Something Better

by Gail R Delaney

  Her features tightened and her lips turned down in a small frown. David reached out to take her right hand off the steering wheel, and kissed her knuckles before settling their hands on the console between them.

  She took a deep breath, releasing it with a small shutter. The smile returned, along with a slight bloom of color in her cheeks as she glanced at him. "I don't know if I should be angry with you, or not."

  David raised his eyebrows. "Oh? This should be good."

  "You told Benton you like kissing me."

  Then David laughed, unable to hold back even for the pain.

  *****

  "I don't think I should leave you alone."

  By the time they reached David's home on Mulholland, he seemed to be more aware and moving better, but the discomfort was as clear on his face as the dark bruises beneath his eyes. He gave her the gate code for his property without looking like it befuddled his mind too much, and she drove up the curved driveway to the house. He climbed out of the SUV on his own, and as she came around to him, he took her hand leading her to the front door of the mid-century refurbished home overlooking Los Angeles. At first she was confused by the house because when she drove up, she only saw one level like a modest ranch. He briefly explained the house actually extended downward instead of up, built into the side of the hill. It was very modern looking with multiple levels and lots of glass, but for an actor of David's caliber, it seemed modest.

  "Didn't I hear you say to your son you wouldn't be late?"

  Andi nodded. "His birthday is next week, and I promised him a trip to a local fun park to get information on having a party there. They have go-carts and miniature golf and bowling. We're going tonight to check it out."

  They reached his front door and he took keys from his pocket, wincing as he bent over to unlock the door. Andi took them from him and slid into the space between him and the door to unlock it. David leaned against the wall, his head bending forward so his lips brushed her bare shoulder.

  "I'll be fine," he said, and when he spoke his voice hummed against her skin. "You can't break a promise to your kid."

  She turned her head to look at him, but his eyes were closed and his mouth hovered just over her skin. The lock clicked and she pushed open the door. Taking her hand, he led her inside and stopped just inside the door to disarm his alarm. The interior of the house was just as she imagined it would be from the outside. Lots of windows let the late afternoon sun come in and reflect of the pale bamboo floors. Wood accents were light, and across the open floor plan, she could see through multiple patio doors on the far side of the room looking out over the hills. It was clean and modern and breathtaking.

  "Can I make you something before I go? Something to eat? A drink?"

  He shook his head and turned to face her, raising his hands to lay his palms on her cheeks. "No, I'm fine. I'm going to take some more Tylenol, take a shower now that I can stand without tipping sideways..." He grinned, but only a little. "And then probably go to bed."

  "Can I call you in the morning to check on you?"

  He touched a gentle kiss to the end of her nose. "I'd like that."

  Then he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, his fingers lingering on the exposed skin above her dress back. His lips brushed her shoulder, and as he raised his head, he touched his mouth to her neck and cheek the same way. He chuckled softly, his breath warm on her skin.

  "I've thought about you being here," he said, his voice rough and gravelly, sending a shiver up her spine. "And the first time I get you in my home, my face hurts too much to kiss you."

  Andi pulled back and looked up at him, gently touching his swollen cheek, barely enough to make contact to make sure she didn't hurt him. Then she toed up and carefully kissed his lips. "Next time." His hands curled into the fabric of her dress where they rested at her waist. "But, I think we should put off dinner tomorrow night." He started to protest but she touched his lips. "Why don't we see about Friday?"

  "Friday. I can wait until Friday."

  She smiled and touched his lips again with the softest kiss she could manage.

  Chapter Five

  "What are you wearing?"

  Andi laughed and shook her head. "Have you been taking something stronger than Tylenol again?"

  His chuckle carried through the speakers on her phone, filling her office. Her fingers paused over the keys of her computer, waiting for his answer. She tilted her head toward the phone, a habitual action after talking to him like this for the last fifteen minutes.

  "I'm serious. I bet you a hundred dollars you're wearing a sundress."

  "No bet," she said, shaking her head as she looked down at the dress she wore. "Apparently I need to change my wardrobe."

  "No, no, no," he said quickly, the sound of fabric on fabric whispering behind his adamancy. "You drive me crazy in those dresses. So, is it one I've seen?"

  Andi stared down at the yellow cotton fabric, at the tiny flowers that smattered over it and the row of buttons that went from neckline to hem, and smiled at the flash of warmth that started in her cheeks and moved all the way to her toes. "Yes, you've seen it."

  There was a pause, and she heard the small sound of a thoughtful hum carry through the speaker. "When did I see it?"

  Andi pulled her lower lip through her teeth, smiling as she wondered just how bold she dared be. She turned in her chair, the well-used mechanisms squeaking slightly, and laid her arms on the desk by the phone, resting her chin on her folded hands. "About a week ago."

  He groaned softly before asking, "Is it the yellow one that you wore when I came to your trailer?"

  Andi pulled her lower lip through her teeth. "Yes."

  "Damn..." he huffed, and she smiled until her cheeks hurt.

  She pushed back from the phone again and returned to her keyboard. Until they hung up, Andi knew actually writing anything was pointless, her attention drifted to him far too easily. But, she opened her email with a few taps of the keys.

