The Favor

Emmett smiles. “We need to celebrate the Karl Devon movie.”

Now it’s my turn to smile, and just be overall happy. It’s every movie star's dream to land a Karl Devon movie. Seriously. And here I am. At twenty-four, starring in one of the top dogs of Hollywood's film. I’m almost speechless. “Whoever thought I’d make it this big, huh?”

Emmett slows down. “I did. Abby, it’s why I signed you without another thought about it. I always knew you’d be a star.”

My insides melt away, and I close my eyes, leaning my head back against the cool leather of my seat.

The sun has long set over the Pacific, and it’s beautiful out. There’s a huge array of stars, blanketing the night sky, and I feel like I’m so close I could almost touch one.

Emmett continues driving up into the mountains, and I know right away where he’s taking me. To the Hollywood sign.

It’s a place I first came to when all my dreams came true and I starred in my first role. It’s the one place that makes this all feel like reality.

After a few more minutes, we’re tucked away on a blanket at the Hollywood sign, looking over Los Angeles. We’re drinking wine that Emmett had delivered along with our food.

“You must bring all the ladies here,” I whisper over my red wine.

Emmett gazes out over the view. “I’ve never actually been here before.”

My eyes widen. “You’re kidding me.”

He shakes his head, slowly, bringing his eyes to meet mine and I suck in a breath. “I’m a Hollywood sign virgin.”

“Well, you must have some pretty big pull to have us shuttled here after everything has stopped running for the night.”

He winks. “I have my ways.”

“So, I guess for all your dates you probably fly them to New York for a Broadway musical.”

Emmett laughs. “As if.” He glances back out over the city below. “Actually, I haven’t been on a date in a long time.”

I take a sip of my wine. Of course he hasn’t dated. No, he only hooks up. Why bother paying for a women’s meal when he can skip all that and get down to the good stuff.

God, men really are pigs.

“Right, why date when you can just have a string of one-night stands.”

He laughs again, but this time there’s a vulnerability behind it I find endearing. “Haven’t hooked up in a long time.”

“But I thought you…”

He cuts me off, “slept with all of Hollywood? Yeah, hardly.”

My mind whirls around the new info I’m receiving. Why would the tabloids say he’s dating many women if he’s....nevermind. I’m not going to even finish that thought. Of course you can’t believe anything you read in the gossip rags, and now I feel foolish for ever believing it. “Ah, so how long has it been then?”

He stares at my mouth, and my body heats up the longer he stares. “A long time.”

I feel like telling him, no, it’s been a long time for me. But, I don’t say anything. Instead I try to wrap my head around the fact that Emmett definitely agreed to a one-night stand to help a woman out.

So, maybe it has been a long time for him, and maybe he does need to get laid.

I try not to think about the jealousy that creeps up my spine, and remember to myself that I asked for this. That this is my one true Christmas wish.

6

Emmett

Have you ever been told something that makes your head explode? Well, maybe my head hasn’t exploded...but it could. Very soon.

Warren rushed up to the club to interrupt my meeting with Karl Devon, and I remembered at the time I wanted to murder him for doing so.

But, what he had said to me made me stop in my tracks.

He told me about Abby asking him for a favor.

He told me about what Abby wanted from me. How she wanted my hands all over her.

How she didn’t want me to know it was her.

How her crazy little plan made my dick harder than it had ever been in its life. I mean, it’s a crazy plan, right?

Have one night of wild sex with her and pretend it never happened. She would never know I knew it was her.

I mean, what idiot would say no to this?

Not fucking me.

It never occurred to me in a million years how hard the limelight must be for Abby. Sure, I can walk into a grocery store and no one knows who I am. I can’t even imagine what she must go through on a daily basis.

She sips her wine and I want to toss the glass against the rocks of Mount Lee and take her right here and now, but it would ruin our whole relationship. It would ruin everything we’ve both worked so hard on.

I also am old enough to know that she doesn’t have time to be in a relationship with me where I could spoil her day in and day out. I’m also a big boy and know that she doesn’t want that.