Idolized (Hollywood Stardust Book 3) (52 page)

“After I heard what happened, I had to come.” Her mother gave her a hug.

Unfortunately, somewhere there was still that little girl who wanted her mom there after her dad died, and there the day she got accepted into both colleges she wanted to go to, and wanted her to answer the phone the day she sold her company.

More than anything, Cora was terrified she was more like her mother than she thought and if she and Ryder ever had children, she wanted her to be there for all those important moments, but even more so, be there for the unimportant moments.

Great, she was thinking about her and Ryder having children. The situation was truly hopeless. “Thanks, I appreciate it, but I’m fine, and Ryder is taking good care of me.” At least he was, and she wanted him to continue.

“Then make sure you take care of him too.” Her mother stared her down.

“Mother.” No matter if her parent was Madame Sublime or not, she wasn’t going to talk sex with the woman.

“I’m not going to leave until you hear me out.” Her mother’s tone was teasing with a backdrop of a parental threat.

“Come on.” When Ryder returned to his director’s chair, she guided her mother away from the action before he called action. No way did she want them to be the reason for not having quiet on the set. At the moment he wouldn’t notice her anyway.

“I like Ryder.” Her mother laced her arm in hers, and they took their walk.

“You like Ryder’s fame and looks,” Cora corrected.

“So do you,” the woman countered.

Not in any universe would she defend her relationship with Ryder to the woman that invented marrying the good-looking trophy. Cora stopped and crossed her arms.

“I wouldn’t be having this conversation if I didn’t think there was something more.” Her mother tilted her head.

Once more they walked.

“If there’s one thing I learned from Madame Sublime, it’s to always keep them guessing, and become their fantasies.” Her mother stood in front of her.

“That’s two things.” The second her mother opened her bag, Cora wanted to run. From time to time, she would get little gifts from her mother’s website, and she never had the guts to use them.

“You know back in the day, Tony was quite the star. I know you’ve had issues with him, but we’ve been together a long time and that comes from a few things, like a commitment, and an understanding, and playing to one’s strength.” Her mother took a brown paper bag out out of her already oversized tote and handed it to her. “But along with all that, you have to keep things interesting.”

Cora opened the bag and her jaw fell. What the hell was all this? She looked up at the woman.

A smile gracing her face, her mother shrugged. “Just a little bag of ideas created by someone who knows exactly what’s like to be in your position. Don’t ever get too comfortable.”

She would be lying if she said the contents of the bag didn’t intrigue her. What would Ryder think? Still, this wasn’t her, this was her mother’s arena. “I need to get to work.”

“Of course you do, as do I.” Her mother gave her another hug. “Tony and I are going to go check out some new products.”

“I would tell you to have fun, but…” Cora shook her head and hugged the woman back. “Have a safe flight.”

“Have a fun night.” Her mother patted her and together they walked back to the trailers where they parted ways.

Bag shoved under her arm, Cora stared at the action on the set, or in this case the non-action. It gave her a safe moment to approach Mr. Director and she went to his side.

“Hey babe.” Now he was hunched over a duffel bag of cables and whatnot.

“Don’t we have people to do that for you?” They seemed to have people for everything else. Here’s how it needed to work. There would be a person to look for the cord while Ryder looked at her. She tried to sound sweet, but in all honesty, her tone came out annoyed.

“I want to make sure this is done right.” He continued digging through the mess.

“I’ll tell you what can be done right.” Fine, she stooped to blatant sexual innuendo.

“Yes!” Cord in hand he jumped up.

“So what’s going on?” She put her hand on her hip.

“Working.” Rather than looking at her, he studied the cable.

All right, if blatant sexual innuendo hadn’t worked, then maybe pure sex would do the trick. She ran her nail up his arm. “How about we have dinner in the suite? Rather than blue smoking jackets and dresses, dress will be completely optional and discouraged.”

“I’ll be working late. I have to get us caught up.” He leaned in and gave her a quick peck. “Love ya, babe.” Duty done, he went to leave.

Before he could escape, she caught his arm.