  "Hey..." he said, and she again heard the rustle of fabric. Early in their conversation, when she'd asked him if he was resting, he'd told her he was resting so well he was still in bed. "Are you on your computer now?

  "Yes, I'm in my office."

  "Do you have a webcam?"

  Andi gasped, attempting to sound shocked. "David Bishop. What kind of woman do you think I am?" She paused just for a moment. "Of course I have a webcam." She smiled when she heard his laugh. Andi had smiled and laughed more in the last week then she probably did in the last six months. "I'm on a Mac."

  "Once you go Mac--" he started.

  "--You never go back," she finished, and he laughed again.

  "Hang on a second." She heard more rustling and the familiar twittering music of a Mac system being turned on. "Do you have a voice chat program?"

  She already knew where he was going, confirmed the program she had and gave him her screen id as she opened the program. For a few moments all she heard was the tap of keys through the speakers, matching her own. "Okay, I see you. I'm hanging up."

  With a click, he hung up the phone and she reached over to disconnect as the open-line buzz echoed off the walls. Before shifting back in front of the computer, Andi smoothed a suddenly trembling hand over her hair -- which was, as usual, curled around her cheeks whichever way it pleased -- and ran her hand down the front of her dress. Seconds later, the voice chat program 'rang' that someone wanted to talk, and Andi engaged the program.

  "Hang on," she said, moving her mouse. "I'm turning on the webcam."

  When his image came on screen, Andi had all she could do not to gasp and knew that her face had to have suddenly burst into flames. A pleasant tumbling tickled her stomach. David was reclined on a bed, which he had told her that he hadn't strayed far from hid bedroom since she dropped him off the night before, with a pile of white pillows stacked behind him to lean back on. If she had to guess, she thought the laptop he used probably sat on some kind of tray on the bed because the angle w
as wrong for it to be on the duvet.

  But it was David himself that took her breath away. She only saw him from the waist up, but what she saw was bare. His body curled slightly because of the angle he reclined in, but it only managed to accentuate the definition of his abdomen and chest. He leaned on one arm, the position making his upper arm muscles tense all the way into his shoulders. A shadow of whiskers sprinkled his jaw and cheeks, and his hair was ruffled in a sexy, lying-in-bed-with-you-all-day kind of way.

  "Hey, sweetheart," he said with a wide smile. As he leaned a little closer to the screen, she saw the dark bruising under his eyes but the swelling had gone away and he looked much better than when she dropped him off the night before. He ran a hand over his haphazard hair. "Sorry. Wasn't expecting company."

  "Neither was I."

  Andi hoped the fan in her iMac worked well enough to keep it cool, because she was pretty positive her face alone threw off enough heat to melt its processors.

  "I love that dress," he said with a slow tilt of his lips. His eyes shifted down as he looked her over, and he drew in a long breath. "Damn, Woman, you're beautiful."

  Andi smiled and looked down, noting the slight tremble in her hands. She knew he couldn't see them, but she dropped them into her lap anyway.

  "You look good." She cleared her throat and pointed toward the screen. "I mean, your... you don't look like it hurts quite so much."

  He touched the dark spot beneath his left eye, wincing only slightly. "It doesn't hurt to smile anymore." David winked at the screen and leaned closer. "Probably wouldn't hurt to kiss you now."

  The office door opened behind Andi. "So, what're we doing for dinner tonight?" Maggie was already saying before she entered the room, but stopped one step in with her hand on the knob. "Well, well. This is a new twist on Internet porn."

  "Maggie!" Andi gasped.

  David just laughed and fell back on his pillows. But he made no move to cover himself and didn't look the least bit apologetic. In fact, he raised a hand and wagged his fingers at Maggie in hello.

  "So, you wanna hang up from your webcam boyfriend here and help me figure out what's for dinner? Since you're not going out..." she led, arching her eyebrows.

  "No, not tonight." Andi looked to David. "Are you sure you'll be up to it by tomorrow night?"

  David rolled forward again, bringing his face close to the screen again, and he smiled his most devastating, stomach-flipping grin. "Sweetheart, trust me. I'm up for it."

  Maggie snorted and turned to leave, saying over her shoulder. "I'll be downstairs when you're..." She cleared her throat. "done."

  "I'm sorry," Andi said softly.

  "For what? She's a riot. Do you have to go?"

  "Soon, yeah. Maggie doesn't know it but I already have dinner in the oven. She'll smell it when she gets downstairs."

  David's brows pulled down over his eyes, his smile relaxing, and she could almost see the wheels turning. She could wait and see if he asked the inevitable question, or she could let him off the hook. Not being one to let someone dangle, she smiled and leaned slightly closer to the screen.

  "Yes, we live together. No, we are not -- in any way, shape, form or fashion -- any more than best friends. Maggie was my agent first, over seven years ago, and then she was my friend."

  "I didn't think--"

  "Maybe not, but given enough time, you would have. It's okay. We're used to it by now. Two women and a kid sharing a mortgage in California, it's a fairly easy assumption."

