Idolized (Hollywood Stardust Book 3) (48 page)

“
Darrien Dale Saves The Inner World
.” Script held up to her face, Cora chuckled.

The sound of laughter coming from her warmed his heart. At her using his character’s name from the game movie, he leaned over and took her in. Lord, she was a beautiful woman. Made-up or au natural, she was perfection. “What do you know of that movie?”

“The couple of nights you were in Arizona were…” she kept her book up, but wrinkled her nose, “…let’s just say those couple of nights were rough.”

“Is that Cora code for she watched her man’s movies?” He grabbed the blanket from the closet and held his hand out to her. “Princess, are you ready for your jaunt into the wilderness, or would you like to tell me what you think of the document I gave you as a tribute?”

Script tucked neatly under her arm, she took his hand, stood and snapped her fingers. Spike ran to her side. “I am ready kind sir. I have my knight, my steed, and my weapon at the ready. I will give you comment after our trek out yonder and I finish reading. I have but a few more pages.”

“Then let us depart, as the road may be treacherous, but with you by my side I have no choice but to survive.” He took her out to the back. One thing about being at the cabin was it took only a few steps to be surrounded by trees. With Rodger’s expertise, Ryder already had a large blanket laid out, and a fire in the fire pit along with a picnic basket. “We are set with food and drink my lady.” He bowed and joined her on the blanket.

Before he had a chance to sneak in a kiss, she opened the script and turned toward the fire to give her more light.

He started by opening the bottle of wine set by the picnic basket. “I take it you like the story?”

She held up one finger.

For at least a minute, he distracted himself with pouring the wine and handing her a glass. “Cora.”

“Ryder, not right now.” She lifted her knees and leaned closer to the fire.

As he waited for her to turn the page, he downed his wine and snooped around the picnic basket. Everything was exactly what he asked for—meats, cheeses, bread a little chocolate dessert. Rodger was magic like Cora said.

Right as he refilled his glass and was about to just put his mouth to the bottle, she sighed and put the script aside but didn’t speak.

“Well?” Honestly, he was running out of runway to wait.

“I need to talk to you.” She exhaled and looked up at the stars.

Oh Lord, she didn’t like it. Most producers wouldn’t back a flick they didn’t like and in her case he knew she would still give him the funds, but could he take it? Wait, he didn’t think that, of course he could take it, his kneecaps and movie depended on it, but what if she hated it. “Cora.” He went for the second glass of wine.

“When you described this movie to me, I thought you were nuts.” She didn’t look at him.

Unable to find the strength to pour another glass of the sweet elixir, he gulped hers down. “Just say it.”

“I need to know something first. Something that’s been bothering me.” She hugged the script to her chest.

“Anything.” His heart speeding, and his head a dizzy from drinking three glasses of wine in a row, he waited in purgatory, having to complete a series of tasks before getting his answer. Well, just having to answer a question, but still.

“Did you ask your other women to back this film?” Her voice softened to almost a whisper.

Except for telling him to clean up his mess, she never mentioned his prior relationships before. “What do you mean?” He sort of wanted to forget about the other women.

“Did you or did you not show them this?” She lifted the script. “Did you or did you not ask them for funds specifically related to your movie?”

Unsure why it was important, he knew he needed to give her an honest answer, and he shook his head. “Why?”

“I wanted something from you that was just mine.” She blinked and turned away. “Something that was never up on the auction block.”

“What are you saying, Cora?” He crawled across the blanket to her.

“On our first night out you told me to forget the roles and I resisted, but somewhere in our journey, I did forget—” Her voice faltered and she cleared her throat. “I know this was part of our deal, and no matter what, I’ll make sure you have a movie, but it’s wonderful, and I want to be a part of it, and I only want to give it everything I have if it’s only ever been mine.”

Help him, she thought it was wonderful, she wanted to be involved. No better words had ever been spoken to him. “You know what else has only ever been yours?” He took her chin in his hand and made her face him.

One lonely tear trailed down her face. “What?”

“My heart.” He stared right into her eyes. “I love you.” The feeling overcame him, and he had to let it out.

“Ryder.” She breathed his name.

He put his fingertips over her lips. “I forgot the roles as well. You’re my life.”

“Oh God, I love you.” she said and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Unable to resist the woman in his arms who he loved and who loved him back, he kissed her. A soft kiss, a caress of their lips that he let take the time to grow.

