I got out and jogged to catch up to him as a bunch of guys I didn't know walked out of the house.
"Alright. Just bring everything in from the garage, and Riley will tell you where it's going." He reached back and took my hand, half-pulling me into the house. I'd never seen anything like it in my life. I was majestic. Huge. White.
"Ethan." I was breathless, and my heart hurt in my chest. "Did you buy this place yesterday for us?"
"For you, but I'd like to share it with you if you're okay with that?" He touched the side of my face softly.
"No, you didn't." I swallowed the overwhelmed feeling that was building up at the back of my throat. I turned around in a circle and back to him, reaching for him, clinging to him. "You bought this place for us?"
"Yeah." He smiled and leaned in to kiss the tip of my nose. "You said you wanted a place in Santa Barbara on the beach. The truck we rode in has your stuff, and I cheated a little and had movers pick up and pack my stuff. I figured it would be-"
I wrapped myself around him and kissed him hard. The kiss deepened, and he picked me up and toted me to the master bedroom downstairs, kicking the door shut. He pressed me to the wall and ground against me before breaking the kiss.
"You like it?"
"I love it." I kissed him again and pushed at his chest. "Let me go check it out."
"No way. This is the part in the movies where the hottest sex scene happens. Don't you know these things?" He smiled and released me.
I laughed and walked around the room, moving to the floor to ceiling glass windows and pressing my hands to them. "Wow. You can see the beach. It's like right here."
"It's a private beach, baby." He kissed the side of my neck. "Come on, let's take the car and go down to the fish market. We'll get something for dinner, and you can pick out some new flowers seeing that you left yours for Charlotte."
"The car?" I remembered the Lexus in the driveway. "Did you buy yourself a new car?"
He moved back and reached for my hand as I turned around. "No. I bought you a car. You like it? If not, we'll go get you something else."
"I love it." I balked as we walked back through the house.
Ethan stopped beside the guys that walked in and shrugged. "Just make the house look like my old one, and if my girl wants it changed, we'll bring you guys back out next week."
"Yes, Sir." One of them nodded and smiled over at me. "Were you surprised?"
"I haven't caught my breath yet." I laughed and followed Ethan out. The smell of salt and sand filled my nose, and I breathed in deeper, taking as much of it as I could handle.
He tossed me a set of keys, and I caught them and stopped by the car. "You want me to drive?"
"Man, you're slow today, baby." He got into the passenger's side of the car, and I got into the driver's side and gave him a look.
"I'm still trying to figure out what the fuck is going on. Last I knew, you had a stomach ache and didn't want to sleep together last night." I started the car. "I wake up, and you're there with a moving van, but we're not going back to your place in L.A. because you bought this beach castle after we left each other last night."
"That's about right." He rolled his window down and pulled his sunglasses out of his pocket, putting them on his handsome face. "I had to move quick, but I had lots of help."
"Charlotte and Jace?" I pulled out and headed toward what I assumed was town.
"And Liam and Deza." He reached over and ran his fingers up my arm. "I hope you like it, and if you don't, just say so, and we'll move again. I wanted you with me."
"You didn't have to do all of this, Ethan, but I love you for doing it. It's the best present anyone has ever gotten me." I took a shaky breath. "It's the only present anyone's ever gotten me."
"Well, then I'm glad it was me that did it." He squeezed my shoulder and pointed ahead. "Take a left up here, and we'll park in the lot across from the fish market."
"I haven't been down here in years." A smile spread across my face. "I love this so much."
"Good. It's our new life when we're not filming." He kept his hand on me, and it was hard not to press into it. I wanted to be at home, on the couch, snuggled up together so I could take my time thanking him properly.
"Right there, baby." He pointed, and I slammed on the breaks before passing it up.
I offered him a sheepish grin. "Sorry."
"No need to apologize to me. This is your baby. Drive her how you want to." He unbuckled after I parked and got out, moving to the back and offering me a hand. "You look good, by the way. Why the hell were you worried when we pulled up to the house?"
