Final Reshoots for
‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Cut!” Doug Liman barked. “Let’s wrap up for lunch. I want everyone back here by Two thirty…that’s two hours!” Turning in a half circle, he located his quarry. “Two Vince! No more!”Vince tossed out his usual amusing quip. “Two hours my time?”
“No my time, thank you” Doug answered back.
“Well...Doug, you know…I…I’ve got an appointment with Krystal the local hooch. It might go a little longer than two hours…a hundred and twenty minutes…ya know what I’m sayin?” Vince joked.
Simon was only slightly amused. His nerves on edge “Vince!”
“Just kidding…take a joke man!” Vince laughed, throwing a laughing Brad and Angelina a wink, he sauntered off the set.
Moving to stand directly behind Angelina, Brad leaned in enough to smell her hair but not enough to actually touch her. He moved a bit closer and whispered into her ear. “Have lunch with me.”
She had put him off for the past six weeks, ever since ‘the announcement’ and she simply had no more excuses to give him. Without turning around Angelina’s answer was a simple one. “Okay. Let me change first”
“Okay.” Brad watched Angelina walk away and enter her trailer, before returning to his own and changing cloths.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Putting his fork down, Brad decided it was time to ask the questions that had been hanging between them for the past six weeks. “What did I do?”
Angelina finished chewing before answering. “Nothing…why?”
Brad shook his head slowly, a half smile on his lips. “Don’t…you know what I mean and you know why I asked.”
“You haven’t done a thing Brad.”
“Then why have you been ignoring me and pushing me away?” Brad sipped his wine; taking no notice of the over attentive wait staff and diners. “Since the reshoots started, you’ve gone out of your way to keep Maddox away from the set. You won’t stay in the same room with me if we’re alone and you still won’t answer my calls. So now I ask you again, what have I done to make you close me out this way?”
Sighing Angelina chose her words carefully. “You haven’t done anything. But from the moment you decided…you and Jennifer decided to separate, all eyes turned in my direction and haven’t looked away yet. Whispers, evil looks, nasty words and name calling. It’s at a minimum now but the last thing either of us needs is negative press. It can only hurt the movie.”
“So that’s where you’re laying all this.”
“I’m not laying it anywhere; this is just how it is.” Angelina defended. “Akiva is going mad with the press surrounding you two. Throw me and the mix and this movie won’t stand a chance at the box office.” Pointing down at the table she continued. “This lunch shouldn’t have happened. The best thing that we can do is to just stay away from each other outside of the movie. So this…this can’t happen again. I only came this time because I couldn’t think of an excuse that would stick.”
“No.”
Brad’s reply came so quietly, that Angelina almost missed it. “What?”
“I said no…I don’t accept that.” Brad answered calmly. Leaning forward his words intense. “I finally see my hearts dream in the near distance and I’ll be damned if I stop traveling the path to it, because the public can’t get past my separation from Jennifer.”
“Fine, travel the path to your hearts dream, but understand that I simply can’t afford to travel it with you. I have to keep Maddox safe. He’s my life.” Angelina implored. She needed him to understand that she just wasn’t ready to take a chance. What would happen if she decided to embark on a relationship with him and he decided later on to go back to Jennifer, where would that leave her and Maddox? No she simply couldn’t afford to chance both her heart and Maddox’s. The child was just starting to get over his infatuation with Brad.
Chuckling, Brad sat back in his seat. “You just don’t get it do you?” Capturing Angelina’s gaze he spoke quietly and left Angelina with no doubt to his meaning. “You and Maddox are my heart’s dream and I mean to turn this dream into reality.”
For the first time in her life Angelina felt like the hunted instead of the huntress.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Indecisive Limbo
February 2005
Paddy Maguire’s Pub…
Glancing around the pub, he located the person he’d come to see. Walking slowly to where the man stood at the bar watching the rowdy game of pool going on. “Brad!”
Brad turned at the sound of his name. “Colin!” He turn to greet the actor, slapping Colin on the shoulders in greeting. While his greeting was congenial, his thoughts hadn’t quite made it to that lofty state. He was still caring quite the grudge against Colin, who seemed to always be around Angelina. Though Colin was a cool guy, Brad was simply put; sick of him and his closeness with Angelina.
