As I walk over to him, Hayden, who is also in the cave scene, asks everyone to give us some privacy. I nod at him in thanks as the crew all back away and keep their distance.
I sit down next to Chad. I don’t say anything, I just put my hand out to see if he wants to hold it. When he grabs onto it and squeezes it as if it’s his lifeline, I’m not sure whether to be happy that he holds me in such regard, or sad that my man is in such distress that he even needs one.
“Hey,” I finally say when I hear his breathing slow down.
He sighs so hard some dirt on the ground beneath his knees becomes displaced. “I’m a fucking joke, Mal. I thought I could do it. But once I got inside, it’s like a goddamn tomb and I swear the walls started closing in on me. I don’t know how they even got the camera in there. There’s barely room in there to turn around let alone fit two grown men plus a cameraman.”
“You are not a joke, Chad. Claustrophobia is a very real fear. Nobody is going to fault you if you can’t do it. They’ll just have to think of something else.”
“Not fault me?” He motions behind me. “Did you see the look on David’s face? He thinks I’m a pussy. I have to do this, Mal. I have to.”
I think back on my teacher training. They gave us all kinds of tips and tricks to help kids get through difficult situations. “Okay. Um, can you remember a time when you were in an enclosed space where you weren’t scared?”
Chad shoots me a look of annoyance. “Don’t psychoanalyze me.”
“Just humor me, okay? Was there ever a time like that?”
He takes a few deep breaths and I can feel his hand starting to relax in mine. Then he nods and his lips twitch with a half-smile.
“What?” I ask. “You thought of one?”
“Do you remember when we had that huge snowstorm when we were in middle school? School got canceled for a whole week and we had snow drifts as tall as your basketball hoop?”
How could I ever forget that? It’s one of my favorite memories of him. But I don’t want to recall the story for him; he needs to tell it. “Um, I guess so,” I say, goading him on.
“Every time the snow plows would come by, more snow would pile up along the front yard. It must have been ten feet high out near the curb. Kyle, Ethan, Julian and I built something resembling an igloo. We just picked a spot by the driveway and started digging. We must have dug about fifty pounds of snow out and then someone suggested spraying cold water along the inside walls to solidify them as it froze. It was epic. You couldn’t stand up in there, but two or three people could fit in at a time. We took blankets and snacks in there. We even had a lantern.” He squeezes my hand. “You really don’t remember?”
“I’m starting to,” I say. “Didn’t we get stuck in there or something?”
“Or something?” He laughs at the memory. “Mallory, we were stuck in there for like three hours one day. Kyle was pissed at me because I brought a girl into our fort, so when you and I were in there, he shoveled a ton of snow into the opening, giving us no way out. When I realized what he’d done, I didn’t even care. I was happy, in fact, because we were forced to spend more time together. Man, was my mom mad at him. She said we could have frozen to death, but there was no way. When you got too cold, you let me put my arm around you. And believe me, I had a lot of body heat going on just thinking about how much I wanted to kiss you.”
I look at him with wide eyes. “You wanted to kiss me? I was only eleven, Chad.”
“And I was twelve,” he says. “Hell yeah, I wanted to kiss you. I wanted to kiss you every time I was with you, Mal.”
Chad closes his eyes and shakes his head. “Damn,” he says. “You’re one hell of a teacher, Mallory Kate. I think I’m ready to do this now.”
I stand up and reach my hand out to him to help him up. Then when he goes to say something to Hayden, I walk over to the director. “Get everything set up in there and then give us a few minutes alone in the cave.”
He looks at me like I’m crazy. “Who the hell is directing this film?” he asks, arching a mocking brow.
“Do you want the shot or not?” I ask, staring him down even though he towers over me by a good foot.
He scoffs, rolling his eyes at me before he calls John over and tells him what to do.
I watch Chad eye the mouth of the cave, taking a deep breath before he walks in. I hurry behind him, following him into the dark chamber that is illuminated by dim set lights. When he sees me coming in behind him, he balks at me. “Mal, you can’t be in here.” He looks at the entrance nervously as if David is going to reach in and pull me out by my collar.
