Authors: Jean Joachim
Resting her head on his chest, she
continued to cry softly.
It’s going to
come out now. Maybe not all of it…but some. I can’t stop. Can’t leave him with
lies.
“He was forcing himself on you. I
saw that.” He pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket and handed it to
her. She wiped her nose and eyes before clutching the white material in a
desperate grip.
“Can I tell you? Can we find
somewhere quiet to go?”
“Yeah. The pizza place two blocks up
has a backroom. It’s almost always empty.”
They headed toward the door until
Gracie skidded to a halt. “Wait! My coat is in Cara’s dressing room. Gunther is
in there. I don’t want to see him.”
“I’ll get it. What color?”
“Dark rose.”
“Rose?” He smiled. “Uh…what’s rose,
red?”
“Sorry. Dark pink.”
When they reached Cara’s door, Jake
knocked. Cara opened it and shot a questioning look at Grace. “Are you all
right,
Pookie
?”
Grace avoided her gaze and stared at
the ground. “I’m okay.”
“Came to get her coat. We’re going
for pizza.” Jake pushed into the small room, his eyes searching for the jacket.
He retrieved it and shot an angry look at Gunther, who shrugged. Jake held it
out for Gracie. “We won’t be late, Cara,” Jake said, taking Grace’s hand and
pulling her toward the exit.
“Later,
Pookie
,”
Cara called.
* * * *
Grace folded her fingers around
Jake’s as they walked, but he slipped his hand away from her and put it in his
jacket pocket. His action was like a small, sharp knife jabbing her.
If he doesn’t believe me, then why is he
coming to listen to my side?
Two slices of pizza with a beer for
Jake. Only a glass of wine for Gracie. When she was upset, her appetite
disappeared. While he ate, she sucked in air and blew it out, organizing her
thoughts.
“I feel you hanging back, removed…suspicious.
Why are we here?”
“Truth? You gave me a second chance
after I behaved like a jerk on our first date. Thought I ought to hear you out
before we split.”
Her breath caught in her throat, and
her heart stopped beating.
Before we
split?
The sting behind Gracie’s eyes alerted her that tears threatened, but
she blinked rapidly to force them away.
I
will not manipulate him with tears.
She clasped her hands together to keep
them from shaking.
He’s going to dump you,
so what? If you’re not in love with him, why does it hurt so damn much?
After taking a gulp of wine for
courage, Grace began her story, starting with the suggestion from Skip that she
send her manuscript to Gunther.
“And you didn’t know he was
engaged?” Jake trained a cool eye on her.
“I always check for a wedding band,
first. Then look on a man’s desk for a portrait of his family. Gunther didn’t
have one picture of his fiancée, of any human being at all.” She played with a
napkin.
“He seduced you? Really? You want me
to believe that
kinda
thing still happens?” Jake
tilted back in his chair.
“I was naïve…okay, maybe just plain stupid.
He said he’d read my script, and I’ve worked so hard…and waited so long to have
my shot. So I believed him. Cara’s a huge success, but I can’t seem to even get
started,” she said, blinking rapidly again to stave off the invasion of another
gush of tears, her voice growing smaller.
“All I wanted was a shot, a reading.
No promise to make a movie out of it. Just a chance. The script is good. It’d
have sold itself, Skip said so. I expected Gunther to say he’d read it, at
least the treatment, maybe then the script. But he didn’t…had no intention…instead
I got…duped, betrayed, lied to…and yeah, seduced.”
Grace stared at her hands, afraid to
see a cold expression on his face. She heard him put down his beer but still
didn’t look up. He reached over and lifted her chin with a finger. She couldn’t
avoid his stare and looked back with as much confidence and defiance as she
could muster, which wasn’t much.
“You traded your body for a shot.”
“Yeah. I’m not proud of it. It was a
mistake, but…yeah. Haven’t you ever slept with anyone, then regretted it?” Her
gaze searched his.
“Yeah, but I never traded sex for…a
favor or anything. Just a bad choice of partner.”
“You’re a guy. It’s different.”
He kept his eyes trained on her, his
face solemn. Grace slipped her arms into her coat and finished the last of the
wine in her glass.
