Page 102 of Reel Love

There's nothing more beautiful

than the way the ocean refuses

to stop kissing the shoreline,

no matter how many times it's sent away.

~ Sarah Kay

Iwake feeling groggy, but a smile blooms across my face before I even toss back the covers. I leave for LA in an hour. And I’ll be there for two days because of this premier event—the one I’m attending with Rex. None of that is the reason for the private smile that’s like the sun shining through clouds.

Stevens stayed for dinner and left when Brigitte called to tell me to get into bed. She heard Stevens in the background and literally squealed so loud I had to hold the phone away from my ear. Of course, he found this utterly amusing. Then Brigitte started shouting, “Let me talk to him!” So I reluctantly put him on the phone. It’s not like they haven’t spoken before. She arranged all the details when he taxied me or ran for my groceries. Thiswas different. I have no idea what she said, but Stevens smiled and laughed the whole minute I allowed them to chat before I grabbed my phone back and sent him packing for the night.

And, I lost at Scrabble. So I got to kiss him. And I did. Kissing Stevens is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. He’s so careful and passionate. Maybe it’s different because of all the emotions he brings up in me. Whatever it is, I feel like I never really kissed a man until I kissed him.

I shower, dress, drink my probiotic green drink and grab the garment bag and duffle I’m taking to LA with me. Then I meet my driver out front to be taxied to Joel’s boat. I consider texting Stevens, but the sun is just rising. He may be asleep. I’ll call him later.

The golf cart slows to a stop at the dock and I hop out, taking my bags from the young man who drove me. I make my way down the dock, and squint at the boat as I approach.

Is that … ? I blink. He steps out onto the dock and stands there looking at me with an impish grin on his gorgeous face and I break into a shameless run.

“What are you doing here?”

“I traded with Joel. I figured, he’s got an NDA, he can’t tell anyone. I didn’t say why. I just told him I needed to go to LA anyway so I’d relieve him. He’s happily getting paid to sleep in today.”

I drop my bags and throw my arms around Stevens’ neck.

“You’re amazing!” I breathe the words into his shirt and then inhale the now-familiar scent of him.

“I’m really not, but let’s keep that illusion going for a while … possibly indefinitely.”

“You are amazing. And I’m glad you don’t know it.”

I press a soft kiss to his lips and he tugs me to himself. The misty morning air surrounds us, seagulls and shorebirds call out across the water. The waves slosh under the pier. Stevens runs his hands down my back until they rest on my hips. He kisses me like a man welcoming his girlfriend home at the airport. It’s one ofthose kisses that saysI missed you. And even though we’ve only been separated for a night, I get it. I’ve missed him forever. And we’ll be in forced separation regularly for the foreseeable future. This is the kiss of two people desperate for more of one another than they are allowed. We’re grabbing at crumbs, savoring the small samples of time we get and trying to make a meal out of them.

When we separate, he gently pushes my curls back from my face.

He stares into my eyes and murmurs. “I brought you a breakfast burrito.”

“I think that might be the hottest thing a man has ever said to me.”

He chuckles. “You need to get out more.”

“Maybe I just need to get out with you.”

“Definitely that.”

He releases me and bends to pick up my bags for me. “We’d better get going. You’re on a schedule, or so Joel informed me.”

“Yeah. I am.” I inhale a sweet breath of ocean air. “Tonight’s the premier with Rex—not our film, obviously. This other one.”

“Well, let’s get you to LA, then.” Stevens boards the boat and turns toward me to extend his hand. I take it—whether I need it or not, I just want to touch him.

He takes the helm and I sit next to him. Maybe if Joel were driving, I’d be in the back of the boat today, letting the breeze off the water still my nerves about pretending with Rex.

We’re about five minutes out when Stevens says, “Want to drive?”

“Drive the boat?”

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