He backs me up against the wall and slants his mouth over mine. We press our bodies together as our tongues tease each other. Pretty soon, we are panting with desire.
Jack pulls away and lifts me up easily as if he’s been doing it forever.
“I want to make love to you on the bed,” he says, his voice thick with desire.
His words make my heart melt. So many firsts with Jack. I’ve never had a man want to make love to me. It’s always sex. I stare at him lovingly as he carries me down the hallway to my bedroom.
He lays me gently on the bed and then undresses me slowly. I growl with frustration and try to help. He playfully slaps my hand away. “You’re a gift, and I want to enjoy unwrapping the package.”
Tears unexpectedly fill my eyes. Just weeks ago, I would not have believed that I would meet a man who would openly adore me as Jack does. I don’t care that there’s a lot about him I don’t know. It doesn’t matter that he hasn’t taken me to his place. What matters is how he treats me and this special thing growing between us. With time, everything will fall into place. That’s what my mom likes to say.
Chapter 11
Jack
“It was as though in the space of a few hours, we had found ourselves in hell, surrounded by a raging fire.”
The voice belongs to Damon Knight, the character I’ll be playing in my next movie. He was the only firefighter who survived a raging wildfire in his hometown. I listen to nuances in his voice and visualize him speaking.
A knock comes on the door, and I hit stop my computer and remove my headphones. “Yes?”
The door swings open, and Chris, my PA peers in.
I slip the headphones off and jump to my feet. “Come on in!” I bellow at him, pleased to see him.
“Hey, B,” he says and enters the room.
We bear hug and clap each other’s shoulders. “Welcome back,” I tell him. “How was the honeymoon?” He has a deep tan and a relaxed look about him.
“It was fantastic. I’m not sure whether taking Vanessa to a luxurious Caribbean resort was the best idea. She didn’t want to come home,” Chris says.
I laugh. “That’s wonderful. I’m glad you enjoyed yourselves.”
“Thank you. That was the best wedding gift,” Chris says.
I wave his thanks away. He works hard for me, and the least I could have done was give him and his bride a honeymoon to remember.
“I can’t seem to get used to your new face,” he says, staring at me.
“I’m only starting to recognize it as mine, myself. The first few weeks after I came home were terrible. I kept jumping back, startled, when I looked at my reflection in the mirror.”
Chris contemplates me. “I spoke to Sebastian earlier today. He told me that you’re seeing someone. Congratulations.”
“Sebastian has a big mouth,” I grumble, although I’m not really bothered. Sebastian, Chris, Ethan, Maria, and Carlos are like family to me. I trust them implicitly, and over the years, they’ve earned it and proved their loyalty over and over again. I’m lucky in that sense. Many of my contemporaries are surrounded by people whose loyalty is only a tabloid offer away.
Chris laughs and then puts on his work face. “I’ll be next door. I know the inboxes are overflowing.”
“Yeah, and also please get me a reservation for two at La Sade. Dinner.”
“Sure thing.” He leaves, shutting the door behind him.
Las Sade is one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city. I want to take Grace somewhere nice, and though I’ve been enjoying the restaurants we’ve been visiting, I’m craving my normal haunts.
Her revelations last night after dinner had shaken me. It seems like a bad movie plot that I should end up dating Ricky Ross’s daughter without knowing it. No wonder she hates media attention. Her father was one of the most talented but wildest rock stars who ever lived.
After coming home last night from Grace’s, I’d looked him up and had been saddened by the last years of his life. He died a broken and penniless man, having wasted all his fortune.
I’d seen a few pictures of Grace as a child, and they made me want to cry. She had looked well cared for, but her eyes had told a different story. She had been a lonely child. Seeing her looking so sad and staring at the camera with her big eyes had brought out such strong protective feelings, I’d felt like ripping her away from the screen and taking her home to shower her with the love she so desperately craved.
Panic rises in my chest as I remember how adamant she had been that she would never date a celebrity. I had to make her see that not all celebrities live as her parents did. The majority don’t. We’re regular people who just happen to have very big paychecks. Still, fear clutches at my heart at the thought that she’d be willing to end it just because of what I do.