Take Two (19 page)

She flashed her smile and
sat
back. I resisted the urge to
lean
over and kiss her.

“My turn to ask you questions, Matt.”

“Go ahead.”

“What made you leave Broadway?”

“You want an honest answer or a politically correct one?”

Please say the politically correct one…

“Both.”

“Okay
, for the politically correct one: I wanted to expand my repertoire
and
learn
new techniques.
For the honest one
:
I wanted
the
bigger
paycheck and all the perks that came with being
more
famous
—beautiful women wanting m
e and VIP treatment everywhere I
go
.”

“
Now I regret
even
asking
,
”
she crossed her legs.

I wonder what she’s wearing under the dress
…

“Just being honest
.”

“But now all of sudden you hate the attention you get?”

“I
t’s been a gradual thing,” I sighed. “
I
hate it when I’m trying to do normal things you know?
Like, whenever
I
want
to get some fresh air, I can hear the click clicking of c
ameras going off
. If I blow my nose and use a napkin instead of a Kleenex, if I trip over the sidewalk, or if I’m seen with another female celebrity
,
it
blows
up and takes
on
a life of its own.
That’s why I hope you don’t believe everything you read.”

“It’s hard not to believe things when someone does interviews that confirm what you’
ve read
,
”
she mocked my tone.

“It shouldn’t be hard if that person goes out of his way to tell you that things aren’t how they appear to be.”

“Fine, Mr. Sterling.”

“I’m back to
Mr. Sterling
now?”

“
Yes,” s
he finished off
her wine
.

I laughed and walked over to the
snack table.
“S’mores?”

“Sure,” she
joined me on
the other side of the bonfire.

“
Are you originally from New York
, Melody
?”

“No.
Memphis, Tennessee. I’m a Southern girl.”

That explains a lot…

W
e slid our marshmallows onto
sticks and watched them roast over the fire.

Melody

I pulled my marshmallow away from the fire and sandwiched it with graham crackers.
I
carefully
sat down
in the sand and waited for it
to cool.

I was mad at Jen for making me wear her ridiculously short red dress. Its halter top made my breasts appear twice as big and its fabric hugged my hips so tightly that I had to be extremely conscious of every move I made.

“Don’t forget the chocolate,” Matt handed me a Hershey bar.

“Thanks
. I can’t remember the last time I made one of these.”

“I can,” he sat next to me. “It was last year
when I was
on the set of
Summer Nights
.”

“That was
one of
the wor
st film
s
I’ve ever seen
.”

“
It wasn’t
that
bad.
T
here are worse movies out there.”

“
I’m aware.
Do they purposely tell you how to act? Like, do they say, don’t try so hard during this scene?”

“Something like that,” he laughed. “It’s
more like:
Matt, remember who your audience is. Don’t make things too complicated. Oh, and take your shirt off.”

Please take your shirt off…

“How inspiring.”

“I know. I’m trying to break the
typecast
mold, but studios only
want me as the lead in romance movies. That’s kind of
why I
want to go back to Broadway, you know? It’s more fulfilling.”

“I understand. I don’t want to be a critic for the rest of my life.”

“Oh really?” he moved closer. “What do you want to do?”

“I’m not sure yet. I just know it doesn’t involve sitting in
an
office.”

“
I’m sure you’ll figure it out with time.”

He’s so close to me…

“I hope so,
”
I took small bites of my S’more.

The c
r
ackling of the bonfire was the only noise between us, save for the soft music coming from his iHome. I
tried
to hear what was playing, but it was no use.
I looked
over at Matt and he was beaming
.

“What’s so funny?”

“
You are
. Do you want me to turn up the music?”

“Yea
h
, i
f you don’t mind.”

“
Okay, o
n one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“You have to dance with me,” he stood up.
“Who’s your favorite artist?”

Is he serious?

“
I don’t know. I have too many
.”

“Okay, we’ll go with one of m
ine,
”
he
walked over to the iHome and touched his iPod’s screen.

T
he first notes sound
ed
—
trumpets,
trombone
s
, and strings. Then Frank Sinatra began to sing.

