Dangerous Kiss

by Michelle Love

  Shaking her head, she went to grab a coffee and saw Rich Furlough in the back of the shop, latte on the table in front of him, flicking through something on his phone. Biba hesitated for a moment. Would Rich have followed her?

  He looked up then, and if he was acting, he did a good impression of being surprised. “Hey, short-stack, didn’t expect to see you here. Can I get you a drink?”

  Biba, not wanting to be rude, nodded. “I’d like that. Hot chocolate, please.”

  She settled down in the easy chair opposite Rich’s and then laughed when he returned with a fully loaded hot chocolate for her. “I got them to put everything on—and I remembered you like a shot of vanilla syrup, too.”

  Biba relaxed. Rich was the last person she needed to be scared of. “Thank you, honey.” She looked at the cream piled high on top of the liquid. “How on earth do I tackle this?”

  “I suggest rappelling up the north face,” Rich nodded sagely.

  Biba giggled. “You are a lunatic.” She took a sip, burying her nose in the cream, then giving him a wide grin. Rich laughed, shaking his head.

  “Goddamn, May, stop being so adorable.”

  Biba felt slightly awkward. “Sorry.”

  “Dork. Adorkable.”

  Her shoulders eased. “That isn’t a word.”

  “Is. So…?”

  “So?”

  “Elephant in the room. You and Cos—happy?”

  She nodded firmly. “Very. I’m really sor—”

  “Don’t you dare say you’re sorry, Beebs. I’m delighted for you, I really am. You and Cos make sense.”

  “Even with the age gap?”

  “Fuck the age gap. Literally, ha ha.” He grinned, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

  “What about you?”

  Rich shrugged. “As everyone says, I have my life partner in Gunter, the goof ball.” He grinned. “If only I was like Reggie.”

  “Huh?”

  “Gay. Then me and Gun could have a happy life together.”

  Biba sipped her hot chocolate. “Reggie’s not gay, Rich.”

  “Really?” Rich seemed genuinely taken aback, and Biba shook her head.

  “Nope.”

  “Dang it. Now I owe Gun twenty bucks.”

  Biba laughed. “Oh, so you were fishing?”

  Rich grinned. “Sorry. Just neither of us could figure out why you and Reggie never got together.”

  “There are some men who can resist me,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Most men, actually.”

  “Ha. No chance.”

  She blew a raspberry, embarrassed at his compliment, and Rich laughed. He really was the sweetest guy. “What about Stella, Rich? She’s single at the moment.”

  Rich raised both his hands. “Woah.”

  “Too much woman for you?”

  “Too much drama for me. Nah, I’ll just wait until they perfect cloning and borrow some of your DNA.”

  “Shucks. You know I snore like a walrus, right?”

  “Stop.”

  “And I drool. Constantly. I look like the Swamp Creature in the mornings.”

  “Don’t believe you.”

  Biba grinned wickedly “And I fart. A lot. Ask Stella. I’m always laying an air biscuit for her to find.”

  Rich was laughing so hard now his eyes were watering. “Stop! Oww, now I have a cramp.”

  Biba laughed at him as he calmed himself down. “God, it feels good to laugh after that crapola meeting the other day.”

  “Right? That FBI agent is a tool.”

  Biba nodded. “This whole thing is making me paranoid. Before I came in here, I could have sworn someone was following me. I even ducked into a couple of stores and double backed. Didn’t see anyone, but I was spooked for a time.”

  Rich’s smile had disappeared. “What the hell? Why didn’t you lead with that?” He pushed back his chair, and Biba got up in alarm.

  “What are you doing?”

  He took her hand. “Come on. I’m friendly with the security team here. We’re going to check out the mall security cameras.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Cosimo was waiting for them when Rich drove her back to the set. Biba went into his arms, and he could feel her trembling. Rich was stone-faced. He nodded at Cosimo. “Someone followed Biba. A man, we think, but he or she was hooded.”

  Cosimo felt sick. Anything could have happened to Biba… “Did he have a weapon?”

  He heard Biba, whose face was buried in his sweater, give a distressed squeak.

