by Maggie Mundy
“Sorry, Sis. Kurt’s five-foot-six, tops. I’ll simply tower over him and growl.”
Lili kissed him on the cheek and headed off to bed. Gemma sat there and bit her lip as she stared into her empty mug. He should get this over and done with and let her go. There were still too many awkward silences between them and he couldn’t fill them with sex right now.
“Let’s go then. I might need some help with my boots, if you don’t mind.”
“No, of course not. I’d like to pay your hospital bill. You saved me.”
“Normally my pride would say no, but I can’t afford money on medical bills. We will call it quits.”
He sat on the bed as she kneeled at his feet and helped put on his boots and zip them up. Mitch wanted to touch her hair and tell her to lean forward so he could kiss those lips again. He needed to change the thoughts in his head. She was merely helping him and had showed no signs of wanting to repeat what had happened before. He stood and followed her outside.
“Are you meant to be working today?” Mitch asked as they pulled out of the driveway.
“No. A location they were going to use wasn’t available, so the scouts are out looking this weekend for somewhere new. I’ll phone my manager when we get back and get her to pick me up. I should tell her what happened.”
“I know you have no reason to believe me, but I swear I won’t tell anyone. You can get rid of the pictures unless you want to press charges against Kurt.” Mitch could see her knuckles go white where she held the steering wheel.
“I won’t press charges, but I’ll be happy if you scare him and let him know I might.”
“Done.”
Gemma pulled up out the front of Kurt’s apartment and Mitch slipped his arm out of the sling. The doctors wanted him to wear it for two weeks, but he knew that wouldn’t be an option with his work. He would do the exercises and take painkillers. He was a photographer, not a surgeon, so he would be okay. He strode past the offending tree and it didn’t look so bad in the daylight. He glanced back at Gemma and gave her a thumbs up. What the hell was he thinking?
He shouldn’t be showing a connection between him and Gemma. He was only a paparazzo, but he would play the big connections and threat card when talking to Kurt. He pressed the intercom.
“Yes,” Kurt answered abruptly.
“Hi. My name’s Mitch. I’ve come to collect Gemma Cassini’s belongings. I’ll be waiting here if you’d like to bring them down.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Kurt yelled into the intercom.
“That doesn’t matter. Bring them down or I could make things worse for you.” Mitch hoped the threat would be enough. A few minutes later, the front door opened and Kurt stood there, already shaking with anger. Mitch could still see the pink mark on Kurt’s cheek from where Gemma had slapped the prick. Kurt had the purse in his hand though. Mitch put out his good hand to take it.
“Why should I give it to you? Do you even know her?”
Mitch pointed to the car and Gemma waved.
“She wants her purse and the contents back or I’ll go to the police and tell them you’ve been drugging and assaulting women.”
“I don’t know what you’re on about.” Kurt’s left eye started to twitch.
“I was in the tree last night and I have pictures of you spiking Gemma’s drink. Now hand her property over.”
Kurt handed the purse to him and Mitch checked to see if Gemma’s cell phone was inside.
“So what happens about the pictures?” Kurt asked.
“I gave them to Gemma. If she ever hears about you trying to roofie someone again, they’ll go public.” Mitch noticed Kurt’s hands were fisted and he was shaking with rage. The little veins on his temples were bulging and he would probably have a heart attack if he kept this up.
“I know you. You’re a scum paparazzo. Is she slumming now, fucking the likes of you?”
“Don’t talk about her like that. If you know what’s best for you, you’ll stay away.”
Kurt slammed the door in Mitch’s face. It didn’t matter as Mitch had her purse. It did ram home what he was, though. It was the way the establishment saw him, as scum. It was how most people saw the paparazzi, and they were right. He got in the car and gave Gemma the purse. She opened it, checked its contents, and let out a big sigh as she held it to her chest.
“Everything is there, thank goodness. I don’t know how I can repay you.”
Mitch put his arm back in the sling and thought about all the ways she could. All of them included them both having no clothes on. He would be getting hard if his arm wasn’t aching so much.
“When my arm’s all healed, you can cook me dinner.”
Gemma laughed as she pulled away.
“What’s so funny?”
“I can’t cook. I know it’s crazy, as I come from an Italian family, but I really can’t.”
“Then I can come over and cook for you.” Now he would find out if she would ever want to see him again. If he didn’t get an answer before she saw her manager, he knew it would be a definite no later.
“I’d like that. I’d like it a lot. I can provide the wine and ice cream.”
“It’s a deal. I’m a sucker for cookies and cream ice cream.”
Gemma pulled into the driveway and he followed her inside. The two of them quietly made their way to his room so his sister could sleep. Gemma sat on the end of the bed and got out her cell phone. She called her manager. Mitch lay back on the bed as she chatted. When she was done, she looked across and said her manager would be there in twenty minutes. She popped her cell phone in her bag and went to take off his hoodie.
“She’ll text me when she gets here.”
“Keep the hoodie. You can give it back when I come for your meal.” He saw from the way she looked down at the floor instead of at him something had changed. He didn’t want to say anymore. If she was going to change her mind, he might never get this close to her again.
