by Ali Parker
He glanced my way and shrugged, but kept walking toward the parking lot. "It's another week on the job."
"I love San Diego, though." I was making stupid comments and shallow conversation points, but what other choice did I have? We'd be trapped in a car with several other members of our team soon and the only real conversation I wanted to have with him was about us. As if there really was an ‘us’.
"You surf?" He glanced over his shoulder and studied me, slowing his walk and stopping by the gate.
"Yeah. I love to surf. You want to try and catch some waves while we're down there?"
"There are a lot of things I want to do while we're down there." The heat in his eyes was almost a relief compared to the mixture of anger and sadness.
I smiled. "There's the Ethan Lewis I've come to love and hate."
"He's a bastard, right?" He winked and turned to walk toward the car. "We're taking the last one in the row up here. The Lexus."
"Me and you?" I called out to him, but didn't follow.
"Yep." He kept walking, and I took that as my cue to go get my stuff and stop making small talk.
I grabbed my bag and walked toward Deza and Frank before making my way over to Ethan. "Morning, guys."
"Hey, Riley. How are you?" Frank stretched out one arm, and I took that as my cue to give him a quick side hug. He squeezed me tightly and glanced down. "Anything we can do for you?"
They would most likely be asking for a while. Anyone with any sensitivity to losing someone would. Ethan seemed to be the outlier.
"No. I'm good." I let my eyes run across Deza, realizing that she looked like hell. "You doing okay?"
"As good as can be. We just have a lot going on and I'm not sleeping very well at night right now. Nothing new in the neighborhood. Just trying to deal with stuff, you know?"
"Anything I can do to help?"
"Tie up Ethan at night when he turns into a werewolf so we don't have to clean up the carnage every morning when we wake up?" She gave me a smug look. "That would be helpful for starters."
I groaned. "Something else?"
"Yeah, but we'll let him tell you if he wants to. You know we don't like to get into people's business." Frank let me go and I reached up to readjust my bag on my shoulder.
"Lies. You guys love getting involved." I chuckled as they both gave me a look any mother would be proud of. "Kidding. I'm just kidding."
"Kidding about what?" Ethan opened his door on the opposite side of the car from me.
"Nothing. Just teasing Frank and Deza about being nosy and getting involved in everyone's stuff." I opened the door and got in before dropping my small bag on the floor between my feet.
"They're definitely that, but I guess it's sort of their job." He opened his door and reached between my legs, grabbing the bag and getting out. "I'm gonna put this in the trunk."
"I can do it." I started to get out, but stopped myself. He was trying to be nice. It was a good thing. Maybe.
He got in the car and leaned back, letting out a long exhale as he closed his eyes.
Everything inside of me screamed for me to move closer, or reach out and touch his hand. Something. Shit, anything. We'd almost made love twice. That meant something, but why was I always the one reaching out?
"What's going on? I'm here for you. You know that, right?" I kept my voice just above a whisper, trying to push the message into my tone that I loved him and would do anything for him.
"Are you?" He turned his face toward mine and opened his eyes. The need in his gaze left my pulse speeding up. He could own me with nothing more than a few words, with a quick touch of his hand or a commanding word. It was a good thing that he didn't understand his own power, or maybe I underestimated him. Maybe he knew what he was capable of and respected me enough to not use it against me.
I moved closer to him and curled my legs up in the seat, resting my bent knees almost in his lap. Touching the side of his face, I leaned in and brushed my nose by his.
"Yes. I am. Completely."
"The other night at Liam's," he paused and moved away from me, pulling my hand down and holding it tightly in his, "Deza called and said some chick was filing a lawsuit against me."
"So? That happens all the time, right? It's why you have a good lawyer."
"Yeah, but the girl is claiming she's three months pregnant with my baby." He shrugged and released my hand. "I haven't slept with a woman without a condom since I was a kid. Who knows though? If the shit is going to happen, it's going to happen to me."
