She bore Reggie off along the hallway, and Cosimo let Nicco into the suite. “You can take the bed. I’ll use the pull-out.”
Nicco hesitated. “Dad, have you…in that bed?”
“Have I what?” Cosimo took a minute to get what his son was talking about. “Dude, no. You’re good.”
“Well, I don’t know what goes on, like, on a film set. I hear things.” Nicco snickered at his father’s eye roll.
“If you knew how uneventful life on a film set really was.” Cosimo was grabbing a pillow from the bed and a blanket from the closet.
“Maybe I could come down, hang out, see what happens one day?”
Cosimo stopped, but then realized he shouldn’t make a big deal of what Nicco had said. “Anytime, pal, you know that.”
“Cool. Night, Dad.”
When Nicco had gone to bed, Cosimo stripped down to his underwear and turned off the light. He saw his phone blinking with a message. Laying down on the pull-out bed, he grabbed his phone and scrolled through to the message. Biba.
Progress, progress, progress! I think we broke though the teenage barrier! B xx
Cosimo chuckled softly. All thanks to you, my lovely Biba. I can’t thank you enough. C xx
There were few moments before she replied and when he read it, his heart began to beat faster.
Show me. Tomorrow night. Show me.
And that was all she needed to say.
Chapter Eleven
Biba jiggled her legs under the dinner table so much that Reggie actually held her knees down. “Why are you so hyped up?”
Biba felt her face redden. Because tonight, I’m going to have sex for the first time with the man of my dreams. “Nothing, just excess energy. Good day yesterday, huh?”
“Very. Nicco’s a good kid. Can’t see any of Cosimo in him, can you?”
Biba thought about it. “Didn’t notice. He’s fun when you break the ice. That’s like Cosimo.”
Reggie studied her, his brown eyes searching her face. “You like him.”
“Who, Nicco?”
“No, Cosimo. Think I didn’t notice the chemistry between you?”
Biba said nothing, but she could feel her face burning. Reggie nudged her, lowering his voice. “Go for it, Beebs. He’s obviously into you.”
Not yet, but later tonight… God, she had to talk about it to someone. “Come with me.”
They walked down to the lake and sat on the same jetty where Biba and Cosimo had almost made love. She told Reggie about that night. He grinned widely. “I knew something was up with you. But you didn’t go through with it?”
She shook her head. “No, my big dumb brain stopped it. And when I told Cosimo why, he kind of backed off. Not that he wasn’t kind.”
“Well, now, that’s admirable. He did exactly the right thing.”
“Except…”
“Except what?”
Biba flushed again—at this rate she’d be scarlet all day. “Tonight…”
Reggie looked surprised. “You’re ready?”
Biba nodded. “I’m nervous, of course, but I really believe I can do this because I want to do it so badly. And I trust Cosimo, Reggie. You know how much of a big thing that is for me.”
“I do, honey.” Reggie hugged her. “I’m really happy for you, Beebs. This is one of those moments.”
“It is.”
They looked out over the lake in companionable silence for a few minutes, then Reggie tickled the back of her neck. “Beebs? Have you seen your mom and dad since we’ve been in Tacoma?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“The base is less than a mile away.”
“I know.” She turned to look at him. “I have no feeling for them, Reg. No love, no hate, just nothing. They lost the right to call me daughter when they didn’t believe me.” Biba looked away again. “The bastard that abused me was later arrested for doing the same thing to three more children. Did you know that?”
Reggie shook his head, his eyes serious. “I didn’t.”
“My parents never called to apologize. Not once. They would have known about the arrest, too. So, Reg, that tells me everything I need to know. End of subject.”
“Fair enough.” Reggie kissed her cheek. “Love you, bugs.”
“Love you, too.” She drew in a shaky breath. “God, why am I so nervous?”
“Because Cosimo means something to you,” Reggie said fervently. “That’s good. That’s perfect. Don’t worry, take it easy.” He grinned at her. “Got some condoms?”
Biba looked alarmed. “God, no…”
“Relax, boo. This is a movie set. Makeup has a drawer full.”
Biba grimaced. “I wish I didn’t know that.”
