12. Jason
”Fuck!” I lay on my horn as a red model T cuts me off. The driver sticks his hand out the window and flicks me off. Which makes my blood boil even hotter. I want to ram his car.
Today of all days, I just had to film on location, clear across L.A. from my apartment building. Not only that, but I am now stuck on the 101, trying desperately to get past this minor fender bender that has the entire freeway backed up for five miles.
Normally, I”d be at least a little frustrated; who isn”t when driving in L.A.? But today, after Alexis”s completely distressed voicemail, I am panicked. I need to get home and see her. She sounded so scared.
My blood pressure is through the roof when I finally pull into the underground parking garage of our building. I barely have the presence of mind to even lock my car before I”m jog-walking to the elevator. My focus is already on the fifth floor.
After what feels like an eternity in the elevator, I”m finally at her door. I have to force myself to take a second and breathe. She”s already vulnerable, I can”t go in there all fired up. It takes at least five, ok ten breaths, to finally cool down enough to feel presentable.
I can hear voices on the other side of the door, but I can”t tell if it”s from people or the T.V. I get my answer, though, when I knock, and the apartment goes dead silent.
A moment later, the door swings open, and I am greeted by three stunned-looking women.
”Hello, ladies. Is, uh, Alexis in there?” They just blink at me. If I wasn”t so worried about my girl—my girl? I shake that thought away quickly. Now is not the time. If I wasn”t so worried about Alexis, I”d laugh. Clearly, these three are a bit starstruck.
”Hi, Jason, I”m in here. If the three women, formerly known as my best friends, would let you in, you could see me.” Her voice is a bit raspy, and as the three still-silent women shuffle out of the way, I see why. Her eyes are a little puffy, and her cheeks are chapped. She”s been crying.
At the sight of her, I feel like I”ve been stabbed in my gut.
I want nothing more than to scoop her up off the couch, cradle her to my chest, and soothe her. But I don”t have that right. Not yet.
So instead, I turn to the still silent women after stepping into the unit.
”Hello, ladies. It”s nice to meet you. I”m Jason.” I stick my hand out to the one closest to me. This seems to snap them out of their stupor, and we get through quick introductions. Once that”s over, Nique, Tristan, and Allison shake off their shock and are now quizzing me full force.
Have I ever met the Hemsworth brothers? Yes.
What”s my opinion on rumors that Zendaya doesn”t know how to knit? Did I see that Smart Water commercial? No opinion, and yes, pretty sure everyone”s seen it.
Did I feel like the Agent Smith franchise really deserved another film after killing off its only strong female lead in the last one?
They were shocked again when I told them I didn”t. I had pushed to end the franchise, but because my contract included the current movie, I couldn”t back out.
”So, we”ve got ourselves a feminist here, hunh?” Nique gives me the up-and-down as if she can”t quite decide if I”m just blowing smoke.
”If by feminist, you mean I believe the absolute bare minimum would be for a multi-million-dollar franchise to not tokenize its female characters, then yeah. Although I feel like I have a few other beliefs that would be better suited to the ”feminist” label.”
At this point, we”re seated in the living room. At first, I sat down a respectable distance from Alexis, not exactly sure what she would want. But she quickly slid over and tucked herself under my arm, her head on my shoulder. She seems content to just sit there and listen to her friends barrage me with questions, and I can”t say I mind either. This feels right.
Maybe half an hour later, Tristan does me a solid.
”It”s getting kind of late; we should leave.” She gives her two friends a pointed look and jerks her head toward the door.
Nique and Allison spring into action, all three practically shouting their goodbyes, sprinting toward the door. They”re gone before I can even say anything back.
The second the door clicks shut, Alexis starts to shake. For a split second, I am alarmed until I hear the giggles. She”s laughing.
”Are you seriously laughing right now?” I tip her chin up, so she”s looking at me. I can”t help but smile at the obvious delight on her face. This is a vast improvement to earlier.
”I”m sorry, I can”t help it. You looked like a deer in headlights the whole time.” She dissolves again into giggles, burying her face into my chest.
”Glad I could cheer you up while simultaneously feeling like I”m being interrogated by the CIA.” I give her shoulders a little squeeze and hold her close. A moment later, she stills, as if realizing that she”s practically in my lap, and the mood is shifting.
She sits up and scoots away, bringing her legs up onto the couch, tucking her chin against her knees, and wrapping her arms around her legs. Her expression is somber again, and I shift too so that I”m facing her directly, resisting the urge to reach out and pull her back.
”Do you want to talk about what happened today? Or would you rather watch a movie? Or sleep? I can make you some tea.”
She shakes her head. Then blows out the breath she must have been holding.
”I don”t even know why I”m so upset.” She looks away, color leeching from her face. I hate this.
”What we”re not going to do is discount your feelings. Alexis, you had your privacy violated. It”s perfectly normal to be upset. Whether or not you”re a celebrity, you deserve to have a private life.” I want to hold her so badly, but she seems so remote now, like a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific.