"Take a paternity test and prove her wrong." Hot fear ran through me. What would happen if Ethan was the father? Would he try and work things out with the mother? Just support the kid from the side? Could I be a part of whatever decision he made?
He chuckled. "I can see your horror on your face. You're doing a shitty job of hiding it."
"It's not that." I reached for his hand, grabbed it and brought it up to my mouth to kiss his fingers. "Look at me."
It took a few seconds, as if he were battling himself, but he finally turned to face me again.
"What?"
"We'll fix it."
"Me and you?" He brushed his fingers by my lips as his warm brown eyes moved down my face. "You'd help me?"
"I'd try." I swallowed hard. "Do you think the baby is yours?"
"No, but who can know for sure? I like sex, and I've had lots of it. Most of it incredibly shitty, but still."
I nodded, trying to be supportive and not show my disgust over him talking about other women. The poor guy had horrible relationship-building skills. Not that mine were stellar, but I sure as hell knew what not to say.
"And would you... stay with the mother or just help raise-"
"What? No." He pulled his hand from mine and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pulling me close. "I'd help raise the kid if he were mine, but let's hope he's not. I'm not exactly father material right now."
"But you think you will be one day?" I glanced up at him, letting the softness, the openness of the moment, steal my heart.
"I hope so." He leaned down and brushed his lips by mine. "Why haven't we slept together?"
"Because I'm hoping to remain a good girl."
He laughed. "Baby, that train has long since left the station. You're just playing a part now. The real you is the one who wants a long night of passion. Where is that girl?"
"How about a night of chick flicks and popcorn instead?" I teased him, though both activities sounded great as a precursor to sex. Not that we'd be having it. It was more than obvious that the universe was working hard to keep us apart.
"And then sex?" He leaned down and kissed the side of my face. "You like it in the ass, right?"
"Ethan!" I popped his chest and sat up.
He laughed loudly. "What? I figured the bad girl in there would enjoy the question."
"Now I know where you get it from. Your brother has no filter either."
"Explain." His voice darkened a little.
I smiled and leaned back. "Nope. I'm not telling you about Liam or whether I like it in the ass."
He pulled me closer and tucked his face against my hair. "Those two subjects better not have a damn thing to do with each other."
"As if." I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy the moment. We both needed something from the other. I had no doubt that we would be wrapped up in some type of pleasure later that night together.
If he didn't make a move, I would. I was done with foreplay.
Chapter 6
Ethan
"You're in a better mood." Deza glanced over toward me as we mingled in the lobby of the hotel. Frank’s job was to check us in quickly, and he seemed to be having trouble with it. Paul, our head film guy, made his way over toward the commotion as I turned back to Deza.
"You have Riley to thank for that."
"Look. I know you-"
"Nope." I lifted my hand and smiled. "Save the drama for your momma. I don't want to talk about any of the shit brewing around my
head. I'm good just trying to focus on filming for the next few days. Whatever happens with this chick... we'll deal with it."
Her expression shifted, as if she approved of my comment. That would have been a first. I needed to mark that shit down in my trusty journal.
"You want to put our bags up and grab something to drink together?" Was that hope in her voice? Was the ice queen thawing a little? Surely not.
"Yeah. That sounds like a plan. I'll meet you back down here in five."
"That's if Frank gets our rooms." She shook her head and crossed her arms over her ample chest. "Where's Riley?"
"I sold her for a piece of gum and five magic beans at the last gas station."
Deza's curt laugh was my reward. "Somehow I doubt that very seriously."
"Don't. I might surprise you. The woman is ruining my love life at breakneck speed." I nodded toward my bag as one of the attendants rushed over and worked on getting our stuff on a cart. It was as if the hotel just realized they had Hollywood royalty. Where I would have loved the attention a year back, it didn't matter nearly as much now. My ego was deflating day after day with all the bullshit I was being hit with.
"Most men would be thrilled about that."
I glanced over and lifted my brow. "I'm not most men."
