Acting Lessons (Off Guard) Read online

  He chuckled and then rolled them both off the bed. With a yelp, Topher clutched at him, sure that they’d end up on the hardwood floor. Somehow, though, Jamie managed to keep them both upright. “Too bad you can’t move. It’ll make it hard to get to the kitchen for breakfast, and I heard Leigh mention she was making caramel rolls this morning.”

  Topher wrapped her legs around his waist. “Suddenly, I feel so much stronger. I might be able to walk again. It’s a miracle! Leigh should have her own reality show, where she heals people with her cooking. It’s like one of those religious revivals, plus food.”

  With a snort, he moved toward the bathroom. “That sounds strangely fascinating.”

  “I know, right?” Topher said, tightening her arms around him in a hug. “I’d totally watch that.” Settling her head on his shoulder, she pressed her lips against his neck, enjoying the prickle of his scruff for the last time that morning, since he’d be shaving it off soon. At the thought, she kissed him again.

  “Watch it,” he grumbled, although he sounded amused. “If you start that again, you’re going to have to wait for your caramel roll.”

  Looking up at him, Topher considered her options. More Jamie-Bear loving or sweet, gooey goodness? It only took her a second to decide. “Okay. I’ll wait for breakfast.”

  “Yeah?” His expression softened as he stared at her. “You’re giving up caramel rolls for me?”

  “Not really giving them up,” she corrected. “We’re delaying them—and not by too much. I’m thinking a quickie should do it, and then I’ll have my sex and eat my roll, too.”

  “A quickie?” he repeated as he shouldered open the bathroom door.

  “In the shower?” Even though he was carrying her, Topher found her breath was speeding up from sheer excitement. “We’ll get clean while we get our rocks off. Multitasking. As a business person, you should appreciate the value of multitasking.”

  “I do,” he said solemnly as he set her down and turned to start the shower. Although he wasn’t rushing, Jamie was moving pretty fast. Topher grinned, liking that she’d put him in urgent mode. “Especially in this situation.”

  Hopping under the spray, she’d barely gotten wet before Jamie was there, condom on, crowding her against the wall. The tile was cold against her back, making her gasp, but it quickly warmed from her skin. The look in Jamie’s eye was getting her hot enough to warm a whole home-improvement store’s worth of tile. He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her like she weighed nothing. When they were face-to-face, he pressed his weight against her, pinning her against the wall.

  It was hard to breathe, but Topher wasn’t sure if that was because Jamie was leaning his bulky body against her, or if it was anticipation of the sexy times that were going to happen. Then, his mouth was on hers, and her brain went blank. All that remained in her mind was a glowing, hot, squirming mass of need.

  His tongue took over her mouth, his teeth nipping at her lips hard enough to sting in the very best way. She was instantly desperate for more of him, and she twisted her arms around his neck to bring him closer and keep him there. That didn’t stop him from sliding her higher still, until her breasts were even with his mouth. Immediately, he took advantage of her position, taking one of her nipples between his lips.

  “Daddy!” Topher cried out, her head rocking back against the tiles. Water poured over them as he sucked, his teeth scoring lightly, sending darts of pleasure directly to her pussy. Wrapping her legs around his torso, she ground her clit against him, desperate to get the friction she needed to come. Jamie pulled his head back, releasing her nipple, and she moaned with disappointment. The aching loss didn’t last long, though, because he turned his attention to her other breast.

  He kissed and nipped everywhere except the stiff nipple that was begging for his attention. Topher was pretty close herself to begging by the time he finally quit teasing and closed his lips around the needy tip. She made a wordless, desperate sound as her hips bucked against him. Her clit rubbed against his hair-and-scar-roughened torso, sending a jolt of desire through her.

  Her body started to slide down the tile, her nipple pulling free from the light hold his teeth had on it. Topher clutched at him, trying to keep her breasts within licking and kissing and biting range, but Jamie lowered her, his hands around her waist. Her efforts to cling to him were futile, and she finally gave up trying to hold on, dropping the grip of her arms and legs.