”Logically, I know that. But my brain keeps trying to convince me they weren”t even taking a picture of me, that I”m making it all up. I have a tendency to do that, set aside my own emotions, and look for a more logical response. I rationalize everything.” She wipes a few tears that escaped the corners of her eyes, and I wish so badly that I could hunt down whoever took those pictures and make them pay. But that isn”t helpful right now. Alexis needs me.
”You are not being illogical or irrational right now. We had one friendly lunch, and now within the span of a few days, you have strangers recognizing you and taking your picture. I”ve spent my whole life in the spotlight, even before I started my acting career, and I”m still uncomfortable when people take pictures of me without my consent. Because that”s what”s missing, the consent. People like to believe that people with fame sign up for this; to some extent, we do. If fans see me out and about and they come up asking for an autograph or selfie, I”m glad to do it. But it”s because they”ve asked first, I have the opportunity to say ”no” if needed. And regardless of if it”s paparazzi or random strangers, anyone taking photos of you without your knowledge or consent are invading your privacy. And that is not ok.”
I blow out a breath, a little worked up and trying to keep my own emotions in check. Maybe I should just leave; Alexis doesn”t deserve any of this.
”Hey, woah, where did your brain go there?” Alexis” cool, dry hand is suddenly holding mine tightly. ”What were you just thinking about? I don”t like that expression.” Damn, she caught that fast.
”I just feel terrible.” My frustration with this situation is mounting, and I can”t see a solution. ”You don”t deserve to feel like this, and it”s all because of me.” And I should keep my distance. I don”t say that out loud, letting it remain implied. Because I really don”t want to stay away, but at the same time, I hate that being near me puts her under the microscope.
I can”t look at her, I”m so ashamed of my life. I almost startle when I feel her hands hold my face and turn me to look at her. I don”t see agreement or rejection, all I see is such sincere empathy I get choked up. How did I find her?
”Look, I won”t lie. This has kind of freaked me out. But it”s not your fault. That people live their lives boundaryless is their problem, not ours. And whatever we”ve started here, I don”t want to end it before we even know what it is. We deserve a chance to figure that out together, and we can”t do that if you pull away now. Ok?”
I”m nodding almost frantically by the end of her mini-speech and, without thinking, pull her into my lap, tucking her into my chest. She”s straddling me now, but there”s nothing sexual about our embrace. We”re simply holding each other, seeking and giving comfort.
The mood between us shifts at some point, probably only minutes later. My hands drift from her shoulders, down her back, sweeping out, then back up her sides. I can feel her breath pick up, feathering across my skin. Her nose grazes the spot where my neck meets my shoulder, and it sends a jolt through my entire body. Hell, I didn”t even know that was a sensitive spot for me. My lips come to her temple, gently peppering kisses down her cheek. She pulls back and tips her head up just enough that on my next pass, our lips connect.
Sparks, magic, whatever you want to call it, don”t do this feeling justice. Her lips are pliant and soft, her bottom lip a little chapped from her chewing on it for probably her whole life. But I don”t mind because that bottom lip is now between my teeth, and I never want to let it go. But a moment later, her mouth is open, and I can”t stop from exploring her. How does she feel so good?
Her hands are in my hair, nails scraping my scalp. And I groan in response. That feels amazing. My own hands have found their way to her hair and ass, pulling her so tight against me that I feel every breath she takes, every shift of her hips against mine.
Before I quite know what I am doing, I deepen our kiss, shifting us down onto the couch, both of us grinding leisurely. Fuck, we have all our clothes on, and I feel like I could come already.
At that thought, I realize now is not the time. I need to stop.
I pull back, just enough to break the seal we”ve created with our bodies but not disentangle completely. Her lips are puffy from our kiss, and the pupils of her green eyes are blown. I nearly go back in.
”We should stop. You need sleep; we”re both emotional right now, and I don”t want to mess anything up by going too fast.”
”I hate that you”re right.” She pouts, and that almost breaks my resolve.
”You”re off tomorrow, right?” She nods, thank fuck. ”Great, be ready to go at ten tomorrow morning. I”ll plan a day for us, somewhere outside the city and away from prying eyes. Sound good?”
She nods, then pulls me back for another kiss. It”s less intense but no less enjoyable.
It”s Slinky who breaks us apart finally by jumping up on the couch and letting out a blood-curdling yowl. ”That”s her, ”I want snuggles right now” scream.” We both laugh, and I give the cat a chin scratch before getting up off the couch. I reach down and help Alexis up. Once we”re both standing, I kiss her brow, then head toward the door.
”Have a good night. I”ll see you tomorrow. Lock the door behind me.”
She huffs a quiet laugh, practically shoving me out of her apartment. ”Please don”t turn into one of those dudes who thinks he”s an alpha. I do know basic safety habits.”
I grin, happy to see her mood has improved. ”Nah, just a man makin” sure his lady-friend knows he cares.”
We smile stupidly at each other, unable to break eye contact while she shuts the door. Once I hear the deadbolt turn, I”m able to walk down the hall to my unit. Time to plan a date.