Chapter 24
Kiss Me
AIDEN
I’ve known Greer for two days and could read the subtle shift in her mood when Brick walked in. Sawyer Brickman took Mason under his wing years ago and trained him, worked with him, made him the director he is today.
Surprisingly, Greer knows him, but not in the how have you been kind of way. We should totally catch up. More in the pretend we don’t know each other way. I don’t know you, you don’t know me. Which they both did, but I felt her lean on me when he left like she needed my strength.
Now I’m feeling the same way as Siobhan enters my life for the first time since our divorce. We never did the divide-our-friends thing, nor did we talk about how to avoid each other in the future. It isn’t an option.
While the industry is big, it’s also very small, and we would run into each other eventually. For the rest of our careers, when one of us does something big, the other will be asked about it. And we’ll lie and say we’re so proud and support each other.
Hell, we might even say we’re friends in the future.
When in reality, she cut my world in two and shattered me into tiny pieces that I’m still working to put back together.
“What do you want me to do?” Greer’s husky voice calls me back from the brink. “How do you want to handle this?”
Siobhan laughs, and her green eyes find me. They sparkle with life. Her dark hair flows down her back, and she looks as gorgeous as ever. She molds herself to Greyson’s body the way she used to cling to me.
“Fuck,” I whisper. She’s happy. She’s moved on. And I’m tangled in my addiction. Barely able to move forward, crawling inch by inch.
“Let me help you.” Greer’s words are soft and they draw me, tempt me.
When I turn, she’s right there. Beautiful, young, vibrant. I’m going to hell because I’m about to do something that should happen four months from now and in private, but because my ex is here with her new boy toy, I’m going to break my own rules.
When I cup Greer’s cheek, her hand goes over mine. So fucking trusting. I touch my forehead to hers and say softly so only she can hear, “I’ve wanted to do this since you walked through our door. Waiting would be the smartest course, but my pain is rising, and I need to lose myself in you, with you. Greer—”
I don’t make it through my speech as I press my lips to hers. She gasps a little, and I give in fully to temptation. I only meant to sample, but I knew one touch was all it would take.
I deepen the kiss, ransacking her mouth for the cure to my pain. As she slides her tongue against mine and whimpers in need, I find that moment of peace and bliss. A moment of pure joy that I didn’t think I’d be allowed to feel again. That I don’t think I deserve.
The noise around us fades until it’s just me and her. I soften the kiss, losing myself in the taste of her, of Greer. I was right. She’s addictive. The softness of her, the little whimper in the back of her throat, her hand clutching mine.
I already crave her, need her, but now I know her taste, and I want more.
If we weren’t at a party, I’d draw her on my lap and slide inside her, to make myself a whole person, to feel complete. But we aren’t alone, and the only reason I leaped into this is because I couldn’t handle the reality of my life.
A bucket of cold water wouldn’t have been more effective than that thought.
Fuck. I lift my mouth and press my forehead to hers, catching my breath. What did I just do? “I shouldn’t have, little warrior.”
“It’s okay.”
I open my eyes to her soft brown eyes. They’ve darkened as she smiles. I want to fall into her again.
“Didn’t realize you two would need a chaperone.” Wyatt pulls me out of the moment. I raise my gaze to him. And the realization of what I just did sweeps through me like an ice storm. I kissed Greer at a party.
“Fuck,” I whisper. How bad is it? I’m almost afraid to ask.
Wyatt smirks. “Your ex saw, but Roarke drew everyone else’s attention away by proposing a fight with Greyson. Even found sticks to use as swords. You okay?”
He’s asking me. Greer still holds my hand. Her worried gaze remains steady on me. Her lips are slightly swollen and so tempting that I want to lean back in and take them. To escape with her and discover every tantalizing inch of her.
“I’m good.” I inhale. “Really. I just needed…”
“I get you, brother.” Wyatt puts his hand on my shoulder, and I feel like a complete ass. He knows exactly why I did it. Siobhan looked happy, in love even. My life fell apart while hers soared. She destroyed me. I needed to show her she didn’t completely break me.
“I’m here for you, Aiden.” Greer’s soft voice draws my attention. “Whatever you need.”
I’m an asshole. I can’t even hold my own line in the sand.
“Stop.” Wyatt sits on the coffee table in front of us. “Whatever the fuck you’re thinking. Stop. You reacted, Aiden. That’s all. You’re fucking human. Your ex showed up and you didn’t go for a drink or drugs. You went for Greer. I’m counting that as a win. Right, kitten?”
