Hollywood & Vine (2 page)

“Yes. I worked on set since filming started. Actually, before then.”

His brows lifted in surprise. Again he wondered how he had missed such a sweet piece of ass over the last several months.

“You worked on set? What did you do?” he asked, curious, but not really. He was more interested in knowing so he could keep an eye out for people in her position, in case they all looked as fuckable as her.

“I’m Craig Peters’ Costume Supervisor.”

“Ah,” he nodded. “That’s why I don’t remember you. Wardrobe was the one thing I didn’t have to ride anyone’s ass about.” His eyes dropped lower as his mind lingered on exactly what it would be like to ride her ass. “Pity.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want people thinking you’ve gone soft by letting me slide. You do have a reputation to uphold,” she pointed out with a playful smile, the innuendo unmistakable.

“Baby”
―
he chuckled, stepping closer
―
“I assure you there’s nothing soft about me.”

Humming, she pursed her lips and raised her chin, seemingly unconvinced by his declaration. Thankfully he couldn’t hear the way her heart rate spiked when his eyes dropped to her mouth and his tongue swept over his bottom lip.

“What? You don’t believe me?” He cocked his brow, unable to hide his amusement at the idea of anyone doubting his sexual abilities.

Curling her finger, Josie beckoned him closer. When he lowered his head, she leaned forward, her lips brushing against the shell of his ear as she spoke. “Maybe you should convince me.”

In less than five minutes, they entered the manager’s office at the back of the restaurant. With his arms around her waist, he pulled her flush against his chest. Their kisses were demanding and rough, their movements frantic as the barriers of clothing fell to the floor.

“This,” he panted, removing her shirt, “has to go.”

He palmed her tit with a firm grip, eliciting a strangled moan from her parted lips. Not one to be outdone, Josie combed her fingers through his jet-black hair, then scraped her nails down his neck.

“Fuck.” He flexed his fingers, groaning as he lowered his head and grazed his teeth over her nipple. “They’re real.”

“Not…something…you see often?” she asked between kisses while unfastening his belt and flicking his pants open.

“Not often enough.” Stepping back to remove his shirt, he took a moment to appreciate the slight flare of her hips, the smooth curve of her waist, and the way her tits moved as she drew in heavy, labored breaths.

“Are you just going to stand there or are you going to fuck me?” Josie unzipped her skirt. The material fell to the floor, leaving her in just panties and heels.

Anders pulled a condom from his pocket and tore it open with his teeth, never breaking their stare. Pushing down his boxers, his cock jerked when he stroked it once before sheathing himself.

“Is this what you want, baby?”

Not bothering to look away from what she wanted most, Josie sucked in a ragged breath. Anticipation caused her heart to pound as he stalked across the room. “Yeah, hell yeah.”

Anders’ gaze landed on a tattoo peeking out from the top of her panties. The image of his tongue tracing the outline caused his throat to tighten. “What’s this?” he asked, falling to his knees and pulling the lacy material away for a better view.

“A tattoo.” Her muscles tightened from his touch.

“What is it?” He tugged her panties down and traced his tongue over the outline before nipping at her hipbone.

“Oh God,” she whimpered. “It’s ivy.” Her hips bucked as his tongue, so close to where she ached for him, teased her skin. She squirmed, weaving her fingers into his hair and tugging as he stood, licking and sucking her hot flesh along the way.

He kissed her neck and slid his hand between their bodies. Pressing his palm between her legs, he slipped two fingers inside her. He twisted his hand and rubbed his palm against sensitive and swollen flesh until her legs shook and her nails cut indentations into his shoulders.

With a sexy moan, she stiffened. Her neck arched as the tension in her body exploded and she sagged against the wall with a shuddering sigh.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” he warned, his cock throbbing and rock hard. He grabbed the back of her thighs and lifted her body until her legs wrapped around his waist and her back hit the wall with a thud, just like he’d imagined. “I’m nowhere near done with you.”

