Chapter 13

 

Chris

 

“Why is she taking so long?” I groaned, looking down at my phone.

“Maybe she realized what a stupid head you are and left,” Miguel, one of my other little cousins said with a laugh and his mother, my Aunt Rosie, pinched his arm.

“Ow, Ma, I was just joking.”

Maybe it was a bad idea to bring Mary here. She was probably getting bombarded by kids yelling and would soon call up her agent and have my ass fired.

The gym lights flickered, and I wondered if my luck might be changing and there would be an electrical shortage in the old building. But instead, I saw the janitor pressing the light switch as Senor Martinez headed to the front of the makeshift curtains.

“Hey, sorry. I got caught up with the future stars who will steal any and all Emmy nominations from me,” Mary whispered, taking the rickety seat next to me.

I could smell her apple and honey scent before she even sat down and the heat from her body so close to mine already had me at half-staff, which was not appropriate for a kids play.

“Are you going to introduce us to your girlfriend, Mijo, or are you going to just stare at her all night with the tent in your pants,” my mother had to interrupt the moment, leaning over Aunt Rosie and Miguel.

Mom had lived in America since she was a teenager but still acted like she was a straight-off-the-border woman with her long dresses and her graying hair in tight braids that made her face look stern, yet when she smiled it lit up her entire body.

“Mom, the play’s about to start,” I whispered, knowing Mom would make a scene or press her for details.

“Miguel, switch me spots,” Mom commanded, and the little boy did what he was asked, so Mom pushed her way in front of everyone else, ignoring that Senor Martinez was trying to introduce everyone.

“Carmen Garcia, a pleasure to meet the first girl brave enough to meet my son’s family,” Mom said, putting a rough hand out to Mary.

“Mary James,” Mary said, shaking her hand and smiling.

Mom winked, patting Mary’s hand with her free one. “I know who you are, my dear. Everyone in this room does and not because you’re probably the only gringo.”

“And tonight I want to give special thanks to actress Mary James, who is in our audience tonight. I won’t make her stand up, but I hope she knows how much her generous donation and being here to inspire our young people has helped,” Senor Martinez’s blubbery words caused us all to look forward and then the crowd to erupt in applause.

“So you did give a donation?” I whispered, leaning toward Mary.

“Yeah, just five-hundred-thousand. Nothing big,” she whispered nonchalantly, and I almost fell out of my chair, having to catch myself on the rusty metal leg.

“I’m sorry. Did you just say five-hundred-thousand? As in half a million?” I asked as we sat back in our chairs and the curtains opened to my niece and a few other little kids in homemade costumes talking about being in the forest, waiting for some bear friends.

“Yeah. I would have given more, but you know, I wasn’t exactly sure, so I went with what my gut told me sounded like a good amount so the kids could get a real stage. I can always donate more later," Mary said with a shrug.

“Holy shit,” I muttered.

“Is that good or bad?” She asked, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Silencio! My baby’s talking,” Aunt Rosie shushed us, leaning over Miguel.

I nodded. “Sorry, Aunt Rosie.”

Instead of saying anything, I put my hand on Mary’s lap then interlaced our fingers together.

Mary looked at me, raising her eyebrow.

“Thank you,” I mouthed.

And she smiled in return before watching my niece and her friends perform on the little makeshift stage that, thanks to Mary, would probably soon be an auditorium.

To her, the money was nothing. Just an offer. But when she spoke about it, she didn’t even know how that large amount would make such an impact on the school. She didn’t give it because she needed it for her reputation; she genuinely gave it to them.

And that was one of the many reasons I was falling for my fake girlfriend.

 

***

 

With another round of photos and autographs from people in the audience and another group shot of the kids in the play with Mary, Brian pushed his way through the crowd on the front steps of the school. “Cars waiting, Mary.”

Before Brian’s hulking arms could pull her away, my mom leaned forward and embraced the tiny blonde, whispering something in her ear I couldn’t hear.

Mary’s eyes widened before she nodded and pulled back, clasping Mom’s hands. “I will. Don’t worry.”

“What was that about?” I asked as we headed toward the black sedan where Brian opened the door for us, letting us both slide in.

“It’s between your mama and me.”

I laughed. “You can’t keep secrets from a Mexican mama and her son.”

“She just said something along the lines of being happy to have me in your life. Someone good in the city for you,” she said, her gaze flitting to her hands.

“I didn’t exactly correct Mom about our relationship. Or whatever this is…” I waved my hands in front of me as if that could encompass something theoretical.

“Why correct her? I mean this may be a fake relationship, or started out like that, but what else do you call two people who spend time together, who dance, share dinner…kisses…” Her words trailed as she bit down on her bottom lip and I had to hide my growing bulge just from looking at this beautiful girl.

Though she may have said those words, I knew she was an actress. I knew that there was no way in hell she would actually consider dating a guy from Jersey who wasn’t anywhere near the same pay scale as her.