"Oh, don't I know." She walked toward the elevator and scanned the room again. "Seriously though. Where is Riley?"
"Bathroom." I got in and pressed a button on the panel. "We going to the top?"
She chuckled. "With you beside me? You know we are."
It was her way of apologizing, and it was more than enough for me. We'd been through a lot and we'd most likely go through a lot more. It’s just what we did.
***
"I got you a whiskey and Sprite." Deza nodded toward the glass sitting beside her on the bar.
"Trying to liquor me up so I'll stop denying you?" I sat down and pressed my shoulder against hers. Where most people might have stayed mad at me for the shenanigans I pulled over the weekend, Deza acted like it was water under the bridge. She had to... we needed room for the next stunt in my pocket, or at least she did.
"You've been denying me?" She snorted and took a drink of her dark liquid.
"Yeah, but you've been so persistent that I think it's about time I give in, but only a little."
"What's you giving in a little? Do I wanna know?"
"It means you can play with the tip. Only a little, but the monster has an ego that could fill this room. His head is seriously swollen." I winked and lifted my glass to my lips as she groaned.
"I walked right into that, didn't I?"
"Yep." I set the drink down and glanced to my right as Paul walked up. The guy had been off and on with Eon for years. His personality was my favorite part about him. Laid back, funny and didn't seem to be bothered by much. He had a few years on me, which left me with hope that I could eventually be more relaxed myself.
"What did you walk into? Do I want to know?" Paul smiled and turned as the bartender walked up. "Crown and Coke."
"No. You don't." Deza leaned forward and shook her head. "He's been his normal cocky self, so at least there's that."
"And this is a good thing?" Paul reached back and patted me on the back of my shoulder.
"Don't be jealous. There's plenty to go around, big boy." I winked at him and enjoyed his laugh as well as Deza's. "Where's Riley? Did you see her get up to her room and shit?"
Paul nodded. "Yeah. I think Clayton helped her."
"Hell’s bells. I knew I should have stuck around. I turn my head for one minute, and the vampire crawls out of his crypt and tries to steal my girl." I picked up my glass and took a big gulp of the cool liquid inside. I let my tone say I was kidding, and yet, I wasn't at all.
"Your girl?" Paul glanced my way. "Does Riley know that's her new title?"
"No, but she's going to love it." I dragged my fingers across my chest. "I'm getting her a white banner thingy made up. You know, like the Miss America girls. Ethan Lewis' girl."
"Oh brother. Where do you come up with this crap?" Deza shook her head, but the smile playing at the side of her mouth spoke volumes.
"What? You love this stuff." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "How about you stop fooling around with that guy from your past and come spend the afternoon in my bed? I got a white stallion you can ride."
Paul spit out his mouthful of drink. "Oh my God. Did you seriously just say that?"
Deza leaned forward. "You see what I deal with? This shit is all the time."
"Not all the time." I released her. "You're being a little dramatic. You women do this shit all the time."
Clayton's voice caused my mood to shrivel like my nuts when I decided that skinny dipping in the winter as a teenager would be fun. It would have been a great episode of Honey I Shrunk the Cock and Balls. I snorted. Sounded like a good name for a porn, or maybe not.
"Let's go, guys. Or at least Ethan." The ugly bastard clamped his hands down on my shoulders.
Deza glanced back at him. "Does that mean that me and Paul can just hang out and drink ourselves silly?"
"Yep. Have a blast. Make magic." He squeezed my shoulders once more before releasing me. "Fifteen minutes, Ethan. Out back by the beach. Riley is already there."
"Make magic?" I mumbled and turned to Deza as Clayton walked off. "What the fuck kind of phrase is that?"
"A clean one. You wouldn't get it." She wagged her eyebrows.
"Oh, of course you want to flirt now." I got up, finished my drink and glanced over at Paul. "She's warmed up for you, buddy. Just make sure to pull her hair and call her momma when the action starts, all right? Gets her real nice and-"
"Get out!" She popped me in the chest. "Jeez."
