Page 6 of Notorious (Hollywood Heartthrobs #2)

Rather than continue to yank at the bedding, he gripped the edge of the comforter and rolled until he cocooned himself in it.

He landed with his face pressed against the mattress, his glasses somehow intact, when the filthiest groan I’ve ever heard someone make outside a sexual situation reached my ears.

“How much can I pay you to forget this ever happened? I can even give you my first born if that’s required for you to erase every moment from your memory since I woke,” Ollie mumbled.

Emotions warred within me; lust, affection, protectiveness, and jealousy, which meant I took too long to answer. When he lifted his head up to peer up at me through his lashes, there was a look of concern marring his face.

“Was it traumatizing, you know, seeing me… naked?” He whispered the entire question.

“Fucking hell, Ollie! You’re one of the most gorgeous creatures I’ve ever laid my eyes on and you’re worried I’m traumatized? I’m not, by the way. You’ll see proof, especially if your eyes trail down…”

I was joking, but when his eyes leveled with my cock pressed against the material of the flimsiest pair of sweats I owned, they widened and another obscene sound escaped his throat before he blinked, his cheeks awash with a beautiful coral stain, as he buried his face in his hands.

The rush of lust left me lightheaded and throbbing, but it was his next innocent words which almost sent me over the edge.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to… look. Did I make you uncomfortable? Do you want me to leave?”

The last thing in the world I wanted was Ollie anywhere I wasn’t, so I placated him.

“Ollie, you are family now.” I ignored his flinch and the way my stomach seized with the lie before I continued, “And like with my other siblings, there’s so much chaos around on most days that there’s no use getting embarrassed by something as small as seeing each other naked.”

It broke my heart when his eyes fluttered shut and a flush of embarrassment deepened the stains on his cheeks. He nodded and with a grace I lacked at the best of times; he stood with the comforter wrapped around him.

“I’m going to get ready for the day. Thank you for waking me.”

His words were stilted and shaky, but before I could respond and find the words to reassure him he had done nothing wrong, he was behind the door of his bathroom. The click of the lock, along with the devastation on Ollie’s face, was more than enough to propel me back to my room for a shower.

When I stumbled downstairs, a band of tightness wrapped around my heart when Ollie, who sat next to Omi, giving her his full attention while ignoring my presence, made me stride past them into the kitchen, seeking coffee.

“Fuck!” I whispered under my breath.

I reiterated the sentiment when I left with a full plate of food and a mug of black coffee, ready to salvage the hurt I’d caused. But instead of the beautiful Ollie sitting with the rest of my family, he’d disappeared and five pairs of eyes glared at me.

“What did you do?”

I sat and took a bite, holding off the conversation for as long as possible.

Mama walked in from the kitchen with her arms crossed and her brows pinched as she stared at me. Shit! She hadn’t chastised me like this since I made the tabloids when they found out about the foursome I had with porn stars during a weekend of debauchery in Las Vegas several years before.

“Nothing. He was embarrassed because I woke him up from a realistic dream and I reassured him it was fine.”

Sam wandered in and asked, “What’s going on?”

“Our dumbass brother here hurt Ollie and we’re trying to figure out what he did,” Emilia said.

“Good, maybe he’ll leave now.”

The entire room froze, and I growled at my older brother. I loved the man, and knew underneath the gruff, untrusting exterior, the man had a heart of gold, but this was pushing it too far. Before I could speak, Linus beat me to it.

“For fuck’s sake, Sam, stop being such a monumental fucking dickhead! Ollie’s done nothing to you,” Linus shouted.

Sam dropped into a chair and opened his mouth a few times, shocked at being chastised by a teenager. Instead of apologizing or waiting to be yelled at for cursing, Linus, followed by Lyric and Landon, left the dining room, each shooting both Sam and me dirty looks.

“Well, shit,” Sam breathed out.

“They have a point,” Omi said.

“What?”

She exchanged an exasperated look with Emilia, who shook her head and rolled her eyes before she turned back to us.

“It’s been three days since his parents kicked him out of his house with no phone and no idea if he’s capable of taking care of himself.

On top of that, he’s flown across the country to start a new life.

He’s worked hard for years to survive because he’s known of the possibility his parents would reject him, and they proved him right in the most atrocious way when they confirmed he was gay.

And the friend he was supposed to stay with left because of circumstances out of her control.

On top of all that, you, Connor, who have only acquaintances you fuck and wouldn’t know a committed relationship if it slapped you in the face, have done nothing but flirt with the kid and get his hopes up while you, Sam, have treated him like absolute shit for being invited here.

