Warning minor innuendo and getting drunk, along with mentioning drug use.

****

"You what?!" When I return to the hotel, I'm so high, I'm practically floating. Mel nearly panicked, thinking I'd had a serious dose of alcohol and drugs, possibly both. When I finally rouse myself from my Pedro induced coma, and tell her what happened, she almost has a heart attack.

"We kissed." Even as I'm recalling the actual event, I can still feel Pedro's lips moving on mine, his tongue dancing with mine. How high it made me. More so than any alcohol or drug I've taken. (Not that drugs are my thing, however, I'll admit to trying a few.)

"I thought you decided it wasn't in your best interest to get too emotionally attached to Pedro?" Mel says. I shoot her a Look.

"You suggested it," I remind her. Mel stares back at me. She knows I have her.

"I...did," she admits reluctantly.

"So what? Now you're changing your mind?"

Mel shakes her head, but I see the uncertainty in her eyes. We've been friends long enough now that I know all her telltale signs of where she's uneasy about something. My high is slowly fizzling out and I mentally curse Mel for shocking me out of it.

"You promised to keep Pedro at bay," Mel says quietly. I shake my head, itching to shake Mel instead.

"I did no such thing," I retort.

"Maybe not," Mel agrees, surprising me. "But I thought you were so worried about dragging Pedro down with your sinking ship?"

"I still am," I admit. "But.. but he's so damn charming." I sigh. "And..and..intoxicating."

"Oh lord." Mel gives me a Look. "Here we go." I scowl.

"Need I remind you; you were on board for this, upfront? Trying to coax me into something with him? And now, now that it seems within reach, you're trying to get me to change my mind?"

"All right, fine!" Mel throws her hands up, looking exasperated. "Go ahead! Get romantically involved with Pedro. But don't come crying to me when your past comes a knocking and he decides you're not worth tarnishing his squeaky clean record."

****

As I get out of the shower that evening, I hear a knock on the door. "Just a minute!" I quickly pull on some underwear, a t-shirt and my bathrobe before heading over, peering through the peephole.

Pedro.

I quickly unlock the door, tugging it open and smiling a little shyly. Pedro looks equally shy.

"Hey," he says softly.

"Hey. Did you need something?" Pedro shakes his head.

"Mind if I come in for a few minutes?"

"Of course not." I step aside, allowing Pedro access to the room. He steps in, nervously fidgeting with his phone. I close the door.

"Would you mind waiting a few minutes? I'd like to get into something more comfortable."

"Be my guest." Pedro wanders over to the couch, settling down and starts scrolling through his phone, while I make a beeline for the bedroom, shutting the door and taking off my bathrobe and putting on some sweatpants and socks before returning to the front room.

Pedro lifts his eyes, and immediately, I see the vulnerability showing. I recall my earlier concerns about getting too close to him and I hesitate. Pedro, unfortunately notices, concern flickering in his eyes.

"Everything okay?" He asks softly. I smile, coming over and plopping down beside him, putting my feet on the table in front of me.

"Of course." Pedro is now hesitating, as though he has something serious on his mind and he's struggling just how to word it.

"Charley, there's something I need to ask you." I stiffen, bracing myself for multiple intrusive questions.

"Okay.." I swallow, mentally preparing myself for this, just as I do when I'm being interviewed and know that the other person will go straight for my juggler, and knowing that there will be scars afterwards.

"I just wanna make sure I'm not imagining this...thing between us." I freeze, unprepared for this question. Here I'd been expecting something far more...personal and instead, it's..this?

"You're..not," I hear myself saying. "It's definitely..there." Pedro immediately relaxes, (at least one of us is) and grins.

"I hope I didn't catch you off guard too much," he teases and I find myself chuckling.

"You did, somewhat, but hey, I've had far worse thrown at me. Especially during red carpet interviews." Pedro laughs and this warm sensation fills me. God, I love that laugh. And smile. And...a lot of other things about this man.

"Pretty sure we've all those awkward interview moments," Pedro says.

"Which raises the question and don't feel like you have to answer, but what was your most awkward question?"

Pedro falls silent, thinking for several minutes. "I think, someone asked me once, if Oscar and I had ever...you know."

My eyes nearly pop out of the sockets. "What the hell?!" Pedro laughs again, his cheeks turning somewhat pink.

"I know. I couldn't believe they actually had the balls to ask me that." He looks at me. "How about you?"

"That's a loaded question," I joke. "There's too many."

"But if you could remember one," Pedro asks. "Which one would it be?"

"Probably two years ago, someone asked me if I'd ever gotten drunk enough to start making out with another woman."

Pedro raises his eyebrows. "What the hell is with those kinds of questions?"
I shrug.

"I don't presume to know the inner workings of devious reporters." Pedro laughs.

"I love how you worded that. It was outstanding." I blush.