She smiles, and my heart pounds. “Yes, definitely better than alcohol.”
“We should mingle.” Wyatt stands and holds his hand out to Greer. “If we go together, people will wonder what the fuck is happening if they saw the kiss.”
Fortunately, these are industry professionals. Typically, they won’t throw someone under the bus because they know we’ve seen them at their lowest or we will. It’s inevitable. But there’s always the possibility they’ll feed the tabloids this to stop their own story going live. We’ll need to tread carefully.
#
GREER
On Wyatt’s arm, I apparently gain some visibility. Or maybe it was the kiss. More people ask about me, but then Aiden steps next to me, and once again I slip into the background. Honestly, I don’t know how to act around these people.
Most of them seem larger than life to me. They all wear plastic smiles and talk about either business or simple small talk, neither of which I’m very adept at talking about.
“What other projects do you have coming up?” A bald man with a white beard seems very interested in Wyatt.
“I’m focused on finishing Creator of the Dark.” Wyatt’s thumb caresses my hip as we stand close together. Does he even realize he’s doing it? It’s turning my insides into mush, making me not focus on all these celebrities surrounding me.
“Greer.” Zoe’s voice makes me turn. She stands behind me with her hand on the arm of a young guy, early twenties. His blond hair falls over his brown, soulful eyes. My eyes widen in recognition. “This is—”
“Holden Jamison.” Aiden holds out his hand to the man. “I’ve watched your work.”
Holden shakes his hand with a grin. “Aiden, big fan. Huge. Still not used to meeting someone like you and them knowing my name.”
I struggle to hold down fourteen-year-old me who had a major crush on then sixteen-year-old Holden Jamison. Giddiness wells within me. He played a brooding guy in love with his best friend’s girl. He was my first crush.
“Get used to it. You’re already a name.” Aiden smiles, and his hand rests on the small of my back, pulling me back to the here and now. He centers me, and I release the breath I was holding.
“Anyway,” Zoe says, looking between the two men and rolling her eyes, “I brought Holden over to meet Greer.”
Holden’s eyes lock on me, and I swear my heart kicks up a notch. If I’d had a room with posters, he definitely would have been on my wall.
“Hi, I’m Holden.” He holds out his hand.
I force myself not to giggle.
Aiden fucking Clyborne had his tongue in my mouth a while ago and I’m trying not to gush about my childhood crush to the guy standing in front of me. As best as I can, trying to be mature, I hold out my hand and shake his, trying to keep my smile from turning maniacal because I’m touching Holden Jamison.
“I’m Greer,” I get out, still shaking his hand. Blushing, I stop and bring my hand back, rubbing it with my other. My inner fourteen-year-old wants me to never wash this hand again. I almost laugh out loud but manage to stay grounded next to Aiden.
“Ah, Holden!” Roarke’s voice booms through the party. He claps Holden on the shoulder hard enough that Holden lurches forward a little. “What are you two up to?”
He looks between Zoe and Holden.
Zoe rolls her eyes. “I just thought Greer would like to meet people her own age while she’s stuck in the house with you guys. Holden and I are friends. He’s not big on the party scene, though, so I figured he and Greer might get along.”
Oh my God.
Roarke raises an eyebrow. “Are you trying to set Greer up?”
Oh my God!
White-hot embarrassment floods my body. I didn’t have parents to be embarrassed about growing up. Apparently, Roarke intends to make up for that loss. But then it registers, is Zoe trying to set me up? With Holden?
Holden runs his hand through his hair and gives me a flirty smile. I’m definitely flattered, and the giggling inner fourteen-year-old can die happy. I’m currently not in a relationship, but kind of.
Oh, fuck. It’s not like I can say I’m taken. Zoe knows Chad and I broke up. I haven’t had time to find even a fake boyfriend. Is this something friends do? Set each other up?
“No.” Zoe grins. “I’m just showing her there are better guys out there than her ex. Like Holden.”
Roarke stops and looks Holden over and then turns to me. “Is this what you want, poppet?”
I can’t even with him right now. My face burns. He knows exactly what I want. Roarke grins and shakes Holden’s shoulder.
“Just friends, then.” He chucks me under the chin and wanders away.
“Roarke’s in a mood. Sorry about that.” Aiden gives an apologetic smile to Holden. “He’s protective of Greer.”