"Are you kidding me? That's the nicest house I've even been in. And that car is way too much car for me." I shook my head and snuggled against the side of him as we made our way across the street into the crowd that had gathered around the outdoor market. "I figured we were going to see the president of Eon or something."
He laughed. "No way. That guy lives in San Fran, and he has a flat that wouldn't comfortably fit me, you and him at the same time. He's a minimalist."
"Oh." I walked toward the fresh flowers. "Look how pretty these are."
"Get them." He pulled his wallet out of the back of his shorts and turned his attention to the lady selling the flowers.
I ignored their exchange and found several bundles that I wanted. I took the time to stop and smell each one of them. It was almost like I was stuck in a dream. Everything was so surreal. I'd grown up broke, moving from shelter to shelter, hoping that one day my mom would get her shit together and provide for us, but she never did. She couldn't figure it out.
And had I somehow figured it out? I didn't know, but I wasn't wasting one minute of the life I'd been given, especially not a minute that belonged to Ethan. His kindness and generosity stunned me.
This was the man I knew under all the drama and showmanship. And he's the one I fell in love with. Not that I didn't like the other parts of him, but this part left me really swooning.
A little boy ran by and tripped in front of us, and Ethan dipped down and picked the little guy up and setting him back down. He knelt in front of the boy and wiped at his legs.
"You alright, man? You gotta be careful. The sidewalk is bumpy."
"Bumpy?" The little boy's blue eyes sparkled as he wiped at Ethan's hands over his legs. "Bumpy?"
"Oh jeez. Thank you so much." The mother jogged up and scooped the little guy up in her arms. "I'm so sorry." She paused as her eyes went wide. "Oh my God. You're Ethan Lewis and Riley Phillips. I love your movies," she pointed over to me, "and you were beautiful in the Spring play at UCLA. You're in the next Eon movie together, right?"
"Yeah, we are." I smiled over at Ethan, but he was too busy watching the little boy. Did he want kids? We'd had a short conversation about it, but I couldn't remember his response. His own upbringing had been as bad as mine, if not worse.
Poverty sucked. Not being loved was way worse.
"Baby." I tugged on his hand.
"Oh. Sorry. I got lost there in my head for a minute." He reached out and patted the little guy on the head. "Take care, hmm?"
"Thank you again." The woman turned as the little boy chirped the word, 'bumpy' a handful of times.
"You want babies?" I turned to face him and slid my hands up his strong chest.
"Yes. Three of them, but not for a long time." He leaned down and kissed me softly. "I do like the idea of practicing making babies though. We should start tonight."
I laughed and cuddled the flowers he'd bought against my chest. "Let’s get your fish and get back to the house. I want to explore."
"It or me?" He touched my lower back and guided me over to the fishmonger.
"Both." I wagged my eyebrows and moved back a little to let him up front.
"Hi there. We'll take a pound of salmon for dinner, please?" Ethan glanced back at me. "Salmon good?'
"Yeah, I love it." I smiled at the older gentleman helping him.
"Did you want us to fillet it f
or you?" He winked at me and turned back to Ethan.
"Yeah, I'm not a caveman hunter by any means. I'd probably end up more filleted than the fish."
We all laughed, and I took it all in. The moment. The feelings. The memories it would create.
Ethan reached up and grabbed the fish before putting a protective arm around my shoulders and walking me back to the car. He kissed the side of my face and took the keys from me.
"Want me to drive your baby already?"
"I'd let you drive anything of mine that you wanted to." I got in and set the flowers in the floorboard before buckling up. "I'm still a little bit in shock. This is all happening, right?"
"Yeah, baby. And the night's not over." He winked, and I was at a loss. What in the world did he think would top the day we'd already had?
In my mind, nothing could.
***
"This dress okay?" I walked out into the living room and twirled around, my white and pink dress new and not something I'd worn for him before.