Grabbing a couple of beers, the two men snagged an empty table. Brad was the first to speak. “So? Why the visit? Alexander II?”
Colin didn’t bother beating around the proverbial bush. “Angelina.”
Shaking his head and setting his features Brad shut the conversation down. “Choose another topic. That one is closed.”
Colin stared for a moment before moving on as if Brad’s words meant nothing. “Well we’ll just have to open it up again.”
Brad realized that Colin wasn’t going to let it drop. Damn the man was irritating. Why was he even involved? “Fine. What about her?” Brad raised the bottle to his lips.
Colin wasted no words or effort getting his point across. “Why are you going after her? You can’t offer her a fuckin’ thing.”
“But you can, right?” Brad leaned forward a bit so that his words were clearly audible. “God knows you’re tryin’. It would seem that every time I try to see her, I trip over you. But I don’t need to ask what you want; I already know exactly what you’re after.”
“When it comes to me, you don’t know a fuckin’ thing.” Colin answered, his voice a bit amused.
Brad sat back in his chair, a cynical smirk on his lips. “Right so you don’t wanna fuck her?” Raising his hand, he stilled Colin’s words. “Don’t bother. I can smell it on you. It’s a familiar scent, most men who’ve been in her company for more than five minutes wear it like Lagerfeld. You’ve wanted her since day one. How do I know, easy every man wants her. You, me, Nicholas, Keifer, Jude, Olivier, Ethan…shit Val, Antonio and Denzel probably thought about it for a second or two. They are happily married. She just has that affect on men…women too I imagine.” Leaning forward he let his voice drop to a dead whisper. “Why am I going after her?” Holding up two fingers he continued. “Two reasons; one, she’s in my head, day and night. Eyes open…eyes closed, there she is. She’s like a fever in my blood. Two…two I can’t even wrap my own head around it. But even if I could, reason two is damn sure not something I would actually share with you.”Fuck! This ass was staring to piss him off and he truly liked Brad. Colin hoped this wouldn’t turn into a punch throwing match, he hadn’t heard much about Brad’s fighting but one quick glance at the man’s well cut biceps, was enough to tell Colin it would hurt if Brad landed a punch. “Angelina and I are only friends. But I do care about what happens to her and Maddox.”
“So what are we now? Two Peacocks strutting for the same female? Do me a favor Colin and let me and Angelina handle our relationship.”
Colin cut his eyes to the side, before returning their gaze to Brad. “News flash, you and Angie don’t have a relationship. She wants you to leave her alone and she’s not the only one.” Colin finished his beer. “Quit now before things get really ugly. I won’t let you hurt her or that boy. You’ve got a wife and a marriage that could use some attention.”
Brad’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a threat?”
Colin could feel the heat of angry radiating from Brad’s direction. “Call it a promise…a premonition…a prediction. Hell! Call it a goddamn bit of friendly advice, but whatever you call it. I suggest you heed it.”
“I’ll take it as you intended it and hand out one of my own.” Brad threw a large bill on the table. “I understand that you are trying to look out for Angelina and Maddox but if you get my way I will go through you. And trust me; you do not want that to happen. Brawler or not…taking me on is not something you want to do friend.”
Standing, Colin wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his accent even more prominent. “The woman I saw two days ago is not the woman who worked with me two years ago. Ever since you entered her life she’s been completely unraveled. So again I ask you, what are you after? Or do you even know? Or is it a game you won’t be happy with until you’ve won; leaving Angie and Mad broken hearted and damaged?”
Brad’s words stilled for a moment. He’d never meant to stress Angelina. “I have no intentions of hurting them. Angel means the world to me and I would kill to keep Maddox from harm. Let it go Colin…just stay out of it. I don’t want you lending Angel a shoulder or whispering words of confidence in her ear. Just stay away from her and Maddox.”
