by Julia Bright
“We’ve got enough. Let’s head up. We don’t want to be caught.”
“Sure, let’s go.” Rose grabbed the bag of drinks and shoved a bag of chips in on top. Cam had the pizza box and two bags of cookies. He stopped and turned down a hall she hadn’t seen.
“There’s stairs back here,” Cam stage-whispered.
Her heart filled with something bubbly, light, airy even as she followed Cam up the stairs. It had been a long time since she’d felt good like this. It was irrational to think of Cam as a friend. He was just trying to keep her out of trouble, and after this evening, they would never see each other again, but she was going to enjoy every second of this time they had together.
A door opened on the landing, and a drunk guy stepped out of what appeared to be a small bathroom. “Oh shit,” the man yelled and backed up, slamming the door to the bathroom.
“I guess we look weird,” Cam said.
“Sheesh, why do you think that?”
“No clue.”
They raced up the rest of the stairs, her going much slower than Cam because she still had to hold up the fuzzy legs of the thing she was wearing. Once in the room where they’d been for the last few hours, they set the food on the dresser before bursting out laughing. Cam moved to lock the door, and she took off the head, then started trying to remove the costume as she wiggled around reaching for the zipper. She spun around, facing Cam and threw her hands up. He shook his head and gave her a cocky grin.
“Let me help.”
He stepped behind her and tugged her zipper down. His fingers brushed lower and lingered at the small of her back. Her heart fluttered. She was being ridiculous, thinking that someone like Cam Harris would want her. He was being nice because he probably didn’t want her mad about this party invite. They might have drugged her, which was wrong on so many levels, and she could go to the cops, but she was sober-ish now and nothing had happened. Hell, Cam had kept her safe, and she was having a good time with him.
Cam lifted the costume’s shoulders, and she wiggled, pushing the top down her arms. Once her arms were clear, she shook out her hair and turned. Unmistakable desire filled Cam’s eyes. The look surprised her, and their gazes held for a few seconds, giving her enough time to curl her fingers into fists as she tried to quiet the burning desire starting to blossom inside.
Cam cleared his throat and turned, pulling the scarf from the lower half of his face. Rose lowered the furry material further, being extra careful with the suit. After she stepped out of the leg holes, she smoothed a hand down her wrinkled dress, almost regretting the choice to wear it under the gorilla suit.
Rose took the costume into the closet and hung it up, making sure it looked nice before zipping the bag. They weren’t supposed to be in this closet, and she didn’t want Cam or his brother getting in trouble for being in here. She turned and stopped in her tracks, gulping down a breath. Cam stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb. He’d removed the top of his outfit but not the pants that hung low on his hips. She couldn’t help but stare at the expanse of muscles and tanned skin dusted lightly with dark hair. He was a true vision of male beauty.
“That was fun. Thanks. I haven’t laughed like that in ages.”
She tried to remain unaffected but her voice caught, revealing her emotions. “Really, you don’t pull pranks like this all the time?”
He shook his head. “No. I have to behave, and most people in this city are stuffed shirts. They only appear to be having fun. Really, this town is all about how you look.”
“I rarely behave.” The admission was the truth. She liked acting out and breaking the rules, but not the law.
Cam chuckled and turned, heading into the bedroom. “Come eat.”
“Oh yes!”
Rose rushed into the room and went straight for the pizza. She picked up a slice and took a huge bite, closing her eyes as she moaned and chewed. When she opened her eyes, Cam was staring at her, his mouth open.
“What?” she asked around a mouthful of delicious goodness.
“You’re the first woman in Hollywood I’ve ever seen who eats pizza like that, and to top it off, you seem to be the first who has ever enjoyed food that much.”
“Hey, you don’t get curves like mine chewing on celery. I work hard at the table to get this.” Rose laughed as she waved her hand down her body.
“I’m smart enough not to comment. Eat that pizza and enjoy.” Cam picked up a slice and took a bite, chewing as he settled on the floor and leaned against the dresser where they’d set the box.
