“All right. Make sure the area is secure before I venture out again. Thanks, Bri.” He put the phone back in his bag and lowered his tall frame into one of the chairs.
“Come here lovely girl,” he requested patting his lap, his demeanor back to his old self.
Lauren flushed and eased herself onto his solid thighs. He pushed her hair back from her face and ran his fingers lightly over her cheek, his blue gaze soft. His touch was tender, making every cell in her body tingle with possibilities of their next intimate time together. He continued to run his index finger across her lower lip while licking his own. She started to lean in and was about to kiss him when the door opened, letting in a blast of cold air.
The hair and makeup team entered noisily, chattering away. When they noticed Lauren sitting in David’s lap, a hush fell across the group and they obediently went about their business, averting their eyes.
David kissed her on the cheek, a look of humor in his expression. “Hold that thought, gorgeous.” His voice rumbled low and seductive making her catch her breath.
She nodded and hopped off his lap. As nonchalantly as she could, she took off her coat and hung it over a folding chair near the refreshment table, lingering near the coffee pot as she tried to decide what to do next. It felt like a million eyes fixated on her every move, the hair and makeup team seemingly curious as to who she was and why she was there. David didn’t introduce her, which was perplexing, and proceeded to give the go ahead for them to resume their jobs without another word.
Within seconds, it was business as usual and the team was back at it, totally focused on David. Two attractive ladies efficiently added touches of makeup to his face. One woman pulled a different designer jacket out of a garment bag and started using a lint roller on the sleeves. Finally, a petite, older woman with a shock of silver near her temples put the finishing touches on his hair using a bright yellow comb with a pick at the end. Not a stray hair was out of place. The efficiency and speed of the team was incredible.
When he stood and towered over all of them, he was helped into the beautiful coat as the team made their final adjustments.
“I shouldn’t be too long.” He winked and exited the trailer with two of the four women who shrugged on coats and followed close behind. The other two stayed and started to clean up the area.
Lauren felt out of place and shyly poured herself a cup of coffee, wrapping her hands around the warm bottom of the cup. She watched the two women as they quietly packed up supplies into plastic bins. The amount of clothing and products used for the shoot was astonishing.
“That’s a lot of stuff for one man, isn’t it?” She joked trying to start a conversation with the two ladies.
The women eyed each other, suppressing grins and didn’t say a word. Lauren tried another approach. “Hi. I’m Lauren,” she stuck her hand out to one of them who looked at her with a shocked expression before limply shaking it. She did the same with the other woman. “Have y’all worked with David long?”
“Umm… no. This is our first shoot with him.”
“Oh. Cool.” Lauren felt extremely uncomfortable in the tiny trailer with these two strangers. “Can I give you a hand?” she suddenly asked. She hated being idle and wanted to pass the time helping or conversing.
The younger woman raised her eyebrows with immediate concern. “No. No. It’s obvious you’re a special guest of Mr. Randle. We can handle it.” Her partner nodded quickly in agreement.
“Oh. Okay. Well, if you need any help, just let me know. I’d be happy to,” she replied with disappointment. She had no idea what to do while she waited for David and watched as they continued to pack up bins and carry them out.
Slumping into one of the makeup chairs, she stared at her reflection in the giant wall mirror. Her cheeks were ruddy and her eyes appeared too big and round in the bright lights. She blew a puff of air out of the corner of her mouth in a lazy attempt to move a stray hair that hung out of place, concerned at how she was feeling. It was obvious David was a private person around the team. She couldn’t blame him. Perhaps he was intentional about keeping business and pleasure separate. It still seemed odd he hadn’t introduced her to anyone. Odd and uncomfortable.
Leaning her head back on the leather seat, she stared up at the gray flecked ceiling tiles wishing she were outside watching him again. It wasn’t her fault he smiled at her during the shoot. His assistant, Sabrina, was another story. The intimidating woman was obviously not fond of anyone outside David’s circle, her rudeness another disappointing blow on Lauren’s first day in New York. The flip side of all of this was that David wanted her there with him. He was the one who asked her to come in the first place, making all the arrangements himself. Already moved in to his hotel room at the famous Plaza Hotel, a small smile of satisfaction spread across her face. None of those bitches could take that away from her.
***
David couldn’t help it that his trademark “smolder” was starting to look more like annoyance in the last few shots, the shoot ending later than expected because of a lighting problem. After the last shot was taken, he quickly thanked everyone as he made his way back to the trailer among waves and cat calls from the crowd of spectators.
He was none too pleased the shoot ran late and that Sabrina had shown her ass on the very first day Lauren arrived. She was on the forefront of his mind and he was determined to make it up to her.
Anxious to reunite with her, he swiftly opened the trailer door and paused in the threshold, immediately noticing Lauren’s reflection in the wall of mirrors. She was sitting in the makeup chair with her head tilted to the side, fast asleep. Overcome with genuine adoration, he couldn’t help but smile. Closing the door quietly, he crept to the chair and stood in front of her. She looked so innocent and young in her slumber and he couldn’t help but lean closer and run the back of his fingers against her soft cheek. She stirred, taking in a deep breath. He bit his lower lip as he watched her, his heart feeling like it was expanding in his chest.
