Love's Guard by Cheeya
Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to me but they are based upon two Xenaverse characters that we know and love. No copyright infringement was intended.
Love/Sex: This story is a work of alternative uber fiction and contains scenes of love between two consenting adults of the same gender throughout. If you're too young to read this, if it offends you or if it's illegal where you live, please don't read any further.
Language: Yes and often enough.
Dedication: For Sham and for Linda... my two favourite people in the whole world!
Archiving: Go ahead but let me know at the address below. I'll get a kick outta it ;-)
Bard's Note: This is part two of an ongoing tale. I hope you enjoy it!
Comments/constructive criticism to cheeya@xenafan.com the rest of my fan fiction/poetry can be found at http://www.geocities.com/cheeya_2000
Part 2
It was a warm evening in Los Angeles, warm enough for Ariana Strand to have the balcony doors of her hotel suite standing wide open. The long, floral curtains billowed gently as the blonde actress stepped out onto the sixth floor balcony, smiling as the last rays of evening sun caressed her face. She leaned on the rail and looked out over the ocean allowing herself to relax after her flight but a sharp knock sounded at the door, drawing her back into the suite. She padded to the door and leaned her palms against it.
"Who's there?" she asked.
"Jack the Ripper," came the muffled reply. Dylan chuckled as she leaned her forehead against the cool wood of her side of the door.
"Oh, that's ok then," the actress laughed and she opened the door to look up into smiling blue eyes.
"I was wondering if you'd like to go out for dinner tonight," Dylan asked. "Some fresh air might do us both good."
"I'd love to," Ari replied as she pulled the dark woman into the room by the front of her jacket. "Do you have to tell the guys that we're going?" She stretched up to nibble an earlobe. "Together?" Dylan shivered as a warm tongue traced her ear.
"Sweetheart, I think the guys are expecting it. You have no idea of the shit I've taken since Saturday night."
Ari giggled softly as she pushed and errant lock of raven black hair behind her bodyguard's ear.
"What did they do?" she asked but Dylan just sniffed and shook her head.
"It doesn't matter but to answer your question, yes, I've told them we're going out to dinner. Now, I'm going to get changed. I'll be back in an hour."
They shared a tender kiss and Ari sighed, leaning against the doorframe as her tall, beautiful bodyguard left to go to her room and wishing that they were sharing.
An hour later as promised, Dylan was back at Ari's door. She hovered for a moment, adjusting her jacket and smoothing back her hair as her stomach flip flopped. What the hell is wrong with you? It's just Ari, her little voice stated. Yeah, but this is different. How? This is our first real date. Oh! You'll be fine. I'm nervous as hell. That's ok, she loves you, you know. Yeah, maybe she does. There's no maybe about it. Yeah. A genuine smile rose to the bodyguard's face and she reached out to knock on the door. The blonde actress smiled as she took her ear away from her door. I thought she was going to stand there all night. He he, she must be nervous. After counting to ten, Ari opened the door... and almost melted as those beautiful blues eyes gazed into her own.
"Hi," Dylan whispered as she held out a singe red rose. "You look beautiful."
Ari looked down at her green, silk dress and then nervously fixed the thin straps at her shoulders before reaching out to take the rose.
"Thanks. You look gorgeous too." Dylan's outfit was exquisite. She was wearing wide legged trousers in the deepest of blues and a jacket that came to mid-thigh. Underneath the jacket was a white silk blouse that Ari hoped was sleeveless. She loved to touch her partner's soft skin. Modest jewellery a light makeup completed the outfit and Ari found it hard to breathe as azure eyes moved over her. She tucked an errant strand of blonde hair behind her ear and cleared her throat. "Shall we go?"
"Sure," the dark woman's replied as she leaned in to place a delicate kiss on the blonde's cheek. After Ari had retrieved her coat and silk scarf, they headed for the car. Dylan had chosen a very small and intimate restaurant, knowing that no matter where they went, Ari would be recognised and wanting to keep away from large crowds. The actress always wore dark glasses and a hat when they went shopping but she was still recognised a lot and spent a lot of time signing autographs and posing for pictures. Tonight though, Dylan wanted it to be just them. She was very pleased with herself when Ari's eyes widened in delight at the tiny Cajun eatery.
"Dylan, it's beautiful," she said softly. "Thank you."
The bodyguard smiled as she held out her friend's chair for her to sit in.
"You're welcome," she whispered in her ear before kissing it gently but she frowned as a camera flashed in her direction. A man grinned in triumph as he held the offending piece of equipment up in the air.