"Mmmhmmmm." He stood from the couch and reached for me, pulling me tightly against him, and he swayed back and forth. "You look incredible. I'm the luckiest man in the world."
"You just might be." I kissed him softly. "But I'm the luckiest person. I win that one hands down. I have everything you have, plus I have you."
"We're getting sappy." He cupped my face and kissed me. "I like it. Now, come on... it's almost eight."
I breathed in deep, realizing the delicious smells in the air. Garlic, butter, and oregano.
"Are you cooking something?" I walked behind him out of the house onto the patio by the water.
"Nope. I brought in a cook." He pulled out my chair, and my heart almost stopped.
There were candles everywhere, and the patio had been decked out to look like heaven or a wedding. Something extravagant with white light, linen clothes and flowers everywhere.
"What is this?" I touched my chest as tears filled my eyes. The sound of violins caused me to turn, and I laughed as tears rolled down my face. "You brought in music too?"
"Anything for my girl." He reached up and wiped a tear away. "Dinner will be ready in a second. Dance with me. Let me feel you move up against me."
I stepped into his arms, and the rest of the world could have fallen into the sea. Nothing mattered but him. Me. Us. "I love you so much."
He leaned down and kissed me softly. "Good. Then don't make me do this shit alone anymore."
I stiffened. "The move? Or dinner?"
He laughed, and the sound of it helped me to relax. "No, silly. Life in general. I don't want to make more movies or do more conferences or go to another red-carpet party without you with me. I don't want to wake up without you or go to bed alone. I don't want to share my life with anyone else but you. Don't make me, Riley."
"Never." I leaned in to kiss him, but he reached up and pressed his fingers to my lips, surprising me.
"Save that for a few minutes." He pulled out a small black box and moved to his knees, lifting it and popping it open. "Be my wife."
"What?" I pursed my lips together as emotions hit me from every angle.
"I know it hasn't been more than a month since we fixed things between us, but baby, when you know, you just know. You're the only woman for me. Marry me. I don't wanna date for years. I want to put this ring on your finger and start building a family together. Not in the future. Now."
I nodded, not willing to let another moment pass. I was completely head over heels in love with this guy, and he wasn't getting away again. No matter what.
"Yes. I want to. Please." I slipped my fingers into the ring, and he stood, wrapping his strong arms around me.
"Now give me that knee buckling kiss." He smiled and leaned in, kissing me like forever had nothing on us.
I was scared as hell, but I wasn't willing to take the journey of life alone if fate was offering up the best guy to play the part beside me, and it was.
Ethan was my soul mate.
No final call needed.
Epilogue
Two Months Later
Ethan
"Why did we decide to do this?" I narrowed my eyes and the pretty girl that sat across from me. The one that had my heart racing and body purring every time she walked into the room.
"Because." She lifted her eyebrow. I knew that look. "You said that we would get to where we could go out in public and do normal things for our age. We're in our early twenties. We're eating at the food court. Period."
"At a public mall." I glanced around and realized every-fucking-body was staring and pointing. I groaned and turned back to her. "If it's not bad enough that every tabloid has taken pictures of you and swollen your stomach for you with photoshop. It makes you look like you're pregnant with my alien twins. What more do you want?"
She laughed, and I forced myself to sit back and chill out. "Nothing, baby. I wanted noodles at the mall. I'm tired of being in the house or at private parties. I want to live where everyone else does. I want to shop at Old Navy!"
"They have online stories, sweetness." I lifted my hands as she growled. "Fine. Alright. I get it. You're new to this, but when it finally wears you down-"
"It won't. Enjoy being out with other humans that aren't on our support team." She took another bite and sucked a thick noodle into her mouth as several cameras flashed.
I cringed but ignored it. "Let's go down to the store you like in the mall with the great jewelry and get you a necklace to wear."
"I like this one." She pulled out a little heart that was almost too small to be seen.
