Starstruck

by H. L. Logan

  We tumbled into bed exhausted, hands roaming one another’s skin affectionately, but not exactly sexually. It was a king-sized bed, but there was hardly an inch of space between us. There was something nice about just being close to her, feeling the heat of her body, the soft rhythm of her breath. I took a deep, relaxed inhale, loving that I was close enough to smell her fruity shampoo.

  I was about to slip into sleep when I heard the door creak open, followed by little padding feet and then Marshmallow jumped up onto the bed, nestling in between us. Even though the allergy meds had started to wear off, and I felt a twinge of itchiness in my nose, I couldn’t ask the sweet snoring puppy to leave. I stroked a hand over her back, laughing as her snoring synchronized to match Jessica’s sleepy breathing. I could’ve stayed like that forever.

  ***

  I woke to itchy eyes, a runny nose and an empty bed. I sat up and grabbed a tissue from Jessica’s night stand. Why had I thought it would be okay to let the dog sleep in the bed?

  I let out a huge sneeze, fumbling in my discarded pants for another pill that would help alleviate this hell. I swallowed it down with a gulp of water from the master bathroom.

  Where was Jess? I pushed open her bedroom door, stopping when I heard voices.

  “I appreciate you coming to me with this, but I’m not interested in something like that right now. I’m focusing on filming Real Love.”

  “Do you think this little cinematic novelty is going to fix your money problems?”

  “I told you, I don’t have—”

  “The director was very excited when I told her you would audition for this film. Do you expect me to go back and tell her that you let her down?”

  “I didn’t let anyone down, because I didn’t promise anyone anything.” Jessica sounded frustrated like I’d never heard her before.

  I crept forward quietly to see who she was speaking to and guessed immediately by the woman’s appearance that it was her mother. Same blonde hair, same dimples, same strong jaw. The woman had a small frame that was draped in so much clunky jewelry that it looked like it could’ve crushed her to death. Her manicured fingers drummed against her leather handbag.

  “I just don’t know why you’re not taking your career seriously anymore.” Her red lips turned down into a frown.

  The tiny muscles in Jessica’s jaw flexed and released. “I’m taking my career incredibly seriously. I tried to explain to you. I want to make a difference in people’s lives.”

  “And what about the difference I made in your life?” The mother’s lips thinned. “Are you just going to ignore all the sacrifices I made for you?”

  “No, I appreciate—”

  “Oh, yes, you’ve said it so many times before, Jessica. Yes, you appreciate everything I’ve done for you.” She rolled her eyes. “You know what your words are worth to me.”

  My blood felt like lava in my veins. How the fuck did she think she could talk to Jess like that? Jessica was way too nice. But I wasn’t.

  “Sorry, but I’m not going to let you speak to Jessica like she’s a piece of trash,” I said, storming into the room with my fists clenched.

  “Excuse me?” The mother’s penciled on eyebrows raised.

  “I said, you’re being a bitch.”

  Her lips fell open and she looked from Jessica to me and back as if to say, Are you going to let this happen?

  I was worried I’d gone too far, but Jessica didn’t look angry. She looked as shocked as her mother, but not angry.

  The mother’s eyes narrowed. “You’re that little imp starring in the soon-to-be flop with my daughter, aren’t you?”

  “If you gave a shit how much the movie meant to your daughter, you wouldn’t talk about it like that. Do you even care? Do care about Jessica at all beyond her ability to provide you with tacky jewelry?”

  “How dare—”

  “How dare you come into your daughter’s home and disrespect her.” I felt like I was breathing fire.

  “I suppose I should leave if I’m going to be spoken to this way.” Her lips thinned as she looked at Jess, as if expecting her to disagree.

  “Amelia’s right.” Jessica rubbed the back of her neck, eyes glued to the floor. A pained expression flickered across her face when she spoke again. “Sometimes you treat me like shit, mom.”

  Genuine hurt crossed the woman’s face. “I only want the best—”

  “For you.” Jessica finished for her. “You only want the best for you. My needs and wants come second in your mind. They always have. And I can’t have a relationship like that anymore.”

