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Chapter 39: Let's Do This
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The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 40: The Secret's Out
Big Barb's Diner is busy, which shouldn't surprise me. It's Sunday, and everyone knows that Big Barb's has the best brunch.I knew it would be strange, coming out in public with Dante. But knowing it and experiencing it are two different things. When I ran into Dante during my date with Dean, both Dante and his brother were both more or less disguised. But this morning, Dante has no sunglasses or hat or anything else to obscure his identity. He's recognizable to anyone who looks his way.A dozen pairs of eyes are on us as we slide into our booth. I spot a group of young people trying to snap pictures of Dante with their cell phones, and a couple of twenty-somethings at the counter keep throwing flirtatious glances his way."Is it always like this for you?" I ask him.He gives a single nod. "Often. It comes with the territory.""I can't imagine living like this all the time." I glance over at the group with the phones. "Not that it's terrible," I add quickly, remembering that he's
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 41: A Reality Check
I don't think Jack's eyes have ever been this wide in his entire life."I know I have some explaining to do," I say. It's Monday night and we're sitting at the tasting table in my bakery. I've just broken my news to Jack over the feast of chili fries he brought me."You're damned right you have some explaining to do," he says. "You do remember how things ended between you the first time, don't you?""I know, I just... Jack, I can't help it. I've never felt this way about anyone else in my entire life. I don't know if I ever will." I run my finger over a knot in the woodgrain on the table's surface. "I know it sounds crazy, but I feel like I was always meant to be with him. And I can fight it, or I can try to make it work."He shakes his head. "So that's it, then? He's the love of your life? You're going to marry him?""Geez, Jack. We just got back together. I'm not thinking about marriage yet.""Yet. Which means it's on the table. Have you thought about what that means? What kind
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 42: Everything Changes
On Wednesday, the day before my first real dinner date with Dante, everything changes.It starts like any normal day. I'm in the bakery early, getting my recipes organized for the day, when Jilly comes bouncing in. Rather than go straight for her apron, she stops right in front of my workstation."Is it true?" she says. "Are you really dating Dante Fontaine?"I look up from the flour. "What? Where did you hear that?""The same place the rest of the world did." She holds up her phone, showing me a popular gossip website. There, front and center, is a photo of Dante and me leaving Big Barb's with the headline, "Dante Fontaine's new mystery girl: Who is Ashlyn Worth?"A chill shoots down my spine. I knew this was coming, but I guess I'd hoped I'd have my anonymity for a little while longer. It's so strange to see my face on this site, to see my name printed as if I'm some sort of celebrity. Tens of thousands of people might read this."So?" Jilly prompts. "Is it true?""I..." After
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 43: Things Get Seriously Insane
Let's be real: anyone who knew my name could have figured out where I work with a little bit of internet research. Certainly many reporters and photographers did. But now this site has made it easy for anyone to find me.And find me they do.Suddenly our phone is ringing off the hook - and not just the bakery phone, but my personal cell phone, too. I must have my number linked to one of my social media profiles or something, and before long I have to turn it off to keep from going insane.Most of the calls coming in on the bakery's main line are still from reporters, but some members of the general public are calling in, too, asking if Dante Fontaine will be making any appearances here anytime soon. Or asking what Dante's favorite dessert is. Or what his last order was.Under different circumstances, I might have found it amusing - at least until the threats started.The first one comes an hour after my bakery' name is posted."Hello?" I say into the receiver. I've probably answe
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 44: What Those Years Did To Me
Morning doesn't bring much relief.I wake with a knot in my stomach. I don't think I can face the bakery today - and frankly, I know it's unfair to ask Jilly or Mama Pat or Karen to, either. After taking several deep breaths, I turn on my phone. There are at least a dozen new messages waiting for me, but I ignore them. I call my employees and let them know that the shop will be closed today. That gives me a little bit of relief, at least.Right after I've hung up with Karen, my phone rings. My stomach seizes, but then I see that it's only Dante. Relief floods me as I answer."Ash? Are you all right?" he says immediately. "My publicist told me the news broke.""Oh, I - I'm fine," I say. Still a little stunned, but holding together. "Yeah, I guess it did.""I tried calling you multiple times last night. They sent me to Vegas for a press thing, or I would have come over to make sure you were all right." There's a hint of darkness in his tone. "You are all right, aren't you?"Just he
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 45: Our Second First Date
Somehow Dante and I make it off my doorstep and into the house. He manages to press me up against the wall without breaking the kiss. I'm not sure if seconds or minutes or even hours have passed. I only know that kissing him is life. It's an explosion of passion that threatens to consume me.When he finally pulls back, I'm dazed and fuzzy-minded with pleasure. I lean my head back against the wall, eyes still closed, as he brushes one last soft kiss against the corner of my mouth. There's a brief pause, and then suddenly he lets out a laugh.God, that laugh. That rare, beautiful sound makes me go soft all over. I open my eyes to see what's causing that marvelous, heart-swelling, intoxicating reaction, but when I do, my eyes go straight to his lips - and the enormous smear of Blood Orchid Red across them. His entire mouth is smudged with it. And the skin surrounding his mouth. And his chin. And even parts of his cheeks, though I don't remember my lips ever going there.He's still laug
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 46: Dante Finds Out
"What did they do?" Dante repeats."Nothing," I say. "Nothing I shouldn't have expected, at least. I'm just not used to this."His mouth is tight. For a moment, he doesn't say anything. And then, "I was afraid of this.""I can handle it," I tell him again. "But this is all happening so quickly. I never thought it would be easy, but I also wasn't expecting everything to change so drastically overnight. To go from a nobody to... to whatever I am now. In only a few days my whole life has changed, and we're only just getting to know each other again, and I just want... I just want..." A few moments to think. Some room to breathe, away from the curious eyes of the press and public. To run away with Dante to a place where they'll never find us. "This is what you were trying to avoid back then, wasn't it?"He gives a single nod, but though I've just admitted that he was right, he doesn't look the least bit smug - or even satisfied."Why don't we go?" he says softly.I shake my head. "Th
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Sweet Taste of Sin Chapter 47: All The Truth I Need
"Men were threatening you?" Dante demands. "Men you know?" His voice is so strained that he hardly even sounds like himself.I shake my head. "Strangers."The muscles of his chest are rigid beneath my hands. He doesn't move - doesn't even breathe - for a full minute."Why didn't you tell me this?" he demands finally. His eyes bore into me."I knew it would upset you.""Of course it upsets me!""Well, it's not like there's anything we can do about it," I say."You still should have told me." He releases me and turns away, his hands going to his hair."What good has it done, telling you?" I say. "You don't tell me everything, either. We've just started seeing each other again. It's okay to still have some secrets."He turns back toward me. "And what secrets do you think I'm hiding from you?""Not secrets, necessarily," I say. "But you dodge all of my questions about your work." Between the tense phone calls and his odd behavior at the studio, something is definitely going on.
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