Gravity (Hollywood Connections Book 1)

by Renee Porter

  She lay on top of me, both of us willing our breaths to calm before trying to speak. I heard Maddie groan as I felt her walls clench again against my fingers. She was sensitive and I gingerly removed myself from her, now able to hold her with both arms.

  “I…” Maddie looked up at me starting to say something but paused. Her brow furrowed.

  “You what?” I placed her hair behind her ear as I took in her blushed face.

  “I hope your mom just didn’t hear that,” she flinched as my eyes widened.

  “She’s home?” Maddie chuckled as she squeezed my hip in comfort.

  “I saw her walk in when I was climbing across.” Maddie chewed on her lip and then kissed me on my mouth. “So you know what that means, right?” She slipped her tongue between my lips and I responded in kind. The warmth of her mouth settled at the apex at my thighs as I felt her nimble fingers unbutton my jeans. “You’re going to have to be very quiet,” she whispered. I nodded my head as I felt her slide my jeans and underwear down. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that she had removed her clothing as well, and as I felt our naked skin touch together for the first time I knew it wasn’t going to take long for me to come.

  “Maddie…” I wanted to tell her it was going to be fast. I didn’t want her to judge me for the fifteen seconds I was sure I would only last but she quieted me with a kiss.

  “Shhh...let me take care of you.” I bit my lip as I nodded again, allowing myself to feel everything that Maddie was doing to me. Her hands cupping my breasts, her skin sliding against my own, her breath hot against my neck. All of it was so purely erotic that I felt the first wave of my orgasm starting deep within my stomach. I took in a deep gasp but before I could fall I felt the coolness of the air against my hot skin. I opened my eyes to see a mischievous glare staring down at me. Maddie cocked her head to the side as her fingers danced across my hot skin. I groaned as I willed those fingers closer to my center. She was touching me everywhere but where I needed her and I let out a frustrated breath.

  Maddie smiled against my lips as she whispered, “not yet.” My skin prickled at the tone, letting me know that she was going to make me wait. It seemed like hours before her rhythm picked up again as she worshipped every inch of my body with her mouth and tongue. Finally, though, when I thought that I might combust from her teasing mouth, I felt her hot breath against my center and the first touch of her tongue against my slit. The feeling was intoxicating as I pressed harder against her lips. We both moaned as she took me fully within her mouth and entered me with her tongue. I whimpered, as her nose brushed against clit. I slid against her wet lips as I climbed to heights I didn’t even know my body was capable of and then when I felt her fingers slide inside of me I knew it was over. My body crashed down hard against her lips that were surrounding me and I gave out a low, soft groan. My body fell limp against the damp sheets as the tingling of aftershocks rumbled through me.

  “Okay?” I heard Maddie mumble close to my ear as her arm encircled my waist. My mouth was dry and the words in my head wouldn’t form against my lips. I had just been so deliciously taken and all I could do was nod my head.

  Maddie chuckled against my neck and I in turn laughed with her. We laid there as our bodies shook from humor. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.

  “Again?” Maddie rasped out finally grasping my side and pulling me against her front. I looked into her darkening eyes and nodded.

  “Again.”

  ***

  I tried to peel my eyes open from the incessant blaring of my alarm clock. I groaned at the tightness in my shoulders and body but then smiled when I realized why I was so sore. Immediately, last night’s escapades filtered through my mind and I clenched my thighs tight at the sudden wave of arousal. I had an hour and a half before I needed to get to work and I realized that it was more than enough time to replay those memories in the real world. I turned off my alarm and turned in bed, expecting to find soft, warm skin, but instead was met with cold sheets. I sat up and looked around the dimly lit room. The early morning light was just enough for me to see that Maddie wasn’t there. I sat quietly, trying to pick up any noise in the restroom or house but it was silent. I furrowed my brows as I quickly ran to the bathroom, combed my hair and then went downstairs.

  I heard light laughter coming from the kitchen and immediately the scent of coffee filled my nose. I turned to the opening and watched as my mother smiled and laughed with my girlfriend. Maddie’s back was to me but it warmed my heart to see her wearing my pajama t-shirt and shorts. With another laugh my mother looked up, her eyes sparkling with humor. My face reddened at the thought that she knew why Maddie was here this morning but her smile let me know that she was just happy that I was finally happy.

  “Good morning, daughter.” I watched as my mother sipped her coffee and at the words Maddie turned around. Her eyes immediately met mine and a knowing smile splayed across her lips. My face turned a deeper shade of red as I cleared my throat and walked fully into the kitchen.

  “Good morning, mom. Maddie…” I leaned down and kissed her on her lips. She whispered a good morning and I forced myself to peel away from her to grab some coffee.

  “Did you two sleep alright last night?” My mom’s voice held humor but I heard Maddie sputter her coffee. She coughed as I slapped my mother lightly on the shoulder as I passed. I made my coffee and sat down with the two of them. “I mean if you did sleep at all…”

  “Mom! Come on,” I chuckled as Maddie’s face reddened with a blush.

