Starstruck

by H. L. Logan

  I had to do this now or Jessica would walk out my door and I would lose this chance. Scared as I was, I stripped quickly and jumped under a stream of cold water. The bracing shower seemed to help cool everything boiling inside of me. I cleared my throat and hoped my voice wouldn’t crack as I called out, “I’m ready.”

  I shivered under the frigid stream, watching the door, waiting for it to open. Finally, Jessica opened it slowly. She was still wearing a pink bra and panties, and she looked at me quizzically. “Oh, I didn’t think you’d get totally naked.”

  I practically shrunk against the shower. Of course she’d meant for us to leave our underwear on.

  “Sorry, I—”

  “No, this is good.” She stuck her thumbs into the waistband of her panties, stretching it as she lowered them. “If we can get naked together, we can do anything together.”

  Anything.

  Oh God.

  Her body looked exactly like it did on magazine covers. Rounded shoulders and soft breasts flowed into a perfectly flat stomach and curved hips. Damn, and here I’d believed it was all photoshop. She seemed so comfortable in her skin as she approached me.

  “See, nothing to be afraid of.” She let out a nervous laugh as she stepped into the shower, but her smile faded as she felt the water. “Brr! What are you—cold-blooded?”

  She cranked the temperature on the water up until it steamed off our skin. We were so close that I was sure she could hear how hard my heart was pounding. I had no idea how she made me feel. A few days ago, I hadn’t been attracted to women at all, and now Jessica was making my body react in completely unpredictable ways. I tried to keep my eyes on hers, but when she turned around to let water stream over her chest, I couldn’t keep my gaze from slipping down the arch of her back. Two dimples pressed into the small of her back to match the dimples in her smile. And below that...

  “What is that?” I asked.

  “What? You never seen a butt before?” She grinned over her shoulder.

  “I’ve never seen a heart tattooed on a butt, no.” The little pink heart tattoo on her left butt cheek was about the size of a quarter and completely ridiculous.

  “Do you look at a lot of girl’s butts?”

  “No!” I said much too quickly, looking away from her tattoo. “I mean, I feel the need to set the record straight and let you know I’m not into women.”

  She took a step towards me, making me feel caged in the small space. “Are you sure about that?”

  “No.” The word choked out of me.

  I thought she was going to laugh at me, but she just put a hand to my cheek, making me look into her eyes. “If I’m being honest, I’m a little bit freaked out by what I’m feeling for you, too.”

  My heart stopped. I watched a drop of water slide down her perfect cheekbones and drip off her jaw. How was she as gorgeous on the inside as she was on the outside?

  “But you don’t have to be worried or scared about being attracted to me. Just don’t think so much about it.”

  Then her lips closed over mine and I didn’t think about it. She leaned against the tiled wall and pulled me into her body. Heat throbbed between my legs and a jolt of excitement ran through me as I pressed against her and felt her hard nipples against mine.

  And then I took her advice. Didn’t think about it. Just let her hands run over my body, let my lips stray from her to kiss over her jaw and neck. Even in the shower, I could taste the light perfume and something that was so uniquely her on her skin. I let out a long moan that was more expelled tension than pleasure. But also pleasure. Extreme pleasure. When Jessica’s hand slipped between my legs, I wondered if it was possible to die from bliss.

  “I love feeling you against me,” she moaned into the crook of my neck as she slid a finger inside of me. Her thumb found my clit, rubbing in circles, drawing more pleasure from me than I’d thought possible.

  My knees became weak. I leaned into her as she made my moans echo off the shower walls. Why did this feel so right?

  Jessica kissed up my neck, finding my mouth again as her hand slid down her body, between her own legs. Gasps of pleasure exploded from her lips, as she touched us both with a needy urgency. Everything that had been building between us needed to find release. I put my hand over hers, feeling the way that sent a tremor through her.

  “I just wanna watch you open up, Amelia.”