“You better not be,” she whispered before nipping his earlobe.

He rubbed himself over her slickened entrance before driving into her in one long, smooth stroke. His eyes rolled back when she clenched around him. There was no kissing, no talking, only panting breaths and low grunts as his hips thrust forward again and again. He slid his hands under her ass and bent his knees, his pants barely staying on as he pulled her away from the wall and dropped her onto him.

“Fuck!” she cried out, her legs tightening around him. Her eyes pinched shut as he tortured her over and over with the most pleasurable pain. A final hard stroke of slapping skin and Anders fell forward, Josie’s back slamming into the wall once more as his hips jerked and he pulsed inside her.

“Jesus,” he gasped. He gripped her painfully, his heart pounding as he rested his forehead against her shoulder and tried to calm his erratic breathing.

Josie hummed in response, her body freshly-fucked limp and her skin flushed from exertion. Anders lowered her to the ground, her legs shaking as she stood.

Smug, he watched her struggle as he rolled off the condom. He pulled up his pants and fastened them, his mind already wandering beyond the room, curious if anyone had noticed his absence.

Josie pulled in a deep breath. Her post-orgasm high mixed with the alcohol she consumed earlier made her sluggish as she crouched to retrieve her clothes. A smile lingered on her lips as she stepped into her skirt. That was so much better than her fantasies. She tugged on her shirt and tried not to inhale the scent of his cologne clinging to the material.

Anders alternated between watching her dress and wondering how soon he could leave without being a complete asshole. Not that he cared; it wasn’t like he planned on asking for her number. What Anders didn’t realize was that Josie expected nothing.

Anders cleared his throat, his expression impassive as Josie lifted her gaze. She would have laughed at the way his demeanor changed from dangerous predator to cornered prey if it wasn’t so pathetic.

“So thanks,” he said with a shrug as he inched toward the door.

Josie smiled. It was saccharine sweet and one hundred percent fake. “It was my pleasure.”

Anders gripped the door handle and checked the time while Josie crossed the room and poured a shot from the bar. She wasn’t interested in an awkward goodbye either. More than anything, she wished he’d be the dick he was and leave already.

“I should go first in case anyone is looking for me.” He tried to sound nonchalant, but his tone gave him away. It held that familiar air of superiority, the one he used on the set when he expected people to do as he said, no questions asked.

“Sure,” Josie nodded, taking a sip of her drink. “I’ll hang back for a few minutes. You’re not the only one with a reputation to uphold.” She moved to the desk and eased herself into the chair, fighting to contain her amusement as Anders watched her with narrowed eyes.

He wasn’t sure what she had up her sleeve, but she was up to something. In his mind, his dismissal should have bothered her. The alternative was that she did this often, which he supposed was possible. Still, he couldn’t help feeling pissed by how unbothered she appeared. So in true Anders Ellis fashion, he acted like a dick.

“Right. You wouldn’t want your next lead actor to know he’ll be following up behind me. It might make him reluctant.”

“Exactly,” she agreed with an even tone and blank expression. “It would be cruel to give the poor guy a complex.”

Anders smirked. She was mocking him. What he said, however, was true: no guy wanted to be compared to Anders. Pulling open the door, he peeked down the hall, relieved to find it empty. He looked back at Josie who was sipping her drink, her expression still mocking. His eyes drifted to the hem of her skirt, taking one last look at her fuck-hot legs.

“Thanks again, Ivy.” He chuckled, slipping out the door and closing it behind him.

“See ya, Anders.”

Downing the rest of her drink, Josie stood and crossed the room. Copying Anders, she peeked down the hall before slipping out of the office. After a brief stop by the ladies’ room, she ventured back into the party.

Anders shifted his weight and shook hands with the director before checking the hallway once more. He tried to ignore the cute blonde next to him who had pounced when he reentered the room. For a moment he wondered if he’d missed Josie when movement to his right caught his attention. She entered the main room, stopping when she reached a pretty redhead. Josie leaned into the girl, eliciting a smile from her before they shared a hug and Josie walked out the front door.