Holden nods. “Like an older brother. I get that.”
Aiden chuckles but doesn’t refute it. Definitely not like an older brother. More like a horny octopus. I shiver thinking about his hands all over me.
“Are you new to town, Greer?”
Oh hell, Holden Jamison is talking to me. I probably have stars in my eyes. Fuck, I promised Mason I wouldn’t get starstruck. I draw in a breath to still some of the butterflies running race circuits inside me. He’s just another guy at this party.
“No, I grew up here.” See, I can speak to the hot guy in front of me without giggling like a teenager.
“Yeah? What part?”
Zoe gives me a look that I’m not quite sure how to take. Is she trying to warn me not to say something, or encouraging me to say more? I suck at this part of girl world.
“I moved around a lot.” I don’t hide my past, but I don’t lead with I’m a foster kid. It puts different labels on me depending on the person.
“That’s cool.” Holden looks to Zoe.
“Yeah, figured this would be a me thing.” Zoe leans against a chair. “Introverts. So Greer here has to work tonight to keep Aiden on the straight and sober, but maybe sometime this week, we can get together and hang out.”
“Sure, that sounds good.” Holden glances from me to Aiden. He rubs the back of his neck. “If that’s cool. It’s hard to meet people who don’t want something from you in this town. Zoe says you’re cool.”
My chest expands, and I almost preen. Zoe thinks I’m cool. I don’t want to let her down. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
Holden’s eyes meet mine, and he smiles like he’s the shy one, meeting me. It can’t hurt anything to hang out. He won’t want to date a nobody like me. Besides, it would be nice to meet more people in town, especially when I’m going to be at things like this with Aiden. I may have had a crush on Holden until I was fifteen, but that’s long gone now.
It’s still weird to meet him. But I’m also very conscious of the hand resting on my back and the man attached to it. Holden might be my age, but I’m taken for as long as these guys will have me. Very happily taken, currently.
“Me and my boy usually just play games or watch movies when we hang out.” Holden scans the party. “He’s more into the club scene, but he’s down to chill.”
“Yeah, you should totally bring him too.” Zoe smiles at me with a wink. “We could play pool, or Roarke has all the latest video games. There’s the swimming pool.”
“Oh, there he is.” Holden holds up his hand and a dark-haired guy starts our way.
Aiden rubs his hand on my back. When I glance at him, he smiles and leans down close to my ear.
“It’s cute that you’re excited to meet Holden.”
My cheeks burn again. I whisper, “Teenage crush.”
He lifts his head and his blue eyes crinkle with laughter. The sound of the guys greeting each other reaches my ears. The hair raises on the back of my neck.
When I turn to face them, Holden has his arm around a guy who’s as tall as Aiden, with dark hair and green eyes. “Aiden, I’d like you to meet my boy, Tripp Carter.”
The world stops as Aiden talks with Tripp. I freeze as everything in me says to run, to step back, to get away from him. My heart pounds in my ears, covering the voice I haven’t heard since I was sixteen.
“This is Zoe,” Holden says. “And this is—”
“Greer Morrow.” Tripp’s tone is smug, and his eyes take in every inch of me until I feel like I need a shower. I’ve never been able to scrub him off me. “It’s been, what? Five years. Look at you all grown up.”
I force a smile to my lips and let all the noise in my head fade into the background. “Five years.”
Not long enough.
“You know each other?” Zoe looks from me to Tripp and back again.
“My mother went through a foster phase. Wanted to help other teens in need.” Tripp smiles as his gaze falls to my cleavage, what little is showing. I resist the urge to cover it. “Greer was our one and only. You were with us a year, I think.”
I nod. “A year.”
A year of nightmares and hell. A year I don’t like to remember, and even now, I’m fighting to push all that back into the box it belongs in. I’m not that girl anymore.
Tripp rubs his fingers over his lips as his eyes meet mine.
Someone taps a bell somewhere.
“Time for dinner.” Aiden draws me into his side.
Tripp’s green eyes go to the movement, assessing everything. Still the predator.
“We’ll talk later, Holden,” Aiden says. “Nice meeting you, Tripp.”
“Yeah, we’ll have to find time to catch up, Greer.” Tripp’s words shouldn’t be menacing. We knew each other a full year. It should be no different from any other foster I ran into who lived in one of the homes.
But Tripp was Cindy’s son. I was the invader in his territory, and he made sure I knew it.
Aiden leads me away before I have to respond.