Page 53 of His Girl Hollywood

He followed her gaze. So it was. But to be honest, he didn’t care. He only had eyes for her and the strawberry-pink bow of her mouth and that delicious dress. He stood next to her, leaned down, and kissed her bare shoulder. “I’m glad you decided to come tonight.”

“I am too. I don’t remember the last time I stopped to look up at the moon. It’s beautiful.”

“So are you.” It was corny, but he meant it.

She turned her head to meet his eyes and studied him for a moment. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear you say that.”

He swallowed. “I was a fool. I have no other excuse to offer you. But I swear by the moon, I’ll never make you wait to hear it again. I’ll tell you as often as you like. You’re beautiful. You’re smart. You’re a radiant and unique creature.”

“‘Swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,’” she murmured.

“You always did have a soft spot forRomeo and Juliet.”

“I still love the poetry. Even if I’ve had enough of tragic romance. Star-crossed lovers aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.” He knew she didn’t mean the play. She meant them. The disappointment she’d felt in his absence and his silence. He didn’t know if he could ever make it up to her. He just knew he wanted to try.

A breeze ruffled her hair and he reached out, cupping her cheek with his hand and kissing her gently on the lips. She deepened the kiss, inviting him in. He slid his tongue into her, stretching the kiss into a long and dutiful worship of her mouth.

When they broke apart, she turned and placed her hands on the railing, looking out across the water. “You know how I told you I lay in the grass looking at the stars every night the year you left? I was really looking at the moon. Wondering where you were in New York. What you were up to. If you ever were looking up at the same moon as I was. I liked to imagine you were. That even if there were no letters and no phone calls, we still had the moon.”

He placed his hand on hers, ever so gently, wanting to erase the hurt and longing in her voice. But all he could do was be here now. The breeze picked up strength and she shivered. “Here, take my coat.” He started to shrug out of his suit jacket.

She put a hand to the center of his back and stilled him. “No, it’s all right. I’m fine.”

“Lena, I—” He met her eyes and she gave him a searching look, cocking her head like a puppy trying to understand the world around it. “Let me be there for you. Let me take care of you. Like you used to take care of me.”

She smiled, a knowing look that seemed to sayYou silly boy.“I can take care of myself, you know.”

“I know. I’ve never doubted it. I just…want to make up for lost time.”

She nodded and her eyes pooled with tears. Nuts, this wasn’t what he wanted at all. He was upsetting her. She looked down, then back up at him, blinking rapidly. “Excuse me, I need to powder my nose.” She pressed a hurried kiss to his cheek and turned to go inside before he could stop her.

He was about to follow her when a squeaky, all-too-familiar voice stopped him in his tracks. “You shouldn’t be here.”

He turned on his heel. “Eleanor. You’re supposed to be out with Eddie.”

She smirked. “Your setup stinks. I could smell it a mile away before Eddie even asked me if I wanted to grab a drink. Besides, the mug barely got inside the Frolic Room before he was talking the ear off some leggy blond. He didn’t even notice I left.”

Don ran his hand down his face. Eddie was the most loyal, trustworthy pal. Unless he got distracted by a pair of gams and a head of platinum hair. “But why are youhere, Eleanor?”

“Are you stupid or something? You brought your girlfriend to Anthony Cornero’s boat.”

“She’s not my… You know what, that’s irrelevant. Anthony Cornero has no idea who I am. And I wanted to bring Lena somewhere beyond the prying eyes of Hollywood gossips.”

Eleanor snorted. “Gossips? They’re the least of your problems. Didn’t it sink into that thick skull of yours when I told you Frankieis always watching? Did that warning note mean nothing to you? You want Arlene to end up like Mabel?”

“No, God, no! Eleanor, don’t even suggest such a thing. Of course I don’t. But that warning did mean something. It reminded me why I’m here in Hollywood. To get away from Frankie. To stop jumping when he says jump.” Then something hit him. “Wait a second, how’d you know about the note?”

Eleanor darted her eyes back and forth. “Er, Eddie told me.”

“No, he didn’t. Because I never told him about it. I crumpled it up and shoved it in a drawer.”

Eleanor stomped her foot and looked remarkably like a toddler having a tantrum. “Fine. You want the truth? I sent you that note. Because you needed a reminder. You’re supposed to be helping me, Don. Not mooning over your director!”

Don cursed under his breath. Goddamn Eleanor, always meddling in his affairs. He should’ve known. That note, from its cut-out letters to its stealthy delivery, was not Frankie’s style. A flash of Mabel’s screams as the lye hit her face echoed in his memory.Thatwas Frankie’s style. “It’s none of your business, Eleanor. You and I, we’re not a couple. Who I choose to spend an evening with is irrelevant to whether or not I help you. And your meddling makes me less inclined to be of assistance!”

Eleanor hung her head and pouted. “I’m just trying to protect you. And me! I don’t wanna wind up like Mabel either.” She kicked at the deck and looked up at Don, batting her eyes. Jesus, did that really work on other guys? “That’s why I left you the warning. You’re getting distracted. You and me, we got bigger fish to fry. You said you were going to fix things. But I’m still cha-cha’ing my derriere off at the Clover Club six nights a week, and Robert won’t take my calls.”

Don bit his cheek and prayed for patience. “So, what, you thought scaring me straight would make me spring into action?”

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