The Real Thing Page 8

  “A full afternoon, huh?” she teased as she leaned back against the railing.

  “Uh-huh.” He put a hand on either side of her, trapping her. “I plan on making love to you in every room in my house.”

  Raine’s pussy spasmed at the image. She couldn’t wait for the ferry to dock.

  Logan made good on his word, making love to her on the center island in the kitchen, bent over the back of the couch in the living room, even in the hot tub on the back deck before finally ending up on the floor in his art studio.

  “Don’t move,” he said.

  Raine’s brow furrowed as Logan got to his feet. She’d been snuggling happily against him when he suddenly jumped up.

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “To get my sketch pad.”

  That didn’t tell her much. “Why?”

  He grabbed the pad from the table, then sat down naked in one of the cushioned chairs, a huge grin on his face. “So I can sketch you, of course.”

  “Sketch me? I thought you only painted landscapes.”

  He rested his ankle on the opposite knee, and propped the art pad on his bent leg. “I usually do, but you inspire me.”

  Her heart did a silly, little cartwheel at the words. “I’ve never posed for an artist before.”

  Logan gave her wink. “Just lay there and look beautiful.”

  She laughed. He knew exactly what to say to make a woman feel special, didn’t he?

  Raine might not have modeled for an artist before, but as he sketched her in various poses over the next few hours, she was pretty sure it wasn’t supposed to be an arousing experience. She couldn’t help herself. Not only was Logan sitting there naked with a hard-on the whole time, but he was eyeing her like he could just eat her up. Another minute and she was going to slide her hand between her legs and touch herself.

  “Done,” Logan finally announced. “For now.”

  She hopped up and ran over to him. “Let me see.”

  He pulled her down onto his lap and gave her a soul-searing kiss that had her forgetting all about the drawings. Until he pulled away and showed them to her. Raine’s eyes went wide.

  “Logan, these are gorgeous.”

  “You’re the one who’s gorgeous. I just drew what I saw.”

  She blushed. No camera had ever captured her like this. It was like seeing herself through his eyes. And for the first time in a long time, she liked what she saw. She didn’t look like a movie star. She looked like a woman who was truly happy, not an actress being paid to seem that way.

  Tears welled in her eyes before she could stop them. She looked away before Logan could see, but he cupped her cheek and lifted her chin.

  “Hey, what’s wrong?”

  She gave him a tremulous smile. “Nothing. It’s just that these are so beautiful.”

  He gently wiped a tear away with his thumb. “Well, I wouldn’t have drawn them if I knew it was going to make you cry.”

  Raine shook her head. “They didn’t. I love them. I love…”

  You.

  The word stuck in her throat, refusing to come out. How could she be in love with Logan when she couldn’t stand the sight of him a week ago? Was it possible to fall in love that fast? Were the things she was feeling even love at all or just the side-effect of really incredible sex? Or a really screwed up life in general?

  Logan regarded her expectantly, as if he was waiting for her to say something. She tried to think of some other way to finish the sentence she’d started, but everything she came up with sounded trite. Or just plain ridiculous. So, she did the only other thing she could do—she kissed him.

  And got the answer to the questions she’d asked herself earlier. She was totally and irrevocably in love with Logan McBride.

  Monday morning came all too soon.

  Raine closed her eyes and snuggled up against Logan, trying to imprint the moment—make that the entire weekend—into her memory. “I wish I didn’t have to go.”

  Logan’s arm tightened around her. “Then stay.”

  She sighed. “I have to finish shooting those scenes.”

  He tilted her face up with gentle fingers. “Then come back when you’re done.”

  “I can’t. At least not right away. Maybe after the wedding.”

  God, just saying the word made her feel ill.

  He pushed her hair back from her face. “Who’s getting married?”

  “I am.”

  Logan stared at her so for long Raine thought maybe she only thought she’d said it out loud.

  “Wait a minute.” He laughed. Like the way someone laughs when they don’t think something’s funny. “I must be confused. I thought you just said you were getting married.”

  Oh, God. He didn’t know. She thought everyone knew. But how could he know? He didn’t watch a lot of television. Which meant he probably didn’t read a lot of entertainment news on the internet.

  “I did,” she said softly.

  He sat up so fast, she almost fell out of bed. His eyes bore into hers. “Then what the hell was this weekend all about? What was I, some last-hurrah fuck before you tied the knot?”

  Raine reeled back as if he’d slapped her. Actually, a slap would have hurt less. “No! Logan, you don’t understand. It’s not even a real wedding.”

  His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? You’re either getting married or you’re not.”

  “I am, but it’s not going to be a real marriage.” She gripped the sheet so hard her knuckles were white. “My career’s been in the toilet for years. And the only way to get it back on track is to be seen with an A-list movie star like Cameron Kincade. It’s just a publicity stunt. I won’t even sleep with him.”

  “That makes it okay then.” Logan snorted. “This has gotta be one of the most fucked-up things I’ve ever heard.”