Rose grabbed the box and placed it on the floor between them. She sat on the floor and leaned her back against the dresser as she stretched out her legs, crossing them at the ankles. She reached up and grabbed the chips off the dresser, setting them on top of the pizza box. Cam went up on his knees and grabbed the sodas, handing one to her. She caught his gaze and smiled before kneeling to grab the cookies, setting them on the floor beside her. They were set up to have an awesome picnic with all her favorite junk food. Never in a million years would she have guessed this was how the evening would turn out.
Chapter Seven
Cam tried not to watch Rose eat, but it was hard to keep his eyes off her. She had more than just a beautiful body, her whole being radiated happiness. The joy for life she exhibited went beyond anything anyone in Hollywood could manufacture, and that was dangerous. He’d just reached a time in his life where he might get parts other than the near-porn movies he’d been working on so far. The movies weren’t that bad, and they were good enough for his brother who had no desires beyond earning enough to party, but for Cam, there was more out there. He wanted the blockbuster films that might one day earn him a respectable award. Charity work was almost as important to him. If he could spend some time helping others, he would feel complete.
If he told his brother how he felt, Zach would probably be offended. Working on films that were crazy comedies with lots of sex was fine for Zach, but Cam needed more. And dating a girl who had been invited to a sex party his brother had set up wouldn’t give him much credibility. Though he wanted to lean in and kiss Rose, or at least hold her hand, he wouldn’t. She was beautiful, funny, and he really wanted her, but he couldn’t take the chance of messing everything up by dating her. All it would take was one question about how they’d met and assumptions would abound. No one would believe she wasn’t a hooker if word got out they’d met at Zach’s party.
If he didn’t get her talking, he would think of other things to do with her mouth that wouldn’t support him getting a part in a family-friendly movie.
“When did you move to Hollywood?”
“A little over year ago, almost a year and a half. A friend from college was moving out of an apartment and she needed to find a replacement for her spot. I had some money saved up, and I wasn’t really working in my field of study, so I took a chance and came out here. It was probably stupid, and I’m even further away from working in a professional job, but I took a chance and I’m happy. Well, I’m not necessarily happy, but I’m not depressed, which in Hollywood that may be as good as it gets.”
Her answer made him laugh. She didn’t hold back. He shook his head and sobered. “I’m glad you’re kind of happy. Depression is a huge issue for many.”
She nodded and a haunted look crossed her face. “We had a roommate who didn’t get that sometimes things happen and depression sinks in. Her name was Amanda. She used to make fun of some of our other roommates. Her bullying sent Alexis home.”
“How many roommates do you have?”
“There are four of us. Well, there are supposed to be four of us, but Amanda moved out. Kady hates her, but Presley is still friends with Amanda, kind of.”
“So there are three of you now. How big is the house?”
“It’s a tiny apartment. Our rent is low, which gives us time to try and build a career if we can. If we can’t, then we’re not out a lot of money.”
Cam nodded, not sure how he could explain his success.
He’d shown up, and boom, he made money. It wasn’t where he wanted to be, but it was better than slogging away in a restaurant barely making ends meet while sharing his place with strangers. Having Zach as a roommate was difficult at times, but his brother had his back. Sure, tonight was a little odd, but security had strict orders and no photos would be taken. Being here was risky, and honestly, he wouldn’t have even thought of showing up if Zach hadn’t taken an interest in this woman and made his agent’s assistant, Chip, invite her.
“So if you could do anything, what would it be?” Cam asked.
Rose picked up another slice of pizza and took a bite, chewing while she stared up at the ceiling. She shrugged before she swallowed. “There’s so much out there. You know they have a guy who works for this hotel in Paris who goes out and shops for rich people? How cool would that job be? But I would get bored quickly. I don’t really like to shop. I guess doing something on a cruise ship or maybe working in a resort helping people have a fun vacation. That would be cool. Of course, acting would be my top pick, but I’m not going to get a big break. What would you do?”
