Forcing Gravity Read online

  “I was a jackass,” he concluded. “Logan, the way you saw me acting that night is what’s comfortable to me. I’ve done it my whole life, so it feels natural, but I’m not really that guy. When I’m around people who expect me to act a certain way, I just slip into that role. I don’t have to think about it or even care, because I don’t really care. But around you, I’m actually nervous, and I don’t always know how to act. I’ve never dated anyone like you before, and it’s completely disconcerting. I’ve never had any issues in social situations, especially with women, but you do something to me that makes me feel like I’m heading into a free fall, and I’m not sure what do to about it.”

  I reached out, swept his hair back and kissed his forehead. “I make you nervous?” I asked quietly.

  “Yeah, you do,” he said, his hands moving back to my waist. “Here, feel my hands.”

  He laced his fingers with mine, and I definitely felt some dampness. He was nervous.

  “You’re very unsettling to me, Logan Kessler, and I’ve never met anyone like you. But I like it, and I like you.” Then he pressed his lips to mine once again.

  It was then that time and space got lost as I made out with Jase on the couch in his trailer. It could have been five minutes or five hours. I had no clue. He pulled me against him, and the skirt of my dress rose up, exposing the tops of my thighs. Jase ran his hands up, stopping when his fingertips hit the lace of the panties I’d bought specifically for this reason.

  I ran my hands up his chest, feeling the hard planes beneath them, then slowly worked to unbutton his shirt, starting at the top. I was glad he wasn’t wearing a t-shirt underneath, and as soon as his skin was exposed, I lowered my mouth to his chest, kissing and sucking and licking. I ran my hand over his abs, and lower to the bulge in his jeans, letting my hand glide over it slowly, while my lips continued to their silent assault on his chest.

  I looked up and saw him watching me, mesmerized by my slow act of pleasure and torture, his breathing growing shallower with every passing second. Then he moved his hand to the spaghetti strap of my dress and slipped it down over my shoulder before his lips moved forward and landed on the bare skin of my partially exposed breast. He let his hand trail down to my other breast and cupped it, as I pressed my body down onto the hardness I felt between my thighs. It was a bold movement, but Jase made me feel empowered to do things I hadn’t done with other guys.

  He nipped at my skin with his teeth, and I inhaled deeply and threw my head back in pleasure. And that’s the moment that Gary decided to interrupt us to let Jase know they needed him on set.

  Fan-tastic.

  When Gary burst into the trailer without knocking and didn’t seem the least bit fazed that Jase was feeling up a girl, I assumed it wasn’t the first time it had happened. And that made me feel just a little cheap. But then Jase looked at me like I was the most beautiful girl in the world, and I felt exactly like that girl.

  “I’ll be out in a minute, Gary,” he said, never taking his eyes off of me.

  “You have five minutes to get your ass on set,” Gary said bitchily. “And go see Lelani, so she can touch up your make-up.” With that, he let the trailer door slam shut behind him.

  “Why do you let him talk to you like that?” I asked Jase.

  He shrugged, as he leaned forward to kiss my shoulder. “Because it makes him feel important.”

  “It’s kind of rude.”

  “He doesn’t mean anything by it,” Jase assured me, as his lips kissed a trail from my shoulder, up my neck, to the sensitive spot just below my ear.

  “Don’t you have to get to the set?” I asked, well-aware that my breath was getting more and more shallow with every flick of his tongue against my skin.

  “I have five minutes,” he murmured. “Can we do more of this later?”

  He looked up at me as he waited for my response. I felt my cheeks heat, and Jase leaned forward and kissed them.

  “You are so cute when you blush,” he said with his lips against my skin. “We’re doing more of this later.”

  He hadn’t even waited for my response. He just made the decision for both of us, and I wasn’t about to argue with him.

  -13-

  “Do you want to meet me for coffee?” Jase asked when he called me on Wednesday as I was walking back home from my two morning classes.

  I had a boatload of studying to do and planned to hole up in my room and get it all knocked out. But then Jase called, and my plan went out the window. He’d had a hellish few days of shooting, so we hadn’t seen each other since our date on Friday night.