“Are we also going to talk about that mega donation? Seriously, I don’t think Senor Martinez or anyone in that school has ever seen that much money. I thought you’d give them a few hundred bucks, take some photos, and then maybe you know posts about you being there would go viral.”

Mary smiled slightly. “What I gave them wasn’t even half of what I made for one episode of Vamps. I’ve had all of this money that I don’t even know what to do with half the time, so I throw it away on handbags or whatever. But then I saw those kids and saw the condition of the school. If I could have, I would have put on a hardhat and start demolition right there. Do something to show it doesn’t matter where you’re from, but you can be something.”

“Thanks for that, Mary,” I said, putting my hand on hers. And I meant it.

She leaned forward, her warm breath a whisper on my lips. “Thank you for showing me that there’s more to life than the city. Or to do things just for PR stunts.”

Before I could respond, she crushed her lips to mine, her hands going to my shoulders and pulling me closer to her, so I almost fell on top of her onto the plush leather seats.

“Hey! No sex back there. You’ll ruin the leather!” Lance yelled, causing a giggle to escape her sweet lips as she broke our kiss, pressing her forehead to mine.

“Want me to move?” I asked, staring into her bright blue eyes, shimmering in the light from the street lamps.

“Only if you’re moving closer,” she whispered before sealing my lips with hers again.

Being with her, and feeling that hot little body against mine could make me forget that this was just for business. That we were just supposed to be a publicist and client.

And the way her soft little moans escaped her lips and her hands roamed over my back; it made me forget all about work and just think about the feel of her soft skin. How much more of it I wanted to see.

Before I could even have more lustful thoughts, Lance took a sharp turn, causing both of us to go flying in the other direction.

“Lance!” Mary hissed, sitting up as I went back to my seat, adjusting the very large bulge in my pants that was now straining.

“Sorry. Something in the road,” Lance said with a smile, glancing at Brian out of the corner of his eye.

“I guess they aren’t on team LoChri,” I said, taking Mary’s hand on her lap and intertwining our fingers.

“LoChri? Not exactly the best ship name,” she quipped.

“Lourdes and Christiano. LoChri.” I traced her knuckles with my thumb.

“If it’s going to be a ship name in the media we should probably use Mary and Chris. Or even James and Garcia. But that almost sounds like some sort of Badass cop duo or something,” Mary said, lowering her voice. “James and Garcia, here to see about a robbery.”

“I think LoChri sounds good. Sexy even,” I said, slowly running my thumb for her knuckles, down to the soft flesh of her leg where her dress line ended.

“Jarcia. No. Not that either. Maybe…hmmm…” She moved our intertwined hands up her thigh until my knuckles pressed against her damp panties.

I raised an eyebrow, and she bit down on her bottom lip slightly before a smile crossed her lips.

“MaChri?” I asked, running my thumb along the center of her soaked center.

“Hmmm…I guess that’s not bad. But I think you could do better. Go deeper maybe,” she said in a husky tone.

Without even thinking, I pushed aside the wet fabric of her panties and slid one finger inside of her. She was completely bare and already so wet, her body clamping around me and damn if that didn’t have my cock straining against my zipper.

“Keep going. I know you’ve got something good in there.” She turned, her eyes meeting mine as she kept one hand on mine beneath her dress and the other to my face.

I smirked, sliding a second finger inside of her and moving my thumb to draw circles over her clit. She arched her back, her eyes widening as she let out a shaky breath.

“Do you want me to stop coming up with names?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t. Stop.” she breathed, arching her hips forward and pushing me deeper inside of her.

I grinned, feeling the pressure of her walls as I rubbed her clit while hooking and twirling my finger inside of her.

“I still think MaChri is the best,” I murmured. God, she was hot the way her eyelids fluttered, and she clenched around me, so close I could almost taste it.

“I think you’re close,” she whispered.

“I think you are.” I crushed my lips to hers as she clenched hard around me, her moan escaping into my mouth as I quickened my pace, letting her come down from her orgasm then build up to a new one, letting out another sweet and glorious moan. Slowly I moved my fingers back to the side of her panties, a soft whimper escaping her lips as if she missed the feel of me.

I’d been with quite a few girls, but none responded to me the way Mary’s body did. I vowed to keep it professional and to think this wasn’t real, but after feeling her come twice on my fingers, all I could think about is how good she would feel riding me.

“So…you like that ship name?” I asked, smiling into her lips once we’d broken the kiss.

“I think I liked something,” she whispered, placing another soft kiss on my mouth then resting her head on my shoulder.

I finally looked forward, meeting Brian’s gaze in the rearview mirror.

There was something in the bodyguard’s eyes that said he didn’t like or trust me. I couldn’t blame him.

Mary and I were playing a dangerous game with a fake relationship for the press, and now that it was getting real, there was no way we could stop. And that could lead to some bad consequences for all of us.