“I can and I am.” I put my hand against his chest, forcefully pushing him back into the cave wall. “I remember every single detail of that day,” I tell him. “You’re going to finally get that kiss, Chad Stone. The one you wanted in that igloo when you were twelve.”
I press myself against him, reaching up to run my hands through the back of his hair, taking care not to ruin it for the shot. I trace my fingers across his broad shoulders, teasing him through his shirt. His gaze moves to my lips as my tongue comes out to wet them. His mouth moves closer to mine, pausing only to say, “I fucking love you,” before bonding his lips to mine.
The heat of the cave only heightens my senses. I’m hyper-aware of how he tastes of mint and soda, how we both smell of sweat mingled with cologne and perfume, how the sounds of our kisses echo off the walls, and how his touch sends messages of want and desire straight to my center.
I don’t know how much time passes. Seconds, minutes. But it doesn’t matter because he’s perfectly fine in this moment, making a new memory to add to his older one. He’s perfectly fine being in this tomb of a cave. And when I pull away from him and hear someone clear their throat as they walk in behind me, I whisper to him, “Do this once, babe. Make it count. And when we go home, we’ll finish the fantasy.”
Hayden salutes me on my way out. Then I quickly go over to the monitor on the outside of the cave and huddle around it with five or six crew as we watch Chad and Hayden nail it in one take, Chad giving the performance of a lifetime in that one Oscar-worthy scene.
Chapter Twenty-five
Chad
“I think you just might be David’s favorite person in the whole world right now,” I say to Mal in the car on the way home. “He thinks you walk on water, you know. And David doesn’t like anybody.”
She shrugs as if it’s no big deal.
“Seriously, nobody stands up to the guy,” I say. “You just earned the respect of every person on the crew.”
“He was a little terrifying,” she admits with a smile.
“Do you know how good you are for me? I don’t think an entire team of high-priced shrinks could have accomplished in a hundred hours of therapy what it took you ten minutes to do.” I wrap my arm around her, pulling her close in the back seat. “You saved my ass today, Mallory.”
She nuzzles her head into me. “It’s nothing you wouldn’t have done for me.”
“And that’s why we’re perfect for each other.” I look at Cole in the front, his eyes fully seated on the road in front of him. I take the opportunity to run my hand up Mallory’s thigh. It’s hot in Sedona in the summer, so she’s always wearing these short shorts and tank tops, making it damn hard for me to concentrate.
“Chad!” she whispers, scolding me with her stare.
“Just trying to make sure you don’t renege on that promise you made in the cave.” I plant my hand on her inner thigh and rub my thumb across her soft skin, repeating a pattern that sends goosebumps up and down her arms on this warm evening.
Her eyes are glued to the rearview mirror, making sure Cole isn’t watching us. My eyes are glued to hers. And every once in a while she closes them, taking in a breath as her body quivers under my touch. The ride back home is too long. There are so many things I want to do to her right now, but can’t. I remove my hand from her leg and she protests with silent, pouty lips, making me chuckle.
/> I pull out my phone and tap out a text.
Mallory stares at me, clearly annoyed. “You’re sending a text? Now?” she whines.
I smile as her phone pings in her back pocket. I nod my head at it and watch as she pulls it out and reads the text.
Me: Do you know what I want to do to that tight, sweaty little body of yours?
She laughs when she reads it. Then she smiles a deviant smile and texts me back.
Mal: Why don’t you tell me?
Damn. What did I ever do to deserve this girl? I stare at her and tell her with my eyes what I want to do. We don’t need words. She knows what I’m saying without them. But what’s the fun in that? She wants to play this game, so I go all in. Good thing I’m a fast texter.
