Wardrobe Malfunction(46)
“And I thought you were just messing around!” she yells back at me.
I grab her arm, crashing her into my body, and I slam my mouth down on hers. She fights me for all of a second before wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me back.
I break off, breathing heavily and pressing my forehead to hers. “Does this feel like I’m just messing around?”
“No,” she whispers.
I take her face in my hands, tipping her head back, forcing her eyes to meet mine. Knowing I have her attention, I say what I’ve needed to since she walked in on Piper and me, “Pins…Piper just turned up here and let herself in. I was in the shower, hence the lack of a shirt. I told her to leave, but she wouldn’t listen. She said she wanted me back. But I don’t want her, Charly.” My words are clear, so there’s no misunderstanding. “You just walked in at the worst moment possible. I was just about to shove her off me, I swear. I don’t want her. I don’t even fucking like her. Honestly, I don’t know what she thought she would achieve by turning up here.”
“You loved her once, not so long ago, and she broke your heart. I saw the news stories, Vaughn, about how you were out nursing your broken heart with drinks and…women.” She looks away.
“You’re wrong. I never loved her, and she definitely didn’t break my heart. What happened with her and Cain…it was his betrayal that hurt me.” Her eyes flash back to mine, and I know she’s still listening, so I continue, “With Piper, I felt humiliated because she’d been screwing around with my best friend behind my back, and I had no clue until it was outed on live TV. I never loved her. I know that for sure. But Cain…that fucking hurt. He was supposed to be my best friend. I trusted him. I’d known the guy for ten years. And, when it came down to it, I didn’t know him at all. That was what the partying was about. He broke my heart. Not her.”
Her expression softens, and she touches her hand to my face. I close my eyes at her touch.
“I’m sorry he did that to you,” she whispers.
“And I’m sorry you walked in on that psycho trying to get grabby with me.” I open my eyes. “But I swear to you, it was all her, not me.”
“I believe you,” she says.
I can’t tell you the relief I feel at that.
“Thank you.” I take hold of her hand and kiss the palm.
“I’m sorry I acted like a jealous person,” she says.
“Don’t be. If I’d walked in on the same scenario with you and an ex, I’d be in jail right now.”
She giggles.
“My trust took a real battering when all that shit happened, but I trust you, Pins.” And I do.
“I trust you, too. I’m sorry I reacted badly. Just seeing her and you…”
“Like I said, Pins…jail.”
I grin, and she laughs again.
“If I’d known she was groping you without permission, I would have stabbed her in the ass with a pin.”
“And I would have really liked to see that.” I laugh.
Then, I kiss her—because I can and because I have to.
Honestly, I can’t imagine a day when I won’t be kissing her.
Vaughn
I’m running lines with Alex in my trailer when there’s loud hammering on the front door. Before either of us gets to say anything, the door flies open, and Charly comes stomping through it.
“What the hell is this?” she asks, waving her cell phone around in the air.
I’m getting the distinct vibe that she’s pissed off about something. I’m just not sure what the something is.
“Um…your cell phone.”
“I know it’s my cell phone, smart-ass! I’m talking about what’s on my phone.”
“And what’s on your phone?”
She glares at me. “You tell me!”
I glance at Alex, and he shrugs. Lot of fucking help he is.
“Pins, have you been drinking?”
It’s a valid question but probably not the best one to ask because her nostrils flare, and she gets this crazy look in her eyes. I genuinely shit my pants.
“No, I haven’t been drinking, you ass! A first-class plane ticket, West. What the hell were you thinking?”
Ah. Now, we’re getting somewhere.
I upgraded her flight to Vegas from coach to first-class and put her on the same flight as me. We leave in two days to go to Vegas to film the rest of the movie.
I thought she’d be happy. Apparently not.
“And I’ll take that as my cue to leave.” Alex gets up, putting the script down. “I’ll get some coffee.”
“Deserter.” I glare at him.
He laughs. “Go easy on him, Charly.” He pats her shoulder as he passes. “His intentions were good. He’s just a bit dim at times.”
“Hey! What the fuck?”
“Can I bring you coffee back?” He pulls his jacket on.
“Where are you going?” Charly asks him in a nice-as-pie voice.
“Starbucks.”
“Ooh, I’ll have a caramel latte then, please. Thanks, Alex.”
I buy her a first-class plane ticket and get yelled at. He offers to buy her a four-dollar cup of coffee—that I’ll actually pay for—and she’s all please and thank you.