BARE_A Hollywood Romance

by Sarah Robinson

  Admittedly, she was considering moving once her lease was up now that she had a new check coming from her role in the movie. Doing double the work was exhausting, but signing that contract and looking at all those zeros? Worth. It.

  A knock came from the front door, and Teagan whirled around to look at it. "He's here, B.” She checked herself in the mirror quickly, fluffing out her wavy brown hair and straightening the slouchy grey sweater she was wearing over a tight pair of dark jeans.

  Finally, she opened the front door.

  Reed was leaning against the door jam, a black leather jacket covering his broad shoulders and sculpted chest over a black pair of jeans. He lifted his gaze to hers, smoldering green eyes against his smooth olive skin, a slightly scruffy beard shaping his jaw. "Hey."

  "Hi." She stepped aside to let him come in.

  Reed stalked toward her and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her into his body. He knocked the door closed behind him and pressed his lips to hers.

  She moaned and arched her body into his, already ready for him in every way. Circling her arms around his neck, she hopped up into his arms, anchoring her legs around his waist.

  He lifted her, his hands on her ass. "Bedroom?" he whispered between kisses.

  "Over there." She pointed to the other side of a bookcase where her bed was hidden in the small studio apartment.

  He kicked off his shoes as she helped him shrug out of his jacket as he walked them over to the bed. They tumbled on to the bed together, pulling clothes off in every direction as she suddenly felt a frenzy in her body that only he could satisfy.

  "I need to taste you," Reed whispered in her ear, gripping the top of her jeans and pulling them down her legs, then tossing them off.

  "Yes, please," she breathed, already panting and writhing beneath him.

  He pushed her knees apart, kissing down her naked body, taking care to pause at her nipples and roll his tongue around each one. Sliding his tongue over her stomach, he made his way down to the apex between her legs and spread her knees farther apart.

  Instead of where she’d expected him, she felt Reed pressing his lips against her leg. Glancing down, she saw him kissing a line down her scar. She swallowed hard, loving the gesture and struggling to not feel tainted because of the ugly mark on her body.

  The way he kissed her, the way he cherished every inch of her—even the parts she cringed at—made her feel whole and beautiful and accepted exactly the way she was.

  His lips moved to her inner thigh and then up. The moment his tongue touched her center, she nearly exploded off the bed. "Reed!"

  "Mmm," he moaned against her, flicking his tongue across her clit before diving farther inside her. His hands gripped the outside of her thighs, holding her quivering legs still as he kissed, licked, and nipped her most sensitive spots as she pumped her hips against him.

  Moving one arm in, he slid his finger across her and pressed it inside. His tongue continued to lap at her clit as two fingers thrust in and out of her. It didn't take long for the perfect combination to have her hurdling toward her climax.

  "Oh, God, Reed…I'm going to come." She couldn't stop the waves of pleasure that were already beginning to pummel her body.

  "Good." He growled and nipped at her. "Come for me. Now."

  She shattered immediately, trembling as he sped up and took everything she was offering him. "Ahh…" Stars splintered behind her eyelids as her body jolted and spasmed and she had to concentrate just to catch her breath.

  Reed leaned over the side of the bed and grabbed a foil packet from the pocket of his jeans on her bedroom floor. Rolling on the condom, he climbed over her and hiked up her knees to be against his side. He pressed against her core, playing with her entrance as he circled around. "Teag…"

  "Mmm?" She gripped his shoulders and pushed her hips against his, wanting him inside her.

  "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

  She opened her eyes, staring into his. It was a simple question, but there was so much packed inside. He wanted her to be all in with him. He was all in. Doing this…was all in. Literally.

  That was exactly what she wanted.

  Nodding her head, she leaned forward and kissed him. "Fuck me, Reed."

  He grinned, and in one long motion, he slammed inside her to the hilt. The way he filled her made her feel delirious in how intoxicating it was, and yet, at the same time, incredibly filling and almost painful. His size had always been impressive, and she'd forgotten how much so until right now.

