CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“You saw her? You talked to her?”
Nate was apoplectic, pacing back and forth on the patio, his face red, while Max tried to calm him down.
“She was in the bathroom. I couldn’t hide in there all night,” Paige argued, keeping her voice calm. “She’s brought the two women from your threesome here to the party and she’s planning to pretend running into them is an accident. Some sort of amazing coincidence. She’s going to cry and act all heartbroken for the paps. I guess she needs the publicity for her latest shitty movie. She wants to remind America of how you humiliated yourself last year so she can play the victim again and get her name in the papers. This from the girl who’s snorting cocaine in a public bathroom.”
Scraping his fingers through his hair, Nate groaned. “This is a nightmare. Shit, why is she even here? How did she get an invitation and get those girls in here?” He whirled on his heel and faced Paige. “What did you say to her?”
About that…
“I was kind of in the moment,” Paige began. “Upset about what she was planning. And then she said you had a tiny cock and was lousy in bed. Well, handsome, those were some fighting words.”
He shook his head, his brows pulled together. “She’s not exactly my type but I don’t care what she said.”
“She said you cheated on her and you would cheat on me.”
Nate rolled his eyes. “You can’t cheat on someone if you’re not in a relationship. It’s not like she was interested in me. You know I would never cheat on you, right? I would never do that.”
He actually sounded worried.
“That’s what I told her.”
Nate and Max must have read her expression, because she had their undivided attention.
“Did you say anything else?” Nate asked cautiously.
Son of a bitch. Her snarky mouth was always getting her into trouble.
“I was trying to defend you.”
“That’s very sweet. What did you say?”
Rubbing her chin, Paige pursed her lips. “I told her that I was keeping you too busy to cheat on me and that I’d rode your monster-sized cock in the back of the limo on the way here and came twice. Oh, and I told her she was a lousy actress because she is.”
Max’s eyes widened and then he burst into laughter, choking on the whiskey he’d been drinking. Nate turned a particularly unattractive shade of purple before also bursting into gales of laughter. Paige took a seat at a patio table as the two men roared, snickered and whooped, tears running down their faces.
So glad I could amuse everyone.
Nate wiped at his eyes, still holding his stomach. “Love, you are a treasure.”
What?
“You’re not mad?”
Shaking his head, he pulled her into his arms where she snuggled close, her cheek on his chest. “I’m not angry. In fact, I feel rather special that I have a woman who would try to defend my honor. Not everyone would do that.”
Max shook his head. “She may come after you, Paige.”
She’d thought about that. “I’m pretty sure she nor any of her friends and fans read much, unless it’s a text or a tweet. But she can try if she wants. I really don’t care. I think people are starting to see her for what she is. She’s not a nice person. At all.”
“No, she is not,” Nate shuddered.
“So what do we do?” Max asked. “We can’t let her drag you through the mud again.”
His arms dropping away, Nate walked over to the edge of the patio and then back again, a visible pulse at his temple. “When it’s time to go, Max, you’ll take Paige home. I’ll leave separately.”
No, no, no.
Paige replied before Max had a chance. She wasn’t going to let him face this alone. “I don’t think so. I’m not leaving you to face those reporters all by yourself. We’re a team now, handsome.”
“No.” Nate shook his head, his lips turned down. “I won’t let you get caught up in the stupidity of my past. Stella is gunning for me and I won’t turn you into a human shield.”
He was so fucking stubborn sometimes. “I think it would be helpful to remind the press that you’ve moved beyond that single moment in time and with me by your side it will be easier. You and me, walking out of this joint when the party is over, heads held high and wearing a blissful smile. You know, because we’re so in love and Stella Riley is a big old loser.”
His mouth fell open and she didn’t have to wonder why. She’d used the “L” word. She’d be nervous if she didn’t think her feelings were returned but after the last several weeks she was thinking they were.
Jesus, hopefully. Otherwise she was going to look like an idiot. An idiot in love with someone who didn’t feel the same.
Now she was nervous, her heart lodged in her throat and yet somehow it managed to beat wildly.
“Love?”
Max backed toward the door. “This would be my cue to leave you both alone. Don’t screw it up, Nate.”
“I won’t.” He waited until Max disappeared inside the party. “You said love. Were you saying it sarcastically?”
Not only was he stubborn, he could be a trifle thick. Good thing he was so pretty and talented.
“Did I sound sarcastic?”
Frowning, Nate shrugged as if he didn’t care. “It could go either way.”
Time to be brave even though her knees were currently knocking together underneath these designer duds.
“I wasn’t being sarcastic.”
His gaze dropped to the concrete and then he looked up again, a look of pure tenderness and joy on his handsome features. “I love you too.”
The impact of his words sent her reeling and she had to grab a hold of the back of a chair to keep upright. Hopefully a human being didn’t need oxygen and love at the same time because she couldn’t catch her breath.
“I didn’t expect this,” Paige said honestly. It had come out of left field but she couldn’t deny how she felt.
She loved Nate Mason.
“Me neither, but I’m happy,” he confessed, and she could swear she saw his eyes tear a little. His hands were shaking and he shoved them in his pockets. “That’s why I can’t let you walk out with me tonight. It’s my job to protect you, love.”
It was her job as well but he wasn’t thinking about that at the moment. She loved him for trying to protect her but this wasn’t the time for chivalry. She needed to show Nate just how strong she could be for him.