“Fine, but if you hurt them, its not you going through me, it’s the other way around.” Colin left the bar without saying another word. He wondered if Brad had realized that he’d called Angelina, Angel. It was a very telling Freudian. It seemed Bradley viewed Angie as his Angel…his salvation. Even if he didn’t recognize it himself, Colin saw it clearly. Brad was in love with Angelina. Shaking his head he moved pass the paparazzi trying snap a few photos. This was going to be one hell of a year.
Colin was right, did he even know? One thing he was sure of…his life was in limbo and he needed Angel and Maddox to bring him out of it. Brad finished his beer and left the bar. Pulling his cell phone out he dialed by memory, He wasn’t prepared for the message he received.
“The number you have reached is not in service. Please check the number and dial again, If you feel you have…”
He disconnected the line. “Shit!” Brad brushed past the ever present paparazzi trying to get a picture of him. He’d pushed too hard and she’d ran. Question was, did he let her run or did he go after her? And what would he do when he caught her? “Shit!”
~~~~~~~~~~
Los Angeles, CA
LA Charity Event for Underprivileged Children
February 21, 2005
“Smile Brad!” Brad turned to the photographer. Smiling he waved at the camera. Anyone looking close enough would have seen that the smile never quite reached his crystal blue eyes. He almost seemed to remain untouched by the commotion and excitement going on around him. His mind wrapped up in other more pressing issues.
“Brad…Brad” He felt a small tug on his pant leg. Looking down he stared into the face of sweet six year old girl. Finally the smile reached his eyes. Stooping down so that he was on the child’s level he began talking as though he had no problems at all. “Hi sweetheart. How are you?”The little girl smiled back. “Fine.” Looking back over her shoulder, she saw that both adults and children were gathering into a large circle. Glancing back at Brad she asked. “Will you be my partner for story time?”
Looking onto the child’s dark brown eyes, Brad felt his heart melt. Ahhh…little girls could always twist him around their little finger. Pickling the child up as he stood, he began moving over to the reading circle. “Sure honey, let’s go.” Hugging the six year old, Brad laid a kiss on her smooth brown forehead. She was such a sweet child. Her eyes reminded him of Maddox. God he missed that boy so much that it was a slow burning ache that never seemed to go away. Settling down with the child, Brad half listen to the stories that were read.
An hour later the stories over, Brad’s little companion left her champion for the company of her little peers. Brad stood alone watching the children run around playing tag. “I Heard you wrote quite a check for this event…seventy-five thousand dollars, plus a complete overhaul. Nice!”
Brad turned to find Julia Roberts smiling at him. Hugging the new mother, he smiled back. “I didn’t know you were going to be here. How are the babies?” He watched her eyes light up as she talked about the latest wonder of new parenthood. Brad tried to clamp down on the spark of envy that flared through him. He suddenly felt as though he would never become a father. Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be for him.
Julia suddenly stopped talking, grabbing Brad’s hand, she tugged him outside to the pool terrace. “A separation Brad? Is it a separation leading to a divorce? Or are you two just taking a breather?”
Brad laughed, other than George and his family, Julia could always read his actions better than anyone else. “Divorce, she’ll file next month…hopefully.”
“And if she doesn’t? Will you?”
“Yeah.” Brad breathed.
“So where does Angelina fit in?” Julia watched Brad’s face closely at the mention of Angelina. She saw a hint of a spark in his eyes. George had been right. He’d told her that he believed that Brad was falling in love with Angelina. Julia knew Brad hadn’t broken his vows, but part of her wished that he had. He definitely had more in common with Angie, then Jennifer. She’d met Angelina at a few red carpet events and charity functions and she liked the girl. She was wild, open and refreshingly honest to the point of bluntness at times. “I’ve heard all kinds of crap, now you tell me what’s really going on.”
“She has nothing to do with the separation or the divorce. I just finally realized that Jennifer and I had grown too far apart to remain together. We wanted different things. It was just time to end it, before we became bitter and trapped. Angelina didn’t figure into it.” Brad didn’t want to say too much, but he’d always been able to talk to Julia.
“Really? George mentioned that you two were becoming close. That you were attached to her son Maddox.” Staring directly into Brad’s eyes, she spoke quietly. “Brad are you into her because of the child?”
