Famous (Famous #1) (44 page)

“But, I think we should talk about it,” I said and then hesitated. This was a serious conversation and I rubbed my hand lightly on her tummy. “Um…” I stopped.

“Cade, what is it?” she whispered. I hesitated because of this new, powerful desire that had risen within me. “Just say it.”

I was totally unprepared for the intensity and complete and utter astonishment I felt at this new need of mine.

My heart pounding in my chest, I knew that I wanted to give her the world and more. She had become my entire life.

“Brook.” I bent to kiss her mouth, brushing mine back and forth across it before kissing her more deeply, and then a few more, soft, sucking kisses.

“I would give you anything you asked. Would you do the same?” I whispered against her luscious mouth, she rose toward me, her lips searching, seeking mine. I took her mouth wildly with mine, my tongue diving into her mouth, I sucked on her tongue, tasting, teasing.

She reached up to brush the hair from my forehead as she sucked my lower lip into her mouth, before again brushing my lips with hers.

“Yes, anything.” She nodded and I could see the questions in her eyes, her brow crinkling a little above her nose. “Anything.” She smiled softly as she said it again.

“Would you give me… a child?” My eyes never left her face as I asked.

She gasped and her eyes grew wider.

“Not right away, obviously,” I assured her.

“But, I thought… you wouldn’t want that…” Brook began, shaking her head, her brow furrowed.

I placed a finger on her lips to still her words.

“I didn’t think I did either, but this thing between us is so profound, I find myself in unfamiliar territory. A place I never thought I’d be. Maybe I’m thinking about it because of the books—the movies.”

I stopped for a second and moved my hand on her stomach below her navel again. I watched her looking at me, her hair like silk fanning out behind her head, her blue eyes soft.

“But, nothing would make me happier.” I stopped and lifted her hand to my mouth to softly kiss it, noticing the beautiful engagement ring on her delicate finger. My heart felt like it would burst within my chest: it was so full of her. “I want that with you.”
I raised my eyes to meet hers and smiled.
“Someday.”

Her beautiful eyes filled up with tears as she looked at me. I moved to lie on my side, propping up on one hand while the other went back to her smooth stomach and lightly rested there.

“It would be irrefutable proof of the love between us; and the world would know it,” I said, my voice growing deeper as emotion surged within my chest. “I can’t wait to see a beautiful little girl with your face and my eyes, or to see my baby son suckling at your breast would be the most incredible, powerful thing I could ever imagine.” I watched her expression soften and her lips tremble, her eyes becoming even more liquid. “I love you
so much I feel a little ridiculous, like I’m making an utter ass of myself
.”

The tears fell softly from her eyes as she looked into mine and shook her head. “Brook, don’t cry. I’m sorry.” I kissed the tears from her cheeks. “You’re the love of my life,” I vowed.

“Cade, don’t be sorry that you love me like that. You make me so happy.” Her hand covered mine and pressed it against her where it rested above her womb.
“Nothing would give me more joy. It’s amazing to know you want to share that with me.” Her voice cracked as a sob broke from her chest.
“I love you,” she whispered, and I bent to kiss her again softly, the fingers of my right hand twining with her left. “More than I ever believed it was possible to love anyone.”

I rested my head against hers, and sighed deeply. I felt like I was living a dream.

“Just not for about 10 years, okay?” She laughed though the tears on her face.

“Okay, honey, sure.” I smiled and laughed with her as my arms closed around her and we both laughed out loud. “Whatever you want. Anything,” I promised, and meant every word.

Chapter 23

Morning Glory

I awoke in the dark, many of the candles burnt out and only a few of the larger ones still flickering. Cade was curled up against my body from behind, his hand around my waist and coming up to cup my breast. I inhaled the scent of him all around me as I closed my eyes, remembering the ecstasy of the evening before.

It was magical and unbelievable. The stuff dreams are made of.

Thinking back, I remembered his beautiful eyes, glistening with tears when he looked upon me in the negligee for the first time, and again as he knelt to place his ring on my finger. I closed my eyes as I remembered his velvet voice telling me he loved me and that I belonged to him in the middle of our passionate lovemaking. His touch made my body sing. The reverence in his voice when he admitted that he wanted our child filled my heart to the point of bursting. It was surreal. Never in my wildest imagination would I have dared hope that Caden Carlisle would be mine. Not only that, he’d proposed and told me he wanted a child with me.
Holy fuck.