Everything had changed since he met Lauren. His black and white, tediously appointed world had suddenly turned into vivid Technicolor. Sure, he was happy and grateful for the path his career was on, especially the upcoming launch of his own fragrance. But that was all he had going for him—his career. His life had turned into all work and virtually no pleasure. He was thankful for his success and the opportunities it allowed him, but the lack of privacy and long weeks of travel, living out of hotel rooms alone, weren’t something he thrived on.
Being in Atlanta for his sister’s wedding was a turning point for him. When he first arrived, he was tired and felt disjointed and depressed, only looking forward to the many cocktails he would consume to get through the weekend of being alone and on display. He was genuinely happy for his beloved sister, but felt a certain melancholy of his own being unaccompanied at her nuptials. Meeting Lauren was an unexpected gift from the heavens, and he wasn’t about to take it for granted.
Kneeling in front of her, he ran the palms of his hands back and forth across her thighs. When her eyes fluttered open, she immediately smiled at him, taking his breath away.
“Are you finished?” she whispered sleepily, trying to focus. Her eyelids were heavy and relaxed.
“Yes, love. I’m so sorry for keeping you waiting.” He helped her up into a sitting position and she wrapped her arms around his middle, leaning her head against his abs. The stirring in his manhood was immediate as he stroked the back of her head. She squeezed him hard before looking up at him with a wide, innocent smile. He traced his fingers under her chin and across her lips.
Trust had always been an issue with him, which was one of the reasons he never got close to the team of people who worked on his shoots. Unfortunately, he had found in the past that if he offered even a little bit of his true self, people took advantage of him. He made up his mind a long time ago to keep his private life private; make them wonder. Even though he and Lauren hadn’t been seeing each other very long, he
knew without a doubt he could trust her. She didn’t run in the fast-paced, cutthroat circles of the modeling or fashion industry. Looking down at her beautiful face, a pang of fear hit him like an arrow in the chest as he thought about those circles tainting her wide-eyed innocence. He decided right then he would do everything in his power to protect her from the power-hungry idiots—everything humanly possible to shield her from the chaos of his life.
“I missed you,” she whispered.
He kissed the top of her head and helped her to her feet. “I missed you more. Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Chapter Fifteen
Leaving the secured photo shoot location put David and Lauren in a precarious situation as they hurried through the open area of spectators. True to form, fans excitedly groped and probed, wanting to touch the famous supermodel. Shielding Lauren with the help of a bodyguard, David assisted her into a car, the entire experience frightening. Holding her trembling hand the short distance back to the hotel, his expression held concern, and she assured him she was fine, just shell-shocked by what he had to endure just to leave his work. The heavy sigh that emitted from his tired body spoke volumes to her. There was a substantial price to this thing called fame. David told her during one of their earlier conversations how he sometimes coveted obscurity and wanted to be carefree. To be able to walk the streets of New York in anonymity without interruption, or drive his convertibles through town without a second notice. To be on a romantic holiday with a woman without her becoming afraid.
Lauren waited in the sitting room area while David showered in the opulent bathroom. When he came out of the bedroom, he seemed refreshed, dressed casually, but impeccably, for their evening ahead. His dark hair was damp from the shower and a sexy five o’clock shadow blossomed across his jaw line.
“How do you do it?” she asked.
“Do what?” he replied, straightening the cuffs on his plaid shirt. He sat across from her on a leather Chesterfield chair, tilting his head.
“How do you handle having crazy people trying to touch you all the time? That was creepy.”
Pressing his lips into a tight line, he leaned his elbows on his knees and rubbed his hands back and forth while staring at the floor. “New York and LA are the hardest places to be. The paparazzi are vultures and when word gets out you’re in town, all bets are off it’s going to be a relaxed commute anywhere.” He looked up at her, the blue in his eyes obscured by his dark pupils. “One of the sacrifices for having this career, I suppose. Don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely grateful for where I am in my line of work. The launch of my fragrance is a dream come true.” He paused and ran his hand through his hair. “There are times, however, I wish I could just be a man in the city enjoying his beautiful girl with no interruptions or security issues.”
She nodded. “Do you ever get scared?”
“Scared? Not really. More perturbed, actually. I find most people to be charming and respectful. There are those few, unfortunately, who feel like they own a part of you—those are the people you have to watch out for. I’m very guarded in public. And when the occasion calls for it, I have a bodyguard or security around to help me if things get out of control.” He stood and walked the short distance to the couch and sat next to her. “I’m so sorry you were frightened. That’s not the norm, I assure you.” He splayed his hand at the nape of her neck, pulling her forward and kissing her head. “I’ll protect you, Lauren. I don’t want you to worry about your safety while you’re here with me.”
Her heart swelled with emotion and she nodded, the fresh scent of his debut cologne infiltrating her nostrils, making her swoon.
Several minutes later they walked into the Rose Club overlooking the stunning Fifth Avenue lobby of their hotel. The focal point of the famous club was an entire wall of champagne bottles backlit in red lights. The room was luxurious and romantic; the perfect place for the two of them to relax after the long Central Park photo shoot. They cozied up next to one another on an oversized crimson couch and ordered classic cocktails from the menu.
