The Unidentified Redhead (Redhead #1)(54)
Author: Alice Clayton

I loved me some Hamiltonian Dirty Talk …

He backed away, eyes almost black, licking at his fingers. “Now, we’ll see who’s begging later.” He smirked, watching my dazed expression harden into something much more determined. “Let’s go keep that lunch date you insisted on, love,” he said, putting his sunglasses on and grinning at me cockily.

“Gah,” I managed, eyes crossed and legs doing the shimmy shake. This was going to be the longest day of my life.

We ate lunch with Rebecca and Lane, and I listened to stories about filming.

It was interesting to see Jack with his friends. We had spent so much time wrapped in our own little ball of bliss that it was nice to interact with others.

Jack told them, with pride, about my show in New York, and though his voice was tinged with a sadness only I would notice, he was unquestionably my biggest fan. When Lane brazenly asked how we were going to work a cross-country romance, Jack simply smiled, kissed my hand, and answered, “We’ll figure it out as we go.”

Rebecca obviously adored Jack, and vice versa. I felt good about leaving him with such a good friend. Lane had starred in a fairly major movie earlier in the summer, and there were already a group of women at a nearby table that had recognized him. It didn’t take long before Rebecca and Jack were recognized as well, and they finally approached the table after much giggling. Once there, Lane showered them with hugs. He really was a natural at this. Jack was a little more reserved, as always. He really wasn’t comfortable with his new fame but was taking it all in stride.

They discussed the photo shoot that was scheduled for tomorrow. It sounded like it would be good, but I wasn’t sure if Jack was expecting me to tag along.

I felt that Rebecca and Lane would probably be fine with it, but I didn’t want to get in the way.

Jack kept his hand on my leg, on my arm, or twisted in my own hand the entire time. It was as if he hadn’t heard a word Holly had said about keeping a low profile, and I loved and hated him for it. I was the one who would be crucified by the fans if there were more pictures of me. He really had no idea what an impact he had.

As the women giggled away and out the front door, I excused myself to visit the ladies room. Lane was heading out to the lobby to take a call, and so he walked me toward the front.

“So glad I got to meet you. You’re a cool chick.” He smirked, taking my hand and kissing it in a very debonair way.

“Yeah, yeah, I bet you say that to all of Jack’s girls,” I teased.

“Nope, you are seriously cool.” He winked, and left me to blush on the way to the bathroom.

Moments later as I headed back to the table, I saw that Jack and Rebecca were deep in conversation. Stepping deliberately behind a potted palm, I listened in. I had no shame …

“Twenty-six? Twenty-seven? Is she older than twenty-seven?” He shrugged, his eyes twinkling.

“How old is she Jack?”

“I don’t actually know. She hasn’t told me, and I haven’t asked. I have an idea though. I think around thirty, thirty-one maybe. I pinpointed it through all the Corey references. They were a dead giveaway … ” he trailed off. It was as if he was talking to himself.

“Wow, she doesn’t look like she’s in her thirties,” I heard Rebecca exclaim.

She was my new favorite person.

He laughed loudly. “You bet your sweet ass she doesn’t.” He chuckled.

“Dude, you should see your face. You’re like all glowy and shit! You’re such a girl!” she yelled, and he laughed.

“I have always been a girl—you know this.” They joked for another minute, and then he recounted the story of us.

Where we met, how we met, everything. As I listened, I watched him, and the way his face changed when he recounted something I said or something we had done. I shouldn’t have listened in, but I was glad I did. It gave me an interesting perspective into him, and how he was feeling about me. I was falling more and more by the second.

“And now, she got cast in this show, which is brilliant for her. But it’s in New York, and she is leaving in a few days. Ah, the timing just sucks,” he sighed, sitting back in his chair. His jaw was clenching as I could see him gnashing his teeth.

“Well, look, she won’t be there forever, right? And, honey, with all the press you are about to do, you will be in New York all the time. Stop being such a pu**y, Hamilton,” she cried, as he smiled at her. They seemed to be great friends.

“I know you’re right. It’s just, I can’t tell what she wants to do about all this. I mean, I dunno, she just gets me, and I think, no I know she fancies me too. But she’s getting ready to do this huge thing, it’s so important to her and for her career.”

“And you’re not? Jesus, this movie is going to make you a household name!

Maybe this isn’t the best time for you to have a girlfriend,” she stated, giving voice to the concerns I had been having all along. He was quiet at that.

Backing away from the palm, I reentered the restaurant, making enough noise with my flip flops to alert them to my presence. Jack immediately grasped my hand, and I brought his fingers to my lips, kissing them gently. I simply adored him.

By the time Lane had rejoined us and we finished with lunch, it was well past two-thirty, and Jack begged off on their offer for an afternoon sail off the coast, saying he had made other plans for us. I raised an eyebrow as I was unaware that he had planned anything.

As we left the restaurant, Rebecca pulled me into a hug. Surprised, but pleased, I hugged her back. “I’m so glad to have met you, Grace. You have no idea.” She smiled.

“You too. I’ll see you later?” I asked.

“Definitely,” she answered.

Lane wrapped me into a bear hug, and as I laughed, his hands began to travel down to my bottom.

“Hey, man, get your hands off my girl.” Jack laughed, pulling me away gallantly.

“Jack, seriously, can’t help it. That’s one fine woman,” Lane teased, smacking me on my butt. I jumped in surprise and Jack laughed.

“Next time you do that, I spank back,” I warned, pinching Lane’s cheeks … the ones on his face. We said our goodbyes and made our way through the lobby toward the spa.

“What’re we doing now?” I asked, curious.

“I booked us a couple’s massage. Nice, right?” he asked, nodding to the receptionist when we walked through the doors.

“Nice, right. You went all out this weekend, Mr. Romance. But I told you, I don’t need al this. Al I real y need is you inside me, deeply,” I teased in a whisper to his great consternation as the spa coordinator led us back to the couple’s suite.