Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

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I try to figure out what made Wisteria run. What was going through her head to make her take off? Was it because I told her I wasn't going to let Aaron do any of the scenes with her? Is it because she has gotten close to him?

No. I don't think that is why she ran from me. I don't know a lot about Wisteria, but I am fairly certain she wouldn't have kissed me the way she did, she wouldn't have let me touch her the way I did if she were thinking about someone else. So why? Why did she run, damn it?

I go looking for her but come up empty. She must be in her room since I can't find her anywhere else.

"Oh Banner, you want to come with us. Me and the boys are going into town to find out if there's a good place to dance and get a drink around here. You and Wisteria want to come with us?"

"Uh, not tonight, Rachel. I think me and Winnie are going to stay in tonight, maybe use the movie theater."

She gives me a lopsided grin, "You and her are so sweet together. I love how you call her Winnie. And how she looks at you."

My hearing perks up. "How she looks at me?" She nods. "How does she look at me?"

"Like you might be her own personal hero. Like she's just seen her happily ever after come to life." She giggles and steps closer but not close enough I feel crowded. "Like you might not be real."

I look at her with a questioning stare but before I can ask, she is telling me. "Like you might be too good to be true and she's desperately hoping some of what she's seeing from you isn't just for the movie."

"She's worried about," I wave my hands around, "this being all an act I'm putting on."

"I don't think… well, it just seems that our Wisteria is very… young and sweet. I don't think she realizes why you are kissing her, or that you stare at her so long because you can't take your eyes off her, or that you might be just as nervous as she is about this all being make-believe."

We hear a soft gasp from the steps and look up to spot a blur of white rushing up the stairs. I know it's Wisteria. Rachel steps back and I realize just how close we have come since she was telling me she can also tell how innocent Wisteria is. It might look like we were…

"Oh shit."

"If I was a smart man, I would be letting her know. Things like this have a way of growing bigger the longer they're left to fester. And I wouldn't let what we do for a living, get in the way of my happiness."

"Really? Because just in case you were wondering, there's a man that happens to be looking at you the same way I am looking at Winnie…and it isn't Cord."

With that parting shot, I take the steps two at a time to our floor. I don't even look back to see the look on Rachel's face. I grab the door ready to show Wisteria that I am sincere, but the door is locked.

"Wisteria, open the door."

"No!"

I should have known that was how that was going to go. I try again, "Wisteria, please, we need to talk."

"I don't have anything outside of the movie to say to you."

"Wisteria…" I'm getting nowhere this way. Instead, I back away and rethink what will work. I slowly walk away… for now. I could stand here and beat my head against the wall, yell and scream and act like an ass, but that won't do me any good. No. I have things I need to do, things that I need to work into place before I go through with the plan bubbling up inside my head.

I step away from the door and spin around. Anyone who knows me understands I am a very patient man. And I can be very persistent. I'm not going to let this go. I'm not going to let my little starlet get away without a fight. Without at least making her understand how I feel about her and this thing that seems to be growing between us.

If my little starlet wants a hero, I plan to give her one. I'll play the knight in shining armor and sweep her off her feet, but she better be prepared because this hero isn't the one she's going to be expecting. This is me. All real, all raw, all for her. My armor might be a little tarnished and dented by the shit I've seen and gone through, but I plan to hero the shit out of my little starlet until I"m all she ever thinks about when she hears the word.

I just need to get everything ready.