I was drawn back from my marshmallow contemplation by his lips pressing more urgently against mine, and my tummy growling again.
“Okay, I’m calling in this order, and then we’re going to plan our evening. And we are leaving this room, Hamilton. We’re in Manhattan! We aren’t staying in all night,” I warned, picking up the phone.
“Sheridan, if I wanted to make you stay in all night with me, all I’d have to do is wave some candy in front of you and then kiss on your sweet boobies. You’d be putty in my hands.” He grinned sexily.
“There’s candy?” I asked, looking around wildly.
Jack laughed so hard he fell off the bed.
I never did find that candy.
Chapter 4
We finally left the hotel around eight. We decided to go to my place so I could show him where I was living and pick up some things. I did want him to sleep at my place. I wanted him in my bed and in my shower and on my couch, even if this was all rented furniture. But sweet damn—I wanted another round in that giant shower, and we had all weekend for me to have him S’more up my place.
Enough with the freaking s’mores.
This distance thing was making me a little insane.
We caught a cab in front of the hotel, and it was so quick I didn’t even have time to worry about anyone seeing us. Quite frankly, maybe I did need to relax a little. New York was really different than L.A., and in his ratty jeans and ball cap he looked more college student than famous, so I doubted anyone would recognize him. And he wasn’t worried about being seen with me, so, eh, what the hell?
We made out like teenagers in the cab on the way to my apartment, although I made him stop when we were in front of my doorman.
“Lou.” I nodded as we walked inside.
“Evening, Lou.” Jack nodded as well, and Lou nodded back.
I kept him at arm’s length in the elevator, and when we finally made it into my apartment, he was like an octopus, arms everywhere. He finally settled in behind me, hands clasped firmly over my tummy, chin planted on my shoulder.
“Okay, give me the grand tour,” he said.
“Well, this is pretty much it. It’s not big. I don’t need a lot of space, and it’s close to the rehearsal studio. Kitchen, living room, bathroom down the hall, and bedroom is the last door on the right,” I said.
“It’s nice,” he said, looking over my shoulder.
“Eh, it’s okay. It’s no Laurel Canyon. That’s home to me,” I said, leaning back against him.
“But you haven’t even lived there. How can it be your home when you’ve only slept one night there?” he questioned, kissing my neck right under my ear.
“Mmm, and what a night it was,” I said as I giggled, leaning into his kiss and turning to wrap my arms around his waist. His hands came to my face and traced tiny patterns on my forehead and temples, bringing me forward into another soft kiss.
“Yes, yes, it was. But really, how can that be home? I mean, do you really consider L.A. home?” he asked, looking at me with questions in his eyes.
“Oh, God, yes. It does feel like home. I can’t explain it, but when I first found my house, I knew how much work it was going to be, but I knew it was my home. I could see myself living there, and even though I had to leave, wherever I go, that house is home,” I said. I closed my eyes, thinking of the warm California sun, and I could almost smell the lemon trees on my front porch and the honeysuckle in the backyard.
I opened my eyes to see Jack studying me carefully.
“What’s that look for?” I asked, stealing another kiss before he could answer me.
“So, you are planning on moving back, right?” he asked, running one hand through his hair.
“Hell yes, ya goofball! I didn’t spend all my savings on a house just to sell it again! I mean, I don’t know how long I’ll be out here, and I love New York, but when this is over? I’ll be back home, for sure.” I laughed, pulling him tightly against me again.
“What about you?” I asked, my face pressed into his shirt.
“What about me?” he asked, his breath warm and sweet in my hair.
“I mean, where are you going to live when all this is over? Will you go back to London after the premiere, or are you planning on staying in L.A.?” I asked, a little afraid to hear the answer.
“Well, I don’t know, to be honest. That was the plan—London is my home, that’s for sure—but there’s a film we’re in negotiations with that would be filming in L.A. in January.”
“Wait, so you’re thinking about moving back to London?” I asked, surprised.
“That’s where I live, Grace. Who knows what’s going to happen after this movie comes out. This could be my swan song. I could peak at twenty-four.”
“Oh, please. The world is going to need some more Joshua,” I said. Just thinking about Super Sexy Scientist Guy made me giggle, even in the arms of Jack Fucking Hamilton.
London?
Shhh.
“Hmm, we’ll see. Maybe no one’ll come and see it. Maybe they’ll think it’s rubbish,” he muttered.
“George, please. It will be amazing. And if nothing else, you’re so pretty, they’ll pay just to see you romping around half-naked in your period clothing,” I teased, striking a chord with this one. I knew how much Jack wanted to be taken seriously as an actor, and I was forever telling him how pretty he was, just to mess with him.
“And I’m sure the men who will be coming to see your show will only be coming to see your acting chops, not your fantastic tits,” he teased back, earning him a very grown-up tongue stick-out.
“Oh, love, if you’re going to show me your tongue, I may have to give you something to lick,” he continued nastily, wiggling his eyebrows like a villain in an old-timey movie.
“You’re sick, Hamilton. Truly sick.” I laughed, pulling away from him.
“So, we’re going to see a movie, yes?” he asked, tooling around my apartment.
“Yes, there’s a theater about six blocks from here. I’ll check and see what’s playing. Then we can grab something after that, sound good?” I pulled my laptop from my bag and settled in on the couch.
“Oh, I’ll be grabbing something after the movie, that’s for certain,” he said, sticking his head back around the corner and winking at me.
“Dirty bird,” I muttered as he disappeared down the hall toward the bedroom.
“You love it,” he shouted over his shoulder.
I laughed quietly to myself and signed on. My TMZ homepage came up immediately because I was a sucker for all things celebrity gossip. I could hear Jack putzing in the bedroom, so I figured I could indulge in a few minutes of celeb surfing. Guilty pleasure. I scrolled through the pictures of the latest buzz: An actor checking into rehab, another actor leaving rehab. A singer who’d been threatening to retire for twenty years heading back out on tour. I skipped ahead—not a lot of celebrity news. I was about to zip over to the movie times site when an interesting snippet caught my eye:
Jack Hamilton seen out on the town with actress Marcia Veracruz. Are these two on again?
Wait a minute. Back up.
What?
Once Time comes out, maybe he can afford to buy a new car! The two were spotted having lunch in Venice a few days ago before climbing into Jack’s old, beat-up MG.
I felt sick.
Breathe, just breathe.
Ever since he was cast as Joshua, women everywhere have been wondering whether this Brit Boy is single. Well, ladies, it appears this time-traveler is spoken for! Just two nights ago, Jack Hamilton was spotted driving away from an L.A. nightclub with his latest gal pal, actress Marcia Veracruz. The two were previously in a confirmed relationship, and although they took a break, it appears things are still hot and heavy between them.