Chapter Six
A couple of days later, Madison stood frozen in the doorway of the costume design room, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide. “What the hell happened here?”
Josie peeked around the corner of her cubicle and offered a tight-lipped smile. “I’m redecorating!” Her voice was high, cheerful, and coated with sarcasm. “I thought I’d try the Little Shop of Horrors motif. You like?”
“Well, it’s horrific. There’s no denying that.” Madison took slow, hesitant steps into the room.
Josie fell back in her chair. Annoyance twisted her features as she stared at the hundreds of ivy plants covering the room. “I’m still waiting for a big ass plant to jump out of the corner and yell, ‘Feed me, Seymour!’”
Madison cracked a smile. “But really, what’s with the ivy?”
“Anders.”
“Anders?”
“Yes. He even sent breakfast.”
“What a freak. The breakfast I get, but ivy? Why not flowers?” Madison’s expression shifted from confused to suspicious when Josie began studying her hands. “You, however, seem to know exactly what it means.”
Josie shrugged, her face blank, impassive. “I don’t understand anything that man does.”
“Wow. You’re as shitty of a liar now as when we met.”
Josie rolled her eyes. “Shut up. I lie fine to everyone else. You just know too much.”
Madison stared, unmoving. She’d wait all day if necessary. Josie growled in the back of her throat and balled her hands.
“Fine. It’s…he calls me that. Sometimes.”
“Come again?”
“He calls me Ivy. It’s...a nickname or whatever.” Exasperation coated her words as she flicked her wrist in the air as if shooing away an annoying pest.
“He gave you a nickname? Aw, that’s kind of cute.” The smile in Madison’s voice was unmistakable.
“Are you kidding? Have you forgotten who we’re talking about?”
Madison’s expression sobered. “Right. Sorry.” She pursed her lips and dented her brows while scowling at the ivy plant next to her. “What an asshole.”
“You suck.”
“And you’re caving. He’s getting to you.”
“What? No way. How can you even say that with a straight face?”
“Have you called Philip?”
Josie opened and closed her mouth a few times. “That’s not fair. I’m busy. It’s not like I went on tons of dates before.”
“Oh, I know. But you also didn’t have a hot French guy chasing you.”
Josie’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll call him.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I will! It has nothing to do with Anders.”
Madison lifted her brow and backed toward the door as Josie scowled. “See ya later, Josie.”
Josie made a noise that sounded strangely like a growl and eyed the large arrangements next to her as Madison disappeared down the hall. “I’ll show him,” she muttered. Wrapping her arms around the bottom of the pot, she took off toward Anders’ trailer. Unable to knock or turn the handle due to the plant in her arms, she did to the door what she wanted to do to Anders―she kicked it. Hard.
Anders jerked in surprise at the sound. He stood from the chair and threw his script on the vanity, annoyed by the interruption. “Don’t you see the do not fucking disturb sign?” he spat, yanking the door open.
“No, I can’t see the do not fucking disturb sign. I can’t see anything because I’m holding a fucking jungle.”
Anders’ eyes widened, then crinkled at the corners as he clutched his stomach and let out a full belly laugh. The gigantic plant hid half of Josie’s body. She was thankful Anders couldn’t see her fighting the slight twitch of her lips. With one hand on the door, he grabbed a handful of ivy and pushed it aside. He leaned in, his playful smirk turning into a smile when his gaze landed on Josie’s scowling face.
“Whatcha got there, Ivy?”
“Don’t start with me, Anders. I’m in no mood.” She shoved the plant into his chest, causing him to let out an oomph before grabbing it. Once inside, she spun to face him. “No more plants. I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I want you to stop.”
All the humor drained from Anders as he took in her hostile stance and angry eyes. He couldn’t decide if the look on her face made him want to yell at her or fuck her senseless. Since fucking her wasn’t an option at the moment, he went with the first choice. “What’s your problem? I do something nice and you shit all over it. Are you always such a bitch or do you reserve that for me?”
“You’re not being nice. You’re being obnoxious. Nice is sending a small flower arrangement, not a hundred plants that fill every corner of the room until I can’t even get to my desk.”
“Fine. I was being obnoxiously nice. It’s better than being an asshole.”
“At least you’re being genuine then! This—all the plants, coffee, and doughnuts... Actually, I didn’t mind the doughnuts, but that’s beside the point. This is not who you are.”
He crossed the room and set the plant on the table. “How do you know? You won’t give me a chance to show you who I am.”
Josie shook her head, a look of disbelief on her face. “I know who you are, Anders. Everyone does. Your picture is splashed across the front of trashy magazines with different women all the time.”
Anders chuckled, the sound low and angry. “Wow. I didn’t peg you for a judgmental hypocrite. Or did you forget how we met?”