“What can they say about me? That I’m a few years older than you. Truth. That I’m a boring, middle-aged writer. More truth. If they make something up, it will be a lie and we’ll know that.” She placed her hands on his shoulders so she had all of his attention. He needed to hear this. “I love you, Nate. That means I love all of you. The good, the bad, and the downright awful. Even all the characters you’ve played over the years. You did something kind of stupid last year but you shouldn’t have to pay the rest of your life. Don’t let Stella Riley win. She wants you to be frightened and intimidated, and then she can control you. She thinks you’re afraid to walk out of here and be face to face with those girls. Let’s show her she has zero meaning in our new lives.”
It was a long speech and she could see the war inside of him, going back and forth. He didn’t want to face the paps alone but he didn’t want to expose her to what Stella might be up to.
“There’s so much bad, love. If I were Kai–”
She cut him off with a wave of her hand. “Kai doesn’t exist and thank goodness. He’s sexy and all but he’d be hell to be in a relationship with. I’ll stick with Nate, if you don’t mind. Now? Are we walking out of here together no matter who is waiting to get their picture taken?”
Crushing her to his chest, he proceeded to smear her lipstick quite thoroughly and satisfyingly. When he lifted his head, he pressed soft kisses all over her face from her forehead to her chin as she giggled and batted uselessly at his broad chest with her hands.
“What are you doing? You’re tickling me.”
He paused his lips hovering above hers, his expression solemn. “I adore you and everything about you.”
The seriousness of the moment wasn’t lost on her. This meant something. “I adore you too. I love you.”
“And I love you. More than you can possibly know.” His throat bobbed and there was wetness around his eyes. “That you’re willing to stand by me when I don’t deserve–”
Her fingers covered his mouth, warm from their kisses. He had no idea that he was worthy of her loyalty. She’d have to show him. “You do deserve it. We’ll walk out of here like we give no fucks.”
“Not a one,” he whispered, his lips covering hers again, barely at first like the wings of a butterfly, then more as she slid her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Every inch of her was pressed against his hard-muscled body, and everywhere his fingers brushed left a trail of fire on her skin, making her want what only he could give her.
Groaning as he reluctantly pulled away, he flicked a glance over his shoulder. “I suppose we should join the party. There are people I want you to meet. I can’t wait to show off the most beautiful woman in the room.”
She had to tease him a little. “You are in love, aren’t you? That room is full of actresses and models. I won’t be the best looking.” Rising up on her tiptoes, she pressed a kiss to his lips. “But thank you for thinking that I am.”
“You have no idea just how gorgeous you are. Every man in there is going to wish he was me.”
Giggling, she trailed her fingers up his torso to where his pulse beat rapidly at the base of his neck. “Then let’s get in there make them jealous. I know the women will be. You look especially yummy in that suit. I can’t wait to take it off of you.”
Nate looked of two minds about rejoining the party and she was in the same boat. A big part of her wanted to blow this off and go home to do all sorts of debauched things to one another but the more practical part of her knew they had to stay. This was his goodbye to Kai. And a middle finger to Stella.
He straightened his tie and smiled. “You are naughty. We won’t stay late.”
When Nate’s costars heard what Stella Riley had cooked up for him they rallied to his aid. Max and a few other actors from the Thunder cast had Nate point out the two girls and they’d talked to them personally, asking them not to do this publicity stunt. A short conversation, some selfies, and a few dances later, the girls left by the emergency exit using Max’s limo with smiles on their faces. Paige had no idea what the men had promised them but she had heard something about one of the guys attending a birthday party.
Stella kicked up a fuss but no one paid much attention to her as even the photographers were getting tired of her games.
It was two in the morning before Nate and Paige left the party but they didn’t leave alone. They were flanked by Max and the other actors including the very sexy and famous Tyler Gaylord and Sam Collins.
The paps were so excited to see all the stars of the movie together in one picture, doing silly antics for the cameras and signing autographs, they forgot about Stella’s victim act. There was only one line in the article the next day mentioning that she and Nate used to date and that she was also at the party. End of story. Paige had a feeling Garrett might have also put some pressure on the tabloids as well but she couldn’t be sure.
The most important thing was that she’d shown Nate that love meant that she would stand beside him no matter what. He deserved that kind of devotion and he didn’t have to be anybody but himself to get it.
Paige waved the morning paper in Nate’s face as they sat in the hotel room eating lunch the next day. They’d slept through breakfast. “You have good friends, handsome. But I still owe you a good, hard kick in the crotch.”
His brows went up as he sipped his tea. “That sounds painful. What did I do to earn that treatment?”
“Her.”
“Her,” he sighed. “Technically, I never did her, and in my defense I didn’t know what she was like when I signed the contract. If I had…”
Paige waggled her eyebrows. “I’ll tell you what. You can make it up to me.”
“Again?”
They’d just about worn out the mattress after the party.
“I can still walk. That means your job isn’t finished.”
Nate ripped the newspaper from Paige’s hands and tossed it away before jumping up and sweeping her into his arms.
“Never let it be said that Nathan Andrew Mason only does half a job.”
Giggling, she allowed herself to be thrown on the messy bed. “Ravish me, you wild man.”
They didn’t leave the room until they had to catch their plane the next morning. Life was good. Oh so good.