  “It’s okay, baby, you’re safe,” he said, burying his face in her hair, breathing her in.

  “We couldn’t tell. Thinking dispassionately about this, and that’s not easy, but he would have nothing to gain by hurting Biba. I think it was just designed to either gather information or to spook us. Both, maybe.”

  Cosimo cursed. “Okay, from now, no one goes out alone. I don’t want to run your lives, but while you work for me, all of you, you will be protected. Go in twos or take a security guard with you. That includes you and Gun, Rich. I don’t think this guy is messing around.”

  “I agree.” Rich put his hand on Biba’s shoulder. “Beebs, I promise. You’re safe.”

  Cosimo tilted Biba’s chin up so she could see his face. He tried to smile. “What he said.”

  Rich left them alone, and Cosimo took Biba back to his suite. He couldn’t wait before taking her in his arms and kissing her. “God help me, if anyone ever hurts you…”

  “It’s not me he’s after, Cos. Let’s just focus on that. Although poor Stella. I cannot imagine how she must feel at the moment.”

  “I know. She was quiet again today. I think Franco and Sifrido were going to take her to dinner and try to make her feel better.”

  “Good guys.”

  Cosimo smiled. “They are.” He cupped her face in his hand. “Thank God you’re okay.”

  “I am, now.” She leaned into his big body. He scooped her into his arms and sat down in the easy chair, with her cradled against him. Biba pressed her lips against his neck. “I’m scared for Stella.”

  “I know, honey.” He kissed her. “But for tonight, she’s okay. She’s safe. And…” He suddenly smiled, “It’s your birthday tomorrow.”

  “Twenty-two.”

  “Old lady.”

  Biba laughed. “Take this old lady to bed, boy.”

  They made love slowly, Biba straddling him as he caressed her breasts and belly. She rode him, impaling herself on his huge cock, sighing with ecstasy every time she sunk him inside her. “God, I’ll never get tired of this, Cosimo. Never.”

  “Me neither, baby. God, yes, that’s it, when you clench your cunt around me like that…”

  Biba’s eyes were dancing, clearly reveling in the power she had over him at moments like this. “You mean, like this?”

  She clenched her vaginal muscles and her thighs, and he groaned with pleasure. Biba grinned, running her hands up and down his chest and stomach. “You are such a gorgeous man,” she murmured and leaned down to kiss him, nipping at his bottom lip with her teeth.

  Cosimo grabbed her buttocks in his hands, fingers digging into her soft flesh. Biba looked down at him. “You want to…?”

  He was surprised. “You want to try anal sex?”

  “With you, I want to try anything.”

  “For instance?”

  Biba smiled. “You could…restrain me. Tie me up. Have your wicked way.”

  Cosimo grinned. “You surprise me every day, Biba May. Hey, that rhymed.”

  “Goofball, and yes… I like the idea of being at your mercy. Maybe some light spanking?”

  Cosimo, so turned on by her talk, suddenly flipped her onto her back and began to thrust hard. “You drive me crazy, Miss May…”

  She clung to him as they made love long into the night, then, wrapped in each other’s arms, they slept until mid-morning.

  The next morning, Biba opened her eyes and started to laugh immediately. Next to her, Cosimo lay, naked and gl
orious, wearing a glitter-covered paper hat with a party horn in his mouth. He blew into it, and the curled paper tongue rolled out and bopped her on the nose. Biba giggled.

  “You lunatic.”

  Cosimo took the party favor from his mouth and leaned in to kiss her. “Happy birthday, Snooks.”

  “Snooks?”

  “New nickname.”

  Biba considered. “I’ll allow it.”

  Cosimo grinned. “So, Miss May, I have plans for you today—but only if they sound good to you.”

  “Hit me.”

  “Breakfast in bed, all your favorites. Then a long, sexy soak in the tub—with me of course. The crew and cast have organized a special lunch for you.”

  “That’s sweet—and I love how much of this day revolves around food.”

  “And sex. Don’t forget the sex.”

  “How could I?” She giggled as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. “After lunch?”

