Beyond Famous (Famous #3) (15 page)

THE TIME IN ITALY
with Cade had been bittersweet.  We'd finished filming the bedroom scene yesterday in something like twenty-one takes, made more difficult by the set being imperfect and the need to adjust the camera angles.  I smiled at the memory. There were worse things than kissing Cade for twenty-one takes.  I smiled as I looked at him sitting next to me in the first class cabin of our Virgin Atlantic flight back to the States. He was asleep, finally.  It was unusual that I ever had a chance to observe him sleeping.  He looked like a little boy, his face so relaxed... but beautiful. 

Always so beautiful.

We'd stayed up all night making love, and my body and heart warmed at the memory.  These past few nights had been desperate and urgent. Both of us had been frantic to get closer, as if by doing so, we could avoid what was coming.

I sighed, and Cade stirred beside me, his hair falling over his right eye as he shifted in his seat.  His hand held mine tightly underneath the blanket, and my thumb ran circles around the top of his. My eyes welled with tears and my vision blurred. So little time left...

Tonight was the MTV Awards and
The Future of Our Past
had been nominated in something like seven categories.  No doubt Cade would win Best Actor since these were voted on by fans and there was no one more loved and adored than him.  I was nominated for Best Actress as well, but I wasn't sure I'd win.  I was sure that we'd win Best Kiss. 

I turned toward Cade and pulled my legs up to curl up on the seat so I could get a better look at him.  I studied his features in repose as he slept.  He was so perfect he took my breath away and my gaze dropped to the mouth responsible for the best kisses of my life.  I blinked back the tears and drew in a shaky breath. I would miss those kisses.

We talked about the Best Kiss moment if we won, and Cade wanted to go for it.  Of course, he did. He wanted to let the world know that we were together and he didn't care what the repercussions would be.  Denise and Jeanne would get angry calls if we went through with his plan, but he was willing to face the two of them as well. Pinnacle was still asking us to keep our relationship quiet because of the other two films and the fan girls who fantasized about Cade. It was a legitimate concern if I was honest with myself; even if it did annoy the shit out of me.

My biggest concern was that I didn't know if I'd be able to keep it to the chaste “on stage” kisses if I wasn't in Julia's head. 

I blushed, remembering that it didn't matter two days ago when I'd called Cade's name and we French-kissed in front of God and everyone on the set.  He was leaving 18 hours after the show ended, and I didn't know if I could repress those feelings, live TV or not. My throat tightened as I tried to push the pain down. 

We were landing in Chicago and then had to change planes for the last leg of the trip to LAX.  Jeanne hadn't been pleased that Cade and I had taken the same flight back, but the hell with it. We only had so much time together and it was too precious to waste. Jennifer came with us, so hopefully that would be enough to suppress any romance rumors.  If my chest weren't aching, I would have laughed.  How ridiculous it seemed.

Jeanne agreed only after insisting on sending separate cars for each of us from the airport.  That suited me because I had to meet up with Nathan before going to the Beverly Hills Hotel where Cade had booked us a suite.  He was feeling a little defiant in the face of the months we'd be apart and told me he had an entire evening planned for us.  My heart was so full of him; I found it difficult not to scream out loud.

I'd asked Nathan to pick up a couple of new iPods so that I could create the new account that I wanted to share with Cade while he was away.  I’d asked Nathan to set it up and gave him the list of the many songs that had come to mean so much to us over the past year.  The one's he'd played for me, the one I sang to him in London, the one I'd sent to him before Tokyo and we'd made love to when we finally got back together after the Wendy fiasco.

It was funny.  His new movie was called
Only Us
.  It seemed ironic and poignant to our situation, except for the fact that it was a romance and it wouldn’t be me with him in it.  I brushed back a tear as the wheels touched down in Chicago, and sat up straighter in my seat.

"Cade...” I leaned over and rubbed his arm with my free hand.  "Babe, we're in Chicago.  Wake up." I shook him gently, he startled and his eyes opened.

"Hey.  Sorry, I slept so long, love," he said quietly so no one would hear except me.

I shook my head. "Don't apologize, you needed it."

Reluctantly, I separated my hand from his and started to fold the blanket and Cade ran both hands through his hair.  The flight attendant announced our arrival and went through the gate assignments for all of the connecting flights. 

Jeanne had arranged for our security people to get special clearance so they could meet us and take us to our next plane without being mobbed.  Sometimes it made me feel like a little kid and I hated it. 

Cade hated it even more, but he was more eloquent dealing with it than I was.  The fans could be intrusive to me, but they would literally chase him through the airport in mobs if not surrounded by bodyguards. There were always paparazzi lurking in some dark corner, waiting to get that
million dollar
shot
. It made bile rise in my throat every time I was blinded by a camera flash that I wasn't expecting. We just wanted to be normal... like real people.

"I guess I did.  You haven't had much sleep either, babe.  Did you get a nap at all?" The beautiful smile that he normally wore was missing today and his eyes looked sad.  I wanted to put my hand to his stubbly chin and kiss his mouth.

"A little." My smile echoed the sadness in his face as I shrugged.  "It's going to be okay, Cade. You said so, remember?"

"Hmmph." He let his breath out as he unbuckled his seat belt.  "If you say so, Brook."

He got up and opened the overhead compartment, taking down his mustard colored duffel and my carry-on before moving back so I could exit in front of him.