  We’d gone to the little Italian place he’d mentioned in Pasadena and then strolled down Colorado Boulevard holding hands. It had quite possibly been the perfect night – so much so that I’d almost forgotten about the paparazzi.

  When we got back to my dorm it was late, but Jase had an early call time the next day, so he couldn’t come up. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t have been an option anyway. There were three photographers lurking outside my dorm when we started to pull up. They didn’t see us, so Jase quickly swerved around the back of the building to drop me off.

  Fearful that the photographers would realize what we’d done, he gave me a quick kiss and told me he’d call me the next night after he got done filming, warning me it might be late. He shot me one of his rare full grin smiles before I darted out of the car, ducked inside the back door and ran upstairs.

  Then I spent the entire night giving Henley the details I’d promised her earlier in the day, and she sat riveted as I recapped my day on the set. Ironically, she wanted to hear more about Garrett once she realized I’d been around him all day, so we switched gears so she could talk about him. Fortunately, her phone rang a few minutes later, and it was who she’d been hoping it would be, so I was able to crawl into bed and dream about Jase.

  The next morning, I forgot all about the photographers as I left early in the day to meet Ethan for surfing. Thankfully there was only one guy down there, but he sure looked smug when I appeared. His wait had apparently been worth it.

  “Logan, is it true you’re dating Jason Brady?” he asked casually, as he snapped my picture a few times.

  “Who?” I asked, feigning ignorance as he followed me to my car.

  The photographer just raised an eyebrow at me as he continued to take my picture.

  “Are you talking about that famous actor guy?” I asked, doing my best to look confused.

  The photographer grinned, not buying what I was selling him for a second. “Come on, don’t play dumb. I know he spent the night here two nights ago.”

  “Then you should check your facts. I don’t know Jason Brady.”

  Snap. Snap. Snap. “Are you dating him to get back at Garrett Lewis for dumping you?”

  I laughed out loud. “That would be a great idea, if I’d ever actually dated Garrett. We’re just friends.”

  Snap. Snap. “That’s what they all say. Come on, give me something.”

  “Okay,” I said, turning to face him, and he looked eager with anticipation. “Waiting me out was a giant waste of your time. I don’t date celebrities, and I sure as hell wouldn’t date Jason Brady. Now leave me alone.”

  With that, I loaded my board into my backseat, got in and drove away, leaving him stunned as he watched me disappear. I smiled smugly as I drove away and couldn’t wait to tell Jase how I’d so expertly handled the photogs.

  But Jase didn’t end up calling me on Saturday night. He texted me around midnight to let me know that he was still shooting and he’d call the next day. And true to his promise, he did, but we’d only talked for a few minutes. Then on Wednesday, just as I was starting to fear he’d lost interest, he called and asked me out for coffee, and I smiled all the way back to my dorm.

  When I entered the café the place was deserted, and I wondered how much that had to do with why Jase had picked it. He’d asked me to meet him in a residential area of Brentwood, and I thought it was strange at the time, but
I should have figured it out.

  Jase was already there, thumbing through something on his iPad. He looked up and saw me and grinned, so I grinned back, that giddy feeling overtaking me. Man, that boy did funny things to my head.

  He stood as I approach the table and greeted me with a hug. “Long time no see stranger.”

  “It’s good to see you,” I said, taking the seat across from him and appraising his casual look. He wore a gray sweatshirt and a blue Dodgers’ baseball cap and had a few days’ worth of stubble on his normally smooth face. It was a different look for him, but somehow, he managed to look even hotter.

  “Are you sure it’s good to see me?” he asked, “because Rodney told me you told him you don’t date celebrities and that you sure as hell wouldn’t date Jason Brady, so I’m not sure what I should think.”

  My stomach seized up. “How – how did you – who told – what?”

  I was completely dumbstruck for a few seconds before Jase started laughing hysterically. “You’re really cute when you’re flustered, do you know that?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Not funny,” I said, opening my menu to see what I wanted to order, but I couldn’t help glancing up at him.

