Star Struck (7 page)

I threw myself into his open arms, and grasped on to him as tightly as I could. My emotion was leaking out of my eyes and leaving a small wet spot on his shirt.

“Gavin, I’m…” I started to say, but he pressed his lips firmly against mine before I could get another word in. As our lips pushed together, I didn’t even notice that Alicia had gotten in the driver’s seat and we were already heading down the road. His hands held mine, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Elation had swept over my entire body just in being back in his presence.

When we arrived at my apartment building, Alicia said goodbye and Gavin carried by bags up the stairs as she drove away. It was a little strange being here with him, since we had always been at his place, but it also felt really great to be home. Sleeping in my own bed would be wonderful.

We got inside and took my bags to the bedroom. I started to unpack and Gavin sat on the bed watching me. The silence felt relaxed, and yet there was an uncomfortable heaviness that I knew we needed to get out of the way.

“Gavin,” I said, breaking the stillness in the room. “I’m so sorry I haven’t called or anything the last few weeks. I was an idiot.”

“I’m sorry, too,” he said. “I just said the things my manager wanted me to say without thinking about how it would make you feel. I sort of just got into it, like I was supposed to be this single character and that guy just took over. Not a day has passed since doing that interview that I haven’t regretted it.”

I sat next to him and wrapped my arms around him, kissing him lovingly. The feeling of being home stretched way beyond my physical location. Three weeks away, without saying one word to Gavin, had seemed perpetually unending.

“So what do we do now?” I asked.

“We’ve got three days until the premiere,” he said. “I say we just stay here together and enjoy the calm before the storm.”

“I mean about us. How long do we have to hide this?”

Gavin let out a sigh and slumped down on the bed.

“My manager says until after
Bittersweet Memories
is out of theaters, but then the other day he mentioned waiting until after the DVD release. It seems like he wants this to be a secret forever.”

I cuddled up next to Gavin and he put his arm around me, pulling me close.

“As long as I get to be with you,” I said. “Then I don’t care who does or does not know about us. I love you.”

Gavin kissed my forehead tenderly and squeezed me a little tighter. I hadn’t really considered how much stress this whole situation must be putting on him, and I felt so guilty for adding to it with my childish silent treatment. The weeks without him almost felt completely wasted, and I wished with all my being that I could take back what I had done. The thought of it made my eyes water, and tears found their way down my face.

“What’s wrong?” Gavin asked.

“It’s just… I was such a fool for not telling you where I was going. For not asking you to come with me, for not even calling you.”

“You have no idea how upset I’ve been with myself that I made you feel that you needed to push me away. I don’t think I’ve slept more than a few hours since you’ve been gone- the thought of hurting you broke me down inside. I’m so sorry for what I did to you, and what I said on that show.”

He wiped the tears away from my face, cradling my cheeks in his hands. My hand wandered to the back of his head, running my fingers through his luscious hair, and I pulled his face into mine and kissed him fiercely. His arms engulfed me, and I took a deep, refreshing breath.

As I looked into his glorious eyes, I undid the buttons on his shirt and exposed his torso. He looked so sexy with the open shirt draping loosely around him. I lifted myself up slightly as he pulled off my top, and when he leaned down to kiss me I felt the edges of his undone shirt tickle my sides. I put my hands under his shirt and enclosed my arms around him, feeling the warmth of his skin that I had missed so intensely.

I released my inhibitions as the magic in his fingertips poured onto my body while they wandered from one place to another. His hands slipped into the top of my pants and he pushed them down as I wriggled out of them. As I unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants, he brushed my hair with his fingers, kissing my cheeks, jaw and neck.

It was so freeing to be back with him again, and with him in nothing but a loose shirt and me in nothing but my bra, the heat in the room was beginning to boil. Our desire for each other went far beyond the flesh, and in that sensual moment the rest of the world had disappeared. There was only him and only me- only us.

My legs moved apart and he glided himself soothingly inside of me. The slow rhythmic movement we made together could put any well-rehearsed dance to shame. All I felt was him- inside my body, in every inch of my heart, deep in the depths of my core, and in every crevice of my soul. This had become so much more than just sex- it was the joining of our spirits, and I had never felt a love grasp onto me so incredibly everlastingly.

The taste of his breath was absolutely delicious, and the sweet smell of his skin reminded me that this was not just a dream. His eyes looked into mine, shimmering with adoration and devotion. I lifted my head up and kissed him, biting his lip softly. Our breathing quickened, and I felt my body rising and lowering with his. My head rolled to one side, and he kissed my neck, making me arch with pleasure.

I moaned loudly. As I did, he started thrusting faster and harder, making me moan again and again, louder and louder. My hand reached up and grabbed his face gently. My lips parted softly and I breathily called his name out as my orgasm look over my body. Just as I was erupting inside with bliss, he quivered as he came, kissing me passionately as I felt him explode inside of me.

We lay beside each other, stroking each other’s faces and skin, talking about everything. I filled him in on my experience on the set of
Expectations
and he told me about the auditions he had gone on and a new role he had been offered. He made me laugh, and the last thing I remember before falling asleep was the precious feel of his kiss.

Though I’ve never been much of a girlie-girl, I do enjoy getting pampered from time to time. With the premiere of
Bittersweet Memories
just a couple hours away, my hair and make-up had been done professionally, and I felt beautiful. Getting into the dress was an event all in itself, and I had to ask Gavin to help me put it on.

With my dressed zipped, Gavin took my hand and twirled me around, looking at me from every angle.

“You look like a princess,” he said.

“Thank you,” I said. “But I feel like a fraud. I’m so nervous, and I’m not sure I belong on the red carpet. And I think this dress cost more than I usually make in six months!”

