I lift my pink skirt so that it doesn’t touch the floor, and drape it over my knees as I tuck myself into the seat. I can’t believe that this is actually happening.
His hand slides along the back of the seat as soon as we sit down, and I feel his fingers trace over my bare shoulder. I can feel my toes curling in the heels he bought me.
God, does he have any idea just what he is doing to me right now? The want is almost more than I can take, though I do my best to push it down, pretend that I am in control.
The movie starts, and I soon find myself engrossed in his performance; I’m surprised at how much range he has, given that I have mostly seen him in those action flicks that don’t demand much more from him than looking hot and being strong. But the way the camera closes in on his face, the way that it picks out the small details in his eyes, the way that his mouth creases as he fights for something he wants – it's hard to believe that this is the very same man who is sitting next to me right now.
I am distinctly aware of how close we are. How warm his skin feels against my shoulder. I know that, if I was to just turn my head, we would almost be kissing. And, as I watch him lower his mouth against his co-star on the screen, I feel a want that I haven’t felt in a long time – a want that makes my body light up. I know that it is all aimed at him. And I know that I am not going to be able to get it out of my head until I get my hands on him the way I need to.
The movie finishes, and people emerge back into the atrium once more; Ethan is surrounded by people offering him their congratulations, telling him how much they loved it. He sighs as soon as they walk away, and I cock an eyebrow at him.
"You don’t like hearing that stuff?" I ask him.
"I just know they’re saying it to make sure that they get an invite to the next one of these," he remarks. "I don’t take it seriously, not until I see their actual reviews."
"Well, I thought it was really good," I tell him with a smile.
"Really?" he asks.
"Really," I reply. There is something sweet about seeing this man, who normally puts out such effort to exude total and utter confidence, a little nervous, second-guessing himself like this. His humility is so appealing to me, the sweetness under the movie-star mask that he wears. I can’t believe that I am actually getting a chance to see it.
And I can’t believe how much I want to see more of it.
"I could use a break from all of this," he remarks, and his voice softens, his eyes meeting mine with a want that I recognize at once. I have to catch my breath. Can he feel it, too? Can he feel this? Can this man, who could have anyone in this country that he wanted, really be thinking about me the same way I’m thinking about him?
"You want to come back to my place?" he asks, and I nod without a second thought. His thumb caresses the small of my back, the pressure of it enough to make my heart pound, and I know that this night is only just beginning.
And that I am going to be getting way more of a performance from this movie star than the one that I just saw on the big screen.
Chapter Five
Ethan
As the car pulls up in front of my house, I watch as her eyes widen with surprise.
"I know that you’re rich," she blurts out. "But this is..."
"Always good to have a base to come back to, huh?" I remark to her, and she smiles at me as we climb out of the car; I nod my thanks to Ian, my driver, and close the door behind us. The place that I have in this city is one that overlooks the ocean, a large, modern building with huge glass windows that let the light come pouring in every morning and allow me to see the shimmering darkness of the city lights on the ocean come night.
We head inside together, and I can’t help but hang back for a moment to check her out. The dress that she is wearing makes her look like a downright goddess. I want to taste her so badly, but I’m not going to rush this. I’m going to make sure that I take my time, that I give this all the space it needs to bloom.
I open the door for her, and she giggles as she slips inside under my arm.