16. Sixteen

16

SIXTEEN

W atching Leo leave was harder than I imagined.

I’d done the right thing, though.

I knew the moment we woke up together that he was still sparking. How couldn’t he be? I was a freaking inferno and wanted to do it all over again.

And again and again.

He would’ve killed himself trying to make something fit that wasn’t going to fit. Attraction didn’t equate to compatibility. We were not even remotely compatible. We wanted vastly different things. We couldn’t just gloss over that simple fact.

It was better this way. We’d scratched the itch. It would be difficult at first, but we would get through it. At the very least, I couldn’t help but feel we had a better understanding of one another. We would make our professional relationship our only relationship, and eventually—maybe—we would be true friends. That was better than the alternative where I fell head over heels for him, ended up with a broken heart, and mourned his loss for the rest of my life.

This was our only option.

I hit the restaurant for breakfast first thing. I swear I broke a bone in my neck looking for Leo. He was nowhere to be found, though. Daisy was another story.

“So…” She was all smiles as she plopped down in the chair across from me, eyes sparkling. “How was your night?”

I forced myself to remain calm. “Well, fairly good … after I realized I’d been abandoned alone in a cemetery.”

“First off, you weren’t in the cemetery. You were simply close to it. Secondly, you weren’t alone. Leo was with you.”

“How do you know he didn’t abandon me?”

“Because I went looking for you to tell you we were going to Finz.”

I stilled, my hands wrapped around my mug of coffee as I debated what to say. “It’s probably best you didn’t find me,” I said finally. “I would’ve definitely drunk too much under those conditions.”

Daisy rolled her eyes. “Who says I didn’t find you?”

Crappity-crap-crap. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because you were climbing Leo like he was a tree and there was no way I was interrupting that.” She leaned closer. “How was it?”

“How was what?” My voice was unnaturally squeaky.

“Oh, are we really going to play this game?” Daisy’s disappointment was palpable. “Are you going to deny that you spent the night together?”

“We kissed a little, while drunk,” I conceded.

“Before you commit to this path—this lying, lying path—you should know that Jax saw Leo leaving your room this morning in the same clothes he was wearing last night.” Daisy’s tone was deceptively breezy. “Leo tried to swear him to secrecy, but Jax knows better than keeping primo gossip like this from me.”

Well, the best laid plans. “You can’t tell anyone,” I implored her. “If the others find out?—”

“Calm down.” Daisy raised her hand. “I have no intention of telling anybody else. Well, Levi, but he was with me when the tree climbing happened. By the way, it was obvious that was not just going to be a kiss. Leo was clenching your butt so hard I wouldn’t be surprised if you still have the imprints.”

I did. I hadn’t noticed them until I showered. Even though they were vaguely sore, I liked them. They were a reminder of the fun we’d had. I would be able to bask in it for a few days before the marks faded and it truly became a memory.

“I don’t know why I let it happen,” I said in a low voice.

“I do.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Why?”

“Because sometimes chemistry can’t be contained. You guys were always on a crash course for each other. I actually thought you would fight it a little longer, though. I figured I would need to set you up another three times at least.”

I glowered at her. “I knew that was a setup. You’re not nearly as sly as you think you are.”

“I wasn’t trying to be sly,” Daisy replied. “I’m a straightforward type of girl.” She cozied closer. “Tell me about the sex.”

“No. That’s a private thing.”

“Tell me or I’m going to find him and torture him for information.”

I tried to picture Leo’s face if Daisy backed him in a corner and started ruthlessly interrogating him. “Leave him alone,” I said on a sigh.

“Then you need to feed the beast.”

“That sounds mildly dirty.”

“I can make it sound way dirtier.”

I exhaled heavily, the sound long and drawn out. “It was mind-blowing,” I said finally. “Is that what you want to hear?”

“Always.” She bobbed her head to encourage me.

“I’ve never had sex that good. Although, to be fair, I don’t have a lot to compare him too. I learned a long time ago not to trust actors with my heart … or vagina. He’s the first actor I’ve been with in six or seven years, and given how often I have to audition, all I meet are actors.”

Daisy took a moment to chew on it. “We’ll talk about that later,” she said finally. “I want to hear the rest of it.”

“There’s nothing to tell. We did it. We had a good time. That’s it.”

Daisy’s eyebrows were on a collision course. “That’s it? There’s no way.”

“We can’t do anything more.” I was firm on that. “I’ll fall for him, and he’ll break me. We talked about it this morning—like mature adults—and agreed it was just the one time.”

“How do you know he would break you?” Daisy protested.

“You’ve met him. He wouldn’t mean to hurt me—oddly, he never means it—but he would because he can’t be the person I need him to be. I’ll fall for him thinking I can change him, and I will be the one who ends up hurt.”

Daisy didn’t look convinced. “Jax didn’t want a relationship when we started either. Then he realized that’s exactly what he wanted.”

“That’s great for you guys.” I meant it. “Leo is not Jax, though. He’s lost. He has to find himself, and I think I’ve already found myself.”

