Tell Tale Kiss

Chapter Sixteen

Jackson took a taxi back to his apartment. He was in a foul mood. It's been months since he'd seen any action. Between working on set and his self-imposed celibacy act, he was downright irritable.

He kept thinking of the woman he met tonight. She was beautiful, she was into him, and she didn't even know his name. Just thinking about it turned him on again. To be with a woman like that would be amazing. One night of sex without having to perform. To be himself. Jackson sighed.

That's how it used to feel with Evie. She had known him since the beginning, but she's been acting weird ever since he started gaining popularity. He found her jealousy stifling. She didn't understand.

That woman tonight, however, got him. She understood. There was no connection when you kissed someone on set. It was all an act. Okay, maybe he should have left things there, but when he fooled around with those women mentioned in the tabloids, he never loved them. The only woman he ever loved was Evie. Why couldn't she get that? Those women meant nothing to him.

He stripped off his tie and flopped on the sofa. His phone rang. The name on the screen made him cringe. "What now?"

"Have you lost your mind? Do you know how much money it has cost me to try and salvage your reputation? Your career? And you're okay with stabbing me in the back?"

Jackson knew his agent was talking about tonight. The photographer snitched to the informant and of course that got back to his agent.

"I had dinner with someone. I just met her. Nothing happened."

"That's not what it looked like in the photographs I was sent. Have you given up? Do you not want to be the number one action star anymore? Because if you have, let me know now so I can start looking for new talent."

Jackson sat up alarmed. "Of course, I haven't."

"What if someone was around? What if some other photographer got the photos I'd seen tonight? You'd be ruined, Jackson. You understand that don't you?"

Jackson sighed. "It won't happen again."

"I know it won't because first thing tomorrow you're going to Missouri and you're going to try and get Evie back. I've got it all set up for you. I'll text you the information for your flight and hotel. You've got the ring?"

Jackson looked at the pile of mail he collected earlier that day. He found the express envelope and opened it. The black velvet box slid into his palm. "Got it right here."

"Good. This is your last chance, Jackson. If you screw this up there will be nothing, I can do to save you. Oh yeah, and there's one more thing."

Jackson's hand gripped the box tight. "Understood."

____

Ethan followed Kate back to her apartment. They spent the entire cab ride in silence. He half expected her to ask about the kiss but she didn't. She wouldn't even make eye contact with him.

Raphael told Kate he had called Dina. She will meet Kate at her apartment with the key. Dina had gotten it from the neighbor by telling the woman that Evelyn was waiting for an important package and asked her to wait for it to arrive. Dina also promised to take care of the plants before she left.

Kate opened the door to her apartment and Ethan followed her in. "Why don't you get out of that dress and I'll upload these photos to your computer?"

Kate wandered into her bedroom without a word. Ethan ran his fingers through his hair. Why he had chosen to fall in love with Kate was beyond him. She was the most frustrating woman he had ever met.