Unforgettable: Book Three (A Hollywood Love Story #3)(69)

After a quick stop in the bathroom to pee, brush my teeth, and tie my hair up in a ponytail, I returned to my room and hastily donned my workout clothes. An oversized SpongeBob tee, a ratty USC sweatshirt, and a pair of black running shorts. As I tied my running shoes, I hoped this workout would release some of the tension consuming me.





Taking Libby’s Mini Cooper, we were able to find parking easily on the street in the tony residential neighborhood that surrounded us. The day couldn’t have been more beautiful—the sun was brightly shining and the temperature was unseasonably mild—likely in the low seventies. The fresh, salty scent of the ocean air was invigorating.

There were two narrow side-by-side stairs separated by about fifty feet. The ocean view at the top was spectacular though one couldn’t see to the bottom of the shrub-lined steps. Both stairs were already packed with people of all ages and builds. Many were galloping up and down them while others were taking two steps at a time. Only a few were leisurely taking their time. Never having done them before and not having worked out for a while, I was sure I’d be in that last group, slowly taking one step at a time. To my relief, Libby chose the less daunting of the pair—the one with widely separated wood plank steps.

After stretching my calves, I followed Libby as she sprightly skipped down the stairs. It took all my effort to keep up with her, made harder by the crowd, her conversation, and the fact that I’d forgotten my glasses. I kept my eyes on my feet, striving not to miss a step, while my roommate babbled away.

“How was your dinner at Saul Bernstein’s house?”

“Good.” Panting profusely, a one-word answer was the most I could muster. Mind-blowing was more like it.

“Was it big?”

“Yes.” Oh, God was IT big!

“What did you have for dinner?”

“Brisket.” An eyeful of Blake.

“Did Blake come?”

“Yes.” Oh did he!

“Did he bring one of his bimbos?”

Her jarring question made me almost miss a step. Gripping the railing, I found my balance and breathed out no.

“It’s no secret he’s got a new hook-up every night. Girls in the office call it his O.K. Corral because everyone’s name starts with a ‘K’.”

I felt my chest tighten. Why did this little tidbit bother me? At least, “J” came before “K.” A half-heartening thought.

We reached the bottom of the steps and began our ascent back to the top. I was totally winded and going back up was exponentially harder. By the time we got halfway up, I was a sweaty panting mess. There must have been close to two hundred steps, but their steepness made it feel like I’d climbed for an eternity. Totally out of breath, I told Libby I needed to take a break. She rolled her eyes and told me while I was resting, she was going to do the other, more challenging set of cement steps. While she jogged over to them, I bent over, clamping my knees, and inhaled a big gulp of the fragrant air to revitalize myself. I wasn’t a quitter. Fortified, I marched down the wooden steps once more.

Going down them wasn’t too bad, but coming up was pure hell. The temperature felt like it’d risen ten degrees—although it could have just been me—and my calves were burning. I pulled my sweatshirt over my head and tied it around my waist. Focusing on each step, I kept my head bowed. At the halfway mark, I smacked straight into someone heading down. He was none too pleased.

“Hey, watch where you’re going.”

Oh my God. That voice. I lifted my head and gawked. It was him. My boss. Blake Burns!

“Hi.” An embarrassed but adorable smile spread across his face.

I quirked a little smile back. In tandem, we did a mutual once-over. His eyes traveled down my body, mine his. I’d never seen him out of a suit. Now, before me stood a god—six-foot three of sheer sculpted leanness in short white athletic shorts and a SIN-TV tee. A fine layer of hair coated his arms and legs, drawing attention to every finely honed muscle. His beautiful face glistened with sweat, and his eyes sparkled blue. My already rapid heartbeat sped up, if that was possible, and my already heated body rose another ten degrees, if that was possible.

“Go down with me and then we’ll come up together.”

His words twisted in my head. “Go down on me and we’ll come together.” Geez, what the heck was wrong with me?

“Sure,” I said without thinking. I certainly was not looking forward to having to make the climb back up yet again.

As we descended, he brushed against me, sending a rush of goosebumps to my heated body. “How come I’ve never seen you here before?” he asked. “I come here every Saturday morning.”

“This is my first time,” I spluttered, concentrating harder on each step.

“It’s a kickass workout,” he said upon reaching the bottom of the steps.

“For sure,” I panted as we pivoted around to hike back up. The steps had gotten even more crowded, making them a bigger challenge.


My calves—and lungs—were killing me, but I said nothing as I struggled to keep up with his pace. This man was fit.

Then suddenly without warning, an intense cramp gripped my right calf. I gritted my teeth and winced. Doubling over with pain, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Blake steadied me with his strong hands before I collapsed onto the step. “Are you okay?” There was genuine concern in his voice.