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“Get out of my way.” Sierra pushed the butler and tore into Dash’s living room, greeted by vanilla potpourri. “What the hell did you do?”
“Sierra?” Lowering his phone, Dash sat on the tan couch, barricaded by feather throw pillows. “What’s going...?”
She took his cell and rejected the call.
“Hey. That was USA Today. I was doing an interview.”
“I don’t give a fuck.” She threw the phone across the room, hitting his autographed photo of Kobe Bryant.
“Sierra.” He ran and got his phone then straightened the photo on the wall. “Kobe gave me this for my birthday.”
“What’s going on in that warped mind of yours, Dash?”
“Excuse me?” He walked across the onyx carpet, which fit perfectly with the red oak furniture and dark lavender walls.
“Where do you get off pulling out of the movie?”
“I didn’t pull out.” He passed her and stood by the wooden hand carved coffee table. “I told him I wanted you to get a shot to try out or I would pull out.”
“Why in hell would you do that?”
He sat on the couch and got a jellybean from the glass dish. “Because you deserve a shot. Isn’t this what you were crying about in the parking lot that day?”
“I didn’t want you to threaten him!”
“I won’t apologize for helping you.”
“Helping me? All you’ve done is caused me problems. Dad’s blaming me for this.”
He chewed, eyebrows raised.
“You’ve fucked everything up. He thinks I’m manipulating things and want to ruin his movie.”
“What?” He sucked the candy.
“Why would you do this?” She paced on four-inch pumps. “As if I don’t have enough to deal with? You told him about us?”
“Yeah.” His face brightened. “Does it score any brownie points with you?”
“That you told a man who’d wanna hide you were with me as much as you? No.”
Dash grimaced.
“As if I’m not stressed enough, you pull this.”
He walked from around the table, approaching her. “You told me to prove my love for you. So I did.”
“All you’ve done is made my father hate me more.”
“He doesn’t hate you.” He touched her shoulder, and she swatted his hand away. “I wanted to make you happy.”
“Big fail, Dash.”
“I was showing you I loved you.”
“I don’t want you to do this.” She stood back, shaking her head. “Please go back to my father and say you’ll do the movie.”
“You deserve a shot.”
“I don’t want to be in the movie if they don’t want me in it. I want peace between my dad and I, and I won’t get it with you doing stuff like this.”
“Sounds like he cares more about the movie than his own daughter.”
“Dash, please.” She rubbed the bridge of her nose. “If you don’t agree to do the film, he’s gonna hate me even more than he does now.”
He poked his lips out and nodded. “Okay. I’ll do it. If that’s what you want.”
“I want for you to stay out my life.” She raced to the doorway. “I don’t need anyone fucking it up more than I already have.”
“I did this because I love you. We belong together.” He rushed to the doorway. “I won’t give up on us, Sierra. I did this because I love you!”
She sprinted through the hall, purse swinging on her arm.
****
The Following Night
“What are you gonna do, huh?” Hugh bounced the basketball with domineering ability as he rocked back and forth, attempting to trip up Gabrielle’s defense. “You think you got me?” With his back into her, he bumped her, forcing her closer to the basket. “You don’t know nothing about this, Gabrielle.”
“Less yacking.” Gabrielle remained in a determined, wide stance, swinging her arms. “More balling.”
“More balling, huh?” Sweat flew from Hugh’s drenched hair. “Take this then.” He did a swift turn; she lunged left, blocking his shot.
“Nice try.” She stayed on his back. “Gotta do better than that.”
Hugh turned right, blocked by Gabrielle’s defense again. “I like your moves.”
She grinned, aroused at his toned arm bumping her breasts. “I got more.”
“I’d love to see more too.” He zipped right then when she followed; he spun around in the opposite direction and shot the ball, hitting a two-pointer.
The stopwatch sounded on Ashleigh’s phone. “That’s it!” She sat Indian-style on the sideline. “Hugh wins the game.”
“Ow!” He howled. “In your face, Gabrielle.”
“Offensive foul! Ashleigh?” Gabrielle marched toward her with her arms out. “That was a foul, and you didn’t call it.”
“No, it wasn’t.” Ashleigh munched gum.
“Yes, it was.” Gabrielle hit her thighs. “Didn’t you see his elbow?”
