by Maggie Mundy
“Okay, I am going to amaze you with my culinary skills and make a Spanish omelet. You do the salad and I’ll be watching.”
She laughed and shook her head. “I don’t know. You’re being very bossy in my kitchen.”
“A kitchen that looks like it has never been used.”
He prepared ingredients and could see her body relaxing as she worked on the salad. He was about to start up a conversation about his sister to take her mind off whatever as bothering her when she put down the knife and stopped cutting the tomatoes. Then picked the knife up again. He guessed she was struggling whether to tell him something or not. Maybe he shouldn’t be letting her near sharp objects.
“So no big house like most movie stars then.”
She sighed as he broke the silence.
“I did rent one when I first moved here, but I felt lost in it. I like this place. It fits me. There’s a small backyard with a hot tub and three bedrooms in case someone wants to stay over.”
He would like to spend a lot of time one day in her bedroom but probably not tonight. He might get relegated to a spare one.
”Something happened today. I guess you gathered that,” Gemma said, and he could hear the shake in her voice.
“Yep, but you don’t have to say anything. I’m more than happy to simply stay here and cook, and hopefully not poison you.” He put the ingredients in the frying pan and started cooking.
“It smells good. I’ll set the table.”
Mitch couldn’t take his eyes off her as she poured wine and lit a candle. He brought the food over and sat down, and raised a glass to clink it with her. She smiled, but it still looked false, as if she was trying too much. Mitch didn’t want her to feel like that around him.
“I didn’t think you were going to contact me after I saw the look on your manager’s face that morning.”
“I wasn’t, and she didn’t want me to. I still think I’m nuts, but I needed to see you again. I would like to know more about you.”
Mitch took a sip of his wine. It tasted good.
Would she really want to know the truth? He could lie and make it seem like he was everything she needed. Nope. That wasn’t going to happen.
“Is it just you and your sister?”
Mitch stared into his wine for a moment and wondered if he really wanted to reveal his past right now. Maybe she wanted him to talk so she wouldn’t need to say anything. He didn’t want to go, so he would talk. It might be better if she knew him for what he was.
“It’s been just me and Lili for a while. Mom and Dad passed away when we were small and Nan looked after us. I was pretty bad back then and ended up in juvenile detention.”
Her hand went to her mouth and she stared at him wide eyed. “What did you do? I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that.”
“It’s all good. Minor crap, got into fights. Then I nicked some things. Nan didn’t have much money and I wanted to look cool. Is the food okay?”
“It’s really good. I didn’t think I had the makings of something this tasty in the place. I might have to have you here every day as my personal cook.”
“I would be more than happy to stay around.” There, he said it, and now it was her turn to decide how far she would go.
She put down her fork, sipped her drink, then she glanced up at him and smiled. She always took his breath away. He would never tire of looking at her.
“I’ll tell you a bit about me and my family before I tell you about today.”
“You don’t have to. I don’t want to cause you more stress than you’re already coping with.”
“It’s okay. My three older and overprotective brothers and my parents all live in New York, but you probably know that. I was doing okay back there off Broadway, but my mother sees herself as a bit of a matchmaker. She wants to find me a nice Italian Catholic boy. Preferably a doctor. I needed to get away.”
“Would she approve of me?” He shouldn’t be asking, but a part of him wanted to know.
“No, which makes you even more appealing to me. I got to the point I couldn’t cope. I might be twenty-seven, but I felt like I’d never be my own person.”
Mitch felt honored she was opening up to him. He would keep everything she told him a secret.
“I did a couple of TV movies and then my agent got me the audition for Dark Storm, and the rest is history. I really like working on the show and most of the cast and crew have become like family, though I think I have been a bit of a pain at times.”
She took a large gulp of wine and he hoped she would tell more, but whatever was lurking below the surface was taking a while to come out.
“So your brothers aren’t all going to turn up and beat the shit out of me, are they?”
“No, but if my mom ever turns up it would be even scarier. I think she hoped the show would be a flop and I’d come running back. She is small like me but has this way of looking at you so you crumble. I’m not a very brave person.”
“You seem pretty chill to me both times you had crap go down. So what’s the thing with you and that guy in the alley about? I’m prepared to scare the crap out of him if you want to tell me his name. The way he talked to you that night pissed me off.”
He needed to know more to protect her. She poured out the rest of the wine between their glasses. Did she want him to protect her? Was that why she had called him here?
Her glass shook as she held it. “The man hassling me is named Brandon. He works on the show as an associate producer and keeps pestering me for a date. I said no. To be honest, he’s not bad-looking, but he gives me the creeps. I used Declan to keep him at bay for a while. I told Brandon that Declan and I were an item. We never were, by the way. I really like Declan, but just as a friend, especially now he has Cassi and her little boy. I apologized to Declan a while back and he was great about it.”
“Did you report this Brandon? If he’s stalking you then you should get rid of him. Or talk to the director on the show.”
“He’s in a powerful position and he and the director went to college together. I think they had that whole ‘frat boys forever’ thing. I never really believed he would ruin my career though. Until the night in the lane, he always made sure no one was around to hear him. It’s my word against his, apart from you.”