“Why don’t you think you’ll get a big break?”
Rose rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Please, did you see how much pizza I’ve eaten so far? I like my body. Sure, I could lose a few pounds, but if I lost enough to be what producers and directors wanted, I would hate myself.”
His gaze dipped before he spoke. “I think you look great.”
“Thanks, but I’m not fishing for compliments. So tell me, what would you do?”
“Act. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. It’s why I’m trying to clean up my image.”
Rose nodded as she grabbed the bag of chips and opened it before drawing in a deep breath. She took a chip and bit down before her gaze met his. This time she grabbed a few more chips and bit down, chewing them with gusto.
“This city is weird. It’s liberal and conservative at the same time. Image is everything, but that image isn’t what everyone thinks it is. There are secret meetings, setups so celebrities get their pictures taken that paint them in a good light. Then there are people who sell information so celebs get bad photos taken. The number of actors who have been ruined though they were good people is amazing, then there are the assholes who get made though they are the worst jerks known to man. It’s crazy. People like who they like. It’s tricky.”
“What will happen if one of the girls pegs you as being here?” Rose opened the package of Oreos and took out two, twisting the top off the first one before eating the cookie top without the cream.
His heart sped up at the thought of someone saying he was here. Sweat broke out on his forehead. “It would be bad.”
“Well, I guess you need to hide up here until they go home or pass out.”
“Based on what was going on downstairs, I’d say by six in the morning, they’ll be so wasted I could walk out there naked and no one would know who I was.”
Rose giggled softly at first then her laughter grew, turning into belly clutching near sobs. “That would be a sight to see. But I don’t mean you naked. Damn, that came out wrong. I mean I would like to see you naked—God, that’s not what I meant. I just…help me.”
“No, please go on. You with your foot in your mouth is funny.” He liked seeing her cheeks flaming red. Hearing her laughter made his heart sing, and he felt a huge load of hope when she shot him a smile. Now, with her cheeks flaming, laughter spilling out, she looked absolutely stunning.
“Shit, this is embarrassing.”
He smiled, deciding to give her a break. “I get your meaning. I understand.”
“Want a cookie?” Rose held out the bag and lifted her brows.
He shook his head. “I like Oreos, but I really love Pepperidge Farms Sausalitos. If I’m going to eat a cookie, it’s going to be those.” He pointed to the bag of cookies next to her but didn’t reach across her. In the few minutes they’d taken to go downstairs, he’d started thinking of her differently.
“Okay, well, here you go.” She handed over the cookies.
Cam took the bag and ripped open the package. He took out one cookie, holding it up before taking a huge bite. The smooth, warm taste spread over his tongue and he almost wanted to cry. Sure, he ate burgers, and sometimes he ate pizza, which he enjoyed, but he never ate cookies or any other sweets. He could say no to pizza when he needed to drop a pound or two, but cookies were his kryptonite.
“Dang, that look on your face, the next time you have a love scene, you should eat that cookie. Whoa.” Rose fanned herself. Pink tinged her cheeks, and she looked away, grabbing another Oreo before standing and walking to the patio.
“We should turn off the lights and see what’s going on out there,” Rose said.
“Are you done with the pizza?”
“By done, you mean for right now? I’m not going to stop eating with only two slices down, but sure, we could pick it up off the floor. It would not be cool to put your foot in something that delicious.”
“I like how you think.” Cam picked up the pizza and bags of cookies, placing them on the dresser. He walked over to the light switch and flipped it off, taking a calming breath before moving closer to Rose. The woman was beautiful, no question, but he couldn’t risk getting into something with a woman who didn’t know the rules. The last thing he needed was a bad breakup.