  David chuckled, but it lacked any real humor. He settled back on the pillows so she saw his profile, and the tight pull around his eyes reminded her of the day the tabloids had reported on his tryst with the skinny, drug-abusing starlet. Andi pushed her keyboard forward so it tucked beneath the 27" screen and rested her arms on the desk so she could lean in closer, staying mindful of the location of the camera so he saw her, and not the top of her head.

  "What is it?"

  David shook his head, faking a smile. "Nothing." He flipped onto his side, making the laptop bounce wherever it rested so he looked like he was in some faked, cheap television earthquake. He set his arm on the bed and rested his temple against his fist. "How early can I pick you up? Dawn?"

  Andi tilted her head and pressed her lips together. "David... what is it?"

  He looked away for a moment, to the sliding doors and balcony she could see in the background. When his eyes returned to the screen, he didn't look as tense but his eyes didn't spark quite like they had minutes before. "People and their assumptions. I guess no one is immune."

  She hadn't said anything, because she knew he'd probably seen everything already, but he was right. The local news had reported that morning that David Bishop had been seriously injured on the set of his new movie, and the speculation as to how the injury had incurred ranged from studio error to getting into a fistfight with a jilted lover. They'd actually implied questions to his sexuality when 'a studio insider' reported he'd been asking for someone named 'Andy' while being treated.

  "You mean the tabloids?"

  "Yeah, and on entertainment news and anywhere else someone can make up a story and throw it out for public consumption."

  "I'm sorry," she said softly.

  His steel blue eyes focused on the screen. It was hard communicating like this because even when you were looking into the eyes of the person on the screen, you weren't necessarily actually 'meeting' their eyes. But, David managed to do it. Andi held her breath.

  "Don't," he said with a sharp shake of his head. "It comes with the territory."

  "People making up things about you? I don't care what you do, no one should have the right to do that."

  Andi swallowed and tried to keep her thoughts from slipping into her expression. It wasn't the first time the thought had crossed her mind about the ramifications if the two of them were connected. She waged a war in her own head every time -- going between worries of what might be said about a celebrity like David Bishop being associated with a Hollywood Nobody like her, and then firmly telling herself to get over it. It wasn't like she had leprosy or something. She wasn't going to say no to spending time with him because of what might or might not be said, but she didn't know if she had thick enough skin to listen to it all.

  He shrugged the shoulder he wasn't leaning on. "It happens. Next week, it'll be something else. Most of the time, I just laugh it off."

  Maggie's voice carried up through the house, shouting that the 'oven was dinging'. Andi smiled, and shouted back "I'll be right down!" She sighed as she looked at him again. "I really do have to go now."

  "You didn't answer my question."

  "What question was that?"

  "How early can I pick you up?"

  She pressed her lips together as she thought about her itinerary for the next day. With the filming schedule shuffled, she wouldn't need to be at the studio until after David returned to filming. All the 'one' and 'two' scenes involved him. Regardless, Jake's birthday was approaching along with the start of school, and tomorrow was to be a shopping day for them.

  "I'm taking Jake shopping. We probably won't leave the house until ten, or so, and I don't know when we'll be home." She forced a frown. "I don't think I can guarantee being ready until at least five."

  "Then I'll be there at five."

  "You got someplace to be?" she asked, arching her eyebrows.

  "Just with you," he winked. "The more time I have, the better." He leaned a little closer to the computer, giving her the classic David Bishop Melt-Your-Insides-Like-Butter grin. "I made myself a promise, remember?"

  "What promise?"

  His gaze tipped down slightly, and she had the intense sensation that he was staring at her lips, wherever they appeared on his screen. "That I wouldn't kiss you again until we had a real date."

  Maggie shouted again from downstairs.

  Andi pressed her left hand against her lower stomach, intensely aware of the warm fluttering his promise -- and that look -- created, and
knew her cheeks had to be flushed. "I've got to go. Promise me you'll get some rest," she said as she pushed back from her desk.

  He rolled onto his back again, supported by the pile of pillows. "Trust me, sweetheart. I'm not doing anything that risks tomorrow night."

  She saw him reach out his hand toward his own computer as she disconnected the call.

  *****

  It was well after nine before Andi made it back into her office. She wanted to finish the next chapter to get back on track to meet her deadline. The writing spurt of two nights before had been thrown off by her inability to write last night, her worry for David too strong.

  He seemed to infiltrate all sides of her writing now, both inspiring and hindering it. And she wondered what he would think of that.

  She turned on her office light and scooted to the desk, clearing away her mail program. There were only a half-dozen and none of the names jumped out as anything she needed to deal with tonight. Andi shut down all the extraneous programs she had floating in the background, brought up her current word file, and one Safari browser window so she could listen to music from one of her favorite sites. The soft, smooth voice of Michael Buble played low as she stared at the document, her hands still over the keys.

  And nothing came.

  She scrolled back several pages and read through what she'd written in the last couple of days. It was all great stuff, and she loved it. The chemistry was finally coming through and she loved the flow. But tonight... nothing more wanted to be written. Andi sighed and decided to just let it go for the night.

  She opened a new browser window, figuring maybe she could do some research, and the news feed site she used as her homepage opened to fill the screen. Amongst the news reports about the economy and the housing market, and stories about activities in the Middle East, were headlines that immediately drew her eye.