Mitch would like to beat the shit out of this guy already. “Men like him won’t give up. If he thinks he has a right to you then he’ll keep going until you give in.”
He didn’t mean to worry her, but she wrapped her arms around her waist and shivered.
“I know. I was going to tell my manager, and then Brandon found out something that has stopped me.”
“Are you going to tell me what? More importantly, is it worth your safety to not tell me?”
“The thing he knows is not about me. It’s about someone else who means a lot to me. It’s their secret and not for me to tell. I was going to see if Kurt could help me with his position in Hollywood, but as you saw from the tree that night, he was interested in other things.”
Gemma kept wringing her hands. Maybe she thought she was making a big mistake in telling him. With the occupation he had chosen, he could ruin her. For some crazy reason, she didn’t seem to think he would do such a thing. She was taking one hell of a chance on him, and he would not let her down.
“And today, how did that change? I mean I thought I might have heard from you earlier.”
“I was going to call you, but Julia said it wasn’t a good idea and I would end up hurt. I’ve messed up before and chosen the wrong people to trust, and I didn’t want to do that again. Julia’s been good to me.”
“So what shit happened to make you risk seeing me again?”
“Brandon was being his usual pest-like self at work, but then he threatened me. He said I had a couple of days or he will put the information about the person online. He grabbed my arm, and for the first time, I really felt scared.”
“So what do you want from me?” Mitch knew he frightened people w
ith the hardness about him. Truth was, he hadn’t been in a fight for years. It didn’t mean he would run from one now. Especially if it was protecting those he cared about. It was the only reason he could see why she wanted to be near him. It hurt a bit, but he would take what scraps he could for now.
“I will book a ticket to New York for the weekend and talk to the person involved. I called you here because I don’t want to be on my own tonight. Will you stay?”
Those were the words he wanted to hear, and he was going to take her up on it. He also knew he was going to kick himself for what he was about to say.
“I’d like to stay.”
Gemma jumped up, ran around the table, and kissed him on the lips. As she slid onto his lap, her mouth opened to him. It felt like every memory of a few weeks ago flooded back when he touched her body again. Her arms went around his neck as his hand went through her hair, pulling her closer. He was hard for her already, but this had to stop. He moved her away from him and she stood up and bit her lip. He could see the tears in her eyes as if he was rejecting her. Little did she know there was no chance of that.
“It’s not that I don’t want you, Gemma. I still can’t believe you asked me here. It’s just… I can’t have sex with you. Not tonight, anyway.” There, he said it.
“I asked you here, and there is no point in me pretending I don’t want to, so I have to ask why.”
She wanted to go all the way with him and he definitely would in future. Damn it, but he was going to be a gentleman.
“You asked me here because you were distressed. Some guy is scaring you and as much as I’d like to, I don’t think sex with me is what you need right now.”
“What do I need?”
“You need me to stay and be with you so you know you’re safe. Plus, I said I wouldn’t have sex with you, but I would love to hold you and sleep beside you. The first time we have sex, I want it to be in the right atmosphere. I feel I’d be taking advantage of you when you feel vulnerable.”
Mitch couldn’t believe what was coming out of his mouth. Normally, he would pick a girl up, take her to the bedroom, and fuck her senseless. At the moment, he sounded like some stupid hero from a daytime soap. He needed to change the subject before he said how much he wanted her.
“I’d like very much to have you next to me.”
“Put something on TV and we can just relax.” Mitch collected the plates and put them in the dishwasher.
“Do you like hot chocolate?” Gemma asked. “I can make some, and I have the baby marshmallows you put on top.”
He couldn’t believe he was settling for a hot beverage, but he didn’t want a one-night stand. For the first time in his life, he knew Gemma was different from any other woman. He sat on the couch with her back leaning against him as they watched science fiction movies. Who would have known they were both nerds when it came to Star Trek? It seemed so normal, and they were like a couple who had known each other a long time. Gemma yawned.
“I’ll show you the rest of the place,” she said as she stood up.
He followed her down the corridor to her bedroom. Like the rest of the house, it was modern, but her clothes were spread around and lots of knick-knacks and pictures were on the dressing table and bookshelves. He liked it.
“I’ll get changed and brush my teeth. I have a new brush you can use.”
Gemma went into the bathroom attached to her bedroom while he examined the photographs. There was one from her graduation and others from when she was younger. The one that really caught his attention was the family photo. Her mother and father were in the middle. The dad was balding and a bit portly, but still looked tall.
Her mother was short and everything about her was perfect. The clothes looked expensive and her makeup and hair exact. The jewelry hanging around her neck looked like it would pay for Lili’s medical training on its own. Gemma stood next to her mother while her three brothers stood by her dad. The guys looked huge with muscles a quarterback would be jealous of. He was sure they wouldn’t be happy if he messed with their little sister’s heart. He heard the bathroom door open and Gemma came out wearing a cute little pair of pajamas. She came and stood next to him.
