The Director (Hollywood Nights) Read online

When she asked him if she could stop by he already knew about the movie. No doubt Alex had called him. The moment she arrived, he was on the front step, waiting for her. She liked that about Jed. He cared enough about how she might be feeling to make sure he was already outside when she got there.

  He walked down to meet her and after a good long hug, he laced his fingers in hers and guided her towards the beach. “Come on, let’s take a walk.”

  She kicked her shoes off and they started down the beach. He didn’t say anything. He just held her hand and they walked. Shay finally said, “So, I guess I’m free to go to New York. Alex said it will take him a while to get something else lined up.”

  “You could work with me,” he said it casually.

  “I don’t want you to give me charity, Jed.”

  “Well,” he stopped them. Turned to face her and said, “Maybe you could be charitable to me. The idea they have is for a series titled That’s Life. They want me to go around and film different people, places, show the ordinary and the extraordinary. They think it would work best if there was someone for these people to talk to. I don’t want to talk from behind the camera and have to worry about voice over later. I want you to talk to them on camera. If you don’t want to work with me because you think it will be weird, I understand. I’ll have to get someone else to do it.”

  “You don’t even know if they want me to do this,” she was both touched that he was trying to rescue her and sad that he felt like he had to.

  “We can do a few tests, maybe a couple spots, and then see. It’s not acting. It’s journalism. It would give you something new for your resume at the very least. I want to convince you this is a good idea. I think it is, for both of us.” He looked at her with his big blue eyes and she couldn’t refuse him. She nodded. “Yes?”

  She nodded again.

  “You’re not going to regret this.” He lifted her in a hug and spun her in a circle. “Even if you don’t like it, at least you’ll be in New York.”

  “You know visiting you isn’t the same as being there full-time.” She was sure the reaction he should have given wasn’t the one she got. He should have at least had a second of reservation about her moving to New York and into his place. Everything about the situation was happening so fast and it was so scary, she feared at any moment the other shoe would drop, he would turn back into a frog, or some other terrible thing would come steal him and all of this out of her life.

  “I know,” he said and then kissed her full on the lips. “I know that I hate waking up next to you every morning. I despise the way your body feels next to mine every night. I just can’t imagine a greater hell to be in than living with you Shay.”

  She couldn’t help but smile. He had a way of saying things that put her soul at ease. “Well, as long as you know.”

  “You know what else I know?” he asked against her neck before placing a kiss there.

  “What?” she whispered as his hands slid to her ass and he pulled her in tight against him.

  “I know that this part of the beach is private property, that no one is around, and that I could take all of your clothes off and do great and terrible things to your body if you want me to.” He pulled at the top buttons of the blouse she was wearing. His lips followed to touch any and all exposed flesh.

  “I always want you to.” Shay slid her hands to his face and pulled until he looked at her. “But I can’t get caught naked on the beach. Harvey would kill us both. Alex would come back to kill me twice.”

  He laughed. “Well, what if we were closer to the house? Like the first time? You were outside then and naked.”

  True, but it was dark then. She looked around and realized that in all the times they had been there she had never heard another car much less people. Part of what she liked about him was his impulsive need for her. She decided to trust him, “Okay.”

  He walked them quickly back towards the house. He started undressing the moment they were in front of it. Shay followed his lead, letting the blouse and the skirt fall to the sand. Jed had taken to only wearing underwear on occasion. This was not one of them. She had her bra and panties on, but he apparently didn’t have time to wait for her to take them off. He grabbed her up and charged into the water.

  Shay squealed all of the girly noises expected when being tossed into a freezing cold body of water. When she came up for air she decided to be grateful that the ocean was calm and graceful at this hour rather than trying to swallow them up.

  Jed reached for her and pulled her easily towards him and into his arms. His kiss tasted like the cinnamon mints he frequently ate and a hint of salt water. She melted against him and her body temperature began to easily warm despite the cool water. She wrapped her legs and arms around him and held on.

  He pulled the fabric at the crotch of her panties to one side and pressed the head of his erection into her welcoming heat. She broke the kiss and groaned out, “God you feel good.”

  “Yeah?” He smiled and guided her to lean back enough he could suckle her nipples in turn through the thin fabric of the bra.

  “Yeah.”

  Shay wasn’t sure what the risks were of having sex in the ocean. She had seen it on television plenty of times, but had never actually done it. She would have to look it up later. Right now, she was immersed in the moment. The sun was kissing her exposed flesh, the water lapping at her like another set of gentle fingers and tongues. Jed was kissing, sucking, and thrusting in a desperate quest to reach his pleasure and give it to her.

  She reached between them and stroked her own clit. Her fingertips touched him as they touched her. He liked that. He looked at her with that soul searing expression and she moved her hand faster, climbing to the peak easier as he created a new rhythm to allow her better access between thrusts.

  “Are you going to come?” he asked. He bit into his lower lip as she nodded. She tried to keep her eyes open as she breached the orgasm and slid through the other side of heaven’s door. Jed groaned and said, “I… God you’re beau…”

  He caught himself and pulled her in for a kiss instead of finishing the word as he finished his orgasm. For the first time in her life she wanted to hear it. She wanted to hear his thick voice of satisfaction drip words of praise over her in his moment of bliss. She decided then to rethink her compliment policy when it came to Jed Gunner.