She let out a little mew and opened her mouth.

They kissed. Over and over again, with the crackle of the fire in the background, the tang of wine on their lips and their bodies pressed together, they took their time and kissed.

Their kissing possessed the familiarity of two people who were together, combined with a newness, their admitted love, their closeness they had yet to explore, but had all the time in the world to discover.

As the chill of night came upon them, he laid them down on the blanket and covered them up with the one he brought with them. Her hands snuck under his shirt and she raked her nails down his back while he cupped her breasts and kissed and nibbled down her neck.

Out here in the forest, his sanctuary, now their sanctuary, there were no time constraints, no rush to the finish, only the slow buildup of two people who wanted to be together, share their lives, be there for the other. No, he never had that before. She owned it just like she owned the way her touches and attention aroused him like no other.

By the time they rid themselves of their clothes and their limbs tangled together, he knew if he didn’t have her soon he would explode. “Cora.” he whispered in her ear.

She moved to her back. “Make love to me, Ryder. I need you.”

“I need to get a condom.” Of all times to not have one.

“Do you?” She positioned herself underneath him.

“God, I love you.” He knew she took the pill, but the fact she wanted to have with no barriers almost sent him over the edge right there.

“Then make love to me.” Her voice came out breathy, sexy, dreamy.

“Yes.” Being inside her with no condom was the ultimate bond, one he wanted to forge and couldn’t take lightly. Rather than a show where he teased her, or they rammed their bodies together in a race to the end, as he entered her, he looked right in her eyes.

If being inside her with the condom on could be classified as magnificent, then having her body accept him, encompass him and allowing him to truly feel her tight desire around him would be spectacular.

Apparently, she felt it too. She closed her eyes and moaned, lifting her her knees and holding him tight.

Like their kissing before, they didn’t rush, he kept his strokes slow and fluid and they moved in a coordinated flow. Instead of only seeking pleasure, they transcended to a different plane, one of unison and harmony that grew, reaching heights he never experienced. Soon he would have no choice but to give into his own need.

Beneath him, her pants quickened, she moaned and squirmed, indicating she was there as well, and this time more than ever before, they had to fall together.

In any attempt to prolong the pleasure, he fought the need to speed up, drive into her, and instead restrained himself. The euphoria built. “Oh God.”

“Ryder.” With her gasping and digging her nails into his back, he knew she was there.

That was all he needed.

His body contracted with pure ecstasy right as she tensed, with nothing between them, her pulses rippled over him, pulling him deeper and amplifying the rapture flowing through him. “Ah.”

Together they reached their end, held each other, and resumed their kissing. For the first time, he didn’t have to rush to pull away, he could stay embedded in her, and come down from the high.

Only this time the high didn’t leave, it stayed. He loved her, she loved him, pure and simple. “Why me?” Not ready to let go, he turned to his side and kept her in his arms.

“Why you what?” There, in the great outdoors, she curled up against him.

He pulled the blanket up to their necks. “Why do you love me?” After he asked the question, he shook his head.

She paused and looked up at the sky. “You get me, and I miss you when you’re not there.”

“You ground me. I feel like I have a purpose with you.” Lord, he had turned into the guy who came up with these lines, but in this case they weren’t scripted, and he meant every word.

“I can hardly wait for
Hollywood Stardom
to wrap and all this corporate stuff to be over so we can concentrate on making your movie.” Using her nail, she traced a little pattern over his chest.

He shivered and stared up at the stars, at last taking in everything that just happened. What he needed was money to make his movie, stop the thugs from nipping at his heels, but they would be there checking up, they would want the producer’s credit. How would he explain this to the woman he loved? “It’s going to be amazing.”

HOLLYWOOD STARDOM

FADE IN:

INT. LOS ANGELES – GRIFFITH PARK OBSERVATORY - NIGHT

CHARLES and ROXY sit with the huge telescope in the observatory.

CHARLES

Here, I got Saturn for you.

(He moves back.)

ROXY

(Leans in and looks in the telescope)

That’s my favorite planet.

CHARLES

I know.

ROXY

(Looks over at him)

Your life turned out exactly as I thought.

CHARLES

I’m nothing if not predictable.

(He takes over the telescope and peers inside.)

ROXY