James struggled to focus on whatever his co-star was telling him but it was hard to pay any attention to her words when Kahala was sitting beside him. He gazed politely at Madison but the glimpses he caught of Kahala in his peripheral vision stole all his attention. He wanted to turn in her direction and spend the rest of the meal gazing at her.
In Hollywood he was surrounded by women who employed stylists and all manner of professionals to keep themselves looking sleek and well-groomed. He didn’t know how Kahala managed to make her own clothes, do her own hair, nails, and makeup and capture his attention so much more than the expensive professional efforts to either side of him.
Not that there was anything amateurish about her beauty skills. He allowed himself a quick flicker toward Kahala, masking the shift of attention by pretending to stretch his neck. Her hair and eyes shone with the same burnished reflectivity as the lei she wore around her neck. Her complexion and curves would have mesmerized him under normal circumstances but remembering how it had felt to touch and kiss her sweet-smelling skin blocked out all rational thought. His body only cared about whether he’d get the chance to do that again and, if so, when.
Madison continued to torment him by going on about obscure directors and indie screenplays. He was glad she’d found her calling. With this sort of boundless enthusiasm for art films, she clearly ought to be involved with making them. Unfortunately James had never been interested in that branch of film and nothing about Madison’s attempts at conversation had won him over.
He stretched his neck again, as subtly as he could. It wasn’t until he returned his attention to his co-star that he noticed she’d gone silent. A slight smirk formed at the corners of her mouth. “Don’t let me bore you, James,” she said.
“No,” he said quickly. “I’m glad you’re thinking about working with Lisa Cholo…” He covered the end of the unfamiliar name with a cough. “I loved The Kids Are Fine.”
“James, I’m shocked. I thought you couldn’t tell a lie.” Madison laughed and grinned. “It’s The Kids Are All Right, and Lisa Cholodenko is a great director.” Her voice took on a conspiratorial tone. “It’s a good thing we never got together, because you would have hated movie night with me.” She expanded her smile to include Kahala.
“I’m happy for you, Madison,” James said. “Your snake of an agent’s obviously been keeping you away from your true love for way too long.”
“I know!” Madison glanced between the two of them. “And now I’m keeping you from yours.” Kahala made a noise of protest but Madison laid a hand on hers, quieting her. “You two are being much too polite. I can tell I’ve overstayed my welcome.” She leaned forward and kissed Kahala on the cheek. “See you at the premiere, partner.”
“Thanks, Madison,” James said, waving at her quickly. He didn’t manage to put too much enthusiasm into saying goodbye, though, because now, for the first time in months, he was finally sitting alone with Kahala. She toyed with the fork in her hands, still not looking up at him.
James felt unaccountably nervous. In the time they’d been apart he’d forgotten how she always made him feel like a teenager. He cleared his throat and tried for humor. “It’s got nice modern lines, don’t you think?” He picked up his own fork and pretended to study it.
Kahala cracked a smile but didn’t really respond.
James cocked his head. He wanted her. Very much. He’d spent so many nights thinking about her, remembering. But he couldn’t read Kahala just then. He didn’t want to pressure her or push himself on her if he wasn’t welcome. When he’d discussed this plan with Madison it had been easy to gloss over the fact that Kahala hadn’t returned his calls. Now that she was sitting silently before him, James began to wonder if he’d made a terrible mistake.
He leaned closer, very serious now. “Madison did consult with you before inviting me here, didn’t she? I’d hate to find out that my presence is a nasty surprise for you.”
Kahala’s head came up at that. “Madison has a pretty definite opinion of what’s going on between you and me and what we ought to do about it. But it could never be a nasty surprise to see you.”
James pressed his lips together. He understood why they’d met in public but he very much wished they could have this conversation without the potential for being overheard or photographed. However, he couldn’t ask her to be alone with him when he hadn’t figured out yet whether she wanted to talk to him at all. “Kahala, are you okay with being here with me?”
She sighed, setting the fork down. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to send mixed signals. I missed you, James. You look hotter than ever, and when Madison told me about how much you stood up for me I could hardly believe it. I’m just scared is all. That’s why I didn’t answer your calls.”
She’d said it. By bringing up the elephant in the room, Kahala had given James permission to talk about it. He relaxed a little. “I was hurt but I did my best to understand. It wasn’t an easy introduction to the spotlight.”
“I know people say horrible stuff about each other all the time on the Internet. I felt as if I shouldn’t let it bother me, but that was a lot easier said than done.” Her eyes angled up at him. “I know they said bad stuff about you too. I’m not trying to act as if I was the only one who got hurt.”
James shook his head. “It is different,” he said. “I knew I’d have to deal with that sort of thing when I chose to be an actor. Before you met me, you had every expectation of leading a normal life.”
She moved her hand over the table toward his. “To be fair, being with you was much better than normal.”
