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  “Mmm, thanks baby,” Nat said, standing to get closer to her. She pulled Avery into her while she picked up her drink.

  “You're welcome,” Avery said, kissing Nat briefly.

  I sipped my drink and noticed her.

  “Sit,” I said. The lounge right beside me was empty and Avery’s constant need to entertain had been making me nervous since the airport today.

  Nat sat down across from me, tugging on Avery’s hand to get her to obey.

  The result was pretty scandalous, Avery landing modestly in Natalie's lap.

  Clean, perfect legs.

  A light tan. Adorably strong thighs.

  I blinked my eyes a few times and sipped from my straw.

  “Um. Olivia. Ya might wanna slow down,” Nat laughed.

  “Shoot,” I said, realizing I'd drank about half of my glass. “I was zoning out.” At your girlfriend's perfect body…

  I shifted awkwardly, crossing my thigh over my other thigh and trying to act natural.

  “Damn, I'll have to go get you another,” Avery commented.

  “No don't,” I begged. “Relax. Please.”

  I held my hand out to signal for her to stay.

  “Okay, but I have to go when I finish mine anyway,” she said.

  “Fair enough,” I said.

  “You guys are funny,” Nat smiled.

  “Your girlfriend is very into pleasing people. I’m sure you've noticed that.”

  “Mmm. Little bit,” Nat smiled.

  And she's also got a body to die for… But I can't just say that…

  I ran my eyes up Avery’s body while they both looked away.

  “In more ways than one,” Avery grinned.

  I looked up, a little surprised, and cleared my throat before laughing.

  “Yeah,” I sighed. “I noticed that too.”

  I picked my drink back up and started to sip it again. This time I made myself look away.

  “Hmm, did we give you too much of a show?” Avery asked.

  “It’s fine,” I said.

  “She's just jealous,” I heard Natalie whisper.

  “I am,” I said, not looking at them. “I think I'll go get myself a drink,” I decided, since mine was already gone. I stood up and looked down on Avery. “Want another?”

  I shook the ice in my empty glass as I stared down into her gorgeous blue eyes.

  Natalie held her and rocked her.

  “Yes, thanks,” Avery said.

  I pulled away and left them. I needed some air.

  13

  (Avery)

  I watched Olivia walk away and sighed, turning back to Nat.

  “She’s something,” I said.

  Our time today had been populated by getting to know a little of who Olivia was but mostly trying to figure out what made her tick.

  “You have no idea,” Nat laughed.

  “Did she say anything about me?” I asked.

  “She really likes your book,” Nat said. “And your face. And how nice you are.”

  She buried her nose in the crook of my neck and then kissed me.

  “My face, huh… It is pretty symmetrical. I think she just likes all the sex scenes in the book since they're about you,” I said.

  “Uh-huh,” Nat laughed. “I'm sure she does but she also likes you.”

  “I like her too. She seems so sad at times and really sweet. Do you think it bothers her too much seeing us together?”

  “I think if it bothered her too much she'd slink away. Like right now,” Nat said, pulling my hair back to look at me.

  “Then we should cool it. I don't want to make her uncomfortable.”

  It distressed me to think we were hurting her, more than it made me feel weird about altering my behavior. I wouldn't bother for anyone else.

  “Are you gonna ice me out?” Nat asked sadly. “I've been missing you all day.”

  She started to move away from me.

  “I'm not icing you out,” I said, grabbing her arm and making her stay. “It would be weird if we weren't normal. Maybe we just don't make out as much. I need you touching me though, somehow.”

  I settled my body back into hers and pulled her arms around my body. My skin beside hers contrasted. I was a little tan from being out in the sun but she was a beautiful handful of shades, darker naturally.

  “What time do you have to work?” I asked, thinking of the time we had to spare.

  “Too early,” she whined. “I just want to crawl in bed with you.”

  “I can't wait to go home and have you to myself. I miss you and I hate that you have to get up early. I'll probably just go with you to work in the morning and keep you company in hair and makeup,” I decided.

  “Baby, you don't have to. It's so early. You should sleep.”

  Her makeup call was usually before sunrise.

  “I won't be able to sleep without you,” I admitted.

  I turned so I could see her.

  “I never do fall asleep after you leave. I just don't want you to feel bad so I stay in bed for a while,” I confessed.

  She pushed my chin up with her knuckles and kissed me. I could tell she was soft today, a bit more solemn. Olivia did that.

  “You should sleep,” she stared lovingly.