Brad shook his head. “No…no I want Maddox as much as I want his mother. Jules…I can’t describe how she makes me feel.”
Smiling, Julia teased him a bit. “Sexual?”
“No…well yeah…my god look at her. But it’s not all sexual. She makes me think of babies…making them…having them…raising them. She makes me think of family picnics…vacations, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and reunions.” Brad shook his as if to clear it. “I don’t know…sometimes I think I’m loosing my mind.”
Julia’s wide mouth lit into a bright smile. “You’re gone.” Leaning in Julia kissed Brad on the cheek. “I hope that it works out for you…the three of you. You deserve all those things Angelina deserves a man who will cherish her and Maddox deserves a father who knows what’s important and can look past his adoption and race.”
Returning her smile and her kiss, Brad felt like someone was on his side for once. “Thank you.”
“Sooo…are you and Angie working towards that family goal?”
“Huh…Jules, I don’t even know where she is. I tried too much…too soon and she cut and ran.” Brad whispered.
“What?” Julia shook her head in disbelief. “Why would she run, unless…maybe you just got to close. I’ve never known Angelina to run away from anything. This must be something she can’t control.”
Brad ran his fingers through his hair. “Neither of us can control it. But I can’t let that stop me. From going after what I want…need.”
“What do you want Brad?” A simple question.
“Happiness.” A simple answer.
“And that equates to?” Julia was leading Brad to his answer.
“Angelina and Maddox.” Brad answered quietly, his voice full of emotion.
“So now you know what you want. Don’t let anyone or thing stop you from getting it.” Julia hugged Brad; she’d missed their talks while working on .Ocean’s Twelve’. She and George had been privy to Brad and Jen’s marital problems for the last two years. While she thought Jennifer was an okay person, Julia didn’t believe that Jennifer was right for Brad. Hopefully this new path would lead Brad to the family he craved.
Hopefully…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vanity Fair Interview
February 26 2005
The Ritz Hotel – Paris, France
(The interview comes from Vanity Fair’s June 2005 issue)
Nancy Jo Sales shared an overstuffed couch with Angelina, who sat cross-legged beside her. Nancy was interviewing Angelina for the June issue of Vanity Fair. “Very nice top.” She complimented the silky tunic with a pattern of naked women on it.Angelina glanced down at the smooth top, she wore. “Thank you, I bought it at Coco de Mer.”
“The London sex shop?”
Sipping her wine she answered. “Un hun…It makes your ass look nice.” She pulled the black shawl back up to cover her bare left shoulder.
“So tell me about Maddox.” Nancy felt as though the interview would have been quite exciting had they continued on discussing Angelina’s sex life but there were other subjects she needed to touch on.
“He’s made me woman!” she replied. “He’s the greatest thing that has ever happened to my life and I’m just so amazed because he’s adopted, that life led me to him, led me to his country and led us to each other and thank God because our lives would e completely different if that didn’t happen.”
“Has your bar for a future husband changed any? Are you interested in finding a new husband?” Nancy asked as she watched their waiter Charlie place a large silver tray of Swiss chocolates
Angelina smiled at Charlie. “You always do this and I love you for it!”
Charlie smiled back, a bit star struck and in awe of Angelina’s potent beauty. “It’s so healthy…this is healthy Swiss chocolates.
“Thank you very much. I feel better about it already.” Angie replied. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say your were trying to fatten me up Charlie boy.” She laughed as he walked back to the bar, then turning back to Nancy she continued. “Men don’t really like skinny women do they?” She asked, but didn’t wait for an answer. “Ever since I dated a woman, I know what it is to grab a curve on a woman’s body. Skinny’s not fine when the lights are low.” She rearranged the slim gold bangles that circled her delicate wrist.
“Most of the time we woman are trying to loose that last five pounds in an effort to attract the perfect man.” Nancy was trying to steer the conversation back to her original question about any future husbands Angie might have in mind.
Angie veered back on topic. “I’m so busy these days not to mention, that I’m just horrible at relationships that all I have time for is the occasional hotel meet every three to for months and that’s being kind. Sometimes its longer. But I just don’t want them around my son”
“Looking for father material?” Nancy hedged.