  “Well,” she started, then closed her mouth. After a long pause, she finally said, “I think this exchange has left us both with a lot to think about.” She straightened her handbag over her shoulder, pausing one more time before finally turning and walking out the door without another word.

  16.

  Jessica

  I collapsed on the couch, arms splayed. “Geez, that was exhausting.”

  “Sorry I cursed out your mom...” Amelia said awkwardly, a look of genuine apology on her face. “I know I get a bit… explosive sometimes. I’m trying to get a handle on it, but I just lost it when I heard her talking down to you.”

  I struggled not to laugh at how upset she looked. “To be honest, it felt sort of good to hear you say all that. Sometimes I start to feel like I’m crazy and imagining all these things about my parents. It was good to hear that I’m not.”

  Amelia curled up next to me on the couch, wrapping both arms around me. Despite her reserved nature, she had a ferocity that would intimidate anyone. I wondered if that same passion came out when she loved someone too.

  No, no, no. I wouldn’t let myself get too deep with Amelia while filming was still going on. It was one thing to hook up and cuddle a little, but thinking about love was out of the question. We were just hanging out. Nothing serious. Certainly nothing that could compromise the movie if it were to blow up in our faces.

  Right?

  I just loved spending time with her. And touching her. And kissing her. And the way she’d stood up to my mom left me more than a little in awe.

  “Let me take you out somewhere,” I said suddenly.

  “Where do you wanna go?”

  “Anywhere!” I kissed her on the lips. “I’ll take you anywhere on earth.”

  “I saw an awesome looking pet store that just opened. We could take your little marshmallow on a shopping spree.”

  “Are you serious?” I cocked my head. “I was going to take you to Paris for the weekend, Tokyo, literally any place you want, and you pick a pet store?”

  “Well, the flight to Paris would take almost all weekend, for one.”

  “Oh, yeah, I forgot.” I frowned.

  “And besides, I love watching you play with Marshmallow.”

  “Marshmallow?” I picked Cleo up from the floor. “Her name is Cleo. Like Cleopatra.”

  Amelia’s face scrunched up. “I think Marshmallow suits her better.”

  I laughed, wanting nothing more than to take Amelia in my arms and never let her go. “I love that you want to spend time with her, but what about your allergies?”

  “I’ve got Benadryl.” She shrugged. “And watching you be so sweet and nurturing is honestly a pretty huge turn-on.”

  I blinked, sure I was blushing, and stuttered out, “Well then, what are we waiting for?”

  ***

  Cleo sat inside the large cart that I pushed, batting around a squeaky ball and jumping back shocked when it bounced off the sides and whacked her in the nose. The pet store was massive, housing everything a spoiled pooch could dream of. As I grabbed another fun-looking toy off the shelf, Amelia was drawn to a pen of puppies in the middle of the floor.

  “I always wanted a dog,” she admitted. “But it just wouldn’t work with my allergies.” She rubbed her nose like it was itching.

  “That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  She snorted a laugh.

&
nbsp; “No really! Have you ever considered allergy shots?”

  “Are you kidding?” She bent over the cage and ran her hand down a spotted puppy’s back. “Do you think I’ve got an extra couple grand sitting around to pay for that kind of thing?”

  “Oh, right. Sorry, I didn’t mean to be a jerk.”

  She shook her head. “It was a good idea. But to be honest, I can barely afford to keep buying the little pills that keep my allergies at bay for a few hours.”

  I squirmed uncomfortably, thinking of Amelia’s tiny little apartment and of how she had to take the bus everywhere. It didn’t seem fair that I had more money than I could count and hard working people like Amelia could barely afford the medication they needed.

  “Would you let me pay for the shots?” I asked, holding my breath in case she got mad.

  “What?”

  “I mean, I want keep spending time with you, and it seems like even the dog hair on my clothes makes your eyes itchy sometimes.It just doesn’t seem fair that I make you uncomfortable.”

