Idolized (Hollywood Stardust Book 3) (21 page)

(Holds her in his arms and sways them back and forth)

Always know that no matter what happens, I’m here.

ROXY

(Presses her hand to his cheek)

I know that.

WILLIAM

(Kisses her hand)

Do you?

ROXY

Yes.

(She lowers her head to William’s shoulder.)

Chapter Nine

A SEMI-TRUCK DROVE OVER Cora’s head and when it hadn’t done enough damage, it backed up and rolled over again.

“Oh my god.” She tried to move and only ended up draping herself over the edge of the bed and staring down at the Persian rug. With so many colors, if she threw up no one would ever notice.

“Well, now I know how to get you to wake up in bed with me.” The bed shook with Ryder’s movements, and he spooned her. “Feeling a little dicey I take it?”

The only answer she could muster was a groan. Every muscle on her ached, her head throbbed, and her stomach wanted to run for escape.

“Let’s sleep it off.” He moved her hair off the side of her face and gave her a light peck. “Things won’t look as bleak in a few hours.”

She swallowed, swearing that some nasty person lined her throat with a combination of knives and gravel. “I have to get to the office.”

“Baby, I don’t think you’ll be any good there today. Even a CEO can take a sick day,” he crooned in her ear.

“No, I have to go. I can’t not go to work because I was drinking and having sex with a movie star.” If one of her employees didn’t come to work because of their partying, she would dismiss them post haste. She looked over toward the bathroom. At the moment, it seemed miles and miles away, and when she tried to push up, her every muscle protested. “Ryder.”

“All right. This is no worse than having to be on set in this condition. They say all the world’s a stage.” Once more the bed bounced as Ryder got up. He came around to her side and helped her sit up.

The room spun and she hid her face in his chest. He smelled like a man. Lord help her if she felt better, she might be inclined to lay in bed with him. “Are you sure I’m not dead?”

“Absolutely.” He pulled her up, and they took the long walk into the bathroom.

Her reflection in the mirror made her shudder. Hair all over the place, smeared makeup, pale. “Dear Ultracom, here’s your new CEO.” She put her hand over her eyes.

“Okay, I don’t think this is a full hair and makeup day, but I can fix this. At least you give me a lot to work with.” He left her by the counter. “Stay right there.”

To retain her full and upright position, she braced against the wall and willed it not to move.

He walked around the bathroom, turning on the shower and opening a drawer.

She shuddered when he closed the first drawer and the sound of wood on wood boomed through her head.

“Oh look, I have a drawer for my stuff, and my toothbrush is in the holder next to yours.”

Though she had seen a toothbrush before, she opened one eye. Indeed, there were now two toothbrushes in her holder. She closed her eye again. Everything was easier if she didn’t have to see it.

“First things first, let’s get all this out of the way.” After opening and closing another drawer he came up behind her, gathered her hair up and began brushing.

Except for hairdressers, no one else had brushed her hair since Viktor got the brush stuck in her hair when she was in sixth grade. In truth, she wasn’t a fan of people messing with her hair.

However, Ryder’s hair brushing could only be called an experience or possibly foreplay. Had she not felt as if she were going to pass out, it would have been a mixture of calming and erotic. He took his time, sectioned off her hair and brushed, not too soft, not too hard, just right, and she couldn’t help but let out a little moan. Then in an action she didn’t anticipate, he proceeded to braid her hair. His hands moved quickly, his fingers grazing her skin as he worked, giving her a delightful jolt even under the weight of her hangover. He coiled her braid on top of her head and pinned it in place.

“Okay missy, hop in the shower. Just stand there, I’ll be in there in a minute.” He prodded her toward the water.

With no choice, she did what he said, and she didn’t budge as the warm water ran over her.

Suddenly the shower door opened. “All right Miss Caine, everything today is about hydration.” Ryder joined her and put a bottle of water to her lips. “Drink down like a good girl.”

Again, she did as he requested and let the pure, soothing water wash dilute the poison on the inside of her body.

“I take it you’re not one who drinks too much.” He took a sponge and washed her down.

“I’ve never done anything like this.” She let Ryder tend to her. Fine, she enjoyed Ryder tending to her. Yes, she probably needed to at least glance at her phone, but she was sure she couldn’t focus on the words. Were any of her auctions closing? Lost in Ryder’s soothing touch, she decided it didn’t matter.

“We will watch it from now on.” He continued rubbing her back. “So what is on today’s work docket?”

His hands slid down her legs. The man expected her to think while he was taking care of her? She knew what those hands were capable of. “I had some issues yesterday I want to make sure are one hundred percent resolved. Also, I wanted to talk to you about your movie.”

“My movie?” He took her by the shoulders and turned her.

