AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Whatsmells so good?”
Aftergrabbing my biggest wine glass from the cupboard—the glassIsave for only the worst of my worst days—Iset it down on the old green tile counter with a crack that has me checking for breaks in my beloved vase of a wine glass.Survivedanother day.That’swhy she’s my favorite.Mykitchen is itty-bitty, yellow and green, and wouldn’t look out of place in a nineteen-sixtiesTupperwaread.So,Idon’t even have to take a step to open the fridge and pull out the open bottle ofCheninblancIkeep chilled for emergencies.Afterpouring myself a healthy glass, and then taking an even healthier sip,Iturn to face him.
“Areyou going to offer me a treat?Youknow how muchIlove your baking.”
“No.”
He’swatching me from a few feet away, next to the little bistro table in the corner, covered in cooling cupcakes.Thereisn’t really any place to hide in a place this small.Ichose location and a patio whereIcould have an herb garden and an outdoor pizza oven over size whenIrented this place.Anduntil now,Ihaven’t had a single regret.Butnow thatJacksonWatersis in my space, crowding me,IwishI’drented a five-bedroom house with a three-hour commute into the city.
“Areyou going to offer me a glass?”
“No.”
“Thiswould be a lot easier if you were nicer to me.”
“Andmaking things easier for the poor movie star who ruined my life is at the top of my to do list.”Flashinghim a crazed smile,Ibare my teeth before taking another sip of wine. “I’llget right on it.”
“Right…”Jacksonshifts his weight from one socked foot to the other.Hissocks are black, andIhate him for that, too.Perpetuallydirty white socks are one of my pet peeves.Whydo white socks even exist?Andof course,Jacksonis wearing black socks.Nofilthy, stained toes for this movie star. “So, the thingIwanted to talk to you about.Look,Iknow this is going to sound crazy.Butjust hear me out.Ithink when you look at the big picture.Itmakes sense for both of us.It’sa win-win.”
“I’msure it’s a win for you.Notso sure about anything you say being a win for me.”Takinga deep breath,Itry to calm myself down. “Justtell me what you want.Becausethe sooner you tell me what you want, the sooner you can leave.”
“Somuch for being nicer.”
Iraise my eyebrows at him, and then take a giant gulp of wine.Toobig of a gulp of wine, in fact.Becausesome of it goes down my windpipe, andIstart coughing.Becauseof course,Ido.Insteadof being angry and dignified,I’mpissy and choking on wine.Justfreaking perfect.
“Areyou okay?Doyou need me to do theHeimlichmaneuver?IthinkIcan do it.Ihad to do it in a film, once.”Jacksonwalks towards me with a set brow and clenched jaw.It’sthe same look he had on his face when he went to disarm the bomb in thatC.I.A. movie he was in.Butthat was fake.Thisis real.
Myeyes are swimming.Mythroat is burning.ButIdrag in some air and try to stop coughing.Ihold up a hand to warn him to stay back. “No.”Cough. “I’mfine.”Cough.Cough. “Stayover there.”Cough,cough,cough.
“You’renotfine.You’rechoking.Letme help you.”Jacksonignores my hand held up in the universal sign ofstop whatever the hell you’re doingand comes towards me.WhileI’mcoughing up a lung, he sidesteps me until he’s behind me.ThenJacksonWaters’ arms wrap around my chest, pulling me tight against him.
He’sso tall that his hard, muscle-y forearms are pressing right into my boobs.Hedoesn’t seem to notice, and his first attempt to give me theHeimlichmaneuver results in him crushing my breasts into my body and a strangled yelp escaping my mouth.
“Whatthe…?”Jacksondemands.
Heleans around me to see my face, sees where his arms are pressing, and then has the nerve to give me a cocky grin.Hehas the nerve to freaking grin at me!
“Sorryabout that.Sensitivearea, huh?”
Yes, of course, my nipples are sensitive to being crushed into a pulp by some random movie star’s veiny, muscular forearm.
Jacksonlowers his arm to just under my breasts and tries to give me theHeimlichmaneuver another three times.Hesqueezes me so hard that he pulls me right off my feet twice.Icouldn’t cough anymore ifIwanted to because there’s no air left in my lungs.
Aftercarefully listening to my lack of coughing for a long minute,Jacksonremoves his arms from my body and steps around me to look at my face.Heleans in close and inspects my lips, then my cheeks, then my eyes.
“Allclear.Nosigns of petechial hemorrhaging.You’rewelcome.”
“I’mwelcome?!?Ididn’t thank you for anything!”I’mfull-on shouting at him now.
“Well,Iwas giving you the benefit of the doubt on that one.Sinceyou were choking and all.”
“Youembarrassed me on nationalTVand then showed up unannounced at my home.Andthen just did whatever the hell that was.Ihave nothing to thank you for!”
“Iseem to remember loaning you a water bottle at a very opportune time…”
“Ifyou mention that one more time,I’mgoing to go out to the compost bin, get those flowers you sent, and then beat you to death with them right in front of all the paparazzi camped out outside my house!”
“Aguy can’t catch a break here, can he?”
