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The War (In The Beginning)	By : pensfan100 Category: Casts RPF > Star Wars (all) > Star Wars (all) Views: 16007 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the people I am writing about in this fanfiction. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Author's note: I didn't get called out today so I sat down and wrote until this was finished. I hope you enjoy it! And, as always, sorry for the wait! I'm trying to write too many stories at one time! Now, I must get back to the next chapter of my Anakin/Padme story.
pensfan

Chapter Nine

Shortly after the crack of dawn on Monday morning, Hayden threw himself into the make up chair to prepare for the day’s work. Kathleen, the head make up artist, eyed him warily as she studied his stern expression. His mumbled hello, so unlike his normal, cheery disposition, further deepened the vee of her brows as they dipped in confusion.

“Uh…good morning?” Kathleen raised her brows in expectation of a return. “I’m not sure I caught what you said when you fell into the chair. It was all garbled.”

Hayden grimaced and grinned an apology. “Sorry. Good morning. I’m still half asleep.”

“So, I see,” she nodded, mixing up the foundation to even his skin tone under the unforgiving lights on the set. “You sound beat.” Her voice lowered. “Did you have a really wild weekend?”

Hayden grunted and closed his eyes to hide the truth. “Me? Wild? Yeah, right.”

Kathleen laughed and set about getting him ready. “I’m just teasing, Hayden. You’re the nicest guy I know. You just stay that way, ok?”
If you only knew, he thought to himself as he remembered his own despicable actions and then Natalie’s retaliation. Even now it had the power to burn his face. In a million years he would have never believed that he, of all people would, in someone else’s house no less, pin Natalie against a bathroom sink and do her like that! All day Sunday he had thought of nothing else. One moment he shuddered at his actions and the next he’d smirked. Back and forth all day long and well into the night. As if that hadn’t been bad enough, whenever he had sat on the couch all the erotic moments with Natalie in that very spot would accost him.

Which am I? He wondered. Angel or Devil? Do I regret it or want more of it?

He already knew the answer to that and he shied away from expressing it even mentally. Who would ever believe he was such a bad boy? At least where Natalie was concerned. Never in his life had he known jealousy and possessiveness on such a fierce level.

“You were ten minutes late today,” Kathleen chattered on, “and Natalie was ten minutes early. You just missed her.”

Red flags flew in front of his eyes, an ominous tightening coiling in his gut.

“She must have had more sleep than I did,” he forced his tone to stay even.

Kathleen chuckled. “Well, she might feel more settled since Michael decided to stay the rest of this week.”

Hayden’s hands clenched onto the chair arms as he fought to stay neutral while inside his gut burned with the corrosive stench of jealousy. A thousand thoughts flew at him, one standing out. She was protecting herself from him. Anger nipped at his heart.

“I didn’t know that,” Hayden’s eyes narrowed.

“I think it was a last minute decision by Michael. He hasn’t seen much of her and this way they can spend some time together, even if it’s only a little. You two are so busy that down time during the week seems nonexistent right now while this is all winding down.”

Hayden muttered a noncommittal reply and descended into his own private hell where he discarded his previous plan of attack and spread out a new campaign to study. She was mad at him now? Hayden snorted to himself. Just wait.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing,” Hayden smiled. “Just thinking.”

Time to get a taste of your own medicine, sweetheart, he promised silently. If you’re not going to tell him it’s over then I’m just going to have to force your hand. Let’s see how you like it when the shoe is on the other foot.

Hayden spent the rest of the time in the make up chair forming his battle plan. No more pussyfooting around. Sneaking around her he would launch a surprise attack that would draw her out into the open and force her to reveal her feelings. He was nauseous at just the thought of that, that…idiot…occupying all of Nat’s free time. What if she decided to sleep with him? Would she dare? Surely not! Would she?

“That’s it,” he muttered as he hoisted himself out of the chair and stalked off.

Kathleen watched him go, her mouth dropping open.

