by A. B. Wilson
He grunted as I kneed him in the gut and he pushed me off of him.
“Hey,” he said softly once he’d recovered his breath.
“Is for horses,” I replied, still breathless.
He groaned and rolled his eyes at me. “What I was trying to say is ‘Hey, I had a lot of fun today’.”
“Oh, yeah. Me too.”
“And I was wondering what you’re up to over the next few days, if you might want to keep hanging out?”
“Well, my schedule cleared up considerably once I signed that contract. Michael pulled me from all post-production work so I could start memorizing lines and stuff. He still hasn’t lined up coaches for me—think that’s supposed to start next week. And then we only have a few weeks of rehearsals before filming actually starts.”
“Woah, he pulled you from post?” Markus frowned in consternation. “But that’s your job.”
“Yeah, but I’ve done post-production with him before and know how it goes. I’m more nervous about the next three weeks before rehearsals actually start. I mean, it’s Monday today and I start working with coaches next week, most likely. Which means I’ll only have two weeks with them before having to be an actor in front of everyone.”
“Shit, that is really fast. We should plan on spending time running lines. Which is part of my proposition, I guess. I was wondering what you’re doing over the next few days, see if you’d like to get out of town for a bit. We can run lines and spend time together.”
“Normally I’d love to, but aren’t you leaving the day after tomorrow or something like that?” I asked, confused.
“Yeah, I’m supposed to fly out to see my family, but I also think we might need this time together. I can move it out till you’re working with the coaches. That will give us some time to get grounded in our characters.”
“No! You haven’t seen your family in ages. I’ll be fine on my own. You’re not moving that flight,” I said wildly, alarmed that he would drop his family for me.
“I’m not skipping the trip, only putting it off for a bit, because we do need to work together,” he muttered as he awkwardly swept up and shuffled a handful of cards from the floor.
“Markus, no. We’re fine, we have all the time in the world.”
He studied me closely in the low lamplight and I stared right back, neither of us willing to yield. His jaw clenched and unclenched, casting shadows on his handsome face.
“You’re right,” he said in a low voice, “but you’re also wrong. I do need that time with them, but we definitely don’t have all the time in the world. You saw all of that coverage today. That was from one event. They’re going to find you—find us—and soon. I feel like we’re on the edge of something together and I’d like us to be prepared before the shit really hits the fan. I don’t want you going into rehearsals blindly.”
His voice softened a bit. “Believe me when I say that I want us to build something together before the public finds out and people try to push us apart.”
I wanted to scoff or roll my eyes and remind him about all of this being ‘casual’. But he’d asked me to trust him and I really had no idea how wild things would get for us or how either of us would react if the pressure got turned up this early.
My bangs blew straight up as I forced out a stressed breath. “Fine, what do you have in mind then?”
His shoulders relaxed down from his ears when he heard my agreement. “This might sound a little absurd, but why don’t you come to Germany with me? We could chill, run lines, meet up with my family if you’re up to it.”
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, but this doesn’t feel super casual. Can I think about it? Call you tomorrow with an answer?” I stood and held out my hand to pull him up.
“Oh, come on. No sleepovers? I’m very good at casually giving out orgasms.” He threw me a wicked grin as he pulled me in for a hug. I pinched his side and he yelped. “Kidding, I’m kidding. Call me whenever tomorrow, and I can figure out the details if you want to come with me. I hope you do.”
As he finished speaking, he stepped back a half step while keeping me in his arms. I looked up at him and he dropped his forehead down to rest against mine. His breath tickled my cheek and played with my hair. “Thanks for such a great day. Sleep well,” he said quietly, then placed a sweet kiss on my surprised lips, before he turned and left, closing the door softly behind him.
The minute the door closed, I had my phone out to text Candace.
Help! Markus wants me to go to Germany with him, meet his family. Wtf do I do?
She replied immediately.
Uh, say yes? Free Euro trip? Why WOULDN’T you go?
I rolled my eyes.
Maybe because we just started this casual thing and this feels like the opposite of casual?
She sent me an animated eyeroll emoji in return and the typing dots balloon rippled at the bottom of the screen.
It might be the opp of casual, but it’s a good idea. You saw the news today about you two? It’s gonna get worse and more in your face after last night. And I kno you don’t need a man or anything, but he might need you.
I gingerly poured myself a glass of wine from an open bottle in my fridge, praying it wouldn’t trigger yet another migraine.
That’s what he said too. Plus we need to read through the scripts together, start blocking things out. Maybe there will be time for that on the plane.
Candace was quick on the comeback.
Listen to the man. He’s been through this and dealt with the press for a looong time. If you don’t want to go to Germany, go somewhere else. But I think you both might want to be somewhere while this blows over here.
My glass was empty by the time I’d finished thinking through the possible ramifications of going to Germany on a moment’s notice. I swiped to Markus’ text string and, before I could lose my nerve, sent him a short text.
You were serious about the invite, right? I’m in, but not for the whole time. I need to be back in a few days to start working with Michael’s coaches. xo
Chapter Twenty
Markus
The minute I got her text, I quickly pulled the trigger on another ticket and forwarded the info to Alina so she could finish the check-in process. Then I emailed the building manager for my apartment in Berlin and asked that he send someone in to get it ready for guests—grocery shop, clean, the usual.