“This place used to be called the Persian Room. Now it’s called the Rose Club. Kind of apropos for a lovely singer named Lauren Rose,” he flirted.
She smiled demurely at him and sipped on a pomegranate mojito. The fresh mint and rum was a delicious explosion of flavor in her mouth.
“You’ll like this. It was once a legendary jazz nightclub for over forty years. Famous people used to play here like Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday.”
“Billie Holiday? Really?”
“Yes.” He grinned. “I’m sure these walls have listened to many unforgettable moments in music history. It’s truly a New York City historical landmark.” He rested his arm across the back of the sofa and rubbed her shoulder.
Looking around the sumptuous space, she grinned. “There’s definitely a jazzy vibe going on. I feel like we’ve traveled back in time.”
David chuckled, content to sit back and sip on his old-fashioned. The club wasn’t very crowded for a week night, and most of the upper-class patrons didn’t give them a second glance, allowing them to relax and enjoy the evening without interruption.
“I have another question,” Lauren announced, placing the heavy crystal glass of her mojito on the coffee table in front of them.
“Oh, no. Not another inquisition. I promise you, I’ve told you everything about me!” he joked.
She laughed. “I’m just curious and it’s been on my mind since we left the shoot.”
“What is it?”
She hesitated and did her best not to sound whiney. “Well… why didn’t you introduce me to your team? They were all very standoffish. Was it intentional or did you forget?”
David smiled sadly, shifting his body so he could look directly into her face. “It was intentional.”
“Oh…”
“I don’t mean that in an arrogant way.”
“Okay…”
“Let me explain. I’m very protective of my private life. The photo shoot was purely business, and it wasn’t their place to know who you were and why you were there. Things move pretty quickly in this industry and frankly, there just isn’t time to fraternize and get to know the various teams coming in and out. The only person who needed to know who you were was my assistant, Sabrina.”
Lauren nodded slightly trying to understand.
He cupped her cheek in his hand. “I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. It was for your benefit. I keep business and pleasure completely separate. It makes things more efficient, if that makes any sense.”
She leaned forward to pick her drink back up. “I guess being from the South, I’m used to meeting people and getting to know them. I understand what you’re saying though. I wouldn’t want the whole world to know all about my private life either. Your situation is quite a bit different from mine.” Looking down, she watched his perfect hand move back and forth across her thigh. She lay her hand on top of his.
“I feel very lucky to have met you,” she whispered, changing the subject.
His eyes crinkled as he squeezed her leg. “My father always says there’s no such thing as luck, Lauren. It’s just a very well prepared person waiting for an opportunity.”
“Oh, so I’m an opportunist?” she quipped humorously.
He shook his head. “Hardly. Quite the opposite. You’re genuine. There isn’t an unfavorable, devious bone in your entire being.” He leaned in to kiss her on the mouth. “Are you hungry?”
She nodded, still pondering his comments.
“Let’s finish up and get some food. I’m starving.”
A car service was waiting for them outside the lobby and whisked them on a thirty-minute journey through the city to the lower east side into Chinatown. The bright lights and throngs of people hustling along the sidewalks were a spectacle to watch. The car pulled up to what appeared to be a hole in the wall with a well-worn, red awning and Chinese lanterns fluttering in the cold breeze. A delivery bicycle was parked out front.
“Don’t worry, the food here is much better than the lack of ambiance,” David promised, helping her out of the car, as if sensing her hesitation. The driver handed him a bottle wrapped in a brown paper sack.
“What’s that for?”
He chuckled. “This place is BYOB.”
Lack of ambiance was an understatement. The entire restaurant was a narrow sliver of a space letting in almost no natural light. There were only a half a dozen tables, one of which was shoved into a tiny corner where they settled in for their Chinese meal.
“I adore this place,” David admitted, pulling a rickety chair out for Lauren to sit.
“Really?” she asked incredulously, the harsh fluorescent lighting making her squint.
“Trust me.”
They drank out of paper cups brought out to them by an eager wait staff. David took the liberty of ordering several items with a boyish glint in his eyes as if anticipating some of his choices. The food arrived in Styrofoam containers that did little to detract from the fantastic flavors he raved about. He fed her jagged-edged noodles in bowls of steaming beef broth. There was egg and tomato in a dense black-bean sauce, and perfect, steamed pork dumplings. The famous spicy chicken came out last, David enlightening her that this was a favorite dish among some of the popular five-star restaurant chefs in the city. Sichuan peppercorns, cumin, and fennel seeds flecked the dark meat chicken and potatoes. He showed her the best way to eat it with hand-pulled noodles or crisp, plain pancakes. The meal was a flavorful explosion for the taste buds.
They sipped on their bagged red wine, staring at each other from across the table, the remnants of their meal whisked away by the wait staff.
“I wish they had a dimmer switch for these lights,” he lamented. “Not the most romantic space you’ve been to, I’m sure.”
The Nearness of You: A British celebrity, standalone love-at-first-sight romance Page 10