Rose stood close to the window, the pool lights below silhouetting her frame. To say he wasn’t turned on would be a lie. Under any other circumstance, he would move behind her, sliding in close, wrapping his arms around her waist then dip his head and sniff in her scent, memorizing her. Instead, he walked to the patio door and opened it before stepping out onto the balcony. The sounds of moaning and bodies slapping rose from below. He cringed when Rose followed him outside. She stopped and he turned around. Their gazes met in the dim light. It was obvious this world wasn’t anything she would ever be comfortable with.
Being young and in Hollywood with money was dangerous. He’d been one of those bodies down there before, grinding and pumping, anything to get the next release, the next good time, the next girl.
The open disgust on Rose’s face made him shiver. She turned and stepped back into the house, sliding the door closed behind her. He waited a second before he followed, slipping inside and closing then locking the door. He drew the curtains on the patio and the curtain on the windows, blocking out the orgy below.
For a long moment, he thought about apologizing. Words failed him. What could he say? I’m sorry you had to hear that fuck fest below. It wasn’t necessarily the best situation to be in. He should get her out of here, but it was late and the security guards knew the rules. All the men had turned in their keys upon arrival. There would be no taking a girl cruising on a drug-fueled drive through Hollywood to show off. They’d seen it over and over again, and it never turned out well for anyone. Driving drunk was a major no-no and though he was pissed at his brother, he at least knew not to allow his party guests to drive while wasted.
Zach may like to party, but he’d planned well with extra security, a long list of rules, and no driving until sober. Zach’s best of the best friends were here, but they were wild and he wouldn’t give them too much credit in a situation like this.
With another slice of pizza in her hand, Rose moved to the bed and grabbed the TV remote, flipping it on, splashing a blue light over everything. Rose looked eerily calm, maybe even shell-shocked as she ate.
Cam grabbed a bottle of water and placed it on the nightstand beside her. He also grabbed both packages of cookies, placing them on the bed before heading into the bathroom, shutting, and locking the door behind him.
He flipped on the lights and stared at himself in the mirror, understanding how other people saw them, his brother and him, as degenerates. He’d seen it in Rose’s eyes out there on the balcony. There was no doubt in his mind the party was beyond disgusting. It wasn’t anything they hadn’t done before, but for some reason, with Rose looking th
e way she had about seeing all the people having sex, he just couldn’t deny the truth. He and his brother were living out the movies they’d acted in. Without a doubt in his mind, he knew those movies were total bullshit with a side of disgusting thrown in.
Cam washed his hands but was unable to look himself in the mirror again. In the beginning, his reason to change had been to get a part in a movie. Now he really wanted to change so he could live with himself. Being with Rose highlighted how shitty a person he was.
No more crazy parties with Zach, and no more screwing around with hookers. Hell, no more screwing around. He opened the door, convinced he needed to change and become more responsible, but then he saw Rose stretched out on her stomach, a pillow under her head, arms crossed as she laughed at the TV. Her skirt was flipped up a bit, showing the sweet curve of her ass. It took about two steps for his cock to get hard. His blood boiled as desire shot through him. He was fucked.
Cam moved to the bed and placed a pillow against the headboard before plopping down and tugging another smaller pillow onto his lap, trying like crazy to hide his arousal. His gaze traveled up the length of her legs from her ankle to her knee, drinking in her smooth skin. Her thighs were parted just a little, and if he turned his head, he might be able to see her panties, but he didn’t want to look at her that way. He’d come to this stupid party because his ass of a brother who used women as sex toys had invited this woman, and Cam had known she wasn’t like that. He’d also come because Zach had asked, but still he’d worried about this woman. When he’d heard from Zach what Chip had said to her, he’d known Rose wasn’t prepared for what she would find here.
This wasn’t a normal party where one or two couples might escape to have sex in a bathroom, or in a closet down a dark hall. No, this was a party where everyone would have sex together, eschewing any moral hang-ups just to get it on.
Rose lifted up and looked over her shoulder, her eyes filled with merriment. “Have you seen this episode yet? It’s hilarious.”