I slept solidly all night. Alex’s bed was the most comfortable bed I had ever slept in. But maybe my contented sleep had something to do with Alex’s arms wrapped around me all night. I stirred, wanting to pretend to still be dozing, but Alex was already awake. His arms squeezed me as he pulled me backward, closer to his front.
“Morning, Ella,” he greeted huskily before kissing me on my shoulder. “Did you sleep well?”
I stretched, rolling even further onto Alex’s body as I did so.
“So comfy.” I yawned, knowing that this was the start of another morning, another day. I wanted to avoid everything outside our current blissful bubble. “Let’s stay here forever,” I suggested.
“You’re not a morning person, are you?” He kissed the side of my neck.
“Not at all,” I confirmed. “Not when I’m this comfy.”
“I can make you un-comfy.” He twisted my hair as he spoke, the action one of tenderness. I turned to face him.
“We need to get up,” he said, the sleepiness of his voice matched my own. He didn’t sound as if he wanted to get up any more than I did. He was just far more professional.
“It’s six in the morning. We need to be at the studio at seven today.” He kissed the side of my head, and his arms squeezed me before he moved. “I brought you dinner in bed last night. But I’m not bringing you breakfast.”
He stood at the end of the bed, stretching his arms above his head. My sleepy eyes managed to open a little wider.
“Now, stop ogling me and get up!” His hands grabbed the sheets, pulling them off my warm and comfortable body.
“You . . .” I started.
“Now, now, Ella.” He rushed toward the bathroom.
I thumped the mattress, and groaned as I pulled the sheets back over my body. I willed myself to think about anything but the day ahead. I didn’t know whether I had the strength to face the reporters and photographers outside, or the ones that would undoubtedly be waiting at the studio. And then there was Amy.
Alex was humming as he came out of the bathroom. “All yours,” he said cheerfully. He sounded like he’d been awake for hours.
I remained silent, battling my inner demons that were preventing me from getting up. I knew I had to, but my body didn’t want to move.
“How are you feeling today?”
“Fine,” I mumbled.
Alex chuckled. “Oh, we are grumpy this morning.”
I opened one eye to see what he was doing and was greeted with a sight that definitely woke me up. I sat up, both eyes wide open. Alex had his back to me, but he had just pulled his pyjama bottoms down his legs and was stepping out of them. He was completely naked.
I stared, completely gobsmacked, and drew in a sharp intake of breath. He pulled on a pair of black trunks, just like the ones I was currently wearing. All I wished was that I’d been standing in front of him a few seconds ago, rather than on the bed behind him.
“I won’t tell you again,” he said, not turning to face me. “Stop checking out my ass, Ella.”
“Well stop flaunting it in my face then,” I said.
He grinned before pulling on a pair of jeans.
“Breakfast. Downstairs. Five minutes. I suggest you get dressed,” he said, buttoning up the fly on his jeans before leaving the bedroom.
With Alex gone the bed wasn’t so welcoming. I groaned as I got up and dressed in the same clothes I’d worn yesterday. There was one different item though. I kept Alex’s trunks on.
* * *
The fuss when we left Alex’s house was just as expected. Photographers were everywhere. They seemed to have doubled in number as well. Word that I had stayed the night at Alex’s had spread, and they all wanted a picture of me.
Alex had suggested I tie my hair back, and then placed the obligatory baseball cap on my head. He had pushed a hooded sweat-top my way, telling me to pull the hood up. He had also produced a pair of sunglasses. I felt like a complete idiot climbing into the car wearing the sunglasses. It was half past six in the morning. The sun wasn’t even in the sky.
The fuss when we arrived at the studio wasn’t much better, but Alex talked me through the whole frightening event, whispering words of encouragement and advising me where to look and what to do.
He guided me into the quietness of the studio, his arm around my waist. As soon as we were out of sight of all the powerful lenses he grabbed my hand and practically ran with me to his dressing room. He dragged me into the room, backing me up against the door we’d just come through. I giggled excitedly as he attacked my lips.
“I haven’t had my kiss this morning,” he growled.