“Did you see that?” She turned to the other make up artist, Kate. “He didn’t even say thank you! He ALWAYS says thank you! And did you see his face?” Kate nodded, her eyes big. “I’ve never seen him look so…so…” She fumbled for words.

“Dark?” Kate supplied.

“Mm,” Kathleen nodded. “I can see why they chose him to play Darth Vader. I would not want to be on the receiving end of whatever’s going on in his mind.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Kate rolled her eyes as another actor strolled in to sit in her chair, “it might be something good in a dark, dark way.”

Kathleen laughed and waved at her. “You young people kill me!”

The morning passed by without Hayden being aware of it. With all his might, he concentrated on his work. Even Natalie could not fault his acting. He remained professional and serious and treated her like just another actress. The only unsettling thing was the flame in his blue eyes whenever they landed on her. He never looked at her, but through her. Inside, however, he watched her with an intensity no one was aware of. The velvety chocolate of her brown eyes constantly flitted in his direction and he pretended to not see. The chewing of her teeth on her soft lips did not escape his notice. For all her bravado on Saturday, she was now on tenterhooks and as meek as a lamb. As unbelievable as her actions had been to him, it showed in her movements that she was even more off balance than ever!

At lunchtime, Hayden wandered into the commissary, instead of his dressing room and sat with one of the crew discussing various technical problems with the lighting. In the process of lifting his sandwich to his mouth, his eyes caught sight of Michael strolling into the commissary, his gait sure and bouncy, the movement shouting his happiness to the world. Hayden bit into his sandwich, the taste no longer registering as he watched Michael grab a tray and begin to fill it with vegetarian fare.

“Well, he sure looks happy,” Tim mumbled around his food.

“Looks like it,” Hayden shrugged, biting into his sandwich again and chewing methodically. “He seems like a nice guy.”

Tim grunted and wolfed down the last of his burrito. “Yeah, seems to be. Still, I know it’s none of my business, but…well…”

“What?” Hayden lifted a quizzical brow, his ears perking up at the ‘but.’

“Don’t say anything to anyone, but, Natalie didn’t seem all that enamored with him at the party on Saturday. I mean, she was nice to him and all, but she just didn’t seem as into it as he did,” Tim explained. Both pairs of eyes followed Michael. “Maybe I’m wrong. He’s still here, so, I guess she didn’t discourage him from staying or is warming up to him.”

Yeah, right, Hayden snorted to himself, eyeing Michael with less friendly eyes. Instead, he shrugged again.

“Who knows what goes through a woman’s mind, let alone Natalie’s,” Hayden grinned at Tim as Michael sauntered out of the commissary. “I certainly don’t.”

Tim laughed as he hoisted his other burrito. “Women. Oldest mystery to man.”

Through the week, Hayden paced his timing, making sure he ran into Michael when Natalie wasn’t around and striking up friendly conversations, getting to know him. He allowed himself to admit that Michael really wasn’t a bad guy. In fact, under other circumstances he’d probably get along just fine with him. But he was Natalie’s weapon and had to be disposed of. She had to be disarmed and making friends with Michael was the only way. At times, he hated himself for his deception, but the moment he would spot Michael with his arm around Natalie or holding her hand, all guilt slid away, replaced by a smoldering jealousy.

More was going on, though. In the evenings he began using his cell phone, chatting for hours, putting his plan into action. On Thursday, he laid the trap.

Natalie was on set but Hayden wasn’t needed, so he wound his way to her dressing room and knocked. At the call to come in, he opened the door.

“Hey, Hayden, how’s it going?” Michael grinned, motioning him in with one hand, the other on the controls of the Playstation 2. “You’re not on set?”

“No, they need Natalie right now, but not me.”

“Great! Want to play? I have the new Astro Fighters game here and I need some competition.”

“Well,” Hayden sat down and took the other controller, “I haven’t played it yet, but I’m sure I can give you a run for your money.”

“Great! A challenge! It gets pretty boring just sitting here doing nothing.”

“Yeah, movie sets are like that,” Hayden agreed. “There’s a lot of ‘hurry up and wait’ that goes on.”