Reggie got up and pulled her to her feet. “Come on. Knowing Stella, she’s looking for you. I’ll get some condoms for you. Have a great night.”
Stella was in a very bad mood despite the fact they weren’t working that day. “Look at all this mail,” she moaned, heaving a stack onto the table. “I thought you were going to keep on top of it.”
“I do my best, Stel.”
“You could have thinned this out yesterday.”
Biba gritted her teeth. “I don’t work Saturdays, you know that.”
Stella, having lit a cigarette, picked a bit of tobacco off of her tongue. “Maybe I should get an assistant who doesn’t need days off.”
“Good luck with that. Why are you in bitch mode?” As if Biba didn’t know. Stella had obviously seen her come back from the day out with Cosimo and Nicco.
Stella didn’t answer her question. She nodded at the mail. “Get to it then, I don’t have all day.”
Actually, you do. But Biba said nothing, instead swiftly sorting the mail into three piles: fan, work, junk. Stella scooped up the junk and threw it in the trash can. Biba retrieved it with a glare and put it in the recycling bin. Mini battles were what their relationship was based on.
Stella started to look through the work pile. “Crap. Crap. Crap. Ha! The Weinstein Company—no thanks.” She dumped that one in the trash with a flourish.
Biba nodded. That was something they could agree on. She looked through the fan mail, weeding out anything that needed a reply or a signed autograph. The final envelope she chose was a heavy manila one. As she shook out the contents, she saw they were just photos, no note. She picked a few up, noting they were sticky with something. Gross. Please don’t be semen, please don’t be semen…but then she noticed it had a red color and a sweet smell. Corn syrup. The stuff they used for blood on movie sets. Yikes.
She looked through the photos, unease curling through her stomach. Mostly, they were pictures of Stella on set or walking back to the manor. Taken on a phone, obviously. Then there were the five other photos. Cosimo, Rich, Reggie, Gunter, and herself. These were the ones with the fake blood on. They were being threatened.
“What is that?” Stella reached for it, but Biba pushed her hand away.
“Don’t touch. We need to get these to the FBI.”
She looked up and saw the fear in Stella’s eyes. “Is it him?”
“I think so. So, the less we handle them the better.”
“Should we call Cosimo?”
Biba shook her head. “I’ll go talk to Rich and Gunter—they’ll know what to do. Cosimo is hiking Mt. Rainier with his son today.”
Stella sat back, her hands clenching and unclenching. “Is he threatening me?”
“Not you. I think whoever he is, he thinks he’s in love with you. This message is really for the rest of us—we get in the way and we’re…” She drew an imaginary knife across her throat, and Stella blanched.
“This is actually serious, right? If he’s threatening to kill my friends…”
Biba didn’t show how touched she was by that statement—mostly because she wasn’t sure Stella meant it. “Nothing’s going to happen, Stel, I promise. I know kung fu.”
“You do?”
“No,” Biba grinned at her boss, trying to make her laugh. “Bu
t I’m scrappy.” She got up to find a plastic bag to put the envelope in.
Stella didn’t smile. “If anyone got hurt because of me…”
Biba sat down opposite her boss. “First of all, in the unlikely event any of us got hurt, it would be because of him, the crazy—not you. This is not your responsibility.”
“Yes, but you are.”
Biba had to look away then because tears did fill her eyes. Her damn parents had never said that to her and now her diva-boss Stella was saying it? How fucked up was that? “Don’t worry about it, Stella, really. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
She went to find Rich and Gunter, and they called in Lars and Channing, Cosimo’s seconds-in-command, and they agreed with Biba. No one else was to touch the letter, and they’d call in the FBI the next day to come collect it. Rich and Gunter made plans to beef up security. “You better tell Reggie to watch out, too,” Rich said to Biba as they walked back to the trailers. “If he’s in the nutjob’s sights…”
“I will.”
Biba went to find her best friend and met him in the lobby of the manor. “Here,” he said, and stuffed her pockets with condoms. Biba colored immediately.
“Thank you. Listen, Reg, come sit with me. I have something to tell you.
Chapter Twelve
Nicco stood at the junction of the trail. “Which way?”