"I got one, Marge," he told his wife as he sat down but his smile faded as a shadow fell over his table and he looked up into the flashing blue eyes of one very pissed off bodyguard.
"Give me the camera," she said through gritted teeth.
The man shook his head and slipped the camera onto his lap under the table.
"And you are?" he asked sarcastically. Ari winced as she saw the muscles in Dylan's jaw tighten even more. Uh oh!
"I'm the woman you just photographed without permission," she replied coldly.
"I wasn't photographing you," he said smugly. "I was photographing Ariana Strand for my daughter. She'll never believe that she was here."
Dylan bristled even more as she held out her hand for the camera.
"I'm Ms Strand's bodyguard," she growled. "Now give me the camera before I take it from you."
"No."
"Don't make me say it in a way you won't like," the livid woman warned but she suddenly felt a gentle touch against her hand.
"It's ok, Dylan," Ari said softly. She waved a hand at a free chair at the man's table. "May I?"
Marge opened her mouth but nothing came out so Ari took that as a yes and sat down.
"It's nice to meet you," she said with a smile. "Please understand that I'm a private person and I really don't like my personal life to be photographed. I'm willing to let you keep that picture for your daughter but I'm asking you not to take pictures of me again."
The man nodded.
"Agreed," he said and Ari said goodnight before leading her tall friend back to their table.
"Why did you do that?" Dylan asked as she took her seat. "I could have got him to give me the roll of film."
The actress chuckled as she reached across the table to stroke the bare skin of her friend's arm. It was sleeveless. I knew it!
"One picture is not worth getting upset over," she replied, her smile widening as Dylan's eyes fluttered shut at the gentle contact. "Right?"
"Hmmm... I guess," the bodyguard replied. She picked up her menu then and scanned the contents.
"I'm starving," Ari whined as she did the same.
"What's new?" came the teasing reply. "Ouch! Hey, no hitting the defenceless bodyguard!"
"Poor Baby," the blonde grinned as she rolled her eyes. "I think I'll have the blackened chicken."
"Sounds nice. Yeah, me too," Dylan replied after a moment's thought. "Do you want wine?"
"Sure. White?"
"White it is."
An hour later, they were leaning close to each other, sharing a banana split. Dylan picked up a cherry and took a bite before passing the other half to the younger woman. Her heart and breathing quickened as her fingers were taken into Ari's mouth, along with the other half of the fruit. A soft tongue rolled around the bodyguard's digits, cleaning every trace of whipped cream from them and Dylan felt the temperature in the room rise by about ten degrees.
"You're killing me," she said softly, her voice low and husky.
Emerald green eyes widened and she received an innocent look while a seeking hand found her thigh under the table.
"Me? Nah," Ari replied as she placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "But I think we should go back to the hotel now..." She licked her lips, inadvertently brushing Dylan's with her tongue and her voice lowered an octave. "For more desert."
Dylan couldn't stop a moan from surfacing at the actress' sexy tone and she waved at the waiter, quickly asking him for the bill as she stood to help Ari with her coat. After the fastest taxi ride in history, they finally reached the blonde's suite. Dylan nibbled Ari's ear as the younger woman searched for her key and after finding it, she turned into the bodyguard's arms to kiss her passionately. Dylan blindly turned the key in the lock as she pressed her tongue deeper into Ari's mouth and fumbled with the door handle. Finally, the door was opened and she backed the actress inside... to hear a number of throats being cleared. She immediately broke the kiss and scowled at the three agents waiting for them. Ari blushed deeply and buried her face in her friend's shirt.
"What are you guys doing here?" Dylan asked, glaring pointedly at David who was looking more than a little pleased with catching them doing what they had been doing. He cleared his throat and stood as Ari took a seat at on the couch opposite the team.
"I'm sorry to intrude," he said. "But I think you'd better see something."
He picked up a plastic zip-lock bag containing a sheet of paper from the coffee table and handed it to Dylan. The bodyguard examined it carefully, turning it over back and front before reading what was on it. Her eyes flashed and her jaw tightened and Ari immediately moved to stand beside her.
"What is it?" she asked worriedly, rubbing the tense muscles of the dark woman's back.
"A problem," Dylan replied as she led her back to the couch to sit down. "When did you receive this?" she asked David.
"Tonight," he explained. "It was in Ari's messages, just folded in an unsealed envelope. When I was checking the envelopes, I came across it. The fact that the letters had been glued on caught my attention."