“Not really, I’ve raised the bar so high in that regard that I doubt that there is a man out there who can met it, but I know that if I ever saw a man be great with my child, then that would be it for me…I actually know that. Angelina mused.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2005
Wrap Party
‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith
He watched her float around the room as though on a cloud. She tempted every man in the room, her perfectly honed and curvaceous body sheathed in a wine red gown. He noticed that the color on her luscious lips was a perfect match for the red of her gown. He wanted to taste those lips. He wanted to feel those endless legs wrapped around his body as he pounded into her mercilessly. He had to see her. It was time to move forward.
Moving smoothly through the crowded room, Brad finally came to a halt directly behind Angelina. “Are you going to continue to ignore me?” Brad whispered into Angelina’s ear.
Angelina turned so sharply that she nearly spilled her drink all over Brad’s Armani clad chest. “Bra…Brad. I…” What did she say? She had managed to elude Brad through the last nine days of the final March reshoots earlier. She’d moved into her mother’s suite at the Raffles L’Ermitage and had changed her cell phone number. During the shoots she’d ignored him when the cameras weren’t running. She’d kept Maddox away from the set and fielded all his ‘Brad’ inquiries into toy store adventures. Now she was simply too tired to push him away anymore, especially when it wasn’t what she truly wanted.
Shaking his head he pressed a finger to his lips. “Shhh…not here, the media’s all over this party. I want to see you alone. We need to talk. No more cold shoulder Angel. I mean it.”
Angelina nodded. “Okay…where?”
Brad pressed a small piece of paper into Angelina’s free hand. “Meet me here tomorrow…seven pm.” He turned and walked away before their conversation became fodder for the media.
Angelina glanced down at the paper in her hand. Opening it she read the message and recognized the Chateau Marmont’s address. Ripping the paper up she tossed the tiny shreds of paper in the waiting trash. She should have felt a sense of apprehension but all she felt was relief. What she would say or do she didn’t know, but she was happy to have the chance to figure it out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chateau Marmont
Bungalow 3
Next Evening
March 13, 2005
She didn’t know what to expect, but Brad in a cream colored crew neck sweater and a pair of ass hugging jeans wasn’t it. The man was just delicious. Brad in the flesh was mind numbing. “Hi.” She whispered; her voice refusing to cooperate.He opened the door to find the Angel -that had floated in and out of his every conscious and unconscious moment- standing there. She was dressed in her trademark black…black leather jacket, black turtle neck, jeans and black stiletto heeled boots. She was simply magnificent. Her voice like much needed sustenance came to him in sultry whisper and molded itself against his starving skin. “Hi yourself.” He breathed, stepping back he let her enter. Shutting the door he took her jacket and purse and laid them across a vacant chair. Taking her hand he led her into the bungalow’s living room.
Looking around the beautifully decorated living room, she noticed a fire burning in the marble fireplace. Angelina remarked “Very nice. Especially if one must live like a hermit. You’re doing pretty well.” She watched Brad pour to glasses of wine and hand her one. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Brad moved to the couch, gesturing to Angelina as he did. “Come here…sit with me.”
Moving to the couch, Angelina sat down and placed her glass on the coffee table next to Brad’s. “I’m glad you invited me here tonight.”
Brad sipped his wine, choosing his words carefully. “I think that it’s that we faced what’s going on between us. Don’t you?”
Nodding, Angelina reached for her drink. “Yes.” What more could she say? He was right there was definitely something there and it was becoming a monster to bear.
Brad continued on. “I was jealous when Colin became your shadow; I was angry when you changed your number; I was hurt when you decided to keep Maddox away and pissed when you pushed me away.”
“Brad I’m sor…”
Brad stopped her. “No…I’m sorry. I pushed and you had no choice but to survive the best way you knew how. You had to make sure that Maddox was protected.” Brad held his hands out palms up. “What did I really have to offer you?”