“I’ll have to work out what the schedule is for filming, but I really want to see what you’ll cook up for me.”
“Before you go, I wanted to ask a favor.” Mitch hoped the answer would be positive. He needed to convince Gemma she needed to see him again before others convinced her not to.
“Of course. After what you did for me, anything.”
He didn’t have time for anything. If that moment ever came, he wanted to take forever pleasuring her.
“I want to taste that sweet mouth of yours like I did when we met in the alleyway. If you want to.”
She blushed as her neck went red. It was beautiful. He had always thought her beautiful, but right now he was causing her to blush and he loved it. She wasn’t saying no, though. He patted the bed next to him. Dear God, he wished he knew what she was thinking right now. Would she run from the room or think he was a bad as Kurt?
Gemma grinned as she strolled over. Maybe she was as keen for this as he was for her. He really hoped so. She climbed on the bed and threw her leg over him so she straddled his hips. His cock was getting hard already. He was starting to want this woman so much. He would play it cool and hope he didn’t come off as a jerk.
“This, I like.” He moved his arm out of the sling so he could place his hands around her. She was still wearing his hoodie, but he could feel her tiny waist. Gemma leaned forward but didn’t kiss him. She gazed at him and her pupils dilated. He was a photographer. He noticed things like that. Her lips were slightly parted as she licked them. She was so fucking sexy. He didn’t care if she was acting with him. She was turning him on so much and it might be their last time together. Her lips barely touched his, moving slowly back and forth as she sighed.
She nipped his lower lip and then ran the tip of her tongue from one end to the other. Their lips pressed against each other as she leaned in. He could feel her breasts against his chest and her core grinding against his hard cock. He wanted her naked like this with him inside her hot channel. He wanted to make her wet and begging for him to enter her
to ease the ache.
Mitch placed his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her closer. His tongue searched every corner of warm interior of her mouth. She turned her head and gave a little groan as their tongues fought to get closer. He wanted to kiss every part of her body, and would start with little pecks on her neck and then her breasts. Mitch wanted to find every sensitive spot on her body that made her react. To delve into her core with his tongue and then his dick.
Mitch pulled down the zip on his hoodie she was wearing. He slipped his hand inside and cupped her breast. He thought she might move back and protest, but she pushed forward against his hand. Through the torn silk blouse and lacy bra, he could feel the tight bud of her nipple under his thumb. He swore to himself he would have his mouth on her breasts one day.
Gemma let out a little groan as he pinched her nipple between his fingers. He moved his kisses down her neck, swirling his tongue on her smooth skin. The swell of her breast heaved as she took in a deep breath. He pulled back the lacy material and her nipple thrust forward. She wasn’t stopping him. His dream was coming true today. He twirled his tongue around the tight bud and then bit down gently. Gemma ground onto his dick even harder. He was so full of need for her he felt like a schoolboy who would come in his pants. His balls ached as his cock strained toward her.
Her phone rang. The two of them both came apart as she reached across the bed and grabbed it. Gemma stood, walked across to the window, and peered outside. As she stood there, he watched her pull her bra back into place and zip up. It was like it had never happened, but it had and he wouldn’t forget it.
She told her manager she would be right out. Her skin was still flushed from their passion, but she was leaving. Mitch stood up. She moved from foot to foot, awkward again, looking at the floor. It was hard to think he had been kissing her breast a moment before.
“I should go then. Maybe we should save each other’s numbers,” she said as she glanced at the door.
Mitch grabbed his cell phone and saved her number. He reached out and did up the rest of the zip on his hoodie and pulled up the hood.
“No one will recognize you now. We have a nosy neighbor. Mrs. Potts. She is housebound and lives her life through everyone else. She also likes to phone into chat shows.”
“Thanks for everything. I mean everything. Including what just happened.”
“It’s your call what we do from here. It’s easy for me, Gemma, but it will be hard on you if anyone saw us together.”
“I know. I still want that meal,” Gemma said as she peeked past him to the crumpled bed spread.
“You’d better go.”
He followed her to the front door and watched as she was driven away. Would she ever be back in his life again? Probably not, if her manager had anything to do with it.
He headed back inside. The room seemed so empty once she had gone. Gemma might be small but she seemed to fill the space. Mitch knew he might not have a future with her, but he needed to feel her body beneath him or on top. He wouldn’t care. She was an itch he would have to scratch. He simply needed to convince her the same. Would her friends have the bigger say? He couldn’t blame them.
For now, he needed to take some more painkillers and rest. Maybe he might have a hot dream about her, which would make his cock ache even more if it was possible. He knew one thing. He was doing what he always did. He was a fool, always wanting what he couldn’t have.
Chapter Seven
Julia shook her head when Gemma got in the car. Somehow she would have to get her manager back on her side without telling her everything.
Julia pulled out of the drive. “I recognize that face on you, Gemma. It’s the one that says ‘I’m falling for some hot dude.’ I’ve seen it before. I’m going to be cleaning up the mess here. You spent the night with Mitch Lopez. A paparazzo. What were you thinking? Obviously you weren’t thinking. Well, not with your head.”
Gemma wasn’t going to get a word in and would let Julia rant for a bit. She didn’t know what to say anyway.