  Her words undid me. I gripped her shoulders as a moan tore from my throat. I pressed our bodies together, bucking against her hand as I came in waves that I thought would never end.

  Jessica lost control, slamming me against the wall with a hard kiss as she stroked out her own climax. Her lips trembling against mine was the most amazing sensation I’d ever experienced. It was like I was absorbing each quake of pleasure that shook through her. As her climax subsided, her arms slid around me and she stroked my back tenderly. I’d never been held like that before, but it felt good.

  We finally pulled apart to look into one another’s eyes, panting heavily. There was nothing weird or awkward about what we’d done. It was holding back that had made it awkward. When we let go of all our hesitations, this all felt so right.

  “Should we, umm, go through the scene?” I asked.

  Jessica shook her head, turning off the water. “I’d call that a successful rehearsal. I should get home.”

  “Right.” I watched her step out and dry off on the towel and wished I could ask her to stay. Having her in my apartment made the space a lot less dank and depressing.

  She let out a satisfied sigh as she pulled her clothes on. I dressed as well and followed her out to the main area to watch her tie her shoes. What did all this mean? I guess I liked women, or at least one woman, which didn’t have to be a big deal, but what would this mean for me and Jessica? I was growing to really like her as a friend, and it was one thing to fool around with a pal, but developing romantic feelings was the surest way to doom a friendship. Unless Jessica returned those feelings...

  Her phone started ringing and she didn’t answer it, which made me think it was either her mom or her publicist calling. Thinking of her publicist made me frown. Jessica had never been to an event without a guy on her arm, and that was such a part of her image that I had to wonder if there any way she’d ever date me.

  Date me?

  Where had that thought come from? I’d hated Jessica just days ago and now I couldn’t get her out of my head. How had Jessica gotten to me so fast? I thought of the night we’d cuddled on her couch, and honestly, I would’ve done anything to spend another night like that.

  She looked up from slipping on her strappy heels, a huge grin on her face. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Yup.” I held my hands behind my back to hide how much I was fidgeting. Jessica stood with one hand on my door, looking me up and down. Her smile widened and she pulled me into her arms, planting a kiss on my lips that made butterflies stir in my stomach. Everything about the way she touched me was just so open and kind. I couldn’t help the way that made my knees go rubbery.

  “I can’t wait,” she said with one last wink before walking out the door.

  The butterflies in my stomach turned into giant man-eating moths. I felt a whole new type of nervousness, because I realized I had very real feelings for Jessica. She was kind and thoughtful and caring and she just made me happy. At the rate my feelings were developing, I wasn’t sure if I could be just friends with Jessica. But I also doubted that being more than friends was an option. There was no way Jessica Black would actually date a woman. And even if she would, it was a stretch to think that she would date me.

  I curled into the soft blanket on my bed. I wished she didn’t have to go. I wished I could spend the whole night in her warm arms again.

  10.

  Jessica

  A huge weight had lifted from my chest as I walked into rehearsal the next day. All the tension between me and Amelia was gone. When she saw me enter, she looked up with a huge smile that I returned.


  It definitely wasn’t normal for me to get physical with a co-star, but with Amelia, it’d felt so natural. And it wasn’t like we were messing around with a relationship. We were just two pals fooling around in a shower. Could anything be more innocent?

  I was excited when the director said we were going to spend the day rehearsing mine and Amelia’s scenes. There were the silly, confrontational scenes, and then a tender date scene where I got to sit across a table from Amelia and watch her blush as she delivered her lines with the shy affect of her character. I loved that look on her. She could be hot-headed, but there really was a lot of tenderness under that and it showed in her acting.

  I played footsie with her under the table to make her blush even more, except that made me choke down a laugh and we had to start the scene over again. I definitely didn’t mind. I looked to Braelyn for notes, but he just said, “This is perfect, the mood between you is great.”

  I looked back to Amelia to see her cheeks pinken even more. I wanted to reach over and squeeze them. This first half of the film was full of hand-holding and stolen pecks, fun little affections that seemed to make Amelia blush and stutter.