"What does it say?" Ari asked fearfully.
Dylan debated whether she should let her friend see it but decided that keeping things from her would only make them worse. Not caring who was watching, she pulled the trembling actress close.
"It says... Don't think that you're going to get away with it, Bitch. You think you're so talented and wonderful but you're just like all the other bullshitters in Hollywood. You'll be sorry, I promise you that and then the world will see talent... in me!" She sighed and shook her head. "What a fucking psycho."
Ari said nothing but took the bodyguard's hand, needing the grounding of her tall love against the fear she was feeling.
"I can't believe this is happening," she whispered. "I thought things like this really only happened in the movies."
"Like in 'The bodyguard'?" Dylan smiled.
"Yeah, but hey..." Ari tried to return it. "Who needs Kevin Costner when I have you?"
Dylan squeezed her friend's hand gently and then stood up. She looked at the only other female member of her team, Stephanie Barnes, and then walked to her.
"Could you stay with Ari while I get everyone together. I have a gut feeling that I need to talk about."
"Sure," Steph replied, pushing her curly, blonde hair back from her face. She was slightly younger than Dylan was with a muscular body and low, silky voice. "I'll take care of her. Why don't I help her to bed and we can have the meeting here so we don't have to be far away."
"That ok with you, Ari?" the bodyguard asked as she saw her friend stifle a yawn behind her hand.
"Yeah, fine by me," the blonde replied. "I'll see you in the morning." She padded toward the bedroom with her shoes in her hand, stopping only to place a gentle kiss on Dylan's soft lips. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight and try not to worry," Dylan replied giving her petite friend a quick hug before heading out with David to round up her team.
*~*~*~*~*
Dylan groaned and flopped back into her chair, her freshly washed hair tickling her neck as she tossed it back over her shoulders.
"I can't believe this! SHIT! This is all we need!" She shook her head angrily and through the newspaper halfway across the room. David winced as it hit a vase and knocked it off its perch onto the carpet, thankfully staying intact.
"Dylan calm down..." he began, taking a step forward but the bodyguard's head snapped up to look at him.
"Calm down? CALM DOWN!" Dylan picked up the paper and waved it at him. "Look at this!" She scanned the article under the picture of herself and Ari in the restaurant from the night before. "There... " She cleared her throat and began to read. "Ariana Strand, star of the hit movie 'Rage' was photographed in an intimate little Cajun restaurant with the dark-haired beauty who seems to now be more than just her bodyguard. Dylan McLachlin, aged thirty-four has been head of security at the Strand estate near Dallas, Texas for just over a month but has been seen out alone with the well known actress.... blah blah blah." She snorted. "Bastards, I'm only thirty-three and I KNEW I should have made that guy give me the roll of film last night. You know, I don't know how he got the picture developed and to the paper in only a few hours. He must be goddamned Superman too."
"Has Ari seen this yet?" David asked as he loosened his tie.
"No," the bodyguard sighed. "David, I'm in big trouble here. How can I do my job properly if I'm involved with my client?" She flopped back into the chair. "I've broken the number one rule. I got emotionally involved."
David shook his head and smiled,
"How could you not get involved? Dylan, I know you love her. You may not want to admit it but I can see it. You're a different person around her."
The bodyguard sat forward, a stricken look on her face.
"I have to end this, David. My reputation as a professional bodyguard is at stake here. I can't throw away everything I've worked for over the past five years. I'll have to tell her that our relationship has to be purely professional."
David said nothing. He didn't know what to say. Dylan was about to make the worst mistake of he life and there was nothing he could do but let her make it and truly find out how she really felt about the petite blonde.
"Are you sure?" he asked softly. "She loves you."
Dylan felt sick to her stomach and tears began to well in her eyes but she nodded.
"I have no choice," she whispered and then left to be alone. She was walking in the gardens, lost in thought when a gentle hand rested on the small of her back.
"Hey," Ari said softly. "I played hooky to come find you. Have you seen the paper this morning?" The bodyguard tensed under the touch and moved away, nodding as she did so. Ari was surprised and looked up into sad, blue eyes. "Honey, what's wrong?"
"I... um... we can't see each other anymore other than bodyguard and client," Dylan said, her voice a strangled whisper as her heart ached in her chest. Ari's face fell and she shook her head.
"Dylan, I... Why? Because of the article?"
Dylan shook her head, tears welling again as she tried to keep her distance.
"I'm a professional bodyguard, Ari. How can people trust me to do my job after sleeping with my client?"