“Stop whining. You lost.” Hugh got his towel off the sideline couch, sweat stains covering his tank and the center of his sweats. “You lost fair and square, hot shot.” He held his waist, pecs heaving. “You challenged me and it bit you in the ass. I win by two.”
Gabrielle whipped her ponytail across her shoulder. “Fine.”
“So...” Hugh tossed her a chilled water bottle. “I guess I got my leading lady.”
“He’s right, Gabs.” Ashleigh stood, straightening her denim skirt in the back. “I got the final score right here on my phone.” She showed it to her. “He wins by two points in the last five seconds of the game. You lost.”
“A deal’s a deal.” Hugh hooked the towel around his neck and extended his hand to Gabrielle. “Are you accepting defeat or not?”
Gabrielle dabbed her face. “When do we film?”
“Yes!” He picked her up and swung her.
“Put me down.” She pushed him off.
“What’s so wrong about being in my movie?” He wrapped his sweaty arm around her shoulders. “It’ll be an amazing experience.”
She flung his arm away.
“You had fun tonight.” He wiped the side of his face. “Admit it.”
Ashleigh nudged Gabrielle, grinning.
“It was interesting.” Gabrielle’s thighs tingled as she watched sweat running under his tank, imagining where it ended. “You got game.”
“I’m good at a lot more than basketball. When I said I had moves, I didn’t mean on the court.”
“I’ll be in your movie, but keep it professional. You make a move on me and I’m gone no matter what.”
“One thing you should know about me is I never mix business with pleasure. I don’t get involved with women I work with while working on my films.”
Gabrielle scoffed then sipped from the water bottle. “You married Loya Moses.”
“We didn’t get together until after the film. Now, I want you...” He picked lint off her black top. “No denying that, but I never sacrifice my work for anything or anyone.”
“Well, the game’s over.” Gabrielle got her purse. “Ashleigh and I’d better get going.”
“I was hoping you’d stay.” He tilted his head. “Since we’ll be working together. Give us some time to get to know each other.”
“It’s late.” Gabrielle glanced at her watch.
“It’s not even ten yet. What’s the matter? I won’t bite.” He touched her cheek. “Unless that’s something you’re into.”
She glared.
He laughed. “I’m just kidding. I want to talk that’s all. Maybe we can have wine and refreshments?”
“Hugh?” Ashleigh took Gabrielle by the arm. “May I speak to Gabby alone for a second?”
“Sure.” He ran and got the ball.
Ashleigh pulled Gabrielle away. “You’re staying.”
“No.” Gabrielle glanced at Hugh as he made a layup. “The last thing I want is giving Hugh ideas.”
“You like him. That game told the whole story. I saw how you looked at him. At one while you were gonna faint and not because of the game.”
Gabrielle glanced at Hugh, and he flashed a smile that made her pussy vibrate. “Nonsense.”
“My ears are burning.” He dribbled the ball between his legs.
“Look at him,” Ashleigh said. “Tell me you don’t want to rip those shorts off and ride him like a pony right here on this court.”
“Ash.”
“Stop worrying so much and have fun.”
“Hugh only wants me because he can’t have me. If I gave in he wouldn’t give a damn about me anymore.”
“Is that what you’re afraid of?”
Gabrielle rubbed her damp forehead.
“You’re going to be lonely the rest of your life if you don’t learn to take chances.” Ashleigh stuffed her phone into her purse. “Everything isn’t neat and nice, Gabby. Hugh might not be perfect but he might be the man for you regardless.”
Gabrielle pushed her hip out.
“The worst thing that could happen is that he is the jerk you think he is.” Ashleigh hooked her purse on her shoulder. “But, what if you’re wrong and the man underneath that persona is the guy you’ve been waiting for? Take a chance for once in your life.”
“You hens through cackling?” Hugh joined them. “Gabby, you staying?” He rotated the ball on the tip of his finger then threw it across the court. “I’d love to give you a tour of my place. I promise I won’t force myself on you.”
She gasped. “Hugh.”
“Lighten up. I’ll be a gentleman for once.”
“Okay,” Gabrielle agreed. “I’ll stay for a little while. But, you lay a hand on me and—”
“I won’t.” He nodded. “But, who knows? You might end up wanting me to.”