They played for a half hour, the art of friendly competition pushing any real conversation out of the way. Only a tentative knock at the door broke their concentration.

“Come in!” Michael called.

“There you are!” Allison, the director’s assistant exclaimed. “I’ve been looking all over for you, Hayden! You’re needed on set!”

Hayden’s starfighter blew up as he lost concentration and scowled. Michael whooped in victory and teased Allison. “Thanks! You just made my day!”

Allison cringed. “Sorry, Hayden.”

“That’s all right,” Hayden stood and stretched as Allison walked out. “I want a rematch later.”

“You got it,” Michael laughed.

Hayden started for the door and stopped, turning around as if a thought had just struck him.

“Hey, when are you going back East?”

“Sunday around noon, why?” Michael asked.

“How would you like to double date?”

Michael’s brows rose as he considered the idea. “I think that would be a great idea! What do you have in mind?”

“There’s a medley of Chekov’s plays being performed at The Rose Theater. Tom Hanks will be in it. So will Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael Douglas. It should be a great performance. We could do dinner before the show and maybe dessert afterwards.”

“Excellent! Natalie loves theater.”

“Great! I’ll pick you guys up around 4pm and we’ll go to dinner first.”

“Thanks. It should be fun.”

“Ok. I’ll be back later for that rematch.”

“You got it.”

As Hayden walked out the door, a smirk stretched his lips. The campaign had begun.

On Saturday morning, Natalie paced back and forth in front of her closet trying to decide what to wear, her nerves in shreds. A double date with Hayden and another girl. The thought churned in her stomach. She was going to have to sit through an evening watching him with another girl and acting like it was perfectly natural. There wasn’t anything natural about it! She stamped her foot as she withdrew another dress then threw it on the heap already discarded on the bed. If she was going to get through this evening she had to go into it with full armor. That meant the perfect dress, the perfect hairstyle, the perfect face. For the umpteenth time she wondered who he was taking. Without a doubt someone from the set, but who?

I’ll bet it’s Misty or Kara, she thought waspishly as she threw yet another dress onto the pile. They’re always coming on to him! Looking down at the mess on the bed she chewed her lip then made up her mind. That’s it! I’m going out and buying a new dress. I’ll show him!

A few hours later she returned, pleased at her purchases and ready to treat herself to a long bubble bath. She would knock his socks off tonight for sure! Oh, and Michael’s too, she added, a flush of guilt creeping up her neck. It was then she realized she hadn’t thought of Michael at all until now. It was Michael she would be dressing for, she assured herself as she turned on the water taps in the tub, not Hayden. He would just be an added feather in her cap as he gazed at her and not at his date. It wouldn’t be her fault if he paid the girl no attention.

Later, Natalie pirouetted in the mirror examining herself with a critical eye. The slip of a dress hugged in all the right places, even emphasizing her breasts instead of flattening them. The buttery, golden brown fabric brightened her eyes to topaz, the bodice scooping low, but molding to her breasts, the thin straps appearing ready to fall off her shoulders. Short, it exposed a good length of her creamy thighs, the hem brushing the skin as if to entice a male to want to do the same. A wicked smile tilted her mouth.

Attending to her hair and face, she finished the last touches, fluffing her hair. It brushed the skin of her shoulders from a side part, one eye almost hidden by the sweep of her bangs. Even to her critical eye it looked immensely touchable, and the golden brown of her eye shadow would force Hayden, uh, Michael, to look in her eyes as it emphasized the size and color. Reaching for a perfume bottle, she squirted a few sprays into the air and then walked through it, the musky scent clinging delicately to her. On her last visit to Paris a leading perfume manufacturer had created the scent just for her and she found it alluring and forbidden. The fragrance reminded her of carnal desire and she wondered if Hayden would notice it, too.

“Michael,” she muttered furiously to her reflection in the mirror. “I mean Michael.”

The knock at the door broke her reverie and she slipped into her heels and paced to the door, her heart not even bothering to accelerate for it knew who waited on the other side. Sucking in a deep breath, she turned the knob.