“I’ll be going…” she pushed back her
chair but before she could stand, he clamped his hand down on her wrist.
“I’m not finished.”
“Oh?” She cocked an eyebrow at him.
“Whatever you have to say, I’ve said to myself a thousand times. Thanks for the
wine, but it’s late. I’ve got to get home. Nice knowing you.” But Jake’s iron
grip held her fast.
Please let me go with
some shred of dignity.
“You’re not leaving.”
“Why draw this out? You pegged me.
Slut. Please let me go.” Tears could no longer be denied and slipped past her
defenses.
He reached out with a paper napkin
and wiped her cheeks. His hand cupped her chin. “Not a slut. A victim.” He
shook his head. “Gunther…that rat bastard, liar…lowlife! Fucking asshole.” He
muttered so low, Grace almost couldn’t hear it. “I’m sorry this happened…and that
you were afraid to tell me.”
He
believes me?
He raised his gaze to hers as he
took her hands and pulled her around the table to him. She crawled into his lap,
and he closed his arms around her tight. She sobbed into his chest as he kissed
her hair. In a minute she calmed down, snuggling her face into the hardness of
his
pecs
and the softness of his flannel shirt. She inhaled
deeply of his scent, mixed with a whiff of piney aftershave. The warmth of the fabric
against her cheek soothed her.
Can I stay
like this forever?
He sighed. “What am I going to do
with you?”
“I’m incorrigible. I know. Stay with
me?” She tried, unsuccessfully, to keep the note of hope out of her voice.
“That goes without saying.” He
stroked her hair.
“Does it?”
He looked down at her. “Of course.
Look, you were naïve, I was a jerk, and Gunther was worse. Granted, different
situations, but let’s forget both. Agreed?”
She reached up and pulled his head
down until their lips met. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Don’t thank me. I’m not doing you a
favor,” he said into her mouth.
“Shut up.” She kissed him hard.
“Eh, buddy, get a room. This is a
public place.” A man wearing a long dirty white apron and pushing a broom
gestured to the door.
Jake chuckled, helped her up, and
put on his coat. They left. Jake put Grace in a cab. “Until tomorrow at
eleven.” She reached through the window to touch his face and smiled.
* * * *
“It’s times like this when I wish I
smoked,” Cara said to Grant as she paced in the living room.
“Why wouldn’t Grace tell you if
something terrible happened to her?” He was sitting on the sofa cradling a
small snifter of brandy. Cara took a sip from her glass then put it down. “I
don’t know. She’s always come to me when she was in trouble.”
“But she has Jake now. Maybe you’d
better get used to her leaning on him more than on you.”
Cara snapped her attention to him.
“She’s not married to him. Hell, as far as I know, she doesn’t even like him
much.”
“Really?” He raised his eyebrows.
“She gives a damn good imitation of a woman in love, if you ask me.”
“Love?”
“Yep. I ought to know what a woman
in love looks like,” he chuckled.
“Oh my God,” she sank down on the
sofa next to him. “I think you’re right. Gracie has never disliked anyone as
much as Jake. It must be love.”
“Whoa, what?”
“Of course. Makes sense. When she
really dislikes a guy, she doesn’t talk about him. It’s like he doesn’t exist.
But when she’s ranting about him, then I know he’s broken through her defenses
and gotten under her skin.”
“She hasn’t stopped criticizing him and
making fun of him when he’s not around.”
“Must be major love,” Cara said, a
small grin tugging at her lips.
The door opened, and Grace tiptoed
down the hall to her room. Cara pushed to her feet and called out in her best
stage voice, “Ah, ah…no, no, I don’t think so. Get in here, Miss
Pookie
,”
Grace looked up, stunned. “Didn’t
know you guys were still up.”
“You don’t think I can go to sleep
after what happened…whatever it was…in the theater tonight, do you?
Explanation. Now!”
Grace walked slowly into the living room
and sat down. “What do you want to know?
Cara narrowed her eyes. “I want to
know what’s going on, that’s what. The truth. All of it. Now!”
