Page 35 of Beyond the Red Carpet

“I’m thinking about how beautiful you are,” Vanessa murmured, her thumb caressing Kate’s cheek.

A shy smile tugged at the corners of Kate’s mouth. “I feel like I’m dreaming,” she whispered.

Vanessa couldn’t resist the temptation of those soft lips. She leaned in, capturing Kate’s mouth in a tender, lingering kiss. Kate sighed against her, melting into Vanessa’s embrace.

22

Kate woke to the warmth of the sun on her skin and the subtle weight of Vanessa’s arm draped across her middle. She wanted to stay in this moment, lingering on the memories of the night before. As her gaze drifted to the side, she found Vanessa still asleep, her dark hair splayed across the pillow in messy waves. In the quiet of the morning, Kate allowed herself a moment to simply admire Vanessa’s beauty.

Memories of the previous night flooded Kate’s mind, sending a delicious shiver down her spine. The way Vanessa had moaned beneath her touch, her body arching into Kate’s with a desperate need. The way she had come undone so easily, her cries of pleasure echoing through the room. The chemistry between them had been electric.

Vanessa stirred, her eyelashes fluttering open as she gradually woke. The early morning light played across Vanessa’s features, highlighting the elegant lines of her face and the soft curve of her lips.

Vanessa’s eyes opened fully, meeting Kate’s gaze. For a heartbeat, neither moved nor spoke. Kate reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing a strand of hair away fromVanessa’s face. Vanessa leaned into the touch, her eyes closing briefly as if savoring the connection. When she opened them again, there was a softness there that made Kate’s heart ache.

“Good morning,” Vanessa murmured, her voice husky and thick with sleep.

“Morning.” Kate felt a rush of warmth spread through her chest. “Did you sleep okay?”

Vanessa stretched slightly, her arm tightening around Kate for a brief moment before relaxing again. “Better than I have in weeks,” she admitted.

Kate felt a flush rise to her cheeks, pleased but unsure how to respond. She searched Vanessa’s gaze, looking for any hint of regret or second thoughts, but it wasn’t there.

“Me too,” Kate finally said, the words barely above a whisper. She wanted to say more, to express everything she was feeling, but the words seemed to stick in her throat.

Vanessa’s fingers traced lazy patterns on Kate’s stomach, and the simple touch sent a tingling sensation across her skin. The sound of birds chirping outside reminded Kate of where they were, of what this weekend was supposed to be. She opened her eyes and found Vanessa watching her with an intensity that made her heart race.

“Are you hungry?” Vanessa asked.

“Starving,” she said with a small laugh. “But I don’t want to move.”

Kate watched as Vanessa shifted, propping herself up on one elbow. The sheet slipped down, and Kate could only stare.

“Why don’t we eat something, and then...” Vanessa’s voice dropped lower, her fingertips dancing along Kate’s collarbone. “Come right back here.”

The suggestion sent heat coursing through Kate’s body. She studied Vanessa’s face, taking in the playful glint in her eyes, the slight quirk of her lips. This wasn’t the polished, composedVanessa Prescott that the world knew. This was someone else entirely, and Kate knew she was falling so hard for this version of Vanessa.

23

Kate’s weight pressed against Vanessa’s side, her body radiating warmth through the thick blanket draped across them. The living room lights dimmed to a soft glow, casting shadows across Kate’s features as she scrolled through movie options on the screen.

Vanessa breathed in the faint scent of Kate’s shampoo as her arm curved around Kate’s shoulder.

“What about this one?” Kate tilted her head up, her blue eyes bright with anticipation.

“Mm, seen it.” Vanessa shifted, pulling Kate closer. The leather couch creaked beneath them. “Though I wouldn’t mind watching it again.”

As Kate continued to flick through the movie options, Vanessa found herself distracted by the curve of her neck, the way her hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders. Unable to resist, she leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to the sensitive skin just below Kate’s ear.

A breathy laugh escaped her lips. “You’re not making this easy, you know,” she teased, tilting her head to give Vanessa better access even as she complained.

“Mmm, sorry,” Vanessa murmured against her skin, not sounding sorry at all. Her hands slid beneath the blanket, finding the smooth expanse of Kate’s stomach and tracing idle patterns there.

Kate shivered at the touch, her focus on the TV screen wavering. “If you keep that up, we’ll never pick a movie,” she warned, but there was no real admonishment in her tone.

Vanessa smiled, nuzzling into the crook of Kate’s neck. “Would that be so bad?” she asked, her voice low and sultry. “I can think of plenty of other ways to spend our evening...”

Kate whimpered, and she turned to capture Vanessa’s lips in a slow, deep kiss. The remote slipped from her hand, forgotten, as she twisted in Vanessa’s arms, the blanket tangling around them. Vanessa lost herself in the taste of Kate, in the feel of her body pressed close.

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