  “I've tried but I can't get comfortable. I know it's ridiculous, like I can't do things without you but it's true. Maybe if you clone yourself so I can have one of you to sleep with,” I joked.

  “Hmm. Maybe ask Olivia about that. She's good with all that smart stuff.”

  “Oh, I think she would be onboard, except, she might try to keep a Nat for herself.”

  “Maybe. For a little while,” Nat said, a little sad.

  I noticed Olivia walking back over with a drink in each hand.

  She noticed me and then flushed a little, changing her posture and hiding her gaze.

  “Yay, drinks,” I said to welcome her back.

  I looked back at Nat but she had already moved on from her sad musing. And it wasn't like I could press her on it now that Olivia was here.

  I downed the rest of my drink and took the other from Olivia.

  She smiled down on me a little stoic as she stared.

  “I hate that I'm tired,” she laughed. “I almost knocked someone over on my way back here.”

  “I'm tired too,” Nat said. “I wanted to take you out but work was exhausting.”

  “Did you eat?” I asked Nat.

  She shook her head, no. “I'm not hungry,” she said. “Maybe I'm getting sick or something.”

  “That's not good. You're probably run down and on the way to getting sick. Let's go to bed. You need to get some rest,” I suggested.

  I put a hand to her cheek and then moved it to her forehead to make sure she wasn't running a fever.

  “I want a bath,” Nat said. She pulled my hand down her cheek and kissed my palm.

  “I am definitely onboard with this whole sleep thing,” Olivia agreed.

  Then she sipped from her straw and eyed me, interested.

  “You just wanna be alone to read your new book,” Nat teased her.

  “It’s sexy,” Olivia smiled. “Besides. You're just going to be all over each other anyway. A girls gotta entertain herself somehow.”

  “The perfect excuse for being a perv.”

  “Shut up,” Olivia laughed, annoyed at Nat but still kinda glowing with admiration.

  I hadn't thought too hard about the connection between my relationship with Nat and what was written in the book. Now, I wanted to know what exactly Olivia was picturing when she read it but Nat was already picking at her so I wasn't going to jump on that train. They had an established relationship.

  “If you want to get technical I'm the biggest perv here since I wrote the book,” I sighed.

  Olivia blushed a little and smiled between Nat and me.

  “I'm glad you like it though. It's a compliment,” I said.

  We needed to get up to our room because I worried whenever Nat star
ted to get run down. This project was taking it out of her more than the last few. I made myself get up and looked down at Nat.

  “Miss, can I interest you in coming to my room? I've got a great bathtub,” I said.

  “Mm. Yes please,” Nat smiled up at me, tugging on my body generously in her efforts to stand.

  Olivia quietly collected her stuff.

  I braced myself and pulled Nat up and into my body, turning so I could put an arm around her waist and we would be walking side-by-side.

  “Do you want anything else from the bar?” I asked them.

  “You promised me tea,” Nat pouted.

  “I’ll just come down myself,” Olivia said, not wanting to bother me.

  “Well, tea we have in the room,” I said.

  “Okay,” Nat said, hanging on me.

  I pulled her along toward the door, glad to be going up to the room. I just wanted to be with Nat and alone.

  “Olivia, I'm going over with Nat in the morning do you want me to come back and get you later?”

  “What do you mean?” She asked. “I can hang out tomorrow. I wanna look for a place.”

  “Right, duh,” I said, laughing. “Well, then I guess we’ll hook up with you after you find an amazing place.”

  “I'll have to put your number in my phone,” Olivia smirked guiltily. Or maybe it wasn't guilt. Maybe it was fondness or something else. “I’m just too lazy right now to make official plans. A slow morning in the hotel sounds like something I need.”

  “I'll write it on the pad in the hotel for you,” I said.

  We went past the bar and into the huge lobby, past the front desk and over to the elevators.

  We caught the next elevator and rode quietly up to our floor. Nat's arms were around me and I was in position to watch Olivia.

  She didn't look at us much but I suspected it was because she was trying not to let us know she was watching us.

  The rest of the way back to the room I attempted not to look. She followed behind us and I made sure I was a little in front.

  I unlocked the door and walked in, past the bathroom and the little closet and over to the small kitchenette where the tea was. I set the coffee machine to make hot water and got out the mugs we brought with us from home.

  “Do you want tea?” I asked Olivia.

  “That'd be nice, yeah,” she said, a little sleepy. “Can I use the bathroom real quick?” She asked Nat.

  “Go ahead,” she smiled.

  “Thanks.”

  Olivia snuck off to her suitcase to grab a couple of things. I guess she wanted to change.

