Page 180 of Blood Stone

“Let ‘em,” Kate said complacently.

Roman straightened his arm loosening. “Are you sure, Kate?”

She turned in the circle of his arm, facing him properly. “I know I was in bed right up until the party started tonight, but I wasn’t sleeping for all that time. I spent some of the time thinking.”

“Among other things,” Roman said, with a small smile.

She grinned. “Squeezed in right at the end there. It was shameful. We have to do better than that tonight.”

“You won’t get any argument out of me. But…you were thinking?”

She nodded, sobering. “Mostly, I was thinking about tonight. About the media being here. And about Nial’s mission to bring vampires out – the ones that want to come out. You’re going to, aren’t you?”

“I just don’t want to go back to pretending anymore,” Roman replied. “Nial’s right on the button there. Once you get a taste of living as yourself, you can’t go back. And now I’ve got you and Micheil and suddenly, a life building around the real me.” He shook his head. “I won’t give that up.”

“I had guessed as much,” Kate said. “I’m pretty sure Micheil feels the same way.”

Roman grinned. “Only five times as strongly. He’s been stuck in neutral a lot longer than me.” His grin faded. “Thanks to me.”

Kate rested her hand on his chest. “Stop that,” she chided him.

“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her a smile. “You were saying?”

“I like this idea of coming out and living your life as it really is, instead of pretending. Hollywood is the ultimate land of pretence, of course. Even after the cameras stop rolling, everyone keeps acting. I’ve been doing it for years. I hid the fact of Billy my ex down deep until he caught up with me. It was only thanks to you and Micheil I side-stepped that mess once more.”

Roman shrugged. “Everyone has messy histories. It’s part of being human.”

“But messy isn’t sexy in Hollywood. Everyone vacuums and glosses and hides. That’s exactly what I mean. You’re not allowed to be human or different, or sub-par. That’s what I decided today. If you and Micheil can step out, so can I.”

Roman glanced over her shoulder. “All the way, Kate? Micheil’s probably within his hearing range of us now, so you can talk to all three of us. Just don’t look at him.”

“All the way?” she asked, puzzled.

“This is still Hollywood and you still have a high profile career to maintain,” Roman said, speaking quickly. “Neither of us will jeopardize that without your express direction.” He gave a tiny smile. “We’ve been thinking, too. There’s press everywhere here tonight. When Micheil reaches us, which he’s going to do in about twenty seconds, he can just kiss you hello, and there’ll be a few photos taken, or he can kiss both of us hello and every camera, both still and video, will raise the temperature in here by two degrees because they’re being overworked so hard. Answer quickly. You say you’ve thought it through.”

Kate didn’t hesitate as she looked up at him with her marvellous eyes. “Both of us,” she said firmly. “Truth is truth. I love both of you. No more hiding.”

Roman took a breath and let it out. “I love you.”

“And I love you both,” Garrett murmured as he stepped up behind her. He bent over her and his hand slid up into her hair. “You look delicious,” he told her, and turned her head up to his and kissed her.

Roman saw swift movement over Garrett’s shoulder. There was a little flurry of cameras snapping away.

Garrett lifted his head to look at Roman. He smiled a little and reached out his other hand and rested it on the back of Roman’s neck.

The sound of camera shutters became a steady buzz.

Kate pressed her hands against their chests, turning her hips to wedge herself between them. “No, forget the cameras are there,” she said firmly.

Roman looked at her, puzzled. So did Garrett.

She shook her head a little. “You’re about to become infamous and very public figures. The media is going to run your life if you let them. Don’t let them. Micheil, if you want to kiss Roman, kiss him, but don’t do it for the cameras. Do it because you want to and do it the way you would if the cameras weren’t there, or you’ll be letting them direct your private life. You have to live your life despite them from now on, whether they’re there or not.”

Garrett let out a breath. “You’re right.” His fingers on Roman’s neck tightened. “We’ve got a smart lady here.”

“We have,” Roman agreed, as Garrett pulled him closer.

Roman mentally dismissed the cameras, or tried to, as Garrett’s lips met his. Kate’s hand was still resting against his chest and it seemed to grow heavier and hotter as the kiss deepened. His body hardened, his cock stirred, everything began to rouse as the kiss seemed to go on and on. Micheil wasn’t sparing him a single inch and it was heady, it was good, so good…

Roman realized he had forgotten about the cameras the moment Garrett released him. He drew in a long uneven breath and only then registered the applause and cat-calls, cheers and whistles.

Kate pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. “I think my cast and crew approve.” Her cheeks were touched with a slash of pink. She turned in their arms to face the rest of the room.

Everyone, not just the media people at the party, were now looking at them. Everyone not holding a cellphone or a camera was clapping or cheering or holding up their cup in salute.

“Well, we’re out now,” Kate murmured.

And the cameras were still clicking.