Me: I was watching you all day. Every chance I got, my eyes were glued to you. You didn’t know because you were busy making everyone on set fall in love with you. But you want to know my favorite thing about watching you today? It was when you took a drink of water and then someone made you laugh. A bead of water trickled out of your mouth and rolled down your chin. You tossed your head back, laughing, and that bead of water traced a line down your neck, across your collarbone, and into your cleavage, finally disappearing into your shirt. It was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. And I was jealous of a damn drop of water. I wanted to BE that drop of water. And tonight, when we get home, I’m going to follow the same path that bead of water followed. I’m going to kiss your beautiful lips and trace my tongue down your neck. I’m going to lick your salty skin and savor the sweet taste of you. But I won’t stop there . . .
I press send and then I watch her react as she reads the text. The more she reads, the faster her breathing gets. I’m already hard. Writing her the text was like reliving that moment. Her reaction makes me even harder. Her eyes close briefly before she taps out her reply.
Mal: How can you seduce me simply by talking about a drop of water? I want that. I want that and more. Every time your lips are on me, I’m in heaven. Every time you touch me, another memory gets added to my vault that chronicles my life’s most cherished moments.
God. This girl.
Me: Oh, I plan to put my lips ALL over you. After my mouth gets its fill of your incredible breasts, I’m going to lick my way down your stomach. I’m going to kiss that sexy little scar of yours. And while my mouth is busy there, my fingers are going to explore how wet I’ve made you . . .
She squirms around in her seat as she reads my text. Her mouth hangs open slightly. I watch as she taps out a few short words with shaky fingers. I laugh when I read them.
Mal: Yes, please.
Me: God, Mal, you’re going to be so wet for me that my fingers slide easily inside your tight walls. I move them around, massaging that little area that makes you groan every time I find it. Then my tongue is going to join the party and I’m going to taste how hungry you are for me. I’m going to flick your clit with my tongue and then I’ll run it in circles, making you squirm so hard under me you’ll want to explode. My fingers will start to work faster because I feel your thighs start to tighten around my shoulders. God, I love that moment right before you come, when I know it’s going to happen and I’m the one who’s going to take you there. I suck your hard nub into my mouth as your hands grip my shoulders so fiercely that your fingernails dig into me. They dig in so deeply it hurts a bit. But I love it because it means you are mine in every way, and while I’m making you come, you are marking me as yours. Your hips buck under me as I continue to rub that spot inside you, drawing every moan and shout out of your pretty pink lips. And when you cry my name, it’s a prayer I want you to say every fucking day of our lives.
I hit send and watch her as she reads it. Her body language is spectacular. Her face flushes. Her lips form an ‘O’ as a long, slow breath leaves them. Her thighs press tightly together. She drops the phone onto her lap, and her head falls back against the leather seat, eyes closed as she tries to control her breathing. She steals a shy look at me, shaking her head as she smiles before she sends another short text.
Mal: I need a cigarette.
I laugh out loud, prompting Cole to look at us quizzically.
Fuck. I’m hard as a rock. I can’t wait to get my girl home.
~ ~ ~
It’s difficult for me to sit across the table from Hayden and Noreen without a huge shit-eating grin thinking of what Mal and I were doing just an hour ago. What we were doing in the shower. What we were doing in the pool under the waterfall. My life is playing out like the best romantic film ever made. Better. Because the drama—it’s all done. Over. In the past. We have only good times ahead. What we’re doing now is just the very beginning of the rest of our lives. And I want it all with her. Marriage. Kids. Side-by-side burial plots. Everything.
“Have you even heard a fucking word I’ve said, douchebag?” Hayden asks when the girls get up to use the restroom.
“Uh, yeah. You were talking about tomorrow’s scenes,” I say. I have no fucking idea.
He laughs, shaking his head. “You truly are pussy-whipped, my friend.”
I follow Mal with my eyes before responding to him. “If there’s a better kind of whipped, please tell me,” I say. “Maybe you should try it sometime.”
“Um . . . no,” he says, taking a swig of beer. “I’m perfectly happy doing casual. And so is Noreen. So don’t go putting any ideas into her head with your sickening tales of young love.”
“Hey, if Noreen is good with how things are, why rock the boat?” I say.
