Page 46 of Hello Darling

“You're more than welcome to stay,” I say earnestly, “but I'll be getting up at five for a few conference calls.”

“No thank you. I don't like to leave my cat alone all night.”

“What's your cat called?”

“Muffin Top.”

“I hope to meet him or her one day.”

She nods and smiles politely, but doesn’t seem to believe me.

“Why are you getting dressed?” she asks.

“Because I’m about to walk you to your car.”

“That's not necessary. It's cold out. Stay in bed.”

I exhale deeply as I continue putting on warm sweats and socks. Not a great look, but it probably is cold out. We are both stubbornly silent as she waits for me, and I take her hand after pulling on my heavy coat, leading her out the front door to the driveway.

“So I'll see you at the gym tomorrow?”

“I’ll be there. You’ll be in the back room mostly, though, right?”

“I'll be there to warm up for half an hour, then my stunt trainer Jim will be working with me in the back room all day. Should be exhausting.”

“Right.”

“My entire schedule changes starting tomorrow.”

“I get it, Richard Diver, you don't have to explain. Tourists have been coming through here my whole life. You get to know them. It can be nice. But they always leave. And I always stay. And life goes on. So don’t flatter yourself and worry about breaking my heart. Somebody already beat you to it.”

She holds my surprised gaze, unwavering, until she can tell that her words have sunk in, then unlocks her car door with the key fob.

This woman.

I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. “What I was going to say is, I'd like to see you again tomorrow night, if you'd like to come by again.”

And now it’s her turn to look surprised.

“Oh.”

“I'd like to see you again the next night as well, and whenever possible while I’m here.”

“Oh...So...you want to...have a fling? While you're here?”

“For starters. Sure, you can call it that.”

She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, straightens her posture. “What about that actress that’s coming?”

I’m enjoying watching the rapidly changing expressions on her face so much it’s difficult to follow the conversation “Which actress?”

“The one who’s going to play the love interest. In your movie. Don’t you want to meet her first? I mean. Don’t you always…you know. Fall for your leading ladies?”

“Oh. Jess. Right. I’ve already met her, once or twice, at events. She’s…good on screen. I signed off on her because the director likes her and it’s not a very large role and she was fine in a couple of things I’ve seen her in, but primarily because we’re represented by the same agency in America and I was encouraged to support her as a fellow client.”

She wrinkles her nose. “Wow. Again with the agency. Don’t you make any decisions on your own?”

“I’ve just made one. I like you, Stella Starkey. I enjoy talking to you. I enjoy your body with my body. I want to do more things to it, on a regular basis, in different positions, from every possible angle, fast and slow and rough and so gentle it will probably make you angry. If you're up for that, and I think you are, come back tomorrow night. I don't want to do those things with anyone else. A fling. Sure. Call it that.”