Josie took a step back as if he’d hit her. He might as well have because no matter how much she wanted to deny it, he was right. She wasn’t any different than those girls. They didn’t care about him. They wanted to say they’d slept with Anders Ellis, nothing more. While Josie had no intentions of bragging about her night with him, it was essentially for the same reason.
Anders noticed a look of shock and something else cross her face before letting out a heavy breath. “Why do you always have to fight with me?”
“You make me crazy,” she whispered.
“And crazy makes you angry? Mean?”
“With you it does. I don’t understand what you’re trying to prove. You don’t do repeats. So don’t act like the wounded party. You can’t be pissed that I expect you to act as you always have.”
Anders nodded. “No, I can’t. But what’s happening now—this—is different. I have no idea what I’m doing, as you’ve pointed out over and over again.”
“What do you expect? First you don’t remember me. Then you make it your mission to fuck me again because I said I wouldn’t. When that didn’t work, you’re what? Willing to settle for dinner and conversation? Come on Anders, give me a little credit.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “You drive me crazy too, you know. Yes, this started with wanting to fuck you, and I’d be a liar if I said I still didn’t. But I’ve never given a fuck about anything enough to put forth a real effort until now. That alone is reason enough for me to be here.”
“What if I made this easy and said okay? Would you lose interest? Would knowing I’d fuck you again make you go away?”
Anders’ brows drew together. His gaze slid down her body, taking in the curve of her neck, the swell of her breasts, and the flare of her hips. The memory of her naked body assaulted his mind, causing his breathing to falter. He shook his head and lifted his gaze to hers. “Just the thought?” he asked, his voice thick and gritty. “No fucking way.”
Josie’s stomach tingled and her hands shook. The way he looked at her, the way his eyes burned into her skin like a branding iron made her heart race. The heat between them was almost unbearable. It was everything else that turned her off—his attitude, his manipulations.
“Then I guess we’re at an impasse.”
“I don’t accept that. You want to get rid of me? Give me one date. One. Drop the attitude and snark, and I’ll try to stop thinking about fucking you every five seconds.”
“Then what, Anders? That’s it? You don’t even like me, and I’m not all that fond of you either. Why can’t you…why can’t we go our separate ways?”
Anders clenched his jaw and moved until their chests almost touched. His eyes burned with determination, confusion, and anger. “Because goddamn it, I don’t want to and neither do you.”
“Stop pretending to know what I want. You know nothing about me.”
“Ivy, we can argue this point all day, but the fact remains I won’t give up.”
She let out a bitter laugh and stepped around him, moving toward the door. “Whatever. Enjoy wasting your time.”
Two days after her confrontation with Anders, Josie did as she promised and called Philip. The excitement in his voice caused guilt to twist her stomach. He was a nice guy, and she felt bad for ignoring him. They spoke casually here and there, so by the time they made plans to meet for dinner, Josie was at ease. However, as she sat at a table in the back of a local sushi restaurant, her nerves spiked. Her phone buzzed and she grabbed it, expecting to see Philip’s name. It wasn’t.
One date.
Her heart raced when she realized her late night music texter was indeed whom she thought.
No music trivia tonight?
She lifted her eyes from her phone as Philip made his way toward her. He leaned into her and placed a soft kiss on her cheek before easing into his chair.
“Hello, Josie.”
“Hi.”
“Sorry I’m late. I’m still learning my way around the city. I get lost from time to time.”
Josie smiled and squeezed his hand. “No worries.” She opened her mouth to speak just as her phone buzzed again. She wanted to ignore it, but the knowledge that a message from Anders was there ate a hole through her hand like acid.
“Sorry,” she apologized, a smile spreading across her face as soon as she read the words.
We can have song trivia. Name the song where the girl agrees to go out with the guy. I need to find the guy who wrote it and ask how he convinced her.
Josie laughed and cleared her throat. She lifted her gaze to Philip, who was watching her with a soft smile. Guilt flooded her.
“Madison is being nosy,” she lied, smoothing her hands over her lap.
“Do I want to know?”
“Not even a little.” Josie laughed. It was the most truthful thing she’d said.
Josie looked at her phone and tapped out a quick message, hoping it would be the end of their conversation.
Go away, Anders. I know it’s you. I’m busy.
She set her phone aside and ignored it when it buzzed again. Instead she listened as Philip talked about his love for cooking and his dreams of living in Los Angeles. She tried to engage him, be interested, but it was like having a conversation with Holden. When he excused himself to the restroom, she couldn’t grab her phone fast enough.
Too busy for me? No such thing. Have dinner with me.
She smiled and made sure Philip wasn’t coming back before she responded.