“Wow!” Michael breathed, his eyes wandering all over her, as he entered. “You look amazing!”

Natalie smiled, pleased at reaction number one. “Thank you, Michael.”

But he wasn’t finished. “No, I mean really amazing!” His breath rushed out of him. “Are you sure you want to go to this thing tonight? We could have a small, quiet dinner here and…” He leaned in to kiss her, his lips so hard and demanding she immediately switched off.

No finesse, the inner voice analyzed him. He’s charging in like a reek! No seduction at all.

Shut up! She told herself and opened her mouth obediently as he demanded entrance. Squeezing her eyes tight, she gave herself up to the kiss, only to thud back down to earth a second later. Nothing. A mild revulsion shuddered through her that he mistook for desire and pressed his advantage, grinding his lips onto hers with more enthusiasm. As gently as she could, she slid her fingers to his head and applied subtle pressure until he lifted his head.

“You’ve smeared my lipstick,” she murmured, her smile forced and robotic.

Michael hauled her close and turned his face into her neck, inhaling deeply.

“Mmm! You smell so good!”

Natalie frowned into his shoulder, her heart sinking. This was not going to work. Anything she had felt for Michael Hayden had snuffed out when he had thrown her onto his bed and covered her with his hard body. A sadness at the hurt she would have to deal to Michael pierced her conscience.

She extricated herself from his embrace with a light scolding. “You are going to mess my hair up and now I have to put on more lipstick.” She shooed him away and he gave an unrepentant grin.

“Can I help it if I react to such a sexy woman?” He leered as she shook her head.

Natalie’s cell phone rang and she jumped at the accusing buzz, almost sliding the lipstick over her face and flushing with uncomfortable guilt.

“That must be Hayden,” Michael assured, glancing at his watch. “Right on time, too.”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” Hayden’s voice greeted cheerfully. “We’re almost there so you’ll want to be ready out front.”

“We’ll be right down,” she agreed, her stomach diving with new uncertainties about Hayden’s date.

“All right. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he teased.

In the background a husky note of laughter reached Natalie’s ears, the sound suddenly cut off as he disconnected the call.

Stopping at the mirror she double checked her face and hair then allowed Michael to settle her wrap onto her shoulders. Closing her eyes a moment she composed herself, plastered a smile to her face and turned to him.

“Let’s go. He’ll meet us outside.”

“This should be fun,” Michael remarked, his hand at her back as he ushered her out the door.

Natalie winced. Trapped, she had to go through with this evening as if it was normal. Her stomach rebelled at the thought and a wave of nausea rolled through her again.

“I wonder who Hayden’s date is,” Michael mused as they rode down in the elevator. “From what I heard this week most of the women on the set would jump at the chance. A few of them proclaimed to me that he’s the sexiest thing on two legs that they’ve seen in along time.” He laughed. “Can you believe that? I’m no judge of guy’s looks, so I can’t tell if he’s good looking or not. He’s just a guy to me. I mean, he seems a little on the shy side if you ask me. And a little skinny. I would hardly call him the aggressive type.”

A vivid picture popped into Natalie’s head and in brilliant color and detail she saw Hayden on his knees before her, holding her fast against the bathroom sink as he drove her to a fiery insanity. The memory clenched her thighs together in an anxious attempt to stem the flow of desire melting between her legs.

“…like he’s some sort of bad boy. But they say he’s very, very nice. What do you think?”

Natalie jerked her head around, praying her face didn’t flush. She floundered for words, her mouth working a few seconds before any sound emerged.

“He’s a nice guy,” she croaked, grateful that the elevator doors opened.

Michael and Natalie walked outside the apartment building just as Hayden pulled up in a dark green Jaguar. Appreciation whistled through Michael as he helped Natalie into the passenger side back seat then sprinted around to the other side, greeting Hayden as he closed the door.

“Perfect timing,” Hayden chuckled as he pulled away from the curb. “Even Desiree was on time tonight.”