  I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as we went through our scenes together—until we came to the shower scene that Amelia and I had tried to practice the night before.

  Since this was just a rehearsal before the filming started, there would be no undressing. Part of me really wished there would be. Fooling around with Amelia in the shower had been electric. My skin still tingled from the memory.

  As we ran through the scene, both of us standing close in the shower, my mind kept running back to the night before—Amelia’s gasping breath, her shy moans and then unrestrained pleasure. I wanted all that again.

  Amelia licked her lips as she delivered her lines and I knew she was thinking the same thing. I couldn't help getting turned on when I pulled her in for a kiss, our bodies pressed together so firmly. Amelia’s hands roamed unapologetically down my back and over my ass as I kissed her deeper.

  I pulled my lips away, but kept my forehead pressed against hers as I said my next line.

  “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

  Lightning crackled in Amelia’s eyes. I kissed her again. This was the part in the script where things got physical. Very physical. I was supposed to press Amelia against the wall and our bodies would move with a synchronized rhythm. Oh man, I wanted that. Something about her felt so good.

  “Okay, that’s great for now,” Braelyn announced.

  I swore I heard Amelia groan.

  “We can work out the physical stuff on camera.” The director stood from the crouched position where he’d been observing and giving notes. “Let’s break for today.”

  “But we’ve only been going for…” I glanced at my watch. Oh, wow. We’d put in a nine-hour day.

  Everyone started slowly meandering out of the room, but Amelia seemed as reluctant to move away as I was. When no one was in earshot, she spoke in a hushed, excited tone.

  “Hey, do you want to come by afterwards and practice that scene?”

  Her eagerness could’ve made me come right then and there.

  “You know what they say.” I bit my lip to hold back a grin. “Practice makes perfect.”

  Amelia’s face lit up, all of her seriousness melting away. I had the urge to pinch her cheeks again. One of these days, I was really gonna do it.

  “I have to head back to my place to check on Cleo,” I said. “Do you wanna come over?”

  “No offence, but I can’t imagine getting hot and heavy with all that dog hair floating around.”

  “Right. I’ll come by your place after I go home to see how she’s doing.”

  She looked like she wanted to kiss me again, but was too shy to do it in front of other people. I felt the same way, but contented myself by reaching out and finally pinching her cheek. I gave it a little shake, which made her face scrunch up angrily. I reminded myself that I’d sworn never to laugh at her again, but damn, it was hard when she was so freaking cute.

  “See you soon,” I said, unable to keep a grin from spreading across my face.

  I still couldn’t get my hormones in check once we’d parted ways and I was in my car. What was between me and Amelia was just so hot. There was that tension and nervousness that I rarely experienced anymore and beneath that, a genuine connection.

  I swallowed. No, better to forget that last part. There was no connection. There couldn’t be. Co-stars getting involved was a terrible idea.

  But this wasn’t two co-stars getting involved, it was just practice. And stress release. How were we supposed to film with all this sexual tension between us? We had to let it out somehow.

  I thought I might explode if I didn’t get my hands on her soon. The long drive to my house gave me plenty of time to revisit our time in the shower. How far would things go this time? I definitely wouldn't have minded if she wanted to put her amazing lips on places other than my mouth. The thought of going down on her was hot too—intimidating for sure, but I loved the thought of making her moan.

  I was still fantasizing about where I’d like to touch her when my phone rang. I checked the missed call when I pulled into my driveway, sighing as I saw it was my publicist, Samantha. Well, I couldn’t put her off forever. I dialed her number back. She picked up immediately.

  “We’re on full emergency!”

  “What?” My shoulders straightened in alarm.

  “Sorry, not you—Oliver. I need you to help handle it.”

  “You’re going to have to explain.”

  “That psycho he dated is telling Stars Tonight he’s utterly destroyed by the break up, begging for her to come back to him. She’s making him sound pathetic.” Samantha sighed wearily. “I need you to go out and be photographed with him to show the public that he never cared about that backstabbing piece of trash.”