  As he pulled back out, then thrust forward again, she stretched and adjusted around him. Every new movement felt even better than the last, and they fell into a rhythm where their bodies worked in blissful harmony. "God, Teag…you feel amazing," he whispered against her ear, nibbling on her ear lobe. "I can't get enough of you."

  "Mmm," she moaned against neck, writhing beneath him and thrusting her hips in motion with his. "It's as perfect as I remember."

  He slightly gripped her hair and pulled back, exposing even more of her neck to him. His tongue slid across her throat and then down to her breasts, taking her nipple into his mouth and swirling his tongue around the tip. "I remember everything about you."

  His breath tickled against her skin, and she shivered. "Everything?"

  He nodded, slamming into her again and then reaching between them. "Like you much you love this." His fingers circled her clit, rubbing hard as he continued to thrust inside her.

  Teagan's back arched, and she moaned deeper, shocked that she was already so close to coming again. "Oh, God…"

  "Come on me, Teag," he instructed, going harder and faster as her body began to break open once more. She shattered against him, groaning into his shoulder as she bit down and left a mark. He held her as tightly to his body as possible, pumping in to her several more times until she felt him begin to shake, emptying inside her. "Fuck. That was…that was amazing."

  Teagan could barely find her breath, gasping and panting beneath him as he slowly rolled off her to the side. "It was everything." And literally, that was all she could think.

  It was every bit as amazing as she'd remembered from when they'd had sex years ago, and yet, it was so much better. It wasn't young and frenzied anymore, but rather mature and knowing. He knew how to manipulate her body exactly how she needed it, and there was no doubt in her mind that he'd felt everything she had. The heaviness of the emotion and intimacy between them, the intense dynamic of knowing that nothing about this was just physical. Nothing about this was just sex.

  He brushed a piece of hair off her face, propping himself up on his elbow as he lay on his side and stared at her. "Teag?"

  She turned to face him, curling into his perfect chest and ridiculously sculpted abs. She draped her arm over his waist, and sighed. "Yeah?"

  Reed tipped her chin so she was looking up at him. "I love you. I'm in love with you. I never stopped."

  She searched his eyes for a moment, caught off guard by his sudden admission. "Reed…"

  "I'm not asking for you to say it back. I just wanted you to know," he continued. "Because, I can't not say it. I can't look at you, touch you, kiss you, and not have you know that I love you with every fiber of my being. That I'll spend the rest of my life proving that to you, and proving that this time—if you want it—it's forever."

  A lump formed in her throat, and she closed her eyes for a moment, willing the tears away. "I want to say…that. I just…it scares the hell out of me."

  He leaned in and kissed her. "Anything worth having is worth fighting for. I'm going to fight for you, Teag."

  She tightened her grip around his waist, pulling herself in closer to him, skin to skin. "I want that."

  "Meow!" Benson jumped on the bed beside them and climbed directly on top of Reed's shoulder.

  "Good God!" Reed jolted, surprised. He pushed Benson off of him. "That thing is still alive?"

  "Benson is immortal," she said, laughing. "And he was always one of your biggest
fans."

  "The feeling is not mutual," Reed teased, but he was already giving Benson little scratches behind his ears. Benson purred and rubbed against them. "This is weird while I'm naked."

  Teagan shrugged. "Cats don't believe in boundaries."

  Chapter Seventeen

  "Good luck, Teagan!" One of the production assistants waved at her from across the parking lot as she walked toward the set.

  She waved back excitedly. "Thanks!"

  Today was the last day she'd be filming on Break Down, though there were still a few more days during which her other cast mates would be finishing up their scenes. It had been a whirlwind three months, and Teagan still couldn't believe everything that had happened.

  Three months ago, she'd been part of the crew and harboring a nearly decade-long hatred for her ex-fiancé who'd left her at the altar. Now, she was dating and falling back in love with him and had a pivotal role on the cast. Talk about life throwing curveballs.

