RileyThe look on Ethan's face haunted me as I drove home. Had I played into some sick game that Clayton was playing with the handsome playboy?No. I knew what I was doing, and it seemed that Ethan did too. I needed him to tell me that he loved me, and he stumbled over it three different times before finally blurting it out in a last-ditch effort to appease me.I knew what real love looked like. A sick smile lifted my lips. I'd seen it in the movies.Tears burned my gaze as I reached up and ran my fingers down my sticky wet hair. Too much hair spray, which I hated anyway. Why had I let them doll me up?Right. Because I belonged to them. They could do whatever they wanted to with me thanks to me signing on the dotted line, and all for what?Fame? Adoring fans that really didn't know anything about me?Ethan's attention?No. None of those things seemed to matter as I pulled into the apartment complex that Charlotte and I were renting. Jace's truck was parked in a visitor spot, and I tho
Riley"Hush." He sat down on the toilet, his eyes filled with loving kindness. "I came by to apologize. You're my best friend, and I'm really good with that title. I don't need anything else from you. Honestly." He shrugged. "I think watching you fall in love with someone else just fucked me up a little. I don't want to lose you."You might not have to after today. "I appreciate that." I pressed my head to the chilly tile wall behind me and kept the curtain in place to hide my nakedness. "I would never want to hurt you. You know that, right?""Of course I do." He glanced down at his hands as he fidgeted. "What happened today?" The hardness in his voice caused me to worry for a second. I didn't want to spill my guts and have him turn into a monster, going after Ethan and beating him to a pulp on my behalf. It was very much a Jace Dillon move."I don't know." I let out a sardonic laugh. "I saw a video of Ethan kissing his agent, our agent, and it fucked me up.""On a set or like really
Two Weeks LaterEthanI'd decided to take two weeks off, and Frank and Deza respected it and backed me up with the studio, which was a bit of a surprise. We were behind and most likely over budget for the film, but without me coming back, there wouldn't be a film.I would end up sued thanks to my contract if I didn't complete the filming, but I'd get it done. Eventually. After trying to text Riley daily for the first few days and getting nothing back, I stopped trying. There was only so much humility I could stomach.I hadn't done anything wrong, and over the fourteen days of sitting in my house and stewing on everything, she had actually been in the wrong more than me.Her and Clayton had something going on. The connection between them during that last scene we did was almost too much. Like she was a puppet on his string. That shit didn't happen overnight, and it certainly didn't happen without emotional connection underneath it all.What did she feel for him? Was there a battle ragi
EthanI needed resolution and the one good thing that had come from the last two weeks was that I knew without a doubt that I would accept whatever outcome. I might not be thrilled about it, but I'd figure it out. She would welcome me into her life as her man, and we could start building our dreams together, or she would reject me, and I'd call Jazz, buy a bottle of KY and get back to living.The hot spray felt good against my skin, and I let out a long sigh and ducked my head under it as memories rolled through my mind, some of them so good it brought tears to my eyes.Our first night together at my place. She'd wanted me to kiss her, hell, half-expected it from what I could tell. And I'd denied her. I smiled at the memory and held onto it."All right. I'm sorry for being a dick in the dressing room yesterday. I was wrong, and I shouldn't have said you were unprofessional." I slid my hands over her taut hips, her body so fucking hot it hurt. "It was me that was being unprofessional."
Riley"Thanks for coming." Frank stood as I approached the small table just outside on the restaurant's patio. Deza glanced up, her expression solemn.I'd spent the last two weeks moping around my apartment and jogging until my legs shook beneath me. With no job to go to, I was losing my grip on reality. Ethan had texted a few times and tried to call once, but I needed some space, and Jace had been right, Ethan needed it too. Although I loved him, we were miles apart in our maturity levels.He was a playboy with his head in the clouds, and I was a poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks. What looked like a great love affair only had one way of working out in my mind... if someone scripted it to. Maybe seeing him over the two weeks would have changed my mind, or helped a little, but I hadn't let myself.He was pulling everyone's strings at Eon from what I gathered, and when he finally decided to put on his big-girl panties and bring his ass out of hiding, we would all get back to w
Riley"You did lie to me. You told me you didn't have feelings for Ethan, and yet I knew you did. You've tried to stop me from caring about him beyond the movie since I started.""For your own good. I knew one of you would end up hurt." She brushed her long, dark hair over her shoulder and leaned back. "I didn't expect both of you to end up heartbroken.""Well, yippee for you. You got a two-for-one." I glared at her. "Stop talking to me, or you can tell Frank why I'm not still sitting here, waiting for him to come back.""One more thing." She reached out and grabbed my hand as I started to get up. "It wasn't my love for Ethan that turned me into a fool that day. It was for Darren. He was there with some beautiful blonde woman with big boobs and a great smile. I overreacted when he insinuated that Ethan and I were together. He's been jealous of Ethan for as long as I've been his agent.""Why do you think I care about this?" I pulled my arm from her grasp as Frank walked back toward us.
EthanLiam turned and smiled as we stood at the edge of the water in San Diego. The ride down had been good for me, and my brother knew me well enough to keep his trap shut. I'd rolled the windows down and let the sun chase away the black shadow crawling across my life."See? You feel better, don't you?" He reached out and squeezed my shoulder."Yeah. I do." I glanced out at the ocean as white tipped waves crashed into the shoreline. I wanted Riley with me. Standing in front of me. My arms around her shoulder, her soft ass pressed against me as her hair blew in my face. What I wouldn’t give for a do-over."And you know what would make you feel even better?" He smiled and lifted his hands, waving at someone. "Pussy.""Oh shit." I glanced down the way to see two girls in bikinis so small that they shouldn't have spent the money to buy them. Scraps of cloth that most likely cost them a couple hundred dollars each. "Dude. No. I'm not in the-""Come on over." He moved around me. "Shut the
EthanShe reached up and brushed her fingers through my hair. "You look windblown.""Does she hate me?" My stomach tightened at the thought, and I felt all of ten years old again. Needy and wishing someone cared enough about me to show up for one of my rehearsals or God forbid, a movie premier. My folks were too busy, and Liam was too young to get himself there."I don't think so, but you got a long road ahead of you, Ethan. She's got a lot of pent-up hurts in her life, and I think she's adding you to that list." Deza backed up and slipped her hands into the pockets of her dress. "And I know I've said it a million times, but I'm sorry.""It's okay." I glanced around, checking for Riley again. "Just help me fix the parts that you can. I'll try my best to do the rest, and if it doesn't work, then that's on me." I shrugged as if it didn't mean anything to lose out on possibly the best thing that had ever happened to me in my life."Don't do that." She reached out and gripped my wrist, pu