  “After lunch, we get some alone time. We’re going to Gig Harbor…and we’re going on a gondolier—if I can’t take you to Venice—yet—then I’m bringing Venice to you.”

  Biba looked excited. “That’s so romantic, babe. God, how lovely.”

  Cosimo grinned, obviously pleased. “Afterwards, a romantic dinner for two in the city, then back here for a little surprise out on the lake.”

  “You really have organized this,” Biba said, touched beyond belief. This man truly loved her.

  Cosimo covered her body with his, grinning down at her. “I’ll admit, Reggie helped me out some. I’m sorry he won’t be here to help us celebrate.”

  “Me, too… I’m sure he wishes he was, too, but his mom means a lot to both of us.”

  “Snooks?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Let’s not talk about Reggie’s mom when I’m trying to mount you.”

  Biba laughed aloud, then sighed happily as Cosimo sank his cock deep inside her. They made love slowly, tenderly until both were panting for air and shuddering through intense orgasms.

  Cosimo meant it when he said breakfast with all of her favorites. Granola, scrambled eggs, pancakes, French toast, and fresh fruit. Biba had a good-sized portion of every item, much to Cosimo’s amusement.

  “Listen, man, I need the energy,” Biba said, chomping half a pancake in one go. “You constantly demanding sex from me…”

  She giggled as Cosimo tried to tickle her. “Don’t eat too much…I don’t need you throwing up on me when we make love.”

  “Ha ha…” But she put down the rest of her pancake and climbed onto his lap. “Thank you. Thank you for a wonderful birthday.”

  “It’s not even begun yet,” he said with a smile, and kissed her with such passion that they forgot all about the food and tumbled to the carpet, laughing and kissing until they were breathless.

  Stella deleted the email and sat back, pissed. She’d lost out on another role to Jennifer Lawrence, and now she was fuming. Yes, she was JLaw’s senior by ten years, but the character they had been up for was in her late thirties, like Stella.

  What was worse was that they shared an agent which meant Dan Flint was pushing Jennifer more than he was Stella—probably because they’d pay more for Jen, and his cut would be bigger. Stella was old enough and smart enough to know that made sense, but where was his sense of loyalty? Stella had made him a millionaire several times over, and, more importantly, a power player in Hollywood.

  Stella tapped out another cigarette. It killed her appetite, but lately, she had begun to wonder if the constant starvation and working out was worth it for the roles she was getting. Except this one, of course. She had planned on this movie being the one which kick-started her career again. She might be the biggest movie star on the planet, but when you were at the top, there was only one way to go…down.

  She scrubbed at her face with her hands. Christ, she was only thirty-six, but she felt a decade older. Maybe it was from being with someone as young as Biba all the time. Stella wasn’t someone who had female friends, and her own mother was estranged from her. The older Reckless had written a tell-all about her daughter five years previously which nearly torpedoed Stella’s career with its revelations of teen pregnancy and abortions. Biba was the closest person to Stella, not that Stella would admit that. Which is why, honestly, when Stella needed to lash out, Biba bore the brunt.

  Stella’s biggest fear in life was being too close to someone—and then losing them. It stemmed from her losing her beloved Pa when she was eight, suddenly in a fiery car wreck. She had been pulled from the car at the last moment and had heard his screams as he died. They stayed with her. So, when she found herself softening towards her long-term assistant, she drew back and got extra bitchy with Biba.

  Now, as she stepped from her trailer and walked back to the manor, she saw Biba and Cosimo hand-in-hand, so obviously joyful in their love for each other. Stella again felt the jolt just as she had when she first realized Cosimo and Biba were falling for each other. It hurt. She hated to admit it, but it hurt like hell that she had been passed over for Biba.

  And then there was Biba’s wild, untamed beauty. Stella wished she had the natural freshness Biba had, the utter lack of reliance on makeup, instead harnessing all the vitality of youthful spirit. Stella wished she didn’t care as much over her own appearance; she knew she was beautiful but in an ice queen way, not the soft, sensual, breath of fresh air way that Biba inhabited.