  Before her feet touched the shower floor, however, he stopped. Shifting his hips closer to her, he bent his knees and drove his cock between her legs. Topher sucked in a breath, her body shocked by going from empty to completely, wonderfully full in less than a second. She was sore and swollen from the previous night’s activities, and he felt gigantic inside her, but the ache was something she was growing to love, that small bit of pain she’d started to crave. Topher didn’t care if it made her freaky or strange that a little hurt turned her on even more. Right now, she wanted it, wanted Jamie and every ache—pleasurable or painful—that he caused.

  Her hands, which had been lying lax on his shoulders when she thought he was putting her down, gripped him hard, her fingertips digging into his muscles. He groaned, low in his throat. Topher wasn’t sure if the sound was from how she felt inside, or if it was from the pressure of her clenched fingers.

  “Tophie.” Her name was a barely comprehensible sound. His fingers digging into the soft flesh at her waist, Jamie began to move. With his grip on her, his body pressing her against the shower wall, his cock filling her with every thrust, Topher was completely surrounded by him—inside and out. She loved it, loved the security of it, the slight pain, the feeling of being held and protected, so that she was free to let go of everything. She’d never had that before, never trusted anyone as much as she trusted James Hawkins, despite only knowing him for a short time.

  He withdrew, his heavy erection dragging against her swollen inner walls, lighting every single nerve ending on fire, pain merging with pleasure, until only the head of his cock was inside her. She held her breath, not letting it out until he drove into her again, filling her so completely that there was no room for oxygen. His pace increased, pounding into her in a rhythm that would’ve been brutal if she hadn’t loved every single stroke.

  Tipping his head down, he licked the water droplets off her shoulder before nipping her skin. That bite, as small as it was, sent shockwaves of desire through her and triggered her orgasm. Topher cried out, clutching at him, as pleasure tore through her. As her body squeezed around him, Jamie’s movements—so controlled and even up until that point—became frenzied. He thrust into her, over and over, driving her to even greater pleasure.

  With a final hard thrust, he buried himself inside her, pressing his forehead against hers as he came. As much as she wanted to melt into him, to close her eyes and let her muscles go slack, knowing that he would hold her up, Topher kept her eyes open so she could watch Jamie. All the muscles in his face and neck stretched taut, turning the planes and angles of his faces into a piece of art. She shouldn’t have been surprised that he was beautiful when he came. After all, he was beautiful when he slept and talked and ate and rode—why would this be any different?

  His body sagged just a little before he pulled out and straightened with a rough laugh.

  “What?” she asked, already smiling.

  He gathered her tighter against him in a hug. “You noodle-fied my legs.”

  “Did you, Mr. James Hawkins, just say ‘noodle-fied’?” she asked in pretend shock.

  “I did.” He frowned at her, although his displeasure was about as believable as her mock-horror had been. “I almost called Peyton ‘Pey-Pey’ yesterday. Your Tophie-isms are catching.”

  Leaning into him, she tilted her head back so she could see his face. “That’s a good thing. I think there’d be less bitchiness and more harmony and definite
ly more amazing-food-eating if a little of me rubbed off on a few people around here.”

  Lightly tugging her wet hair, he said, “Quit calling me bitchy.”

  She laughed. “Then quit being queen of the mean girls.”

  Jamie rolled his eye, making Topher goggle at him. First he starts talking like me, and now he’s stealing my gestures? Something is very wrong with Jamie. “Peyton is obviously the queen of the mean girls, Tophie.”

  “True.” Laughing again, she gave him a final hug and then playfully pushed at his chest. “Now, put me down so I can wash up. I got my quickie, and now I need caramel rolls.”

  “Rolls? Multiple?”

  “Of course.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Topher stared at the empty tray. A few smears of caramel and a scattering of crumbs were the only evidence that Leigh’s caramel rolls had existed. Her empty stomach twisted and growled, protesting the fifty-six stomach years since she’d last fed it. The late-night and early-morning sex sessions with Jamie had used up a gazillion extra calories, and her insides felt hollow from hunger. Obviously, the quickie in the shower hadn’t been quick enough. She tore her gaze from the tray and narrowed her eyes on the three men and one woman sitting around the kitchen table. She didn’t recognize them, but, from their matching black shirts and BDUs, Topher guessed that they were part of Jamie’s security team. The Golfinis’ muscle wore suits and looked more...thuggish.