I’m having dinner. I’m on a date. Not an ivy plant in sight.
She dropped her phone and drummed her fingers on the table. Her heart beat out an unsteady rhythm as she waited for a response. She wasn’t sure why, but telling him about her date made her feel strange. She didn’t like it. He was an asshole, that much was certain, but there were moments, tiny fragmented glimpses, that almost made him seem...human.
Regardless of how she felt about Philip, she shouldn’t be texting with another guy. Part of her considered pushing a little harder with Philip, trying to find that link that would make them click. But it wouldn’t be fair to anyone.
Maybe I don’t need to find a singer to tell me how to get the girl. Maybe I should find your date.
Her mouth fell open. He was kidding or out of his mind. Either way she refused to engage him anymore. Slipping her phone into her bag, she took a sip of sake and smiled at Philip as he returned to his chair. She might not be interested, but he deserved her attention while she was with him. Not that it mattered. Even with her phone in her bag and her mind swimming with sake, Anders Ellis invaded her thoughts. When Philip kissed her on the cheek at her car door, it was obvious nothing romantic would ever happen between them.
Josie wondered how someone as attractive and nice as Philip held no interest for her, but when she thought about Anders, she felt everything. He was rude and self-absorbed. A manwhore. An insufferable, infuriating prick whose only goal was to have sex with her.
She had to make a decision. She could continue to argue with him until one of them landed in jail, ignore him, or just relent. Agree to go on a date and be done with it.
Anders slammed his beer on the table and swore under his breath. Owen lifted his brow and leaned over to get a look at Anders’ phone, unable to stop the laugh that burst from his chest. “She’s on a date? Oh, man. That girl is playing you hard.”
“Fuck off,” Anders spat. He moved his phone away from Owen and shoved a fry in his mouth. When Owen had called earlier to see if he wanted to grab some dinner, Anders was leery about going out. But he wasn’t going to shut himself up either while he waited for Josie to do what they both knew she wanted.
“Do you believe her? Do you think she’s really on a date?” Owen asked.
“If you saw her, you wouldn’t ask that question.” Anders clenched his jaw at the thought of some guy touching her. The image caused him to order a second beer. He sent her a text and waited. One hour turned into two, and after sending two more messages, he threw his phone on the table in disgust.
“What the fuck am I doing?” he muttered, his eyes falling shut.
“Hey, um, excuse me?”
Anders opened his eyes to find two girls at the end of the booth, their gazes bouncing from Anders to Owen. “What’s up?”
“Can I…would you take a picture with us?”
Owen chuckled. “Yeah Anders, you feeling photogenic?”
Anders scowled and kicked Owen’s leg. “Move fucker. Let them slide in.”
The girls beamed as Owen moved around the circular booth and made room. Anders turned and smiled at the girl next to him. “What’s your name?”
“Jana. I love your movies. I’m so sorry to bother you. My boyfriend told us to leave you alone, but I had to try to get a picture. He’ll never ask, but if you signed something for me to give him, it would make his day.”
Anders nodded and pulled the camera from between her fingers. “Here Owen, do something useful and take our picture.” Owen laughed and took the camera, snapping a couple of shots of everyone before passing the camera back to Jana.
“If you bring me the bill for your food, I’ll sign it,” Anders offered. As Jana and the other girl stood from the booth Anders’ phone buzzed. He snatched it from the table and unlocked the screen. There were only two words on the display, but it changed his entire mood.
One date.
Jana grabbed the ticket from her stunned boyfriend and darted back to Anders’ side. He chuckled at her enthusiasm, his mood improved. “What’s your boyfriend’s name?”
“Clay.”
Anders nodded and began writing out a message. Jana leaned over his arm as he wrote, an enormous smile on her face. Once he finished, Jana leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek before thanking him and rushing back to her table.
“Who was the text from?” Owen asked.
“She said one date,” Anders answered.
“Well, that’s all you need right?”
“Damn straight it is. This girl is making me crazy. This needs to end.”
“So what’s the plan? You got her to agree to a date, but now what? Are you going to invite her to your house? Take her out? The paps watch you all the time.”
“Fuck.” Anders’ momentary happiness washed away. “I don’t want to be seen with her. Why is everything always so difficult where she’s concerned?”
“Use my house. People come and go all the time. No one would give it a second thought.”
Anders liked that idea. Josie wouldn’t know where he lived, and he wouldn’t have to worry about being seen. While there were plenty of pictures of him with women, most were at clubs. A picture of him on an actual dinner date, however, hadn’t happened in years. “Thanks, man. I’ll let you know when as soon as I talk to her.”
“No problem. Just tell me which room you fuck her in so I know where to have the maids clean.”
