Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 128260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
She poured me a cup of coffee and added cream and sugar to it just the way I liked, and set it in front of me. I wrapped my hands around the warm mug and brought it to my mouth, taking a small sip of the hot liquid.
“At least tell me you didn’t fall in love with him, honey,” Abby said.
I released a breath. “It was a weekend, Abby,” I said back, my gaze shifting away.
When I looked back at her, her mouth was agape. “Oh shit. You idiot. You totally did! You fell in love with the porn star!” She groaned, leaning back and sliding down in her chair, flailing for a second and slapping a palm on her forehead. “Oh God,” she practically yelled. “This is much worse than I thought. No wonder you never let loose! When you do, you really go all out, don’t you, girlfriend?”
“Abby, stop the hysterics. I didn’t fall in love in two days.” Did I? I felt momentarily confused. No, of course not. That wasn’t possible. “I just… I care about him. I didn’t want to say goodbye.” I miss him already. So much.
Abby sighed, pulling herself up. “Start at the beginning, Gracie. I want a play-by-play, and I know you’re sad, but don’t gloss over sexy times.” She pulled a piece of paper and her pen forward as though she was going to take notes.
I laughed and then sniffled. “You’re really a perv, you know that?”
“Uh-huh. I make no apologies. Now start talking.”
We talked until she had to shower and leave for class. I cried a little more, but it felt good to get it out. Another emotional release that I’d needed—the sharing of the experience with my best friend. Then I went into my room, did a face-plant on my bed, and didn’t wake up until Abby was walking back in the door at six that night.
_________
Carson
I traveled straight from the airport to the hotel where my shoot was being held, knowing that I could shower there. They’d need to prep me for the cameras anyway. I was used to the drill.
I had barely slept for two hours the night before, listening to every sound in the hallway, hoping against hope that Grace would decide to come back. There was no way I could go to her after the way we’d parted… We had said our goodbyes. I couldn’t make it any harder on her. But I thought maybe she’d change her mind and decide to stay just one more night with me. And so instead of going to the airport like I’d thought about, I stayed in the room where she’d know I’d be. But she hadn’t come back. I understood. I wasn’t surprised. It still fucking sucked. And the worst part of it all was that I missed her in a way I’d never missed anyone else before. Every instinct in me told me to charge after her, claim her as mine. But that caveman shit I’d joked about that first night wasn’t going to cut it. We had gone over the reality of our situation… of us. Our lives didn’t mesh, and there was nothing we could do right now to make that happen.
What was it about her that had gotten under my skin so deeply and so quickly? Maybe I was trying to figure it out so I could talk myself out of the feeling of loss that I couldn’t shake. In the end, I decided that. But maybe there simply wasn’t a clear-cut answer. It was just because she was her, and it was really just as simple as that. Her, who’d charmed and mesmerized me. Her, who’d made me question things I hadn’t questioned before. Her, who’d made me see myself in a different light—one that cast shadows, but also, one that offered a perspective I hadn’t noticed before, one I hadn’t even fully investigated yet because I was still half-dazed from the experience.
I knocked on the door of the suite number Courtney had texted me that morning and was let in by a cameraman I’d worked with before. “Hey, Joe,” I greeted him.
“Hey, Carson, how’s it going?”
“Great. Is makeup set up in there?” I asked, indicating a closed door leading to what I assumed was the bedroom and bathroom.
“Yeah. They’re waiting for you.”
“Okay.” When I opened the door, I was greeted by Courtney who mouthed hi, a cell phone held to her ear as she moved away.
“Hi, Carson,” I heard a high-pitched voice say. “I’m Bambi.” A naked blond with large, obviously fake breasts said from a makeup chair over by the window. A woman with a small makeup brush was applying something to Bambi’s nipples.
I smiled tightly. I was so not into this. Just get through it and get paid, I reminded myself. “Hey, Bambi, nice to meet you,” I said, walking over and shaking her hand.