  He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms and eyed me playfully. I quirked at small smile at him, and he grinned.

  “So, what, are you on a first name basis with the nosey photogs?”

  He shrugged. “Some of them. Rodney’s cool, but sometimes he can be a little aggressive. I got to know him a few years ago when Chloe . . . never mind.”

  He looked down at his latte and stirred it carefully. I knew where he’d been going, and I think he realized too late that he probably shouldn’t talk about his ex-girlfriend while on a date with the new girl he was seeing.

  “Did Rodney buy that we weren’t dating?” I asked, trying to make him feel at ease. He had an ex. It wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t want to hear about her, but he didn’t need to feel bad about his slip up.

  “I don’t think so,” he said, shrugging. “I don’t know how convincing I was, but then again, I’m not sure I care if people know.”

  My heart started pounding in my chest. He wanted to be exclusive, and he wanted people to know we were dating? We’d only been seeing each other officially for a little over a week, unless you counted the time we’d been talking on the phone. Either way, it was so early.

  “Really? Aren’t you supposed to be all mysterious and deny you’re in a relationship as you hold the hand of the girl you’re ‘just friends’ with? Did you forget rule #5 in your celebrity handbook or something?”

  Jase finally looked up and smiled a guilty smile as he reached across the table and took my hand, lacing our fingers together. “I’ve never really been very good at following the celebrity rules of dating. I like you, and that’s it. But I also know that once we go public, that’s also it, and I’m not ready to subject you to that kind of scrutiny.”

  I had to appreciate that. I didn’t really want my every move documented either. I wanted to walk to class without every single person I passed knowing the intimate details of my relationship.

  “Then let’s just keep things how they are.” I tugged him closer, so I could lean forward and kiss his inviting lips. “Ow,” I said, pulling back. “That’s not comfortable. What’s with the stubble?”

  Jase involuntarily rubbed his scruffy jawline. “It’s for the movie. I get trapped in the basement and tortured by the demons for a few days, so they needed to make it realistic. You don’t like it?”

  I reached out to stroke his cheek. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s sexy as hell, but I don’t want to get a rash on my face from kissing you.”

  He raised an eyebrow at me. “Do you plan on doing a lot of kissing?”

  I shrugged. “I had planned on it, now I’m not so sure.”

  Jase looked at me in mock offense before he tugged me forward and captured my lips with his, scratching the area around my mouth all to hell, but honestly, at that point, I didn’t really care.

  “I get to shave it off tomorrow,” he said, when he pulled back. “Can I convince you to come over on Friday night if I’m stubble-free?”

  “I think that could be arranged,” I said, kissing him once again.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked, as he signaled the waitress over.

  “It’s about time,” she called back, winking at him, and I wondered if he knew her. Had they dated? She sauntered over to us and nudged his shoulder. “What do you want?”

  He pushed her away and grinned at me. “Logan, this is my little sister, Nora. She’s a freshman at UCLA. Nora, this is Logan – my sort of girlfriend.”

  I raised an eyebrow at him, and he just smirked.

  “Hi Logan, Jase’s ‘sort of girlfriend’,” Nora said, smiling at me. “You seem normal. Are you normal?”

  I laughed at her brazenness as I appraised her. She was gorgeous in an understated way, and there were definite similarities between her and Jase. They were subtle, but they were there. They both had dark hair, similar facial features and had tall slim builds, but she hadn’t been blessed with Jase’s green eyes or his full lips.

  “I would have to say yes,” I finally answered her. “Considering the girls I’m sure Jase usually dates, yes, I’m normal.”

  Nora laughed. “You’ve got that right. Most of them are snotty bitches who think they can exploit my brother to get further in their careers.” She said it, not me. “You’re not an actress, are you?”

  I shook my head. “No, I’m not. Are you?”

  I stopped before I said something bitchy. I figured if I was going to insult actresses in general, I’d better make sure she wasn’t one.

