Beyond Famous (Famous #3) (14 page)

"Yes.  I gave you that sheet music, right?" Her words were low and sensual and my body began to react for real.

"Uh huh.  We've done this before.  I play, you sing."  I brought my arm up and around her, pulling her closer.  "Are you okay?"

"No," she began.  "I don't think I am."  Her voice was weak and shaking.  I wasn't sure if it was from sadness or desire.

"Julia, what can I do to make this easier?" 

She shrugged but didn't raise her head and her hand reached out to slide down my thigh to the inside of my knee.

"Tonight, dancing...it felt so right to be in your arms, Cade.  I want more."

With the speed of light, my arms swept around her and I pulled her onto my lap as my mouth slammed into hers. We kissed as if we were starving, both of us holding each other's heads as we kissed over and over again.

This was Brook, the love of my life, and I needed her, needed to convince her that I loved her and always would. The people around us vanished, the cameras all gone, as we lost ourselves in each other
.

"Cut!" Martin said after a time, but we continued to kiss. "Uh... cut!!!" he admonished as he came and touched me on the shoulder.

I pulled my mouth from Brook's and we locked eyes. I let out my breath as she pulled her arms from around me and slid off my lap, running a hand through her hair.

"Uh, that was really great guys, but Brook, you called Cade's name, not Ryan's," Martin said with a smile and rubbed his chin. "And... the kisses can't have tongue, guys." He winked at Cade.

"No, I didn't," Brook said with an embarrassed laugh. "We... uh...”

"Yes you did, honey, but that's okay. I can edit the other takes.”

I threw up my hands and grinned at Martin. “What? She likes it when I tongue her. I thought you wanted it to be realistic.” I laughed softly, amused when Brook gasped.

Martin shook his head. “Keep it in your pants, Cade. Let's do it again. Places."

I started to run my hand through my hair but stopped when I came in contact with the stiff hair gel they'd used to plaster it in place. I felt my skin flush as I looked at Brook. She was trying hard not to smile as she rubbed the back of her neck and made her way back to her original mark for the next take.

Later that evening, Brook was in a bathtub full of bubbles lost in thought, when I knocked on the doorframe. She'd left the door open so she could hear the music playing from the bedroom. Our room in the villa was smaller than we were used to, but very nice and painted in soft tones of sandy yellow.

She didn't hear me come in and I watched her for a moment before I sat down beside the tub and took her hand in mine. She glanced at me and her eyes focused on me while I brought her fingers to my lips.

"Are you okay?"

My hand was still holding hers and she pulled it up to her mouth, kissed the top of it then laid her velvet cheek against it.

"Yeah," she said softly, her eyes soft as she looked at me, before she closed them.

"You seem so lost in thought. What are you thinking about?" I was almost afraid to ask, but I really needed to know.

"Nothing really.” Brook shrugged slightly. “And everything, I guess."

My eyes ran over her features and her blonde hair piled on top of her head. Wet tendrils had escaped and were sticking to the side of her face and neck. I reached out to brush them back and then traced the line of her chin with my fingers.

"I'm sorry I called your name today. I feel so stupid."

"Don't be, love. I bloody loved it.  It was brilliant." The corners of my mouth lifted in a slight smile as I watched her eyes open again. They were clear and bright and I wanted to drown in the blue depths. “It was us, and it’s very difficult not to let that show now.”

You're so beautiful,
I thought.

“It is.”

“I'll turn down the bed and then I'll come back in and get you when you're ready, babe. Okay?"

"Okay," she sighed and leaned her head back on the tub as she sank further down into the water. My chest tightened and my eyes began to sting as I walked back into the bedroom.

Jesus Christ! Just pull it together, Cade. You can fall apart in New York.

I turned down the bed, lowered the volume on the music and lit one small votive candle before turning off the lights. I went to the ice bucket and wrapped several ice cubes in a towel and set them on the bedside stand, and then stripped off my shirt and jeans, leaving only my boxer briefs on.

I was tired, the jet lag and the shooting schedule had exhausted me and I knew Brook was wiped too. I grabbed a couple of beers from the small refrigerator near the loo, set them on the bedside table and then went to help Brook from the tub.

Her eyes were closed and her breathing was deep and even. She had fallen asleep.

"Brook, my love, wake up. I have to get a towel around you then you can go back to sleep," I said as I kissed her forehead and slid my arms around and under her to lift her from the tub.

"Why are you so good to me?" she said sleepily, her lids still closed as her head fell onto my shoulder. I carried her into the other room and laid her on the bed and proceeded to dry her off as she lay back on the pillows.

"Because I love you more than life," I said simply. It was the truth.

"No... don't dry me off. It feels good to go to bed all wet."

"What?" I was astonished at the notion.

"Pull the covers up to my neck. The evaporation relaxes me and it steams up under the blankets. It feels nice. You should try it." I sat down on the side of the bed and leaned in to kiss her softly on the mouth.

"I would have rather looked at your sexy body, but uh, your wish is my command."

She lifted her drowsy eyelids and smiled. "Will you try it with me sometime?"

"Hmmph." I shook my head in disbelief. "Sure, love, of course."