Chapter Six
The roar of the engine as the plane
taxied down the runway had always thrilled Grace. This time, with Jake settled
next to her in first class, her heart was thumping with excitement that had
nothing to do with the take-off.
Staying
in the house together. No interruptions.
Jake closed his fingers over hers
as the silver bird lifted off the ground. Happiness soared through her. .
Still can’t believe he doesn’t hate me for
Gunther.
Afraid to make her wishes more concrete by thinking about them,
imagining a future with Jake, she pushed those thoughts out of her mind.
Focus on the weekend. A weekend with Jake.
Be happy with that. Make it be enough.
Snuggling down into her seat, she
squeezed his hand. He turned to face her. “Scared?”
“Love flying.”
“Me, too.”
She studied his face, the night’s
growth of beard, the fullness of his lower lip, the brown hair falling onto his
forehead. Warmth spread from her middle to her lower region as she shifted her gaze
to his long and agile fingers.
She remembered the feel of them
closed around her breast and her breath began to quicken at the thought of them
caressing other parts of her body. Even imagining them unbuttoning a blouse or
unzipping her jeans made her chest heave a bit. She chewed on her lower lip in
an attempt to cool herself down but was unsuccessful.
“We’ll be alone at your house?”
“Cara’s house? Yes.”
“Good.” A steamy glance from him
made her skin prickle in anticipation of his touch.
She returned his smoldering smile,
causing him to lean in and kiss her. The soft, lingering pressure of his lips
on hers added fuel to the fire simmering inside her. She cupped his cheek,
running her thumb down his face.
“Sorry. I didn’t shave this morning.
Giving my skin a break.”
“Love this. You wear scruffy well.”
The plane leveled off and the cabin
attendants came around offering champagne. They asked Jake for some autographs,
and he was happy to oblige. “Autographs. Never thought that would happen.” He
laughed and gave his head a shake. “My sisters would make sure my head didn’t
swell over this.”
“I can do the same if you like,”
Grace offered.
“No thanks. Like you just the way
you are.”
Do
you? Could kiss you for that. I feel the same about you.
When the bubbly wine arrived, they
toasted to each other and sipped.
“I hope this premiere goes better
than the first.”
“I hope you’re happy with your
performance in this one.”
“God, if I messed up, Movie Maven
will probably be there to announce it to the world.”
No,
she won’t.
Grace squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry about her. You’ll be fine.
We’ll have fun at the party, and go swimming. Our pool is heated.”
“A heated pool? Didn’t bring my
suit.”
“Maybe you don’t need one,” she shot
him a sexy grin that lit up his eyes.
He lifted his eyebrows. “Really?”
“You can always swim in your
boxers…after all, it’s just us.”
“Oh. Thought you had something else
in mind.” His crestfallen expression made her laugh. “Were you teasing me?”
“You’ll have to wait to find out.”
He sat up straighter in his seat. “If
I’m in my boxers, what’ll you wear?”
“I told you…wait and see.”
“Filet Mignon or Shrimp Scampi?” The
stewardess interrupted their charged conversation to take their request for
lunch. After eating, Jake pulled a manuscript out from his carry-on bag under
the seat.
“More scripts to read?” Grace asked.
“Yours.” Her eyes widened. “Perfect
to read now.” He opened to the first page. Grace buried her nose in a book, afraid
to watch his reaction, but sleepiness caused her to slip a bookmark in, rest
her head on Jake’s shoulder, and close her eyes. When she awoke, the plane was
descending. She peeked out the window to see the sprawl of L.A. below. Jake
stretched and closed the screenplay. “Almost there,” he muttered.
“What do you think?” He shot her a
quizzical glance. “About the screenplay, of course!”
“Oh! Yeah. I love it.”
“You do?” She couldn’t keep a note
of desperation out of her voice.
“It’s fresh. Original. You have an
amazing ear for dialogue.”
Pleasure brought heat to her face
and a smile to her lips. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
“I mean it. You know me well enough
to know that my brain doesn’t always filter my words. If I didn’t like it, I
couldn’t hide it from you.”
“Nice, juicy part for the right, hot
leading man.”
“Quinn would be great. Think he’d do
it?”
“I was referring to you!”
