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  His lips find mine and he pulls back. He’s got a devilish grin on his face. “I just picture you naked.”

  Laughing I swat his shoulder. “I thought that only worked for public speaking?” I question as I cross my arms in front of my chest.

  “Kidding!” He laughs. “Seriously, I remind myself that you are different. You aren’t a screaming fan desperate to get noticed. You don’t pretend to be anything other than yourself when you are with me, and you seem to have respect for everyone around you, including yourself. All of those are qualities I don’t get to see much anymore. I appreciate you.” His smile is warm and honest.

  “What’s it like?” I question

  The timer on the oven goes off. “Hold that thought.” Kasen smiles and puts his glass of wine on the counter. He bends over and removes the bread from the oven. Removing the foil, the kitchen begins to smell like a little bit of heaven. Warm garlic bread, straight from the oven. Kasen cuts it up and puts it on the island counter. Just as it is, no fancy platter, just on the foil in which it was cooked.

  He walks across the kitchen and removes two pasta bowls from the cupboard. Returning to the stove, he removes the lids from the pots. Garlic, tomato and oregano scents swirl in the air and assault my senses. My stomach growls. He scoops a heaping spoon of pasta into each bowl and follows with some homemade pasta sauce. Placing it in front of me, my mouth begins to water in anticipation. With Kasen’s eyes on me, I spin some pasta on my fork and take a bite. I moan in appreciation, and he downs his wine with green eyes as big as saucers.

  We continue to eat our meal, while stealing glances at each other. Comfortable silence, nervous energy. Anticipation or wishful thinking.

  After dinner, I clear the table and rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Bending over, I feel Kasen behind me. His hands find my hips as his body aligns with mine. I stand and close the dishwasher. My hands pressed against the counter, and I feel his warm breath in my hair. His arms come around me as his hands reach the granite, successfully pressing the front of my body into the counter space, boxing me in. He reaches up and pulls my hair to one side, exposing my neck to him. Kasen leans in and presses a kiss just below my ear, which makes me moan and melt into a puddle.

  Slowly, I turn to face him. I place my hands on his arms and run them up to his shoulders. My right hand reaches the back of his neck and finds his hair. Kasen leans into my hand and looks to the ceiling. I seize the opportunity and guide my lips to his throat. My tongue darts out to taste his Adams apple and traces the line to his ear. His strong hands reach down and lift me onto the granite counter, as he steps between my thighs, and I am suddenly very aware of his appreciation.

  Our mouths connect, and passion fills the space of silence. He pulls my body closer to the edge and presses himself into me. Heat fills my core, and my belly feels heavy. My hands find their way under his shirt to his abs. He pulls back just enough to remove his shirt, and I devour him with my eyes. I let my fingers trace the tattoos on his obliques, but I resist tracing them as low as they go. Licking my lips, I run my hands up his chest and meet his eyes with mine.

  His eyes flit across me, and when they meet mine, they are hungry with desire. Wrapping my legs around his waist, Kasen lifts me from the counter and carries me to the sofa. He sits and presses my core into his lap. Following his lead, I sit up and rub myself into him, finding just enough pressure and friction to make him moan. Kasen’s hands encircle my breasts through my t-shirt and my bra. I continue to grind into him as he leans into my chest with his mouth. His tongue traces my cleavage, while his tattooed hand frees my right breast and squeezes my nipple.

  Gently, Kasen turns so I am laying on the sofa, and he is above me, still between my thighs and delivering pleasurable friction to my core. His mouth finds mine, and he rocks into me while making love to my mouth with his own. He lets out a whimper and the rocking slows. He drops his head beside mine and rests his forehead on the sofa, when I hear him chuckle.

  “I haven’t done that since I was sixteen,” he mumbles into the cushion.

  “What? Made out with a girl on the couch?” I smile while tracing his shoulders with my fingertips.

  “No, come in my pants,” he snickers.

  He repositions himself beside me and gives me a gentle kiss. I tuck into his arm and rest my head on his shoulder.

  “What’s it like?” I ask “Being a celebrity.”

