#para-normal

@simplygemma

Continuation from here

***

“I would totally invite you to deal with my horses for a bit, if you’re so into that, but I’m liking your body beautiful and healthy as it is, and the Deathstar is not exactly a life insurance. But yeah, I’m hoping the fence is safe from her and the other monster now. Otherwise, I’ll have to build them one of these next. In here, milady.“

After rolling the stall door close behind them, Orlando got out of his suit jacket and spread it on the soft, thick straw covering the ground of the empty den, gesturing Gemma to sit down. He chose a spot not too far apart, leaned back against the wall with crossed legs. For now. After one planter’s punch too much, he didn’t trust his radar enough to know for sure if this was going somewhere, and in such situations, he was a big fan of letting the other side take the lead.

Tomorrow night though, that was a whole different story.

“Yep. Shot poker is an old summer camp memory. The PG 13 version, of course.” He covered his eyes with his hand for an embarrassed moment, remembering the first clumsy attempt of trying out for himself if that whole fumbling and kissing thing was worth all the effort to get there. Today, of course, he knew it was the chase that made the whole thing actually fun. And after the gloominess and the suffocating boredom of that shitty last year, that woman right there was the first exciting face to awaken the hunter in him again.

“At drama school later, I think I was too busy trying to survive. Learning like 3 plays a week is hell when you’re not a fast reader. Writing the shit is far easier, it turns out, and it’s a lot of fun. But I’m free in the evenings usually, so, uh. Tomorrow at my place?” A lopsided grin curled on his lips. “We can find out together what happens next when there’s no clothes left.”

***

Continuing from this

“I was just thinking about that today. Had to do a lot of press this week, that always gets me melancholic about how it all started, you know? And then I remember running into you half a dozen times in some casting when we were kids, and never realizing ...” Orlando broke off and shook his head with an embarrassed shrug. Those times were long gone, for better or for worse.

He poured out the first two glasses for the two of them and reached Keira hers together with one of the small plates he’d prepared, nodding down on the other plate with salt and lemon slices between them, in case she felt like doing it the right way. The usual idea had involved not necessarily using a plate but he didn’t think he would muster up the courage in this life anymore to try and go for that.

“Wait, you can unlearn that? I’ve always been a lightweight. Gotta tell me your secret someday.”

After downing the first glass in one go, savoring the spicy sharpness of one of his favorites brand for a moment, he typed out a quick order to one of his usual delivery restaurants and threw his mobile aside then, trying to ignore the bubbles with notifications in a three-digit number from several apps. Tomorrow was early enough to deal with the latest of his media slip-ups.

“Pizza will be here in half an hour.” He did his best to direct his attention at the screen and the ridiculous story unfolding there but that was a challenge when one of the most beautiful women in this world was sprawled out on his sofa next to him.

Oh fuck it. After having such a big mouth in their text exchange, it would only look even more awkward now, keeping on lying here like a choirboy. Besides, her perfume smelled especially sweet tonight, and he could do with a little distraction. “So - about that cuddling part?” Before he could lose his courage, he stretched his arm invitingly to his side.