CHAPTER 15
~Luke~
LEANING AGAINST THE railing of the boat, I look up at the sky while millions of Mexican free-tailed bats swarm above. A dark mass stream, floating with the winds keeps all eyes on the boat facing up. “Amazing, right?”
I’d know that voice anywhere. Her arm presses to mine. The boat is crowded along the railing, the act not so obvious, except to us. I steal a glance down at her. “Amazing is right.” The sun is setting, but the blush that colors her cheeks from the compliment is prettier. She looks down and then peeks up at me, pretending to be looking at the bats. But I see those bewitching eyes and ask, “What are you doing later?”
Turning around and leaning her elbows on the wood, she arches her back and it reminds me of earlier. My attention turns to the bats so I don’t get an erection… or should I say become harder than I already am. Images of her naked body beneath mine floating through my head don’t help the situation. She’s got great tits and that dress is highlighting them perfectly—low-cut, thin material showing off her nipples. When the wind blows just right, I see the top of her breasts and I want to cover them with my mouth again.
She replies, “Hopefully you.”
“You’re tempting, Ms. Lewis. Very fucking tempting.”
“I’m hoping to pick up where we left off.”
“Today or years ago?”
Bumping my hip with hers, she says, “That’s for you to find out. See you later.” She smiles as she shakes her ass for me.
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“I hope you hold me to many things, like beds and windows, maybe even bathroom counters.”
“I’m liking this pervy side of you.”
“I hope you like all my sides. Start with my backside.” She taps my nose.
“It’s not about the start, but the finish, baby.”
Her smile falls and I see her swallow. “That right there. Talk to me like that, Luke.”
I laugh. “I can’t turn it on and off. It comes with the situation, and territory. But if you want, we can flirt and tease, make love and fuck because if it turns you on, it gets me off.” Looking around to make sure no one is watching, I lick my lips and run my hand down her hip giving it a squeeze. “I’m going to make you come harder than you’ve ever come before.”
“I’ve never done anything on a boat before.” Her right eyebrow rises in challenge as she stares up at me.
“That can be arranged.”
“Arrange it then,” she replies as if I won’t.
“Meet me downstairs in the bathroom in ten minutes.”
“What if—”
“No, Jane. No what ifs. Only yes will do. Yes, sir is even better.” She glances around nervously, so I offer her an out, just in case, “We don’t have to do anything. I thought you wanted—”
“I do.”
“Then what do you say?”
Her fiery eyes meet mine, and she whispers, “Yes.”
“You don’t sound sure.”
After clearing her throat, more confidently she says, “Yes, sir.”
“Ten minutes. Don’t keep me waiting.”
She walks away without saying another word. Her shoulders are tense, her eyes searching the boat as if everyone is aware of our planned rendezvous. No one cares. No one is even paying attention to us. But I like her tense. I like her nervous and excited. I’ll make her come and forget her worries and everything that lies on the other side of that bathroom door. I’ll be the only thing she feels, touches, thinks of while I take her against the wall, making her mine all over again.
Watching her over my shoulder, she’s chatting with Ryan and they go to the bar together. I could let my jealousy get the best of me like earlier, but I know where she’ll be in a few minutes. Catching her eye, I look down at my wrist to check the time, tapping it. When I look up, Jessica is standing before me. The sun blocked by her presence. She sits on the bench next to me and acts like we’re old friends. “Hi.”
I’m in no mood for her. She was a huge, drunken mistake, but I’ll be cordial in public until all patience is lost. “Hi,” I say, and sigh. I’m not a great actor though.
“I agreed to do your little movie. You can give me the courtesy of being civil.”
A pain in my right temple flares so I rub it. She’s right, but I need to remind her of our agreement. “You needed this ‘little movie’ as well, so let’s recognize that it’s to our mutual benefit to work together.” I glance at her. “And be civil.”
The last part makes her smile. She clears her throat and perks up. “A few of us are going out after we dock. Do you want to join us?”