  “Of course I’ll help Oliver out. I’m free tomorrow night.”

  “Jess, I need this done, like, yesterday.”

  “I have plans tonight.”

  “Oliver’s reputation is on the line.”

  I chewed my lip before letting out a sigh. “Yeah, I get it. No problem, I can rearrange my schedule.”

  “You’re a doll.” She made a kissing noise into the phone. “And hey, it’s looking like Real Love might not be the career killer we thought it would. People are talking about it really positively online.”

  “Yeah, of course they are.” I rolled my eyes. Why couldn’t the people in this industry see what I saw? This was a movie people wanted.

  I hung up with Samantha and sighed as I texted Oliver to say I’d go out with him. It didn’t matter how much I reminded myself that things between me and Amelia were casual. I wasn’t looking forward to telling her I couldn’t come over. Especially since I was still horny as hell.

  11.

  Amelia

  Perspiration wetted my brow as I finished cleaning. I didn’t want to be caught off guard like I’d been the last time Jess came over and saw my hovel in all its grimy glory. The small bunch of yellow flowers I’d picked up on the way home helped to make the place less dreary, but there was no hiding the fact that I lived in a mouse hole.

  Well, she hadn’t judged me the last time she’d come over. That was something I loved about Jess. She never seemed to judge anyone. Ever. Even when I acted like a complete jerk, she just smiled and shrugged it off like she hadn’t even noticed. It was almost terrifying how comfortable she made me feel. I mean, it was terrifying how much I loved it. Wanted more of it. And of her.

  I plucked the Madeline Stevens book off my shelf, remembering how Jessica had said To Swim with Swans had meant something to her at a dark time in her life. What dark time had she been talking about? It made my heart hurt to think she’d gone through anything horrible. Maybe she’d been hurt by a breakup like I had.

  I tried to read as I waited for her to knock on the door, but I was so nervous and excited, I cou
ldn’t focus on the words at all. I was still a little scared of what might happen between us, but I knew I wanted it. That day during rehearsal had been so hot, and sweet—and, well, fun. I liked having fun with Jessica. And it just happened that our idea of having fun was making out and fooling around.

  Unable to pretend to read anymore, I got up from the futon and wiped down the table again, then rearranged the flowers, then double-checked to make sure I had clean wine glasses. Suddenly it occurred to me that I should have something to offer her to eat. Horror struck me as I realized the only food in my house was a bag of rice and a pack of hot dogs. Not even any buns, because who could afford hot dog buns?

  I picked up my phone to check my bank balance, hoping I had enough money to order a pizza or something. Which was when when I saw her text.

  >Jessica: Sorry, something came up. I’ll have to take a raincheck. :(

  Suddenly, even the cheerful flowers couldn’t lighten up my dreary apartment anymore. I tried to reign in my disappointment as I texted back.

  >Amelia: No worries. Maybe we’ll reschedule some other time.

  It took a while for Jessica to respond, but when she did, the little smiley emoticon in her message made my own face light up in a grin. What the hell was it about her that could make me smile so easily?

  I sighed, wishing she were here right now. Something had probably come up with her puppy. She’d drop everything for that little thing. I wondered what it would be like to be an important person in her life. She seemed like she would do anything for a girlfriend… err, I mean, boyfriend… partner...

  I made myself some rice with sliced-up hot dogs and sat down in front of Netflix. Wanna take a guess at what movie I put on?

  Maid for You wasn’t nearly as bad as the reviews made it out to be. Sure, the plot wasn’t winning any Oscars, but Jessica pretending to be a maid, scrubbing floors and doing dishes? C’mon. The movie was fucking adorable. And maybe it meant something more to me now that I knew she really was as sweet as she acted in her movies. I couldn’t believe how dumb Oliver Colt was for breaking up with her. Did he have any clue what he’d given up?