Here All Along

by Crista McHugh

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Note from the Author

  Books by Crista McHugh

  Copyright and Bio

  Here All Along

  The Kelly Brothers, Book 7

  by

  Crista McHugh

  Can best friends become lovers while the cameras are rolling?

  Movie star Gideon Kelly has always harbored a secret crush for his long-time friend and assistant, Sarah. One sizzling kiss is enough to convince him she’s the only woman for him, and he’ll do anything to prove to her they have all the makings of an epic Hollywood romance.

  Sarah Holtz rose to stardom as a child only to crash and burn in her late teen years. Gideon was there to help put the pieces of her life back together, and she now relishes her life far away from the paparazzi flashes. Her need for privacy is the one thing holding her back from exploring something more with him. When a video of their kiss goes viral, she’s left wondering if he’s worth the risk of stepping back into the spotlight to become his leading lady.

  Recommended for those who enjoy:

  Friends to lovers stories

  Hollywood romances

  Las Vegas weddings

  Waking up married stories

  Stories of second chances

  Sidekicks who love a good practical joke

  The Kelly Brothers

  The Sweetest Seduction, Book 1

  Breakaway Hearts, Book 2

  Falling for the Wingman, Book 3

  The Heart’s Game, Book 4

  A Seductive Melody, Book 5

  In the Red Zone, Book 6

  Here All Along, Book 7

  Chapter One

  “I already bought a wedding gift for Dan and Jenny based off of their registry and had it sent to the hotel in Seattle for you.”

  Gideon’s stomach rolled, but not from the effortless way Sarah weaved in and out of traffic on Lincoln Boulevard as though her tiny Fiat 500e was a Ducati Streetfighter. Just when he thought she was about to crash into a car, she deftly switched lanes. He’d ridden with her enough over the years to know when she had everything under control.

  Sarah had every little detail of his life under control, but when she brought up the wedding gift, a sudden wave of panic consumed him. “I’m scared to ask what they had on there.”

  His older brother Dan and his fiancée were both huge gamer geeks, and he needed a little time to figure what he’d “given” them before the wedding.

  Sarah laughed and flipped her red hair over her shoulder. “You should be. Even I had to look some of that stuff up. But I found something that would be perfect coming from you.”

  “What?”

  Her grin widened, and she added a pause for dramatic effect. “An autographed movie poster.”

  “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

  “And ruin the surprise?”

  “Please, Red, it’s not my wedding. If you want them to believe I picked it out, I need to at least know what I got them.”

  “Don’t trust me?”

  On the contrary, nothing could be further from the truth. He’d trusted Red with everything since the day he arrived in Hollywood six years ago. His career. His agenda. The hundred and one details of his daily life. Even his heart.

  If only he could convince her to consider taking it.

  “I do,” he said with a sigh of resignation. Eight months ago, he’d asked her if they could be more than friends, and she’d given him dozens of reasons why they couldn’t. At least, after she agreed to speak to him again. If he dared to broach the subject again, it might end their friendship, and he treasured that above all else.

  But he still kept hoping she’d come around one day.

  “I just wish you’d reconsider coming with me to the wedding,” he added, testing the waters one more time.

  She stiffened, and he silently cursed. “It’s a family gathering.”

  “And you’re part of the family, as far we’re concerned. How many holidays have you spent with us?”

  The speedometer slid backward until she was going the legal limit, and she moved into the right lane. “That was different.”

  “How so?”

  “Weddings are different than holidays,” she replied, her voice wavering into warning territory.

  “I don’t think they are. It’s just another opportunity to see my mom and my brothers.”

  “Maybe for you.” She massaged the back of her neck.

  “Come on. You know we all adore you.”

  She gave him a weak smile. “No, I’d just be intruding. Besides, I have plans for the weekend.”

  “What kind of plans?”

  “Just…plans.”

  His stomach tightened again, this time more out of fear than panic. He tried to keep his voice casual as he asked, “Hot date?”

  Her laughter broke through the tension. “You know me better than that.”

  In the three years since her accident, Sarah had done everything she could to hide from the public eye. She’d left the hospital with a smaller nose and let her naturally red hair grow out instead of bleaching it blond like she’d done for most of her acting career. And most people wouldn’t recognize her unless they looked really hard. But her hermit lifestyle had also kept her from seeing anyone beside him.

  Which suited Gideon just fine. As far as he was concerned, they were perfect for each other. He just needed her to see that.

  But if he ever saw her with another guy…

  “Is my driving making you nervous?” she asked, jerking him from his thoughts.

  He looked down to find his hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. He shook them out. “No, not really.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll get you to the airport in time.” She picked up her speed and merged back into the fast lane.

  Gideon sat back and reassessed his plans. He’d hoped that if he could convince her to come to the wedding with him, he could take advantage of the romantic setting and use it to dismantle her defenses. But she was still refusing to play along.