  ***

  He was holding her close, kissing her, milking the last twitches of their bodies joined together. He heard the car door shut in the distance. He knew two things for sure. First, his shorts were floating a good distance away along with her shirt and skirt. He was glad he didn’t have anything other than his cigarettes in his pocket.

  Second, he knew whoever was heading towards them was related to him. He smiled sheepishly and said, “I uh…guess I lied earlier.”

  “About what?” Shay asked.

  “Isn’t that water cold? I have a heated pool you could swim in,” Jonas called out.

  Shay’s eyes opened so wide he could see the whites above and below the brilliant green gems. “Oh my God!”

  “He hasn’t put it together, yet.” Jed laughed.

  “Yet?” She looked from Jed to Jonas who stood on the beach with what Jed assumed was flowers of apology for Shay and two boxes of pizza for all three of them.

  “Just take it to the kitchen, we’ll be right in.” Jed moved them forward. He was really glad he hadn’t taken her bra and underwear off. He whispered, “Yeah, our clothes are down that way.”

  She looked in the directions he pointed and squeaked out, “Jed!”

  He laughed. God, he loved her. One minute she was kissing the man’s wife to make him jealous and the next she was freaking out because she had to get out and face him in her underwear.

  “Believe me,” Jed kissed her quickly and stroked a finger over her eyebrow as she scowled. “He’s seeing you in more than what I saw Frankie wearing. This looks like a bathing suit. A nice, wet, clinging…”

  He nuzzled the side
of her neck and placed a nibble there. She surrendered with, “You are incorrigible.”

  Shay rolled her shoulders back as she walked up the beach. Jonas had gotten impatient for them to return and he leaned in the doorway. Because Shay still had her clothes on, Jonas probably thought they were genuinely just swimming. It was kind of funny that the person who had the most sex in their family was also the most naïve. Jed was proud of his little brother, he didn’t outright ogle Shay. He shifted awkwardly in the doorway and then let her past.

  Jed grabbed two towels out of the cabinet she didn’t even pay attention to. He wrapped one around his waist and carried the other inside with him. “Here, babe.”

  She was freezing. It was obvious. She looked at him and they both realized as she said it, “I don’t have any clothes here.”

  Jonas snickered behind them.

  “Go, get the pizza ready,” Jed said over his shoulder. His brother had finally put the whole scene together. To her he said, “Just grab some of mine.”

  Shay went to get dressed. Jed walked into the kitchen where his baby brother stood at the counter already eating a slice of the pizza, “I came to apologize.”

  Jed nodded.

  “She was right. I shouldn’t have questioned you in front of everyone like that. She didn’t have to kiss Frankie though. But…” He smirked. “I do see why Frankie can feel a little lesbian around Shay.”

  “I think we both lucked out in that department,” Jed conceded and picked up a slice of pizza. “She’s going to New York with me.”

  “Is she? Frankie would have told me that.” Jonas overestimated Frankie’s place in everyone else’s lives. “What about her job? They might want her on the third movie.”

  Jed shook his head, “She’s coming with me.”

  “I was hoping you would stay.” He looked towards the doorway to see if she was near and said, “I don’t want my daughter growing up without knowing you. Buddy knows you a little, but not like he does me. I hate that for Janice and I just can’t…I’m a little nervous, Jed. You’re my big brother. Buddy makes this shit look easy. Marriage, family…”

  Jonas broke off as the sound of footsteps neared.

  “I get it. I’m not going any farther than New York for a while,” Jed looked over to see the main reason that statement was true as she entered the kitchen. “My clothes look terrible on you.”

  Jonas spoke before thinking and said, “Compared to what?”

  They both looked at him and Shay laughed. She said, “Compared to Frankie maybe?”

  Shay slid her arm around Jed’s waist and he offered her a bite of his pizza slice.

  “Of course,” Jonas blushed. “I mean…you know what I mean. Don’t tell her I said that.”

  “I wouldn’t dare,” Shay said seriously. “Frankie is beautiful. You know that. I know you know that. You’re going to have gorgeous babies.”

  “We are,” Jonas said with pride.

  ***

  “That’s the last of it,” she said as she pulled the hatch on the back of the SUV closed. She didn’t sell her house. He worried that she still needed the security of her own place. He didn’t like it, but he understood. If he had it his way, she would be added to his main accounts and their lives would be merged in every way. In his mind, they were. The rest was formality.

  She had rented the house to an older couple that would fit right in the retirement community. He had accepted the beach house from his father in the event they returned to California. He could loan it out as his dad had done for years. It gave them a place to go when they were there. He had promised his little brother he would make more effort to be around. Shay was attached to Frankie and excited for them. He knew he would visit because she would want to.

  She looked at him and said, “We are really driving across country.”

  “We sure are,” he nodded. “The good news,” he pulled out a handheld camera and pressed record. “It gives us a great opportunity to test the idea out. Remember, it’s just ten minute spots to air at random on the channel. So tell me, what are some essentials everyone should have when taking a road trip?”

