Redemption of a Hollywood Starlet
Page 17
At least he hoped so.
“Cait?”
She blinked and blew out her breath. “That’s … new.”
Between what he’d expected to hear and what he’d hoped to hear … Well, that was neither. He couldn’t say he hadn’t been warned, though. Brady and Ethan were being proved right, damn it.
“It’s not a new feeling, Cait. I just figured out the words.”
“You can’t be in love with me.”
Another answer he hadn’t expected. “Why not?”
“You don’t let people get close to you. Not like that.”
He toyed with a lock of hair that fell over her shoulder. “You’re right. You’re definitely the first.”
She sighed and her shoulders dropped in defeat. “I can’t.”
“Because …?”
“Love is … Love is … It’s supposed to be comfortable, easy.”
“I can’t decide if you’ve watched too many movies or not enough of them.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m serious. We have a good time together, but I’m not sure we’re really good for each other. It’s like we’re—”
He tightened his fingers on the shelf to keep his temper under control. “If you bring up drugs and addiction one more time—”
“But it’s true.”
“No, it’s not. An addiction shows a weakness for something you shouldn’t have or don’t need. Finding someone to lean on isn’t an addiction.”
“Well, it’s not exactly healthy, either.”
“That’s ridiculous. I love you for you. It’s simple. I want you to lean on me.”
“But before—”
“You think I don’t know that you thought being yourself wasn’t good enough for your parents and that ridiculous idea of a birthright? I have a legacy, too, but DNA is not destiny. We’ve both proved that. The more you beat yourself up over it, the more you needed to escape the disappointment. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy. But I wasn’t the cause. I was just the outlet.” He paused to rub a hand over her hair. “And I’m okay with that. Whatever you need, I want to be that for you.”
Cait’s eyes widened with each word, and when they couldn’t go any farther her mouth dropped open as well. He’d laugh, except his own response was rather similar. He’d surprised himself with that little impassioned speech.
Closing her mouth with a snap, Cait cleared her throat. “That’s a really sweet, wonderful and …” her mouth quirked “… kinda cheesy thing to say.”
“I obviously spend too much time with bad scripts. But the sentiment is real.” He cleared his throat. “And one you haven’t reciprocated. Yet.”
“I’ve always loved you, Finn.” She said it quietly, without meeting his eyes, and he didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until she finally said the words. “Which is why it’s been so hard to be back. To be around you. I thought you didn’t care.”
“There are a lot of things I don’t care about. But I do care about you. If you want me to sue the tabloids for slander and invasion of privacy, I will. There are plenty of attorneys in my family with nothing better to do than keep the media tied up in lawsuits for decades. I’ll have my father call Congressional hearings if it will make you happy. If you want me to buy billboards or skywrite, I can do that, too. Whatever it takes to prove it to you. Honestly, I don’t give a rat’s ass what anyone thinks of me or mine, because it’s a waste of energy I could use on something far more fun or important, but whatever is important to you is important to me. And if that means I have to take on the media or whoever, I will. Hell, I’ll buy all the damn magazines out if you want.”
“You’d do that for me?”
“More, actually. Just tell me what you want.”
“But why?”
“Because I need you. We may not be good for each other in the normal sense, but we’re not normal people. We don’t live in a normal world. You are the one thing that really matters to me. Nothing else. And I’ll be happy to prove that however you want.”
Cait swallowed hard. “Wow.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because this is a whole new Finn.”
“Same Finn. I’m just making a few things clear to you this time around.”
Her smile was blinding. “I appreciate your efforts. That’s all I really needed to hear.”
“And?”
Cait ducked under his arm and reached for the door. That was not what he’d expected, and he grabbed for her elbow. “Cait, wait—”
As she opened the door the sound of the party intruded. “I can’t carry you, but I will drag you if necessary. It would be easier if you’d just follow me.”
She extended her hand and he took it. At that moment, his world finally righted and made sense. “Anywhere.”
Every head turned in their direction as they exited the closet, but Cait merely grinned at the crowds parting in shock in front of her as she walked toward the front doors of the restaurant with him dogging her heels.
The paparazzi were still four deep behind the roped-off entranceway, and his and Cait’s sudden appearance brought a barrage of shouted questions and blinding flashes.
Without a word, Cait threw herself into his arms and planted her lips on his.
And he totally forgot the cameras were there.
Not that he cared, anyway.
EPILOGUE
“HERE we go.” Caitlyn grabbed the remote and turned up the volume, nudging Finn until he put down the script he was reading.