  Time to put Plan B into action.

  “Hey, Red, I’m expecting a package from Florida to arrive today. When it comes, can you put it in my room?”

  “What is it?”

  The answer sat on the tip of his tongue. It would be so easy to tell her that he’d finally recovered the Golden Globe award she’d won four years ago. The same award she’d sold for drug money during her downward spiral. The same award he was planning on returning to her for her birthday. But instead, he repeated the same thing she’d told him. “And ruin the surprise?”

  He got an arched brow and a glance. It was her “Watch it, mister” look, but he was immune to it by now.

  She took the LAX exit and pulled to the curb in front of his airline.

  Gideon checked to make sure no one was waiting for him. One of the perks of having Red drive him. Nobody expected anyone famous to come out of a modest electric car. He grabbed his bag from the backseat and reached for the door handle.

  Only to freeze when Sarah placed her hand on his arm.

  The heat from her touch erased the tension building up along the ride and eased his mind. With
such a simple gesture, she let him know that no matter what had happened, they were always friends.

  When he met her gaze, the same sentiment glowed from her pale blue eyes. “Have fun, Kid. Say hi to the family for me.”

  “I will.” He reached for the handle again, but paused to ask one more time, “Are you sure you don’t want to come along?”

  And what he saw almost tore apart his insides. For a second, he thought she’d agree to come. A hopeful gleam lit up her face, and her lips parted. Then the moment passed, and her eyes dulled with sadness as she turned away. She withdrew her hand. “No. Thanks, though.”

  Stupid, stubborn redhead.

  He snatched his bag and left the car before he resorted to begging.

  “Oh, and one more thing,” she called out.

  He leaned back in through the open window. “What?”

  “I got them an Empire Strikes Back poster that was signed by the cast members.”

  His eyes widened, and he let out a low whistle. Leave it to Red to find the perfect wedding gift for two geeks. “How much did that set me back?” he teased.

  “He’s your brother. You can afford it. Besides, I know how to work a great deal.”

  He laughed and backed away from the car. “Don’t forget that package.”

  “I won’t.”

  ***

  Sarah had barely managed to come in from the sweltering ride back from the airport when the gate buzzer rang. She spotted the FedEx truck on the security camera and let him in. A minute later, she was signing for a package the size of a shoebox that weighed close to seven pounds. The return address belonged to a memorabilia shop in Miami.

  What did the Kid order this time?

  Probably something sports related.

  She carried it upstairs and placed it on his nightstand, not giving it another thought.

  Chapter Two

  One Month Later

  Remind me to give the maids a bonus this week.

  Sarah shook her head as she tiptoed around the empty bottles and sleeping bodies. In the course of a few hours, the immaculate Pacific Palisades home had been turned into a frat house. Gideon’s impromptu party last night had lasted until the wee hours of the morning, and behind her, Jason and Raul were clearing out the remaining guests who’d crashed wherever there was space.

  She held her breath when she approached Gideon’s room. Please don’t let me catch some bimbo in his bed.

  Her cheeks heated at the thought, and an uncomfortable wave of jealousy rolled through her stomach. She paused and waited for it to die down before she cracked the door open. It wasn’t like she had any claim on him. He could sleep with whomever he wanted. After all, he was single, successful, considerate, handsome…

  Her cheeks grew warm for an entirely different reason, and she squashed those emotions with equal vigor. He was her boss. And considering how well his latest release did in the box office over the weekend, he could have his pick of women.

  But it would make her job easier if she didn’t have to explain to some half-drunk, naked chick that it was time to go home. As it was, she was already tight on time. Gideon had an interview in Beverly Hills in ninety minutes, followed by a flight to Las Vegas, and she was responsible for making sure he was where he needed to be, preferably in decent condition.

  Despite the mid-morning California sun shining outside, his room was a dark cave. The automated blackout blinds were the one thing she’d insisted he get when he remodeled the house, and he’d thanked her more than once for them. With a touch of a button, they changed the day to night and allowed him to sleep when his shooting schedule was three ways to crazy.

  Gideon lay on his stomach, his long limbs spread out in all directions with a single foot poking out from under the covers, and the last of her worries fell away. He was alone.

  “Wake up, sleepyhead,” she said in what Gideon referred to as the drill sergeant voice.

  He answered with a series of incomprehensible mumbles.

  “I don’t care.” She found the remote for the blinds, and a few seconds later, sunlight streamed into the room. “You need to get up and get dressed.”

  “You’re evil.” He grabbed a stray pillow and pulled it over his head.

  “No, I’m just your assistant.” She wrestled the pillow away from him. “Now get in the shower and wash the booze away.”

  He didn’t move, and for a moment, she wondered if he’d fallen back asleep. Then, out of nowhere, a hand clamped around her wrist and yanked her into the bed. A pair of well-muscled arms wrapped around her and pulled her closer to a hard body that had women around the world swooning. If it had been any other man, she would’ve responded with an elbow jab under his ribs, followed by a punch to the groin.