"But we're not sleeping together," the actress whispered, unable to believe what she was hearing.
"That's beside the point. Everyone will think we are... and we almost did.... Shit, Ari, this is a mess. I have to stop this before we get too involved."
Tears spilled over from the blonde's eyes.
"I'm already involved. I love you, Dylan." She moved closer to try to touch her friend but the older woman moved back again.
"I'm sorry, Ari."
"You care more about your job and your reputation than you do about me? I can't believe this. I thought... I really thought we had something..." Her breath hitched and the tears came in earnest. "I guess I was wrong."
Ariana Strand turned and walked away. Dylan McLachlin dissolved into hitching sobs and sat down on a bench, hugging her knees as her heart and soul walked away from her. A lone bluebird sang from a branch above.
*~*~*~*~*
"Hi, Mom."
Ari fiddled with the phone cord, wrapping it around her finger as she tried to keep herself from crying.
"Hi, Honey. How are you doing?"
The actress sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
"Um... not so great. I... um... Dylan..." Her breath caught and she shook her head as her voice began to waver. "Never mind. I just... wanted to hear your voice, Mama but I've gotta go."
The instant Marlene heard her daughter call her 'Mama', she knew something was really wrong. Ari hadn't called her that since she was a teenager.
"I love you, Honey."
Silence. A sniffle. A whisper.
"I love you too, Mama."
Ari hung up the phone and rested her head against the back of the couch. She hadn't slept a wink. Dark circles sat under her eyes, which were red and puffy from crying. She wasn't able to eat anything as her stomach was in tight knots. She had pulled on sweats and a T-shirt and was lying on her bed curled up in a ball.
"Why?" she whispered. "Why are you doing this to me, Dylan?"
A loud knock jerked her back to reality and she padded across the room to open the door.
"David," she said flatly as she stepped back to grant him access.
"Hi Ari. Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," she lied. "What can I do for you?"
The bodyguard looked down.
"Um... Dylan asked me to come and talk to you. She needs to know if you still want her as your bodyguard."
Ari slowly walked further into the room and took a seat on the couch. David joined her there a moment later.
"Have you spoken to her... about... um... us?" the actress asked, unable to meet the man's eyes.
"I really think you and Dylan should be talking about this," David replied softly.
"She won't talk. I tried calling her after we broke up yesterday but she wouldn't take my call." Ari shook her head and tears welled again. "I just don't understand. I thought things were going really well. It was that stupid newspaper article. If they hadn't printed that picture..."
David gently rubbed her back.
"I know Dylan a long time," he said. "She's a proud, stubborn, loyal, loving, wonderful woman and can be the most frustrating person in the world but she's worked damn hard to become the best in the game. Take my advice and keep her on as your bodyguard."
Ari nodded then and stood up.
"Tell her I want her to continue to be my bodyguard and head of security." At least I'll get to be near her.
The sandy-haired man nodded.
"Good. I'll tell her." Ok, at least they'll see each other. They won't be able to resist each other... I hope.
"Thanks, David."
David smiled and then left the suite to go find his boss.
*~*~*~*~*
"GODDAMNIT! DOES NO ONE EVER LISTEN TO ME?"
David cringed as he approached the door of Dylan's room. The boss sounded furious and her knew he was about to take the brunt of it. He strolled into the room, his newspaper tucked under his arm as he pretended not to know that there was a problem.
"Hey, Dylan," he greeted. "What's up?"
He regretted even entering the room the moment his friend turned to look at him. She was obviously exhausted, her face pale and gaunt looking. The bags under her eyes could have given Ari's a run for their money and he realised that Dylan's black mood had been caused by the fact that she was hurting badly. Tom Burns, the security man Dylan had been yelling at, took the opportunity to back out of the room, shooting David a sympathetic look.
"Nothing," she mumbled, not wanting to take it out on her best friend and feeling too tired to do so anyway.
"Come on, Dyl, I know you better than that. You never yell... that much... unless there's something wrong."
The dark woman sighed and wiped a shaking hand over her face.
"Did you speak to Ari?" she asked softly, the anger on her face replaced by acute pain. Her blue eyes were dull and watery and she blinked rapidly to try to stop them itching.
"Yes, I spoke to her. What are you doing, Dylan? She really upset."
David took a seat beside her on the couch and patted her arm but the dark woman pulled away and stood up.
"Just tell me what she said, David," she growled, shooting him 'the look'.
"She said she wants you to stay on as her bodyguard and head of security. Now, do you want to hear what else she said?"