Leaning over, I took it from her and squinted. "It's pretty. Where did you get it from?" I'd learned enough over the last few months of being next to her that being an ass about something important to her or anyone else would land me in hot water fast. It wasn't a place I enjoyed being. I had sensitive skin and shit.
"My mom wore it when I was little." She took it back from me and glanced down at it. "I was going to bury her with it, but I wanted to keep it to give to my daughter from her grandmother, you know?"
"I do. Let's get you something to go with it, or have them meld it into the center of a bigger heart. That way the center one is from your mother, and the outer one is from you." I shrugged as she glanced up. "Or us?"
"I like it. That's a great idea." She stood and picked up her bags.
I grabbed the plate of noodles and happily pitched them in the trashcan.
"Ethan! Can you sign this?" A group of girls ran toward us, and I forced a smile and took the pen. "Have you ladies met my finance? This is Riley."
"Oh my God! It's Riley Phillips." One of the girls reached out and touched Riley's arm, her smile widening as if that shit was possible. "You look so pretty in that white bikini I've seen you in on the previews for Down Low. We're so excited to see it."
"Thanks. It was a lot of fun." She beamed and glanced over at me, stealing my heart for the millionth time. "And I got to meet this guy. Best catch ever."
"I bet. You guys are so cute together. I'm glad you come out to the mall and stuff." Another girl piped in. "Some actors hide away in their homes and never come out to see their fans. You want to shake them and remind them that it's our dollars that contribute to the box office smashers, you know?"
"We sure do." I glanced up and ignored the incredulous look on Riley's pretty face. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "That's why I force this gal here to get out every once in a while. She's a little cranky about it."
She snorted and elbowed me in the stomach as the girl's laughed. Riley rolled her eyes and turned back to our fans. "Nice meeting you girls. Hope you love the movie."
"We will!" They screamed in tandem, and for the first time ever, I sent up a prayer that our first kid would be a boy so I could get used to the little feet thing without having to hear the shrill screech of a little voice to go with it.
Though a little girl with strawberry blonde hair and big blue eyes would melt my heart. Much like her mom did.
<
br /> "What are you thinking, handsome?" She handed me some of the bags and wrapped her arm around the back of my waist.
"Me?" I beamed like I'd won an award for something.
"Yeah, you." She pressed her head against my shoulder as we walked to the jewelry store.
"I was thinking about us having a little girl, and her looking just like you."
"Hmmm... sounds scary." She laughed and pulled out of my hold as she walked to the store. "And what would we name her?"
"Chloe? Elizabeth? Blueberry?"
She laughed and turned to face me. "No. We're not naming any of our kids after a fruit."
"Carrot?" I smirked as she popped me in the stomach and disappeared into the shop. It was hella crowded, so I left her to it and found a bench across from the store. I put on my sunglasses and a baseball hat before sitting down and letting out a long breath.
We'd hosted Charlotte and Jace over at the house the night before. It was a good time, and Riley’s ex-lover could play some dominoes like no one I'd ever seen, but it was fucking weird. We wouldn't be doing it again. I almost felt sorry for my girl too, because the situation was awkward around them no matter where they were or who else was involved.
What was Charlotte thinking? Dating Riley's ex? I shook the thought from my head. It was none of my business, and where we decided we weren't hosting dinner for them again, I knew there would be more times of togetherness in the future. It was inevitable.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I was grateful for something to do besides waiting for someone to see me, recognize me and blow my cover. Riley might have wanted to be normal, but I simply wanted peace.
It amazed me how much serenity she'd brought into my life since saying yes to becoming my wife. I couldn't fucking wait until the wedding, though we hadn't set a date. We still had to do the movie preview, and Eon wasn't waiting the usual year or even six months. It was set for the end of November, just four short months away.
"This is Ethan," I mumbled into the phone, trying to keep my voice down, though there was no way in hell anyone could hear me over the noise at the mall.
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