Chapter 25 - Bare-footing.

The sound of clattering pots and pans woke me with a start, I wasn't used to all these noises in my usually silent home.
I could hear music playing to a thumping beat, or was that just my head again?

"Marcus?" I said aloud, remembering last night.

Checking the bed beside me, it was empty. It must have been him down there making a racket. I slid out of bed, pulled on my robe and went in search of the reason that music hurt my head.

"Good morning pretty lady!" He said with that lop sided smile he knew drove me wild. "I was just making breakfast. Did I wake you?" Pulling me into his arms he squeezed me gently and kissed the top of my head.

"Hmm." I confirmed. "..and I don't eat that kind of breakfast." I held up a hand to the bacon that was fragrantly sizzling in the pan.

I was lucky if a slice of toast passed my lips in the mornings, let alone a fry-up. That was just... No!.

"No?" His voice was a higher tone than normal.

"No!" I shook my head feeling the pain rattle around inside it freely. "Ouch!" I held my forehead.

"Oh dear, someone suffering again?" He expelled an evil snigger.

"Why does your head never hurt?" I whined padding over to the coffee machine and pushed the button for lazy coffee.

"Plenty of practice and good old fry-up is a great hangover cure you know?"

"Not in my house! Coffee is far more effective." I huffed and turned down the loud music emanating from the radio. "Any news yet?" I was eager to hear the initials reviews.

"Not sure, only just turned it on!" He said matter of factly and went back to sorting his version of breakfast.

I reached up on tip toe and got the medical box from the cupboard. Popping out some painkillers I returned the box back to its place and closed the door again. Taking a swig of my coffee I threw back my pills and swallowed them in one.

Marcus padded barefooted out of the kitchen to the bottom of the stairs and hollered.

"Breakfast is ready if you want it guys!"

I sat up to the breakfast bar and light up a cigarette. Coffee and a fag. That's was the way I started my day.

Marcus slid a plate of toast under my nose. "Eat!" He ordered.

"After this." I wafted my cigarette in front of me indicating what I meant.

"Morning!" Sam chirped cheerily as he entered the kitchen only dressed from the waist down. "Mmm, now that smells good!" He rubbed his washboard stomach hungrily.

"Morning Sam." I said wearily taking in another draw on my stick.

"Somehow I don't think you made breakfast for your guests this morning Jen?" Sam tittered seeing me suffering.

He'd thought right.

"I'm not making that muck! If you want that every morning you can get a fucking hotel!" I teased.

"You love me really?" He smiled and came over and kissed my cheek.

"Good job huh?" I swigged my coffee.

Marcus chuckled watching our bond and leaned over the bar and stole my cigarette to take a pull on it himself.

"Hey! Get your own!" I sulked.

"I ran out." He exhaled and handed it back.

"Hmm, gonna have to sort you out with some stuff." I winced while i took an extra long draw.

"I've got some spare stuff, Tash always packs loads for me, we're the same size huh?" Sam offered.

"Cool! Thanks Sam." Marcus patted his shoulder in a gentlemanly fashion.

"No worries mate! Oh and I have some new kacks in there too, so you don't feel weird wearing used ones."

"Sweet!" Marcus grinned. "Please, eat!" He motioned to the plates full of cooked breakfast getting cold on the side.

"What you guys doing today?" I asked Sam.

"Tasha wants to take me sight seeing, so I guess that if she ever gets out that shower! Women!"

I shot Marcus a warning glance not to agree but he was just smiling to himself.

"Thank you so much for inviting us Jen, we had a wicked time, we were chatting last night about the supermarket scene, it was hilarious!" Sam cooed with a mouthful of bacon.

"It's fine, I wouldn't want it any other way. That scene worked really well." I had to laugh too remembering my scene in a supermarket when my character met Tim's. He slipped on a spillage and his trolley bounced off mine and hit a stack of dvd's sending them all flying.

Marcus started to eat his breakfast stood up, so I offered him my seat. There were only two stools up to the breakfast bar.

"Nah! I'm fine!" He frowned.

"Don't be silly! I'm going for a shower anyway." Stubbing out my butt. I grabbed my coffee and headed up for a shower.

Marcus was in my room when I returned from my shower sorting out some clothes Sam let him have.

"Have you called Trent yet?" He said quietly.

"No, not yet. Will in a minute. You?"

"Just about to." He said taking the phone from his pocket and sitting on the bottom of my freshly made bed.

He was a domestic god too, wow!

He pulled up a number and held it to his ear.

"Jimmy!" He said after a few seconds.

I busied myself getting dry and finding some clothes for the day.

"I'm gonna be here a while yet." I heard him say. "Yeah, but that may not be the whole truth...I met someone." I had to smile to myself as he told his manager about me. "No! It's not like that. She's in the business herself."