Gavin laughed. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re only borrowing it.”

That was something I had learned a few days ago about premieres- most actresses don’t buy those gorgeous gowns they sport during premieres and award shows. The majority of them are “borrowed” from the designer. This helps the designer gain exposure while the actress has a unique dress that she’ll only wear once. It felt so strange joining these ranks and wearing an elaborate designer dress and shoes.

Gavin looked absolutely dashing in his tuxedo. So suave and handsome, and not a string of clothing or piece of hair was out of place on him. I loved the way he looked in his tux- as charming as Clark Gable and as captivating as James Bond. I slid my hands up and down his arms and felt the smooth fabric of his jacket in my palms.

A knock came at Gavin’s front door startled me. Standing at the threshold was a well-dressed man, wearing a dark navy blue suit.

“Hello. Mr. Lowe and Miss Manning, right?” he asked.

“Yes,” Gavin said, reaching out to shake the man’s hand. “And you are?”

“I’m John, and I’m your driver for the evening. Are you ready to go?”

Gavin and I nodded and held each other’s hand as we walked out the door. John led us out into the driveway where a long black limousine was waiting for us. Outwardly, I was trying to be as calm as ever, but inwardly I was as giddy as a schoolgirl on the last day of classes!

John held the door open for me, and Gavin helped me inside. I scooted over and Gavin got in. The seats were so cushy I felt like I was almost sinking in. There was plenty of space in the back- I could hardly believe it was all just for us. John got in the front seat and made some small talk with Gavin as we drove to the venue. My palms started feeling sweaty, and I was getting more nervous as we got closer to the theater. Gavin rubbed my hand gently.

“Hey John, I don’t mean to be rude, but would you mind if we had a little privacy?”

“No problem, boss!” John said casually as he rolled up the privacy window.

“What’s wrong, Megan?” Gavin asked.

“I’m just getting really nervous. I’ll be fine, I hope.”

“You’ll be perfect,” he said as he kissed the back of my hand. “Everyone is going to love you.”

“I’m worried it’ll be like that night with the paparazzi.”

“There will be lots of press there, but they won’t be as vicious this time. It’ll be much more comfortable. There’s going to be some railing between us and them anyway, so you’ll do fine. And I won’t ever be too far.”

Gavin kissed me softly, holding me in his arms. I rested my head on his shoulder, trying to be careful about my hair, and relaxed against his body. The drive to the theater felt so long, and the anticipation was killing me inside. I don’t think I was even this nervous the first time I ever went to an audition.

When the limo stopped, I could hear the hubbub of the crowd outside. I peered out the tinted window and saw Sal and some of the other cast. It had been timed perfectly so that we would be the last to arrive.

“Ready for this?” Gavin asked.

“I guess I have no choice now.”

“You’ll do great,” Gavin said. His smile comforted me, and his confidence in me would suffice for the lack of my own for the time being.

John came around and opened the door. When Gavin stepped out, the crowd instantly exploded in excited roaring. He waved to the press and the fans, and I heard people screaming his name. Gavin turned around and offered his hand to me to help me out of the limo. When I got out, we were flooded with flashing lights and questions from reporters.

In my mind, I told myself that this was an easy thing to do. All I had to do was let some people take my picture and answer a few questions. Most of the questions were about what I planned to do next, how I liked the film, and what working with Sal was like.

Before too long, I had become much more comfortable. It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. I followed Gavin’s lead, bouncing back and forth between the press and the fans. It surprised me whenever someone in the crowd asked for my autograph and specifically used my name. I happily obliged, taking a little extra care and making note that I would need to practice signing my name until I got it just the way I wanted it to look. It was then that I realized people were not just calling out Gavin’s name- they were calling out mine, too. I shook hands and waved, asking people how they were and telling them I hoped they would like the movie.

I was really enjoying myself, letting myself relax and soak in the moment- I had no idea if I’d ever get this chance again. It wasn’t until I stepped back over to the press side and someone asked me about Gavin that I felt uneasy again.

“Are the rumors true about you and Gavin Lowe seeing each other of set? Are you sleeping together?” someone asked me.

“Um, well…” I replied. “Well, we’re close, so we do hang out from time to time.”

Being asked so directly about my personal life made me feel as though I was being put on display. It was strange to me that someone would come out so boldly and ask me about my sex life in such a public forum; it made me feel guilty for all those times I had read gossip magazines about celebrities. I politely excused myself and went on to the next reporter when someone would hint about Gavin and I before they could ask something else I didn’t want to answer.

Gavin was talking to a young blonde woman with a camera crew, answering questions. He seemed so comfortable, as though he was meant to be here and knew it. When he looked over and caught me staring at him, he grinned and waved for me to come over.

When I got over there, Gavin put his hand lightly on the small of my back.

“Here she is, the woman of the hour,” he said, introducing me to the reporter. “Miss Megan Manning.”

The reporter smiled politely at me.

“Hi Megan, I’m Joanne and I’m with Spotlight,” she said. “Mind if I ask you a few questions?”

“Yes, of course,” I said enthusiastically. Spotlight, one of the most prestigious entertainment news shows, was about to interview me!

“What was the most exciting thing about working on this film?” Joanne asked.

“Oh, the entire process!” I replied. “It was such a pleasure working with Sal, Gavin, and the entire cast and crew. I’ve done much smaller budget projects before this, so it was quite an experience- everything was so amplified, so organized, and filming went so smoothly. It was an amazing experience getting to be a part of this project.”

Joanne was very good at her job. She asked me simple questions and allowed me to get in a good answer, never cutting me off. Gavin would interject here and there, often gushing of how spectacular he thought my performance was.