It's Just Love (11 page)

“I’d better go to the restroom.” She stood, handing him her
own bucket, augmented by the other patron’s shower of corn. “I think there’s
more inside my top.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I’d offer to help, but—”

“But your girlfriend wouldn’t appreciate seeing your hand in
my bra on television.” She shook off what she could. “I’ll be right back.

* * * *

She still thought he had a girlfriend. So did all of
America. He’d begun to regret his decision to keep the change in status from
Coral. Of course, even if she knew he was available, it wouldn’t matter. She
wouldn’t be interested in a stuffed shirt like him. She’d have lovers who lived
life to the fullest, not pale writers and counselors who never left their
office except to go to the gym for their health or do dinner with the right
people who could further their careers.

And they had nothing in common. He was quite sure of it. Not
one factor. Animal attraction was not on the list. The fact that every time he
thought of her, his cock pressed against his zipper, that he’d replayed every
word of their conversations in his head all afternoon like a teenage boy
wondering if a girl liked him—those were not the kind of things that made a relationship
last. Oh, she laughed at his jokes, and their conversations had been
interesting, but she couldn’t possibly like him
like that
. Why would
she? She’d want someone like that guy Geena was hanging out with, John, the
tall, tanned construction worker, or whatever he was.

The final trailer rolled away, followed by some animated
snacks fox-trotting across the screen, reminding the audience that they should
head to the lobby before the movie got going. Shouldn’t that have come before
the trailers? The opening credits began, and he moved to the aisle seat and
turned to watch the door at the back. She’d been gone a while.

Just as he became concerned she had decided not to return,
Coral reappeared and sauntered toward him. In her faded jeans and fitted, low-necked
t-shirt, her figure was outlined by the projector’s shifting light. Long legs,
rounded hips, and a tiny waist. Her breasts, high and proud, made him regret
not hunting for the popcorn further. When she tilted her head at him, he
wondered if he should offer to move back to his original seat.

Coral smiled and shrugged. “Excuse me.” She brushed past him
and took the vacant chair. He held the popcorn in his lap, grateful the giant
tub concealed his arousal. “Want me to take that from you?” she asked.

Gage clutched the bucket tighter. “No, I’ll hang onto it. I
might even have a little myself. I never—”

“Never eat fattening junk food loaded with fake butter
flavoring?” She giggled, and a man in the row behind the shushed them. Coral
clapped a hand over her mouth. She dropped it and brought a few pieces to her
lips. “Oh, this isn’t fake at all. So good, try some.”

Gage smiled, enjoying the evening. He reached into the
bucket and took a handful. The taste was a revelation, salty and buttery and
indulgent. He ate more, and stuck his hand in again just as she did the same.

Her fingers brushed his, and his cock throbbed. God, could
she tell? If this kept up, by the time she got to the bottom, he’d have pushed
it out of shape and her hand would… He gulped.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, pulling back, but he caught her
wrist and held it.

“No, you go ahead.” He pushed her deeper. “It’s your
popcorn, after all.”

“I intended to share with you anyway.” She turned her palm
up and tangled their fingers together, then looked up and met his eyes, the
flickering light flashing on her face, her lips shiny with butter from the
popcorn. Inches away.

His breath caught. Her eyes widened. He tightened his
fingers around hers. She tilted her head back, and he closed the distance,
focused on her sweet mouth, wanting to taste it, to taste her. She lifted her
face, her eyelids drooping.

“Could you two get a room if you’re not going to watch the
movie? Geez!”

Coral jerked away as if she’d touched a live wire, yanking
her hand out of the tub. Gage fought the urge to turn and punch the guy who’d
made her react like that, who’d ruined the moment. But he faced forward and
passed her the bucket. The need for concealment had disappeared as well. For
now.

“Can you see Charlie and Elise?” she whispered, sitting
forward and trying to look around the tall woman in front of her. That hadn’t
been a problem in her former seat...and it hadn’t been one for him with his
greater height.

He went with the subject change, abashed by his desire for
her. No aphrodisiac could have done more than the buttery popcorn. “Yes.
They’re watching the movie.” They, in fact, stared straight ahead, with no
little chats to the side. Nor did they brush shoulders together. Their
attention seemed focused on the film.