I wrapped my arms around him, pulling his body closer. “You were the one that ran off, remember?”
“Ella, if I’d have stayed in bed one second longer this morning, I would never have left. As lovely as that would have been, I had to come to work today. There are important scenes to do. I’ve got to nail them so we’re ready for the closed set.”
“Don’t remind me,” I said, screwing my nose up at the thought of him and Amy together.
He kissed me again before pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Have you decided what you’re going to do yet? Watch, or sit in here whilst it’s all going on?”
“I’m still not sure. What do you want me to do?” I was curious as to what he thought.
“I think it would be best if you didn’t watch, but you need to make the decision. I have no problem with you watching me act the scenes. In fact, I think it’d give me quite a buzz. Knowing that you’d be watching me simulating sex with another person is quite erotic.” He stroked my cheek with the back of his hand. “Particularly when we haven’t made love yet.”
“Pervert.”
“Oh, come on.” He pouted. “Give me some slack here, Ella. You told me last night you had dreamt about being in bed with me. I assume we didn’t just lie there all night in these dreams.”
“Why not? We didn’t do anything last night. Maybe I dreamt exactly that.”
His pout turned into a lopsided smirk. “I doubt it. And I do want to know exactly what I was doing to you in your dreams, but not now. Let me tell you though, Ella, that if I ever dream of you, which I am sure I will do when I’m in Los Angeles, I will not just be lying in bed with you.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I’ll be doing all sorts of wicked things to you, and I’m damn sure you’ll be doing all sorts of naughty things with that body paint.”
“You said all the bottles were smashed.”
“They were. But I’m dreaming remember?”
There was a knock on the door behind me. I jumped at the sudden noise.
“Come in!” Alex shouted, backing away from the door with me still in his arms.
I glanced into the mirror on the wall behind Alex, seeing that it was Rowan who had strode into the room. He was scowling.
“What’s wrong now?” Alex asked, narrowing his eyes at Rowan before turning his attention back to me, resting the side of his face against my forehead.
“Amy isn’t very well. She’s going to be late in.”
Alex tipped his head backward. “And why wasn’t I informed about this earlier? Today was an early start, one I could have done without. Do you all think I have nothing better to do than sit around all fucking morning waiting for her to turn up?”
“She’s ill, Alex. I’m sure she’d be here if she could. Even Amy can be ill, can’t she?”
“What’s wrong with her then? Nothing serious, I hope.” I heard the sarcasm in his voice and winced at his hate filled insinuation.
“Alex, I—”
“Shut it, Rowan. I’m sick of all this shit!” He released me from his embrace and strode over to Rowan.
“I’m sorry, Alex. I forgot to call you. I only remembered when I got here myself.”
“What? You only remembered when you got here? For fucks sake, Rowan, what’s wrong with you these days? You used to be so focused. Now your head’s all over the place.”
Rowan stared at the floor, suddenly seeming interested in a chipped tile. I reached for Alex’s arm.
He spun around, and I shook my head. ‘Leave him,’ I mouthed. But Alex wasn’t having any of it.
“Do you want to know where I was this morning? What I was doing?”
Rowan lifted his gaze. “No, but I can guess.”
“I was in bed with Ella this morning. I could have stayed there for another hour, and you forget to call me. Don’t you think a call would have been appreciated?”
“I don’t care what you two get up to,” Rowan said through gritted teeth.
Alex snarled. “Oh, I get it. I should have realised earlier.”
“Realised what?” Rowan shot at Alex.
“I’m so onto you, Rowan.”
I frowned. I didn’t like Alex when he was like this; pissed off and angry.
“You fancy Ella, don’t you? As if you ever stood a fucking chance with her.” He stepped forward, invading Rowan’s personal space. “Ella is with me. Now get out of my dressing room. I don’t want us to be disturbed until Amy arrives. Understand?”
Rowan flushed a bright red before turning and heading out of the room.
The door slammed shut.
“You can’t speak to Rowan like that,” I said.
“Why not? I hate working with him. What I said was true. He has lost all sense of direction. His head is all over the place. I used to admire him, but not anymore. If I get my way, he’ll not be producing the next film.”