Anders laughed. A bed wasn’t necessary. Any surface would work. “Will do.”
The next morning, Josie and Madison sat at a desk in a conference room for the costume department sipping coffee and eating bagels, courtesy of Anders. Josie couldn’t focus. After an unsuccessful attempt to convince Madison it was the caffeine, she admitted to agreeing to go out with Anders.
“I don’t understand why you’re doing it.” Madison shrugged and leaned back in her chair, tapping her pen against the desk as she stared at Josie.
“I told you, he’s driving me crazy. If I give in, he’ll stop and we can go our separate ways.”
“No. I get that part. I told you from the beginning you should get it over with. But why agree to a date? Why go through the trouble of enduring conversation with him if the end game is to have sex?”
“Jesus, Maddie. What do you suggest? Rent a seedy room somewhere that charges by the hour?” Josie knew Madison wasn’t trying to be hurtful, but she was making her feel like a hooker.
“Nah, that’s too much trouble. There’s a wall over there.” Madison cocked her head to the side and motioned toward the wall where Josie had moved some of the ivy plants. “You guys like walls, right?”
“Bitch,” Josie laughed, throwing a half-eaten bagel at her.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help it,” Madison giggled. “Just be careful, okay? I don’t want to have to dig a hole in the desert.”
“Gotcha. But for the record, and I may kick myself for saying this, I don’t think he’s a complete asshole. I don’t mean he isn’t how he portrays himself, but I think there’s more to him.”
“Well, good luck to whoever decides to take on that project.”
“Yeah,” Josie mumbled. She turned her attention back to work and pushed all thoughts of Anders from her mind. In a couple of hours, she would see him. She’d deal with him then.
“Hey, Ivy,” Anders greeted when she stepped inside his trailer later that morning.
“Anders.” She dipped her chin and moved across the room to the rack of clothing, removing what he needed to wear for the next scene. Her heart was beating faster than normal, and her breathing was choppy. She was nervous and she hated herself a little for it.
Anders frowned when she wouldn’t make eye contact. It set him on edge. “You can’t back out. You know that, right?”
Josie spun around, her brows pinched in confusion. “What?”
“You agreed to go on a date with me. You can’t change your mind.”
Josie let out a harsh breath, her expression a mix of disbelief and annoyance. “First, I can do whatever the hell I want, Anders. Second, what are you talking about?”
“You.” He waved his hand in her direction. “You’re being weird.”
“I just walked into the room,” she said, her words slow and measured. “I’ve said one word to you. How am I being weird?”
“Exactly. We’ve been in the same room for almost five minutes and you haven’t called me an asshole yet. It’s weird. You’re being weird.”
Josie cracked a grin. “Asshole.”
Anders opened his mouth then snapped it shut. Chuckling, he cupped the back of his neck and looked down. “Okay, now things feel normal.”
“You’re insane.”
“I wasn’t before you came along. This is all your fault.” Anders crossed the room and pulled the garments from her hands.
“So before you were just an asshole, but now you’re an insane asshole. And that’s my fault?”
Anders hung the clothes back on the rack, the movement bringing them close enough for Anders to smell the sweet scent of her perfume. “Yeah,” he exhaled, his voice low, “that about sums it up.” He drew his arm from the rack, dropping it behind Josie and letting his hand slide down her back and rest on her hip.
Josie shivered from the slight pressure of his fingers pressing into her waist. “Well at least you’re aware that you’re an asshole.” She barely recognized her voice.
“I’m not an asshole, Ivy. People just can’t handle that I make no apologies for who I am. What you see is what you get.”
Josie shook her head. “For some reason I don’t believe you. I think there’s something else to you. I just haven’t figured out what it is yet.”
Anders dropped his hand and stepped away. The air around them, once thick with tension and heat, was now barren and ice-cold. The softness in Anders’ face shifted into a hard mask, his stance rigid. “Don’t waste your time. What you see is what you get.”
Josie reeled back at the sharp, cutting tone of his voice. She held up her hands and turned away, pulling clothes from the rack again. “I didn’t say I was going to bother. I was trying to pay you a compliment by saying I didn’t believe you were the shallow asshole you show to everyone. I was mistaken. My bad.”
“Fuck.” Anders pushed his hands into his hair and ground his teeth. He wondered if they’d ever have a conversation that didn’t end with one of them biting the other’s head off. Somehow he doubted it. “Can we talk about something else? Tell me something about yourself.”
“Anders,” Josie sighed, resigned. “You don’t want to know anything about me. You don’t have to pretend. I know what the deal is, remember?”
“So I’m not allowed to ask any questions about you?” He didn’t understand why that bothered him, but not caring about the answers was different than being denied them.