While I wasn’t inclined to tell anyone about Alina—it felt too fragile for sharing—I had to let Will know that she was coming with me to Germany so he wouldn’t be blindsided when the Euro tabloids started posting pictures. He and Claire were already busy with the requests for comment on the photos from the Premiere. I shot them a message saying that the two of us were planning a quick trip to Berlin to get away from the American paps before we were both due to return to L.A. for rehearsals.
For their personal benefit, I added that the latest round of nonsense with Southern Gods had brought us closer together and that we were in the very early stages of seeing each other. I also stressed that info wasn’t to be shared with anyone and requested that they send over suggestions for an agent for Alina. Mixing too much business with pleasure was a bad idea. While I headed outside to the pool area, agreement and congratulations came in, along with a promise to email her a list of agents that Will thought would be a good fit.
Filled with restless energy and fueled by too much caffeine, I paced the deck and called my sister to see if she would be interested in meeting in Berlin. Ella was, predictably, overexcited about the possibility of an escape from motherhood, but hyper-concerned about me jumping into a new relationship. She’d figured that out, despite my assurances that Alina was a friend who was looking to check out Berlin before heading to another stop on her European travels for work. I wasn’t fooling anyone, even with thousands of miles between us.
After Ella, I dialed Max and got his voicemail. While I wasn’t sure what he did on a daily basis, he always seemed busy.
Proba
bly out being a diligent wine guy and playing with his grapes.
I left a message with the details and asked if he would like to come. His wife was, of course, welcome as well.
Not expecting a return call any time soon, or possibly ever, I called Matti. He answered completely hammered after his team’s unexpected victory against their biggest club rival. I wasn’t sure how much of the conversation he would retain, so I just asked him if he fancied a trip to Berlin and left it at that. I was pretty sure that he answered in the affirmative before he broke out in song, and the rest of the club right along with him.
I listened for a while, vastly entertained, until I heard an equally wasted female voice offering him and a few of his boys a good time. I shuddered at the thought of my baby brother having sex with anyone, then I hung up and shot him a text with details.
Almost instantly, a GIF appeared in the message string—a pornographic one with nothing but a guy drilling a woman from behind, with a “Yes, Yes, Yes!” caption. I burst out laughing. My brother was an absolute class act.
* * * *
“Fuck, keep your shirt on. I’m coming.” Alina’s crabby morning voice was muffled behind the front door.
I banged again and leaned into the frame. “But my shirt can come off so easily. And it’s not fair to be hiding from me if you’re coming all on your own,” I growled at the still-closed door.
Dead silence. The door creaked open and a furious green eye slowly emerged. “You are so fucking ridiculous. I don’t even know how to handle you—no! Stop! I didn’t mean it like… You ass.”
I stuck my foot in the gap when she tried to playfully slam the door in my face and she managed to stop it in time to save me from a very uncomfortable injury. A brief tug of war later and she appeared, gnawing her lip and fiddling with the hem of a gray T-shirt cropped above high-waisted bleach-splattered jeans that were rolled to her ankles to show off a pair of Adidas Stan Smiths. My bracelets were still on her arm, an incredible warmth rose up through my chest. She noticed where my attention had caught and smiled.
“You like?” she asked sweetly.
I nodded, feeling strangely proud, like we were both happy with the evidence of our relationship shining on her arm for everyone to see.
“Well, they’re staying on until we find the screwdriver. Do you still have the case?”
“Not here. I’ll have someone send it. Ready?” My tone was brusque as I started to turn away from her.
She laughed at my clear annoyance and stroked my arm. “Don’t worry, sensitive guy. I love them and don’t want them off right now or anything.”
“I know. It’s fine. Really. I like seeing them on you. Sorry if that came out like I wanted to pee on you or something.”
“You’re gross. Now help me with my bags.” She tossed a duffle at me and dragged out a carry-on roller bag. Leaving it on the porch, she ducked back in then emerged with her beat-up leather tote and locked the house.
I took her hand as we walked to the car. “Ready for this? I’m so glad you’re coming with and I can show you around my hometown.”
She squeezed my hand in response, flashing me a quick grin. “Me too. And we’re running lines on the plane, right?”
“Of course,” I said as I let go of her hand and helped her into the car.
“Hey, David,” she greeted my driver, and he nodded back as I climbed in to sit beside her. She immediately slid over to rest her head on my shoulder once I was buckled in.
“So, what activities did you come up with for this little getaway? Are we really meeting up with your family?” she asked as her fingers tangled in her lap.
“My sister will definitely be meeting us. She’s coming from a suburb. Matti will most likely be there as well. Not sure though, since he was drunk when I asked. Max is a busy guy, so I doubt it.” The vertical crease between her brows deepened and I did my best to reassure her. “It’s going to be fine. Don’t worry. We’ve got a day to ourselves to get over the jet lag, and I made sure that my apartment is ready for us.”
“Apartment?” she asked uncertainly.