  She looked at the house, at the vehicle, and then finally at him and the camera. “Everyone should have a map in addition to a navigation system, snacks, drinks, and most importantly, a good travel companion. Don’t take a trip like this alone.”

  He hit stop and asked, “Do we have snacks and drinks?”

  She shook her head no and said, “We need to get some.”

  ***

  They drove for ten days across the nation. By the time they hit the half way mark, he was convinced she would become a household name. He had pulled out the professional quality camera at the second stop when she played with a bunch of rescued dogs being transported from one state to another. He was sure that interview would air and the organization would be glad to have been in the right place, or more accurately the right rest stop, at the right time. They stopped at tourist attractions and any other place that looked interesting along the way. He had enjoyed the travel, but was excited to be home.

  He pulled up to the front of his building and looked at the woman sleeping in the passenger seat. She was going to be living with him from now until forever if he had it his way. He stroked her cheek and said, “Shay. Babe, wake up. We’re here.”

  The doorman came out.

  “Mr. Gunner.” Mario stood outside the driver side door. He gave up on waking Shay. He got out and explained his current situation.

  Jed thanked one of the security guards for the help getting into his condo. He had Shay in his arms and the door would have been a lot to manage. As the door was closing the guy said, “Welcome home.”

  He inhaled deeply. He was home. He carried her to his bed and tried to get her out of her clothes without waking her up. He was unsuccessful.

  “Where are we?” she asked as she held her arms up to let him pull the shirt over her head.

  “Home,” he said quietly. He was nervous. She was there in his house, their home, and she would either love or hate it. He had requested some of the things specifically, but a professional had come to decorate the place. Soon, her things would arrive and the merger of noticeable stuff would begin.

  Her lower lip pushed out and her brows drew close together. “You were supposed to wake me up when we got close to the city.”

  “I tried, sweetheart. You were knocked out.” He did try, a little.

  “Oh,” she said as she yawned, stretched. She smiled at him and he leaned in to kiss her. She quickly moved her hands to his back, pulled at him, and all too easily he was on top of her. He kicked off his shoes, and settled in. He wasn’t really tired. He was too amped up about coming home, bringing her with him, and starting work on something that wasn’t depressing.

  Her lips parted, his tongue slid along hers. She slid her hands down his back and began pulling his shirt up. He made her work for every inch she uncovered. She was getting pretty frustrated with him, but he didn’t care. He finally let her pull the shirt off. Instead of kissing her lips he kissed the spot right under her earlobe, and then her neck.

  “Jed,” she breathed his name. He loved hearing it that way.

  “Mmmmm?” he hummed against her throat before kissing it again.

  “Who’s that girl?” she asked in an entirely different tone of voice.

  He stilled immediately. He had forgotten all about the picture. He pushed up and off of Shay. He sat on the bed next to her, the heat of the moment was erased and then replaced by the chill of her fingers leaving his flesh as she sat up next to him. He looked at the photo of Dana on his nightstand. “Ahh, shit. I forgot that was there.”

  “That’s her, isn’t it?” Shay reached for the picture. She traced a finger along the frame. He was so awkward, unsure of what to say or do next; all he could do was wait. She finally said, “Seventeen, huh. She was pretty.”

  “Yeah,” he admitted quietly.

  “You loved her a lot.” Shay sat the photo bac
k on the nightstand and got out of the bed. She looked around the room as she pulled her t-shirt back on. He was worried about everything, the décor, the temperature, and the immediate issue. She finally looked at him and said, “You still love her.”

  “I love you,” he said it automatically, naturally as breathing, and she looked stunned. “I loved her. She was my first love. We had been in school together since kindergarten. We dated since we were twelve…she was my first everything… It was nothing. I know that now.”

  “Hey,” she frowned at him. “Don’t do that.”

  “Do what?” He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. He practically held his breath for her next word.

  “You don’t have to minimize your feelings for her because of me. I can’t compete with a dead woman, but I don’t have to. I know you love me. I just…can’t have sex while your high school sweetheart is looking at me. It’s creepy.”

  He closed both of his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. “Yeah, I can see where that might be weird.”

  He picked up the photo and carried it to the living room. She followed him. He bent down, pulled out a photo album, and once it was open he did something he never thought he would do. He placed the only picture he still had of Dana inside of it. That night, the darkest of his life, he had destroyed all evidence of her. Then he opened the envelope she had left him the day she did it. The picture had prevented him from making another cut and taking his own life. He looked at the back of it, at her handwriting. He silently read the words there: Don’t let the end of my life be the end of yours. I’m sorry. I love you, Dana.

  He closed the album and put it back in its place. He stood to look at Shay. She was watching him. He rubbed his hands up and down his thighs and over the jeans he was wearing. A million words were competing in his mind, but none of them seemed right. He desperately needed a cigarette. He had kept that hidden from her, but he didn’t always smoke so it was easy. He was out of the electronic cartridges that allowed it to remain his dirty little secret. Along the trip he could sneak out during her bathroom time. She used a lot of products so it was always enough time to unwind and smoke if he needed to.