Matt
pulled me up and placed my arms around his neck. He slipped his arms around my waist and
we
swayed back and forth.

“Do you know this song?”

“It’s Frank Sinatra, right? W
hat
’s
the name of
it
?”

“
It’
s his most famous song,
“
New York, New York.
”
Every New Yorker
is required to know
this song
,” he
moved my arms and
dipped me towards to the san
d.
“You can dance?”

“I know a few things.” I lifte
d myself up and twirled around.

“Hmmm,” he held my
hand high above my head and
watched me spin
.

Quick
step.
Quick
step. Long step. Long step…

He began to sing along. “
These
little town blues are melting away. I’ll make a brand new start of it
,
in
ol’
New York.
If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere. It’s up to you, New York, New York.”

I laughed. “I forgot you could sing.”

He dipped me again. “I don’t recall telling you that I could.”

Please kiss me.

“I’m assuming it’s a Broadway requirement.”

“Good assumption.”

Quick step. Quick step. He’s switching to the waltz now…

As the song approached the bridge, we gazed into each other’s eyes—keeping pace. He brushed a hair away from my face and drew my body to his.

The music began its
decrescendo,
the horns pl
ayed softer and softer. He
pressed his forehead to mine.

He’s really going to kiss me…

“
There’s a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch and it’s bringing me out the dark. Fi
-
na
-
lly I can see you crystal clear…” Ad
ele’s voice floated
across
the
air.

My body went stiff.
I snapped out of my
fant
asy and realized that Matt
was
engaged, just like
Sean had been
. I wouldn’t dare put another woman through what I
experienced
.

“I
sho
uld go,” I slowly
moved
a
way from him.

“Now?”
he was visibly frustrated.

“Yea
h
, I um…I have to do stuff so—”

“It’s
too dark f
or you to walk alone,” he turned off the music
. “
I’ll come with you.”

No! Stay here!
Make him stay here!

“Won’t someone take your stuff?”

“I highly doubt that
. I
f someone does
,
I think I can afford to replace
everything
,
”
he smirked.

The walk back to my
villa
was awkward. We didn’t speak much
and
I could still feel the
palpable
tension
between us
. We asked
each other empty
questions—questions that didn’t really need answers,
questio
ns that just made the
long
walk seem shorter.

I stopped at
the pathway that
led
up to my suite
.
“Well, this is where I’m staying.
Thank you for walking me back.
I’ll see you around?”

“I enjoyed tonight
Melody,
”
he ran his hand through his hair.

“Me too.”

I didn’t know what else
to say. He
stood in front of me, looking as if he didn’t know what else to say either.

“I have to leave tomorro
w,” he stepped closer. “My
school’s graduation was pushed up and I can’t let all those kids down. Rain check on the polar bearing?”

“Yea
h s
ure,” I s
tep
ped
back
.

Walk
away…Turn around and walk away!

“I’m not sure if the Hudson River is the best place to go polar bearing though,” he
took two steps towards me
. “We may have to go someplace else.”

“That’d
be fine,” I couldn’t move
a muscle
, his eyes were holding me in place.

He
closed the gap between us
and ti
l
t
ed my chin.
I
leaned in to kiss him, but
moved
away
at the last second.

“Good luck with whatever project brought you here. I have to go,” I turned around and headed for my suite.

“Wait,” he grabbed my hand and pulled me into his arms. He kissed me—hard, and hugged me tightly. I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck, not wanting to let go.

I slowly opened my eyes and found myself staring into his dark and sultry gaze. He was watching me.

He gently bit my bottom lip and rubbed his hand up and down my back.

My breathing slowed.

Invite him in!

As if he could hear my thoughts, he pulled away from my mouth and planted warm kisses on my neck—slow, sensuous, torturing kisses.

I couldn’t breathe
anymore
.

Invite him in!

I shut my eyes as he slid his hand underneath my dress and caressed my thigh. He kissed my lips again, much harder this time, forcing my tongue to play with his, forcing me to open my eyes, to stare back at him.

Hurry up and invite him in!

I slowly pulled away from him, but before I could catch my breath and invite him in, he kissed my cheek and whispered. “Have a good night, Melody.”