“What does that mean?”

I shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about it for a long time—the last two years at least—and I’m ready for stability. Even if this show fails—and I really hope it doesn’t—but if it does I’m staying on the East Coast. I’m going to find my place out here and plan my future.”

“I thought you wanted to be an actress more than anything else.”

I lifted one shoulder. “I did. I want other things too, though. I want a family … and a home. I can’t have those things in LA. I just know it.”

“So, what will you do if you’re not acting?”

That was a very good question. “I don’t know, but I like it here.” I smiled at her. “Maybe my place is here whether the show is a hit or not.”

“I would love it if you stayed,” Daisy said. “You fit right in. It’s just … I think you’re selling Leo short. Deep down, he is the guy for you.”

“I’m not the one selling Leo short,” I countered. “He is. Until he realizes it and wants to change, there’s absolutely nothing I can do for him.”

Daisy opened her mouth to argue, then snapped it shut. “It sounds as if you have it all figured out.”

“Yes, and Leo doesn’t. That’s the point.” I took another sip of my coffee. “Hit or not, this is it for me in Hollywood. I’m okay with that. Leo won’t be okay until he realizes that it’s okay to want something different. He’s nowhere near that point.”

Daisy nodded. “Well, that seems like a very healthy attitude.”

“Then why does it look like you’re already plotting?” I challenged.

“Because this is nowhere near over. You might think it is, but it’s not.”

“I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

“I guess we will,” she agreed.

“OKAY, GUYS, THIS DOESN’T SEEM TO be working.”

Miles looked frustrated as his gaze moved between Leo and me. We were back in the warehouse, but on another set. We were supposed to be electrifying the audience, but the power was seemingly out on our chemistry.

We were afraid to touch one another. I knew why. So did Leo. Miles, however, was completely oblivious. Bless his distracted heart.

“You can’t come close to touching each other,” Miles complained. “You actually have to touch each other.”

Leo looked pained. “Do you want me to feel her up while I’m at it?” he asked derisively.

Miles’s expression was bland. “If you feel that will help. Take five. Talk to each other.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Figure it out.”

Leo glared in his wake while I planted my hands on my hips and turned to the set. It was a simple parlor. It was supposed to be in Leo’s house. It was the first time I’d seen where he lived, and I was supposed to be in awe … and suspicious. The set was dark, Gothic, and romantic. Everything Leo and I were throwing at one another today was the opposite, though.

“We’re screwing this up,” I said to him in a low voice.

“Yeah.” He looked around to see if anybody was listening—nobody was—and briefly closed his eyes. “I knew this was a mistake.”

I did my best not to take the words to heart. “Yes, well, it’s done. We can’t complain now because we don’t like the repercussions.”

“Did you just meet me? I can complain about anything.”

That nudged a smile out of me. “We have to get through this.” I was adamant. “We’ll just have to pretend that we didn’t do what we did.”

“Oh, well, we’ll just pretend.” He threw his hands in the air. “If we could do that, we already would’ve done it.”

“We have to try harder.”

“Sam, you can’t just will something into happening.”

“I don’t believe that.” I couldn’t. “Just please try. Not for me or anything, but for yourself.”

He searched my face, seemingly helpless to tell me no. “Fine. We have to touch one another, though. We can’t keep avoiding it.”

“I know.” As if to prove I could do it, I extended my hand and pressed it to his chest. “See. I can touch you.”

His smirk was quick. “Move your hand a little lower.”

“Hey!” I extended a warning finger. “No flirting.”

“I think we have to flirt.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s how we capture the chemistry. We just can’t act on the flirting. Again.” His forehead filled with perplexed lines. “We just need to pretend the flirting is leading somewhere. Just tell yourself that it will happen tomorrow and we’ll keep doing that until … well, until we don’t feel like idiots around one another.”

It was an interesting suggestion. “So, we embrace the flirting.”

“Yup. We’ll flirt until we can’t flirt anymore, and then things will eventually diminish.”

It wasn’t the worst idea I’d ever heard. “Okay, let’s try that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“THAT WAS MUCH BETTER.”

Miles looked so relieved when we finished our scenes for the day that I thought he might cry. We’d managed to get through everything. Embracing Leo’s flirt philosophy had actually worked, and our later scenes had been a breeze.

“I’m glad you’re happy.” I smiled at him.

“I am very happy.” He practically skipped over to the row of computers so he could look at the dailies.

When I glanced at Leo, I found him watching me smugly.

“If you expect me to say you were right, keep dreaming,” I warned.

He chuckled. “I told you it would work.”

“Yes, well, when you’re right, you’re right.”

“Yeah.” He dragged a hand through his hair. He was done for the day too so it didn’t matter if he messed it up. “How are you feeling?”

“Pretty good. I mean … better than I was.”

“Me, too.”

“So … we’re good?” It was more of a question than a statement.

“We’re good,” he confirmed. He ran his tongue over his lips, and I thought he was going to say more, but then one of the third-tier vampire actresses called out his name and he looked over.