Why do you think he wouldn’t be comfortable around us? ” Omi asked.

There was nothing I could say to refute her observations. Abandoning my food, I headed upstairs to find Ollie sitting behind his desk, typing away, and the triplets nowhere to be found.

I knocked, unsure if I would be welcome, but the typing continued.

For the life of me, I never thought of myself as more important than anyone else. If I didn’t have my family to keep me grounded, the many rejections I received about staying in my lane as an action star and not branching out into more serious roles would have done the job.

And yet there I was, drawn to Ollie in a way I’ve never been with any other person before, yet dismissing him and his feelings as if I were a god to be worshipped, and then smiting him for doing what I wanted him to do.

His gaze felt like a caress, and while it strummed my body in ways I’ve never felt before, I freaked out and took out my confusion out on the one man who wouldn’t have it in him to hurt anyone.

“Ollie?”

His head tilted to the side. “Hmm.”

Although his typing continued, I knew he was listening.

“I wanted to apologize for earlier.”

At my words, he turned around in his chair after I noticed he backed up his work and looked me in the eye.

“There is no need to apologize. It was me who was half awake earlier and didn’t know what I was saying. However, I didn’t intend to make you uncomfortable. I’ll be more aware of my actions in the future.”

“You didn’t.”

“Oh, that’s good,” he trailed off.

I hated the silence between us and asked, “So, what are you doing?”

My breath caught in my chest as his wide smile overtook his face.

“Oh, I’m outlining a new story. You know that one that came to mind when I spotted Thomas yesterday?

I want to pair him, or his character anyway, with his best friend’s older brother.

Whenever I have a new idea for a story, I take detailed notes until I have exhausted my thoughts.

Then, I build the rest of the story based on those initial notes.

I laughed. “You want to pair Sam and Thomas together in your story?”

Not able to believe my attraction could deepen for Ollie, but when he blushed, I wanted to trace my fingers down his cheeks and feel the heat radiating from them. But I held myself back. Only by clenching my hands into fists.

“Yeah, have you ever observed them when they’re in the same room?

Thomas is bold and expressive, and so is Sam, but the way he reacts to Thomas is out of character.

He’s meek and stares at the man when he thinks Thomas doesn’t know.

The story I have in mind doesn’t mirror their potential relationship, but I’ve never seen two people more compatible and also oblivious to each other than those two. ”

“You think Sam likes Thomas?”

Without hesitation, Ollie nodded. “For years, I’ve observed people, so I can tell by the way they turn toward each other, even when they’re across the room.

Also, Sam’s body relaxes whenever Thomas is near, which leads me to believe he holds in a lot of stress and only feels relaxed enough around Thomas to let go. ”

“And Thomas?”

Ollie smiled, wistful, and it made me miffed he hadn’t yet smiled at me in that manner.

“The way Thomas’ body coils tight when he and Sam are close reveals a primitive need to protect what he believes is his. Yeah, I’d say Sam’s effect on Thomas is profound. If you both need protection, he’ll leave you in the dust.”

A laugh escaped, grateful Thomas, who’d become my friend over the years, would protect my family.

“I’ll let you get back to work, but how about tonight we binge on some video game play throughs after dinner?”

He beamed at me, making my heart start in my chest, and I only just caught his answer.

“I’d like that.”

With a nod, I strolled out of his room and shut the door behind me.

I leaned back against it as I caught my breath.

He’d gone back to being the old Ollie; considerate, and lacking any fire that sparked between us with our earlier banter.

I’d known I fucked up when I made the family comment, but I hated to think I shut down his light for good.

I wasn’t a vain man, but I knew you couldn’t make it in this business without being appraised for your beauty, physique, and charisma.

People, more often than not, wanted to sleep with me because I was a movie star and I was rich as sin.

And I invited their attention at every turn.

Not to stay, but for one night before I disappeared the next morning.

But with Ollie, along with his genuine personality and happiness despite his circumstances, made me panic. When he blinked open his eyes, the surge to claim him, mark him as mine, overwhelmed enough the air became trapped in my chest.

I thought about all the times I would come to hurt him with my constant flirting, although it wouldn’t mean anything to me.

I knew it would to him. And the weeks and months I’d be gone from home, leaving him behind as I craved him.

Would I be strong enough to avoid temptation?

Could I be faithful to one person? Since the answer didn’t make itself apparent, I would guess I could not.

But if it was Ollie who waited for me at home? What if he wanted me to be faithful, could I? Those questions were harder to answer.

Until I figured out what I wanted and how much of myself I could dedicate to another person, he was off limits.