Page 68 of One Pucking Chance

“Oh, good. I was just dreaming about it.”

He stands behind me, his front to my back, and wraps his arms around my middle. He kisses my shoulder. “When is your stylist going to be here?”

“About two hours.”

“So much time.” He nibbles at my skin.

I laugh. “So little energy.”

“So what I’m hearing you say is that you could use a little pick-me-up?” He traces light circles across my abdomen and moves his hands up until he’s cupping my breasts. He massages, tugs, and twists at my delicate skin.

I release a sigh into the steamy air and lean my body back into his, my head resting on his collarbone. “Two seconds ago, I would’ve said no. But color me intrigued.”

He chuckles. “Oh, please. You’ve yet to say no.”

Lifting an arm, I wrap it around his neck and pull his mouth to mine while his hands continue to tease my nipples. “I might this time,” I tease, my lips against his. “You better convince me.”

“Well, you know that’s my favorite thing to do.” He captures my mouth with his and kisses me senseless.

All traces of exhaustion vanish the second his tongue touches mine, leaving hot, pulsating need in its wake.

“Oh,” I groan. “I need you.”

Jaden’s chest rumbles with a laugh. “I haven’t done anything to convince you yet. I have moves.”

“Oh, I know you do, and they’re amazing. But right now, I just want you inside me.”

“Fuck, I can’t argue with that.” He pushes me toward the shower wall, my back against the warm tiles. Hiking one of my legs up and over his forearm, he holds it out to the side, opening me wide for him. He impales me, thrusting in deep, my heel lifting from the shower floor.

“Yes,” I moan.

He takes me again and again, hitting me so deep the sensations erupt through every nerve cell in my body. I feel my orgasm building, my body preparing for a delicious onslaught of divine sensation.

Who needs coffee when I have a partner who brings me the greatest high I’ve ever known? Yeah, regardless of what happens tonight, I already have everything I need—and his name is Jaden.

“You look ill, Annalise. The truffle pasta not sitting well? I told you to get the steak.” Simon jabs another piece of pink fleshy meat with his fork and puts it in his mouth.

With a fork in my hand, I move some of the pasta around on my plate. “The pasta is fine,” I retort.

The food at the Academy Awards is prepared by some of the best chefs in the world, and I’m certain I’d appreciate it more under different circumstances. The fact that my meal tastes like chalk has nothing to do with the dish and everything to do with my nerves.

This day has been one giant episode of exposure therapy. While most people undergoing such a treatment confront one thing—like a person afraid of flying steps on a plane or someone afraid of spiders is forced to hold one. My exposure therapy includes almost everyone and everything I’ve encountered since stepping on the red carpet a few hours ago.

Hollywood is like a small gossipy town where everyone knows everyone. Most people in this room are tied to my father in some way and trigger a memory from my childhood. I’ve grown up with these people on various movie sets, awards dinners, parties, and social events. I thought I was over all this. Safely tucked away in my therapist’s office over two thousand miles away in Michigan, I feel safe from the insecurities this place brings. In my day-to-day life, I have endless support from Jaden and our friends and haven’t had this pounding pressure in my chest for so long.

Jaden slides his hand over the top of my satin dress covering my thigh and gives it a reassuring squeeze. He leans in and kisses the side of my head. “You are okay, my love,” he whispers against my hair.

Not that long ago, before I left to film in Michigan, I was surrounded by this life twenty-four seven, and it never bothered me in this way. I always questioned my therapist when she said that it gets harder before it gets easier. She said it’s easy to put a Band-Aid on the problem and pretend it isn’t there, but once you rip it off and release the truth, you’re forced to confront it. My life with Jaden has been such a safe space for me, I thought my therapist was wrong because, contrary to her words, it hasn’t been hard back home. But now, our conversations resurface, and I finally see what she means. Squashing the denial I’ve held in my past makes me see this place and everyone here differently.

“If you’re all worried because you’re not sure if you’ll win, don’t worry. You know you will,” Simon says through a mouth full of food. “By the way, have you spoken to Bobby Flair yet? And why isn’t he here? I was sure he would be. I’ve been looking forward to the introduction.”

“Do you ever stop talking?” I pin Simon with an annoyed stare. “At least to finish chewing your food?”

“Oh, Sassy Annalise is my favorite.” He grins.

“Annoying Simon is not mine.”

Jaden takes my hand in his and pulls my attention. “Have I told you how incredible you look?”

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