As the film got closer to wrapping, the paparazzi grew bolder. They followed me to work. Lurked in the bushes. Now that we were living together, I’d become fair game. The relationship we tried so hard to keep private was no longer. The tabloids came after me. My age, my weight, and speculations about my past. I was surprised they hadn’t dug up past blowjob recipients. Poor Keenan, that’s all he needed right now.
The faux naked stills of Keenan and his young costar exploded across the internet. I knew the damn studio had leaked them to the press to promote the film. The following weeks, every single supermarket rag and Hollywood gossip show theorized about us splitting up. The breaking news was Keenan wanted a younger woman and he was indeed having an affair with his costar. They’d showed a photograph of him in a hug with the woman child in a restaurant—the wrap party. I was bombarded with fabricated pictures and stories every day. I couldn’t wait to get away.
After the film was finally complete, we decided to escape for a while. Blood Vestige wasn’t releasing for five months. We chose to take advantage of that by leaving the Hollywood lifestyle behind. We spent several months vacationing on some remote islands in Bali. We also went to England so he could finally introduce me to his mother and close friends. Even though his movie would premiere in London during the next few weeks, he knew he’d be too busy to spend quality time with his mom. I was happy finally meeting her and some of his childhood acquaintances. At least there would be a few familiar faces at the opening besides Latch and Haven.
When we finally returned to Los Angeles, we only had a few days until the film’s launch. The premiere was back in London. Haven and Latch were flying in and meeting us, so we’d get to spend a few days with them. Keenan had talked Latch into doing all the pre-publicity events for the movie while we were absent. They needed to catch up on what occurred in the time we were gone. To be honest, if it hadn’t been for the fact I needed my BFF, I would have bowed out. I hated the way the press interrogated us, but it came packaged with Keenan.
The movie was a huge success for both him and Latch. The franchise could go on for years as long as Latch kept designing updated versions of the game. Opening night was a barrage of flashbulbs and endless questions. The fans loved Keenan. Me—not so much. It wasn’t personal. They just wanted him to be single and obtainable. Even Haven and Latch felt pity for us. Our lives were now public domain and spread across every news outlet. It was only a matter of time before our most intimate details were exposed.
“Don’t worry about this, Weezie. Welcome to my world. Remember when Latch and I were first together, those people would never let me alone. Every jerk-off with a camera was stalking me. All of this will pass. Pretty soon, you’ll be yesterday’s news,” Haven said as she sipped her tea.
We had snuck away from the boys as well as photographers to have some much-needed girl talk in the hotel cafe. “As long as Keenan is famous, we’ll always be open season. They’ll never leave us alone.”
Haven put down her cup. “Then give him a reason to give it up.”
I stared at her in shock, not believing the bombshell she just dropped. “Give it up? Are you fucking serious? It’s his first film and he loves doing it. Ask him to give it up? You’re insane.”
She touched my hand as she spoke. “Weezie, he would give it up for you in a heartbeat. Latch walked away from everything.”
“Bullshit. He just fucking moved his crap to another country.”
“No, that’s not true. He left most of his old life behind. Yeah, he took the business, but everything else he gave up—for Logan and me. Keenan loves you. I mean down to his soul loves you. He would do it for you.”
“Oh my God, I would walk away before I ever asked him to give up his dream.”
“You’re an idiot, Weezie. I swear you are smart, but there are times you’re so damn dense. Being a movie star isn’t what he wants. He wants you. He covets what Latch and I have. Before you spout all kinds of bullshit, I’ve eavesdropped. I’ve heard many conversations between them on Skype. Being an actor, that’s just a way to pass time until he wears you down.”
I pushed my coffee cup away and combed my hair back with my fingers. “He’s never going to wear me down. I don’t want your life. No offense.” I stopped abruptly because I wondered if she knew Keenan was sterile. “I’m too old for family drama. I don’t want it. Never have. You know me. Do I look like fucking Susie Homemaker?”
“So your plan is to live with him permanently?”
“Why not? That piece of fucking paper would ruin everything we have.”
“I think he’ll want more eventually.”
This was my worst fear coming to fruition. It had always been concealed where I didn’t have to think about it and could ignore it. Pretend he would never bring it up. But now, after almost five years, it was his mindset, and at some point, it was going to surface.
Haven knew too much. She appeared excessively giddy. If I were smart, I’d pry it out of her, but I didn’t want to know. I feigned ignorance. He would never understand I was doing him a favor. This was for his own good. I would ruin everything for him. I couldn’t possibly give him what he wanted. Not for the rest of his life. I’d wreck his career. I was unable to love him.
Haven pulled out a tube of lipstick and began applying it. “Anyway, enough of this topic. You’re coming for Latch’s big 3-0, right?”
“Yeah, I guess so. I assume Keenan has already RSVP’d for both of us?”
She nodded with a smile. “Yup, he did. I hope you can take the time off. Everyone’s coming. It should be fun, although he’s been kind of pissy about turning thirty… poor baby.” She chuckled. “So I guess we should get back upstairs and finish packing. Your flight leaves in a few hours, right?”
“Three fifteen I think,” I replied as I put money on the table. “And I can get the time off. I’m only working one or two days a week now. Keenan has too many appearances, and since we’ve been traveling, I’ve had to put my business on the back burner. But on the plus side, I’m seeing a lot of the world.”
“And with one of the hottest men in the universe too.”
I snorted. “Yes, there is that benefit too.”
We both went upstairs. Latch had already called ahead to get his jet refueled and ready. They didn’t like being away from Logan that long. We said our good-byes, and I assured her I would see her soon.
“So did you and Haven have a nice talk?”
I perused Keenan with my eyes. God, he really was mouthwatering. “Yeah, it was educational,” I responded as I continued to pack.
“Limo will be here in an hour. We’ll have a thirty-minute drive before we get to the airport,” he murmured into my ear.
My sex went on high alert as I pressed back into his hard shaft. He was as insatiable as I was. I’d never given a puff chore in a limo, so today would be lucky for both of us.
The anticipation was killing me. Every morning I woke up with a sense of dread. I felt like I was waiting for the anvil to fall. I’d always known this day was coming. The moment when what we had wasn’t enough and he would want more. Now that I knew he was actually considering us being eternal partners, as in together forever, I had to set a plan in motion.
Keenan did the next few appearances by himself. He wanted me to go with him. We argued about it every time. If I kept leaving town after our five-month hiatus, my business would suffer—irreparable damage. I realized I didn’t need the income, but I had my reputation to think of. And frankly, I appreciated the alone time.
I no longer liked the way I felt. I needed to prepare myself to be single. It was my fault. I should have never taken our affair this far. But he always made a compelling argument. As much as I cared for him and enjoyed our sexual chemistry, there would come a day when it would be me who would want more… when he wouldn’t be enough. I was never meant to be shackled to one man. It had never been what I wanted. But Keenan had changed that. Not in the beginning. His conditions were palatable. Even then his total acceptance of what I wanted and who I was kept me from what felt natural. He made it feel wrong to be with someone else. And even though the changes plagued me continually, I’d still said yes when he wanted us to live together.