Below Unforgiven (23 page)

I nodded quickly, still holding the door.

“I’ve never met anyone like you. You’re too young, too immature, and too overly-fucking-dramatic. Also, I hate the way you avoid giving me straight answers.”

“Gee, thanks,” I scowled, unable to fight back the disappointment in my face. He leaned forward, both of his hands sliding along my neck and through my hair.

His hazel eyes locked in my gaze.

“But you’re
everything
. You’re everything that I used to pretend existed out there for me, somewhere. You’re the beautiful girl that I would dream about when I’d lie awake at night, the one who’d make me laugh, piss me off, and impress me, all at the same fucking time
. The one.
If I don’t say this to you now, I’ll regret it for the rest of my entire life. So I
am
saying this now. Give me a chance. Give us a fucking chance. Maybe nothing will happen, maybe everything will happen, but give us a chance, Vivian. Run to
me
.”

California Dreaming

Her eyes answered me before her mouth could.

She released the buckle on her seatbelt, straddling me as she slid her hands into my hair. I groaned some combination of
yes
and
V
, wrapping my arms around her and fitting her against my waist.

Her lips caught mine, her tongue teasing with my own, and her hair dropped to form a curtain of privacy around our faces. The sunshine broke through the clouds in the sky, and I took the time to notice that it happened every single time we kissed outside, like some kind of stage spotlight.

I drew my fingers over her jaw as she explored my mouth with purposeful, plunging strokes of her tongue. “
I want you,
” I urged between breaths, and she nodded, her own words stilted as she ground against my lap.

“
I want you, too, Keaton
.”

Oh, Jesus, Mary, and some other guy’s name that I couldn’t think of because all of my thoughts were stifled by the heat coming from between her legs. I growled something unintelligible, sliding my hands up her jeans and over her thighs.

“That lady walking her dog over there wants you to take my shirt off.”

Her lips curved into a challenging smile, and she yanked the base of my tee-shirt up and over my abs.

When she slammed back against the steering wheel and dropped her kiss to my stomach, I threw my head back as her mouth pressed to my chest.

The blaring horn from the Ferrari only made her giggle against my skin, and the vibration of her laughter sent me over the edge of whatever I was barely balancing on. I pulled her mouth back to mine, but she was laughing too hard to kiss me back.

“Come on, take me to the park. I want to ride the Ferris wheel with you.”

“I want to take you to Story Book Forest and fuck you on the Good Ship Lollipop.”

“
Keaton!
” She protested through her laughter, shaking her head in feigned admonishment. “It’s a kid’s park!”

I grinned, shrugging. “Come on. We’ll get there in plenty of time to ride, and then we’ll eat funnel cakes for dinner. We’ll sit on the hill and watch the fireworks.”

“Oh, there are fireworks tonight?”

“Yes. V,” I held her face firmly in my hands. “You and me. We’re gonna give this a shot. A fair one, okay?” I searched her eyes for signs of fear, but she only nodded against my fingers.

“I need you,” she whispered, so softly that I almost didn’t hear her. “I need to feel what you do to me. You make me feel alive.”

Jesus. “I make you feel alive? Now whose turn is it for the clichés, kiddo?”

She only grinned, and I brushed my fingers over her cheeks.

I pushed on. “And you’re okay with the fact that my life is kind of a mess right now?”

Those blue eyes of hers sparkled with determination. “I want more of you than I should,” she murmured, echoing my words.

Sighing, I sealed her promise with another kiss that left her dreamy-eyed and curled against me.

I should have been thinking about Idlewild Park and the laundry list of criteria that needed to be considered for the location, but all I could think about was where and when I was going to make love to Vivian.

The park was set in the Laurel Highlands, and there were plenty of wooded areas that we could sneak away to. I wanted to make sure that she was comfortable, and felt safe enough to give in and not worry about anyone catching us.

“So what exactly do you consider when looking for a location to film?” She asked, her fingers sliding up and down my thigh, from knee to pocket. I shifted uncomfortably, trying to keep my eyes on the road.

“V, move your hand.”

