"I do. I don't care how crazy it is. From the moment I met you, I knew you were going to be my wife. I fucking love you," he says.
"I love you too," I whisper and then hurl myself into his arms. He kisses me, and I find myself in the same situation as earlier. Thoroughly sated.
Eventually, we head back to the hotel and straight for his room, where we make love all night long.
Who needs sleep when you're in love?
Chapter 5
Rush
Four Months Later
We are in the last few days of filming, and Courtney and I are doing an interview with De Rigueur magazine during our break. There are many, many other things I’d rather be doing with my girl but duty calls.
“So, rumor has it, you two are something of an item,” Jason Mills is the journalist. He’s a dick, and I swear to God if he tries to look up Courtney’s dress one more time, I am going to kick his ass.
“Just a rumor,” I lie. Not only are we an item, but Courtney is also pregnant, and she’s already starting to show. I am not sure how much longer we are going to be able to keep our secret a secret.
“Really?” he asks, looking back and forth between us.
“Yeah. Next question?” I ask gruffly—anything to move this along.
“My source is close to both of you. There’s pictures.”
“Are you sure they aren’t stills from the movie?”
“I’m sure.” He hands me a bunch of pictures of her and I in various states of dress that are definitely not part of the movie. I hand the pile over to Courtney.
“Well, shit,” she says, then giggles. “I guess the cat’s out of the bag.”
“So you guys are a couple?”
“We are,” I say, picking her hand up and lacing my fingers with hers.
“And do you care to comment on the rumors of your pregnancy?”
“How could you possibly know that?” Courtney asks.
“A source in Doctor Holloway’s office.”
“You have a source in my OBGYN’s office?” she asks incredulously.
“Okay, we’re done here,” I say, standing. I take my mic off and help Courtney out of hers.
“I feel so violated. This is crazy. Pictures from a public place are one thing, I knew what I signed up for, but this is beyond what anyone would find acceptable. What the hell happened to HIPPA laws?” She is mad, but I am fucking pissed.
“You’ll be hearing from my lawyer,” I say as I take Courtney by the hand and lead her out of the room.
“Who the fuck does that guy does he think he is?” Courtney says through the tears as we walk out of the hotel room. Our managers are waiting out in the hallway.
“What happened?”
“This dickbag has a source in my gynecologist's office,” she yells, gesturing to the now-closed door behind us.
“What?” her mom shouts.
“What a gross violation,” my manager, Ted, says.
“I’m gonna kick his little ass.”
“Mom, I don’t think that is necessary. I’m going to sue him and get everyone at that office fired.”
“That’s a good plan. Will it work?”
“It’ll work,” I say determinately.
“It’ll still be everywhere tomorrow,” she laments.
“Not if you announce it first,” Ted says.
“Yes. Get out in front of it,” Debbie says, pulling her phone out. “Leeza Rothschild owes me a favor or sixty.”
And that is how we wound up on a late-night talk show spilling the beans before that dick has a chance to bring it to his editor.
“So, tell us how you got together,” Leeza says.
“We met on the set of our upcoming movie, Lust & Other Problems, and we fell in love,” I reply.
“Is this real love or a PR stunt for the movie?” she asks.
“Oh, it’s really real,” Courtney says, laughing. “This is the first picture of our baby.” She holds up the picture that’s clutched in her hand.
“A baby?”
“Yep. We also got married last weekend,” she says, showing her left hand to Leeza.
“Wow. Married. I knew this was going to be a good show. Up next after the break, Rhianna. Don’t go away.”
“And we’re out,” the stage manager says.
“I feel so much better now,” Courtney says, clapping. “And we get to see Rhianna.”
“Win, win,” I say, kissing her.
“Whoa, you two, save it for when we get back,” Leeza says.
“Yeah, we won’t be doing that,” I reply.
“What will we be doing?” Courtney whispers so that only I can hear.
“Whatever we want, wife. Whatever we want.” I reply, thanking my lucky stars that Lana Blair is unprofessional as fuck. Otherwise, I may never have met Courtney, and then where would I be?
Epilogue
Courtney
Ten Months Later
Lust & Other Problems LA Premiere
Walking the red carpet hand in hand with my husband is one of the best feelings I’ve ever had.
“What are you wearing?” a reporter stops us in order to ask us.
“Migan Jorgensen, her Viking Collection. Jewelry from Jorgensen Jewelers from my hometown of Moosehead, Minnesota. They are the very best,” I say, looking down at the silky red dress that definitely looks like something a Viking goddess would wear. As soon as she showed it to me, I knew I’d be wearing her designs exclusively.