  “Sometimes it’s fun. I get to make movies, drive nice cars and live in a nice house.” He takes a deep breath. “I always have women throwing themselves at me. I have seen more boobs since taking this role than any regular man has seen in his entire life.” He shakes his head. “Women scream in my face, and it is frightening. I get phone numbers and death threats. Never a dull moment.”

  “That’s a shame,” I tsk

  “What’s a shame?”

  “That you never get a dull moment. Hang out with me, buddy, I am the QUEEN of dull! I run a blog, eat Skittles and read smut.”

  “That is pretty dull.”

  “Sometimes, I like to make things spicy and I eat cinnamon hearts instead of Skittles, or I will eat a pint of ice cream in bed.”

  He crawls over me again, obviously forgetting his sticky predicament, and my legs wrap around his waist. “Sounds very dull. How do you live with yourself?” He asks as he presses his lips to my collarbone.

  “I have to go change. I honestly don’t know how I used to do this when I was a kid.” He twists his face, and I laugh.

  “That’s okay. I should go.” I smile “Back to my dull life of social media and candy.”

  Kasen smiles at me. “You sure you have to go? I promise not to come in my pants anymore tonight. Cross my heart.” He crosses his heart and pouts.

  “I have some work to do, glamorous life of a blogger.” We both stand. Kasen retrieves his shirt from the kitchen and pulls it over his head. “Besides, I don’t normally get this carried away, and I don’t want to do anything I am going to regret. I’m already embarrassed enough.”

  He wraps his arms around me. Warm, comforting, home. “I regret nothing,” he whispers and gently kisses me. “I’ll walk you home.” He puts his arm around my shoulder and walks me across the hall. I insert my key and open the door. “Don’t be embarrassed, Farrow. You aren’t the one who came in your pants.”

  I smile, push up on my toes and give him a kiss. When our lips part his eyes are still closed as I reply flirtatiously, “That’s where you are wrong. And on that note, I am going for a bubble bath.” Kasen’s eyes open and staring at me now. “Goodnight, Kasen,” I smile as I back into my loft and close the door.

  There’s a bump against the door, and I hear an undecipherable muffled noise come from him. I am too busy giggling to try to figure it out. I look through the peephole and watch him shake his head and turn toward his door. He walks into his suite and closes the door.

  I pull my phone from my bag and throw myself down on the couch. Time to acknowledge some questions and some new followers.

  My phone beeps.

  Kasen: WANT ME TO WASH YOUR BACK?

  Me: LOL. Thank you for dinner.

  Kasen: We forgot dessert.

  Me: You made dessert???

  Kasen: No. I have chocolate bars. Ok I lie. I have protein bars.

  Me: Mmmmmm uh no lol

  Kasen: Rain check?

  Me: Yup… now leave me alone so I can be sexually frustrated in my bubble bath while I read about Tate and Jess. DON’T JUDGE! You started this!

  Kasen: I’m just about to take a cold shower and read my lines for tomorrow’s shoot. Being sixteen sucks.

  Me: Why is that?

  Kasen: I didn’t lose my virginity till I was seventeen.

  Me: Good Reason.

  Kasen: Goodnight

  Me: See you in the morning.

  Kasen: Find your own breakfast tomorrow will ya, I refuse to give you another banana EVER!

&nbs
p; Me: BWAHAHAHAHAHA

  I turn the hot water on and grab my e-reader. I am reading and going to try to take my mind off the beautiful man next door. Climbing in, I let my mind drift to his beautiful hands and how they felt on my body. I replay the evening in my head and decide that I hate being sixteen too.

  Chapter 9

  Getting Down and Dirty – Work work work

  By Farrow Connoley

  I see the family that is the movie business. The laughter, the pranks, the celebrations and the concern. The camaraderie that is behind the scenes is amazing. I honestly don’t know how actors can have such an intimate relationship, for such a definite period of time.

  I mean, chemistry… you have to have it or you can’t pull off your love/obsession/desire for the other person for all the world to believe. You kiss, your characters fall in love, you make love, and at the end of it all you shake hands and go your separate ways.

  I don’t know if I could do that. Kudos to the actors that can separate real life and pretend.

  Just my thoughts, before I head to set.