“They’re not as scary as they look. Well, apart from Mom. She rules the roost and the men all do what she says.”
“I’m tall, but your brothers look enormous.”
“The three of them can be a bit overprotective, but most of the time they’re more interested in going after girls. Mom wants them all to settle down, but they’re having too much fun. The toothbrush for you to use is still in the packet.”
When Mitch came out of the bathroom, Gemma was in bed. He stripped to his boxers and slipped in beside her. At this moment, he thought himself crazy for saying he wouldn’t have sex with her. As she cuddled up, his cock got hard. He imagined diving into a cold lake to see if he could make it go down. Gemma looked up at him.
“Mitch, I want to say thank you. I don’t know why, but I’ve always felt safe around you. Probably because you keep saving my butt all the time. Anyway, I’m going to fly to New York on the weekend and sort this out with my family. Then Brandon can go to hell.”
“It’s such a sexy little butt I can’t help myself saving it. Trust me, it’s proving difficult to resist you at the moment.”
Gemma giggled. “Yes, I noticed. I promise when I get back that you can come over and cook again and your reward will be a night of sex.”
“I like the sound of that, and I promise I’ll watch out for you. After all, now it is in my best interest if I’m going to get laid. What time do you need to be up?”
“I need to be on set for seven in the morning and makeup before that. So about five-thirty. You can let yourself out after I’ve gone.”
He listened to her sleep as she cuddled next to him. This was too nice and would never last, but for tonight, he would fool himself she was his.
Chapter Ten
Gemma stood at her bathroom door as she brushed her teeth and stared at Mitch sleeping in her bed. She had been falling for him anyway, and last night sealed the deal. When he hadn’t wanted to have sex with her because she was upset, it touched her heart. Decent guys were hard to find these days. Drop-dead hot ones, even harder.
When he stripped down to his boxers, she finally saw his body and wasn’t disappointed. He had muscles and a six pack. Now the sheet was down by his waist and she could see the small amount of hair across his chest and the snail trail leading down to his boxers. Gemma couldn’t wait until she sorted out this mess and took full advantage of what was hidden there. She was getting hot at the core just thinking about it.
Mitch opened his eyes, stretched, and then gazed across at her and smiled. She couldn’t help but give him a toothpaste smile back and felt the toothpaste dribble down her chin. She turned back to the sink and rinsed out. She must have looked like a real dork. When she came back out, he was sitting on the side of the bed and getting dressed. She preferred him undressed. He pulled up the zip on his jeans but he was still bare chested. He smirked at her and stood up.
“Cleaned your face up then.”
She poked her tongue out at him and walked across to the bed. His arms went around her waist and pulled her close. She could feel he was hard for her as she kissed him. His tongue seared her with his passion. She would have happily tumbled back on the bed with him. When they finally came apart, she was breathless.
“I wish I didn’t have to go to work, but I do. I’ll book my flights to New York when I get home tonight. I’m going to miss you.”
“Any time you need me, you just give me a call.”
“Brandon is away for a few days, and then I’ll have it resolved. I should be okay. I think I just panicked last night.”
“Now I’m sad thinking you just used me and now you don’t want me anymore.” Mitch pursed his lips and pulled a fake rejected face.
“I’ll need you still, but for other things,” Gemma said as she ran her hands over his butt.
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br /> “I like the sound of that and will do my best to comply.”
He finished getting dressed and made some coffee while she got ready. It was crazy, but she didn’t want to come home to the house without him here. It would feel lonely. She watched him drive off down the road and was already scheming as to how she could get to see him again.
The day went well and all the scenes were completed. It was amazing how much calmer she felt when Brandon wasn’t around. It annoyed her that he was bothering her personally, but now she realized he was effecting her acting as well.
The next two days were going to be on location and she hoped he stayed away longer, or forever would be good. When she got home, she booked her flight and phoned home. Dad answered, which was just as well. She wanted to speak to her mom in person.
“It will be wonderful to see you. Your mother has one of her big parties planned for the weekend, but you and I can go to the restaurant.”
“I’d like that, Dad.”
“How are things going out there? Is something wrong that you want to come back? We hadn’t expected to see you until your mother’s birthday next month.”
“Things are good, but busy, and it would be nice to get a break. I’ll see you Saturday.”
She hung up and was already dreading the trip. It was two days away and she was already missing Mitch.
The next day, she drove down the coast to the location. It was at an old quarry and she had a small trailer. By lunchtime, she had a wicked idea forming in her mind. She texted Mitch.
I need to meet you.
You okay? What’s happened?
I’m fine. It’s nothing to worry about. I’ll tell you when I see you.
Gemma said she would meet him behind the building by the quarry entrance in a half an hour. He’d better not be late because she would need to be back on the shoot not long after.
A short time later, Colin called for a break and she headed off to the entrance. She had stopped by her trailer and grabbed Mitch’s big hoodie, which she pulled over her head. Her heart raced with excitement at the thought of seeing him again. She might get in trouble for this, but hoped Mitch would go along with her plan. When he knew what she was offering, she was sure he would agree to it.