"No," Dylan snapped. The fair-haired man waited a few moments before walking to the door but a gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him. "What else did she say?"
"She said she loves you and that she thought you had something special. She's hurt bad, Dylan."
"I can't..." the bodyguard whispered as she covered her face with her hands. "I can't protect her if I'm sleeping with her."
David cupped her chin in his hand and raised her head to look into her eyes.
"Do you love her?" he asked softly.
"I... um..."
"Do you love her?" he asked again, this time more forcefully. "Tell me the truth, Dylan!"
"Yes," came a barely audible whisper.
"What? I can't hear you."
"I said yes," the dark woman repeated.
"Then give up on this bodyguard thing and love her as much as she loves you. We make enough money for you to retire right now. I could run things for you."
Dylan was torn. She needed to get away... needed time to herself.
"I'm going for a walk, David. Can you handle things here for me?"
"Sure I can," the man replied with a smile. He watched as Dylan walked away, her head bowed sadly. "She is the most stubborn woman on the face of the earth."
Just then, the phone rang and he went to pick it up.
"Cutter... yeah... none? Not even a partial fingerprint? Whoever wrote that letter used gloves then. Uh huh... yeah... no Ms Strand has her own security personnel... Dylan McLachlin... more than safe, yeah... ok, thanks for calling. Bye."
David hung up the phone and slammed his fist down on the coffee table in frustration.
"Shit!" he yelled and then stormed out of the room.
*~*~*~*~*
Ari smiled for the first time in three days. She'd had her mail forwarded to her from Texas and she's received something that she'd been hoping for since the completion of her latest movie. She opened the envelope, running her fingers over it almost reverently as she unsealed it.
"Dear Ms Strand,
It is with great pleasure that Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences informs you that you have been nominated for an Academy Award in the category of 'Best Performance by a Leading Actress'.
With regards,
Peter J. Simpson." Ari read it over and over in disbelief and then chuckled softly. "I did it," she whispered. "I'm going to the Oscars."
*~*~*~*~*
"She said what?"
Dylan's blue eyes widened in surprise.
"It's true," David grinned. "I saw the letter myself. She's been nominated for a Best Actress Oscar."
"That... that's... wonderful!" Dylan exclaimed. "I've gotta go congratulate her."
The bodyguard wanted to kill two birds with one stone. She was feeling guilty about refusing to take Ari's call after they'd broken up and she wanted to talk to her. Congratulating her on her Oscar nomination was the perfect push she needed to do it. She stopped outside the sixth floor suite and took a deep breath before raising her hand to knock.
"Come in," came the muffled yell so Dylan smiled at Tom, who was standing guard at the door, and entered. The blonde was sitting on the couch, her eyes glued to a romance novel. "David, can you give Dylan a message for me?" she asked.
"Tell me yourself," the bodyguard said softly and Ari nearly gave herself whiplash, so quickly did her head snap up. She closed the book with a resounding slam and quickly got to her feet.
"Dylan... uh... hi..." she stammered. God, she looks so tired.
"I heard the good news about your Oscar nomination. I just wanted to say congrats."
Ari smiled and waved at the couch.
"Thanks. Why don't you sit down?"
The bodyguard stayed where she was.
"I can only stay a minute. I have things to go over before the opening tonight." She paused thoughtfully. "You know, I've never seen any of your movies." God, she's so beautiful. Even in those old, baggy clothes, she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. "I'm going to change that."
"You're coming tonight, aren't you?" Ari asked awkwardly. "It's the one I got the Oscar nomination for." Tension hung thickly in the room. Ari looked hopefully at her bodyguard while she warred with herself.
"Yeah, I'll be there," Dylan finally replied. "Steph is going to sit with you but I'll be in the background making sure you're safe."
Ari's face fell and she sat back down on the sofa.
"Oh," she said deflatedly but Dylan moved to sit opposite her.
"We need to talk," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat as she thought about Steph sitting beside the woman she loved. Ari nodded soundlessly and waited for Dylan to begin. "You know why I did it, don't you?"
The actress nodded slowly.
"I know why," she replied. "Your reputation would have been a joke if it had been found out that the photograph of you and I in that restaurant had been a real date." Dylan nodded seriously. "And I know that your reputation is more important to you than I ever was." Profound hurt crept into both the blonde's voice and eyes and Dylan suddenly felt like an absolute slug.
"It's not that I don't feel anything for you, Ari," she began but the actress held up her hand.
