“Yeah, I’m in the car. Why?”
“Well, Marc Stone got a hold of me this morning. They’re taking the movie to France.”
“What?” The director has been generating some buzz around the small movie I had the lead in recently. It’s why we were in Toronto. But taking it to Cannes? I’ve never been to Cannes, only ever watched clips of the carpet on my computer. This is…big.
“Your name has come up in discussions, Chase. You’re the reason they want to show the movie. They’re saying it’s your strongest performance yet. This will be a damn huge year for you, kiddo. Not bad for a movie that you filmed in less than a month.”
I hang up with Cyn and stare at my phone. There’s one person I want to celebrate this with before anyone else. My finger hovers over her name.
CHAPTER16
BODY TALKS
THE STRUTS
Pongo retreatsto the safety of the house after another giant splash sends water sloshing over the edge of the pool. Lulu swims to me, licking my face as she climbs up on me. Pongo does an amazing job at keeping me calm, but Lulu? She’s perfect at just being a dog. I hoist her up and out of the pool. Water goes in every direction as she shakes and gets ready to jump in once more.
The buzzer for the front gate interrupts our playtime, but it’s too early for Jamie to be here, and Devin has already left for practice. It must be Dani, but she never uses the buzzer. I open the app on my phone and when I spot the car; I hit the button without hesitation. I hurry out of the pool and run for the door, my hands shaking and my stomach in knots as I reach for the knob. I throw the door open just in time to see Ren park her car.
“Hey,” is all I can squeak out as I stand by her car door, still dripping. I clear my throat. “I, uhm, didn’t know you were, uhh?—”
“Dani invited me. She called it a dinner party with artsy people.” She hasn’t looked up at me yet, and she sounds annoyed. “I guess she didn’t expect me to recognize the house in the daylight. Based on the lack of cars, she also lied about the time.”
“I didn’t tell her to do that, but I… I’m glad you came. I mean, I get it if you want to leave, but you can, you know, stay.” I can’t even make sentences. “Food is good.”
My shoulders slump and the butterflies get stuck in my throat, but she laughs and shakes her head. I missed that sound. She climbs out of the car, and, risking it all, I take a step forward. My arms cage her against the car, but she still doesn’t look up.
“Chase, don’t do this.”
“You haven’t said it.” She shivers at my voice, but there’s no fear in her face. We haven’t seen each other in almost a month, but it’s still there. That crackling spark, that desire, that need.
“Said what?” she asks, her voice breathy. Her fingers twitch, fighting the urge to reach out and touch me. Taking another risk, I slide my finger under her chin and tilt her head back. Her long lashes hide what I want to see until they flutter and lift. We’re reflections staring back at ourselves, hunger and lust filling both of us. I want to rip her clothes off right here; bend her over the hood of the car and show her how much I want her.
“The one thing you know will stop me.” I lick my lips and cup her face, staring into those deep brown eyes. I cash in my last hope, praying to every god I’ve ever heard of. “If you’re uncomfortable, you say the word. You say ‘octopus’.”
“Coming out here with your shirt off was cruel. You’re all…wet.”
“I thought that was my line?” My head dips down, and there’s an intense jolt of electricity that hits when our lips crash together. Fuck, I forgot how good this felt. Without breaking the kiss, I pick her up and her arms wrap around my neck.
“Wait!” she yells, and my heart sinks. I overstepped, and she hates me even more now. “I need my bag.”
I grin as I carry her to the back, pop the trunk open, and throw her bag over my shoulder. She screams and laughs as I run her into the house. The second we’re inside, I have her against a wall and her legs wrap around me like they belong there. Because they do.
“You taste like a pool.”
“You taste like a fucking drug.” I slide my hand down her leg, but I can’t find an end to the fabric. I glance down and shake my head. “Pants? Really? I mean, I wantinyour pants, but how the hell am I supposed to do all these things I want to do to you against this wall when you’re wearing pants?”
“You’re ruining my clothes. Not in the way I like, either.” She kisses the tip of my nose. “Put me down, Chase. We should talk first.”
“Is this a terrible idea?”
“Without a doubt.” Her eyes follow her fingers down my bare chest, and I push my hips into hers. “We need to get it out of our system, right? That’s all?”
“I’ll never get you out of my system, Renate Silva. You’re there, you’re etched on my fucking heart. But if this is it, if all you’ll give me is this one last night, then yeah. Sure.”
I kiss her until neither of us can breathe. The dogs are going nuts and running around us wanting to get her attention, too, but I outrank them, at least for now. When I put her down, she takes the bag away from me and heads upstairs to my room. I, of course, follow her like a lost puppy, with Pongo and Lulu on my heels.
“You know, the way you follow me around earned the nameSnuggle Puppyon my phone.”
