Envy squeezed Micah’s chest. He wished he knew these things about Maddie. He wished he knew these sorts of things about anyone. He rarely got close enough to anyone to learn what they were good at, what their dreams were.
Maddie sighed. “Camera’s not my end goal.”
Micah stilled, remembering again the night they’d met. She’d wanted to direct and write, was it? Though he was curious whether or not she still had that dream, he couldn’t bring himself to ask. Those were the kind of jobs that a guy like him could arrange for a girl like her. And he didn’t want to put himself in the position to be taken advantage of. Again.
But Sam asked. “What do you want to do?”
Micah braced himself for her answer.
But she didn’t give one. She just shrugged and said, “Not camera.”
Micah forced himself to relax. Why did he always have to be so distrusting? Just because he’d had a past girlfriend—someone he thought he loved—use him for his connections didn’t mean that all women would. But how could he ever get close enough to a woman to test that theory out?
He couldn’t. That’s why he didn’t try.
And he wasn’t trying now. He was simply fooling around with a coworker, something he’d done many times before. He bided his time, drinking his beer and enjoying the crew banter and talk about their real lives. Particularly, he focused on the angel in front of him, realizing that this unique venture into her world provided more insight about who she was as a person than any encounter he’d had with her so far. Before long, he determined she was a workaholic, unappreciated by her boss and exceptionally passionate about her craft.
He also recognized that she wasn’t the type to hook up with men she barely knew. This awareness both delighted and saddened him. He wondered why she’d made an exception for him. And would she be willing to do it again?
Only one way to find out. At a lull in the conversation, he put on his best smile and said, “So, what are your plans for the day off tomorrow?”
“I’d love to find a way to Breckenridge.” Maddie leaned back, giving an even better view of her amazing tits. A bit on the small side, but definitely real—a nice change from what Micah was used to. “The Breckenridge Film Fest is going on this weekend. I’d like to catch it.”
“That’s not even a film festival,” Joe said, his words slurred. “It’s a festival of crap. It’s like a fake film festival of crap.”
Maddie laughed. Damn, it was the sweetest sound Micah had heard in a long time. “I know. But I like film. Period. You never know when you’re going to find a gem.”
Micah grinned. “Agreed.” Hitting California film festivals used to be a favorite pastime of his. Now he couldn’t remember the last time he went to anything indie. “I got my current agent from the Topanga Film Festival.”
“The Mission’s Warrior. Like I said, a gem.”
He was impressed and in awe. Not many people had ever heard of that early film of his, let alone seen it.
“It had its weaknesses,” she continued. “Mainly, the script. The directing was solid and the cast was really strong.” She blushed. “In my opinion, anyway.”
Her pink skin and sweet praise stirred his hardened cock. He wanted to take her, right then and there, no care for everyone around him. But he’d settle for a day at the film festival. He’d rent a car and it would be just the two of them, sharing their love of movies. He’d ask her as soon as they were alone.
“I’ll take you,” Sam said. Every muscle in Micah’s body tensed. “Breckenridge is beautiful and only a couple of hours from here. I’d love to show it to you.”
Micah resisted the urge to punch him. Say no, Maddie, he willed silently. Say no.
But Maddie’s face broke into a grin. “Really? Thanks.”
“Awesome. We can work out the deets before we leave. Right now I want to get in a game of pool before Chloe heads out. She thinks she can beat me. But she totally can’t.” He slipped out of the booth and called to the next table. “Did you hear that, Chloe Barfoot? I’m gonna whoop your ass!”
Chloe stood and marched over to him, her small frame barely reaching Sam’s chest. “Like hell you are. It’s on.”
“This I gotta see,” Fudge said.
Micah frowned as Sam looked down and grabbed his beer. Micah couldn’t be certain but he was pretty sure that Sam was sneaking his own peek at Maddie’s bosom.
“Come cheer me on?” Sam asked, leaning on the table.
Now Micah was certain. Sam was totally looking. Who wouldn’t sneak a peek? Maddie’s breasts were excellent—firm, round, perky—and if Sam was sneaking peeks tonight, God knows what he’d try to do to them tomorrow. Micah couldn’t stand the thought. As soon as he could get a damn minute alone with her he’d tell her not to go. Though now she’d likely follow to the pool tables to be the douchebag’s personal cheerleader.
But she surprised him. “I’ll cheer you from here.”
Micah didn’t bother to hide his satisfaction.
After a moment of shuffling and gathering beer bottles, most of the table had dispersed to watch the game.
Maddie flashed a mischievous grin. “We’re alone.”
Hmm. He liked the tone of this conversation. Too bad they weren’t really alone. He was very aware of the waitress eyeing him and the couple in the booth behind him and the woman at the bar. “Mostly.”
“Mostly enough.” She took a deep breath—was she nervous?—and slid herself around to the farthest part of the booth. “I’m glad. I need to give you something.”
“You do?”
She nodded. “Come closer.”
Micah moved closer to her, his curiosity piqued as Maddie took a long swig finishing off her Corona. Then she put a cloth napkin on her lap and dug in her pocket for her ChapStick. He watched entranced as she applied it leisurely to her full, pink lips, just as he had seen her do so many times on set. Thank God for the dry weather.
When she’d finished with her lips, she began to rub the ChapStick liberally over her left hand. Her eyes drifted to a hoodie draped on the back of the booth behind them. She pulled it into his lap.
He raised an eyebrow. What the hell was she doing?
He was answered by the approach of her hand underneath the table and the hoodie where his cock throbbed painfully in his jeans. His jaw dropped as she undid his zipper and freed his aching member, her eyes never leaving his. Well, this wasn’t characteristic of the Maddie he thought he’d begun to figure out. What a nice surprise.
Maddie circled his penis with her lubricated hand, eliciting a gasp. A nice surprise indeed.
He shot a glance around the bar, hoping no one was paying attention to them. But then her thumb grazed the top of his crown and his eyes raced back to her. Who fucking cared if they were noticed? It was worth the risk of being caught.
In fact, that was half the excitement.
“So, Micah, I’ve been meaning to ask you—why so many women in your life?”
Micah blinked several times before answering, not sure he could converse with her hand on his dick. With effort, he managed, “I have a very strict no-strings rule. Relationships in Hollywood are near impossible.”
“That’s pessimistic.” Slowly, Maddie began to move her hand up his shaft from the root to head of his member, driving a shiver down his spine. “There are plenty of actors who have girlfriends in Hollywood.”
Micah put his palms down on the table and stilled himself. “Hardly any of those work out. And the no-girlfriend thing has kept me focused. It’s gotten me to the top.”
She met his stare full on, a glint in her eyes. Her hand slid back down to base camp. Ho. Ly. Fuck.
“Maybe you got to the top because you’re talented.” Again, Maddie moved her hand up his shaft, dragging her thumb along the thick vein on the underside of his cock.