My eyes find Jane across the crowded boat. Almost every man on it is aware of her presence and has gravitated closer, warming in her sunshine. Fuckers. She was always the center of attention and never realized it. Still doesn’t. “Who’s going?”
Jessica follows my gaze so I turn my attention on her so she doesn’t find my weakness. She looks at me, and smiles. “Me.”
“Your boyfriend might not appreciate you asking me to join you.”
“Things with Ryan are,” she starts, but pauses, searching for the right words as if they’re written in the sky, “open.”
That’s quite the unexpected finish to that sentence.
The label of my beer bottle is torn, so I help it along. When I look up at her, the sun has almost set and in this light I see the pretty woman that Jessica can be. I just wish her insides matched the exterior.
Looking back to where Jane was, she’s gone. Checking the time, I have three minutes. “I’m not sure what to say to that, Jessica.”
“Say yes.”
I exhale louder than intended. “You know I can’t—”
“Don’t say it. It took a lot for me to ask you. I’m not sure hearing a rejection will be good for me tonight.” She stands, but stays a moment longer. “I don’t want to keep dragging this up—”
“Then don’t. Now is not the time nor the place.”
“Are you seeing someone?”
The beautiful blonde I’ve dated almost half my life and known longer is waiting for me. I stand. “It’s complicated.”
“It always is with you,” she says hopelessly and walks away.
I work my way toward the stairs and see Jessica at Ryan’s side, her arm possessively around his, but her eyes on me. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is the woman waiting for me downstairs. I take the stairs and find the bathroom. Knocking lightly, I wait. The door is unlocked and opened. I’m grabbed by the shirt and pulled inside, the door closed and locked quickly behind me. “You’re just in time, Mr. Anders.”
Turning the tables on her, I trap her, leaning forward until her body is pressed firmly between the hardness of the wall and my hardness. “I always come… on time.”
She smiles—devilishly parting her lips and licking them. “And what about me?”
Sliding to my knees before her, I lift the skirt of her dress and see my good girl is bad this evening. “No underwear?”
“Guess I forgot,” she replies, feigning the innocence of a vixen.
“Did you do this for me?” Please say yes.
Her fingers run through my hair and she tilts me until I look up at her. “Only for you.”
Placing one of her knees on my shoulder, I say, “I fucking love it when you get down and dirty.”
“Speaking of down.” Her hands encourage me forward until I slip my tongue out for a taste of her more adventurous side. One taste is all it takes and I’m lost in paradise.
My beauty forgot about the people on the upper deck, and the thin bathroom walls. When her body became jelly, her tension released, I wanted so badly to fuck her… so I did.
Fifteen minutes later, we’re back on deck. With a glass of champagne almost to her lips, her cheeks the perfect shade of rose pink, she says, “I feel incredible.”
“You are incredible.” I straighten my cuffs.
“I haven’t felt like this in forever.” She tugs playfully at my shirtsleeve. The gesture would look normal to anyone watching. I don’t think anyone is, but I look around to make sure.
“I’m happy to oblige anytime you like.”
“Doing that, does that turn you on too?”
The right side of my mouth goes up. “Making you feel good turns me on if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Yes.” She doesn’t look convinced.
Who knew she’d be shy about dirty talk? She’s just too sweet. “It was amazing watching you come, Jane, feeling your body contracting around my tongue, my fingers, my cock.”
“Shhhhh.” She holds a finger to her mouth. “People will hear, Luke.”
“And if they do?”
Jane looks away. When she turns back, she asks, “What was Jessica talking to you about? You looked upset.”
“I wasn’t upset,” I lie, to keep her from worrying. “She was asking if I was going out with them tonight.”
“Oh.” She glances at Jessica who is with Ryan at the other end of the bar. “She didn’t invite me.”
“Everyone’s invited.”
“Well I wasn’t specifically invited like you.”
“Do you want to go?”
“I want to know why she’s personally inviting you when she has a boyfriend.”
No creeping of smiles. It just pops right onto my lips. “Are you jealous, Ms. Lewis?”
Jane tilts her head, her hair sweeping to one side. “Only when it comes to you.”