Cosimo, only a little way behind his son, nodded towards the Emmons Moraine Trail. “If we go that way, we’ll get to see the Emmons Glacier. Largest in the contiguous States.”
“Cool.”
Cosimo didn’t mind this one-word appraisal now. He’d learned as they hiked alongside the White River for the last hour or so, that Nicco was merely economical with his words. When Cosimo asked him about something he cared about, however, his son was erudite and knowledgeable and passionate.
As they walked now, he looked at his son. “So, I guess movie making and bathymetry don’t have a lot of crossover that we can bond about.”
Nicco shrugged. “I don’t know… documentaries are cool.”
“Who’s your favorite?”
“Werner Herzog or the Maysles. Did you ever see Grizzly Man?”
Cosimo nodded. “That one kept me up at night.”
“I know, right? The part where he tells the mother never to let anyone else hear Timothy Treadwell’s screams? Holy cow.” Nicco shook his head. “But I kind of loved Treadwell for his optimism. His love for the bears outweighed his sense of risk. Backfired, of course, but it was there.”
“Nic… are you really only sixteen?” Cosimo shook his head, grinning, and Nicco laughed.
“Guess I’m just passionate about what I love, too…like my old man.”
Cosimo smiled at him. “Maybe one day, we could make a documentary together.”
Nicco nodded. “I’d like that.”
They walked on a little further until they reached the glacier. “Woah.” Nicco said, blowing out his cheeks.
“It’s something, alright.” Cosimo gazed out over the vista, and the two men enjoyed the view in silence for a few minutes.
“Want to double back, do the rest of the Great Basin?”
“Sure thing.”
They went back down the spur and onto the main pathway. “So,” Nicco said, and Cosimo detected a note of curiosity in his tone. “Biba…”
“Yes?”
Nicco grinned at his father. “You like her.”
“Didn’t you?”
“Dude, have you seen her? Of course I liked her, but not in that way. She’s so cool. I mean, you like like her.”
Cosimo didn’t know where this was heading, so he didn’t answer. Nicco play-punched his shoulder. “Dad, seriously…you should go for it. I could see you two were into each other. Reggie thinks so, too.”
“It’s that obvious?”
“Yup.” Nicco bent down to study a plant at the side of the path. “Huh. Anyway, yes. You and Biba.”
Cosimo considered. “You know there’s nineteen years age difference?”
“So? Who gives a shit? You were, what, seven years older than Mom? It’s just numbers. What counts is the chemistry.”
“Jesus, you are an old man inside.”
Nicco grinned. “About some things. I still love fart gags.”
“Who doesn’t?”
“I know, right? Apparently, that’s immature to some people.”
“Killjoys.” Cosimo chuckled. “Nic…can we talk about…your mom?”
Nicco stopped, a look of pain crossing his face. “It’s not that I want to forget she ever existed, Dad…it’s just I’m not ready to talk about her. I feel like…I let her down.”
“I can tell you that you didn’t until I’m blue in the face, but until you believe it…” Cosimo nodded. “Just know, whenever you’re ready, I’m here.”
On the car ride back, Nicco was quieter, but when Cosimo dropped him off at the bus station, Nicco hugged him fiercely. “Thanks, Dad. I mean it.”
“No problem. Love you, bud.”
“Love you, too, Dad. I’ll call you in a couple of days.”
“Cool.” Cosimo said and grinned at his son. Nicco laughed and rolled his eyes.
“Go get some, Pa,” he shot back as he climbed the steps of the bus, and Cosimo laughed.
As he watched Nicco’s bus pull away, Cosimo suddenly felt nervous. He and Biba had not planned what they would do this evening, where to meet, where to… God, his whole body was on fire, thinking about making love to her.
Cosimo drove back slowly to Lakewood, trying to steady his nerves. Biba would need him to be confident tonight—the weight of responsibility bore down on him, but he was determined they go on this journey together. He was crazy about her…heck, screw that, he was in love with her, had been practically since he met her. The mad chemistry between them made this inevitable.
He parked his car and was deep in thought as he walked slowly to the manor. In his room, he saw a note pushed under his door. He smiled when he saw the single word written on it in Biba’s sprawling cursive.
