“Don’t even think about touching me again yet. I’m so sensitive, I’ll probably punch you. I want to curl up in your huge bed and chill.” I think Spencer’s bed could comfortably sleep four. I don’t want to know why anyone would need a bed that big. We only need two in ours.
We take a quick shower, and then get into bed. He pulls me into his side. I curl into his chest and rest my head on his shoulder. This is perfection. I don’t need fancy houses or cars. All I want is to be this happy with him for the rest of my life.
Sighing like he’s just hit the jackpot, he kisses the top of my head again. I. Love. That.
“How are you doing, Hollywood?”
“Nothing beats this.”
“I can’t wait for the whole world to watch your movie. It was so, so good. I couldn’t be prouder of you.”
“Let’s hope everyone else thinks it’s good.”
I look up at him. “They will.”
“Ethan might try talking to you again.”
I’m guessing from his emphasis on ‘talking’, he doesn’t mean Ethan wants a general chat. I didn’t flirt with him. In fact, I made it clear that I’m not interested. “Why?”
“Because you rejected him. He likes a challenge; rarely loses them. Ethan is celeb royalty. He’s had women throwing themselves at him for years.”
“I have no interest in him, Spence. I’ll tell him I’m unavailable.”
“You’re unavailable. I like that.”
I move back and push myself up to rest on my elbow. “If I wanted to date someone else then I wouldn’t be in bed with you. This isn’t a fling for me.”
He brushes my hair from my face. “I don’t want anyone else, either. How are you feeling about long-distance?”
“I’m not loving the idea of being away from you, but we have to try, right?” Maybe we can make it work. I’m scared, I’m doubtful, but I will give it everything.
“I’ll come home every time I get longer than two days off.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“It’ll be worth it. I might not even get the next role.”
Oh, please. “You will, but even if you didn’t, you’re going to get a lot of offers. Everyone is going to want Spencer Lowe.” And I’m the one who gets him. “You’re going to have even more women throwing themselves at you. Get ready for a proper taste of Ethan’s life.”
“They can throw what they want, Indie. I’ll be coming home to you.”
“Glad to hear it, Hollywood.”
In the back of my head, the sensible side of me is screaming that this is a bad idea. How far down the line will it be before he asks more direct questions? How long until a glossy magazine wants to know more about Spencer’s girlfriend? That doesn’t mean they get to know everything they want. He said some people manage a private life, and Ella told me some of her childhood friends are unknown.
Spencer will want to meet my parents, though. How can I take him into that dingy room, littered with cans and bottles, to meet people who will likely be passed out or arguing?
He pulls me down on top of him and silences my thoughts with a kiss.
I’m so in love with him.
I wake the next morning with a heavy, grey cloud over my head. Tonight, I have to get on a plane.
Spencer seems to mirror my mood. When his eyes flicker open, they’re full of sadness.
“Morning, beautiful.”
I will never get tired of hearing that. “Good morning, movie star.”
His smile grows but his eyes don’t brighten. He brings me closer to him and sighs against my hair.
“We still have all day,” I tell him.
“It’s not enough.”
“Don’t be sad yet. I want you with me all day, properly, before I leave.”
With a very unconvincing smile, he lets go of me. “You’re right. Okay, get up. I’m making you breakfast.”
I watch him leave the room, and then I get out of bed to get ready. It takes me about fifteen minutes to shower and dress. I find him in the kitchen, whisking pancake batter.
He looks over his shoulder. “Pancakes and bacon.”
“You’re so American.”
Chuckling, he finishes up whisking and pours the mix into a pan. The little pancakes sizzle lightly. I pad over to lean against Spencer’s side.
“Where are your parents?”
“They’re in a hotel.”
I groan and press my face into his shoulder. “To give us some privacy. God, they probably didn’t want to hear me come again. I’ll never live that down.”
He laughs. “I don’t know why. Your orgasms are my new favourite sound.”
“Yeah, but not your fucking parents’, Spence!”
His laughter grows, and I want to throw myself off the same balcony he bent me over last night.
“Are we going out today?” I ask.
“Yeah, I have some plans.”
“You do? Since when?”
He arches a brow. “Since last night. Come on, let’s eat up and go.”
We eat and get on the road in the ridiculous Hummer that he hired over here, despite there being only one of him.
“I know you’re not compensating for anything so why is the car so big?”
“I was wondering when you’d bring that up. I’ve always liked them.”
“It’s a bit excessive, isn’t it?”
“Oh, Indie,” he says, shaking his head.
Right, different worlds now.
We stop, and Spence parks the car. It’s immediately obvious what we’re doing. We’re visiting the Hollywood sign.
I should have guessed. What else would you do in LA? To be fair, I do want to do the tourist bit. When we first arrived, I wanted to go and see it all—particularly the sign and the stars. But it looks like I’ll be back in LA at some point as Spencer and I figure out how to make a relationship work. It will no doubt include me travelling to him, too.
“I haven’t been here yet,” he says as we begin walking up the hill.
There are a few people about; mostly tourists taking millions of pictures of the view.
“How is that possible? You’ve been here ages.”
He turns his head, and the way he looks