“Why do you care?”
“If I knew, don’t you think I would tell you?”
“How about we talk about our date. The one I apparently can’t change my mind about.” The playful tone of her voice and small smile on her face disarmed Anders from his rigid stance. She made him angry enough to put his fist through a wall one second and completely relaxed the next.
“Well you can’t,” he retorted, indignant.
“If you say so.”
“I do.”
“Okay, what’s the plan?”
Anders shifted his weight. He wasn’t sure how to tell her his plan without pissing her off. He hated feeling unsure and awkward; it wasn’t who he was. The fact he had to work this hard for a girl still pissed him off. “What about Friday?”
Josie hesitated. She’d promised Holden she’d look at a few buildings he was interested in for his restaurant. He was at the point where he had enough money and wanted her opinion.
Anders took her hesitation as something else. “Unless you already have a date that is. I wouldn’t want to interrupt again.”
“Friday’s fine. Now tell me where before you say something else that pisses me off. I’m so close to junk punching you and telling you to fuck off for good.”
“My friend Owen offered to let us use his place,” Anders said in a rush. “It’s just we’d be hounded in public, and paps are always around my house.”
Josie’s feelings were a mix of relief and anger, followed by resignation. He was hiding her, but that was better than being photographed and labeled as Anders’ latest conquest. “So day after tomorrow? You’ll get me the directions?”
“Yeah, um, what food do you like?”
Josie sighed and stepped closer, unbuttoning the shirt in her hands. “Order whatever you want. Food won’t be what we’re focused on anyway.”
Anders hummed and tugged on the shirt, pulling her closer. “You’re probably right.”
“I usually am.”
“I don’t have to film again until next week so I’ll text you the time and address, okay?”
“Okay.” Josie wasn’t surprised by his dismissal. Normally she stayed until he dressed and even then he somehow managed to detain her a little longer. Now that he’d secured a date, her presence was no longer necessary. The realization brought a sense of relief she wasn’t sure how to feel about.
Anders leaned down and pressed his lips against the swell of her cheek. “See you Friday.”
As promised, Anders texted Josie with the time and address of when and where to meet. His texts didn’t stop there, however. He sent her random messages filled with questions. He seemed determined to know more about her personal life. She didn’t want him to know her in that way―it blurred lines she had no interest in crossing.
The night of their date, Josie stepped into her skirt. The soft material fluttered against her skin. Pulling on her top, she looked at her reflection and sighed. The outfit was more casual than the one she’d worn the first time she’d slept with Anders. But unlike the first time, the effort to get his attention wasn’t necessary. Tonight, Anders was a sure thing.
While Josie made her way across town, Anders turned Owen’s oven on low and pushed several trays of food inside. He chuckled at the ridiculous amount of food spread on the kitchen counter. Josie had been a complete pain in the ass by refusing to answer his questions. She wouldn’t even tell him what kind of food she preferred. Granted he wasn’t all that concerned with the food, but her unwillingness bugged him. He knew how much of a hypocrite that made him, but he was more of a “do as I say, not as I do” type of guy.
When the doorbell rang a half hour later, he’d just finished setting up everything. His stomach tightened in anticipation. This would be the first time he didn’t have to worry about prying eyes. Rolling his neck and relaxing his shoulders, he opened the door.
“Hey.” Anders smirked, his eyes lingering on her skirt.
“Are you going to stand there and stare, or are you going to invite me in?” Josie was both amused and annoyed at how he seemed to have trouble tearing his eyes away from her legs.
“You can come in, but I don’t intend to stop staring.” He stepped to the side to let her pass, never breaking his intense perusal. She always looked nice at work, always put together. Except for the day she tried to kill him via leather pants, she kept her clothing pretty conservative. The way her oversized sweater exposed her shoulder and her mid-thigh skirt moved around her legs, though, she might as well have been naked for the effect it had on him.
“Wow, this is a nice place. I’m surprised your friend was okay with letting you use his house to fuck some girl.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“So you didn’t tell him you were bringing a girl here to fuck?”
“I told him…” Anders tugged his hair, already feeling cornered and uneasy. “I told him this was a date. Owen knows about you.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Josie couldn’t hide the absolute surprise she felt, or her confusion.
“Um, he knows. About you. About everything.”
“You told him about me? Why would you do that?” Josie’s heart rate accelerated at the thought of someone knowing who she was and why she was here. It was one thing to confide in Madison—they were best friends and Josie trusted her—but she didn’t know Owen. Josie glanced at the door and wondered if she should forget the whole thing and bolt.
“Hey, what are you doing? Stop. Calm down.” Anders stepped closer and grabbed her arm when she shifted toward the door. “You were driving me crazy. I didn’t know what to do, so I talked to him. He was with me when you agreed to the date and offered his place. Nothing more.”