“I beg your pardon,” the young woman in front slapped playfully at Hayden’s arm. “A woman should always be a little late.” Throwing him a sly, furtive look from beneath her lashes she drawled, “but I didn’t want to keep YOU waiting.”

Hayden grinned and raised his brows, then said over his shoulder, “I’d like you to meet Desiree Simmons. Desiree this is Michael Billings and I think you’ve already met Natalie.”

The moment she had settled herself into her seat Natalie had cast her eyes to the head in front of her. The blood in her veins had slowed to a thick sludge as she recognized the thick, long, lustrous sable haired girl. Not only was Desiree a beautiful, sexy, up-and-coming starlet, but she was also the groper Hayden had complained about who would’ve replaced her if she hadn’t nailed the love scene! Daggers dipped in poisonous jealousy knifed into her heart, ripping it wide open so the blood drained away, stiffening her expression.

“Hello, Michael,” Desiree turned in her seat and greeted with a slow, feline smile.

Dazed at the attention, Michael returned her greeting smiling widely at her.

“How are you, Natalie?” Desiree drawled with a tilt of her head. “Congratulations on getting the part, by the way.”

“Thank you,” Natalie smiled, calling on all her acting ability to react normally and not reach out and scratch Desiree’s eyes out. Acid burned in her stomach as Desiree sent her a happy smile.

“Yes, if it hadn’t been for you beating me out for the part, Hayden would never have asked me out,” Desiree explained, giving Hayden another look and touched his arm again. “He has this rule of not dating costars, so I lucked out.”

Bitch! Natalie seethed, the fingers of her right hand curling into a fist, the nails digging into her palm as Michael held her left. He’s my lover, you flaming whore! Touch him again and I’ll kill you!

At a traffic light, Hayden glanced into the rear view mirror at the cars behind him, his eyes moving to capture Natalie’s burning eyes.

Bang, bang, he thought to himself. Gotcha. How does it feel? Is your gut burning? Do you want to puke? But he said nothing, merely transferred his eyes back to the road.

Andrew’s, the new, trendy, upscale restaurant where you went to see and be seen turned out to be their dinner destination. To Natalie, it was pretentious and cloying, even though the interior gleamed with soft lights. It was nothing Hayden would normally choose. Many fellow actors were dining and Michael found himself unable to stop looking around at the famous faces, while Desiree put her best foot forward and swayed on her way to their table. Natalie recognized the intent to get recognized and looked at as she watched Hayden help Desiree into her seat. Not known well enough yet, Desiree wanted to garner as much attention as possible.

Not that she has to try, Natalie thought with a caustic glare. Practically spilling her well-shaped breasts from the tiny covering of her blood red sheath, it gaped every now and then giving all three of them a glimpse of her nipples. The first time it happened Natalie heard Michael’s sharp gasp and out of the corner of her eye she saw him finding it difficult to stop looking at the body poured into the dress. Talk about sex on two legs, she huffed to herself. Why doesn’t she just carry a sign that says, I’ll spread my legs for any agent or actor able to get me a part?

Biting her tongue, Natalie scanned the menu as Hayden studied her every now and then, hiding his amusement. Under her façade, she was seething and he knew it. With the groper thrown into her face as his date, she could do nothing but sit and take it. Surreptitiously, he examined the fire in her glare whenever she looked at him, along with the pain dwelling in the depths of those amazing eyes. He knew how she felt. How many times had he been on the receiving end of watching her do this to him? It was cruel, he admitted, but she needed jolted out of her dithering.

She looks absolutely stunning tonight, he thought as he pretended to look at the entrees while making small talk with all three of them. The dress hugged where his hands itched to stroke her, the golden hidden eye peeping seductively out at him now and then. Smug, he sat back basking in the knowledge that she had dressed for him, even if she didn’t know it. Briefly he had gotten a whiff of her perfume and closed his eyes to file the scent away for later. In that dress, with that sexy hairstyle and come hither eyes, and that musky perfume, she gave him a heady notion of laying her across the table and taking her right there while every man in the room watched with hungry, covetous eyes. They would wish to be him, but she would want no other as her mouth opened to gasp his name as she arched into her orgasm. A slight, uncomfortable pinch reminded him where he was and clamping his lips together he forced the scene from his mind. He wouldn’t want anyone to watch anyway, he conceded. This was between them. A sudden grin lit his face. Still, he mused, it’s a very hot, erotic thought.