  I watched as my mother’s smile widened at the tease. Then she turned serious. “I’m happy for you both, you know that?” I grabbed my mother’s hand and squeezed it.

  “Thanks, mom.”

  “Yes, thanks Joanna.” Maddie smiled warmly as my mom waved her hand. “I just can’t believe it took you so long to finally get here. But I’m glad you finally did.”

  “Me, too,” I heard Maddie say. She looked over at me and her smile beamed just as brightly as my own.

  “So what’s on the schedule for today?” My mother asked. I was sure she was wondering if she should make dinner for us but instead of keeping along with the light and easy morning, I had to throw a wrench in the mood.

  “Maddie and I really need to discuss what we’re going to do about a certain photographer.” I watched Maddie’s shoulders tense. She had obviously forgotten about the situation with Rebecca and I felt bad for putting that weight against her world again.

  “What do you mean?” My mother asked curiously. I turned to her as I grabbed Maddie’s hand under the table.

  “A few months ago, Maddie and I met a photographer. She didn’t seem very interested in Maddie, which was nice considering her profession.”

  “Because she was interested in you.” Maddie said through clenched teeth. I rolled my eyes to tease but it was obvious she was still jealous of the whole situation.

  “Anyways, we met before we were even together but even she thought there was something there. Well, she was at the party last night and managed to get some pictures of Maddie and me looking like more than friends.”

  “Oh dear,” my mother said. “Is she going to print them?”

  I shook my head. “Not unless she gets an interview with Randle Gooding.”

  “Which she won’t.” Maddie said it as if that was the end to the conversation.

  “Maddie, we really need to talk about that.”

  “You want to give her an interview?” My mother asked in an astonished voice. I pinched the bridge of my nose.

  “I don’t know what else to do. If I don’t do it then Maddie will be outed and she hasn’t even started shooting the fourth movie yet.”

  “But if you do it and then Maddie comes out afterwards, don’t you think it will be even stranger that you two are already dating?”

  “Yes, that’s what we’re trying to figure out.” I exhaled loudly.

  “Then don’t give her the satisfaction.” My mom shrugged her s
houlders.

  “What do you mean?” Maddie asked.

  My mother continued. “Look, you two know that the moment you started this,” she pointed to both of us, “that it wasn’t going to be easy. Maddie, let’s say that B doesn’t give the interview and you come out after the movie. Everyone is going to delve into her life to try and figure out who the woman is that took you off the market. I know we’ve spent a long time keeping you anonymous, B, but eventually someone is going to trail you to Randle. And do you really want it to come out like that?”

  I bit my lip as the tension rose within me. “You think that will really happen?”

  “It’s a definite possibility.” Maddie looked at me with a softening expression. “So far no one can make a connection between you and Randle because they have no idea to look into a quiet school teacher from the valley. But once you’re out in the public they’ll be looking harder. All they have to do is connect you to Elizabeth in some way and then the dominos will fall.”

  “So then, I do the interview.” I said in a matter-of-fact tone. But I watched as my mother shook her head.

  “No. I don’t think you give her that power. You do it on your own time.” My mother smiled softly at me. “She may have pictures of you two together but if you come out first as Randle Gooding, at least Maddie’s publicist can spin it that you two were talking about revealing your true identity, B. You two are obviously close friends and work closely together.”

  My heart fluttered at my mother’s explanation. It was brilliant. And then my shoulders sagged. “Do you think I could still teach?”

  I felt my mother’s gaze on me. “I think that’s something you should talk to your principal about before coming out.” I nodded my head as the weight of the world seemed to fall on my shoulders. My mother was right, if I wanted to protect what Maddie and I had, I had to come out of the wood work. I knew that Randle Gooding had to finally show his face.

  ***

  “Shouldn’t we talk about this a little more?” I heard Maddie ask over the rush of the shower water. I inhaled deeply as I tried to settle my nerves. Taking one second longer than I needed to, I slid open the curtain and peeked my head outside.

  “We could…or you could come in here with me.” I gave her a slow smile to show her that my invitation was anything but a change of subject. She looked at me, took a step forward and then stopped suddenly.

  “I know what you’re doing,” she stated simply. I gave her my best ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about, now get your ass in the shower look’ but she crossed her legs at the ankle and leaned against the bathroom counter.

  “Maddie, it’s a done deal. I’m coming out as Randle and you’re going to shoot the movie and then we’ll take it from there.” I had closed the curtain and rinsed out my hair one more time. I thought quickly back to last night and wished for one moment we were just two normal women with normal jobs so we could take advantage of the morning. Instead she was a celebrity and I was a bestselling author arguing whose anonymity was about to be disheveled.

  “How are you so blasé about this?” I heard her ask. I turned off the shower and grabbed the towel hanging on the overhead bar. I wrapped myself tightly and stepped out, the cool air hitting me heavily along with Maddie’s heated gaze. I wished it was heated for other reasons but this, I quickly found out, was her frustrated stare.

