The lights brighten.
“You were incredible, Spence. I loved it!”
To my left, I hear Jodie sobbing and Andrew gushing about how he always knew Spencer would do something amazing.
“Yeah?” Spencer’s toothy smile is so wide, his face is in danger of cracking.
“You better get an Oscar.”
He laughs, shaking his head like I’ve said something absurd. “I’m just glad you liked it.”
“Loved it,” I correct.
Jodie stands and demands a hug.
The rest of the room is up and buzzing.
I take a breath and soak it all in. The atmosphere, the pride… and the gloom settling in my stomach.
Can the movie star and the broken university student really work?
Twenty-Two
Spencer
I’m at a party being thrown for me and my co-stars… and I want to leave.
All I can think about is getting Indie back into bed. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve fucking loved the premiere and how well the movie was received, but now I want to celebrate privately. I don’t have much time left with her. I can see everyone else here again soon.
Indie is with my parents, talking to Ella. She’s wearing a little black dress that I’ve not been able to take my eyes off. The whole time we were in the cinema—besides when the lights went down—she looked uncomfortable. I get it. At first you’re unsure of your place. I used to wait for someone to tell me there’s been a mistake and that I needed to leave.
Indie will be more comfortable once she gets used to it.
Having your life turn so fast is full on. It takes a minute to adjust.
She laughs with Ella, a glass of champagne clutched tightly in her hand.
When she told me that she was a virgin, I thought I was going to come on the spot. Knowing that I’m the only person who has been inside her is the best feeling in the world. It’s some primal and possessive bullshit, no doubt. I don’t even care. She’s all mine.
Indie looks up and says something to the group. Ethan joins them, so the rest don’t pay much attention to Indie walking off.
I stuff my hands in my pockets to stop me reaching out for her as she approaches. My heart thuds faster the closer she gets. She stops too far away.
“People are going to talk if you keep looking at me like you want to rip my clothes off,” she says.
“I do want to rip that tiny dress off.”
“It’s not tiny,” she says flattening it down.
The sleeveless number comes to her mid-thigh, and I want it off.
My dick begins to stiffen. Fucking hell, not here. “Let’s go back to mine.”
“Spencer, we’ve only been here for twenty minutes.”
“Is that it?” It feels like hours.
“You need to stay for an hour, at least.”
Forty more minutes of watching her walk around in that dress and not being able to touch her. Pure torture.
Noticing my reluctance, her cheeks redden, and she smiles. “You’ll have me again soon.”
I groan. “Don’t say it like that.”
“Poor, Spencer. Do you need to take a minute?”
“We both know what I need.”
Her grin widens, and her eyes become flirty. She’s enjoying this, playing with me. It looks good on her. “You’re going to have to practice a little patience.”
“I’ve been patient since we sat down to watch the movie.”
She was sitting beside me watching it with this expression that I couldn’t quite place, like a mix of wonder, pride, and maybe lust. I’ve never seen her want me or anyone before. The heavy rise and fall of her chest and the hunger in her eyes almost knocked me off my feet.
“Come and join me with your parents and Ella. Ethan just came over, too.”
“Still fancy Ethan?”
“I’ll never not think he’s hot.”
Wrong thing to say. I step closer, and she lifts her chin. “Indie…”
She blinks heavily. “You’re hotter. Obviously.”
“He’ll be attracted to you. You’re just his type.”
She shrugs a shoulder. “I really don’t care. There’s no one else I want, Spence. To me, you’re perfect.”
My hands itch to reach out. I hold my breath and will my erection away. Indie, I love you.
“Now, come on…” She grabs my hand and pulls me over to the group. I think she said something else after that, but I can’t focus.
“There you are, man,” Ethan says. His lopsided smile shows the number of champagnes he’s had. “Everyone loves it!”
“Of course, they do.”
“Dream team,” Ella cheers. “I hope we all get to work together again.”
“Do you think there will be a sequel?” Indie asks.
Ella bites her lip. “I don’t know. I really hope so. There’s tons more that can be done with those characters.”
“And look at movies like The Fast and the Furious. They’re on, what, eight or nine now,” Indie says. “If I was the producer there, I would do that, too. Hello, Vin Diesel.”
I roll my eyes. “Is there anyone in Hollywood you don’t fancy?”
She pretends to think. “Probably not.”
Ethan’s eyes shine, and I want to knock him off his feet. “I like that in a girl,” he says, smiling at Indie as if she’s a sure thing.
“If you’re still sleeping with girls, I don’t want to know,” she retorts, waving him off.
“Oh,” he moans, gripping his heart while the rest of our group laughs.
I couldn’t be prouder of her.
“Poor Ethan,” Ella coos, wrapping her arm around him. “It’s not often you get a rejection from a woman.”
“I think she’s broken,” he replies, looking at Indie.
My girl does not back down. “Wow, is it really that hard for you to accept that not all women are into you?”
“It doesn’t happen from the normal ones.”
“Didn’t a girl you slept with once trash your car? Or is that fake news?”
Ella’s eyes light up like a Christmas tree. “No, that totally happened.”
Indie smiles triumphantly. “Well, on that note, I need to use the bathroom.”
I watch her walk away from us with confidence that makes me want her even more. There is no shyness or uncertainty. This is what I always want