I never thought I could love someone this much. It mirrored the intensity relationship Ryan and Julia shared in the books, and in our film.

My eyes stung with tears at the memory of the months since the end of shooting, and the pain we’d suffered during our separation. All of the longing and worry that had built up inside as I’d wondered if we’d still be “
us”
when we finally had time to spend time together again, had been for nothing.

I listened to Cade’s steady breathing, the warmth from his breath on my shoulder and neck. There was nowhere else I’d rather be.

He’s so perfect in every way… How could such a man even exist, let alone love me?

My heart beat faster and my arm tightened on top of his. I brought his hand up to my face and pressed my lips to it. Part of me was afraid that this was too good to be true, that something would happen to shatter the perfection in front of me, but I tried to push those feelings away.

I would cherish these precious moments and days with Cade, memorize every second and pack it away in the recesses of my heart so I could relive them when we were apart.

Usually, I was beyond all of this romantic stuff, even thinking at times that it was all bullshit or something that only existed in movie scripts, but never in reality. I never thought in a million years that I’d want to have children either. Even though it would still be years, Cade had changed my mind in a matter of seconds..

He was perfect; a gentleman, respectful and caring, not to mention beautiful. It was no wonder every woman he met wanted him.

My stomach lurched a little at the thought of all of the women that would chase him and surely all of the tabloid rumors that would be conjured up just to sell magazines. It wouldn’t be easy, but being with Cade would be worth the turmoil.

He was worth everything.

I was content as I lay next to him as he slept, his warm arms around me, feeling protected and safe from anything bad that could happen.

If only the studio didn’t have such utter control over our lives. I knew I shouldn’t think of it that way, it was because of this movie that we’d met, but the restrictions they placed over our lives and time together, sucked. And, the pain Cade would suffer when I had to pretend to be with David was regrettable. Even though it was a ruse, I hated putting him through that, and there was much more of it to come.

Jeanne told me yesterday on the phone that David would be flying with me to Rome for the premier of
The Future of Our Past
in October, and Cade would be joining us directly from London after visiting his family. No doubt, Cade would torture himself the entire time I was with David; at least until he was holed up with me in my hotel room after the red carpet and the interviews were finished.

The worst part of the secrecy was the lying. I hated it and it was risky. I hated pretending I was with David when my heart was screaming for Cade. I hated that he suffered because of it, but so did David. Mostly, I hated not being able to be open with our feelings for each other, hated we couldn’t just be natural with each other. It was bullshit.

I also worried about all of the screaming women and surely all of the actresses that he’d be in contact with over the next few months. I shivered as the thought left me ice cold. This thing with Cade was fragile and filled with variables, which scared the living shit out of me. I was terrified. If I ever lost him, it would devastate my life.

I didn’t give a damn about what people thought about me, but everything was different now. Celebrity changed everything, but if I had my druthers, I’d rather stand my ground. Cade
gave
me all I wanted, and knew what I needed before I did. No negotiation necessary. There was a strange tightness building within my chest at the turn of my thoughts. I was a pile of mush under his hands; one word from him could take me to heaven, or plunge me to hell. It was a precarious, yet glorious place to be.

Amazing, and scary
.

My fingers traced up and down the strong forearm that was wrapped around me. Cade stirred slightly and his arm tightened more when he pressed his lips into the back of my head in a series of kisses that continued down my neck to the curve of my shoulder, as he lifted the curtain of my hair out of his way.

“Mmmm…” he breathed against the side of my neck. “Here you are, as if in a dream.” His body mirrored mine, both of us lying on our sides. He was plastered up against my back, and yet I wanted him closer. I felt the soft caress of his lips run across my shoulder and I smiled at his words. “I was afraid to wake up.”

“Don’t. It’s the middle of the night.” I turned toward him and wrapped my arms around him, while his slid around me. “I could get used to this, babe.” I kissed his chest and rested my head down to snuggle into him.

“I wish,” he murmured into my hair and kissed my temple, his fingers lightly caressing my shoulder and arm. “Last night was amazing, my love. You’re a little sex kitten, Brook. I think I’m absolutely stunned.”

He smiled as his index finger ran down my cheek and I smiled at the same time as I shook my head. “No, you aren’t,” I scoffed.

“Yes I am. It was absolutely brilliant. Just the thought if it gets me going all over again.” He pressed into me so I could feel the proof of his words.

