Come a Little Bit Closer: The Sullivans by Bella Andre Read Free Book Online Page A

women would probably have felt blessed—with a voice that made men think of sex, even if her conservative outward appearance rarely had. It had taken years of practice for her to school that huskiness out of it, much the way British actors often erased their accents to play American roles. But when she was nervous—or worked up—that huskiness would creep back in.
    “Nicola called. She and Marcus just received the arrangement of purple tulips you sent them at his winery as an engagement gift. She’d like to thank you directly rather than just through me. Could I give her your number?”
    “Of course you can.”
    She couldn’t read his expression as he continued to look at her. “Forever love—” His eyes darkened with the heat that was so much a part of him she was surprised the whole trailer hadn’t already gone up in flames. “—is the meaning of that flower.”
    Valentina tried to ignore her rapidly beating heart. “It seemed appropriate for them.”
    “It is.” Smith leaned one shoulder against the wall and crossed his feet at the ankles as if he had all the time in the world to chat with her. “I was surprised to hear that you’d sent them an engagement gift.”
    “I’ve always thought that real love that comes without any strings should be celebrated.”
    Where had that come from? She didn’t need to be discussing love with Smith Sullivan. Especially when something told her that if she gave him even the slightest bit of insight into who she was, he’d find a way to take advantage of it.
    “I agree with you,” he told her, “especially given how many strings people try to knot together in this business. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to make this movie, even knowing people will try to write it off as a simple love story.”
    She was surprised by just how well they agreed with each other on that point. Surprised, and frankly frightened at the prospect of how many other things they might agree on given the chance...
    And yet, she thought as if watching herself from a distance, it seemed that once she’d gotten going on a roll with all of her opinions about what love should and shouldn’t be, she couldn’t find a way to stop herself from spouting, “I’ve always wondered why love has to be so full of conflict and strife. Why can’t love be simple? Why can’t it just be as pure as two people who realize that they can’t live as well, or as happily, apart as they can together?”
    Smith’s eyes grew even more intense with every word she spoke. When she finally managed to close her mouth, he said, “I spent months struggling with the screenplay for Gravity before I could find the heart of what you just said so eloquently. That love doesn’t have to be hard. And passion can exist without the contrast of a fight. I see it with each of my siblings who have found love, the way safety and desire can be one and the same.”
    His words were so gentle and warm that she felt as if she were stepping into his strong arms even though they were still several feet apart.
    “Marcus and Nicola are part of the reason I have to make this movie. Because, as you just said, love without strings should be celebrated.” When his mouth curved up, his beautiful smile worked almost like gravity to pull her toward him. “ Nicola also called me to make sure that I knew how great she and Marcus thought you were, just in case I was stupid enough to miss it.” His smile turned unabashedly sensual. “I assured her that, for all my faults, stupidity isn’t one of them. Come out on a date with me, Valentina.”
    Panic swamped her in an instant, the key scenes of any “relationship” they might possibly have playing out as clearly as any of the dailies she’d watched just that morning. If she let herself be wooed into a date, and then his bed (because how could anyone possibly date Smith without begging him to make love to her?), she had no doubt that despite hating everything about the spotlights and media and