“So he doesn’t think I’m some cheap whore he can have a shot at when you’re done?”
“No,” Anders snapped. The memory of his conversation with Owen suggesting the same thing still angered him. “There’s no fucking way I’d ever allow that.”
The possessive tone in his voice caused the hairs on her neck to stand on end. “We’ve had this conversation. You have no say in what I do.” While Josie had no intentions of sleeping with Owen, she’d be damned if Anders would make decisions about her life.
Anders saw the fire light in her eyes as she spoke, her rising anger unmistakable. As much as he wanted to challenge her, she was right. He had no right to tell her what she could and could not do. He shook his head, a humorless chuckle slipping past his lips as he pulled her closer. This date was already going to hell and it hadn’t even started. He needed to get things back on track so he could get her out of his system once and for all.
“Can we start over? Please?”
Josie nodded. “What are we eating?”
“Oh, now you want to talk about food,” Anders joked. He slid his hand down her arm and linked their fingers before tugging her toward the kitchen. “So we’re clear, you’re responsible for what happened here.”
“What happened where?” Josie slowed to a stop, her eyes growing wide. “Holy shit! What did you do?”
Anders laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he stared at Josie. “You refused to help by telling me what you like to eat, so I ordered from all my favorite restaurants.”
“Anders, there’s enough food here to feed an army. We can’t eat all this.” Her protest died on her lips and her mouth began to water as she eyed the plates of pasta, pork roast, steak, potatoes, and other dishes she couldn’t even name. “You’re going to need a forklift to get me out of here.”
Anders stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground before easing her back down. Bending his knees, he dipped his head until his cheek rested against her hair and his lips brushed her ear. “Nah, I’ve lifted you before, remember? I can take care of you.”
Josie’s stomach tightened as her fingers dug into his forearms. The feel of his chest pressed against her back, the smell of his cologne, and the tickle of his breath against her skin almost made her forget about the food altogether. “Yeah, I remember.” Her words were no more than a strained whisper. Anders shuffled them awkwardly toward the food, unwilling to unwrap himself from around her.
“Do you want some wine?” His voice had taken on the same low, soft tone as Josie’s. It was as if both were afraid to talk any louder for fear of bursting the fragile bubble surrounding them.
“Red?”
He nodded against her shoulder and squeezed her again before stepping away. “It looks like I’m going to learn about you whether you want me to or not.” Anders smirked and twisted the cork out of the wine bottle.
“You’re impossible,” she sighed. Reaching out, she grabbed a shrimp and popped it in her mouth.
“You’re joking, right?” Anders filled her glass before filling his own. “It’s like you work for the CIA. Everything is top secret.”
“Whatever. I’d try to explain, but we’ve managed to go five minutes without wanting to kill each other. Let’s enjoy it.”
“I’ll drink to that.”
One hour and a second bottle of wine later, they’d put a surprising dent in the vast amount of food. The alcohol had loosened them up and put them more at ease. While most of their conversation remained superficial, little things began to slip through, and they found themselves enjoying each other’s company.
“I don’t think I can eat another bite,” Josie moaned, shifting in her chair.
“Is there anything left? I’ve never seen anyone eat like you.”
“Oh, shut up. You’re just pissed because I ate the last egg roll.”
“You promised to share.”
“Well I lied. Sue me.” Josie shrugged. Her glassy eyes, red cheeks, and playful smile were anything but apologetic.
Anders tsked. “Looks like I’ll have to eat all the desserts myself.”
“What?” Josie sat up in her chair, her eyes comically wide. “You didn’t tell me there was dessert. What do you have? Are you holding out on me, Anders?”
“How can you even think about eating again?”
“Easy. Side pocket and alcohol.”
“What?” Anders laughed, pushing up from his chair and grabbing Josie’s hand. He didn’t understand how she could eat another bite, but if it kept her smiling, he’d feed her until she did need a forklift.
“Side pocket. It’s like an extra stomach reserved for desserts.”
“Like a cow?”
“Did you just call me a cow?” Josie gasped, smacking his shoulder with her free hand. Anders caught it and brought it to his mouth, biting gently on her fingers.
“No, stop it.” His smile widened as he pulled her until they were chest to chest. He dropped her hand and wrapped his arms around her as he walked her backward into the kitchen. “What about alcohol?”
“Munchies,” she mumbled. The warmth from the wine and his body pressed against her made her head swim. She lifted her hands, brushing them up his hips and to his waist. She slipped her fingertips under the hem of his shirt and dragged them around his back until she clasped them around him.
