Leading Lady

Part 12: San Diego

"Thank God," I grumbled, dropping the luggage at the condo rental. "No five star?"

"What?" Kitara turned to see my face. "Uh, no. You want help getting the groceries out of the car?"

"Uh...." Ugh. "I'm fine." I turned on my heel and went back to the car park. I got us connecting hotel rooms in Los Angeles, but it was her turn and she selects what? A bloody condo! What's the good in that? No room service, no.... 

When I returned with the last of everything, she clapped her hands.

"Yay!"

I couldn't help but laugh at that girlish tone. The tension literally drained from my body. I'm being conned, I told myself, but I was already okay with it. "Glad you're glad, darling, really, but why?"

"Did you ever think there may be a time when you might be so famous that you can't do this?"

"Do what?"

"Live in a neighborhood, absorb authentic atmosphere," she smiled with a spread of her hands. "I always thought of those hotels like ivory towers high up, safe, secluded and disconnected." She gave a sheepish smile. " I admit I do appreciate the safety part, though."

I sat on the sofa, kicked off my shoes and reclined. I wouldn't mind a nap right now. I had no answer for that, her fresh face view of it. I laid out completely, and closed my eyes.

"What do you want to do?" I heard her ask. "Oh." Evidently she saw me laying on the couch. "Well, why don't you take a nap?"

I made loud snoring noises, and she giggled. I heard her body move close and felt her body warmth as she bent to kiss my forehead. "Now, I'm just waiting for the final touch." Her cell rang, playing I'm Every Woman. That was Laura's ringtone. "Hi-I!" She listened. "Bring him up."

Who's him?

Moments later, Laura arrived...with Zeus.

"Baby!" She cooed, taking the hair mop from Laura as she hugged her hello. "Oh, I have missed you! And look, there's Shane. Say hi, Shane."

I threw a hand up. "Hey." The dog actually growled. I smiled to myself, envisioning giving that little rug a bath. I remembered her commenting how he hated them.

"You two need to get along," Laura advised. "Especially with all the rumors."

"What rumors?" I asked, eyes still closed.

"See for yourself," Laura said saucily. "Hold on, got it on my phone here." A few clicks and she said, "Here."

"We're signing autographs," I heard Kitara say. "So?"

"Uh-uh-uh," Laura sounded a bit excited. "Have a look, kiddies."

I finally sat up, and Laura plopped down between us smiling broadly as she pressed play. In the video, I had kissed her temple, and she smiled up at me. What people didn't realize was that she was so nervous. She even said she might throw up before we started. We shared a lot of looks, but they were more me checking to see if she was okay, and she was. Once we got started, she had no real problem, but I hadn't stopped looking at her, or touching her shoulder when she stretched her neck from time to time. I was just being supportive...right? But I liked her. I liked being around her. I liked her strength, and I loved her vulnerability, and being someone she leaned on? A guy could get really high on that.

"Oh," Kitara laughed nervously. "I was getting cagey, and Shane was just being supportive."

"Uh huh," she said. "And the night in Santa Barbara?"

That got my attention. "What?"

"Looks like you guys got some papparazzi following you," Laura said. "Something about a budding romance?"

She gasped. "Oh, no, that's--"

"Now that sounds like fun," I liked the idea. I got up. "We are affectionate."

"Don't you mean supportive?" Kitara asked, a light lilt of panic in her voice as she looked up at me wide-eyed. "Of each other?"

"We are," I shrugged, then gave her a wink. "We are also sharing a condo."

"Two bedroom condo."

"Anyone would think that we would have that for guests," I shrugged. "Laura, are you staying with us?"

She brightened. "Oh, I'd love to!"

Kitara's eyes flared wide. "Wait a second!"

"What, darling?" I was truly enjoying this.

Kitara was exasperated. "We shouldn't try to pull a stunt on the public."

"Who says it's a stunt?" I asked.

Laura and Kitara both looked at me wide eyed.

"You thought all that affection was...was for the cameras or something?" Alright, now I was getting mad. "We've texted and emailed for years. Don't you think I care just a little?"

Laura and Kitara looked at each other, then at me, but then Kitara spoke. "I didn't want to assume. I thought-"

"Think differently," I frowned down at her, taking her hands in mine.

"So are you guys...together?" Laura asked, her gaze swinging back and forth between Kitara and me.

"Well-"

"We still sleep in separate bedrooms." Kitara said. "We are just getting to know each other, that's all...right?"

"Oh, so there is no room for me," Laura did a pout, but then brightened. "Ah, well, that may change." She kissed us both on the cheek. "Whatever it is, if it feels right, keep doing it. The fans are eating it up."

"Any backlash?"

I rolled my eyes at Kitara's question. There's backlash on anything and everything.

"There is some jealousy, there is some rumor that you are using her, or that he is using you, or whatever, but those are haters." Laura said dismissively with a shrug and a wave. "By the way, there is talk of a panel in Vegas. Deuces." She threw up a piece sign and was gone.

Now we were alone again, though the mood wasn't as light. I'd made some intentions clear, and I hadn't because she was skittish at best about romance, even though she was good at writing it. "What?"

"What?" Kitara repeated, looking like a deer in headlights.

"Kit, do you feel anything for me?" I asked, spreading my arms. We were alone, I wanted the truth.

"Yes, maybe too much." Her words were muttered.

I caught it, but I needed her to say it louder, to me. "Come again?"

She looked at me, and I felt so much from her, but I needed the words. Some women don't say the words to keep you hanging on, while some say alot bordering too much for the same effect. "Yes."

I pulled her into my arms. "Then what is the problem?" The question hung in the air in a way that made my insides clench.

"One day at a time?"

"That's my plan," I kissed her forehead, and went back to the sofa. I gave her a wink as I put my hands behind my head and looked up at her. "That's all we can do, right?" I knew what I was doing. I had done this pose for a British magazine in a hammock.

She just looked at me...from eyes to toe and back, making me smile at her mischievously. "Yes, you're right. What if they ask about us...if we do the panel, I mean."

"The truth is always good."

"Hmmm." She turned on her heel, and headed back toward the kitchen.

At first I wasn't sure if I did the right thing, letting her know that I was interested, but when the cover of one of her other books appeared, I was glad I did.