AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sebastian’s eyebrows lower, knitting together so they almost touch.
“But you look… you look like Anna. And like Meghan Marconi.”
“Anna is Meghan’s stand-in, but I do her stunts. And even though I’m four years younger than Anna, people often think we’re twins.”
“But… you’ve been posting on Instagram all week. Your Instagram is Anna’s.”
“Yeah, she wanted me to do that. It’s why she sent me on this trip.”
“She sent you here to do this?”
“Anna thinks her husband is cheating on her. When he bailed on this cruise, she wanted to follow him around LA without him realizing she was there. So she sent me to pretend to be her.” Sebastian has gone still. “Please don’t tell anyone else. If this gets out- if I somehow hurt her or make her marriage more complicated- I couldn’t forgive myself.”
“So, all this time…” Sebastian says, his eyes unfocused.
“It’s been me. Zoey.”
“Pretending to be Anna.”
“I’ve been using Anna’s name and clothing. But the person you got to know this week? That was me.” Sebastian seems not to hear this.
“And that Grant guy who keeps commenting on your Instagram. I mean, Anna’s Instagram. Is he writing to Anna or to you?”
“He’s writing to me. We work together in stunts. We’re not a thing. I mean, I thought it might be, but not anymore. I don’t want it to be anything. Sebastian, I—"
Sebastian is pulling away from me, frowning. His hands are on my arms, trying to unlink them from his neck. This can’t be happening. I pull him closer, gripping his hair with my fingers and pulling his face down to mine. He’s resisting me, but I shove my mouth over his.
If my kiss is rough, the moment I make contact, his becomes forceful, the heat and fury and longing of it pummeling me backwards. He pushes me against the backstage wall, growling low in his throat, his tongue demanding entry, his lips overpowering mine. I close my eyes. Every part of me, body and mind, feel completely obliterated.
* * *
SEBASTIAN
I’m allowed to kiss her. Everything that came into my mind the moment I laid eyes on her was natural. Good, even. She’s not another man’s wife. She’s not off limits.
She wraps her fingers tighter in my hair and tugs, and I lift her again, forcing her higher up the wall until she puts her legs back around me and gasps at the pressure. I don’t stop. My hands need to know what she feels like, dragging up her outer thigh, over that tight little dress and gripping her breast. She hisses and I grin into her mouth.
“You make me crazy.” My voice comes out rough.
“What’s crazy,” she whispers back, “is how much I want you.” There’s awe in her voice, breathy and urgent all at once. “I actually trust you enough to let go.”
Like a single, crackling bulb flashing on in a stark black cell, her words flood my brain with clarity. She trusts me. But I shouldn’t trust her. I step backward, still holding her flat against the wall, like if I can keep her there, I can keep all the feelings away too.
“You’ve put on a magnificent show this week.”
“It wasn’t a show.” She’s tugging on my hands, which are still tight against her collarbone, and she might be whimpering. But my head is too loud. My dad, yelling at my mom that you can’t trust a wannabe actress. Her screaming that a scriptwriter is no better, since making shit up is his job, and all he writes is smut. He spits out a retort, that pretending is her life, her duplicitous, cheating, filthy life.
Never trust someone who lies for a living.I don’t remember which one of them said that. I’d already gone to hide under my bed by the time that came out.
The banana ladies shuffle backstage again, laughing and chattering now that their song is over.
Why didn’t I put two and two together with Anna- I mean, Zoey? Her name sounds strange in my mind. Because she’s fake. That’s what Hollywood is. Of course, she doesn’t have a grip on reality. Or truth. I shake my head. How was I tricked by this? That I had met someone honest and kind and good? What bullshit.
“Sebastian, I didn’t mean to fall for you. I didn’t mean for it to get so complicated. I was trying to help my sister.”
“But it got complicated.” I shake my head. “Sorry, I have to go check on my grandmother.” I turn to leave.
I turn so fast I don’t see the giant stuffed banana lying on the floor until it’s too late. Out of nowhere, it pops to attention between my legs and I tangle with it, flying headfirst into one of the banana ladies. Together we fall, her fruit hat toppling to the ground.