“Oh!” He laughed as an attractive
blush stained his cheeks. She slipped her hand in his, holding tight until the
seatbelt sign was turned off. A car awaited them and before long they were
wending their way up Benedict Canyon Drive. The lights on the house were lit by
a timer to help keep thieves away. Grace fumbled with her key in the lock,
nervous yet excited at the prospect of Jake sleeping in the house with her. He
carried their luggage inside.
“This is your room,” she said,
turning on the light in the guest bedroom. “I’m down here.”
Jake dropped his bag first then
carried hers to her room. “This is a beautiful house. My first mansion.” He
looked around at the white walls, colorful tile floors, some in turquoise and
green, and others in tones of orange and brown.
“Don’t know if I’d call it a
mansion. There are many here much larger than ours.”
Opening the sliding glass door to
the terrace, Grace took Jake’s hand and led him outside. Chaise lounges were
stacked three and four deep. The glass top table sported a closed umbrella and
four white wrought iron chairs.
“Wow,” he said. “What an ideal place
to skinny-dip.” A musical sound alerted them. Jake checked his phone then his
watch. “Car will be here for us in an hour.”
“An hour? Oh my God!”
Forty-five minutes later, Grace stood
with her back to Jake, holding her dress closed. “Please zip…then I’ll tie your
tie.”
“You know how to do that?” He asked,
while he found the zipper on her shimmery sky-blue jersey, floor-length dress.
“I’m an expert. Ask Grant.” Gracie
took several deep breaths to calm herself as the tingle from his fingers on her
bare back traveled through her.
God, I
want him.
Her eyes closed as she focused on the feeling he created inside
her. He kissed her shoulder gently.
“Not like I wouldn’t like to
keep…better finish,” he mumbled, pulling the zip up all the way. Gracie
adjusted her breasts into the cups sewn in the dress before turning to him. “Wow!
You look even better with the dress closed up.” His gaze slid down her body like
the caress of a warm hand.
“You say the sweetest things.”
“Words…not my strong suit.
Actions…ah, there I shine.” His eyes glittered with lust.
He looked so sexy with his hair
falling over his forehead and his tie hanging loose, waiting for her to work
her magic.
This is what he’ll look like
when he’s getting undressed. When we get home tonight.
A small shiver raced
up her spine. “Closer,” she motioned.
“Don’t have to ask me twice.” He
stepped up until his chest was only an inch from hers. She swallowed before
reaching up and grasping both ends of his bowtie. A few seconds later, it was
tied. “Always wear a tux. It suits you.”
“Oh? Should I wear it to bed? Making
love? Swimming?”
She burst out laughing. “Tuxedo
pajamas!”
Now it was his turn to chuckle. He
leaned down to kiss her. “Thank you,” he said, feeling the tie.
A honk from the driveway diverted
their attention. Grace grabbed a gauzy shawl and followed Jake to the door. He
opened it with a flourish and, sweeping his arm through the air before her,
said, “Your chariot awaits,
m’lady
.”
“Not good with words. I get it,” she
snickered.
“Thanks a lot!”
“But looking forward to those
actions you promised.” She smiled at him.
“Makes two of us,” he snickered as
he closed the door behind them.
* * * *
As the car drew near the theater,
Grace laced her fingers with Jake’s. He turned to her.
“Don’t worry. Gunther won’t be here.
Good thing, too. I might have to deck him for what he did to you.” Anger
flashed in his eyes.
“Let’s forget him for tonight. Your fans
are waiting. Slap on your sexy smile.”
He pulled his lips back, showing his
teeth. “How’s this?” She laughed and he joined her, so that when the door was
opened, he wore a genuine smile and merriment twinkled in his eyes. He offered
her his hand, and they marched up the red carpet together. Fans went wild when
they saw him and he grinned and waved in return.
Suddenly, Grace realized she was
lucky to be with him.
Jake the movie
star? Jake my friend and maybe lover.
His fame was growing, and before
long, he might snag a movie series like Quinn or be lucky enough to get some
great scripts, like Cara, and be blasted into the public eye twenty-four/seven.
Is that a good thing? For him, probably.
For me? Doubtful.