I could tell how the conversation was going by his responses. "No, acting." After a small pause he added "Jennifer Austen." My heart fluttered as he said my name. I turned to see him staring at me getting dressed.

He leaned back on the bed resting on his arm watching me.

"Sorry? What was that?" He was obviously distracted. "They don't know yet, I'm ringing them next...We got Papped last night at the premiere, so it will hit there soon."

His face hardened slightly. "I don't give a shit! It's happening and I'm not sorry...Ok. Bye." He hung up.

"How did that go?" I said slipping on a pair of sloggy bottoms.

"He's fine. He said we'll talk more when I get back. You know, that was extremely difficult talking to him while you are getting dressed in the same room." He grabbed his crotch and adjusted his dress.

Chosing not to rise to his seductive bait I kept the subject professional. "Ok! My turn." I grabbed my phone from my bedside table and brought up Trent's number and pushed dial.

"Jen!" Trent said in my ear.

"Hey Trent."

"Did you see the reviews?" He cooed.

"No, not yet. They good?" By his tone I would say so.

"Excellent! They also are speculating about that Perdy guy."

Oh dear, here we go.

"Are they?"

"Yes, you gonna tell me?" His tone was soft, so I knew he knew.

"OK, it's true."

"How long?"

"A while." I smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well I did kind of, I told you it was complicated."

"Jen! Are you sure you know what you are doing?" I admired his concern.

"Yes, we are sure."

"And he knows you will be out here filming for months?"

"Yes, he's staying here for about a month. Then going back to sort things his end."

Marcus stalked up off the bed and made a beeline for me. I backed away knowing why he'd got up. I had to stop when I backed into my wardrobe.

Oh shit!

"So his people know?"

"Err, yes he just told them." His hands were all over me, I swatted him off repeatedly like and annoying fly.

"You want to release a press statement?" He was oblivious to my assault.

"No! I don't think it's needed, we are both being careful. Taking it slow." I squealed as he tickled my ribs.

"Doesn't sound that way right this second." I could hear him smiling at he spoke.

I scootched under Marcus' arm and escaped. "Sorry! I'm batting him off believe me."

Marcus stole the phone from my hand. "Hey!" I whined.

"Trent!" He said into the mouthpiece and paused. "Sorry for not telling you last night, but we still weren't sure where it was going then...yes she knows!" He grinned "I love her too man...Oh I won't. She means the world to me." His tone softened and his eyes glistened as we shared a moment. "Yep! Will do. Bye mate!" And he ended the call.

"That was my call to make!" I swatted his arm playfully.

"He says he will call you in the week."

"I mean the world to you huh?" I teased playfully.

"You know you do." He stalked towards me again and pulled me into his arms.

"Well it's out there now, so I hope so!"

"I just have to tell the band now!" He popped a quick peck on my lips and released me handing back my phone.

He brought up another number on his phone and put it to his ear.

"Tez! You fucker!" He greeted his band mate. "Yeah about that.." He winced. "I kind of have some news."

I decided revenge is best served cold, so I approached him slowly, he caught on what I was doing and backed back holding out his free hand in front of him.

"You remember Jen March? Now Austen?" He blushed and swatted off my hand from his ass. "Yes, that one. Well, I kinda been dating her." He swatted my hand off again. "Aha!" He mouthed 'stop it.' At me.

I bit my lower lip and undid his zip.

"Oh shit!" He cursed. "No! Not you Tez."

Plunging my hand inside I fumbled with his mound.

"Ahh!" His voice stumbled. "No! She's tickling me. Pack it in!" He giggled at me.

"Tez! That's filth and that's my girlfriend you are drooling over!"

Girlfriend?! Hell yes!

"Yep, can you? But without the filthy talk! argh!" He fell back onto the bed, so I took my opportunity to climb onto him straddling his lap. His free hand automatically came to rest on my clothed bum cheek and he dragged me across his lower half to feel me against him.

"Ah shit!" He groaned out loud. Then frowned into his phone. "No we are not!"

I pulled the phone from his ear. "Hi Tez!" I grinned. Batting off his hand trying to grab the phone back.

"Shit! He wasn't lying!" Tez laughed.

"No he wasn't. He's going to be very busy in the next few minutes so he sends his regards!"

"Fuck me!" Tez howled.

"Bye Tez!" I said and held the phone aloft out of Marcus' reach and ended the call.

"You shit!" He bucked his hips up towards me, while holding me tightly to his groin.

"Sorry!" I lied.

In one swift skilled move he flipped us over, now he had me pinned to the bed by my arms. I didn't struggle, I knew what was coming next.