  She ignored Biba and Cosimo as they made their way to see the other members of cast and crew. Franco kissed Biba’s cheek, and Sifrido twirled her in his arms. Jesus. Stella’s lip curled up in a sneer.

  When Biba came over to her, Stella turned cold eyes on her. “Aren’t we the center of attention?”

  She pushed the guilt aside when she saw Biba’s face fall a little. Biba quickly picked herself up though. “And good morning to you, too. I was going to see if you wanted to join Cos and I and some of the others for lunch.”

  “No, thanks.”

  Biba stared at her, and her eyes turned cold. “Fine.” She stalked off, and Stella sighed. What was the point of that? It was Biba’s birthday, for Chrissakes, why shouldn’t she be feted and celebrated? God, I’m turning into such an old movie star bitch cliché. She turned to call out after Biba, to wish her a happy birthday, but Biba was already halfway across the site, her arm around Cosimo’s waist.

  Shit. I’m sorry, Biba. But I can’t show how much you mean to me. If I do, I’ll lose all the power in our relationship.

  Stella grabbed some black coffee and went to work.

  Chapter Sixteen

  They filmed until lunchtime. Rich and Gunter had set up a barbecue in the grounds—greasy, smoky, saucy—Biba loved it. She felt a little overwhelmed by all the attention and wasn’t quite sure how to process the affection these people had for her.

  She took a moment alone to decompress and called Reggie.

  “Hey, birthday girl.”

  Biba relaxed. “Hey, Boo. How’s your mom?”

  “She’s okay, a bit sniffy and moaning like a be-otch about it.”

  “I heard that,” came a voice in the background, and both Biba and Reggie laughed.

  “Mom says happy birthday, too, and thank for the care package. Jesus, so much sugar, Beebs, are you trying to make my mom diabetic? There’s fifteen packs of Red Vines.”

  Biba grinned. “She likes them.”

  “Good grief. Are you being spoiled today?”

  “So much…Cos told me you organized most of it, so thank you.”

  “Nah, it was teamwork. Enjoy it, boo.”

  Biba chuckled, but Reggie must have picked up on something in her tone. “What is it, Beebs?”

  Biba swallowed a lump in her throat. “I’ve just…it’s like having a family again.”

  Reggie’s voice softened. “We love you, silly girl. Of course we’re your family. Listen, I’ve got a gift for you, but I don’t think I’ll be home tomorrow. Probably Tuesday or something.”


  “Dude, don’t worry about it. I miss you, but your mom is more important. Tell her I love her, won’t you?”

  “I will. Happy birthday, darling.”

  Cosimo had another surprise in store for her…they were going to Gig Harbor by helicopter. As they flew over Ruston and Shore Acres, Biba kissed Cosimo. “You are the best gift any woman could have.”

  Cosimo grinned. “Ha, tell me again on our fiftieth wedding anniversary when I’m ninety, and you’re still spritely and active. You’ll trade me in for a younger model.”

  “Well, of course,” Biba tried to keep a straight face. “But I think you overestimate how long I’ll wait to take a younger lover.”

  Cosimo grinned. “Oh, really? Damn, I was banking on at least fifty years.”

  They both laughed, and Cosimo locked his fingers with hers. “God, you make me happy, Biba May.”

  “Right back at you, handsome.”

  Cosimo beamed then nodded out of the helicopter’s window. “We’re here.”

  They both agreed that the gondolier ride was incredibly romantic, but over dinner in one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city, Cosimo expressed his true love for his hometown of Venice. “It is the most incredible place to grow up. We used to take Nicco every summer. Grace and I always followed the rule of when one works, the other doesn’t. But in the summer, we always managed a month together in Venice. When Nicco grew up, of course, he wanted to spend summers with his friends, so the trips back home trailed off.”

  “Did your own mother never live there?”

  “Only when I was young.”

  Biba studied him. “You never mention your dad.”

  Cosimo sipped his wine and shrugged. “Because I never knew him. Mom got pregnant by a married man—she didn’t know he was married—and decided to raise me on her own. We even lived in a women-led commune for a time in France before we came here.”