“It’s all your fault.” My fingers were drawing circles on his skin low on his stomach and I never wanted to stop touching him.

“Well, then I’m more talented than I gave myself credit for,” he said, his fingers lightly running up and down my back gave me chills, goose bumps rising all over my arms.

“You
are
very talented, for which I am eternally grateful.” I kissed his mouth lightly and his stomach growled. “Should I get you something to eat? Are you hungry?”

He laughed out loud. “Is that a trick question?” I looked up into his grinning face with a smile of my own. The darkness of the room, and the remnants of the candlelight cast soft shadows on the classic planes of his face.

“No, because I’m starving, too.” I touched his face and then moved to get out of bed. He grabbed me around the waist.

“Not so fast,” he murmured as he pulled me back toward him and wrapped his arms around me. “It feels too good to be with you like this. I don’t want it to end yet.” His hand came to the back of my head and grabbed a handful of my hair. He tugged gently, bringing my head back as his mouth took mine in a hot, soulful kiss, his tongue entering my mouth. I moaned as I opened my mouth to him, giving him complete access and my tongue came into his mouth as well.

He was so delicious, so sweet.

I wanted more kisses, more touches, more Cade. I responded with everything I had, my mouth begging his to deepen the kiss as I sucked on his tongue. He groaned, giving in to what I wanted as his mouth hardened on mine and I felt his hand move to my hair to pull me closer.

“Brook,” he said softly as he nuzzled into my neck and kissed it softly with a series of wet, hot kisses. He sucked gently on the skin with his open mouth, sending electric shivers through my entire body.

I felt my body begin to open as my hips involuntarily rose to press into him, the heat beginning to pool between my legs. He groaned at my movement. “I want you.” He pressed into me and I felt his already hard erection on my stomach as he moved over me.
“Is that okay?” he said as his mouth hovered inches above mine.

“Yes, please.” I smiled softly at him. I ran my fingers through his hair at the back of his neck as I urged his mouth back to mine. “I really love you, you know?” I whispered just before his mouth engulfed mine again.

His fingers were grazing the skin of my arms and back, one hand finally coming up to slide to the back of my head and twine in my hair. We kissed madly, passionately, our bodies grinding against each other through the thin silk of my gown and his pajama bottoms.

Cade groaned into my mouth as desire surged between us. His hand on my leg gathered up the fabric on the skirt of the negligee until it was exploring my bare thigh, and moving up to lightly graze my core, as I parted my legs for him. His hand fluttered softly across the tender flesh and my body arched of its own volition up to increase the pressure. “I’m already so hard, Brook.”

“You know just how to touch me.” I raised my head toward his, seeking his mouth with my own. When he pulled back, I whispered against his mouth. “You make me want you so much.”

He pulled me onto my side so I was facing him as he hitched my leg over his hip, his hand on my thigh burning into my skin, and causing trembles through my body.

“Hearing you say that, knowing it’s the truth… I can’t get enough. I never want to leave this house.”

The blue depths of his eyes were intense. His mouth brushed mine, the heat of passion momentarily replaced by pure love. We were mesmerized by each other, our breathing deep, eyes locked. My hand glided up his muscled arm over his shoulder, to cup his cheek.

I bit my lip as I gazed upon his beautiful face, my thumb brushing back and forth on his lower lip and then his jaw line, the little bit of stubble that I loved beginning from growth overnight.

“Cade,” I said his name and I knew the love was dripping from my voice. “I just… want you so much.” His arms gathered me close as his mouth found mine, taking my lower lip between both of his.

“I’m yours,” he said against my mouth and then his kiss became more passionate as he pulled me close. “But, I want you more. God, so much more.” He rolled me over onto my back and pressed into me again as his hand brushed my hair back. I brought my arms up to circle his back and shoulders.

I lost myself in his kisses and our glorious lovemaking. All thoughts of hunger for anything other than his mouth, his body and his love were completely forgotten.

The remnants of the candlelight bathed us in its golden glow as once again he made me his.

I woke to the sun streaming in the windows of the bedroom, casting rays that reflected off of the walls. My arms reached out for Brook in the bed beside me, as if by habit. I smiled to myself thinking that after only this short time together she was already a fixture in my life.

My arms searched the empty bed beside me as I opened my eyes. I could smell her scent on the sheets so I knew that I hadn’t dreamed the entire night before. I placed my hand over my eyes as I remembered the deliciousness of the evening and night we’d shared together.