Reality Girl: Episode One (9 page)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Franky picked up my empty glass and replaced it with another. “So, your entire attitude has changed?”

“Entirely,” I said with a nod. I licked the rim, took a sip of the tequila laced mango beverage, and sighed. “The next guy is a biker. But this time it’s going to be different. Much different.”

“To tell you the truth, I’m glad to hear it.”

“The entire show is just one big fucking lie.”

“I’ve never been one to believe much of what I see on T.V. anyway,” he said.

“I’m a girl,” I said with a laugh. “We live in a fantasy world. Television, movies, books – they’re all real to us. They fill us with hope.”

“Maybe you should become
Reality Girl
for real and start living in
your reality
.”

I laughed. “I’m seeing the world through a different set of eyes now, I can assure you of that.”

“We’ve known each other almost a month,” he said. “I’ve seen change in you, no doubt.”

“You think?”

He leaned over the edge of the bar and looked me in the eyes. He seemed different. Much different than the day we met. His hair was as messy, he was dressed the same, but something about him was different.

Maybe it was that I trusted him, and, at that moment, I really didn’t trust anyone else in southern California.

His eyes remained fixed on mine for some time, then, he responded. “I do.”

I swiveled back and forth nervously on my barstool, wishing that the show was over, and that I had no more ties to Hollywood, Kelli, or the Reality Girl series. All I wanted was my $500,000 and my freedom.

“Oh,” he said. “I almost forgot.”

He fumbled around underneath the bar for a moment, and then handed me a small box. “Here.”

Clearly marked
Samsung
Galaxy
, it was the cell phone I had asked for.

“Oh wow. Thank you. How much do I owe you?”

“It’s a gift.”

“Thank you.”

“There’s two phone number programmed into it. One is
Bar
, and the other is
Home
. I didn’t want to put my name in it, just in case they found it.”

I opened the box, took out the phone, and turned it on. “Okay.”

“I’ll never send you a text first. And, I’ll only respond if you ask me to, okay?”

It wasn’t much, but it made me feel like I at least had a portion of my life back. Being able to communicate with Franky whenever I felt the need would allow me to maintain some sanity, at least.

I raised my glass. “I better finish this one and go.”

“When’s the biker show up?”

“Hour or so,” I said.

He coughed a laugh. “Cutting it kind of close, aren’t you?”

“I like spending time with you,” I said. “I’d much rather be here than there.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets and twisted his hips back and forth playfully. “I like seeing you, too.”

“Dork.”

He shrugged. “At times.”

All things considered, Franky was great friend. As much as I wanted to attach myself to
someone
, he really wasn’t the one for me. I preferred the alpha male, the protector, and the man who made me feel like nothing in the world could hurt me.

If I learned nothing else from my mistakes during the first portion of the filming, I needed to learn that waiting for the perfect man to come into my life was critical. Settling for anything short of perfection would be to make a sacrifice.

And, I wasn’t prepared to sacrifice anything.

I finished half the drink and slid the glass across the bar. “I can’t finish it. I need to go.”

“Keep the phone hidden,” he said.

“I will.” I slid from the stool dropped the phone and box into my purse. “I’ll talk to you later.”

He picked up the half-finished margarita and nodded.

I turned toward the door, and then decided to make my newfound intentions clear. There needed to be no more illusions, no more lies, and no more mistakes. I pulled the phone from my purse, and as I walked, typed a text message.

Thanks for being such a good friend

I selected
Home
as the recipient and then pressed
send
.

CHAPTER TWENTY

I sat nervously in the front room waiting for the phone call from the driver. He had been gone for half an hour, and according to Bobby, should be back at any moment. A phone call when he was ten minutes away was to warn us of his arrival so we could prepare for the arrival scene.

After fidgeting in my seat for fifteen minutes, I picked up my purse, walked to the bathroom, and sent Franky a text.

I think I’m going to barf

Almost immediately, he returned a text.

I’m outside

I typed a quick response.

What?

I’m outside
, he responded.

Oh my God, how long have you been there?

Twenty minutes

Why?

I want to see you really quick before he gets here

Outside? Like outside the door?

Yeah, kind of

Gimme a sec

I rushed from the bathroom, and into the kitchen. Bobby sat at the table playing games on his phone.

“Nothing yet?” I asked.

He acted uninterested, and didn’t even look up. “Nope.”

“Okay,” I said with a smile. “I’m going to get a breath of fresh air. Be right back.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

I sauntered to the door, opened, it, and stepped out onto the porch.

“Pssst!”

I turned toward the sound. Hidden between the landscape shrubbery and the edge of the home, Franky was concealed pretty well.

“What are you doing?” I whispered.

“I needed to see you,” he said.

“About what?”

Wedged between two large shrubs, he looked silly. Silly and adorable. “Come here,” he said.

I checked over each shoulder, saw no one, and stepped off of the porch and into to the landscaped area.

Standing directly in front of him, I shook my head. “You’re a dork,” I whispered. “What?”

He pursed his lips, inhaled a long breath through his nose, and reached toward my face with both hands.

At the instant the palms of his hands came into contact with my cheeks, I felt flush. He leaned toward me, his lips parted slightly, and then his mouth met mine.

His full lips meshed to mine perfectly. Our tongues intertwined, and then my head began to spin. I hadn’t been kissed in years, and having him surprise me with such passion quickly took me to a place I had forgotten existed.

He pressed me against the stone, held my jaw firmly in his hand, and began to writhe against me, grinding his hips against mine rhythmically.

My legs went weak, but he held me there by pressing his forearms against me.

The kiss lasted until I was mentally exhausted, but right before I
really
wanted it to end.

I had no idea what his intention was, but I knew what he accomplished.

I was clearly confused about my desires. 

At that precise moment, I wanted him so bad I ached.

Still holding my jaw firmly in one hand, he leaned away and gazed into my eyes. “That kiss?” he whispered.

I stared back at him blankly, still lost in the kiss. “Yes,” I breathed.

He cleared his throat and wiped his mouth with the back of his free hand. “That wasn’t
friendly
. I’m not your buddy, Lou. I want to make that clear.”

I swallowed hard. “Okay.”

He lowered his hand to my throat, pressed me to the wall, and held me in place. Temporarily encompassed fully in carnal bliss, my eyes fell closed, and I exhaled what little breath remained in my lungs.

Once again, his mouth met mine.

I kissed him in return, and although the kiss was filled with passion, he cut it short.

He released my throat.

I opened my eyes.

He stood ten feet away from me, in the driveway.

I was tingling from head-to-toe and my pussy was soaked.

“Lou?” he whispered.

I fought against the tightness in my throat and managed a feeble response. “Yes?”

“We will
talk
soon,” he said.

And, with that, he turned away.