  XO Farrow

  “Go home and get some sleep. Good job, guys. Tomorrow is an off day as we are filming night scenes on Thursday.” Bob calls to us as we begin to leave the set. The crowd heads toward the trailers or makeup and are making plans. They just beat the snot out of each other and want to go for beers. I still can’t imagine.

  Picking up my bag, I begin to head toward our car. I am so exhausted I decide just to stretch out and relax for a while, away from the lights, noise and crowd of people. Fourteen hour workdays are not my cup of tea, and I am stiff and tired. Opening the door I climb in and lay across the leather bench. I drop my bag to the dark floorboard and just lay there, in silence. My face is smooshed on the seat, and I try to prevent drool from escaping my slack mouth, but I am too tired to care.

  As I begin to feel myself drift into the land of slumber, the door near my head opens and light invades my dark solitude. Without opening my eyes, I know its Kasen. “How the hell do you do this for a living?” I slur against the leather and suck in the drool that is attempting to puddle below my cheek.

  “Let me in and I’ll tell you.” Kasen chuckles.

  I sit up and wipe the moisture from the side of my face, while Kasen sits and pats his thigh for me to use as a pillow. Lowering my head to his lap, his hand falls to my arm and slowly traces lazy circles on the bare skin.

  “I can’t promise I won’t drool,” I mutter

  “Neither can I,” he replies as the circles begin to slow, and his breathing deepens.

  Our driver pulls from the lot and toward the freeway. I know we have twenty minutes or so until we pull up to our building, so I get comfortable and resume sleep on my Kasen pillow.

  I awaken to gentle caresses along my cheek. “You awake?” Kasen whispers. “We’re home.”

  Slowly, I open my eyes and feel my mouth for moisture. I sit up and rub my eyes. I feel like a toddler being woken from his afternoon nap, and I pout. We both climb out of the car and into the lobby. As we wait for the elevator, I look up and see dark circles under his eyes. He’s got to be exhausted.

  “Still want to watch that movie?” I ask, secretly hoping he says no. I am too exhausted to even consider watching a movie.

  “I need a shower first.” He covers his yawn.

  I unlock my suite and give him the key. “Let yourself in when you’re done. Once I plant myself on that couch, I won’t be getting up until tomorrow…maybe later today.”

  “Give me twenty minutes.” He kisses the top of my head and walks toward his suite.

  I enter my suite and change into yoga pants and a tank. Since he’s going to be twenty minutes, I climb into my bed and get comfortable. Turning the TV on, I close my eyes and listen for him to come back.

  Instead my phone beeps.

  Opening one eye, I swipe the screen and see a message from Kasen.

  Kasen: I made a huge mistake

  Me: wut wuz that?

  Kasen: Laid on bed. Can’t move.

  Me: Me too.

  Kasen: Let’s just sleep. I’ll come over tomorrow. Or later today.

  Me: Sounds good, night

  Kasen: Night

  I pick up the remote and shut off the TV. Burying my body in between the duvet and mattress, I dig in for the night. I begin to drift into slumber. My mind is remembering the day. The motorcycles, the fire. I’m starting to feel weightless when my bed dips, and a warm body climbs in behind me. Kasen nuzzles in and wraps his arm over my waist.

  “I thought you couldn’t move,” I state more than I question.

  “I felt bad,” he sighs into my hair.

  “For what?”

  “Not spending time with you all day. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re forgiven, now let me sleep.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Good night, sweet girl.”

  “Goodnight, Kasen.”

  The room fills with sunlight, and I find myself waking. I have never been able to sleep past eight, which can be absolutely horrible when you are still feeling yesterday’s fourteen hour workday.

  I don’t open my eyes, but a smile creeps across my face when I realize Kasen is still here, and he is wrapped around me. His head is on my chest, and his arms are around me in a tight embrace. He’s not wearing a shirt, so I can just make out the top of the tattoo on his back. I begin to lightly trace the line of his shoulders to his hair, when I realize I really have to pee.

  “Kasen,” I squeak. “I have to go to the bathroom…please let me up.”

  He squeezes me tighter and mumbles, “No” into my chest.

  “Please, Kasen, I have to pee.”

  His right hand runs up my side, just under my tank top, slowly pushing the material until my belly is exposed. He presses his lips to my belly and once again responds with a, “No.”