From: MFChar
"Stand By Me"
Shaking her head, her fingers moving lightly across his palms; the touch as light as butterfly wings. He had the most amazing hands. So masculine and capable; they wore the mark of sensuality in each line and protection in each crease. Bowing her head, the thick curtain of her hair hiding her features; But still… ‘You have nothing to offer me now.”
Brad watch the burnish highlights in her hair reflect the vibrant flames thriving in the rooms fireplace. “Me…I offer you me,” He closed his hands around her fingers capturing them in a caressing hold.
“You can’t offer me what you don’t have.” Reluctantly pulling her finger free of his, she bowed her head even more, whispering. “You have a wife.”
“No my marriage is over, Angel” Grasping her chin gently, Brad raised her face, his crystal blue gaze capturing her feline-like hazel stare. Trying not to frighten her away or to break the hypnotic hold he seemed to have on her, he raised his free hand slowly to push the soft thick strands of hair from her face. Baring the perfect face that had graced more than three hundred magazine covers and had held his dreams captive for almost two years, he guided her lips towards his.
Brad had done more than forty movies through out his entire career and no pen could have scripted this moment. So soft, he gently ran his tongue over the sensitive flesh of her lower lip. He’d dreamed of this luscious mouth. His tongue teased, he nursed at her lips as though he were a baby seeking nourishment, the gentle suction becoming a determined demand for more. Every pull at her lips a painfully arousing streak of desire gripping her womb in torturous contractions. At his insistence, she allowed him the entry he so tenaciously sought, his tongue caressing and circling hers, trapping it in a wet dance of desire.
Angelina couldn’t stop the moan that escape her throat as Brad’s hold on her face tighten, she couldn’t pull away if she wanted to. He wouldn’t allow it. His tongue set her free, but her mouth he still held captive, his tongue pressing further, deeper into her mouth, nearly touching the back of her throat. Held captive by those capable hands, Angelina allowed herself to be dominated; giving into a kiss that soon became much more.
Freeing Angelina’s mouth, Brad traced his way along her chin, finding the deep shell of her ear, he traced the ridge, coming to the delicate lobe, decorated with a single diamond stud. Enveloping the entire lobe; earring and all, Brad closed his lips over the velvety soft skin, tasting gently. His seductive ministrations, inciting riotous flames of need in Angelina, her hands once at her sides, moved slowly up his hard back, caressing every muscle, encircling his neck, shaping his face before coming to rest in his short soft hair. Brads lips, moved on to the side of Angelina’s soft neck, tasting nipping at the hot flesh. Her pulse calling him with every beat, her throat vibrating with every moan lured him into depths of a desire so hot it seared his soul. If he were a vampire he would have taken her sweet hot blood, enslaving her for all time. He moved away before he gave into his sadistic thoughts, returning to her swollen lips. He needed…wanted more. Releasing her face, his hands sought out the soft full bounty of her breast; outlined to perfection in her form fitting turtleneck, the aroused nipples pushing against the material. He could feel them seeking out his hand.
The contact with her face broken, Angelina was freed from the sexual spell that Brad held over her and was once again in control of her thoughts. Reality was not kind. In his mind and heart he was free but…still he had a wife. No matter what he said…separation…divorcing soon… right now, this moment…he still had a wife. Pushing against his chest and pulling her mouth away she broke all contact. “This is all you can offer me and lord knows I want it…Brad I do…but you’re married.”
Shaking his head, Brad refused to accept her words. “No I’m separated and heading for a divorce.”
“Yes but the law says you’re married.” Angelina paced back in forth trying to bring her breathing back down to normal. Coming to a halt in front of the fire and folding her arms across her throbbing chest, she stared into the flames, speaking to herself as well as Brad. “The world says you’re part of ‘The Golden Couple’… married.”
Standing, Brad made his way over to stand behind Angelina. He had to make her understand, that his past was done…her past was done and ‘their’ time was starting. “No the law says that I’m legally separated.” Wrapping his arms around her crossed ones, he dropped his face into her hair and whispered hoarsely into the fragrant mound. “Stay with me tonight Angel…please.”
“No…please don’t make me.” Knowing that if he pressed a little harder she would give in.