He had to laugh a little. “I’m glad to hear that. If our time together was run-of-the-mill for you, I don’t know how I’d ever manage to impress you.”
Kahala ducked her head, a little of her lustfulness coming through in her expression. “You rocked my world, in case that wasn’t clear. No matter what happens I’ll never forget that.”
“Good, because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.” James dropped his eyes quickly, aware how much intensity he’d just allowed himself to show. He brushed his napkin across his lips. “Where do we stand now, Kahala?”
“James, can we go somewhere private?”
He looked back at her gratefully. “I thought you’d never ask.”
* * * * *
“So, you can just get fancy hotel rooms whenever you feel like it.” Kahala paced their suite, running her fingers lightly over the fresh flowers in the vase in front of the mirror.
“I may have had this place in mind ahead of time,” James said. He gestured to the flowers. “They don’t just automatically put Hawaiian flowers in here, you know.”
He’d caught her off guard. She froze. “Pikake.”
“Yes.”
“James, why are you being so nice to me?”
James sat on the armchair beside the window. Many stories below, the city moved, cars winding and people scurrying. He wanted the mood with her to feel lighter. He would have given anything to return to the sparkling banter they’d shared back in Lawrence’s trailer, when only possibility stretched before them and she hadn’t yet been hurt.
“I always tried to be nice to you, Kahala. That hasn’t changed.”
She turned toward him. “I’m sorry I didn’t respond when you tried to reach me.” She came a little closer. He stood and pulled her into his arms. His body reacted to hers with just as much passion as before.
He knew she felt his erection when she gave a little grind against it.
“Our bodies want to tell us this is simple,” James said. “Right now, certain parts of me think all we need to do is fall into that bed over there. But I want more than that, Kahala. I want us to have a relationship. I know it won’t be easy. Do you think you’d be willing to try?”
Kahala bit her lip. “Won’t it damage your image?”
He smiled fiercely. “If it does, then this country doesn’t deserve me. Or you.” He rubbed his fingers through her hair. “I hate that Patrick O’Reilly’s people talked to you that day before I did. You’re beautiful, Kahala. Anyone who can’t see that is a fool. I don’t see how it could possibly damage my image to be with a beautiful woman and to treat her well.”
“They told me general public opinion is what matters.”
James shook his head. “You know I love what I do. But I promised myself when I started out that I’d never lose myself just to be in the movies. I stand by my real feelings.” He smiled ruefully. “Maybe more than some people would like. I’m not losing you over ‘general public opinion’—if that even means anything in the first place. I think Laser Sentinel came out a lot better than I expected, but I don’t like O’Reilly’s methods or attitudes. I wouldn’t put it past his people to have said whatever they needed to say just to get you away from me.”
Kahala smiled tentatively.
James lifted a hand to touch the corner of her mouth. “Now. We’ve been talking a lot about the world outside this hotel room. And we’ve been talking a lot about me. How do you feel? Do you want to be with me?”
She didn’t answer in words. Instead she lifted her face and kissed him. He closed his eyes at the sensation of her generous breasts pressing against his chest, her fingers running through his hair, her hips and body steering him toward the bed. It had been too long since she’d touched him like this.
Faintly, it occurred to James that he ought to make sure they finished their conversation. His hands thought differently. They were already sliding over Kahala’s incredible dress, searching for buttons or zippers or laces or whatever would get it out of the way so they could be skin to skin.
“I’m glad you and Madison went to dinner early. We have an hour before we need to leave for the premiere.”
Kahala moaned and undid her dress for him. James stripped off his shirt, planning to pull her into bed with him as soon as possible.
Kahala’s bold dress slid to the floor to reveal that she’d been even more daring beneath it. He’d forgotten her love of lingerie. It stopped him dead in his tracks.
What he’d thought was the collar of her dress turned out to be the upper section of an elaborate set of black straps. They wound over her body, lifting and supporting her curves without ever quite obscuring them. Angled lines bracketed the emphatic curve of her hips but drew together between her legs, where a woven pattern just concealed her sex. The straps scooped beneath her breasts, shaping and cupping them the way James longed to do.
Kahala lifted an eyebrow. “You like? I got inspired by the retro sci-fi thing.” She turned to show him the back, and James’ mouth went dry.
She’d left her back bare right up to the point where it began to curve into her ass. There, a diamond weave pattern showed off how smooth and round she was. And she’d allowed the beauty of her ass to speak for itself. No straps interfered with his view of the magnificent shape of it.
James stepped forward, his hands inexorably drawn to the skin the straps had left bare. He stroked down her sides and gripped her ass, dipping his head to kiss the base of her neck.
Kahala gave a throaty laugh. “I’m going to take that as a yes.”
“Yes,” James agreed. “I love it. Now how the hell do I get it off?”
Kahala threw him a flirty look over her shoulder. “You don’t actually have to take it off,” she purred. “The straps are very flexible.”
