Page 107 of Holiday Star
I collapse against his chest, tears of exertion dotting my cheeks. A fine mist of sweat coats both of our skins. Caleb is still shuddering, twitching inside me as the last of him is whisked away by my trembling aftershocks.
“You broke me,” I tell his collarbone, my voice weak. “I’ll never be able to move again.”
He chuckles darkly, arms wrapping tight around my waist. “What I’m hearing is that I was more than adequate.”
He tips my chin up for a kiss.
“More than adequate,” I admit, my lips curling without permission. My head is heavy, thoughts scattered.
We stay like that, wound up in one another.
Finally, I drag my head off Caleb’s shoulder and peer out the window. “Hey. Shouldn’t we be at your penthouse by now?”
He’s sheepish. “I told the driver to keep driving us around. Not to go straight to my place.”
“What?” I’m awake now, eyes popping open, pushing away to sit up in his lap. “Caleb!” I swat him on the arm. “Did you plan this? Limo sex?”
He looks only mildly repentant. “If it didn’t happen, that would have been fine. But I thought…well, I knew I couldn’t make it all the way home before I wanted you.”
He gives a quick kiss to my shocked face. “It’s a compliment when you think about it. You drive me so crazy, I just couldn’t wait.”
“Hmm,” I murmur, skeptical.
“Come on, Gwen. Don’t look at me like that.” He peppers tiny kisses across my cheek until his mouth takes mine. He kisses me and keeps on kissing until the thought of limo sex sounds like an awfully good idea. Something we should explore one more time.
Who needs to go home, anyway?
70
Caleb needs you.” Dean, Caleb’s long-time bodyguard, looks uncharacteristically rattled, his tie crooked and words clipped. I glance at Alvina, who sits next to me, and see my concern reflected in her face. Wayne leans around her, trying to figure out what’s going on.
“Can you hold my jacket?” I ask Alvina. Before she can answer, I shove my coat into her arms and rise from my seat in the third row of the Prestige Theater.
It’s opening night. Alvina and Wayne have agreed to be my dates so we can watch Caleb’s big debut in the Broadway musical. A debut that, given the expression on Dean’s face, isn’t going well.
Muttering apologies, I clamber over the legs of the people in my row, holding my arms out for balance. I wave to Marjorie and Ben, who sit behind us. “Is everything okay?” Marjorie asks, half-rising from her seat like she’s about to come with me. If Caleb is panicking, the last thing he needs is his mom adding to his stress.
“Yes! Yes. Everything’s fine,” I lie and stumble over the person in the end seat. I almost fall but pull myself upright at the last minute and land in the aisle.
Dean gestures wildly for me to follow him. We rush into the backstage and down the hallway to where the private dressing rooms are. One door is marked with Caleb’s name.
I push inside to find Caleb sitting with his head in his hands. He looks up and I falter, caught between attraction at how handsome he is with his stage make-up on and distress over his obvious anxiety.
I crouch down in front of his chair.
“Hey,” I use my most soothing tone. The one I’ve cultivated in the hospital for when I deal with agitated patients. “What’s up?”
Caleb’s hands are clasped, his knuckles white. His eyes roll wildly. “I can’t do it.” His leg jitters, sending tremors through his body. “I’m telling you, I can’t.”
I rest my hands over his tightly coiled fists. “It’s okay. I know you’re scared, and that’s normal. Remember, we talked about this? It’s your first night onstage. Once you get out there, it will all click into place.”
I’m certain that Caleb can do this. I’ve run through his lines with him. Watched him dance until he mastered every move. Seen him shine in dress rehearsals.
“You’re going to be okay, Caleb,” I reassure him again.
“No,” he insists, his chest heaving. “Tell them I’m not going out there. You tell them, Gwen.”
Like hell I will.