  “They were almost gone when we got here.” One of the guys was the first to break. “Really. Lester and I had to share one.”

  Topher eyed them. “You all look suspiciously...sticky.”

  “Honestly, there were only three left when we arrived.” The woman’s sincerity took a hit when she surreptitiously wiped at her face, as if trying to erase any lingering caramel traces. “I think Mr. Golfini’s crew got to them first.”

  “We could check the security footage?” Another one of the men hastily stood.

  “Good idea,” the woman seconded, and all four rushed out of the kitchen.

  Leigh snorted from the other side of the kitchen, where she was leaning against the wall and playing with her phone. “You sure can clear a room. Give me your number. I’ll text you when there are too many annoying people hanging around my kitchen.”

  “This is serious, Leigh-the-Food-Goddess.” Topher swung an arm toward the empty tray sitting in the center of the now-cleared table. “They ate them all. Every bite.” With a heavy sigh, she plopped down in one of the recently vacated chairs. “Now I know how all those Whos down in Who-Ville felt when they woke up on Christmas morning. I mean, maybe they were singing later, but I know their very first thought was ‘No breakfast? Motherfu—’ Hey, Mom. Good morning, Ben. Did you sleep well?” As Leigh doubled over in laughter, Topher gave her parents her most innocent smile.

  “Good morning, Coco,” her mother responded, her voice cool. She’d been chilly with Topher ever since their discussion in Jamie’s study. Topher wasn’t surprised; her mom’s sulks usually lasted a few days if she didn’t get her way. By day after tomorrow, Cecilia would be back to her normal cheerful self. Ben gave her a tip of his head in greeting.

  “Where is Hawkins?” Ben asked. When he glanced around the room, as if she’d stuffed Jamie under the table or set him on a shelf somewhere, Topher had to hold back a laugh.

  “Working in his study.” Now that she knew there was no gooey goodness to be had in the kitchen, she was tempted to join him there. “He has a few things to do before we go riding.”

  Humming an acknowledgement, Ben turned and walked toward the door. “I’d like to speak with him before we leave. I’m interested in a few projects he has in the works.”

  As her stepfather left the kitchen, Topher stifled a frown at the thought of Jamie being stuck in his office for hours. That only sounded like a good idea if she was in there with him. “Have you had breakfast yet?” she asked her mom. “If not, you’ve missed out on the caramel rolls. Tiny’s goons got to them first.” Twisting around in her chair, Topher glared at Leigh, who’d finally stopped laughing and was back to playing with her phone. “How could you let them do that, Leigh-the-Food-Goddess?”

  “I’m not standing between six hulking Mafia guys and food.” Leigh dropped her phone in her pocket and donned an apron.

  Although she grumbled under her breath, Topher couldn’t argue with the cook’s logic. Tiny’s security guys were scary.

  “They did you a favor, Coco,” her mom said, reaching over to give Topher’s hand a brisk pat. “You don’t need a caramel roll.” Her face twisted. “It’s all sugar and fat and carbs. There are toasted amaranth cakes and protein smoothies in the dining room buffet. Why don’t you try those, instead?”

  Still turned toward Leigh, Topher made a face. The cook dropped her head to stare into the sink as she washed her hands, but Topher caught Leigh’s smirk. Twisting back around to face her mom, who’d settled in the seat across from her, Topher forced a polite smile. “As delicious as an ama-whatever cake sounds, I’ll just have cold cereal. Leigh-Goddess, do you have Lucky Charms?”

  “No.”

  “Oh.” It seemed that the morning would be full of disappointments. “Frosted Flakes?”

  “No.”

  Topher’s shoulders drooped. Maybe she could convince Jamie to take her to a diner in town, preferably one that fried everything in butter. “What do you have?”

  “These caramel rolls that I saved for you,” Leigh said dryly, reaching into the warming oven and pulling out a plate with two—two—gorgeous pastries on it.