  “I’m not being blasé, Maddie. It’s just the best way around this mess.” I felt her follow me out into my room and I sat down on the bed, breathing a deep sigh. “I really don’t want to argue about this, Mads. You know that this is the best option with the timeline we were given.” I watched her pace back and forth in front of me. She was running through the options in her head and then finally she stopped and laid her eyes on me.

  “B…”

  “Maddie, think about it. We only have two weeks. You can’t come out just yet but I can. I can talk with Elizabeth and set up a conference. I’ll come out as Randle and state that I didn’t want to be identified because I didn’t want to be in the public eye.”

  “So now why come out all of a sudden?” She asked. I took a deep breath and thought for a moment.

  “Because the books are finished and I don’t expect to write another? I can give closure to the fact that Randle Gooding won’t author another book and finally put all the rumors that he is a recluse to bed.”

  “And then what happens when I come out and you’re my girlfriend? People are going to think you gave me special treatment. Which you did…but that’s not the point.” She shook her head and I stood up bracing two hands on her shoulders.

  “I’ll say we were friends but that’s it. That I knew you would be perfect for the part so that’s why I suggested you for it. I think honesty is the best in all of this. And then if Rebecca decides to publish the pictures we can say it’s because we’re close friends. That’s the connection to us. They won’t think twice about it. Hell, I’ll even give them pictures of us in high school to concrete the fact.”

  “What if you can’t teach anymore though?” Her voice was sad for me and I breathed out loudly.

  “That’s something that was always a possibility. I have to talk to Principal Williams first before I do any of this. He may decide to give me some time off until the media frenzy will die down.” Maddie clenched her jaw as she finally nodded her head.

  “You don’t have to do this…for us. We can put everything on hold and just…” I put a finger over her mouth not wanting her to say the words.

  “That’s not an option for me,” I hesitated, “unless you want to?” Immediately Maddie shook her head and I agreed with her.

  “So what now?” She asked. I looked at the clock and then back over to Maddie. I had a feeling that today would be the first day I was ever truly late for work. I let the towel fall as Maddie’s eyebrow cocked up.

  “Now, we get to start where we left off last night?” She smiled as she took my lips between her own and walked me to the bed.

  Chapter 16

  “Principal Williams?” I knocked on the door and heard a ‘come in’. I entered the large office as Jonathan Williams stood, shaking my hand and inviting me to sit.

  “B, hello. What can I help you with?”

  I opened my mouth and then closed it not knowing how to start. After speaking with Elizabeth and letting her know our predicament she had decided that coming out as Randle was the best option as well. She had gotten the ball rolling and we even had a date set of when my outing would be. I couldn’t think of that now though, as I sat in front of my boss and fought with how I would tell him. Elizabeth had offered to be a representative but I declined. Jonathan was always a very understanding man. I just hoped this went my way.

  “B? Are you alright?”

  I shook my head as I took a deep breath. “Jonathan, I need to tell you something and I’m hoping we will be able to work something out.” I watched him scrunch his face up in confusion as I continued. “First, let me start off by saying that it’s nothing bad, well, I don’t think it’s anything bad.” He nodded his head telling me to continue.

  “Do you remember me telling you that Madeline Fields was friends with Randle Gooding?”

  “Yes, I do.” His eyes lit up. “Is he planning to give another donation to the school?”

  I laughed nervously as my smile faltered. “No. Well, I’m sure that it would be considered but…” I paused. “I am Randle Gooding.” I waited for the words to register. Again his face scrunched up in confusion.

  “You’re Randle Gooding?” He parroted. I chewed on my lip as I waited for the words to sink in further.

  “I wrote the first Breakaway novel when I was a teenager and the book was a hit. I had decided to stay anonymous because I didn’t want to be a part of the whole celebrity of it all.” I waited to see if he was understanding what I was saying. He nodded his head as he tried to comprehend the words.

  “Well, I am planning to release my identity and I wanted you to know first. I know t
hat there will probably be a lot of media involved and…”

  “You’re Randle Gooding?” I tried to stop the eye roll from happening. Maybe I should have had Liz here to help me.

  “Yes, Jonathan. I know it may sound ridiculous and I’ve been portrayed as a recluse…a male recluse but that was all a part of the identity I established to make sure I would stay anonymous.”

  “And now you’re planning on coming out? I don’t understand why I would need to know this?”

  I breathed in deeply. “There has been a lot of people wondering who Randle Gooding is. It won’t take them too long to find out where I work and since this is a public school, the media will be all over the place. It will be great publicity for the school but I’m concerned with how the students and parents will react. It will be crazy for a while.”

  His mouth formed an ‘oh’ and he nodded. “And you’re worried about your position?” I nodded my head. “Okay, let me think for a moment.” Jonathan stood as he started to pace. “You’re a great teacher, B. You’re one of my best and I don’t want to see you leave.” My shoulders visibly relaxed. “But I understand what you’re saying. When the media catches wind that you work here they’ll be relentless won’t they?”

  “I don’t want to stop teaching, Jonathan. I love it, I really do.”