  “Maybe.” She cupped his cheek. “But we can still keep seeing each other. It’ll have to be in secret, at least while Cameron and I are married. We’ll be getting a divorce soon, though, and after that—”

  “No.”

  The word was almost a growl. A chill ran through her. “Wh-what do you mean, no?”

  “I mean I won’t be your boy toy.”

  “That’s not what I’m asking you to be.”

  “I won’t be your fuck buddy, either.”

  Her face turned red. “You’re more than that, and you know it.”

  His jaw flexed. “I don’t know anything anymore.”

  She dropped her hand. “I know you’re hurt—

  “I’m not hurt. I’m pissed as hell.”

  He threw back the blanket and got out of bed. Tears stung her eyes she watched him pull on his jeans.

  “I can’t believe you’re going to throw away what we could have over something as stupid as this,” she said.

  He slanted her a hard look. “I could say the same thing about you.”

  A tear trickled down her cheek and she wiped it away with the heel of her hand. Logan’s expression softened and she thought he’d come over and take her in his arms, but instead he grabbed a T-shirt from a drawer and put it on.

  “You should get ready,” he said quietly. “You don’t want to miss the ferry.”

  Raine stared at his retreating back as he walked out of the bedroom. So that was it? Logan wasn’t even going to consider seeing her simply because some stupid piece of paper said she was married? She could understand if the marriage was real, but it wasn’t. She was just going to be playing the part of Cameron Kincade’s wife for a little while. There had to be some way to make Logan see that. What difference did it make if the whole world thought she was madly in love with Cameron Kincade? She and Logan would know the truth, and that should be all that mattered.

  Blinking back tears, she got out of bed and padded across the carpeted floor to the bathroom. She didn’t think she’d ever gotten ready so fast before, but she showered, dressed and put on her make-up in record time. Taking a deep breath, she picked up her bag and walked out
of the bedroom.

  Logan was in the kitchen staring out the window exactly like he’d done in the cabin that morning she’d left. Only this time, she wasn’t going without a fight.

  He turned at the sound of her footsteps on the hardwood floor. He didn’t look angry anymore, at least.

  “I guess this is goodbye,” he said.

  She set down her bag and closed the distance between them. “It doesn’t have to be.”

  He shook his head. “I can’t, Raine. I can’t sneak around with a married woman. Even if your marriage is a lie.”

  Her heart squeezed in her chest. “But why not?”

  He cupped her cheek, the tender gesture making what he was telling her even that much more painful. “I can’t be the other guy, Raine, no matter how much I care for you. Because while a marriage may not mean anything to you, it means an awful lot to me.”

  Tears started in her eyes. If she told him she loved him, would it make a difference? Something told her it wouldn’t. Logan didn’t live in her make-believe world where people got married because it was a good career move. He lived in a world where people got married for love. She desperately wished she could live there, too.

  A lone tear trickled down her cheek and Logan lifted his hand to gently wipe it away. “The ferry leaves soon. If you miss it, you’ll be late getting back to Vancouver. Come on. I’ll walk you out.”

  Raine sniffed. She didn’t want to go, not until she’d changed his mind. Or at least got his promise that he’d think about it. But he was right. She had to be in Vancouver that afternoon. Wiping her nose with the back of her hand, she picked up her purse. She would have grabbed her weekender bag, too, but he picked it up before she could.

  When they got to her car, she turned back to him. “I wish things could be different.”

  He gave her a small smile. “I do, too.”

  They stood for a moment gazing at each other before Logan bent his head to kiss her. Raine clung to him, her kiss trying to tell him everything she hadn’t been able to say with words.

  Logan pulled away first, his dark eyes sad. “Goodbye, Raine.”

  Raine couldn’t make herself say the same. Because saying the word out loud would make their parting too final. Stifling a sob, she got in her car and drove away.

  Chapter Five

  Raine had never hurt so much in her entire life. Leaving Logan was the hardest thing she’d ever done, but she forced herself to get on the ferry. If it had been a movie, Logan would have come after her, catching the boat just as it was about to pull away from the dock. She would have been standing at the railing with tears in her eyes, and he would have taken her into his arms and begged her not to go. But it wasn’t a movie, and none of that happened.

  She spent the next two days filming in Vancouver, then went home to LA. If anyone noticed how moody she was, they didn’t mention it. They probably chalked it up to pre-wedding jitters. God, she wished that was all it was. Then maybe she’d stop dreading it so much. Is she was this miserable now, how was she going to feel on her wedding day? She didn’t know how she was going to go through with it.

  But then she thought of everything she’d lose if she didn’t, and knew she had no choice.

  Reginald descended on her the minute she and Chloe walked in the door. That wasn’t surprising. What did surprise her was the copy of The National Investigator in his hand. The scandal sheet put a frown on his face whenever he was in the same room with it. Instead, he was grinning from ear to ear.

  “You’re incredible, Raine, my dear,” her manager said. “I wish I’d thought of it myself. Though I must admit, I probably wouldn’t have hooked you up with an artist. A musician, perhaps. Or a writer, maybe. But I rather think I like the idea of you and this artist guy together.”