“Alex!” I shouted. “Stop this. It’s not necessary.”
He sighed and moved to wrap his arms around me. I backed away, shrugging off his embrace.
“He fancies you,” he said.
“And? What if he does? I don’t fancy him.”
“I . . . I just wanted him to know we were together,” Alex said, quietly. “It’s just that after everything with Amy, I want to make sure it never happens again. Not with you. I couldn’t stand it if I lost you to anyone.” It was his turn to stare at the floor.
“Alex, look at me.”
He ignored me, preferring to look at the same chipped tile as Rowan.
“Alex, look at me,” I repeated.
He slowly lifted his face and met my gaze.
“I am not Amy. I will never behave like her.”
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them. “I’m sorry.”
I lifted my hand onto his shoulder, moving it onto his neck and across his cheek.
“I actually feel quite insulted that you think I could behave like Amy. Don’t you know me at all?” I asked, worried that the time we had spent together hadn’t registered with him.
“I know you’re not Amy. I know you’ll not behave like her, but it still scares me.”
I pulled him toward me, letting him rest his head on my shoulder.
“I could never, ever, treat you like that,” I said. “It’s not who I am.”
His arms closed around me as he hugged me.
“I know. Truly, I do. I just need you to remind me . . . constantly.” He kissed my neck. “I know we can’t use our special purchases just yet, Ella, but I’m determined to have you naked in my bed tonight.”
I twisted my body in his tight hold.
“Okay. But you have to take me home first. I need a change of clothes, and clean underwear. I can’t go around wearing yours all the time."
“You’ve got my underwear on?” He lifted his head from my shoulder.
“Yeah, I kept your trunks on this morning. They’re comfy, quite roomy for an average guy.”
He shook his head and grinned before kissing me. I responded immediately, hitching my leg around his thigh.
He moaned into my mouth. “I think I fucking love you, Ella Summer.”
* * *
It had been on the tip of my tongue to ask whether Alex was serious about his sudden declaration of love, but decided that it was just a spur of the moment thing for him to say, and besides, I was too busy kissing him and wrapping my limbs around his body.
Our heated making out session had been interrupted. Erin had arrived to apply Alex’s make up. I stayed in the room whilst he chatted and joked with her.
I liked Erin. She seemed friendly, and she constantly made fun of Alex’s quirky ways.
“I have a favour to ask you, Erin,” Alex suddenly said.
I glanced up from the script I was reading, curious about what he was going to say.
“Go on then, Ryan,” she replied, using his character’s name from the film.
Alex quirked his brow at her before answering. “Ella needs some clean clothes picking up from her house. It’s a bit difficult for her to go and get them. Would you be willing to help? Go back to hers if she gave you the key, and pick up some stuff for her, then bring it back to mine?”
“Alex!” I exclaimed. “You can’t ask Erin to do something like that.”
“Sure,” she replied, ignoring me.
“Erin, honestly, there’s no need. Alex can drop me off, and I’ll get a taxi to his when I’m sorted.”
Erin shot me a puzzled stare. “You can’t be serious. I saw all the paps outside the studio this morning. There’ll be even more outside your house tonight.”
“Exactly.” Alex nodded through his reflection in the mirror.
I sighed, exasperated that he had dragged someone else into the media circus that seemed to be developing around us.
“Don’t worry, Ella,” he added. “No-one will think anything about Erin going into your building. She can just pretend to be one of the other residents if they ask her anything.”
Erin nodded. “Honestly, Ella, it’s not a problem. I’ll have a word with you later about what you want me to grab. Maybe you can write me a list.”
“Okay.”
They were both right. I suspected it would be a nightmare if I returned home.
“Have you seen today’s papers?” Erin asked as she applied the finishing touches to Alex’s make-up.
We both shook our heads, and Erin reached into her bag. She placed a newspaper on the counter and tapped it with her finger.
“Fuck!” Alex swore upon seeing the photo on the front page of the daily rag.
“You made front page.” Erin winked at me before looking serious. “It’s a good photo, but the editorial is completely inaccurate and possibly slanderous.”