  “KASEN WELLS...PLEASE...” I raise my voice.

  I feel his lips smile against my belly in response. Holding his weight on his arms, he brings his face to align with mine. I thought his eyes were beautiful before, but let me tell you. Waking up to Kasen’s hazel green eyes it’s a thing of wonder. Planting a kiss on my lips, he rolls off me and buries his face in my pillow.

  “Fine….GO,” he mumbles.

  I shake my head as I quickly climb out of bed and run to the bathroom, while Kasen continues to mutter into the pillow about abandonment and being cold and lonely. Very dramatic.

  Washing my hands I look into the mirror. I really shouldn’t have done that. Makeup to my chin and huge bags under my eyes. I throw my hair into a messy bun, wash my face, brush my teeth and walk back to my bedroom, where Kasen is laying in my bed.

  Kasen Wells is in my bed. Without a shirt. Oh my jeez.

  I enter the room and Kasen has finally stopped the muttering, but instead he’s picked up my e-reader and he’s reading. All that’s on my e-reader is smut… this is going to be interesting. He looks at me and back at the e-reader. Clearing his throat, he begins to read.

  “Tate lays me down on the pool table and unbuttons my jeans. His tongue darts out and tastes my skin. Goosebumps cover my flesh and my nipples instantly harden.”

  I feel my cheeks warm. And my nipples respond to his silk laden voice. I’m braless. Slowly, I cross my arms over my chest and climb back into bed with Kasen, who is reading my smut to me. I have never been so turned on in my life.

  “Why are you reading DIRTY?” I ask.

  He presses his finger to his lips. “Shhh. We’re coming to a good part.” He clears his throat again and rolls to his side, facing me while I shake my head and lay down beside him.

  “He pulls the denim from my ankles. Slowly, he puts each of my heels into a corner pocket. Coming up beside me, he puts each hand into a side pocket. ‘These don’t move, or I stop what I am doing and leave.’ I suck in a breath and shudder in anticipation. Biting into my bottom lip, I nod. I lay on the pool table in my tank top and
panties on the green felt. My knees are bent and spread. My heart threatens to break from my chest.”

  I remember this scene. I highlighted, underlined and made notes on this scene. My breath hitches at the sound of Kasen reading one of the dirtiest parts of Dirty aloud. In my bed. Shirtless. I close my eyes and throw my arm over my face. White fluffy kittens. White fluffy kittens. White fluffy kittens.

  I feel the bed shift as Kasen gets closer. He’s not touching me, but he is really close.

  “Do you want me to continue?” He quietly questions. I can feel his breath on my skin. I know he’s smiling, I can hear it in his voice. “Want to use your safeword?” He chuckles.

  I feel the blanket slowly slide down my body. Goosebumps follow the path, and I cover my face with my pillow. I begin to yell about torture and disbelief when I feel him straddle my thighs. He removes the pillow from my face and puts his hands to either side of my head on the bed. I look up at him, and he knows he’s affected me. I swallow hard.

  I lay here, enraptured by this man above me, panting and anticipating his next move. He closes his eyes and bows his head. Tenderly, I reach up and set one hand on each side of his face, urging him to meet my eyes with his. His eyes remain closed. I press my lips to his forehead, and the moles on his cheekbone directly below the corner of his left eye.

  When I pull back, his beautiful eyes open and remain open when he brings his mouth down to mine. Gentle brushes of his lips tease my lips while we look into each other’s soul. As I attempt to deepen the kiss, Kasen pulls away, just out of my reach. Smiling, he continues to tease me.

  “Get dressed,” he orders, as he pulls away and retrieves his pants from the floor. “Twenty minutes and I’ll be back. Wear something comfortable.”

  With that, Kasen leaves me. Alone. Confused. And beyond turned on. Picking up my phone, I shoot him a quick text.

  Me: BASTARD

  Kasen: You won’t be thinking that in an hour. GET DRESSED.

  Chapter 10

  Thirty minutes later and we are in Kasen’s rental car. Pulling out into traffic, I turn on the radio. Free Bird is coming out of the speakers, and Kasen sings along, while he confidently navigates rush hour traffic. It’s possibly one of the most peaceful experiences of my life.