“What’s up, babe?” He returned to taking in his fabulous cord.

“Why don’t you let me worry about the timeline? You can’t work every second.” She jutted her jaw out.

“What, don’t you think I can do it?” At least he stopped looking at the cable and faced her.

“I think your talents are better served elsewhere.” To make sure he understood her double meaning, she stepped closer.

“Is this what it’s going to be like when we go into production on my movie?” His tone lowered and he crossed his arms.

“The producer produces the movie.” With all the man knew about movie making, this should be obvious.

“Cora, let me get to work.” He gave her a perfunctory kiss on the cheek and walked away.

For a moment, she stood there, wondering what to do and out of force of habit, she whipped out her phone to check her email, hating the way she breathed a sigh of relief at only her normal work messages. No one was cancelling ads, no sort of sexually explicit photos of her were popping up anywhere, no starwatcher was creeping her out.

Rodger waved her down. “Cora, it’s time for your conference call with the advertising department.”

“I’m a producer I produce.” Bag clutched to her chest, she marched toward the trailer.

“What’s wrong?” Rodger ran to keep up to her.

She shoved the bag at Rodger. “Go do something with this.” Her mother was dead wrong. She didn’t need to be a fantasy, she needed to be a boss.

* * * *

THE SECOND CORA HEARD the telltale beep of hotel room door unlocking, she stood up, got in position, and waited for her star.

As she heard the door open and close, she yanked at the outfit, jutted her chest out and lifted her prop.

After what seemed like much longer than it took to walk from the main room of the suite to the bedroom, Ryder appeared.

“I’m ready for my audition, Mr. Scott.” She lifted her fake cigarette holder and let her white silk robe trimmed with feathers fall open exposing her crystal encrusted corset and matching thong. Fine, she followed her mother’s advice. After all, Tony seemed happy enough.

Ryder dropped his bag. “We’re not taking any further casting calls.”

Though she assumed he would rush to her, admire her body, and throw her on the bed, maybe the role-play thing required a bit more play or role. “I’m ready to do just about anything for a part, Mr. Scott.” Doing her best version of a sexy strut, she went to her man, put her hand on his chest, and slid her palm down his flat, perfect stomach.

She didn’t even reach the waistband of his pants before he caught her hand by the wrist.

They stared at each other.

“Perhaps I would do a better job on my knees.” Not one to be stopped, and wondering if this was how all casting directors treated their starlets, she went to bend down.

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll pass thanks anyway. If you don’t mind, I’ll exit stage right.” Ryder let go of her.

The sudden loss of his support caused her to fall flat on her behind in the stupid twenty-inch stilettos her mother threw in the bag. “Ryder! What is wrong with you?” When she tried to get up, she only succeeded in catching the heel of her shoe in her robe and repeated her performance of landing right on her derriere.

“I’m not going to be silenced by a blow job.” He bowed and stepped over her, making his way to the closet.

“What the hell does that mean?” She ripped the shoes off her feet, practically tore the robe off her, and finally managed to stand up.

Rather than answer, he shook his head.

“Ryder, I demand you speak to me.” She balled her hands in a fist.

“That’s exactly it.” He spun around to face her.

The man was speaking in riddles. “Ryder, you’re not making any sense. I tried to make you happy, and now you’re upset with me.”

“I don’t want to be placated, I want a partner.” With his words out, he turned back to the closet.

How did this turn into such a disaster? “I just wanted to apologize for earlier.” Not wanting to stand there like the desperate half-dressed woman she turned into, she chose the other escape route and stomped into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Her mind took off in a million different directions. Maybe this was how breakups happened. He didn’t consider her a partner? Didn’t he want her anymore? Her eyes heated, but she refused to allow any tears to fall. All it would take was a snap of her fingers to get out of here. In fact, maybe she needed to do just that.

“Damn it!” She clawed at the stupid corset managing to get rid of the ridiculous thing along with all the stupid accessories and yanked on the hotel provided robe. Unfortunately for her, she left her phone in the other room. With her head held high, she opened the door, jumping back when faced head on with Ryder.