  I waited on the water and found a disposable cup to put Olivia's tea in and then put a tea bag in each mug. It was one of those tension and sleepy time herbal blends. It always knocked me right out.

  It should help quiet my racing mind while I tried to wind down. I fixed Nat's first after the water was done heating.

  I put a dab of honey in mine and left Olivia's for her to do with what she pleased.

  “Here, baby,” I said, holding out Nat's mug.

  I joined her and held my tea in my other hand until she took hers from me.

  “Tea makes everything better according to Grandma Lockhart,” I commented.

  “Smart lady,” Nat said, tugging me closer.

  She sipped a little. “Mm. Thanks. It's already helping.”

  The bathroom door opened and Olivia came back out in comfy full body pajamas, with her hair down and her arm crossed over her stomach.

  When she noticed us she cleared her throat and looked down.

  “All yours,” she said.

  She walked to the sofa and sat alone. My book lay just out in front of her on the coffee table. Her legs tucked up beside her and she held her ankle with her hand. Running her other fingers up the back of her neck, she messaged her own muscles and closed her eyes.

  “I'm gonna go start the water,” Nat said. “You can come in if you want,” she smiled softly at me, on her way out. The look that passed between her and Olivia was sweet.

  “I didn't put anything in your tea. It's in the cup by the coffee maker,” I said, pointing.

  “Oh. Thanks,” she said, watching me.

  “I guess I'll…” I got up and walked toward the bathroom. “Um, guess we'll be back,” I said.

  Nat was checking the water temperature when I got into the bathroom. I came up behind her and sat on the closed toilet lid. She was crouched right beside the tub. Her long, dark hair had fallen to one side of her body so I gathered it up and stroked the glossy strands.

  “Remember when we met?” I asked.

  “Of course,” she said, not looking at me but definitely thinking.

  Nat remembered everything.

  “I recognized that you were a little sad and I wanted to make that go away. It's interesting meeting the person that made you sad and to see how different things are now,” I said.

  “They're not that different,” Nat said. “But you're right. It is interesting… And I'm glad you get to meet her and see.”

  “I just mean you're not sad like that anymore,” I said.

  She stood up and looked down at me and I was living in her gaze for a moment before I remembered that I'd brought her something from home.

  I took her hands and she helped pull me up. I'd left it in my toiletries bag because I knew she wouldn't go in there.

  “Before you get in the tub put this in the water,” I said.

  I opened my hand to reveal a multicolored ball with real flowers pressed into it.

  Her face changed a little, like she might just cry. But then she pulled me in for a hug. “How did I get so lucky?” She asked.

  “I think we're both pretty damn lucky. Most people can't seem to find what we have and that's sad cause we're amazing,” I said, taking her toward the bath.

  It was a big tub but not as big as the one we had at home. I put the bath bomb in her hand and let her put it in the water.

  It immediately fizzed and let off pink and yellow colors. The smell of wildflowers wafted up and filled the room.

  “Do you want me to sit by the tub or get in with you?” I asked.

  “Come in with me,” Nat said. “If you want to... I miss you.”

  A jolt hit my stomach like always when she said things like that. I started to take my suit off, keeping my eyes on hers as she watched.

  “I love when you do that,” I said.

  She started to undress too while watching me.

  “You're beautiful,” she said, like it explained everything.

  “You make me feel it,” I said.

  She was perfect. Her body and the way she moved. It was just more than I could handle.

  I stepped into the tub and got comfortable with my back against the wall.

  “Come here, I wanna hold you,” I said.

  She was careful but excited to be alone and close to me.

  The water was so warm. One foot dipped in and then the other. Natalie slid down into the milky liquid and turned to rest her body back into mine.

  “That's it,” I said.

  I put my fingertips on her temples and massaged gently for a moment before moving them further back on her head and traveling in a slow trek down her neck to her shoulders.

  She whimpered a little, sinking into the message and quickly relaxing. So, I repeated the motions over-and-over until I could feel her turn completely limp against me.

  “You want me to get the sprayer and wash your hair before we get out?” I asked.

  “Mmm… Sure,” she hummed, super sleepy. “But we just got in. Give it a minute.”

  She just wanted to rest with me, breathe with me.

  “Of course, I want you to just chill. You’ve got another long day tomorrow,” I said.

  I moved my hands back to her shoulders and massaged her there again, let my hands drift down to her collarbone. I was starting to get sleepy but I wouldn’t let myself snooze because I wanted to be present with her. These moments were the bes
t ones. We stole them between filming and appearances.