Chapter 8

Riley

"Great job today." Frank stood in front of all of us later that afternoon and smiled. "Thank you all for getting back to work. I think we'll be able to wrap up the rest of the film over the next few days for the parts that we're filming down here."

I glanced over to my right to find Ethan watching me. He'd been doing it all day, and I would have been lying to myself if I didn't admit that I loved it. I'd worked hard the night before in the room to walk through everything we'd done and been through together.

My conclusion was simple. We had some shit to work through, but all in all, if he were willing to come after me, then I was going to try hard to meet him in the middle.

"Riley. Come walk and talk." Frank motioned for me to join him.

"Sure." I glanced back at Ethan and waved, wanting him to know that I was thinking about him.

He blew me a kiss, embarrassing me. Silly ass.

"That boy." Frank shook his head. "I swear. I've never seen him act this way around anyone for any length of time."

"Oh yeah?" I moved up beside the older man and slipped my hands into my jean pockets. "You think he's putting on a show for all of us."

"Not in the slightest." He glanced down at me as we moved along the shoreline. "I think he's found a good woman and doesn't want to let her go. It's how I felt when I met my wife."

I wasn't sure how to respond to him, so I didn't. Did Frank really think that Ethan and I would end up together long term? That I would one day be his wife? He had to. He wouldn't have made the comment otherwise. Right?

"Listen. Not to change the subject from something warm and bubbly, but I need to apologize to you, kiddo." He stopped, and I followed his lead, turning to face him as a frown formed on his mouth. "Ethan spoke up about Clayton coming back to work with the studio, and I didn't listen. And I should have."

"Okay." I nodded.

"I'm not sure why Mr. Welms holds such a grudge against Ethan, but he apparently did." Frank let out a long sigh. "I've been working with Deza to protect Ethan for most of his young life, and this time, I really messed things up."

"You didn't know what Clayton was planning." I reached out and squeezed Frank's thick shoulder. "How could you know?"

"I should have seen it coming, and even more so," he paused and glanced out toward the ocean, "I should have listened to Ethan. He's a pain in the ass most days, but he's like a son to me."

"Then apologize to him." I released Frank and offered him a kind smile. "There's no reason to apologize to me."

"Sure there is. I'm partially at fault for letting Clayton get in. Between him dicking with Ethan and this misunderstanding with Deza, our boy almost lost everything that matters to him."

"He's still got you two and his job." I bit my tongue, not ready to let anyone know that the sexy bastard most likely still had me too.

"And he would trade all of that in for a chance with you again." He crossed his arms over his chest. "You want to grab something to eat? My treat."

"No, but thank you." I looked around, trying to find him. "I'm pretty tired after working all day today. I know it's silly, but I've been laying in my bed for two weeks, contemplating the meaning of life. Walking in the sand for half an hour yesterday had me whooped. Today? I'm toast."

He chuckled and nodded. "I understand. Enjoy your evening, and take this as my apology for any part I played or didn't play in everything that happened. I'm truly sorry."

"Me too." I gripped his hand and squeezed before turning and walking back up the beach. A peace settled over me knowing that I'd resolved everything that I needed to with Deza and Frank. Ethan was the last one on my list to clean things up with.

I couldn't find him anywhere as I walked back to my room as languidly as possible. Where the hell had he gone? I yawned loudly as I got on the elevator, the elderly couple beside me looking over with faint terror on their faces. I laughed, unable to help myself.

Ethan would have given me shit over my horrible yawn. Everyone that loved me did.

I'd find him and make things right. Stop lying and put us back on the right track, but not today.

Maybe tomorrow.

"Sorry," I murmured toward the couple as I got off the elevator and walked down toward my room, not noticing the white rose pedals until I reached my door and found a pile of them.

"Forgive me," was the sign on the door.

"Ethan?" I whispered and looked down the hall, leaning back a little to really see around a tall fern. Nothing.

I popped my key in the lock and walked in to find petals all over the floor and an envelope on the bed. "Find Me, was written on the envelope on the bed.

A smile formed on my lips, and I pushed through the weariness beating against me and opened it. It was an invite to join Ethan for dinner. Just dinner.

"Should I go?" I sat down on the edge of the bed and pressed the card to my nose, breathing in deeply and laughing. The nugget head had sprayed it with his cologne like some silly girl from an old-timey movie. I loved him so much. Even in the midst of being confused and hurt, I still loved him.