  But this was Gideon.

  He nuzzled the back of her neck. “How are you doing, Red?”

  She didn’t trust her tongue to give him her usual no-nonsense response. The heat from his bare chest penetrated the thin cotton of her shirt and warmed her back. She closed her eyes and indulged in the experience like it was a hot stone massage. “You know this could be considered sexual harassment.”

  “Maybe, but only if you considered this to be sexual or harassment.”

  Oh, if you only knew…

  The first time she met him, they had to shoot a scene in bed together like this. What had started out as awkward had turned into a running joke. Back then, they were forced to lie in each other’s arms like lovers. Over the years, she’d spent hours lying beside her best friend, unburdening her soul and finding reasons to smile again.

  Now, however, despite the teasing, there was a palpable tension in the air. Nine months ago, he’d asked her if they could be more than friends, and something shifted in their relationship. Even though she’d told him no, even though she’d listed all the reasons why it would never work between them, even though she’d explained that she didn’t want to ruin their friendship, some reckless and rebellious part of her wanted the same thing.

  She managed to laugh it off and pry his arms away. “As much as I’d like to pretend this was a lazy Sunday, you have prior commitments.”

  He gave her a sleepy smile that managed to be sexy at the same time. “I’m willing to play hooky if you are.”

  “Not a chance, Kid. Your career depends on you wowing that reporter from Pomp and Celebrity.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know.” He wrapped the sheet around his waist and stood. “If I mess this up, I’ll never work in this town again.”

  He stumbled toward the bathroom, but the thin sheet did little to conceal the finely sculpted ass underneath. Sarah bit her lip and enjoyed the view until he closed the door behind him, all too aware of the fluttering in the pit of her stomach.

  Damn, I’m in trouble.

  All the more reason to focus on finding a new line of employment before I royally screw things up. Starting with today.

  The sound of running water came from the bathroom, and Sarah found the garment bag she’d stowed in Gideon’s closet two days ago. Just as she’d suspected, he never even noticed it. She laid it out on the bed and started packing his suitcases for the Vegas trip. He’d be there for at least three weeks shooting his next film, so she made sure he had enough clothes packed to cover any situation he might find himself in.

  Workout clothes? Check.

  A couple of suits for dinner? Check.

  Casual clothes to wear during his downtime? Check.

  Tux? He could rent that.

  By the time she got to the socks and underwear, the shower had gone silent. The bathroom door opened with a billow of steam, and Gideon emerged looking like a fantasy brought to life. The man oozed sex, even when he wasn’t trying to be sexy. A towel hung loosely around his hips, and drops of water still clung to his skin. His dark hair formed messy spikes. Stubble lined his cheeks. In short, he looked better first thing in the morning than most models did in the middle of a photo shoot.

  He ambled toward the bed with easy grace and pointed t
o the outfit she’d laid out for him. “That for me?”

  “No, it’s for Gabe Harrison,” she replied, referring to Gideon’s co-star in the film he’d be shooting in Vegas. She stuck her tongue out at him and tossed him a pair of underwear. “Just hurry up and get dressed.”

  “Fine.” His exaggerated groan made her chuckle, but it was her cue to step out so he could get dressed. After years of being his assistant, she’d seen him practically naked enough times on a set to know he was well equipped where it counted, but when they were alone in his home, he still maintained a thin veneer of modesty. Not because he wanted to—because he didn’t want to do anything that made her uncomfortable. And since she’d declined his offer to be more than friends on Halloween, he’d become even more conscious about covering up in her presence.

  She left his bedroom and discovered, much to her delight, that Gideon’s bodyguards had cleared out the leftover party guests while she’d been in the bedroom.

  Raul waved for her to join him in the kitchen. “I don’t know what’s more trashed—the house or that last chick we called a cab for. She couldn’t even give the driver her address.”

  “Then where did you send her?”

  “To the address that was on her driver’s license.” He took a sip of water. “She kept saying that she’d sober up faster if she could just purge the alcohol from her system. I made sure we got her out before she demonstrated her technique.”

  “This town is all sorts of messed up,” Jason, the other bodyguard, added.

  “Well, this isn’t Nebraska, farm boy.” Raul tossed him a bottle of water. “So, what’s on the agenda today, boss lady?”

  Sarah pulled out her phone and reviewed Gideon’s schedule, even though she had it memorized. “I’ll drive him to the interview and photo shoot at the hotel. Then we’ll swing over to LAX for the flight to Vegas at three.”

  “So we’re off until then?” Raul gave Jason a high five. “I can live with that.”

  “Just make sure you’re at the airport before we arrive.”

  “Got it.” Jason scribbled something down on his palm with a pen. “And then what?”