  Raine frowned. Logan was the only artist she knew, and there was no way Reginald could know about him. Unless…

  Heart suddenly pounding, she snatched the paper out of Reginald’s hand. Right there on the front cover was a photo of her kissing Logan beside her car that morning she’d left for Vancouver. And above it were the words “Raine in Seattle. Does This Mean Stormy Weather Ahead for Her and Cameron?”

  Her hands trembled as she read the article. It had Logan’s full name and what he did for a living. It even said he lived on Bainbridge Island. He was going to be furious his privacy had been invaded like this.

  “This McBride guy could be exactly what we’ve been looking for.”

  She dragged her gaze away from the article to look at her manager. He was still grinning. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about all the added publicity this is giving us right before the wedding.”

  “Publicity?” she echoed. She was worried about what this was going to do to Logan, and her manager was worried about how good this was going to be for her look?

  “The phones have been ringing off the hook for interviews since this morning, and I’ve got five producers looking to sign you to movie deals. They don’t even want you to read for the parts.” He snapped his fingers. “You know what would be a great idea? Postponing the wedding. Just for a month or two. You know, make it look like Cameron is pissed off? You could apologize publicly. Maybe check into sex rehab. Think how big the buzz will be when you get back together? The wedding will be bigger than William and Kate’s.”

  Raine was going to be sick. “No! This marriage is going to happen on schedule, or not at all.”

  Reginald’s eyes went wide. Probably because she’d never shouted at him before. “Okay, okay. Take it easy. We’ll go ahead with the wedding as scheduled.”

  Instead of relief, she stood there feeling like she couldn’t breathe.

  “We can still use McBride,” Reginald continued. “I’ve been trying to come up with something to hinge the divorce on, and this artist is the perfect thing to come between you and Cameron. The divorce will be so much more sensational if there’s a lover in the picture.”

  Raine gripped the paper when what she really wanted to do was tear it to shreds. “No, it won’t, because Logan isn’t going to be any part of this. And if you try to drag him into this, you can start looking for another job. I mean it, Reginald.”

  Her manager stared at her in shock. Even Chloe seemed stunned.

  “Of course.” Reginald cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”

  She didn’t let him finish. “I’m tired. I’m going upstairs to rest.”

  Tears were running down her cheeks by the time she got to the top of the stairs. She wiped them away angrily. Damn that rag of a newspaper for taking what she had with Logan and making it seem as shallow and fake as everything else in her life. And damn Reginald for wanting to use her relationship with Logan as more fuel for the publicity fire. And damn her for letting it all happen.

  In her bedroom, she curled up on the chaise by the window and morosely stared out at the huge swimming pool below. She didn’t even want to imagine the look on Logan’s face when he saw the photo of the two of them. If he hadn’t hated everything about Hollywood, he would now. She only hoped he didn’t hate her for dragging him into that world. The thought brought another rush of hot tears.

  A knock sounded on the door before it opened and Chloe poked her head in. “Can I come in?”

  Raine wanted to point out that she already had, but didn’t. Instead, she wiped a tear from her cheek and nodded.

  Chloe quietly closed the door, then came over to sit on the bottom of the chaise.

  “You’re in love with Logan McBride, aren’t you?” she asked softly.

  Raine’s first instinct was to deny it, but she didn’t want to. On the contrary, she wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Although she supposed the modern-day equivalent thing to do would be to announce it on Twitter. She couldn’t do either of those things, though. But she could confide in her closest friend.

  “Yes,” she said.

  “I thought so. How did you two meet?”

  “Remember when I
said I went up to the spa at Mountain Ridge?”

  Chloe nodded.

  “Well, there was this snowstorm…”

  Raine told Chloe everything. Well, she didn’t mention the spankings. But she told her about everything else, including the beautiful sketches Logan had done.

  “He’s the most amazing artist I’ve ever seen,” she finished. “The painting of the cabin he did makes you feel as if you’re really there.”

  Chloe regarded her thoughtfully. “You can’t marry Cameron.”

  Raine did a double take at the sudden change in topic. She frowned at the mention of the other actor. “I have to. My career is riding on it.”

  “Screw your career. It’s already back on track anyway.” Chloe sighed. “Raine, don’t settle for a fake marriage to Cameron when you can have the real thing with Logan.”

  Raine didn’t say anything.

  Her friend sighed again. “I’ve got to get back to work. Just think about what I said, okay?”

  Chloe didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, she gave Raine’s hand a squeeze, then got up and left, closing the door quietly behind her.

  Chloe made it sound so simple. But while her career probably wouldn’t completely derail if she dumped Cameron, it would still take a hit. And even if she did call off the wedding, that didn’t mean Logan would want her in his life, especially when she came with a pack of ravenous paparazzi.

  Raine grabbed the chenille throw from the back of the chaise and wrapped it around her, wishing she was in Logan’s arms instead.

  * * * * *