My eyes flutter open as he pulls his hand out from under my dress. A gasp leaves me as he licks his fingers clean.
“You’re my girl now.”
Chapter Twelve
Sawyer
I can still taste her. As I scan the room for threats, the tang and sweetness of her cunt lingers on my tongue. I want more, not just of her body but her heart too. It was impossible for me to pull myself away from her last night. I’d gone and done a quick check after I laid her down in bed but only to return and lay next to her over the cover. I told myself it was to make sure she was safe. She couldn’t be safer than when she is next to me, but the truth was I needed to be near her.
It had been so hard watching everyone in the room lust after her last night. I hated it, but I knew it was her job. If it had been up to me, I would have pulled her out of there within seconds of getting there.
I told her she was my girl even though I shouldn’t have. This is a job, but it didn’t sit right with me to keep saying that when my feelings for her were so much more. I’m not one to hide what I’m feeling. If I’m pissed, I say so, and if I’m in a good mood, everyone can tell. Even if I hadn’t told her, she would’ve figured it out at some point. She’s not dumb.
Her savvy is on full display as she’s being interviewed.
“This movie is about you pursuing your own dreams but it’s also about the relationship you have with Charlie’s character. How much acting is going on here and how much is just real chemistry?” the interviewer probes.
“Charlie’s so attractive and cool that he’d have chemistry with a rock. I’m lucky to be in the same movie as him.”
“Don’t let her fool you,” Charlie interjects. “I’m the one benefiting from Sadie’s on-screen charisma. All I have to do is stand next to her and smile.”
“You two are full of compliments for each other. The connection doesn’t stop when the cameras are off, does it?”
I breathe through my nose and tell myself that Sadie’s smiles are ones she’s directing toward a friend and not a man she wants to fuck. I know they are friends, but I can’t help the jealousy. It’s hard for me to think he’s not in love with her. How can he not be? But I’m pretty sure he’s not. There was never any jealousy when he saw me touch her. Still, jealousy is a bitch, and I know it’s got its hold on me when it comes to Sadie.
“I love working with Charlie. He’s good at what he does and is a professional. An actress can’t ask for more than that.” Sadie’s answers are perfectly non-committal, which the interviewer, who wants a sound bite, finds frustrating.
She turns to Charlie instead. “You played a protector role in Game Changer. How would your character have reacted if his lover’s nudes were leaked?”
Sadie reaches out a hand to Charlie, but he ignores her silent signal. “What any person in their right mind would’ve done, beat the shit out of the leaker.”
“And you, Sadie, how do you feel your character would’ve acted?”
It’s smart couching the questions in this way, but it’s also fucked up because Sadie doesn’t want to answer these. I look to the manager, who has his arms crossed over his chest. He wants something sensational, too. It gets her name out in the press. That’s all he wants.
I step forward. “Miss Monroe has another interview after this, so we’ll have to end it here.”
Sadie gets up immediately and pulls off her mic. “Thanks so much for the opportunity.” She offers her hand.
The interviewer frowns. “Is it time already? I thought we had forty minutes.”
“It’s been forty.” I reach for Sadie’s hand. She clasps it like a lifeline.
“We can give you a few more questions,” the manager, Blake, announces. “Go on, Sadie, have a seat,” he directs.
If she wasn’t clinging to my hand so tightly, maybe I would’ve ushered her back under the lights and in front of the camera, but she doesn’t want to leave my side.
“Let’s go.” I start walking. People scramble out of my way. It helps that I’m six feet five inches and built like a linebacker, but they also sense my determination. Either get out of the way or get mowed over.
“Sadie!” Blake yells, but she doesn’t answer.
“Bring the SUV,” I order into my earpiece. When we reach the elevator, I look down at Sadie. “You were supposed to have lunch with Charlie and discuss your next interview.”
“It’s fine. The questions will be the same. If we need to, we can go over them via text.”