Page 53 of Holiday Star
Sarcasm pours off of him, hot and biting. “Oh, I don’t know. How about you ask me about her like a normal person? Tell me, did you like what you saw about me on the internet? Did I look famous enough for you? Is that why you’ve been so nice to me? So you can gloat to all your friends that you slept with a movie star?”
Now he’s done it. I unleash. “You arrogant ass. I’ve barely even seen any of your movies. I don’t care about all that. I don’t care about what a big shot you’re supposed to be. I don’t care about how many Academy Awards are on your mantle. I don’t care about how many millions are in your bank account.”
It’s getting harder to yell at him because I’m crying. My sobs break my words into pieces too small to comprehend. “I don’t care.” My voice is choked. “Not about any of it. I only care about you. Only think of how I feel when I’m around you. About how I’m falling for you, you stupid gorgeous jerk.” I sink onto the couch and wrap my arms over my head, curling into a ball of misery.
I sob, my shoulders shuddering.
His hands are on my arms, prying them apart. His fingers are under my chin, tilting my head until I look at him. “Gwen,” he whispers, and I’m sure it will be the last time he says my name.
But then he’s got me in his arms. He scoops me up and sits me on his lap, rocking me like you would a small child. I shove my nose into his neck and cry until I can’t anymore.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper to his sternum. “I’m sorry,” I tell the shell of his ear. “So sorry,” I say into his lips as I kiss him, praying to any god who might listen that he’ll kiss me back.
His lips respond to mine, and my relief is so intense I almost pass out. We kiss for forever, pain and forgiveness passing between us without words.
Eventually, he pulls away, tenderly tucking my hair behind my ear. “What do you want to know?”
I hold him close, amazed by this human in my arms. By the capacity of his kindness. How could I have doubted him? I wince saying it, wishing I was a bigger person, “Start with Lola, and after that, I have more questions.”
That famous eyebrow raises. A sardonic smile. “Oh, you do now? Well, I’ve got some questions of my own.”
I don’t like it, being on the receiving end of his questions, but I accept that it’s only fair.
Tit for tat.
“Okay. Fine. I ask a question and then you ask a question.” I move to sit next to him, so I can see his face better.
“Throw in some strip poker, and this might actually be fun.” Caleb leans in to run his nose along my cheek and down my jaw. He nips softly at my neck.
His touch sends a tingle of desire throughout my body, distracting me from what I was about to say. With firm hands, I push him away. “I know what you’re doing.” I wag my finger at his face, which brims with false innocence.
He blinks slowly, one corner of his mouth curling up. “What exactly is that?”
“Trying to use your sex powers as mind control and make me think of you naked. That way, I’ll forget to ask you anything. Well, it won’t work, mister.” I make my tone as uncompromising as possible.
Caleb leans his head back and laughs, a full hearty laugh, and the last of my fear vanishes. That laugh means that he really has forgiven me for Googling him and stealing his notebook.
I grin with relief.
We’re going to be okay.
“My sex powers?” He laughs again and shakes his head at me, smiling like I’m the funniest person he’s ever met. Which I’m not, but somehow when I’m with him I feel like I can be anyone I want to be. Maybe even funny or outgoing or beautiful.
I straighten my smile until it’s a serious line across my face. Caleb sobers when he sees my expression, but a twinkle of mirth remains.
“Lola,” I remind him with a stern glare.
He sighs and crosses one ankle over his knee, leaning against the sloped back of the couch. “She was my girlfriend. We dated for almost a year.”
Dammit. I had no idea they had been together for that long. The way Jenny had said it, I had hoped for a fling. Not this, something serious.
“You cared for her?” I ask, bracing myself for his answer.
His mouth turns down. He nods once, not looking me in the eye.
Jealousy hisses through my teeth. I want to jump on him like a wild animal, claim him as my own and no one else’s. “What went wrong?”
He meets my eyes then, letting me see his pain. “She thought I was more fun drunk than sober, so she dumped me.”