  She arrived on set a minute later and spotted Reed already talking to the director and preparing for his scene. He winked at her and she felt that familiar warmth swirling in her gut at the mere thought of him.

  "Teagan Reynolds?" A voice called out behind her.

  She turned around to see a tall, bald man in a business suit sporting an incredibly expensive watch. "Yes?"

  He stuck out his hand toward her. "My name is Jason Allen. I’m an agent, and I think we should talk."

  "Oh, right." She remembered the name. "You're with Reed, right?"

  "Reed Scott? I am, but I also sign new talent,” he said. “I’d like to discuss that with you."

  She furrowed her brow. Getting an agent hadn't even crossed her mind at this point. "You want to sign me?"

  "Without a doubt. I actually have an open role lined up, and the moment I heard about it, your name popped into my mind." He looked so sure of himself, but she had no doubt that his salesman pitch was well rehearsed. "Let's go grab a seat in your dressing room, and I can go over the paperwork with you."

  She debated declining him, but, honestly, she was eager to hear what he had to offer. After this current role was over, she had nothing else lined up. She'd stumbled into this job by dumb luck—or bad luck, in Taylor's case—and it was doubtful that was going to happen again. If she wanted to keep up the pace and stay in front of the camera, she needed to be planning her next move in Hollywood.

  "I have a few minutes before filming if you don't mind hair and makeup being there," she agreed, then motioned in the direction of her dressing room. She could talk while they prepped her for filming, but other than that, she didn't have a free moment to spare.

  "Works perfectly for me," he replied, following her.

  Her hairdresser and makeup artist were already set up in her room and waiting for her. Steele, her makeup artist, was borrowed from her sister, Aria. They were best friends, and Steele was every bit as full of personality as she was full of talent. Vibrant silver hair, colorful makeup, and her ears cuffed by dozens of earrings, she was an eclectic beauty. Teagan just felt lucky that she could utilize her talents for this role.

  The team quickly ushered her into the chair and got to work. Jason leaned against the vanity counter and handed her a manila folder full of paperwork.

  Teagan opened it and scanned over the contract he'd handed her. "Is this…is this for Broadway? Cats: The Revival?" Teagan's eyes widened, and she lifted her gaze to his. "Are you being serious right now? I heard this was going to be huge."

  "The Big Apple, darling," Jason confirmed. "There's an open spot for the cat, Jennyanydots. You'd be perfect for it. It's not super heavy on the singing, but it is heavy on dancing. You'd be onstage on one of the biggest shows Broadway's ever seen."

  "This is incredible." Cats had been one of her favorite shows of all time, and she'd put seeing the revival on her bucket list. But to actually be in it? That hadn't even crossed her mind. "When are auditions?"

  "No audition necessary, if you sign with me." Jason crossed his arms over his chest. "I have exclusive access to this spot, and I already convinced them of how perfect you are. Showed them some B-roll from this movie, and they're sold."

  Teagan blinked hard, trying to process the news. "Wow. Well, I mean, I have to think about it. I have to talk to my mother…she's my manager. Or she was when I was doing this professionally."

  She didn’t want to admit that there was a lot more to think about than just what her family would think. Moving across country? That was a huge step, one she certainly hadn’t planned for.

  "Of course, talk to anyone you want. Just keep in mind that if we want this, we have to move fast."

  She nodded. "I understand."

  "Good." With that, he pulled out another envelope from his suit pocket. He waited a moment until the makeup artist had finished applying her mascara, and then handed it to her. "Here's the contract for my agency. If you're interested, give it a sign and I'll come pick it up."

  Teagan took the envelope from him, and then paused. "Jason, can I ask a question?"

  "Always. Anything for a client." He grinned and leaned back against the vanity.

  Inhaling a deep breath, she decided to just go for transparency. "Are you…are you offering me a job across the country to separate Reed and me? Is this about him?"

  Jason's eyes tinged darker, and the smile slipped from his lips. "Well, I'm not going to lie. Reed is a client of mine and keeping him clean and out of the public spotlight for a while is pretty important to his career."