  Nora laughed, throwing her head back in amusement. “Uh, no. I’m a business major.”

  “Don’t let her fool you,” Jase piped in. “Nora’s been modeling on the side since she was fifteen.”

  “Jase,” Nora whined, elbowing her brother in the shoulder. “Don’t tell people that.”

  Jase rolled his eyes. “It’s not like they can’t see for themselves when they drive down the 405. That billboard isn’t exactly discreet.”

  “You’re on a billboard?” I asked.

  Nora shrugged sheepishly. “I’ve done some work with 57 Jeans, and they turned this print campaign I did into a billboard, so yeah. But hey, enough about me, let’s talk more about Jase’s shitty taste in women.”

  “I like that idea,” I chimed in, and Nora grinned at me.

  “Jeez,” Jase said, looking down at his menu. “Had I known you two were going to make fun of me, I never would have come here.”

  Nora put her arm around her brother. “Jase, you just have really bad taste in girlfriends – expect Logan, that is. I like her.”

  I kicked Jase under the table, but he didn’t look up. He just grinned and kept his eyes on his menu.

  The door to the café dinged, and a woman in yoga pants came walked in. She passed us, glancing over briefly before continuing on to the counter. Then she glanced back again, and I knew she recognized Jase.

  “Hurry up and order,” Nora urged us, as she glanced back at the woman.

  “Ham and Swiss on rye with chips,” Jase said, and because I wasn’t thinking clearly, I just ordered the same thing and closed my menu.

  “So you have two sisters,” I ventured as Nora sauntered back to the front counter to put our order in.

  “I have three sisters,” Jase said, and opened his mouth to say more, but he was interrupted by the woman in the yoga pants who looked like she could use a good meal.

  “Hi,” she said to him, completely ignoring me.

  Her voice was breathy as if she’d just run a mile, but I knew it was all for show. She was trying to sound seductive, and quite frankly, it pissed me off.

  “Hello,” Jase said politely, but there was a question in his tone that asked, ‘Do I know you?’

  “I just wanted you to know that I’m a huge fan,” she gushed breathlessly, as she r
ested hand on Jase’s shoulder.

  My eyes went wide, and I glanced over at Nora who was watching us. She rolled her eyes.

  “Thank you,” Jase said politely, as he glanced down at her hand.

  “I’m Marcy,” she said, as she trailed her fingers down his upper arm and stuck her hand out for him to shake.

  “Nice to meet you, Marcy,” he said, shaking her hand.

  She giggled, and I rolled my eyes. This woman must have been at least thirty-five, and she was shamelessly hitting on a twenty year-old guy just because he was a famous actor.

  “It’s so nice to meet you, Jason,” she said, as she bit down on her bottom lip. She was still gripping his hand.

  It’s Jase, I felt like saying, but he didn’t correct her, so neither did I. Now let go of his damn hand, bitch.

  “Marcy,” Nora called out as she set a drink on the counter.

  “Excuse me,” Marcy said, as she turned and flounced back toward Nora.

  I gave Jase a look, and he just shook his head, but then suddenly, Marcy was back. She dropped something in Jase’s lap and leaned down to whisper in his ear. I watched him turn red as her lips moved deliberately, millimeters from his skin. Then she rose up, gave me a pitying look, turned on her heel and was gone.

  Without looking at the piece of paper, Jase dropped it in the middle of the table and looked up at me in shame. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “She propositioned you, didn’t she?” I asked, picking up the paper and unfolding it.

  Sure enough, there was her number and a kiss of her lipstick. I crumpled it up and squeezed it in my hand. How could I compete with women like that?

  “Give it to me,” Jase said, sticking his hand out, and I was shocked for a minute, thinking he actually wanted her number.

  I handed it over to him, and he proceeded to rip it into tiny shreds. “There’s only one girl who’s given me her phone number in the past two months that I care about, and she’s sitting across from me.”

  I stared back at him, hoping he was being honest. His gaze was insistent.

  “Here you go,” Nora said, setting down our food in front of us. “Are you guys staying for a while?”