  As Leigh brought the rolls to the table, Topher stared. Even when they were sitting in front of her, she couldn’t believe that they were real. Jumping to her feet, she grabbed a startled Leigh in a hug.

  “It’s a miracle, a breakfast miracle!” Topher squeezed the cook even tighter. “You are my absolute favorite person in the entire world, and I’m reconsidering my decision to stay here with Jamie-Bear rather than running away and marrying you in an Elvis-themed wedding in Vegas.”

  Leigh laughed and gave her a pat on the back before pulling out of Topher’s hug. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m not ready to settle down yet. There are so many aspiring actresses wanting to marry me.”

  “Of course there are.” Topher sighed dramatically, sinking back into her chair even as she kept her focus on Leigh. “Who wouldn’t want to marry a gorgeous, talented, amazing-food-creating angel from—what the hell?” She’d finally looked at the table in front of her, and the plate of caramel rolls were gone. “Where’d they go? Mom!”

  Topher launched out of her chair and across the kitchen, but it was too late. Her mother tipped the plate, and the caramel rolls—those wonderful, gooey breakfast miracles—toppled into the garbage.

  When Topher reached the trash can, she looked down, hoping desperately that the rolls had landed on a clean sheet of baking parchment or an unused paper plate or something equally sanitary that would allow her to eat food out of the garbage just this once. Unfortunately, it was not to be. The sticky rolls lay in a bed of coffee grounds and vegetable peelings, as well as something white and curd-like that made Topher gag.

  “Why?” she asked, looking from the ruined rolls to her mom’s face. The tragedy of it stole her words. Those beautiful, beautiful pastries had been destroyed, turned inedible. For once, she couldn’t manage to say anything except repeat that one question. “Why?”

  Her mother made a tsk sound before putting the empty plate on the counter. “I told you, Coco. Those are horrible for you. If you won’t consider your...health, then I have to do it for you. You know, I thought that going to auditions would help with your weight problem, but you seem as unconcerned about your issues with food as you were as a teenager.”

  “Weight problem?” Leigh snorted. “Topher? This tiny, bitty person? She looks like a fli
pping fairy. I wouldn’t be surprised if she sprouted pink glittery wings and fluttered around the room bopping people on the head with her sparkly magic wand.”

  Temporarily distracted from the caramel-roll massacre, Topher asked, “Do fairies have magic wands?”

  “Fairy godmothers do,” Leigh answered with complete confidence.

  “I wonder if all fairies get them right away, or if you have to become a godmother first, because I’m not a godmother yet, and I don’t know anyone who’d trust me with their children, but I’d love a sparkly magic wand. I mean, the wings would be utterly awesome, too, don’t get me wrong, but the magic wand is a whole new level of awesomeness. I don’t think I’d be a good godmother, though. What does a godmother even do? Fairy godmothers seem pretty awful in the stories, but that could be just—”

  “Coco!” her mother interrupted, and Topher fell silent. “Why are you babbling about fairies when I’m trying to discuss your health? You’ve always been flighty, but I’ve never seen you this bad.” She leaned in, frowning with as much concern as she could project with a face full of Botox. “Is it that...man you’re dating? Is this binge eating and your little bimbo act a cry for help?”

  “I’m not crying for help.” Topher turned back to her mom. “You know who is crying for help? These poor, innocent caramel rolls that did nothing but look utterly delicious and got tossed into the trash anyway. Please excuse me now, since I need to find that...man I’m dating so I can make him take me somewhere to binge eat. I’m hungry.”

  “Coco...” her mother warned, but Topher hurried out of the kitchen before she could get sucked into another argument. Her stomach was demanding food, and the lingering smell of caramel rolls wasn’t helping her mood. Rushing into the dining room, she wanted to cry when she saw that a few pieces of fruit and some crumbs were all that remained of the breakfast buffet. The security people are like vacuums. Topher stared at the empty trays for a few mournful moments before she headed for Jamie’s office. She’d almost made it to the stairs when someone grabbed her by the arm. Topher made a sound embarrassingly close to a squawk as Danny dragged her into a half-bath and closed the door behind them.