“You were very ready.”
She arches and eyebrow. “So were you, if I recall correctly. You didn’t suck in the sack.”
“Did you honestly think I’d be a crap shag?”
Laughing, she snuggles closer. “That’s not what I thought. Sex is even better than people say, and they talk it up a lot.”
“Sex with you is better. Not all sex is like that.”
“If I ask you a question, will you answer it honestly?”
I don’t think I’ll get the same.
“Let me guess, you want to know how many women I’ve slept with.”
“Well, yeah. No getting weird, though.”
She sits up. My eyes slide to her breasts then back to her face.
“You gave up your virginity last night, and you don’t think me telling you how many other women I’ve slept with will get weird?”
“No, because we’re not going to discuss it. I don’t want to know who or when or any of those details. If you give me a name, I’ll have someone to hate… and assassinate.”
“You have ninja training?”
“I’m a fast learner. How many, Spence?”
“Two. And, yes, that includes you.”
“Two?” Her frown is adorably insulting. How fucking many did she think it was?
I nod and take her hand, curling her fingers between mine. “One at my old high school. We were together a couple of months… but she wasn’t you.”
Her jaw drops.
“It’s a nightmare, Indie. I compare every woman to you, and none of them come close. I’ve been waiting for you—waiting for things to calm down so I could get home and try to make things right between us. We never should have broken up. I mean, I know why we did, and it was probably best at the time, but it was also stupid.”
She bites her lip.
“You don’t need to admit you were waiting for me. We both know.”
“Who’s the smartarse now.”
“Let’s go out and do something. We have ages before we need to get ready for the premiere.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh my God, your parents are in the apartment!”
I full on belly laugh. She really was in the moment. “Where did you think they were?”
“They heard us have sex!”
“They heard you. I made sure not to get all shouty.”
She turns red. “I am never leaving this room again.”
“Fine by me.”
“Be serious.” She playfully slaps my chest. “How can we face them?”
“We’re twenty.”
Letting go of my hand, she throws her palms up. “They’re still your parents. Do you think they definitely heard? Was I really that loud?”
The memory of my name on her lips while inside her will stay with me forever.
“They were watching TV. I shut you up pretty quickly.”
She curls into my lap and buries her face against my chest. “But… do you think they heard?”
“No, I think we’re cool.”
“Thank God, because I’d like to do that many more times before I leave tomorrow.”
Tomorrow night. They have a night flight out at nine-fifteen. I hate the distance and the time zones. I have one day to make this count. We’re going to end up being in a long-distance relationship, and she is going to be cool with it.
I need to make some calls and try to keep her out of the spotlight. At least until I can get her to open up about… whatever is going on.
“I can call in sick, and we can do nothing but that.”
Her body shakes as she laughs gently. “Yeah, call in sick to your first premiere.”
“There will be others.”
“They won’t be your first.”
“Other firsts are more important.”
“Ah, everything else is post-first time now, though. You can go to your premiere happy.”
I can die happy. “Fine, I’ll go. We’ll ditch the after party early and come home.”
“That, I’m okay with. Now, how do we get out of your room?”
“That one’s easy. There’s a big wooden thing on the wall called a door. You walk through it. Wait, first you open it, then you walk through it.”
She sits up. “You’re wasted on acting.”
“Go out there and act normal. My parents aren’t going to say anything.”
“You go first.”
“Seriously, Indie?”
“I’m deadly serious.”
It looks like I’m getting up. I take a quick shower while Indie chews her fingernails clean off and rests on my bed. She’s ridiculous.
I walk back into my bedroom, naked, rubbing the towel over my head.
Indie’s eyes darken.
Smirking, I ask, “Everything all right?”
She averts her eyes; cheeks pink and mouth curved. “Fine. I’m going to shower now.”
“Need a hand?”
Grabbing her clothes, she walks past me and presses her mouth shut.
While she’s getting showered, I pull on some clothes before I head into the kitchen.
Mum and Dad are sitting at the table, drinking tea.
“Morning,” I say.
Mum leaps out of her chair. “Today is the day! I can’t wait to see your movie. My little Spencer starring in a movie. A Hollywood movie! How amazing.”
“We’re proud of you, son,” Dad adds.
“Thanks, guys.”
“What would you like for breakfast? I bought all of your favourites at the supermarket. You know they call it the grocery store here?”
“Yes, Mum. Bacon and eggs? And sausage.”
“You’ve got it. Is Indie up?” she asks, tilting her head.
We can all hear the shower running.
“She’s in the bathroom,” I tell her, turning away to make coffee.
“Love.” Dad’s stern tone is a warning to Mum.
I look over my shoulder to see he’s giving her the look. The one that makes her stop in her tracks and evaluate what she’s about to say or do.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Mum claps her hands together. “Are you and Indie an item?”
An item. Who calls it that?
“We’re… I don’t know. There’s no label yet.”
I couldn’t be talking more shit if I tried, but the last thing Indie needs is to come into the room to Mum’s big celebration.
Mum’s face lights up, and she makes a high-pitched squeal that almost shatters glass. “Oh, that’s wonderful.”
I raise my palms. “Slow down. She’s not ready to jump into anything serious.”
“Love, you two were always going to be serious.”
“I know that, and so does she, but she’ll run if you say it.”
Mum’s shoulders sag. “I wish we knew more.”
“I’m working on it. Please don’t do