Her name was Sabrina Duncan and she was twenty-two, model thin, and ridiculously flirty. I’d watched her make her way from Dexter to Miles to several production members and now, apparently, to Leo. When she approached him, it was clearly with a purpose.

“Hey,” Leo said when she wedged herself between us. Her back was to me, leaving little room to debate who she was here to talk to.

Since I was being dismissed, I moved several feet away from them and did my best to tamp down the jealousy threatening to turn me into a monster. Just because Leo and I had decided to flirt to get through our scenes, that didn’t mean other people wouldn’t be flirting with him. He was a good-looking guy. I doubted he made it through a single day without someone making an attempt, despite his surly attitude.

“So, there’s a bar I want to check out,” Sabrina started. Her voice was low, almost like a purr. “It’s supposed to be where most of the locals hang out. Low key. Very few tourists. Good food and good drinks.”

“Okay.” Leo looked like a deer frozen in headlights.

“I was thinking you might want to check it out with me,” Sabrina pressed.

“Oh.” Leo darted a look up to me. Because I didn’t know what to do, I merely smiled. I hoped it came across as encouraging. “Well, I’m not sure?—”

Sabrina cut him off before he could finish it out. “I’m not looking for anything serious,” she wheedled. “I just want to have a good time.”

Leo looked at me again. Was he seeking permission? As cool as I wanted to be, I couldn’t give it to him. Instead, I averted my gaze.

“Sure,” Leo said finally. “Low key sounds good. I need to go back to my room and shower and change.”

“We can meet in the lobby at seven o’clock,” Sabrina offered. “I know where we’re going. We can walk over together.”

“That sounds fine.”

Something hurt inside my chest, and I started to rub at the pain, which was directly over my heart. It wasn’t physical pain. No, it was something else.

“Sam,” Leo said in a low voice. I knew he was moving in my direction without having to glance over my shoulder.

He didn’t owe me anything. I could guess what he was going to say. If he turned his attention to someone else, this thing between us would likely fizzle out. I got it. I understood it.

That didn’t mean I had to like it.

Before I could tell him that he didn’t need to make excuses, Miles appeared in front of me.

“I’m glad you haven’t left,” he said. “I was hoping you would be open to having a meal with me tonight.”

That was not what I was expecting to come out of his mouth. “What?” I blurted. Was he asking me out on a date?

Behind me, Leo made a noise I couldn’t quite identify. It sounded as if he was caught between a growl and a laugh. What was funny about Miles asking me out? Did he think he was the only one who found me attractive? Even if it was only for a single night.

“Dinner,” Miles repeated. He didn’t seem to be picking up on my distress. “I was thinking seafood, but if you’re not up for that, we can find a place that serves something different.”

“Dinner,” I repeated to buy myself time.

“Yes, dinner.” His smile was sweet, his expression hopeful.

I made up my mind on the spot. If Leo could go out with someone else, perhaps I should do the same. I was never going to fall head over heels for Miles—the zip just wasn’t there—but that didn’t mean I couldn’t distract myself and have a nice meal in the process.

“That sounds great,” I said.

“Really?” Miles’s smile was so wide it spread across his entire face. “Awesome. How long do you need to be ready?”

“Um … give me an hour, and I’ll meet you in the hotel lobby.” I was feeling flustered and needed Miles to walk away before I changed my mind.

“That sounds perfect.” Miles shot me an adorable thumbs-up and hurried back over to the computers.

When I turned, I found Leo watching me with dark eyes. “So…” I didn’t know what else to say.

“So,” he agreed.

“I guess we both have dates.” I wasn’t really thinking about my meal with Miles as a date, but I’d already used the word, so there was no taking it back.

“I guess,” he agreed.

“I hope you have fun on yours. Maybe they’ll have a placemat she can color or something while you’re waiting for your food to be delivered.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” he demanded.

“Nothing. She’s just … very young.”

“She’s old enough to drink.”

“Whatever.” I shook my head. “I have to go get ready.”

“Me, too.” He headed for the door at the same time as me.

Like an idiot, I increased my pace so I could beat him there. He did the same because we were nothing if not mature. We collided with each other when we both tried to be the first outside.

“You could be gallant,” I snapped as I struggled against him. “Ladies first.”

“Oh, no.” He shook his head. “I want to make sure you’re treated as an equal. No deferential treatment simply because you have ovaries.”

I managed to squeeze out in front of him, and the look of triumph I shot him should’ve been embarrassing. It wasn’t, though. I was breathing hard, my eyes were wild, and what I wanted more than anything was to climb him like a tree again.

He met my hungry gaze with one of his own. “I guess this is goodbye for tonight,” he said primly.

“Yup.” I was not going to let him know he was getting to me. “I’ll see you tomorrow … probably.”

“We shoot together, so that seems likely.”

“Uh-huh.” My hands were itching to touch him now. “So … um … I should go.”

“We’re going to the same place.”

“Right.” That did not bode well for my hormones. “I guess we should get going.”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”