Sparked (city2city: Hollywood) Read Free

and Dad,” he had told her as they sat on her deck, sipping white wine and watching the sun set over the boats on the canal. “They got the best of both worlds: to-die-for love and insane financial success. You never hear one of them complain, do you?”
    She had stared into the depths of her glass. “I’d trade the latter for the former,” she’d told him, and maybe, just maybe, she had been thinking of Ryan in that moment.
    Now, possessing the latter in spades, Sadie attempted to lock away the corner of her heart convinced she and Ryan had unfinished business. By the time the town car stopped at the foot of the red carpet, her most beatific—and most professional—smile was firmly in place. Declan and Fiona allowed her to exit the vehicle first, and she began her slow trek down the line of press, paparazzi, and waiting fans.  
    It took more than half an hour to work through the sea of interviewers holding oversized microphones and minuscule cameras, to smile and turn for the fashion police with the loud clicking of single-lens shutters and the bright flash of bulbs. Sadie was more than familiar with the routine, having made her first big movie at age twenty-one, and had quickly discovered she enjoyed red-carpet events such as these. Some actors never adapted to the seemingly shallow demands of fame, but she saw it as a trade-off for being able to do what she loved and not having to worry about her next paycheck.  
    Upon reaching the end of the line, she glanced toward the historic movie theater’s entrance—
    —and nearly tripped over the hem of her gown to see Ryan standing inside the first set of glass doors, staring at her. Even from here, she could see the glint of green eyes, watching her every step bring her closer to where he waited.  
    “ No ,” she whispered, chastising her traitorous heart for leaping at the sight of him. The man had made it painfully clear that he had no interest in seeing what, if anything, existed between them now that they were older and wiser, and Sadie wasn’t willing to let her heart be trampled any more than it already had been.  
    Lifting her chin as she walked through the door held open by a uniformed theater usher, she did her best to pass Ryan without meeting his gaze. She didn’t want to look into those irises of forest green and allow the deluge of memories to sway her from her course. No, she was stronger than that.
    Age thirty. Crazy-rich. Badass actress with an Oscar nom and two BAFTA wins under her belt. She had this, man.  
    “Sadie.”
    God damn him, his rich baritone voice, and its charming American accent.  
    She was proud of herself for ignoring him, but he forced her to a halt when strong fingers wrapped around her wrist above the gold cuff and murmured, “Sadie, wait. Please.”
    She could have tugged her hand free. He would let her go, if she told him to release her. But he was touching her, and tendrils of sensual heat wound around her arm, licking a path to her bare shoulder before spreading into her chest. Her pulse thudded in her ears as she stood, her back to his front, and waited as he asked of her.
    His grip gentled, but he didn’t release her wrist, instead stepping closer until she felt the warmth of his body against her naked back, revealed by the cut of her dress. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer your e-mails.” His mouth hovered over her ear, and she shivered at the accidental—because it must be accidental, mustn’t it?—brush of his lips over sensitive flesh. “Or your voice mails. Or your texts. I should’ve called you back.”
    “It would have been ten years too late, anyway,” she hissed, surprised at the venom in her own voice. But venom masked the hurt, and she decided she was grateful for the anger that had sprung to life the moment he touched her.  
    She could almost feel his wince behind her. “Can we talk?”
    “Isn’t that what we’re doing, Ryan?”
    He shook his head as his body aligned with hers. “Somewhere