"Pretty sure anyone could have come up with that one, eventually." Then...before I realize what's happening, Pedro's lips are crashing against mine, one of his hands, gently cradling the back of my head. Instantly, I'm on autopilot, reaching out for him, drawing him even closer. We kiss for several minutes before finally coming up for air.

"God, Charley," Pedro murmurs, his voice hoarse with longing and desire. "You're so...irresistible." His fingers are trailing slowly along my jawline. I tilt my head up more, giving him easier access to my exposed neck.

Vulnerability has slipped over me. I feel...raw and exposed, just from kissing. And suddenly, I can't do this. I scramble away from Pedro, as surprise flashes across his face. He clears his throat, shifting his body away from mine.

"Sorry." He flashes me a sheepish grin. "Didn't mean to just go for it." I shake my head, my mind going a hundred miles an hour. I'm fighting those old demons and damn, they're slowly gaining ground.

"You didn't do anything I wasn't thinking about." Pedro's sheepish expression changes to one of confusion.

"It's..something else?" He guesses and I nod.

"Yes." I sigh, running a hand through my damp hair. "There's just a lot you don't understand."

"Help me to." I gaze into his eyes, that vulnerability showing again. I stand, internally beating down the demons of my past, forcing a smile.

"It's getting kinda late and I really just wanna crash. I'm sorry." Pedro slowly gets to his feet, stuffing his phone in his back pocket and his hands in his side pockets, nodding.

"Sure." Head down, shoulders slumped in defeat, he makes his way to the door. He looks back over his shoulder at me. I smile. Or attempt to. Pedro smiles, too.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure. Maybe we can grab lunch or something?" I suggest. Pedro nods eagerly.

"Perfect. I'll text you."

"Sounds good. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

***

I end up sleeping way later than usual, even for a Sunday. By the time I finally drag my body out of bed, I see it's damn near noon.

"Shit!" I grab my phone and naturally, there's a hundred texts from Mel, several missed calls and a few texts from...Pedro. I quickly call him. He answers on the second ring.

"Morning," Pedro greets me.

"Hey. Guess it's still technically morning," I say. "We have, like ten more minutes." Pedro laughs.

"It's all good. I figured you were probably wiped out from the week."

"Or something," I mumble.

"Anyway," Pedro says. "You still game for grabbing some lunch?"

"Sure. Give me ten minutes and I'll be ready, okay?"

"Sounds good. I'll just head to your room in ten minutes."

"Great. I'll be waiting."

****

I quickly jump in the shower, taking the world's fastest shower, before jumping out and throwing on some jeans and an old sweatshirt, adding a touch of makeup. By the time I hear Pedro knocking on the door, I'm almost ready. I quickly go let him in.

"Wow." Pedro whistles. "You are fast." I chuckle, glad to see that none of the awkwardness from last night has lingered.

"I aim to please. I just need to get my shoes on and we can go." Pedro nods, casually leaning against the wall. Damn, how can everything this man do look sexy?

I pull my shoes on and my phone buzzes. I note it's Mel. She probably thinks I'm purposely ignoring her. Hence, the five thousand texts and calls. I swipe my phone up, answering.

"Hey."

"About time you answered." Mel sounds edgy and instantly, I'm worried. Shit, now what? Can't I just catch a damn break?

"Tell me. Now," I order. Mel sighs.

"There's pics online, somehow, of you and Pedro." My stomach drops. I close my eyes, rubbing my temples. I hear Pedro moving over, the bed sinking beneath his weight as he sits down.

"From where?" I open my eyes.

"I'll text you. And, Charley?"

"Yeah?"

"I really hate to say this, but..." I already know what she's implying.

"I know," I say quietly.

"You need to watch your step."

"I will. Thanks for the heads up."

"Of course." I end the call, careful not to make eye contact with Pedro. A minute later, my phone buzzes again and I pull up the photos.

"Holy shit," Pedro murmurs, seeing my phone screen. I lower it, finally looking at him. Pedro is staring at me, but he doesn't look terribly upset.

"Looks like we got spied on yesterday," is all I can think to say. Pedro nods. He reaches for my hand, lacing our fingers together and in spite of how shitty I'm feeling, I smile.

"Who cares?" Pedro says, his thumb rubbing the center of my palm. I sure as hell don't."

"You don't care that you're getting romantically linked to Hollywood's bad girl?" Pedro shakes his head.

"No, because I think they're wrong. You're not bad, just misunderstood." I sigh, remembering Mel's warning.

"I just..I don't want to cause any problems for you." Pedro releases my hand, cupping my face with his hands.

"Hey, we're the narrators of this story, not the media, understood?" I stare at him for a few seconds before nodding.

"Yeah. Okay." Pedro's face breaks into a grin. Then he kisses me.

"Let's go and give these assholes something to really talk about."