Undeniably Yours (Torn, #3.5)(13)



No, Emma didn’t deserve me being a selfish knob, taking her like that. She was on the rebound. That alone should have put me off immediately, but it didn’t. Instead, I was more than willing to wait for her until she was ready to date again.

Do I want her? I wanted to possess her without uncertainty. Do I want her body? I craved it like no other! Do I want her love? I didn’t think I did, but I do now—I wanted her love to the very last ounce.

Kissing her forehead, I unlatched her legs from my waist and swam towards my ringing phone where the display read, “Martin Lombardo”.

“This better be important, Papa.” I called my father “Dad” and I’ve called my godfather, “Papa” since I could talk. No one really explained to me how I came about calling him that, but the name fit. He was more of a father figure to me than my own father. Martin was my paternal grandmother’s best friend’s son. Martin and my father grew up together, however, my father didn’t seem to like Martin. It was quite possibly because Martin was a genius; plain and simple.

On the other hand, my father was a total waste of space and a f*uking loser who couldn’t do anything right. He leeched off my grandma and her money, as did my mother. My mother, though beautiful, was an airhead that you couldn’t count on for anything. It could possibly be the result of their coke-snorting lifestyle, but hey, why make excuses?

“I know its past decent hours to be making social calls, but I knew that you wouldn’t be asleep anyway. I just got an email from one of the execs from the studio. They need a replacement for Samantha Knowles by the end of today.” That didn’t sound good.

I didn’t understand why he was talking to me about it, though. What did I have to do with it? Shouldn’t he be calling casting agents? Or going through actor profiles? I pulled myself out of the pool and scoured for my abandoned jeans. When I finally found them, I stepped into them, not caring how wet my body was.

Without my having to ask for an explanation, he continued, “I’ll get to the point, son. For the last few hours, I’ve been considering other options, however, nothing has suited me quite as this one woman that I have in mind. How would you feel if I cast that pretty Emma as your lead? Her acting was great and, while I could hire tons of other actresses that are seasoned and famous, what captured my attention was the chemistry you two have. I want that crackling magnetism in my film. That’s what I live for—for my kind of movies—that chemistry. That alone could make the film. It doesn’t hurt that she’s not bad to look at, either. She’s beautiful, but you know that already. So, what do you think, Bass?”

What did I think? I wanted to f*uking howl. I should send Samantha Knowles a f*uking thank you present for handing me this opportunity. Emma with me—for months—in Greece. What could be better? It was f*uking perfect!

“I think it’s a brilliant idea. I just have to run it past her, though. I’ll call you before lunch time.”

Martin cleared his throat. “I need to hear from you before nine. If she says no, I need to get the back-ups. But if she says yes, she has to come to the studio as soon as possible. She’ll also have to look for an agent.”

“No worries, I’ll make the steps easier for her.”

“I’m sure you will, child. I’ve never seen you so love-stuck. She’s a lovely woman. You better treat her well.”

I chuckled. “I learned from the best. I’ll get back to you soon. Bye.” Martin laughed on the other end and cut off the call.

“Emma?” I called out. She was on the lounge chair, wearing my shirt as she studied the stars above.

“Yes?” Strolling towards her, I sat on the edge of the lounger and stopped myself from reaching out and touching her legs. “That was Martin. He’s wondering if you’re interested in replacing Samantha in the film.”

She sat up quickly, her eyes popping out. “Shut up!”

I shrugged and smiled at the shocked Emma. “If you say so.”

Emma’s mouth hung open. “Martin wants me? But I f*uking suck compared to other actresses. I’m an amateur, what could I possibly offer?” She was excited to be sure, but her doubts were creeping up, full blast.

“Chemistry, he said we crackled with it.” I reached out and stroked her calf, loving the satiny feel of her skin. “Martin is known for picking out fresh faces and he has an eye for making a hit. He thinks you and I will be a hit. That alone proves how much he wants you to be on board. Will you do it, Em? Filming doesn’t start until summer time anyway.”

“Bass, are you crazy? Of course, I want to do it! It’s a f*uking Martin Lombardo film. I am not dense, I recognize that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, but what I’m worried about is... I don’t want to disappoint any of you guys. This is major for me. I’m psyched and freaked out at the same time.”

“Baby, look at me,” I asked, waiting for her to do so before I continued, “You’re great. I’m not saying this just because I feel like I should, but you were fantastic. Didn’t we just speak about you following your dreams? Well, this is it. It’s the universe calling out to you and handing you this amazing opportunity. What other fantastic way to debut your acting chops other than being the lead actress in a Martin Lombardo film?”

Yeah, I did want to spend time with her in Greece, that was a given, but I also believed that it would be a great way for her to see if she really wants to become an actress or not. I had thought that she had what it took to make it in the industry. Looks aside, her acting was believable. I had felt her emotions and frustrations when she read her lines tonight.

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