He leaned over to her, “Looks like
more fans at this one than the last one. Guess Movie Maven didn’t hurt my
career.” She let out a breath and squeezed his fingers.
Thank God!
They settled into their seats. Jake
laced his fingers with hers and rested their joined hands on his thigh, like he
did the last time. Grace relaxed and snuggled closer to him, scooting down to
get comfortable. The lights dimmed, and the title came up on the screen,
Driving Force.
She whispered, “Break a
leg.” He raised her hand to his lips.
At the end of the movie, the
applause was deafening. Grace breathed a sigh of relief.
He was good, really good.
She turned to him, a look of relief
evident on his face. “You were amazing.”
“Really?”
“Really,” she said.
They stood up as the director and
one of the executive producers approached. They slapped him on the shoulder as
murmurs of “fine job,” “well done,” and “excellent” were bandied about. Jake
beamed under their praise. A sense of pride in him welled up inside of Grace,
confusing her.
Why am I proud of him?
He’s not mine. Just a friend or maybe a brief affair…right?
The limo whisked them away to a huge
party at Limoges West on Rodeo Drive. Jake helped Grace out of the car and
tucked her arm through his.
“Are you going to desert me for the
first available female that comes along?”
“Did I.?”
“You certainly did!”
Jake’s face flushed. “I’m sorry.
Seems like I keep saying that to you.”
“What?”
“Apologizing.”
“We agreed to forget that night,
right?” Grace cozied up to him, gripping his lapels.
“Yeah. That’s right.”
She tilted her head up and kissed
him. “That ought to send a message to the women here.”
Jake grinned. “Want a Cosmo?” He
spotted the bar and led her over. Grace glanced around the room, seeking a
table of food, but found none.
“Take it easy with those,” she
warned him as he took a gulp.
A waiter balancing a tray of
hors d’oeuvres
stopped by. Grace plucked
two cheese puffs off the tray, stuffing one in Jake’s mouth and one in her own.
Then she snatched two mini quiches before the server moved on. “Eat,” she said.
“Or you’ll get loaded…and do something stupid.”
Starlets, producers, and cast
members stopped by to congratulate Jake. Although she tried to hold on to him,
they got separated. Grace consoled herself with a second Cosmo and food from a
buffet she found hiding in another room. She made a plate for Jake, but he
seemed to have disappeared.
She wandered out on the back deck
just in time to see him easing out of the embrace of some young woman she
didn’t recognize. She stopped to watch as he grasped the woman’s upper arms and
moved her back, away from him. Grace let out the breath she didn’t even realize
she was holding when she noticed his uneasy smile and the look of
disappointment on the young woman’s face.
Is
he saving himself for me? Do I have his heart?
Grace marched up to Jake and kissed
his cheek before speaking, addressing her words to him but looking directly at
the young woman. “Darling, here you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.”
She thrust the food at him.
“Grace, this is…I didn’t catch your
name?” Jake said, taking a cold shrimp.
“Never mind,” the woman said, waving
her hand and moving away.
Laughter bubbled up inside Gracie,
and she couldn’t contain it. “Did I save you?”
“Sure did. Thanks. What an octopus!”
Jake straightened his tie and collar.
“How many Cosmos have you had?”
“
Dunno
.
They sure are good.” He munched on a green bean.
“Maybe we should go. Before
something bad happens.”
“Like what?”
“Like you make a pass at someone.”
Jake put down the plate, took her in
his arms and kissed her. “You’re the only one I want to make a pass at.”
“Are we going to have another scene
in the limo like last time?” She pushed away from him.
“I hope not.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning you might not say ‘no’?” he
whispered in her ear.
She laughed. “If you paw me in the
backseat, you’ll get the same treatment.”
“I’d never do that. I mean at home.”
He leaned down to kiss her neck.
“Oh, that’s another story. You’ll
have to wait and see.” Jake managed to down one more Cosmo before he agreed to bid
his colleagues farewell and head home. He was pretty high, but not drunk like
the last time.
Maybe his confidence is up
after this movie. Or maybe because you’re not being mean to him. Hey, I’m not
responsible for him getting drunk. Glad he’s not drunk now.