“Yeah, my apartment. I’ve got a loft in old East Berlin. It’s in Friedrichshain. I’m rarely there, but it’s the first property I ever bought on my own. My favorite too, if I’m honest.”
“Hold up. I want to talk about what we’re doing in Berlin more in a second. But your first property? I guess I never thought about it, but how many properties do you have?”
“Three. The apartment in Berlin, the house here in L.A. and a townhouse in London. I also have part-ownership with my brothers on a villa and vineyard in Tuscany, but I’m the money guy for that one and rarely go there.”
“Three.” Her voice was faint and she shifted as though she wanted to jump out of the car.
“Alina, it’s just an investment. Not a big deal. I mean, you’ve seen at least one of my contracts.”
“I know, I know. But it’s one thing to know it and totally another to know it. You know?”
“That’s a lot of knowledge you’re trying to drop,” I teased in an effort to lighten the mood.
“Never mind. This is still new to me—you’re fucking rich and famous. It’s weird. Remind me you’re a normal guy when I start to freak out.”
I hugged her tightly against me and she curled an arm around my waist as her head found that perfect spot tucked beneath my chin. “I promise. Now, do you want to talk about what our options are?”
She snuggled infinitesimally closer and her nod gently bounced off my jaw.
“We’ll be getting in early morning tomorrow and can stick around my apartment or go into the city proper for tourist-type stuff. The day after, everyone will be coming in, so we’ll have to have more serious plans or else we’ll bicker about what to do. What do you think?”
“I really like the idea of alone time,” she said as she toyed with the hem of my faded black T-shirt, sliding her fingertips underneath to drag across my stomach.
“Me too,” I managed to choke out as she absently traced over my abdominal muscles, dipping intermittently beneath the waistband of my jeans. I’d never gone this long without sex and she was driving me out of my mind.
“Let’s leave tomorrow open then. I’d love to go to a museum or wander around the city, but I don’t know how I’ll be feeling after the flight. What if we did a bike tour? Rent bikes and go from place to place? Could be fun.”
“Want me to text Ella to see if she can set it up for us?” I responded. “Shit, we’re almost at the airport. Do you have a hat and sunglasses? We’re at the concierge entrance, but still…”
“I’ll be fine,” she said as she gave a quick glance to make sure the privacy screen was up before slinging a leg over me and sliding onto my lap. She plucked the phone neatly out of my hand and stuck it in a cup holder. “You can text your sister from the plane. Now get over here. I haven’t even kissed you yet.”
Her hands curled around my stubbled jaw and their warmth re-ignited the banked fire that never seemed to fully extinguish when she was nearby. It was a gentle, teasing kiss to start, but then her knees tightened around my waist and she thrust her hands into my hair, nails scratching lightly against my scalp as she angled my head the way she wanted me. I groaned into her mouth as I lifted my hips to press into the hot, soft core of her that was covered by altogether too many layers. A knock on the privacy screen brought me back to earth and I started making plans for the bed in our private cabin on the plane. Elaborate plans involving a very naked and exhibitionistic Alina, one-thousand-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and all the champagne we could drink.
Chapter Twenty-One
Alina
It took David’s repeated knocking on the privacy screen to pierce the haze that had built up as we kissed. Both of us were sporting wild hairstyles and Markus had some serious adjustments to make before we could leave the car. Denying how badly I wanted this man was having a detrimental effect on my headspace. We seriously needed to fuck soon or both of us w
ere going to end up with the bluest of blue balls.
As he closed his eyes and leaned back against the headrest, I rechecked my reflection in the mirror and tweaked my ponytail a little. My eyes were bright and my cheeks and lips had the type of flush that can only be attained by messing around with someone or applying a very expensive stain. David hauled our bags and passports over to the agent, who began the check-in process.
“Alina? You ready? David’s waving us out.” Markus opened the door and stepped down to the curb, then turned back to me with a smile on his face as he held his hand outstretched toward me, echoing his gesture from the Premiere. “Shall we?”
And same as that night, I nodded and reached out. Our palms met and his long fingers wrapped securely around my much smaller hand. He pulled me beside him effortlessly and guided me to the counter where David was waiting. The agent looked at us, looked at the passports and handed us boarding passes.
“Mr. Shellenberg. Ms. Ferrous.”
We thanked him and turned to David. “Bye, David, thanks so much for everything,” I offered as I held my hand out for a quick shake.
“I’ll see you in a few days. You’ve got my flight details, right?” Markus asked, and David nodded. He turned to me. “David can pick you up too when you get back, if you want.”
“Oh, no. I couldn’t impose.”
“It’s not imposing at all. I’ll give David your info and you can call or text him if you decide you’d like a ride,” he said, and David grinned from behind him, making a ‘call me’ sign with his hand by his ear.
I stifled a laugh as we went through the automatic door. We moved through security efficiently—celebrities really knew how to live with this concierge business. It was like TSA Pre-Check on steroids. We paused on the threshold of the airline’s first-class lounge to glance at each other. I smiled while I held out my hand to him. This was our first real test, the initial foray into the public as a…couple. Yeah, this is totally casual.