“So for the last two years when you were in a relationship—”
“I stayed in it because of you.”
Now I look away, not wanting to hear that answer. “I had a feeling you might say that.” When I turn back, she looks reflective, staring off into the distance. It won’t solve anything, but I say it anyway, “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” She finishes the last of her champagne and sets the glass down. Facing me, she smiles as she reaches for my hand, her fingertips making my skin spark to life. She pulls back and looks around to make sure we don’t have an audience. “I want to touch you, to feel you, for you to hold me like you do when we’re alone, but we have to keep our distance.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want people to think I slept my way into this movie deal.”
“You earned it. No one will think otherwise.”
“You’re a man, Luke, so no one will question how you got where you are in your career. But for a woman, every move is scrutinized and even more so in Hollywood. You know that.”
I do know. It sucks but it’s true. And for her to get any respect in this industry, Hollywood has to feel she earned it. “How long do we have to keep this act up?”
She looks torn. “I need this movie to be made. I need to build my career and neither one of us needs a scandal. I just wish we had figured out everything with us before production started. Then we could be open like Jessica and Ryan and not hide our…” She doesn’t say relationship but I know she was thinking it.
“They’re open all right,” I say sarcastically. If Jane only knew that Jessica was hitting on me, she wouldn’t use them as an example, that’s for sure.
Jane is unsure about what I mean by my tone and it’s probably best I keep her in the dark about Jessica, at least for now. She murmurs, “I live in an ocean of regret when it comes to us.”
“I want to kiss each and every one of them away.” I want to clear the worry lines from her face. But she’s right. It’s unprofessional to hook up with co-workers on set.
Her hand disappears just as I hear Ian behind me. “What are you two talking about?”
She puts on a good show—chipper, smiling, pointing up at the night sky. “The bats were so cool, but we have a starry night too.”
Touching her arm, he says, “I’m glad you came, Jane.”
Oh, she came all right. Twice, in fact. I don’t say that though I’d love to brag out loud. “I’m standing right here,” I say instead, not joking despite the smile I’ve put on. “Just in case you forgot.”
Ian pats my back. “Nope, it’s hard to forget you’re here. Impossible almost.” He looks to Jane. “You ready to go? We’re almost docked.”
“Actually, I talked Luke into taking the scenic route and walking back. It’s such a beautiful night.”
With a scrunched brow, he tries to downplay his desperation, and remarks, “That’s a really long walk. Are you sure?”
“Positive,” she replies just as the boat bumps the dock and the boat crew sprints into action. “We’ll see you back at the hotel or in the morning if we get back late. You ready, Luke?”
It’s impossible not to feel smug and even harder not to show it as I pass him. Fuck it. I don’t give a shit if he’s upset or not. His assumptions when it comes to Jane are annoying. He reminds me a lot of that fucker in high school—Ricky. Jane’s given him no encouragement that she’s even remotely interested in him, yet he keeps on trying. “I sure am.”
* * *
“IT’S LESS THAN a mile to the hotel. You know that, right?” I ask her as we leave the group behind and start back on the trail that leads to the bridge.
“I know.”
“Just making sure.”
Without remorse, she says, “I didn’t want him to come.”
“He’s going to figure it out.” I wait to hear how she feels about that.
“Coming here, we rode in a cab that took less than three minutes. He should have already figured out that it’s not far to walk.”
“And what about us?”
“What about us?” she asks, knocking into me.
I think she did it on purpose, and I like it. “What if he figures us out?”
“If he couldn’t tell earlier, I think we’re in the clear.”
“I like the confidence.”
“With you, there’s no other way to be.” She winks, and I chuckle.
“I have no idea how to take that so I’m just gonna take it as a compliment.”
“Will it make a difference if I confess that I have no idea how I meant it? So I guess it’s up to you on how you take it.”
“You’ve gotten sassier. You know that?”
“I do.”
Her fingers rub against my hand. We pretend this is not a big deal, that we can touch and the world doesn’t seem a little brighter for it. Even at night. We’re great at pretending. Until we can’t any longer.
