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This is exactly why you don’t get involved with your client, Hunt.
I look down at my phone and see that she’s sent me an emoji with a kiss and I smile wishing that she was in front of me to give her a real one. There isn’t anything else I can do about these letters right now. I don’t even know how long ago they were sent. It’s possible they were sent before Shay even learned of Paxton’s betrayal and he was sending these in hopes that Paxton was cheating on her. Or maybe this person knew before Shay even knew. There are too many unknowns and it’s pissing me off that I have nowhere to start. I type out a message to Cooper.
Me: Keep an eye out for any other letters.
Cooper Jennings: You got it. What happened with Paxton last night? Pictures are starting to circulate of you in the middle of them. We and P’s team both tried to buy them but they leaked too fast.
Me: She’s just over it. She feels like she’s backed into a corner with him and he’s acting like they’re actually together even in private and this isn’t all a ruse.
Cooper Jennings: Got it. Alright, well we have a call with the head of his PR team later today.
Me: Get it sorted out.
I stare at my words and shake my head before I pull up the alerts I have set up for her and sure enough I see the picture of me in the middle of them. From the angle, luckily it doesn’t seem like they’re arguing because I’m more in front of her and the pap wasn’t close enough to get a clear shot of Paxton’s face. The fact that I’m there is why there’s a question. Am I protecting her from him? Did he do something to her? Was I breaking up an argument? All of these are speculation but the questions are out there, and I’m sure Paxton’s team is not pleased with how this looks.
A knock on my door breaks me out of my thoughts and when I peek out of the window, I see Shay standing there dressed in a black halter mid-length dress and her hair that was previously wet from the shower we took last night, blow-dried and curled. I open the door and she pushes her way inside and then she’s in my arms, wrapped around me like ivy. Her lips connect with mine and I’m reminded of the way she kisses, like she can’t get close enough to me, and I groan at the taste of her toothpaste and the scent of her shampoo and her perfume as my tongue moves against hers.
“You smell good,” I tell her and she presses her nose into my neck.
“So do you. We are ready to go but I just wanted to give you a kiss before I can’t for the rest of the day.”
The thought that I won’t be able to touch her irritates me more than I expected. I set her on her feet and tuck her hair behind her ear.
“Well, I think I should be able to give you a kiss as well.” She raises an eyebrow knowingly and then I’m on one knee in front of her, raising her dress to her waist revealing a silky black pair of panties. “Hold your dress up,” I command her as I press my lips to the fabric before moving it to the side and sliding my tongue through her slit. I look up and see the look she’s giving me, brown eyes clouded with lust and her mouth slightly open making me want to force her to her knees and push my dick through those full pouty lips again. She must not be wearing a bra because I can see her hard nipples pebbling against the fabric of her dress and god these legs. Legs that I wish could be wrapped around my neck right now. I slide one hand up her leg and squeeze her thigh as the other is still holding her panties to the side.
“Damian.”
“Yes, baby.” I lick and suck at her clit, lapping at her and swirling my tongue around the space. “Tell me what you need.”
“You.” She moans. “I needyou.” She groans as she runs her hands through my hair and scores my scalp with her nails.
I need you, too.I want to tell her but I can’t get the words out.
I need you safe. Alive. Mine.
God, I’ve missed being on set.
I slide my Dior sunglasses to my head and let out a sigh of relief as I push through the door to theLA Dreamsset. Returning to the life of Ashley Anderson feels like coming home. I’ve been playing her for almost ten years across two television shows so in many ways, she’s become a part of me. There have been so many instances I hadwhat would Ashley domoments. She has parents, a boyfriend—soon-to-be husband—that adored her, and, quite honestly, the perfect life so I love stepping into her shoes for several months out of the year and getting to pretend everything is fine. Ashley Anderson has her life together, whereas Shay Eastwood feels like a mess half the time.
“I cannot believe you and Damian,” Veronica says as we make our way down the long hallway lined with headshots of actors and actresses that have worked on this very stage. I drag my fingertips over my six-foot headshot like I always do in hopes that it reminds me that I can do this. I am talented and worthy of being here.
“Youcan’t? Missoh my god he’s so hot for you?” I raise my eyebrow at her.
“I didn’t think he’d act on it!” I chuckle because neither did I to be honest. “I support this one hundred percent.” She turns around because a lot of times Damian will walk me in to make sure I get settled, but he’s not behind us. I can’t help the smile on my lips thinking about what her support means.
Are we just sleeping together? Dating? More than that? The idea that I could potentially be falling for Damian hits me hard.
“When are you calling it off with Pax?”
“I don’t know. I kind of hope the paparazzi figure out the truth and it’ll end this ruse once and for all. Right now, I have to be careful or else I’m going to come off looking likeIbetrayedhim. Isn’t that ironic?”
She snorts. “People love you, Shay, they’ll believe you.”
“They love Paxton too,” I argue as we make it to the set and it seems we are the last to arrive because I see Jeremy and Derek and the rest of our co-stars along with producers and the director. They scream both Veronica’s and my names and surround us pulling us into respective circles, and I’m reminded again how much I love it here. These are my people. People I trust more than most. We’ve been together so long that we know almost everything about each other. These are people that were there when my parents died, when Jeremy ended his long-term relationship, when Veronica’s parents went through their divorce, and when Derek lost his mother. There was something to be said for the people that were there when shit went down.
“What is going on with you and Paxton?” Denise, one of the executive producers that I’ve known since I was fourteen asks me from over her glasses. “You do not seem like you guys are on good terms?” She reminds me in so many ways of my mother, her gaze warm and simultaneously like I better not lie to her. I wrap my arms around her like I haven’t seen her in years and not the two months since we went on hiatus.
“A mess,” I tell her honestly because a long time ago, she vowed to take a thousand and one of my secrets to the grave.Though I’m not ready to tell her about Damian.“We’ll talk.”