“I thought you hated Carrie Catner.”
She dropped down beside him on the couch, settling in to the corner, and draped her legs across Finn’s lap. “I do. With the heat of a thousand suns. I just want to know if she’s going to hatchet me to death again tonight.”
“She wouldn’t dare.”
She appreciated the show of loyalty, but Carrie Catner seemed to live to criticize her these days. Oddly, though, it didn’t bother her all that much. She still wanted to know what was said, though.
“Self-appointed fashion police annoy me.”
“You looked amazing last night, and even she couldn’t say otherwise.” He leaned over to give her a kiss.
The intro to The Catner Report played and Carrie’s overly perky face filled the screen. “Last night’s Los Angeles premiere of the much-awaited World War II drama The Folly of the Fury was a star-studded event. Fans of both the book and the stars were lined up around the block. Even some of Washington’s VIPs were on hand to honor former US Senator Porter Marshall, to whom the film was dedicated, and who was instrumental in getting the much-loved book to the screen.”
“Aw, your Grands look adorable.”
Finn nodded, a small smile playing around his mouth. His hand smoothed along the outside of her thigh.
“The film’s stars, Jason Elkins and Naomi Harte, seemed on friendly enough terms, calling into question recent reports that the two had a falling out shortly after filming.”
Caitlyn was livid. “Nothing about her dress? Naomi’s stylist must have been high to put her in that sack. Even I felt bad for her.”
“Of course star-watchers know that the true trouble on set was between Harte and supporting actress Caitlyn Reese over the film’s producer, Finn Marshall.”
Caitlyn stuck out her tongue at the screen. “Yeah, yeah, we all know. Old news.”
Finally the clips of her and Finn began to roll, and Carrie’s voice picked up urgency. “Reese and Marshall arrived at the premiere in the company of her parents, director John Reese and actress Margaret Fields-Reese, and Senator and Mrs. Marshall. The continuing romance between the children of both Hollywood’s and Washington’s most powerful and influential families have positioned the pair as a rising power all their own. While the couple makes regular appearances around town and are sharing a Malibu beach house, they’ve kept quiet on any future plans. However, Marshall was recently spotted at Harry Winston on Rodeo Drive—”
Finn cursed and gra
bbed for the remote. Caitlyn smacked his hands away and turned the volume up another notch.
“—and an anonymous source claims he was examining engagement rings. While a purchase was made—and we can’t say for certain it was a ring—careful examination of Reese’s hands last night showed no sign of anything large and sparkly.”
Finn grabbed for the remote again, and this time she let him have it. Not that she could have stopped him in her semi-shocked state. He silenced the TV as her heart seemed to stutter in her chest. She kept her cool, though, and merely looked at him expectantly. He looked distinctly uncomfortable.
She finally had to break the silence. “You were shopping at Harry Winston? After a new watch or something?”
Finn sighed. Lifting her legs with one hand, he arched his hips and reached into his jeans pocket. “It was supposed to be a surprise, you know. With some flowers and wine or something.”
She swallowed hard as Finn resettled and balanced a box on her knee. “I’m still quite surprised.”
Finn cracked the box and the sides opened like wings.
Whoa. Holy … Caitlyn knew her eyes had to be popping out of her head, but she kept her hands in her lap. “Wow. That’s certainly not a watch.”
Finn’s eyebrows pulled together. “Cait …”
“But it’s beautiful.”
He removed the ring and held it with his fingertips. From the look on his face, Finn seemed to be having a hard time choosing his words. Finally he sighed. “Do I have to ask?”
“It would be nice.” She bit back a laugh at his discomfort. “Just so that we’re clear, you know?”
That earned her a frown. “Clearly, I’m hoping that you’ll marry me.”
She frowned back at him. “I can’t say yes unless you ask.”
“You don’t get the ring until you do,” he teased.
“Then we’re going to be here a while.”
Finn grinned. “Do you have something better to do?”
She shifted a little closer and ran her hand over his chest. She felt the muscles jump and his heartbeat kick up as she pressed a kiss to his neck. “Maybe.”
“That’s cheating.”
She shrugged. “I don’t really care.”
* * * * *
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.
First published in Great Britain 2012
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited.
Harlequin (UK) Limited, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road,
Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
© Kimberly Kerr 2012
ISBN: 978-1-408-97396-7
Table of Contents
Cover
Excerpt
About the Author
Title Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
Copyright