Page 94 of Bad Reputation

Which was probably why he buried himself in her and said against her neck “I love you.” One last thrust; then he choked out “I am totally in love with you.” Because he was, and there was nowhere he could hide. He didn’t even want to. He adored this woman.

When the last shiver had racked through both of them, he disposed of the condom and pulled Maggie back into the shower. He held her under the jets until his legs were strong again, until the emotions that had been churning him like a storm were back in place.

“Sorry, that was too much. Sex with you—it’s intense.” Every time he touched her, it was going to be like this, of that he was certain. He just had to get used to it.

“Did you mean it?” She tipped her chin back, watching him steadily.

“Yes.” He shouldn’t have said it, but it wasn’t because he didn’t mean it.

“Then don’t you dare take it back.” Maggie popped onto her toes and kissed him. A kiss so sweet, he almost felt guilty for fucking her over his bathroom counter. Or at least he almost felt guilty until she broke from his mouth and said, “Because I love you too.”

Her words were a day at the beach and runner’s high and Christmas morning, all hitting him at the same time.

“Thank God.” He kissed her back hard, slamming his hand on the wall to keep them both upright. “Thank God.”

Sometimes, you got everything you ever wanted—and wasn’t that a kick in the pants?

Chapter 22

EXT. PARKING LOT

Cole was leaving the gym when his phone rang. It was Drew.

For once, his agent couldn’t have any complaints. The early buzz about Cole’s work onWaverleywas terrific, Brett had been scheduling all kinds of interviews and photo shoots Cole wouldn’t have been offered two years ago, and Cole had taken the job Drew had wanted him to take—he had the sore muscles and the Boston-accent coach to prove it.

Applause had to be coming, right?

“Hey,” Cole answered, trying not to sound smug. “Long time, no—”

“You knew about this Vincent Minna hack job, and you didn’t tell me?”

In all fairness, Cole hadn’t talked to Libby recently, and in his last conversation with Tasha—who’d spent the two weeks since filming had ended hiding out in the Azores with Ryan—she’d said it would probably drop before the end of the month.

Which was, like, next week.

Damn it.

Cole glanced around. No one was near him on the street, and since the story was apparently close to dropping, there wasn’t much risk if he had this conversation here and now. The avalanche might not becoming down the mountain yet, but the snow was shifting under the hardpack. Destruction was inevitable. Cole had helped make it so.

“I get that you’re pissed, but ... I thought you’d try to talk me out of it.” Cole was important to Drew, but he would never be as important to his agent as one of Hollywood’s top producers. It was a simple question of math.

Cole gotwhyDrew opposed drama, but not all drama was equal. This wasn’t getting into some dumb feud with an ex or starting a fight at an Oscars party. It was supporting his best friend as she came forward about one of the industry’s biggest villains. Helping Libby tell Tasha’s story was the right thing to do. Period.

“Of course I would’ve said not to do it!” Drew shouted.

So Cole had been right.

They’d fought a few times in the years they’d worked together. Or more precisely, Drew had been snide to Cole about what he’d wanted and why until Cole had given in and gone Drew’s way. But this was an entirely different level of venom.

“I did talk to Quinn and Brett.” His lawyer and his publicist. “But bringing you in? I don’t really see the career angle here.”

“You don’t see the career angle?” Drew didn’t bother to hide how angry he was. “Vincent Minna is one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. Don’t you get what you’re doing?”

“Was. Hewasone of the most powerful men in Hollywood.” At least if Cole had anything to do with it.

“Don’t be stupid. There may be time to kill your quotes. I’ve heard they’re still a few days away from publishing. Let me call this Libby Hansen person, and—”

“I don’t want to kill my quotes.” Drew’s reaction was just so beyond the pale. While Drew certainly did have a stake in Cole’s career, it was still exactly that—Cole’scareer. “I stand by everything I said.”

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