Anders’ eyes fell shut. The feel of her nails scraping over his skin caused his muscles to clench. He’d wanted to have her like this since he ran into her at the studio almost two months ago. Now that the moment was here, he didn’t want to rush it. He couldn’t explain why, and trying to figure it out would most likely piss him off.
He guided her to the counter and stopped once her back pressed against the stone. “What’s your favorite cake?”
“Huh?” Josie blinked. The wine combined with Anders made it hard to think.
“Cake. What’s your favorite?”
“Anders. We’re going to do this now? You still want to ask me questions?” Josie pressed her hands into his skin and ran them the length of his back and down again. He clenched his jaw, unsure if it was to control his reaction to her hands or because she fought him at every turn.
“I bought cake. A lot of different kinds. They’re small. I wanted to give you one that you’d like.” His voice was low and controlled and Josie knew they were on the verge of another argument if she didn’t answer the damn question.
“Um, white?”
Anders narrowed his eyes before walking to the refrigerator. He pulled out a tray with a couple dozen petit fours and set them on the counter. “I have no idea what flavors these are. I asked for two of everything.”
“Anders, I can’t eat all of these.”
“Well fuck, I hope not! Or I’m going to have to go back to my cow theory.”
Josie reached forward and pinched his side, causing him to jerk in surprise. “Ivy, didn’t your mother tell you it’s not nice to pinch.”
“Didn’t your mother tell you it’s not nice to compare a girl to a cow?”
Anders cocked his head to the side and studied her for a moment. A slow smile spread across his face as an idea began to form. “Here.” He grabbed one of the cakes and lifted it to her mouth. She raised her brow, but when he grazed the icing-covered sweet over her bottom lip she relented. Her eyes rolled back when she bit down.
“Oh my God.”
“I want to play a game.”
Josie licked the icing off her bottom lip and opened her eyes, meeting Anders’ part-mischievous, part-serious gaze. “What kind of game?”
“One that ends with both of us naked.”
“Well, I like this game already. What are the rules?”
“I tell you something. You guess if it’s true or not. If you’re right, I lose a piece of clothing. If you’re wrong, you do.”
“Anders,” Josie sighed, dropping her gaze.
He hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her head. “Humor me? Please?”
“Fine. But you go first. And I’m eating cake.” It was the most ridiculous, juvenile idea Josie had ever heard. They didn’t need to play a game to get naked. They knew how the night was going to end.
Anders leaned on the counter across from her. He didn’t want to tell her anything too personal. After all, this was a way for him to find out things about her, not give away his deepest, darkest secrets.
“Before I got into acting, I wanted to be a geologist.”
Josie laughed and shook her head. “No way. False.”
A sly smirk pulled at the corner of Anders’ mouth. “What piece of clothing are you going to shed, Ivy?”
“What? Are you serious? You wanted to play with rocks all day?” At Anders’ smug nod, she made a sound of disgust and kicked off her shoes. “That wasn’t fair.”
“Your turn.”
Josie looked at the cakes beside her before turning to Anders, her face blank. “I love to cook.”
“Not even a little,” he answered right away.
“What? Why?”
“Because of the way you ate tonight. I’m going to hazard a guess you don’t eat like that all the time. If so, you wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much as you did.”
“My brother’s a chef. I can eat like this anytime I want.”
Anders nodded, happy to have gotten another piece of information without having to reveal anything in return. “So I’m wrong?” he asked, grabbing the hem of his shirt. “You do like to cook?”
“Fuck,” she groaned, her frustration clear. “No. I hate cooking. If it wasn’t for Holden, I’d starve.”
“Well then, it looks like you’ve lost another piece of clothing.”
Josie narrowed her eyes at his smug expression. He might have thought he was winning by getting her to tell him things, but a few more wrong answers and the only question he’d be asking was please. She reached behind her and gripped the zipper to her skirt, sliding the teeth apart until the material fell to the floor. She bent down. Her eyes locked with Anders’ as she retrieved her skirt and tossed it on the counter.
“Your turn.”
Anders swallowed hard, his throat tight. He wasn’t expecting her to lose her skirt. She stood in front of him in just her panties and an oversized sweater that hung halfway off her shoulder. He wondered how good of an idea this was after all.
“Um, I played baseball until I blew out my knee.”
Josie laughed. “Lie. You wanted to play with rocks. An athlete that does not make.”
“Fair enough.” Anders tugged his shirt overhead, not bothering to go slow or tease her. Every second he took was one second he couldn’t see her half-naked body. “Go.”
“Someone’s in a hurry.” Josie bent her knee, propping her bare foot on the cabinet behind her. She grabbed another petit four as she thought about what her next confession would be.
“Ivy…,” Anders warned, his patience wearing thin.
