken directions lands her in bed with her brother’s off-limits best friend, instead, Vicky’s busted. To protect her from herself, Dante throws down the ultimate, albeit self-serving, blackmail. Vicky will date him—and only him—and her secret will be safe. But Vicky swore never to fall for another guy who could break her heart…and Dante’s on course to do just that.

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