I turn to her and she to me. Our expressions are on the edge of asking questions and answering them simultaneously, resting in a place of certainty instead of where we existed for years now. “I want to hold your hand,” I state clearly, so there’s no room for misinterpreting how I feel about her.
“I would like that too.”
Her hand fits in my hand like her body fits to mine—perfectly.
I’ve missed this.
Holding hands is intimate and tells of connection, so I’ve not held any other woman’s hand in the last two years. But here we are fitting again.
“What ever happened to Caroline Stacie?” I ask as we walk across an intersection.
“Wow,” she says, her eyes lighting up. “I haven’t thought about her in years.”
“So you’re not friends again? I thought for sure you would be. She was the head of the I hate Luke Anders club so it seemed natural for you to become a member.”
Her hand tightens to mine. “I couldn’t afford the dues.” A sparkle gleams in her eyes as a small smile plays at the corner of her lips.
“You could have billed me,” making a pun right back.
“The rules are very strict. All of them said I must hate Luke Anders, and I just never got around to it.” Bumping against me again, she laughs.
I don’t want to push her for more, but I definitely want more. Right now, especially. Her hand is freed and I wrap my arm around her shoulders, holding her as close as I can. I can tell by the feel of her body that she’s happy to stay awhile. Her head dips to the side resting on my arm. We stay like this, quietly content, until we get within a few blocks of the hotel.
Then we part.
Begrudgingly.
And for all sake and appearances, we’re just friends again, friends working together on a project.
We pass a restaurant and see the camera crew in there, laughing, having a good time. It makes me wonder if they would actually care if Jane and I were together or not. I know the answer, but all it takes is one person to sell information to the tabloids and Jane’s career is marred forever. I won’t do that to her.
Before we enter the courtyard, both of us expecting to see the others we left at the boat, I ask, “What do you think about staying in my room tonight?”
Her bottom lip is tugged under her teeth, but the smile can’t be held back. “I’d like that.”
“Come over when you’re ready. You know where I’m staying.”
“I think I’m going to like that adjoining door.” She winks.
I hold the door open and follow her inside the courtyard.
From Ian to Jessica, all eyes are instantly on us. I purposely drop my shoulders to come off as casual. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Water would be great.”
Nodding, I go to the bar inside as she works her way to an already crowded table. I order and while waiting, I watch the scene outside. Jane is sitting with Ryan and Jessica, Ian standing behind her chair, hand resting on the back too content for my liking. We were lucky to score him to direct the movie, but I’m really starting to fucking dislike him.
I’m not going to let him upset me. I’ve got the girl. Anyway, I have no doubt she can handle him, and will. I’ve also got enough work to keep me busy, so maybe it’s best if I go do that instead of watching him and letting my irritation grow by the minute. The upside to working now is more time with Jane later.
After changing my order to match Jane’s, I walk back out and set her water down on the table in front her. When I keep walking, Ian asks, “Where you going, Anders?”
“I’ve got some work to do. I’m gonna call it a night. See you guys tomorrow.”
I catch Jane’s eyes on me, but I keep my expression neutral just as she does. Turning around, I leave and go back to my room.
Over an hour later, it’s just gone eleven when I hear the room next to mine come to life. A certain dream-girl fumbling around brings my attention from the laptop screen in front of me to the wall that we share. Then a light knock is heard, and again before I have a chance to open it.
I stop typing and go to answer my door that adjoins hers. When the door is opened, I’m greeted with the best sight ever. Yes, this would be where I should say the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, but we already know that. As I skim down her naked body, I realize just how damn lucky I am. Pulling her to me, she gasps, then giggles, and I say, “I’ve been waiting for you.”
“I was letting your anticipation build so you’d appreciate this even more,” she replies assertively.
I want to stay in this moment forever, loving how easily we’ve returned to our previous selves as if time never separated us. “I don’t need time to appreciate you. The anticipation has been building for years, pretty woman. Now get your ass on that bed and let me appreciate you up close and personal.”