She didn’t look back once.

“You want to grab another drink?” the blonde asked, sucking her lower lip between her teeth. Anders glanced at the door once before turning to the blonde and giving her a smile that was certain to land him a blow job.

“Sure,” he answered, the girl sliding into a cab outside already forgotten.

An hour later, away from the crowd and pulsing music, Josie fell onto her bed. Her mind and body still felt like Jell-O from the combination of top-shelf liquor and mind-blowing wall sex. He was every bit the asshole she’d expected. However, with the memory of flexed abs, strained muscles, and being filled to the point of pain still fresh in her mind, she couldn’t muster the energy to care. It wasn’t like she expected to see him again.

But that was the funny thing about life: it rarely gave a shit about expectations.

J
osie stretched on her couch, flexing her socked feet under the blanket. She dropped the script to her lap and tucked a yellow highlighter behind her ear. With a sigh, she rubbed her tired eyes. Her stomach growled when the smell of garlic filled her senses. With a quick glance at her equally exhausted best friend and assistant, Madison, Josie pulled the blanket from her lap and stood from the couch.

“Are you ready to take a break?”

Madison groaned and tossed the script on the table as she stood as well. “God, yes.”

“Sorry, I lost track of time,” Josie yawned. When she’d received the call from Craig about a new gig just weeks after wrapping their last project, she was ecstatic. Maybe it was dumb luck that landed her in his good graces, but whatever the reason, she was grateful. The costume design industry was tough to break into and highly competitive. She worked more than she slept, but as a freelancer, it was part of the job. Feast or famine. So far, she’d yet to find herself in the latter category.

A throat cleared on the other side of the room and caused Josie to start. Her brother, Holden, leaned against the wall, watching Josie and Madison with a smile. “Oh, good. I don’t have to drag you two into the kitchen kicking and screaming,” he joked.

Josie laughed and reached up to pat his head as she passed on her way into the kitchen. “You’re such a good brother. What would I do without you?”

“Starve?” he asked, leaning down to kiss Madison on the cheek. Threading their fingers, he pulled her into the kitchen behind him.

“How you spend all day cooking for work and still manage to feed me is a mystery. But man I’m grateful.” Josie let out a satisfied sigh as she loaded her plate with lasagna.

“Well, I’ve eaten what you two consider cooking. It’s more of a survival instinct than anything else.” He laughed when Madison gave him the middle finger salute, but she didn’t argue and neither did Josie. They were horrible cooks.

“You ate my cooking when we were in college,” Josie pointed out while pouring a glass of wine and moving to the bar.

“Yeah, well...” He grinned, ducking his head as he eyed Madison. “I didn’t visit for your cooking.”

Josie rolled her eyes and shoved a piece of garlic bread in her mouth, but she couldn’t be happier for her brother and best friend.

When she and Madison had met during their freshman year of college, they hit it off. After surviving freshman year in the dorms, they decided to get an apartment together off campus. Josie even managed to talk her older brother into helping them move. Holden had grumbled about taking time off work, but eventually relented. He wanted to soothe his worries about Josie living off campus with a girl no one in their family had met.

With his big brother hat on, he walked with exaggerated confidence into the empty apartment, already annoyed that neither girl had locked the door. He went from room to room looking for Josie. Distracted by his growing agitation, he didn’t see Madison until they collided. He stood in stunned silence as he stared at her flushed, creamy skin, shiny red hair, and eyes the color of emeralds. They’ve been inseparable ever since.

Once Josie and Madison graduated, Holden offered up his place while they looked for jobs. Six months later, the agency Josie had interned for, Cooper Designs, called her in to interview for one of their new projects. That was when she met Craig Peters, one of their full time designers. He’d pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek with exaggerated flare when she entered his office. His sandy blond hair and dark brown eyes accentuated his rugged good looks but were a complete contrast to his eccentric personality.