Tonight.
God, yes. He grabbed a quick shower then took out his phone and called her. “Hey.”
“Hey you.” Her voice was soft. “Are you back?”
“I am. Where are you?”
“Dealing with a Reckless meltdown. Nothing serious, thankfully. Did you and Nicco have a great time?”
Cosimo grinned. “Darling, why are we talking on the phone when we could be talking in person? Have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
“Well, I have a suggestion. Date night. Let’s have dinner, watch a movie. A proper date. If you’re anything like me, you’re nervous as hell.”
Biba gave a relieved laugh. “Word, dude.” She hesitated. “Shall I come to your suite?”
“I could come get you.”
She laughed. “I think I know the way. When…?”
“I don’t see any reason to postpone any longer, do you?” His voice was gruff with emotion, and he heard her intake of breath.
“No. No, I don’t. I’ll see you in a minute.”
“I can’t wait.”
Luckily, he thought, housekeeping had been there, there were fresh sheets on the bed, and the room was tidy. He lit some of the scented candles in the room and dimmed the lights. He felt like a teenager on prom night.
At her knock, he opened the door and smiled at her. Biba was wearing a midnight blue smock dress which clung to her curves but was comfortable enough to lounge around in. “You’re beautiful,” he said and drew her into the room. He could feel her trembling as he slid his arms around her waist.
Cosimo stroked her face. “How are you?”
Biba chuckled a little shakily. “Terrified, actually.” Cosimo bent his head down to kiss her mouth. So sweet…
“Me, too. We can take things slowly, baby. Shall we order some food and get relaxed?”
She nodded and, taking her hand, he led her to the couch, handing her a menu. She looked th
rough it, but he could see she was beginning to panic. “Hey, Biba, we don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for. We can just chill out and talk. I just want to spend time with you.”
It was her turn to kiss him, shaking her head. “I want this so badly. I’m trying to just keep calm, but God, I want you so much. Gosh,” she laughed, “you wouldn’t believe the confusion in my head right now.”
“I love you.” Cosimo hadn’t known he would say it until right then, and the change in the room was immediate. “I’m so in love with you, Biba May. You have brought me back to life, and I want to spend every waking moment with you—and every un-waking moment. And if you’re never ready to make love, it’s okay. I just want to be with you…”
He didn’t get to finish his declaration because Biba threw herself into his arms, kissing him, her cheeks damp with tears. “I love you, too! God, so, so much, Cosimo. I think I have loved you from the first moment we saw each other. I want you so badly, in every way.”
She pressed her body against his, and he felt her breasts against his hard chest, her belly against his, her legs wrapping around his waist as he lifted her into his arms. “Touch me,” she said, “touch me everywhere and anywhere…Cosimo…Cosimo…”
He carried her into the bedroom and laid her gently down on the bed. “Biba, if at any time you want to stop, just say stop.”
In answer, Biba sat up and impatiently pulled the dress over her head. “I don’t want anything to stop,” she said, and Cosimo laughed.
“You got it, baby.”
She reached for his fly, unzipping his jeans. He stopped her. “Uh-uh. To start, this is all about you. Lay back for me, gorgeous. Let me see that spectacular body of yours.”
Biba did as he asked her, stretching her lithe body, the dim candlelight making her dark skin glow like gold. Cosimo shook his head. “You are perfect. Utterly perfect.”
He tugged his sweater over his head but left his jeans on as he lay next to her on his side. He smoothed his palm over her curves, leaving his hand splayed on her belly. “Biba… you are intoxicating.” He could feel her belly quivering with nerves and desire.
Her large brown eyes seemed even bigger. He smiled down at her. “Now, I’m going to kiss you on every inch of this perfect body, starting with your cherry red lips…” He pressed his against hers and kissed her thoroughly, his tongue caressing hers as his hand stroked her belly. He moved down to her throat, then her breasts. Freeing one from its lacy cup, he took the nipple into his mouth, flicking his tongue around it, and sucking deeply until her heard her moan. His hand slipped into her panties, and as she gasped, he began to stroke her gently, his fingers making her clit harden and pulse.
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