“Show mercy,” he said to her, which made us all laugh.
I held Zaira’s hand and twined our fingers together. “Hey, you.”
She looked up at me. “Yeah?”
I bent and kissed her, and she smiled against my lips before sliding her fingers through my hair. “It’s been a hot minute, so I just thought I’d remind you that I’m really fucking proud of you,” I said to her.
She cupped the side of my face and placed her thumb over my chin. “Whatever happened today wouldn’t have been possible without you. My book would’ve remained unknown and unread had it not been because of–”
“Shh.” I kissed her again. “If I hear you singing my praises one more time, I’ll take you to my trailer and make you scream so hard that you won’t be able to sing for a while. Accept the reality and let me keep reminding you of how goddamn sexy, delicious, and talented you are.”
Her breath hitched against my lips. “My, my, Underwood. You’re being quite sure of yourself today.”
I smirked. “Oh, babe, I ammorethan sure when it comes to you and your body.” I dragged my hands down her waist and to her full ass. “I–”
“Excuse me?!” Dylan said a little too loudly.
Zaira and I moved back and looked at him. His arms were folded across his chest, and he was looking between us with amusement in his ice-blue eyes.
“Sorry,” I told him, and then chuckled.
“Apology accepted. But please keep it in your pants the next time we’re around.” He gestured at himself, and then at the others – who all seemedreallybusy admiring the Stage 35 construction with intrigue on their faces.
Zaira grimaced and punched me in the arm. “Yeah, Gall; conceal your carnal urges while we’re in public,” she sassed.
I rolled my eyes. “Carnal urges? Seriously? What are we, characters of an erotic novel or something?”
“Actually, you two were very close to putting those characters to shame with the way you were looking at each other,” Dylan said.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Kenneth turned, and jerked his head to the right when our eyes met. “Come on; practice time. We need to get the improv scene perfected before filming resumes.”
I gave him a nod, and then looked at Zaira. “Stage 6 in the next thirty minutes?”
She smiled. “I’ll meet you there.”
I grinned. “Can’t wait.”
She shook her head around a laugh. “Go, practice.” She shoved me a little. “Ace the heck out of this scene.”
I gave her a wink. “Will do.”
She smiled again, and just like that, she enlightened my world for the millionth time since she’d walked into it; since she’d dazzled it with her addicting personality and silk-like voice.
Why yes, I was a smitten mother-trucker when it came to my girlfriend, thank you very much.
