Page 20 of Get A Fix

I realized as I was clutched to his chest that I hadn’t been hugged by anyone other than my family and friends in quite some time. The excitement that rolled through me, the flutter in my stomach, the sparks over my skin, were familiar and missed. I would really have to step up my game to find, if not a boyfriend, then at least a lover when I got home.

I savored the embrace until he let go—I never stopped hugging anyone first—and smiled at him.

Hard to read the look on his face, but if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was a bit flustered. His pupils were huge, his brows furrowed for a moment as he swallowed, and then he took a breath that seemed to steady him.

Acting was one thing; doing the whole fake-boyfriend thing was another. I understood instantly and reached up and put my hands around the sides of his neck, holding him still. He needed grounding in this moment, and I was there to give that to him.

“Are you all right? I know it was a long flight because you were delayed.”

He nodded quickly, and I watched his shoulders fall, saw him relax into my touch.

“We’ll get you a shower and some food,” I said with a grin. “That’ll fix you right up.”

“Yes,” he agreed, his voice barely there.

Letting my hands drop, before I turned to face Damien and Sienna, I took hold of his left hand and squeezed tight for a moment, letting him know I was there for him.

“You’re Ashford Lennox,” Sienna said breathlessly. “I just saw Invention of Darkness and loved it!”

I too had seen the Frankenstein retelling. It had been given a steampunk spin that was, People magazine said, “so apropos in our modern times.” As usual, he had been incredible in the movie. He would be up for another Oscar next year; that was the buzz already. He’d won in the Best Supporting category last year for his turn as a cop looking for his sister’s killer in The Smoking Room. With sisters of my own, I hadn’t been able to see that one, but was not surprised that he had been, again, honored with all the awards possible.

“I am,” he said, offering her his free hand to shake. “And thank you so much for the compliment.”

She grasped hold tightly, staring at his face. “My God, Cooper, you weren’t kidding when you said things were looking up.”

He turned to me, and his eyes, though still looking like he was a bit drugged, were glinting with amusement. “Was that about me?”

“Yes, it was,” I said with a nod.

“Well, that’s terribly good to hear,” he said with the wicked grin that had graced many magazine covers, before returning his attention to Sienna. “And you are?”

“Sienna Donahue. I’m here for the wedding as well, with my fiancé.”

“Good to meet you,” he said kindly, then looked at Damien. “And when will your wedding be?”

“Oh, um, we haven’t—there’s no date set yet.”

Ashford nodded. “Well, congratulations on the engagement.”

“Thank you,” Damien said, glancing from Ashford to me and back. “How long have you and Cooper been together?”

“Not long,” he replied. “But you know when it’s right, sometimes in an instant. Don’t you agree?”

“I—yes.”

I noticed that not only did they not hug, they didn’t even shake hands.

“All right, then,” Ashford said, looking at me. “Shall we go up to the suite? I’m sorry you were down here waiting for me. You could have gone to the desk and gotten the keys. I left them in your name.”

“I think you forgot to mention that,” I told him as he let go of my hand so I could pick up my stuff. “And I was not standing in that line.”

“I don’t blame you,” he agreed, looking at the people standing and not moving. “Let me help you with this.”

“Where’s all your stuff?”

“In our suite. That’s what you tip people lavishly to do for you.”

“Of course it is,” I teased him, and he immediately took hold of my hand again, which he could do, since it was free, as he’d hooked his duffel over my rolling suitcase when he took it from me.