My strangled tone forced a smirk to her face, and she only inched her fingers closer to my crotch. “Why?”

“You want our first time to be behind a gas station?”

“In a 1962 Ferrari? That’s not so bad.”

Her fingers brushed over the bulge in my jeans, and I groaned, slapping my hand over her wrist. “I will crash. Possibly kill us both. But I’m willing if you are.”

She curled her lips into an adorable pout, moving her hands to her own lap. “So what did your grandfather do? He must have been very smart, and careful with his money.”

I nodded once. “He built most of the houses in New Florence and Seward, and saved every penny that he earned. On top of that, he owned some land in Westmoreland County that had a natural gas well. He was smart about his money. He loved me, Robin, and Luke so much, and left us each a large inheritance. Robin has spent most of hers on caring for my mom. My mom’s been in and out of rehab a couple times.”

She reached for my hand again. “She’s a strong woman.”

I gripped her hand in return, wanting to just pull over and kiss her again. I loved that she didn’t judge me, or my family. She was an anomaly in my world of self-centered, selfish women.

And I had found her.

Forcing a smile, I moved to change the heavy subject. “I’m looking at budget, parking, permits, security, gratuities… scenes. Production value. I need plenty of space for the film crew, and amenities for the actors.”

“Doesn’t a location scout do all of this?”

“Yes. And since my budget is tight and Frank is the only one I’ve got right now, I’m on my own.”

“How can I help?” She urged, tightening her ponytail and reaching for her phone. “I’ll make a list of what I should be looking for.”

I thought about Frank’s phone call, and the details of the Pennant Park murder. A woman’s body was found, strangled, with hands bound beneath the Round-Up.

On the phone, Frank had sounded like he was sweating. “I already had to answer a million questions, Keaton. The only reason they didn’t go after you is because they know you’re in Pennsylvania. They want you here Monday morning for questioning.”

“They just believed you when you told them I was with my family?”

“Kid, you’ve been on news for two days, ever since those asshole drone reporters found out about the murder being connected to the script. And Kelsey came in here fucking fuming because, apparently, you can’t be
proposing
to that country girl if you’re already married. I can’t help but agree with the bitch.”

“Okay. Thanks, Frank.”

After a few minutes of silence, I realized that she had closed her eyes and was dozing against my shoulder. I tightened my hold on her, bending to press a kiss to her hair. In the warm, afternoon air, I caught a whiff of the shampoo I’d used on her last night, and the memories of her dancing to the Dusty Springfield song in her lacy underwear sent a crooked smile to my face.

Something instinctual deep inside my chest made me pull her even closer. I’d never, not in all of the years that I’d been married to Kelsey, felt this protective over a woman. Kelsey was confident, and spoiled, and rarely needed me for much more than money or sex. I told myself that I didn’t care that she’d cheated on me, but in the bright sunlight on the busy highway, as the warm summer air tossed Vivian’s hair against my shoulder, I admitted that I did mind. I fucking minded a hell of a lot.

I was hurt.

My ego was hanging on by a thread, and my heart thundered almost painfully behind my ribs. I hated to admit that I’d let Kelsey take anything from me, but the truth was that she
had
. She’d taken my ability to believe that a woman could want me for more than my wealth or my popularity. To Kelsey I’d been a ladder, and as she climbed each fucking rung, I lost a little more respect for her-and all women, in general.

With Vivian, everything felt new.

I laughed to myself, realizing I sounded like a Simon and Garfunkel song. I wasn’t a stupid kid anymore. I knew she was an actress, and to her I was a
job
- a way to make enough money to pay Numero Uno back so that she could move on with her life. But now, she wanted
me
. I knew that once I made love to her, she was young and inexperienced enough to trust me when I asked her to come to California with me.

I kissed her again, not giving one shit about letting myself fall.

Thanks to Frank, two tickets and paper bracelets waited for me at the gate, along with a map and a personal welcome letter from the owner.

“Are we here?” She stretched, lifting her chin to meet my lips.