“Oh, okay.” She leaned back again. “I guess we might as well
too.”

His disappointment knew no bounds. He considered the
pleasure of dragging the bastard from the row behind them outside and teaching
him not to interrupt others when they were enjoying a moment. But if he made
the headlines for the wrong reason—
Best selling relationship expert arrested
for assault and battery, details at eleven
—Aaron would have a stroke. Or
worse,
Cheating Relationship Guru.
Because the world, including Coral,
thought he was still involved with Geena.

Could he come clean now? Would she even believe him?

“Pssst, they’re leaving.” Coral’s whisper drew him out of
his thoughts, and he jumped to his feet. “Lucky you didn’t have the popcorn on
your lap. Let’s take it slow and follow them, see what they do.”

He puffed out a breath and tried to look cool. “Sure, why
not?”

“They know we’re around anyway, but let’s give them enough
space to connect if they want to.” She gave him a little nudge. “Come on, we’ll
lose them.”

He grabbed her hand, and they hurried up the aisle and out
of the theater. The other couple must have been moving fast, because they were
nowhere in sight.

“Shoot,” Gage said. “I think we lost them.”

Coral pulled loose and took a step into the street. “No, I
see them down the block, heading toward the beach I think.”

Gage shrugged. “I guess we’d better go, here comes our tail
now.” The slight woman emerged from the theater but didn’t look directly at
them. “Subtle.”

“Yeah. Let’s see how subtle she can be trailing us down the
beach at ten o’clock at night. Two couples, each with their own cameraperson. I
mean not couples…just two group…pairs.” She stammered to a stop.

“I wish I’d brought a jacket. It’s going to be cool down
there.”

She grinned. “But at least it’s the beach. I’m always happiest
near the ocean.”

So had he been, once, before his career and responsibilities
took the edge off any joy. They were only a few blocks from Venice boardwalk
and the beach, and, unlike Santa Monica, there was no big hill to descend to
get there. The closer they got, the stronger the scent of salt air, and his
spirits lifted.

“No fog tonight.” He’d probably be warm enough as long as
that remained the case.

“Nope, clear sky, not a cloud either.” She walked faster and
threw a glance at him over her shoulder. “I don’t see them, do you?”

“No, I don’t.”

“But the camera is still behind us.” Her voice held tension.

“Are you still bothered by her? If we truly have lost the
others, I can tell her the evening is over and she should go away.” He slowed,
so he walked behind her, blocking the camera shot.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I mean, yes, I am disturbed by
being filmed. It’s not something that happens every day—outside of security
cameras almost everywhere we go. But I don’t think we’re supposed to even
notice her, are we?”

“She’s pretty hard to miss.” He moved beside Coral and
grabbed her hand. “Let’s try something.” The short street ended at the
boardwalk, and they turned onto it. “There are still quite a few people here,
even this late.”

“True. Most of the bars and restaurants are open, even if
the tourist shops are all barred for the night.” She didn’t pull away.

Gage leaned to speak in her ear. “We should be able to lose
her in the crowd if we’re clever. Want to?” Her hair held the fragrance of
green apples, fresh and sweet like Coral herself.

She nodded. “Sure.” Looking up at him, she grinned, and he
smiled back. “Sounds like fun.”

He began to move at a lope, tugging her along behind, past
clusters of people standing outside pubs and pairs walking along the concrete
“boardwalk” of Venice Beach. Jewelry vendors, henna tattoo designers, and performance
artists were all shutting up shop on the beach side, packing their wares into
duffel bags and backpacks, preparing to head home.

Finally, they ducked into a narrow walkway between an
apartment house and a restaurant and hid in the shadows, waiting for… Yes, the
cameraperson stalked past, speaking into a cellphone held to her ear. “They
were right in front of me and now they’re gone.” She continued on and Gage
chuckled, low and into Coral’s ear.

“She’s gone. What do you want to do now?”

She stepped out of the shadows, releasing his hand. “I don’t
know, what do you want to do?”