“Exactly,” he says. “And speaking of rocking the boat, has Courtney been causing you guys any trouble? She really does seem different. Do you think it’s an act or something? I mean, I didn’t want to say anything earlier when the girls were here, but she was trying to extract an invitation to dinner.”
“Thanks for not inviting her,” I say. “Part of me feels bad that she isn’t hanging out with us. Doesn’t leave her many options, you know. But no way in hell do I want to be put in the position of having dinner with my old girlfriend and my current one at the same time. It was bad enough being strong-armed into taking her climbing with us. It was terrible, man. Courtney had no experience whatsoever and I had to keep helping her. She might just be trying to be friends, but there’s enough crazy in my life, I can’t take the chance of her hurting Mal in any way.” I frown thinking of that afternoon. “I’m afraid it ruined rock climbing for Mallory and that was supposed to be our thing here.”
“Well, I hate to tell you this, buddy, but if Mallory is planning on being on set this Friday, anything having to do with rocks, Sedona, or even this film, might be ruined for her.”
I nod reluctantly. This Friday we’ll be shooting the obligatory sex scene of the film. Even action films need to have one. Keeps the female fans happy or some shit like that. But this scene, it’s going to wreck Mallory. Even if she’s there, watching how technical and non-sexual it really is, it will have a lasting impact on her and that upsets me.
I think of what she did for me today. How she took a bad experience and made it into a good one. Maybe I can do the same for her. And suddenly it becomes clear to me. I pull out my phone and send a text to Kendra and then John, the AD I’ve become good friends with over the past month of production. I set the wheels of my plan in motion.
“I swear I just saw a light bulb go off over your head, dude,” Hayden says.
“What’s that about a light bulb?” Noreen asks behind us.
“Nothing,” I say, shaking my head so only Hayden can see it. “It’s just so dark in here, I can barely read the dessert menu.”
“You want dessert?” Mal asks, rubbing her stomach. “I don’t know where you boys put it all. I’m stuffed.”
Our waiter comes over and puts a drink in front of me. I’ve already had my limit, so I’m not sure why he brought one when I didn’t order it. “From the ladies at the bar,” the waiter says.
I look over my shoulder and see three women huddled together, smiling a
nd taking photos of our table. I’m glad it’s dark in here; they won’t get a very good shot. I raise the drink to them in thanks and then I put it in front of Mallory. Mallory smiles and takes a slow drink of it. Then she looks over at the girls, one of whom very blatantly raises her middle finger at her.
Hayden and I laugh while Mallory downs the rest of the drink. “Why don’t good looking babes ever send me drinks?” Hayden asks. He looks at Noreen in question, motioning to me. “It’s always this asshole. He’s not even as hot as I am, right?”
Noreen stares him down and then points at her chest. “If you want this good looking babe to go home with your egotistical ass tonight, you’d best stop calling other women good looking babes.”
I see commotion in my periphery and look over to where the three women were at the bar. About halfway between them and us, Cole is holding back two of the unruly and obviously drunk girls. “The drink was for you!” one of them yells at me. “Not that ugly bitch!”
The restaurant falls silent as Cole and the manager politely escort them to the front door. Before they are out of earshot, I hear Cole say, “Next time, best stick to asking for an autograph or a picture, Miss.”
“I love Cole,” Mallory says. “He needs a raise. I didn’t even see them get up from the bar. He must have been watching them the whole time.”
“That’s why he’s the best,” I say.
“It must be hard for him, you know,” Mal says, watching the door as he comes back in and resumes his perch at the end of the bar. “He probably doesn’t have any time for a girlfriend. He has to follow you around all the time and be at your beck and call.”
“I’m sure it is hard, but the pay is good,” I say. “And they rarely do it for more than a year or so, taking long breaks between clients. Sometimes—like Cole did before I hired him exclusively—they work for multiple people on an as-needed basis. That allows bodyguards more time for a personal life because they can control when they work.”
Stone Promises (A Stone Brothers Novel) Page 25