James moaned. He reached around her front and tested her invitation. The woven straps before her clit stretched easily to admit his hand.
She was already wet. James struggled for control. He wanted to leave hickeys on her neck to claim her as his own. He wanted to bend her over the bed and take her now. Much as he wanted to give her pleasure, it had been too long since he’d been inside her. He wanted to rub his cock against her bare skin but he didn’t think he could release it without immediately burying it in the soft, warm space between her legs.
Kahala made the decision for him. Reaching behind her, she unzipped James’ pants then slipped her hand in and through the hole in his boxers. His cock jumped at the heat of her hand.
He couldn’t stand it. James gave up his hesitation and undid the top button of his pants, moving Kahala out of the way only to step out of his garments. Her hand returned at once. She circled his cock and tugged it toward her, guiding it to her entrance.
Kahala leaned onto the bed, one arm braced on the mattress. She obviously didn’t want to wait either. James steadied himself with one hand on her back. “Just a second. I need to find a condom.” His voice was rough with lust and need.
He dropped to his knees and rummaged through his pants pockets. While he was down there, he couldn’t resist kissing the backs of Kahala’s knees. She sighed and squirmed, which made her ass bounce. James grinned and moved upward, caressing the backs of her thighs with his lips and teeth as he continued to search for a condom.
Clearly she was sensitive there. Her gasps sounded half erotic and half ticklish. He gave her a long lick up the back of her leg, loving the way she wriggled in response to his tongue.
In the future he wanted to take his time playing that game, to tease her until she dripped with arousal and her ribs ached with laughter. But his fingers closed on a foil package and James needed to satisfy a more urgent need.
He rolled the condom onto his cock then rose to his feet. His head found Kahala’s wet entrance even before he’d quite made it to standing.
“Yes,” she said. “James, please.”
He didn’t need any more invitation. He did what he’d been dreaming about for months.
He thrust balls-deep inside her, crying out when her inner muscles squeezed and welcomed him. Soon he would move, but first he wanted to spend a moment enveloped in her. He curled his body around hers and wrapped her with both arms. She felt warm and soft and perfect. He buried his nose in her silky hair, kissed the back of her neck and just luxuriated in how it felt to finally be next to her, connected to her, joined to her.
Emotion filled his chest. When she hadn’t returned his calls, James had feared this would never happen again. He still felt that desperation. He needed to make love to her to clear away the darkness of the past months and to let his body tell her how he’d wanted to hold her, protect her and keep her beside him.
Kahala pressed up against him, turning her head so her cheek could lie against his. She covered his hands with hers then guided them so he held one breast and one hip. He pressed his lips to the spot just behind her ear.
Then he began to rock, the very slightest movement. With her body so close against his, the motion emphasized how completely she had taken his cock into her body. Her wet heat squeezed and slid around his length but he didn’t allow them to part for even a moment.
“Oh God,” Kahala whispered, then slipped one hand down beneath their bodies. She stroked his balls quickly with her fingertips then the touch disappeared. He knew she must be touching herself and his cock surged at the thought.
“Go on,” he whispered in her ear. “Make yourself feel good. I’ll stay right here as long as you need me to.” James stopped to swallow down another surge of emotion.
His stroked her curves where he held them and began a slow corkscrew motion with his hips. The head of his cock rubbed inside her in a tiny circle. Her shoulder twitched as she worked herself faster. Kahala’s breathing changed.
Knowing she must be getting close, James began to thrust, slow, deep and firm. He continued to circle his hips as he moved. Kahala whimpered and rocked beneath him. James couldn’t get enough of this view of her, lost in passion, welcoming his cock, her body trembling with impending orgasm.
She let out a long, low cry and James abandoned his control. He rode the waves of her climax into his own. Pleasure echoed from her body into his, tingling through his every nerve.
When it was over, James collapsed on the bed beside her, stroking her back and pressing kiss after kiss to her forehead. “How are you?”
“Better now.” She smiled. He thought he saw a hint of tears in her eyes. “I did miss you.”
He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to press her but needing to know. “Does this mean you do want to be with me?”
Something flickered in her eyes and his heart clenched in his chest. “I do want to be with you,” she said. “I’m still not sure whether I’m tough enough for it.”
“You’re plenty tough,” James said. “You finished my costume for Lawrence. You’ve been putting beautiful stuff up on your website.”
Her face softened. “You looked?”
“I might have spent some time fantasizing about how those dresses would look on you.”
She reached for his hand. He interlaced his fingers with hers and squeezed. “Can I decide after we go to the premiere?”
He didn’t want to wait for her decision. He wanted to tell her they both already knew all they needed to know. But looking at the vulnerability in her big brown eyes, James remembered how he’d ached for her on the set of Laser Sentinel. He remembered what she’d been through because of him. “Sure,” he said, keeping his voice as light as he could manage.
He sealed the promise with a kiss.