Hollywood Remake (A Celebrity Love Story)

Chapter 4: There's Something About Kate

Aidan stood in the doorway of his house with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist, taking in the view. Kate was here. She was wheeling her suitcase up the front drive, with the famous hilltop Hollywood sign just visible on the horizon behind her.

"Hi," she said as she came up to the door and stopped in front of him.

He stood still for a moment, his face blank, studying her without a word. Was he happy to see her? She couldn't quite tell.

"Hi," he said at last.

"I probably should have called."

"No." He shook his head and reached out to take her hand. He pulled her into the house and kicked the door closed in one smooth motion. He had her back pressed up against the door, and he leaned into her, kissing her like a drowning man fighting for breath.

"Hi," he gasped, when he finally came up for air.

She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, still damp from the shower. "Hi," she whispered back, wondering how long they were going to go on standing in the doorway, greeting each other. He still wasn't smiling. Just staring at her now, with that look he sometimes got – like he was trying to set her on fire with his eyes.

There was a word for that look, wasn't there? Bedroom eyes? That come-hither look that made the magazines fly off the shelves of the grocery store check-out aisles whenever his face graced the Us Weekly or Rolling Stone. Even after seven years apart, it still took her breath away whenever she unexpectedly came upon his face on the cover of some magazine.

There was something surreal about it now, seeing that look in his eyes up close and personal. She experienced that same sense of parallax she'd felt the week before, spending time with him in New York. Like she had left reality behind and stepped into some movie-version of her life, starring the celebrated Aidan Sands as hero. This must be the part now just after the opening credits had rolled, when the two co-stars first find themselves face to face. She wouldn't have been entirely shocked to hear some schmaltzy orchestra music swelling to a crescendo just behind her....

Kate blinked her eyes and forced her mind to focus. "My suitcase," she said.

"What suitcase?" Aidan dipped his head and kissed her again, leaning against her heavily. He was still feeling a little shaky. He'd nearly fallen over just now when he saw her pull up to his house. Five minutes ago, he thought he was never going to see her face again, and now she was here. Kate was here. Kate. Katie. Katie was in his house. Katie was saying something about a suitcase.

"I left it outside."

He stood up straight and took a deep breath. He needed to get a hold of himself – couldn't let her see how much she was affecting him right now. Play it cool, he thought to himself. Play-it-cool-play-it-cool-play-it-cool.

"Right," he said, stepping aside so she could turn and open the door. Her suitcase was sitting on the front stoop, and he reached past her to pick it up and carry it inside. "Come on," he said. "Let me show you around."

It wasn't much of a tour. The whole house consisted of three rooms: a living room that opened to the kitchen and dining area, a bedroom dominated by an enormous California king-sized bed, and a master bathroom with double sinks and showerheads.

"It's kind of a bachelor pad," he said with a little smirk as he dropped her suitcase off next to the dresser in his bedroom.

"I know," she replied, smiling back. "I saw your episode of Cribs on MTV."

He laughed, taking in the unmade bed and messy room. "Yeah, I guess it was a little more neat and tidy for that."

She was leaning against his dresser and she lifted up her hand, wrinkling her nose at it in distaste. "What is this?"