  "Dating me isn't…clean?" That just sounded rude. She wasn't some party girl or skanky sorority slut that would make him seem like a playboy. Hell, they'd known each other over a decade. “Excuse me?”

  "It's not about you," he assured her. "It's about your history."

  "I don't have any skeletons in my closet," she replied, definitely offended now. This was some bullshit, and she could feel the steam rising inside her. "If anything, Reed is the one with the skeletons—not me."

  She wasn't trying to throw him under the bus or anything, but she knew his agent already would know the details if he was any good at his job. Plus, she didn't like feeling she was the problem here. If anything, she was a goddamn saint for forgiving the notorious Reed Scott. A little credit would be nice, instead of being called dirty.

  Honestly—what the fuck.

  Jason tilted his head to the side. “This isn’t just the best move for you, Ms. Reynolds. It’s also the best move for him, and he knows it.”

  “He knows about this?” Teagan held up the contract. "He thinks I’m going to taint his reputation?” Fury swirled inside her now at both this damn agent and Reed. The man she was falling in love with again, the man who was doing everything to win her back…wanted her to leave? She didn’t buy it. There was no way. “He is the one who left me at the altar. He is the one who abandoned me when I nearly died. Those are his skeletons—not mine."

  She was shocked those admissions even came out, but, damn, this man put her on edge.

  Jason's eyes flitted to Steele and the hairdresser briefly, then back to Teagan. "That's exactly my point. I'd rather keep those stories quiet, but if you two are seen together, reporters are going to go digging in to your past—into his past."

  She contemplated what he was saying, but it was all way more than she could process right now. There was no way Reed knew about this or would agree to it. He wouldn’t want to send her across the country, and he definitely wouldn’t think she would be a black mark on his career.

  Right?

  Even though she was calling bullshit, this was still an amazing offer and one she couldn’t just turn down without at least considering it. "I'll look it over."

  "That's all I ask." With that, he gave her a quick nod of his head and then headed out of the dressing room.

  "What an asshole," her hairdresser said as soon as the door was closed.

  Teagan laughed. "He was a dick, but isn't most of Hollywood?"

  "You've got a po
int there, girl." Steele chimed in next. "Hollywood will eat you alive if you let it."

  Her hair dresser finished styling Teagan's high pony. "Are you going to take the role? I mean…asshole or not, money is a language all of us speak."

  Teagan gave a short chuckle, but the truth was she didn't know. The offer was incredibly tempting. But she and Reed had only just started their second chance at romance a little over two months ago. Everything had been going wonderfully, and even her family was finally on board—which had taken major convincing.

  But she'd gone down this road before. She'd received a role on Broadway and turned it down—for Reed. Now, an agent wanted her to take a role on Broadway—for Reed. Somehow, it was still all for him.

  Whether it was the role or the man she loved, she was going to lose something she wanted. And Reed was in the middle of everything. Déjà vu.

  "I honestly don't know," she admitted. "I guess we'll see."

  Chapter Eighteen

  "Well, you have to take it." Aria looked over the top of her martini glass from the other side of the restaurant table. "I mean, you can't turn down a role in Cats. This revival is supposed to be huge. Like, huge."

  Simone nodded her head. "Seriously, Teag. Actors make bicoastal relationships work all the time. This doesn't have to be a deal breaker, but turning it down? That would be the deal breaker for me."

  Aria sighed. "You already left a role for him, remember?"

  "I remember," Teagan assured them.

  "And then he stood you up at the—" Aria continued.

  "Oh, good Lord. If I hear one more mention of that stupid wedding, or any of that shit, I'm going to lose my mind." Teagan took a long swig out of her glass of wine. "I forgave him. You guys need to, too."

  As much as she loved grabbing lunch with her sisters, there were always plenty of squabbles between them. None of it mattered in the long run, because this was her family. These women were her ride-or-dies, and she'd do anything for them.