Shutter

Chapter Five

"So tell me the truth. Are you and mister hot-shot about to have some hot steamy rendezvous?" Charlie asked as he pulled up to the curb in front of Elle's apartment.

"I don't feel well, Charlie," she said, eyeing him, trying her best to make it seem legit.

"You act like I'm gonna go out and report this shit to fucking Wild Celebs or something," he laughed blithely.

"You are a pap," she pointed out, pursing her lips at him as she gave him the eye.

"So are you!" He laughed even louder.

"Yeah, but I know if I'm hooking up with 'mister hot-shot', that I'm not going to go selling the info," Elle chuckled lightly.

"So you are hooking up with mister hot-shot?" He asked, smirking at her.

"I... uh... we're hanging out," she told him finally.

"And hanging out is code for...?" He asked, letting his question trail off as his eyebrow cocked playfully at her.

"Sweaty, passionate fucking sex," Elle said over-dramatically, with a playful smirk on her lips.

"I knew it!" He laughed amusingly.

"Oh my god. Believe what you want, Charlie," she laughed, pushing the passenger door open.

"Wear protection!" Charlie shouted out after her.

"Oh my god," she laughed, rolling her eyes as she got out of the car and shut the door.

"On second thought – don't. A baby scandal would be excellent," he said jokingly – at least Elle hoped he was joking.

"Keep dreaming," she scoffed through the window at him.

"But seriously, Elle. Be careful. Being in the spotlight will eat you alive," Charlie said with a straight face, letting the playfulness drain out of him altogether.

Elle swallowed back the lump in her throat that formed with his words.

"I'll be okay," she said, giving him a small smile.

"Good. I'll see you soon, Elle," he said, smiling at her as she backed up onto the curb.

Charlie gave one last wave and Elle watched as his tail lights disappeared down the street. She turned to walk to the building, camera in tow, thinking only of the amazing man who would be gracing her presence in less than an hour. With all warnings aside, Elle was still anxious and excited that she and Julian would be meeting up.

After closing her apartment door behind her, setting her camera and her keys on the table by the door, she let out a large breath of air, before a wave of excitement passed through her.

"Oh my god," she sighed, dragging her hands over her face, reliving her encounter with Julian that night in her mind. His piercing eyes trained on her – the way he made her feel when he looked at her like that. He was incredible.

Elle toed off her sneakers and padded across the floor toward her bed, straightening out the blankets on top of it.

By the time she went through her routine of freshening up, her phone was buzzing in her pocket. She pulled it out to see a text from Julian.

Julian: I'll be pulling up in a few minutes.

Elle: Alright. I'll meet you at the door.

Julian: Ok.

Another wave of excitement washed over her as she headed for her apartment door, grabbing her keys, just in case. She stood at the front entrance of her building, waiting for him to pull up, wondering how she would even know it was him when he did arrive. But when she saw that familiar Range Rover park at the curb, she knew for sure it was him. She had photographed him enough in that thing.