Page 23 of False Start
Her eyes were glassy as she held my gaze, but beneath the tears there was a spark of hope that I wanted to fan. To build intoa blazing inferno of confidence in the amazing woman I knew she could be without people tearing her down at every turn.
“You’re too good to me,” she said, the corner of her mouth turning up.
From the corner of my eye, I caught the waitress approaching with our food, so with a final squeeze, I sat back and accepted my plate.
“We’ll be good to each other,” I said, smiling at her nod.
With our cards on the table, we ate in a companionable silence until her phone started rattling across the table.
“I’m sorry, it’s Lydia. Do you mind if I take this?”
I waved her on and she answered with a tensehello.
The conversation was mostly one sided with Georgia giving an occasional “uh huh” and “really?”
Her face told the real story. Tension gave way to concern, then confusion, cautious optimism, followed by a breathtaking smile as she thanked her manager and ended the call.
“Good news?”
“I got it.” Her face shone as she half stood, then sat, wriggling around in her chair like she wasn’t sure what to do with herself.
“I got the role! I’m going to be onShifting Sands!”
I’d never seen the show, but it wasn’t for me to decide how exciting the news was. She’d worked her ass off for the role, so there was only one response necessary.
“Congratulations!”
She burst out of her seat and rounded the table, and I was right there to catch her as she threw herself into my arms. Her enthusiasm was infectious and, without thought, I pulled her into a kiss. Her body immediately molded to mine as I licked my way into her mouth. Her taste exploded on my tastebuds, and I groaned at the pinch of her nails biting into my chest.
“Well done, princess. You deserve it,” I muttered against her lips. She hummed, pressing closer to me.
“Don’t forget we’re in public, Georgie girl.”
She huffed, breaking the kiss. “Are you reminding me? Or yourself?” she asked as she deliberately brushed her hip against my erection. I hissed at the contact and slipped back onto my chair as she sashayed back to her seat.
“We need to celebrate.”
“Isn’t this a celebration?” she asked, then a dark smile lit her face. “Or do you mean something a little more intimate?”
I groaned at her implication and sent a harsh command to my dick to behave.
“I thought maybe we could have a cookout at my place. Maybe invite a few friends over to celebrate the fact you’re a badass actor who will be the best thing to ever happen to that TV show.”
She hummed, her eyes focused on the table in front of her.
“I don’t really know who to invite.”
“What about Cami? Marina? Ridley?”
“Why would they care that I got the role?”
“Georgie, they like you. They’d be happy for you because you’re happy. That’s what friends do.”
She gave me a dubious look, but shrugged.
“If you want. It could be fun.”
If I did nothing else in this fake relationship, I was going to teach this woman that she was worth something to people.
