A physical connection was something she could handle. But all of those nights of sneaking around, of giving in to their desires had caught up with them. Now they would have to pivot away from the sex-only relationship and actually talk about the future...a future she’d never expected to have with this man.
With her back to him, Lily tried to conjure up the right words, the words that would soften the blow, but really was there a proper way to tell someone they were going to be a father? No matter how gentle the words were, the impact and end result would still be the same.
“Nash—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Nash took hold of her shoulder, eased her around and framed her face with his firm hands. Hypnotized by those vibrant blue eyes, she said nothing else as his mouth claimed hers.
And that right there was the crux of their relationship. Passion. Desire. Instant clothes falling to the floor.
Some might have said having a secret affair in the stables on a film set was not the classiest of moves, but Lily didn’t care. She’d been classy her whole life...now she wanted to be naughty. The secret they shared made their covert encounters all the more thrilling.
Who knew Hollywood’s “girl next door,” as they’d dubbed her, had a wild side? Well, they’d caught a glimpse of it with the scandal, but she had since reclaimed her good girl status. She certainly had never been this passionate with or for a man. Definitely not the jerk who had used her and exploited her early in her career.
Before she’d become a recognized name, she’d fallen for another rookie actor. He’d completely blind-sided her by filming her without her knowledge. Their most intimate moments had been staged; everything about their relationship had been a lie. After that scandal, Lily had to fight to get to where she was now.
Nash’s arms enveloped her and Lily was rendered defenseless as his mouth continued its assault on hers. Her arms slid up the front of his shirt, taut muscles firm beneath her palms.
He eased back slightly, resting his forehead against hers. “You sure you’re feeling okay? Not dizzy anymore?”
“I’m okay,” she assured him, clutching his T-shirt.
Nash’s lips nipped at hers. “I missed you today. I kept seeing you and Max together. It was all I could do to ignore the way his arms were around you. His lips where mine should be.”
Chills spread over her body. Tingles started low in her belly and coursed throughout. That hint of jealousy pouring from Nash’s lips thrilled her more than it should...considering this was supposed to be a fling.
“We were acting,” she murmured against his mouth. “You know we’re playing a young couple in love.”
Lily had wanted to play the role of the late Rose Barrington since news of the project had first spread, and having Max Ford as the leading man was perfect. She and Max had been friends for years...so much so that he was like a brother to her.
Nash’s hands slid between them, started peeling down the top of her strapless sundress.
“If Max weren’t married with a baby, I’d think he was trying to steal my time with you.”
Baby. Just the word threw a dose of reality right smack-dab in the middle of their minor make-out session.
Lily covered Nash’s hands with her own and eased back. “We need to talk.”
Vibrant eyes stared back at her beneath heavy lids. “Sounds like you’re breaking things off. I know we never discussed being exclusive.” Nash attempted a smile. “Don’t take my Max joke so seriously.”
Shaking her head, Lily took a deep breath and pushed through her fear and doubts. “I didn’t take you for the jealous type. Besides, I know what this is between us.”
Or, what it had started out being.
“Oh, baby, I’m jealous.” He jerked her against his body. “Now that I’ve had you, I don’t like seeing another man’s hands on you, but I know this is your job and I love watching you work.”
“I can’t think when your hands are on me,” she told him, stepping back once again to try to put some distance between temptation and the truth.
A corner of Nash’s devilish mouth kicked up. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. Because I’m thinking plenty when my hands are on you.”
Smoothing a hand through her hair, Lily tried to form the right words. Since seeing the two blue lines on the stick this morning and confirming what she’d already assumed, she’d been playing conversations on how to break the news over and over in her mind. But now it was literally show time and she had nothing but fear and bundles of nerves consuming her.
“Nash...”
Abandoning his joking, Nash’s brows drew together as he reached for her once again. “What is it? If you’re worried about when you leave, I don’t expect anything from you.”