Alex grabbed the paper and started reading. I dropped the script on the floor as I sprang from my chair to peer over his shoulder. There was a large photo of me. It was one taken last night, when we had arrived back at Alex’s. It also had a smaller picture of us entering his house, when Alex had his arm around my shoulder. I glanced at the headline, feeling my anger start to rise. If I was feeling this annoyed, then Alex must have been furious.
“Starshine Playboy’s Lookalike Lover'
I scanned the article. My mouth fell open, and I shook my head at the lies I was reading. The whole article was written as if I was a replacement for Amy in Alex’s life. There was reference to me looking like her, and that Alex had been searching for someone just like Amy to fill the gap since she’d left him. His wandering eye, and his inability to remain in a monogamous relationship with her were mentioned.
“Fucking vermin!” Alex yelled. “And Amy, ill or not, I’ll give her a piece of my mind when she gets here.”
“Alex, this is probably nothing to do with her. They just keep bringing that rubbish up because they don’t have any new information to print. If neither of us speak to them, they have no idea what’s going on. Isn’t it the same sort of rubbish that they always publish?”
“I don’t like the reference comparing you to Amy. It’s wrong on so many levels.”
I kissed the side of his head. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll put this in my bag. We’ll get drunk tonight and then read it again and laugh at it.” I turned to Erin. “Is it alright if I keep it, or do you want it?”
“You keep it. I’ve already read it.”
Alex suddenly spun around in the chair, and pulled me onto his knee. “Have I told you how fucking unbelievable you are?” he asked.
“My cue to leave,” Erin said as she headed to the door. “Don’t mess up his make-up.”
I giggled as Alex’s hands cupped either side of my face. His thumbs stroked my lips before his met mine with an urgency I had never experienced before.
I loved kissing Alex. Who wouldn’t? But the way he was currently touching me as well as kissing me, was sending my hormones wild. His tongue urgently sought mine as his lips crashed against my mouth. One of his hands trapped me in place as he held the back of my head. His hips were moving in a constant rhythm as I sat astride him, his other free hand was pushing up under my top, exploring my naked skin.
I kissed him back with equal force, my own hands trapping his head, tugging through his already dishevelled hair as I pulled him even more into our kiss. My hip movement was matching his, stroke for stroke, thrust for thrust. If things felt this good when we were clothed, I would lose my mind when we were naked.
He pulled his mouth away from mine, keeping my bottom lip caught in between his teeth, and sucking on it as it slipped from his lips. Both of us were breathing heavily, our chests rising and falling in time with each other’s.
“I will self-combust when I’m in Los Angeles,” he said, shifting his hips once again. I guessed he was trying to find a more comfortable position for his current state.
I slipped my hands onto his shoulders, letting them trail down his bare skin along the edge of the V-neck of his t-shirt. We never broke eye contact as I continued to slip my hand into his t-shirt. He moved his hips again, a continuation of before.
I leaned closer, and he tried to catch my mouth for another kiss, but I evaded his lips and whispered into his ear instead. “Could you imagine how this would feel if I had my dress on instead of my jeans?”
My question was met with a rumbled growl from Alex as he kissed me again. His hands were suddenly everywhere. They were in my hair, caressing my neck, slipping down my arms, and around my waist. They finally ended up on my ass as he pulled me hard against him.
I moaned at the sensation, wishing my last comment had been a fact, not just a suggestive comment. I broke away from his onslaught of kissing, and started to kiss my way along his jaw, then onto the side of his neck. He tipped his head back, closed his eyes and groaned as my lips gently sucked at his skin. I wanted to mark him, show the world that he was mine. But he was about to start filming. I would not be popular if I left a huge hickey on his neck.
He moaned, his tone laced with passion. His hands squeezed my ass, and I kissed him even more sensuously.
Both of us were lost in our emotions, enjoying out time together, exploring each other.
Someone cleared their throat and then began coughing.
Alex’s body tensed. I remained still, my lips lingering on his neck.
It was a few seconds before Alex moved. He lifted his head, forcing me to relinquish my hold on his neck.
His hands flattened out on my ass.
“Amy,” he hissed.