Page 117 of Cast to be Mine

“What?”

“That footage we just shot. Your reactions.” I smiled, watching the confusion flicker across her face. “I’m using it in the movie.”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“The way you looked at me when I was giving that speech. The tears, the emotion, the way your whole face transformed when you realized what was happening.” I kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s the most genuine, raw, beautiful footage we captured during the entire production. I’m cutting it into the final act.”

“But that wasn’t acting. That was real.”

“I know. That’s what makes it perfect.” I kissed her softly. “Our love is going to be immortalized on film, Grace. Every time someone watches Breathless, they’ll see the moment you realized I loved you.”

She stared at me, her lips parted in wonder. “That’s incredibly romantic.”

“I have my moments.”

“I don’t think there’s a woman on this planet that could give you that performance while looking at Jack,” I said. “Not even his wife.”

“Oh, poor Jack.”

She laughed and pulled me down for another kiss. I felt her fingers slide into my hair, something she did when she was ready for more. I sure as hell was. The heat between us built quickly, weeks of separation fueling the fire.

I lifted her without breaking the kiss, her legs wrapping around my waist as I carried her toward the bedroom. We barely made it. Clothes came off in a trail down the hallway. Her blouse. My shirt. Her jeans tangled with my belt somewhere near the doorway.

When we finally fell onto the bed together, I forced myself to slow down. I wanted to savor this. Savor her.

“I love you,” I whispered against her skin, pressing kisses to her jaw and down to the curve of her neck.

“I love you too.”

The words were the promise of a new beginning. I took my time relearning every inch of her.

Hours later, we were spent.

“I don’t want to move,” she murmured. “Ever.”

“Then don’t.”

“I have to eventually. I need food. Water. Basic human necessities.”

I chuckled. “I can order delivery. We never have to leave this bed.”

She tilted her head up to look at me, a smile playing at her lips.

“That sounds like heaven.”

“It does.”

We dozed for a while, drifting in and out of sleep, wrapped around each other. Every time I woke, I’d check to make sure she was still there. She always was. And each time, the relief washed over me and pulled me right back into a deep sleep.

When evening came, we finally dragged ourselves out of bed long enough to order Chinese. Grace had stolen one of my old UCLA shirts and seeing her in it did things to my heart I wasn’t prepared for.

“This is the best orange chicken I’ve ever had,” she said around a mouthful.

“You’re just saying that because you’re starving.”

“Maybe. But also it’s really good.”

I watched her eat, marveling at how comfortable this felt. No pretense. Just two people who loved each other.