Page 395 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
Her eyes widen. “Ever?”
I shake my head. “Not unless it’s scripted. And that’s something that would have to be written into a contract. Otherwise, it’s a very fast way to make other actors think you’re a jerk.”
She smiles and stands, shifting so she’s directly in front of me, her arms wrapped around my neck.
I lift my hands to her waist, settling them on the swell of her hips. I will never get tired of standing this way, of feeling this woman under my hands.
“This actually makes me feel a lot better,” she says playfully. She leans down and nudges my nose with hers.
“Yeah? Why is that?” I ask, my voice low.
“I like that there’s something onlyIget to do,” she whispers. She lowers herself until she’s sitting across my lap, her legs straddling either side.
“Only you, huh?”
She bites her lip, a flash of trepidation crossing her face. “I mean, only if…” Her words trail off and she takes a deep breath, but then she squares her shoulders and looks at me dead on. “Actually, yes. Only me. If I thought you were doing this with other women, I’d lose my mind, Flint. If you want me, it has to be only me.”
“I don’t want anyone else, Audrey.” I lean up and press my lips to hers. “I’ve never wanted anyone like I want you.”
She kisses me this time, gently at first, but then her hands slide up to my jaw, and she deepens it into something that breaks every single rule of on-screen kissing.
Fire floods my veins as her tongue brushes against mine, her hair cascading forward and enveloping me in her scent. My fingers press into the fabric of her jeans as I pull her even closer. It isn’t enough.Thisisn’t enough.
I have to stop, go back to work, and leave her, and yet, I’m certain that if she asked me to stay, I would. I’d ignore it all. The obligations. The journalists. The premiere. I’d forget all of it just to beright here.And not just because I crave the feel of her skin against mine. Though, five more seconds of this, and I might be breaking all kinds of rules—especially the ones I’ve set for myself.
I want to stay because I want toknowAudrey.
All of her. Everything there is.
I want to know what makes her happy and sad and angry at the world. What makes her stop and think. What challenges her. What inspires her. What makes her stand up and fight, and what makes her hole up and hide for a while.
I want to know all her favorites. Foods. Colors. Books. Countries.
Name it, and I want to know it.
I want the people who love her the most in the world to callmewhen they don’t know what to buy for her birthday present. Because they know I’ve done the research. They know I’ve asked every question and cataloged every answer.
It’s Audrey who breaks the kiss, and it’s probably a good thing. I’m too far gone. Too consumed by her to think straight.
“You have to go,” she whispers against my ear, her lips close.
“I don’t want to,” I say, hugging her a little tighter.
I feel her smile, even though I can’t see it. “I’m not answering to Joni, Flint.” She shifts backward and stands, then tugs me to my feet. “Come on. Get out of here. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
She walks me to the door, and I kiss her one last time. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
She grins and shoves me toward the door. “In this very fancy hotel suite, in a very comfortable bed? However will I cope?”
Joni has already gone ahead, but Nate is waiting for me outside the room, and I follow him down to the seventh floor where all the interviews are happening. Nate has a key card to get me into the interview room, but I drop a hand on his shoulder, stopping him before he can use it.
“How do you do it, man? How do you ever walk away from Joni when you feel like this?”
His eyebrows lift. “Like what?”
“Like I can’t breathe. Or think about anything but her.”
His eyes lift with understanding. “You and Audrey?”