The shocked stare on Paul's face had me laughing as I walked through the hotel in search of my nemesis and the girl that would eventually steal my name the way she'd stolen my heart. It was nice to have D acting a little more like herself. Maybe if I could find a way to tame my desire to live a little more, she'd have an easier time keeping up with me.
"No, it was good..." Clayton had his hands on Riley's shoulders as I walked out. "You just need to make sure you block everything else. Remember how we talked about visualizing the moment first being on a stage and the curtains being pulled almost closed, but not all the way?"
"Yeah." Her voice was soft... too soft.
I moved up beside the two of them and put my hands on my hips. "Is he hypnotizing you? It's what he does to everyone before he feeds them to a pool of angry sharks."
"What?" Riley chuckled and turned her attention on me. And the world faded. The woman had far too much power.
Clayton brought real life back into focus for us. I'd have to kick him in the dick later as a thank you for jacking up the moment.
"Sharks? Jeez." He smiled and ran his hands up my girl's shoulders, causing my stomach to tighten. Don't overreact. Don't overreact.
Frank walked up and clapped a few times. "Best stage ever, right?"
"The hotel?" I glanced around, taking in the majestic beauty of the old hotel. "Yeah. It's one of my favorites."
"No, knucklehead. Life." Frank rolled his eyes and pointed toward the beach. "We're over here. Let's get rolling."
"I thought we were doing a little bit of improv to warm up." I followed him and figured Clayton and Riley would join us. Me acting like a jealous prick would end badly. I'd seen the script a million times and lived it a couple.
"No. You're a pro. You don't need no stinking improv." He smiled and pointed to the film crew. "Let's just take this scene a few times and we'll grab a late lunch or dinner and chill for the rest of the night."
"You say that shit every time, and we end up out there for eight hours for a five-minute scene." I pulled my shirt over my head.
"Hot," Riley whispered as she walked by me.
"Tease," I called after her and let my eyes move from Frank to the pretty girl who I hoped would be dancing in my lap later that
night. Her dress barely hit her thighs, and thankfully the wind blew at the right moment and fluttered the thin white material, showing me the high-cut white bathing suit bottoms she had on underneath.
The sound of her cute little yelp had me smiling, my cock pulsing. She didn't have to do much and I'd be salivating and hitting my knees for her. It was so wrong. All of it.
"All right. We're doing the beach scene-" I cut Frank off.
"Really? Here? On the beach?"
"Fuck you, Ethan. Get in your places. It's one of the intro scenes to the film. Remember... you guys don't know each other yet. Or you don't believe you do." He glanced between us.
I was playing an international spy. I knew everyone and everything. As if that was believable. I kept asking them for a voice modulator so I'd sound more like God, but Frank seemed to be over my antics for the day. Shame. I wasn't willing to stop having fun just yet.
"Cut!" He lifted his hands in the air and dropped his head down. "Just follow the script, Ethan. No ad-lib needed. All right?"
"This is the most boring, dry conversation ever. It's the first time I'm meeting Riley's character. There's no fucking way I'd have a conversation like this... no one with a dick would." I snatched the packet of papers from his hand and smacked him in the chest with it. "Would you?"
"I'm not the writer. I'm just the director."
"And I'm not the puppet." I handed it back to him and glanced up at the sky. "I'm not sounding like a drone. Fuck you very much, Frank."
"Someone get a beer and grab a hooker to help Ethan release some of the tension he's obviously holding on to." He turned and walked back toward the film crew.
Damn if Clayton didn't offer to help. "Improv time? It's a great way to warm up your chops and get yourself ready for anything."
"Yes." Frank glanced back at me with victory in his eyes. "Improv time."
"Aw... fuck." I turned as Riley walked back toward me, the woman pretty enough to be the next Marilyn Monroe.
"What's up?" She stopped a few feet from me and put her hands on her hips. Her breasts jutted out a little and the beast in my pants lifted its head and growled.