“We’re just pulling into the parking lot. How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she admitted, brushing the stray strands of hair from her face. “My headache went away. I’ll never drink that much again. I have a problem controlling myself after the first two.”

“Admitting is the first step.”

“Admitting that I’m a budding alcoholic?” She mused, watching me shift into park.

I turned to her, lowering my voice as I leaned into her neck. “Admitting that you’re powerless.”

She held her breath, and I loved hearing her tiny moan as I dropped my lips to her neck. She let me lick along her collar bone, exhaling in short, repetitive gasps as I sucked on her pale skin.

“
I’m powerless,
” she agreed softly, and I groaned, gripping her upper arms and pushing her away from me.

“Jesus, Vivian.”

She lifted those mirrored eyes to mine, her lips wetted and swollen, and smiled. “I want you to make love to me, Keaton.” She covered her heart with her hand. “I feel like you’re already here. Permanently.”

I took her arm and wound the yellow, paper bracelet around her left wrist. The diamond on her finger constantly caught my eye on her delicate hand, splaying the sunlight and reminding me that she had agreed.

To
marry
me.

Whether it was all a part of the illusion for her or not, I couldn’t be sure. “You know, there’s this thing that wise men say about fools rushing in. You are aware of that, right?”

She only leaned closer. “Two fools. Check. Rushing, check.”

“It feels good though, doesn’t it?” I prodded, removing the plastic backing of the bracelet and fitting it around her wrist.

“I don’t think before I jump. Obviously, neither do you. That can’t be good.”

“Does
he
think everything through?” I asked, and then motherfucked myself for even bringing him up.

She stiffened. God
damnit.

“Yes. And then he makes a list. And an agenda. And then he reviews all options, researches all outcomes, and then finally makes a decision.”

“Sounds like a big waste of time,” I murmured, and she shrugged.

“Making the wrong decisions can be a big waste of time, though, right? In the long run?”

“Do you think you’re making the wrong decision, Vivian?”

“What, coming here with you?” She clarified, and those telltale hives began with a red flush. “I don’t know if it’s the wrong decision, but it was definitely rash.”

“It’s okay to change your mind.”

“I know that,” she acknowledged with a small sigh.

“Even at the last minute. Even if I’ve got those long legs of yours wrapped around my hips, and my slithering cock is just
centimeters
away from your moistened, clenching-”

“Keaton!” She cried, breaking into relieved laughter, and I smirked.

“Just so you know,” I assured her, moving around the car to open her door. “I’ll understand. And I’ll still feel the same way about you.”

“What way is that?”

The gravel parking lot led to a paved hill, and I simultaneously noted that the film crew would have a hard time getting their equipment over the hill
and
that I was about to say it.

It.

“I’ll tell you later.” My curt reply was borderline edgy.

Did
I love her? Would she think that if I told her that I did, it would just be to sleep with her? Would she over-analyze the hell out of her feelings like I had just caught myself doing?

Fucking hell. She made me crazy. Er.

We entered the park in the Old West section called Hoot ‘n Holler. I fumbled for my phone, needing to snap some panoramic photos, but her purring voice interrupted me.

“Keaton?”

“Yeah, kiddo?”

She stood on her tip-toes, stopping me outside of an old jail. “If you’re going to tell me… what I think you’re going to tell me, could you wait until you’re inside of me?”

Holy hell.

The jail exhibit to our left was closed, but no one was watching as I swung her into the unlocked building and slammed the door.

The iron bars along the small, walk-through display surrounded us on both sides. Through the shadows, fiberglass mannequins made up to look like old criminals of the West watched with wide, painted eyes. I hoisted her up against the jail cell.

She gripped the iron bars, exhaling with a cry as I went for her jeans. My hands supported her ass, and I squeezed, kneading her soft flesh, listening to her pleasured moan.

“
Keaton…,
”

“Now, Vivian
,
” I growled, lifting her chest, cupping, weighing her swollen breast in my hand before closing my mouth over her hardened nipple. She climbed even higher in my arms using just her hands on the bars, and I yanked my jeans down.

She lowered her eyes, watching as I fumbled in my pocket for the condom.