At last she found the strength to open her eyes. Lord help her. If the man was gorgeous normally, him in the shower wet and staring down at her with his hair damp and in his eyes was off the charts. She couldn’t even think about his body. Hung over or not he could arouse her. All smooth and sleek with the right amount of muscle definition and that v that pointed the way to his more than ample…

“What would you like to know about my movie?” He put more soap on the washcloth and brought it to her front.

“Why don’t we start with what’s it about?” Her voice hitched as he rubbed the cloth over her breasts.

He let out a low chuckle. “I wanted to create something that defied all genres. It’s unique, an art piece, it has action and adventure seasoned with paranormal and fantasy undertones. There is also romance and some drama and a bit of comedy.”

The alcohol had to still be floating around in her system because she wasn’t sure what he said, especially with the way he now skimmed the washcloth between her thighs. “What’s the name of it?”

“Working Title.” He scrubbed her down to her toes, fed her some more water and then proceeded to skim the cloth over his body.

Fine, she simply stood there and watched as he ran his hands over his chest. Ryder Scott was nothing if not entertaining. Talk about a man who chose his ideal profession. “Okay, what’s the working title?”

After rinsing off, he faced her. “It’s working title.” He shut off the faucet, stepped out, wrapped himself in a towel and then held a huge towel out to her.

“I understand.” She let him encompass her in the towel. Feeling a bit more human, she went to the sink, took her toothbrush, and then handed Ryder his. In an effort to repay some of the way he took care of her, she even squirted the toothpaste for him. “Working title or not, I just want to have a name to put with the project.”

Together, they both brushed their teeth, then took turns rinsing in the same sink, though she had two.

“Baby, the title of the movie is
Working Title
.” He dropped his towel in the hamper and took hers and did the same.

“I need to see a script.” She watched him walk by her. After all, it would be illegal not to look his sculpted backside.

“All in due time.” The man had a drawer in their bathroom, his toothbrush next to hers, a side of the bed, and now he had his stuff in their closet. Still naked, still feeling like crud, and still confused about his movie title, she went and sat on the bed considering everything as she gawked at him getting dressed.

He slid the hangers back and forth on the pole and finally chose a pair of jeans and a black button down. “I know you prefer your men, namely me, groomed to perfection, but I need to take care of you, so I’ll have a bit of stubble. I promise to shave later.” After a nice long stretch, he slipped on his pants sans underwear and pulled the shirt on. “Now get dressed. I’ll go make you something to put on your stomach, and I’ll drive you to the office. Once you tend to you other work we can continue our meeting.”

For a few moments, she sat there and stared at nothing. What the hell just happened? Now Ryder was driving her to work? She needed to get her act together, get her own food and drive to work. With conviction, she stood, her head pounded, her knees weakened, and a wave of nausea threatened to knock her over.

Maybe she just needed a ride. No way could she call Viktor or Rodger, she would never live it down. At least if she walked in with Ryder, the attention would go to him. Yes, she needed a ride and an escort.

Again, she forced herself into a standing position and dragged her body to the closet. With her hair already in a braid thanks to her new roommate, she just went with a simple black dress. Maybe no one would notice her. Somehow she managed to slip it over her head and get her feet into some shoes that at the moment felt at least a size too small.

“I went against your rules and touched the espresso machine, but I think you need the caffeine. I also added one of the brown sugar cubes in the little silver dish at the side of the machine.” He handed her the little cup and then went behind her and zipped up the dress. “We can take the toast I made on the way. Also, the script to
Hollywood Stardom
arrived. I guess it’s really official now that I’m getting packages here. I’ll take it to work with us and study.”

She sipped the warm brew and narrowed her eyes at the cup. This was the taste she was always going for, but could never achieve. Dark, roasted and toasted with a hint of sweet. The man touched her machine, but he made it better. Was she mad or not?

“Shall we?” He held his elbow out to her.

Caught in her own thoughts from espresso, to mail to everything else, she hooked her arm in his. On the way out, he handed her the toast and the script, took a juice and put a pair of dark sunglasses on her face. “No one will ever know. They’ll just think you’re trying to hide.”

He led her through the building, and suddenly she found herself sitting in the front seat of the Aston Martin. While she knew she should call in or check her phone, the thought of trying to read the tiny screen made her stomach churn and she chose to open the script and flip through the pages. Then it hit her. She was now holding Ryder Scott’s script. Once this movie wrapped, they could make a tidy sum off this on the Internet, though she hoped he would never sell it. In many ways this was history, and she ran her fingers over the page.

“All right, Miss Caine I need to ask you something.” Ryder put on his own pair of sunglasses and drove out of the building.

“What do you need?” She unwrapped the toast, handed Ryder a piece and nibbled on the corner of the bread. The simple treat was oddly tasty, but maybe it always tasted better when someone else made the toast.

“Will you do me a favor and turn to the last page of the script?” As he drove through the city, he strummed his fingers on the steering wheel.