“I know he’s six-feet tall, muscular, and good-looking in a scary kind of way, but he’s a pap. Shit, I sound like I fancy him.”
Julia was right. Mitch wasn’t a classic, good-looking guy, but there was something about him. Gemma didn’t usually like men with long hair, but she wanted to pull out his man bun and run her fingers through his black hair.
“He saved me from making a fool of myself, or even worse, and not for the first time.” Gemma gazed down and saw her hands were shaking. Julia was more than a friend to her, and she didn’t like admitting she had been a fool.
“Tell me. I need to know what I may have to deal with if the tabloids come knocking.”
“I went back to Kurt Donner’s place. He’d been supportive when we were chatting on location the other day. I wasn’t interested in him physically, but he took it that way. I didn’t know Mitch was outside taking pictures. He saw Kurt try to spike my drink and attack me. The reason I have Mitch’s hoodie on is because my blouse is ripped and covered in the wine.”
“I’d heard some rumors about Kurt, and now I know they are true. What a prick. Do you want to go to the police?”
“No. Mitch went back there this morning and got my things. Kurt won’t be doing anything and will be too afraid to come near me again.” Gemma hoped her explanation would be enough for now. Julia always got her out of scrapes before and would stand by her now.
“So, how come you stayed the night with Mitch apart from the fact he’s hot? I hope you took precautions.”
“I didn’t do anything, though I was tempted.”
“I knew it.”
“Mitch fell out of a tree taking the photos and we spent most of the night in the E.R. He was sedated and I looked after him until his sister got home. She’s training to be a doctor.”
Julia pulled into the driveway of Gemma’s property. Gemma didn’t want a big mansion and she liked not having to share. After living with three older brothers in New York, this was her own patch of quiet paradise. The house was on one level with a big kitchen diner and lounge. The bedrooms were down the corridor and it had a nice-size back lawn with a hot tub.
Now she was back here, she needed to think about what she would do with her life. She knew Brandon was being a pain on set, but he couldn’t get to her here. She would have to have to deal with him soon, though. It would mean a trip to New York to see her mother, and she wasn’t looking forward to the conversation the two of them would have. There was no way she would have the talk over the phone. It was going to be difficult enough as it was.
“I’ll go and get changed if you want to put the kettle on,” Gemma called to Julia. She didn’t want to take off Mitch’s jacket but needed to remove her ruined blouse. She liked the smell of him on his hoodie. Would it be wrong to wear it to bed? She was getting it bad and she hardly knew him.
She thought back to the kiss and got hot between her legs. She wasn’t one to jump into bed with people despite what the papers said about her. When Mitch touched her, she lost control and wanted him to pound her stupid. Of course, it could be the excitement of the fact he was sort of forbidden fruit. She wasn’t meant to have him so she wanted him more. She had let him kiss her breasts. What had she been thinking? The two of them had already gone so far, there was no turning back. If Julia hadn’t arrived when she had, Gemma would have stripped and jumped him.
Julia would want her to stay away, but Gemma intended on keeping her dinner date with Mitch. She could have a mad night of fantastic sex and get him out of her system. The other outcome could be that she would become even more addicted to his touch. Somehow, she thought it would be the latter. His lips on her breast had sent sparks to her core.
Julia made them coffee and was waiting like a praying mantis on the couch in the lounge room to ask more questions.
“So, I know you like to be private, but you have to tell me some of what is going on in that head of yours. I’m your friend as well as your manager, and
I can’t look out for you if I don’t know what’s going on. Plus, you know I hate surprises.”
“I know. I was an idiot. I promise to only go out with people when they have passed your stringent examination test in future.” Julia had good intentions, but Gemma was a grown woman, even if she fucked up sometimes.
“I feel a bit responsible as I introduced you to Kurt. I had heard rumors, but I thought that was all they were, rumors. I’d say you won’t be starring in his next movie, so we will look for another project for you. It’s a pity you and Declan didn’t work out. It would have been great for publicity.”
Gemma was going to come clean. “To be honest, there was never anything between us. I don’t think either of us felt a spark. We got drunk one night, drowning our sorrows, and that was about it. He thought we might have slept together, but nothing happened. It was all before he met Cassi. The only time I kissed him was during a shoot with a studio full of people around.”
“Oh, well, a manager can dream their client will make things super easy for them.”
“Cassi is lovely and I’m happy for Declan. I apologized for being such a pain. I might even get an invite to the wedding if I’m lucky. It’s going to be in Australia and I’ve never been. Cassi felt bad when she was away from her little boy in New Zealand for six weeks looking after Declan. She wants to take him to Australia to see the kangaroos and koalas.”
Gemma wanted to get the conversation on someone other than her. She didn’t want to say why she wanted a powerful director to keep Brandon away. If what Brandon was saying about her mom was true, this would be devastating to her father and family if it came out. Then it struck her again that he probably wasn’t her dad. It didn’t matter. He was the only one she had ever known and she loved him. She would never hurt him. She’d rather take the pain herself.
“Well, let me know when you’re back on set and stay away from that paparazzo. Now I’m going to go and organize a few things. I’ll come back this evening with some Chinese. What are you up to?”