“Excuse me.” In an effort not to sound like she wanted to burst into tears, she cleared her throat.

“I have a question first.” As if caging her in, he put his hands out on the doorjamb.

“All right.” She crossed her arms.

“Why did you want to apologize to me?” His voice remained hard, tense, angry, and he stared right into her eyes as if trying to detect any deception.

“Because somewhere between walking away from you on set and putting on some skanky outfit, I realized that I can’t just conjure you when I want you, and we all have jobs, and I need to remember that, and…” She paused and inhaled.

“And?” He leaned down.

Unable to look at him anymore, she turned away. “I missed you and…” Again, she stopped herself.

“Tell me,” he whispered.

“I wanted to make sure you still wanted me.” Not sure if she was ready to hear what he had to say, not sure where to go, not sure what to do, she shut her eyes.

“Let’s make one thing clear.” He took her chin in his hand. “Look at me.”

She did as he requested.

He gave her a light kiss. “There’s never one second of any day that I don’t want you.”

The weight sitting on her chest for the last three days lifted a little.

“I was thinking a lot these last few days. I don’t want to just be an accessory to you.” His thumb grazed her jaw line.

Shivers ran through her. “You’re the star.”

He put his finger over her lips. “I think what I’m trying to say is that I want to be worthy of you.”

At his words she couldn’t resist and hugged him. “Ryder.”

“Shh.” He connected their mouths treating her to what she craved, a deep kiss, his arms around her, his body pressed to hers.

His taste took over her mouth, sweet, spicy, sassy like Ryder himself. There would never be anyone else for her.

He pulled open the tie of her robe, let the garment fall to the floor, and slid his lips down her neck to her shoulders.

As anytime they were together, her knees went weak and without skipping a beat, he picked her up and took her straight to the bed. Before joining her, he got rid of his clothes and came up behind her, spooning her, his thick erection pressing into her back.

She went to turn over, but he held her fast and pointed to the mirrored closet doors and threw the covers off the bed. “Watch us together.” He lowered his face, kissing her behind her ear making her squirm as her skin heated.

His hands traveled to her front, his fingertips skimmed over her already tight nipples. She forced herself to look, take in how he tended to her. Once his hand snuck between her legs, she couldn’t keep her eyes off them if she tried. “Ah.” She let out a little cry as his fingers entered her.

“Someone likes watching.” He pulled her back slightly and hooked her leg over his hip.

Her focus solely on the mirror and Ryder, she gasped as he filled her, slowly entering her, allowing her to see how their bodies merged into one. “Oh my god.”

“That’s so hot.” He growled in her ear, and they both riveted on the mirror as he took slow deep strokes.

Dare she say they were beautiful together?

The addition of the visual aroused her, causing her end to come on quickly and she panted as the sensations built. “Ryder.”

He knew her, knew her signals, knew what she needed and he sped up, treated her to harder thrusts, then pressed his hand where they were joined giving her something extra to grind into and take her over the edge.

“Let me feel it.” His tone was demanding.

As he knew her, she also knew him, he was there with her, right there. “Ryder!”

“I’m there, baby.” He tightened his hold her.

In the mirror she watched him drive into her then stiffen and stay embedded inside her as his orgasm hit. His throbbing resonated through her core.

That was all she needed to join him, and she arched her back as the pleasure consumed her, brought her to that place of ecstasy and calmness and oneness with the man she loved.

Ryder caught his breath. “Did you see that? Remember that whenever you think I don’t want you or you have doubts.”

“Ryder.” She took his hand. “I am sorry about before and for what you walked into, I knew something was wrong and I didn’t know how to fix it.”

“I love you, baby. I’m sorry too, I just needed a few days to figure out how I’m going to achieve everything I want for us.” His fingers played with hers. “I want to take care of you.”

Rather than his reflection, she twisted around and chose to look at the genuine article. The thing was that she wanted him to take care of her. She supposed their arrangement was officially over so solving their issues wouldn’t be as easy as putting on a costume and having sex. They were truly a couple and that seemed to only complicate everything.