  She looked at me in shock for one moment. “You might seriously be the sweetest person I’ve ever met.” Then her cheeks flushed. “Do you really want to keep spending time with me?”

  “Yeah, I really do.” I gave her hand a quick squeeze, not sure who might be watching or what kind of rumors holding hands might lead to.

  “Then we can talk about doing the shots.” She nodded.

  Cleo yipped from inside the shopping cart, looking more than a little jealous about all the attention I was getting from other dogs who were clustering towards us curiously. I laughed and grabbed a stick with a tennis ball dangling from the end of it. Leaping into the pen, I started dragging the ball across the floor until a dozen furry heads perked up and soon I was being chased by a mob of puppies while Amelia held her sides and laughed hysterically.

  My cheeks hurt from smiling by the time we left. I pushed the full cart with one hand hand and Amelia moved to slip her fingers into my free hand. I looked down at our clasped palms just a little awkwardly.

  “Maybe we should go easy in public.” I said gently. “There are people with cell phone cameras everywhere.”

  “Is that a problem?” Amelia asked with just a little edge.

  “I don’t know.” I scratched the back of my head. “Technically, I’m still supposed to be dating Oliver, so it might look a little weird.”

  Amelia looked like she was about to say something, but she just moved her hand and closed her mouth instead.

  ***

  Filming with Amelia became magic. Everything flowed so easily. And even better, after filming I got to take her home and recreate some of that magic at my place. I’d slowly phased out my “dates” with Oliver, but Amelia and I were still keeping things low-key in public.

  I kept telling myself this was nothing serious. We were just hanging out. Just two co-workers who got along as friends, and also shared a bed most nights, and also made out, and also got each other off. Friend stuff. Co-worker stuff. Nothing to worry about. It wasn’t like the fate of the film hinged on our deep, but fragile connection.

  Everything was fine.

  We were spending a lazy Saturday evening on my couch, Amelia rubbing the sore spot on her arm where she’d started getting allergy shots. After only three weeks of getting the shots, her symptoms seemed to be improving. I could tell by how much more eager she was to cuddle up with Cleo. It made me smile to know that I had done that for her. And that she had let me do it.

  “Maybe you’ll even get a dog of your own at this rate.” I tickled her in the ribs with my socked foot.

  “And replace this little girl in my life? Never.” She grabbed my foot and held it in front of Cleo’s face so she could bat and chew at my toes.

  “Ow, ow, okay, cut it out!” I tried to wriggle away from Amelia’s hold, but that only made Cleo’s attack more ferocious. She started to yank at my sock with her sharp little teeth and I cried out, “Mercy!”

  Amelia let go of my foot, laughing, and lay out on the couch beside me to give me a kiss. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight. Spending time with Amelia was better than the best. It was pure bliss.

  “Hey, I have a surprise for you.” She grinned into my lips. “Wait here.”

  She leapt up from the couch and dug through the messenger bag she’d left by the door when she’d come in the night before. I waited patiently as she brought a small plastic bag over to the couch. She knelt in front of me and handed me the bag. It was somewhat heavy as I weighed it in my hands.

  “Is this a gift?” I asked.

  “It’s just stupid.” She bit her lip and looked down. “I saw it and thought of you.”

  Well now I had to see what it was. I opened the bag, slowly unwrapping the tissue paper inside to reveal a ceramic mug. A picture of a fluffy white puppy was painted on it with the words: #1 Mom.

  I couldn’t help it, I burst out laughing. I caught myself, holding my breath as I remembered that Amelia hated being laughed at. I stared into her blue eyes, terrified that I’d offended her. Finally, her face slowly cracked into a grin and a chuckle poured out of her mouth.

  “Glad you like it,” she said.

  “I love it.” I looked at it and laughed again, unable to stop even when Amelia started kissing me. Cleo took one look at us lunatics and leapt off the couch to hide in some other room.