She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes again. "You'll like it, I promise," she sighed as she drifted back to sleep. I lifted the covers and propped her ankle up on a pillow before holding the ice on it for a while. When it started to melt, Brook shivered and I took it off and threw it in the sink before stripping off my underwear and sliding into bed beside her.

My arm snaked around her body as the heat coming off of her radiated toward me. I pulled her close against me and spooned her body with mine, before kissing her shoulder and neck and letting sleep overtake me.

"Cade?" Somewhere in my sleep-drugged brain, I heard Brook call my name. "Cade!"

The candle was almost out but still casting flickering shadows throughout the room. I rubbed my eyes and looked at the clock. 3:12 AM.

Brook stirred beside me, but seemed to be fast asleep. I untangled my arm from under her head and sat up, grabbing the now warm beer from the nightstand and taking a long pull from it.

I stood up and went to use the bathroom and when I was finished, I heard Brook tossing in the bed. "Cade! Where are you?"

"Shh... Brook," I murmured softly as I crawled back under the covers. "I'm right here beside you."

Her hand reached out toward me and mine closed over it so I could pull her closer, but she gasped and then her eyes opened suddenly.

"Cade?"

"I'm right here, Brook. Did you have a bad dream?"

She turned toward me and reached out to touch my face. "Just that you were gone and I couldn't find you... that's all I remember."

I propped myself up on one elbow and looked down into her face. Her eyes were searching mine and her hand came out to trace patterns on my chest.

"I'll be back in a minute," she said tightly. She kissed my mouth lightly and turned from me to get out of the bed and pad into the bathroom. She closed the door almost all the way but didn't turn the light on. I could tell by the look that she'd had on her face that she was hurting.

I rolled onto my back and sighed, covering my face with my hands and then rubbing the stubble on my chin as I waited for her to come back.

"Brook? Are you okay?" I asked after a couple of minutes.

When she didn't answer, I pushed the covers back and moved toward the door of the bathroom and leaned in so I could hear beyond the door. I could hear her crying softly and I pushed the door open with my fingertips. The candle from the other room filled the bathroom with soft light and I saw her naked body, leaning over the counter, braced by both of her arms and her head dropped.

I walked up behind her and put my hands on her shoulders. She straightened; leaning into me. I slid my arms around the front of her body as I turned my face into the curve of her neck and started placing kisses on her neck and shoulders.

"I'm sor... sorry, Cade," she whispered brokenly as her arms covered mine around the front of her body. "I'm trying so hard not to be sad...”

"Shhh... I know, my love. We’ll be okay."

I let my hands roam over her as I watched her in the mirror. She was so perfect, the candle light casting soft shadows over the swells and curves of her body, and I wanted to memorize how she looked and how she felt underneath my hands.  Her head fell back against my shoulder, her mouth fell open and she gasped as one of my hands slid below her waist, and the other up to cup a breast and to ghost over a nipple; echoing the scene we’d shot that day.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Cade... oh God.  Make love to me."

My dick had already hardened against her, and I couldn't resist pressing into her. I groaned against her shoulder. The emotional and physical bond between us was overwhelming.

"Brook...” Her hands reached behind her to move between our bodies and close around my erection. It felt amazing to have her hands on me, moving up and down, pulling, squeezing, driving me insane. My breath left my chest in a rush.

My hand parted the flesh between her legs seeking and finding the little bundle of nerves, I began to rub soft, gentle circles until she was gasping. My mouth moved up the side of her face, from her chin to her temple and I could taste the salt of her tears.

My heart was breaking, even as she set my body on fire.

The hand teasing her breast moved around to her back and up to her shoulder as she leaned forward, silently asking me to take her. I pulled my hand down her back and she shivered. I continued to stimulate her clit with one hand while the other held her hip to steady her as I pressed into her. She was so wet, and I entered her easily.

"Uh... Cade." Her face was so amazing as I watched her in the mirror. Her mouth was open and her eyes met mine as I thrust into her, slow and long. I pulled out almost all the way before pushing in to the hilt and as I did so, she clenched around me. I repeated the motion many times as I continued to watch the emotions flood her beautiful features. The love, the sensations she was causing around me, and watching her reaction was more than I could take.

"Jesus, Brook. I don't know if I can hold it. You're so sexy... seeing you like this, so beautiful, it drives me crazy. I want to see you come, Brook," I moaned into her neck as I pushed into her.

"I love you, Cade,” she said softly as her body tensed and clenched around me. She bit her lip and closed her eyes before her head fell forward. "Oh, God."

I closed my eyes as well and finally spilled into her body. I wanted to brand this woman as mine, to mark her, to scream to the world that I loved her. My breathing labored, I fell against her, my forehead resting between her shoulder blades as we both struggled to breathe.

I pulled out of her and turned her in my arms, my hands sliding to her rib cage to lift her onto the vanity. I felt emotions overwhelm me and tears flood my eyes. I crushed her to me and her arms and legs enfolded me as we embraced like we'd never be able to let go.

My hand went to the back of her head as I slammed my mouth into hers frantically. We kissed as if we were starving, both of us crying into each other's mouths. When I finally pulled my mouth from hers, she buried her face in my neck and sobbed.

My heart would stop beating when I had to leave her in three days. I knew it as sure as the sun would come up in the morning.