I could forgive him. Standing, I pulled off my shirt and slipped out of my jeans before rushing around the room to get dressed for dinner. I'd keep my heart hidden behind the guise of friendship until I knew for sure that he still wanted me, until I felt the truth in his eyes, heard it in his voice.

The white dress I wore was almost see through, but it would be hard to make out anything in the darkness. I let my hair down and brushed it a few times before slipping into a pair of white g-string panties and leaving the bra out. My breasts were big, but not so big that I looked slutty.

I turned around, looking in the mirror, and praying like hell that he would find me beautiful, that I would leave him breathless just like he left me.

"Please let this workout." I picked up a tube of pink lipstick and leaned in, brushing a little across my lips. "All I want is for someone to love me the way I know he can. Please let us be right for each other. Let it be tonight."

I took a shallow breath before spraying on a little bit of perfume and grabbing my room key. I didn't need anything else, and hopefully, I wouldn't need that.

The very thought of spending the night with him caused my body to ache in ways that no other man had caused. He was the one. I had no doubt, but this time it couldn't be me stepping forward. It had to be him. I just prayed like hell that he was ready to.

The card had said that dinner was in room A-twenty on the first floor. I stopped by the front desk and asked the bellman. He offered his arm and walked me down to the door, his compliments sweet and his eyes kind.

"Enjoy your evening." He bowed and moved back.

"Thank you." I turned and reached for the handle, pausing as my knees shook. Ethan had been alone his whole life. If I was going to be his, I had to promise myself that no matter how crazy things got, no matter what our careers did, or how far we fell from each other that I would keep trying.

I wouldn't be another part of his abandonment story. I would be the opposite. The reason he believed in love and hoped for a better tomorrow. I would be the light in the middle of any darkness he faced and hold him until he forced me to stop.

I would never walk away from him. He would have to be the one to do that.

Breathing in deep, I pushed the door open. If he loved me... I was all in. Period. No matter the heartbreak that might be just around the corner. It would be worth it to have really loved him for some part of my life.

The room was dim, lit only by candlelight, but it opened to a large patio on a private beach.

Ethan turned from pouring a glass of wine and smiled as he picked up the other glass and walked toward the door. Soft music played in the background.

"You came." He handed me the wine as I reached him.

Butterflies danced in my stomach and nerves tore up my chest. "Of course I did. You asked me to."

"And you coming is more than I deserve." He reached out and cupped my cheek, his eyes filled with so much love that it hurt.

I pressed against his hand and turned my face a little, kissing his palm as he groaned softly and stepped closer. "Hush."

"Yes, Ma'am." He tossed back his wine glass and set it down on the table, pulling me into his arms as I took a tentative sip of mine. "I know we talked about being friends, and I said that I was good with it, but I fucking lied."

I chuckled and leaned over to set my glass of wine down. "Did you, now?"

"You know I did, Ri." He brushed the pad of his thumb over my lips. "I wanted to die over the last two weeks thinking that I'd fucked things up between us. I was such an idiot on that platform, scared like a pussy and unable to tell you what I wanted to tell you since our first scene together. I didn't know if it was real. Nothing has been in my love life - ever."

"I understand. I'm sorry for pushing you. I shouldn't have-"

He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine, silencing me as his strong hands raced down my back and squeezed my hips. The delicious hint of wine on his tongue caused my insides to turn to liquid heat as he rolled his tongue by mine and consumed me.

"No more talking. I want a friendship at the base of what we have, but I want so much more than that. I want you. Every day." He nipped at my lips and flattened his hand against my lower back, locking me to him. The pressure of his huge erection against my stomach had my body wet, my heart dancing in my chest. I wasn't going to survive a love story like ours. Not if we did it right.

"I love you," I whispered against his lips.

"I know you do." He brushed his nose by mine and cupped my ass. "And I love you too. We'll figure this shit out. One day at a time. Just come to bed with me. Let's not start over, but pick up on the last good scene we made."

I laughed at his reference and nodded, moving farther into his arms. "Yes. I would like that. A lot."

"Good. It wasn't a request." He gave me a wicked smile and leaned down, making love to my mouth for a few more minutes until I pulled back.

"Bedroom. Now." I tightened my hold around his neck and glanced around. "Unless you want me here."

"I want you everywhere, baby. Anywhere." He kissed me again. "But I don't want anyone else witnessing what's mine. Come see if you can fit the monster inside of you."

I laughed as he pulled me behind him, his excitement palpable.

Love didn't have to be messy and complicated. It could be forgiving and yielding.

He would steal my thoughts and become the center of my world, but that's the way all good love stories end.

And least ours would.