"Cade, you have to give me my bag.  You can't carry it for me."

He reluctantly set the bag on his vacated seat so that I could pick it up. He waited for me to walk ahead of him and Jennifer was in front of me.  We all prepared for the madness of the crowds.  Cade flung the hood of his sweatshirt up and we all shoved the sunglasses in place as we walked down the ramp to the terminal.

I STAYED AWAKE DURING
the last leg of the flight between Chicago and L.A. and spent most of it staring at Brook.

"Cade, stop," she finally said.

I reached out and took her hand between both of mine.  "No," I said simply as my brow dropped over my eyes.  "I won't." 

"People will talk." She tried to pull her hand away from mine, but I wouldn't let her. 

"I don't bloody care, Brook, okay? Let them." My stomach was in a twisted knot and I was praying for time to stop, but it just kept ticking away, second by second, each one dropping like a stone around us.

"You've been so quiet, do you want to talk?" I knew she was aching too, but she was doing her best to suck it up and make me feel better.

"I don't deserve you, Brook." The corner of my mouth lifted reluctantly.

She cocked her head to one side and leaned it back against the seat. "I think it's the other way around," she said softly.  "Tell me about your plans for us tonight."  She squeezed my hand, finally giving in to my wish to touch her despite who was watching.

"Nothing much. Just dinner and time alone together." My eyes rose to hers and searched her face, hoping to see something other than sadness behind the beautiful blue eyes.

"Dinner?  How will that work?  Are we bringing someone with us?"

"Uh... not part of the plan, baby, no."

She sighed and smiled softly. 

"Thank you." My heart thumped in my chest.  No matter how many times she told me, how much I felt it when she touched me, I would never understand or get used to the fact that she was finally and completely mine. “I love you.”

I pulled her hand to my lips and brushed my mouth across her knuckles.

"There are no words, Brook.  I can't put it into words.  A year later... I'm just... bloody
speechless
."  My voice dropped and thickened and finally, she reached out to touch my face and then went back to my wrist to rub over the bracelet she'd given me for my birthday.

My gaze never wavered from hers, as my thumb traced over the emerald and diamond embedded symbol on her wrist as well.  I knew my necklace was hiding underneath her T-Shirt, but the ring was in her drawer in Los Angeles.  She couldn't have anyone seeing it and couldn't risk losing it either, but I yearned for it to be on her finger permanently.

"I hope it will always be that way."

"It will, I promise.  I can't wait to marry you, my love.  I just... can't
fucking wait
. Do you think then Jeanne and Denise would let us take the same bloody car from the airport?" I asked in frustration.

"Cade, it’s okay that we have to take separate cars.  I have to go home and get my things and then to the hotel to get ready.  You can meet me there later, or just have Peter take you straight there from the airport?"  I nodded. "Is Denise making sure you have clothes for tonight?"

"I guess." I shrugged.  What I was wearing was the last thing on my bloody mind. 

"I bet I can make you smile." She smirked at me and then released my hand so that she could dig around in her purse for something.

"Not likely," I dismissed the possibility.

Brook pulled out her phone and scanned through some texts before handing it to me to read.

Girl, you bring that luscious ass with you for makeup or I'll have to rip all your hair out.  And I don't mean YOUR luscious ass, either!

I smiled, but I groaned.  "Okay, I smiled," I said reluctantly, as she laughed.

"Mickey is so in love with you and your uh... man parts." 

I couldn't help but laugh with her.  "Well, my uh...
man
parts
are spoken for," I said in a low voice and hoped she thought it was sexy.  "Doesn't he know that, yet?"

She glanced at me with sparkling eyes. "He doesn't care.  He's willing to share," she said with a smirk.

"Yeah, well, I'm not. Not even close."

MICKEY WAS FINISHING
up on my hair when Cade finally came back to the room.  Dressed in black jeans and shirt with a bright blue jacket that brought out the color of his eyes, he looked incredible and good enough to eat.

He’d gotten ready and gone down to the hotel bar when his team arrived.  I knew he wanted to avoid Mickey as much as possible, and I completely understood it, but it was so damn hilarious seeing the guy drool over him.

I didn't know why I needed a whole
team
to get me ready, but Ruth insisted.

The dress she picked out was cool and edgy and I felt sort of like the futuristic chic type my next role would embody.  It was short too, which worked well for my plans, but the shoes were very high and spiky. I looked at them with disdain.  The first time I’d tried them on I twisted my ankle. It was still aching and I didn't think I'd be able to do those shoes.

I was still considering it, when Cade walked in and took the one I was holding and threw it on the bed. "Uh uh," he said. "Not happening. Okay, love?" He reached out and brushed his thumb against my chin.

"Okay,
honey
." Mickey was staring at Cade, who was bristling uncomfortably as his brows rose and his mouth opened in a retort, but he stopped himself and shut his mouth before rolling his eyes. 

I laughed at his expression as he turned and started digging around in my open suitcase.  All I had with me besides this dress and those heels was a clean pair of jeans, a T-Shirt and a pair of converse sneakers.

"Not sure how
luscious
it is, Mick, but here's my ass. So there won't be any ripping out of Brook's hair, yeah?" He threw the remark flippantly over his shoulder.  He was in what he would deem a
sassy
mood and I loved it.