Brad refused to let her go, his arms tightening, separating so that one arm still held hers loosely and the other was wrapped securely around her shoulders. “No? I can’t…won’t let you go Angel not now.”
Angelina managed to free one arm. Bring her hand up to run smoothly along Brad’s arm, before gripping it. “I can’t give you what you want not tonight.”
“You have no idea what I truly want do you Angel? Yes I would love above all else to take you right here in front of the fire and spend the entire night making love to you, but that’s not all I want.” Nuzzling her hair, lovingly he continued. “We need time together, not working, not fending off the paparazzi, not giving interviews or working the publicity junket for the movie. We need time alone. Sex is not all…or even the most important thing. I want to get to know more about you…what makes you smile…your favorite color, foods, movies. I want to get to know you not what you’ve allowed the world to know. I want the real you and I’ll give you the real me.”
“Brad…I don’t think…I have Maddox to think about. I can’t just begin a relationship, especially with a married man…I can’t.” Shaking her head she finished. “I won’t, I’m sorry.” Pulling free she walked to the couch to grab her black leather jacket and purse.
Rubbing his lips with one finger, Brad reached out and snagged Angelina’s hand pulling her smoothly back into his embrace. Holding up his left hand, he showed her his bare ring finger. “No ring Angel.”
“I have to look out for my son…for me.” Angelina tried to pull away. “Ring or no ring…it doesn’t matter. You still have a w…”
“It does matter! It’s over…please, stay and talk to me. No sex…I promise, I just want to hold you and hear your voice…please” He would beg all night if he had to, but he had no intentions of letting her just walk away, not this time. “Maddox is your call, I don’t meet him again until you think its okay. Stop throwing up road blocks Angel let this happen”
Whether it was the pleading in his voice, the desperate hope in his eyes or her own desire for the happiness and security he promised in his every word or touch, she would never know, but in that moment she gave herself up to possibilities. “Okay, but no sex…you promise.”
Brad realized just how vulnerable this beautiful woman was. He was on the road to gaining her trust. It was a start. “Ahhh Angel.” He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Pulling back to look into his eyes, she asked. “I know I said not to call me Angelina, but why do you call me Angel instead of Angie?”
“Outside in the public I’ll call you Angie…Angelina, whatever you want, but in private…when we’re alone, your Angel…my Angel.” Reaching out he captured a tendril of hair and twirled it around his finger. “Do you mind?”
Shaking her head she smiled softly. “No.” Glancing at her watch, she pulled away from Brad when she noticed the time. “I have to call and check up on Maddox, say good night.”
“Okay. Did you have a chance to eat yet?” Brad asked, he was a happy man at this moment.
“No…not yet.”
“How about Chinese?” At her nod her grabbed his cell phone and ordered an array of dishes. Hanging up he caught the end of her conversation with Maddox. She reminded him of his mother, when he’d been a young boy. His mother had always made sure that hers was the last voice he heard before drifting off to sleep. Angelina invoked memories of childhood, she made him feel secure…safe as though even an actor could have a family in this day and age. He almost felt as though he was daddy listening to mommy put their son to bed. So he did what most fathers would do he got involved. “How is he?”
Angelina looked up from her cell phone and smiled. “He’s fine, about to go to bed. I hate not tucking him in.”
“You’re a very good mother Angel.” Brad walked over to her and taking her hand he pulled her down onto the couch with him. Swinging his legs up onto the couch, he settled Angelina between them comfortably, her back braced against his chest. Grabbing the remote he turned the flat screen television on, turning to the AMC channel. “The food will be here in forty-five minutes. ‘Barefoot in the Park’ with Robert Redford and Jane Fonda is coming on in about an hour.”
Smiling Angelina looked up at Brad. “I love that movie, it’s hilarious. I didn’t know you liked old movies.”
“I love them.” He turned the sound down on the television. “Since we have forty-five minutes of free time, why don’t you tell me all about Angelina.”
“Well…I guess I should start at the beginning. How much do you know about my parents’ relationship?”
It was a start…
Copyright © 2006 all rights reserved By ‘Rica’
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