"Don't," she whispered as her tears spilled over. "Let's just put this behind us and continue on with our professional relationship."
At first Dylan was going to protest but the look on Ari's face told her not to pursue the topic any further.
"Alright," she sighed. "We're flying back to Dallas the day after tomorrow. Do you want to do some shopping tomorrow?"
The actress shrugged slowly.
"Not really. I think I'll probably stay in bed tomorrow. Tonight promises to be a late one."
Dylan groaned inwardly at the prospect of an all night party. She was exhausted as it was.
"Ok." She stood up and chucked a thumb toward the door. "I'd better go. I'll see you later." She was almost out the door when Ari's voice carried to her.
"Dylan?"
"Hmmm?"
"I... um... thanks for stopping by."
"You're welcome. See you later."
Once Dylan was gone, Ari leaned against the wall and then slid down it, hugging her knees against her chest as her sobs wracked her slender frame... In her own room two floors down, Dylan did the same...
*~*~*~*~*
Dylan was standing by the door of the limo when Ariana Strand exited the hotel. Her eyes widened with surprise as the young woman walked toward her. This was the Ariana Strand she'd heard about and read about in magazines and papers. This woman radiated authority, charisma, charm, strength... this woman was a star. Having managed to keep the name of the hotel a secret, Dylan knew that there wouldn't be any reporters there but she also knew that once they got to the theatre, Ari would be the centre of attention.
"Good evening, Dylan," Ari greeted softly as she tugged on her black, fitted dress. The bodyguard could hardly keep her eyes off the young actress but she managed to help her into the limo without too many problems. Steph was also riding in back so Dylan took the front seat. Even though she knew that the blonde bodyguard was engaged to be married, she couldn't help the feeling of jealousy that made her stomach turn into knots. Her little voices started up in earnest. Touch of the green-eyed monster, huh? Shut up! You have no right to be jealous. You let her go. Don't you think I know that?! I think about that every second of every minute I'm not with her! Then why did you do it? My reputation... Screw your reputation and tell her you love her. I can't! You can! I can't! You can! Shut up!
The journey to the theatre took only twenty minutes and, by the time they got there, Dylan was going out of her mind with jealousy. She watched as Steph helped the actress out of the car and led her by the arm to edge of the crowd to be photographed. One of the reporters thrust a tape recorder at Ari and yelled his question.
"Do you have a comment about being linked sexually with Ms Dylan McLachlin, your bodyguard."
Ari looked at Dylan for a moment, almost losing herself in those azure eyes but then she looked back to the reporter.
"There is no relationship between myself and Ms McLachlin. She's my bodyguard and nothing else. That's all I have to say."
Steph took her cue and ushered the petite actress into the theatre. Dylan followed a moment after making sure everyone was in position. The bodyguard's plan was to keep an eye on everything by making continuous rounds of the auditorium but her plan changed as she saw Steph lean in to whispered something in Ari's ear. Dylan was across the room in a split second. She smiled coolly at Steph.
"I think you're in my seat," she said. "Could you please do the sweeps of the room for me?"
"Sure," Steph replied, standing up graciously and exiting to the aisle. Dylan sat in her seat, knowing that Ari was looking at her with a stunned expression on her face.
"Um... hi," the actress finally said.
"Hi," Dylan replied.
"Change of plan?"
"Yep."
"Expecting trouble?"
"Nah, just wanted to see the movie... 'Rage' is it called?"
"Yeah," Ari replied, really confused. At first the woman tells me she doesn't want to be with me, and the next moment she's coming over to watch a movie with me?
The night was a huge success, as was the opening party but Ari found she was ready leave by 1am. She had knocked back quite a few glasses of champagne and was mostly leaning on Dylan for support. It was almost 2am by the time they got through the crowds and reporters and back to the hotel. Ari had already fallen asleep in the car and, instead of waking her up, Dylan lifted her into her arms and carried her all the way to her bedroom. She lay the young actress down on the bed and smiled as she brushed a few stray locks of hair away from her face but the smile dropped suddenly.
"What am I doing?" she whispered and backed away totally, fleeing the suite and going quickly back to her room. The security was already in place for the night and all Dylan wanted to do was fall into bed... especially since the only thing she could think of was slipping into the bed beside Ari, waking her up and then making love to her. Fuck! I was really thinking that, wasn't I? Yeah! It took a long time for Dylan to fall asleep but she finally did, fresh tears wetting her pillow enough for her to have to turn it over. Meanwhile, two floors up, Ariana was crying herself back to sleep too...
To be continued...