Page 35 of Whiskey Splash

“I’ll take shark infested waters or a cockroach cage before you toss me out of a plane and turn me into pavement marinara.”

“Well, that’s an image.” He tilts his head to the side. “I take it the fear of heights is a real thing?”

“I may look all cute and collected on the outside,” I motion to my outfit, “but the panic attack has already started and I’m trying to decide if I should just jump out of the car right now and save us all the trouble.”

“I guess I’m just going to have to hold onto you really tightly then.” He reaches over and grabs my arm for emphasis.

“Very funny. What are we really doing?” The car swoops through traffic and I notice we’re headed inland and away from the city.

“It’s a surprise.”

“You still want to keep it a surprise even though I’m contemplating throwing myself out of the car?”

“I’m sure I can distract you from your panic attack.” Desmond’s eyes glitter as his thumb starts to draw a soft circle on my elbow. I took Arie’s advice and didn’t grant myself any release this week, which from the way-too-hot-tickle of his hand on my arm has me realizing that was a really baddecision. They’re going to writeHeart exploded from panic attacks and an over-active libidoin my obituary.

“In all seriousness,” I say, “is there really going to be heights involved in today’s activities?”

He shrugs sheepishly. “Maybe.”

I nod, taking a deep breath and trying to keep my cool. “Okay, start distracting me by telling me everything about this film you’re in, or why you wanted to become an actor, or the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in your childhood. Really anything.”

“Fair enough,” he agrees, not moving his hand from my elbow. “I play an ex-marine in the film. He gets mixed up in a terrorist plot off the Hawaii coast on his son’s fifth birthday.”

“Oooooh, a heart-warming father-son story,” I mock, raising my shoulders with faux excitement. “With plutonium and explosions to boot! Oscar gold!”

He lifts that finger to casually trace the side of my arm. “There might also be some radiation-infected monsters.”

“Of course there are! It sounds like you might even be up for a Pulitzer!”

“They don’t give Pulitzers to films.” He smirks at me.

“I know that!” I say, pointing a finger at him. “That was a test to see if you were more than just a pretty face.”

“I’m not. Really. Pretty face is my entire career plan. If you’d seenBillionaire Heatyou’d know that. I suck at acting.”

“Good looking and self-deprecating! Jackpot for me.”

He turns toward me, moving in closer. “To answer your other questions, I just fell into acting, I was modeling to pay my rent and my agent thought it was a logical next step. I auditioned forBillionaire Heatand as they say, the rest is history.”

“Well, you’re naturally charming,” I confess, not looking him in the eye. “I’m sure that comes across on the big screen.”

“Promise me you’ll never watch an episode ofHeat.”

“Why?” I open my eyes wide in mockery, the shift in my body causing his fingers to dance across my skin. “You don’t want me to see you as a pussy-pounding sex God with a penchant for orgies?”

“Something like that.”

“No guarantees,” I shake my head again, trying to ignore the erotic tickle of his fingers. “I wouldn’t put it past my sister to not tie me to a chair and force me to binge all four seasons.”

“I can see your sister doing that,” he agrees.

“Now you know what I’m up against.”

“So…” His knuckle runs the edge of my arm. “Are you still freaking out about heights and plummeting to your death?”

“Well, I was feeling a little less queasy till you used the words plummet and death in the same sentence.” I hook his finger, the one that’s been sending shoots of electricity up and down my arm, and with my own hand I pin his to the seat cushion. “Quick, embarrassing childhood memory before I start spiraling and imagine what happens to a human body when it splats against different surfaces—water, rock, trees!”

He laughs. “Okay, okay. Imagination of death, got it!” He peels his hand out from under mine. “In the second grade I peed my pants every day for two weeks.”

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