  Amelia’s lips were flushed and glistening. She looked so fucking good I could’ve just eaten her. A sudden rush of nerves hit me, because I wanted to take this so much further than the kissing and touching we’d been doing, but I had no idea what Amelia was ready for. I took a deep breath. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while.”

  Amelia’s eyes opened, and her face lit up with anticipation. I pressed my lips to her ear, uttering the words that had been boiling inside me for weeks. “I want to feel your lips between my thighs.”

  Amelia exhaled a long moan, gripping me tight. “Jesus, I’ve been waiting to hear you say that for so long. I want to taste you so bad.”

  I crushed my lips to hers, sucking, biting, licking. Somehow we ended up in my bed, clothes discarded, naked skin pressed together, kissing so deeply I could’ve drowned in Amelia.

  “I need you. Now.” The desperation in her voice was so real and I couldn’t help wanting to bring out more of that.

  I slid my hands down her arms, pinning them to the bed. She let out a small whimper as I kissed her hard, pressing down on her with my chest, loving the way she let herself be dominated by me. I pushed my thigh between hers, spreading her legs open and feeling how wet she was.

  “Oh, God, Jess, you have to stop teasing me like that.” She pulled away, but I forced her lips back into a kiss. “I’ve waited too long for this.”

  A shiver ran up my spine. As much as I wanted to get to the main event, I loved seeing Amelia overwhelmed by her desire. I grinned wickedly. “Maybe if you ask nicely.”

  “You’re pure evil.” Her hips arched up off the bed.

  I nipped her bottom lip. “I’m just trying to teach you some manners.”

  “You know what’s bad manners? Asking someone to go down on you, then torturing them until they die.”

  “I just wanna hear you beg for it,” I said in a low voice.

  Amelia swallowed back a moan. “Oh God Jess,” she murmured. “Would you please, please let me taste you?”

  She leaned her head back, giving me her neck to kiss. Each sighing breath that left her lips inflamed my need. I needed more of this. Of her.

  Goosebumps prickled under my fingers as I slid them down her neck and circled her peaked nipples. I didn’t wonder about why I was so attracted to another woman. It was Amelia. Of course I would be attracted to her.

  Our bodies moved together gracefully, like they were meant to fit together. I positioned myself on my back, Amelia on her knees, thighs pressed around my head, wet pussy inches from my face while she kissed down my thighs.

  I slid m
y hands up the back of her legs and tentatively ran my tongue over her pussy. Amelia, however, had no intention of taking things slow. She slid a finger inside of me, licking and moaning between my legs.

  If I’d thought she’d been a good kisser, it was nothing compared to this. Hot moans poured from her lips as she teased me with her tongue. I was shaking within seconds.

  I plunged my own tongue inside of her. I couldn’t let her make me come before I’d even tasted her. The muscles in her thighs tensed, but the pleasure only seemed to drive her passion.

  “What is this, a competition?” I moaned, head falling back.

  “Yeah.” Amelia grinned against my thigh. “First one to come loses.”

  “Oh God, that’s not fair,” I groaned. Amelia was already bringing me so close to the edge.

  I found Amelia’s clit with my thumb, and began working slow circles in time to my tongue thrusting in and out of her, hoping I could regain some ground, because I was at a massive disadvantage in this fight. Amelia’s breathing became faster, her moans more urgent. That’s it. I stroked her clit faster, moaning as I felt her body tighten with pleasure. A shudder ran through her, followed by a broken gasp.

  Oh yeah, I’ve got you right where I want you, baby.

  My own body became wracked with spasms as she slid another finger inside of me, sucking my clit with an intense need. She’d never been one to hold back.

  Fuck, I had to make her come fast or I wasn’t going to last. I grabbed her ass with both hands and held her tight as I teased her with my tongue, not allowing her to escape from the pleasure I was giving her. Every cell in her body seemed to tremble as I licked her perfect pussy. Her lips fell open in a moan as her muscles tensed and I knew I almost had her.

  17.

  Amelia

  Pleasure overwhelmed my senses. Not just physical pleasure, a deep, throbbing emotional bliss of being so connected to Jess.