She hummed and licked the icing off her finger. Her eyes slid from his chest to the button of his pants where the material was beginning to strain. She no longer wanted to tease him either.
“I’ve never been in love.”
“Lie,” he whispered.
She shook her head. “Not a lie.”
Anders’ lips parted in disbelief. He wasn’t sure why, but something in his chest tightened at her admission. He kicked off his shoes and licked his lips before speaking, his heart pounding so violently he thought it might come through his chest.
“I’ve never wanted to kiss someone as much as I do you.”
“Right now?”
“Ever.” His voice was strong and clear as he spoke, leaving no doubt that he meant what he said. But Josie needed to hear him say it.
“Lie.”
“Lose your shirt, Ivy.”
“Fuck,” she exhaled, pulling her top off. She stood in front of him in nothing but her bra and panties and she had no intentions of answering enough questions to get them off. She was going in for the kill. “You were my first and only one-night stand.”
“Lie.”
Her chest heaved, and she gripped the counter by her sides until her knuckles whitened. “Not a lie. I wanted you that much. Lose your pants, Anders.”
His pants fell to the floor, and he was on her before she could draw in a breath. He gripped her waist, his fingers digging into her skin as he lifted her to the counter. She wrapped her legs around his waist and twisted her fingers into his hair as his mouth crashed against hers. They both moaned the moment he shifted his hips, pushing against the heat throbbing between her legs.
He flexed his fingers, one hand moving to cup her breast while the other slid to her ass. He rocked against her as he pushed her chest back. Breaking their kiss, he trailed his mouth down her neck, licking and sucking every inch of exposed skin he could reach.
He yanked the lacy material of her bra to the side and pulled her nipple into his mouth. Josie moaned, her head falling back as she clutched his hair, holding his face to her chest.
“God.”
“Fuck, Ivy.” He pulled back and grabbed her hands, placing them on the counter and dropping to his knees. Josie lifted her head, her eyes heavy, her harsh breaths pushing past parted lips. He lifted her foot to his shoulder and leaned forward.
Turning his head, he kissed the inside of her thigh before biting down. Josie’s entire body jerked and her legs began to tremble as he repeated his kiss-bite torture higher and higher up her thigh. He wrapped his hands around either side of her panties. “These need to go.”
“Uh-huh.”
He tugged on her panties the same time they heard a loud bang and the sound of laughter. “What the fuck?” Anders jumped to his feet as the voices got closer. He looked at Josie, who sat frozen, her eyes wide with panic. Snatching her shirt off the floor, he tossed it in her lap. “Put this on.”
Josie hopped down and scrambled to yank on her shirt, then grabbed her skirt, her hands shaking as she pulled it on. Anders managed to get his pants on before Owen rounded the corner with two girls.
As soon as his eyes landed on Anders, his smile vanished. “Oh shit.” His gaze slid over to Josie and he finally understood why Anders had put forth so much effort.
“What the fuck, Owen?” Anders snapped, pushing Josie behind him and out of view, partly because he didn’t like the way Owen was looking at her and partly because he recognized one of the girls with Owen. “I forgot. Damn, Anders, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, I can see why it would’ve slipped your mind.” His voice was clipped as his eyes flicked over to the model he recognized.
“Anders Ellis.” She smiled, her eyes focused on his chest. “Who’s your friend?”
Anders stiffened. The one thing he tried to avoid was someone finding out about Josie and it happened anyway. “None of your fucking business.” Josie took a step away from Anders, the hard edge to his voice sending a chill down her spine.
“Wow, you don’t have to be mean. I was only curious what she’d done to deserve all this.” She waved her hand around the kitchen covered in empty food containers and bottles of wine.
“And you’re not important enough to ask those kinds of questions. So, like I said before, mind your own fucking business.”
“I should go,” Josie whispered. She moved to the other side of the kitchen and grabbed her purse, avoiding the watchful eyes of the two girls.
Anders spun around. “What? No. Wait.”
Josie shook her head, her stomach in knots. She didn’t know if it was because of how adamant Anders was about not answering questions about her or the way he spoke to the girl, but she wanted to get out of that room and away from everyone in it.
“We can leave,” Owen offered, looking between Anders and Josie.
“No, not necessary.” Josie looked at Anders. “I’ll see you.”
Anders stared at her―nostrils flared and eyes narrowed―his body and mind at war. He wanted to go after her, stop her from leaving and ask why she looked like she’d seen a ghost. Still, his feet remained planted by the part of his mind that demanded he remained indifferent. He couldn’t run after her. He couldn’t show weakness. He couldn’t give the other people in the room the impression he cared one way or the other if she left. Because he didn’t care. He didn’t.