The moonlight on her up tilted face captured the sparkle in
her eyes, her long hair flying about in the ocean breeze, and her mischievous
smile. Fairy, wild child, she didn’t belong in his world, trapped in
straightjacket clothes under fluorescent lighting all day. He remembered her
wish, to sail away across the world. Gage hoped that would happen for her.

He should take her home… “Want to walk on the beach?” They
still had today and tomorrow, and his lie of a girlfriend should keep things
from going too far.

He has a girlfriend.
Coral didn’t have to worry about
her attraction taking her over the edge. While she didn’t buy the “factors”
concept, she did believe they inhabited different worlds. Her life in her beach
cottage, his in—where did he live anyway? A mansion? Or a penthouse condo
somewhere? He wouldn’t buy the mansion until he married Miss Perfect 10 and
began having their perfect children.

The thought took a little of the shine off the evening. They
crossed the concrete expanse toward the sand. Her steps flagged. Maybe a stroll
in the moonlight wasn’t the best idea.

“Coral!”

She spun on her heel. Tom stood on the boardwalk, waving.

“Hey, what are you doing here? Oh, you’re with the show.”

He grimaced. “Yeah, sort of, but I’m just out for the
evening with friends, waiting for them to come out of that bar over there.”

Guilt suffused her. “You know, we haven’t done a very good
job following the couple from the show. We keep losing them. I hope Harry won’t
be upset.”

Tom laughed. “I haven’t met your friend yet.”

“Of course,” Coral said. “Tom, meet Gage Middleton. I’m
surprised you didn’t connect with him on the set the other day.”

The two men shook hands. “I am generally pretty busy with my
own work on set,” Tom replied. “So, what are you two up to?”

“Gage suggested a walk on the beach, but I—”

“Excellent idea,” Tom said. “It’s a particularly good night
for it.”

“I didn’t think…you know, because he has—”

“Coral, go walk on the beach with the nice man.” Tom
chuckled. “What could be the harm?”

She started to get irritated. Who was this guy to tell her
what to do? Still, her rebellious heart fought the spell of the full moon,
sailing high above, and her own emotions. She’d never been with someone who had
such an effect on her.

She glanced at Gage and then back toward Tom, but he was
gone.

Gage started. “Where did he go?

Coral shook her head. “I have no idea. Back in the bar I
guess.”

“He disappeared.” Gage turned in a circle. “He sure moved
fast.”

Coral was beginning to have doubts about Tom—in her world,
people who came and went like that generally were more than they seemed. But
she couldn’t explain that to Gage, at least not in a way he could accept.

“Yeah, I guess he did. Are we going down by the waterline?”

“Sure.” He strolled over to an opening in the low wall
separating the beach from the walkway and passed through. Sitting, he took off
his shoes and socks. “I wonder if I can leave these here?”

“It’s Venice…there are a lot of homeless people who’d love a
nice pair of Italian leather loafers. They are Italian, right?”

“They are.” His voice was tight, clipped. She hadn’t meant
to make him defensive.

“Bring them along with you, or better yet, here.” She opened
the capacious bag she always carried. “I’m going to throw mine in here anyway.”

He hesitated, but she took them. “Well, okay, thanks.

“No problem. Let’s go see why Tom thinks it’s an especially
good night for walking on the beach.” She stepped out of her sandals and
dropped them in her purse. “Come on, I’ll race you.” She tore off across the
sand toward the water. When she reached the end of the level space and saw the
waves rolling in, she gasped. “Oh, no wonder.”

Gage came puffing up behind her. “The water’s glowing.”

“It’s bioluminescence. I didn’t know there was anything like
this tonight. You see, there are billions of tiny sea creatures making that
happen. It’s pretty rare, but so beautiful.”

“I’ve seen it before, a few times.”

She faced him. “Oh, I didn’t know you liked the beach.”

“I used to, when I was a teenager, I spent every summer day
and most weekends on the sand.”

“I had no idea.” His pale complexion had led her to believe
he wasn’t a beach guy. “You don’t by any chance…surf?”

“A little. That is, I did. But it’s been a long time.”

“Cool! You should come down some Saturday and we can take a
couple of my boards out.”