“What are you smiling at?” Desiree broke into his reverie.

“The menu,” Hayden answered, flashing her an innocent look. “I’m starved and it all looks too good.” As Desiree giggled, Hayden’s smile died, his eyes meeting the beautiful brown orbs widening across from him. “I’m hungry,” he patted his stomach, lifting a challenging brow at Natalie.

How she got through dinner, Natalie didn’t know. Somehow, she managed to push her food around enough to make it look like she ate more than she did. It all tasted like cardboard to her as she watched both males’ attention slide to the sultry, exotic, dark-haired bombshell next to Hayden.

“Well,” Michael’s voice broke into her thoughts, “my name means ‘who is like God’. Not very exciting.”

“My name,” Desiree paused her eyes sliding to Hayden’s, “means ‘desire’.”

Hayden’s lips curved Natalie bolted up so fast she almost knocked her chair over. It startled the three into looking at her and she apologized. “I’m going to the ladies room,” she announced, her breath squeezing out of her. Hayden stood up politely until she scurried away, his eyes taking in the natural sway of her hips, the stiff line of her back before Desiree frowned and demanded his attention.

The play was a hit. From the opening line to the end, the crowd fell into its world, laughing when the actors laughed and crying when they cried. Natalie heard nothing, all her attention focused on Hayden sitting on the other side of Desiree, his hand holding hers. Natalie’s fingers were linked with Michael’s when it suddenly occurred to her how it all looked. But, he knows I feel nothing for Michael like I do for him, she stubbornly railed. And he sits over there encouraging that witch?

Be fair, her inner voice warned. Hasn’t he had to live with seeing Michael kiss you and hold your hand, and wrap you in his arms? Are you that stupid?

If the ground had opened up and swallowed her, she would have welcomed it. Suddenly, she felt very small and mean. Compelled to consider the possibility she wondered if her desire not to hurt Michael had rebounded and hurt Hayden instead. She had been so sure that he understood it was all for show. She liked Michael, she really did, but he would never be her lover, never take her to those ecstatic heights. Sullen, she wondered if anyone else ever could. It was with a sore heart that she considered Hayden’s feelings.

In the restroom after the play, Desiree jostled against her at the mirror as she applied lipstick and Natalie examined her hair. Desiree scowled at the crowd of females around her then went back to her make up.

“Your Michael is very nice,” Desiree complimented with a sweet smile.

“Thanks,” Natalie answered, drumming up a responding smile.

“Do you often double with Hayden?” Desiree asked, her eyes avid on Natalie’s in the mirror.

“No. This is the first time,” Natalie shrugged, reading the curiosity to know more in the other woman. “He and Michael have sort of been hanging around together this week while I’m on set and he’s not. I think it’s that stupid video game Michael brought with him. They are constantly battling each other.”

“Oh,” Desiree husked a relieved sigh.

“Why?”

“Well, you know there were rumors once about the two of you dating,” Desiree admitted, adjusting the halter of her dress and dabbing a spot of perfume between her breasts.

“The big word there is rumors,” Natalie frowned at her. “We did not date during filming of Star Wars. We hung around together, yes, but that was to get comfortable with each other.” Natalie thanked her stars that none of it was a lie.

Desiree nodded. “That’s good. He is so gorgeous! I think you’re crazy not to go for him, but then again, I’m glad, you know?” She slid Natalie a conspirator’s smile. “I’m also glad he doesn’t have to be up early for work tomorrow.”

Natalie clamped down on the instinctive urge to smack the girl, the innuendo lying heavy between them. She didn’t even force a smile. She couldn’t find it. Her eyes met Desiree’s in the mirror.

“Well, a girl’s gotta try,” Desiree sighed with a leer. “And I intend to use all the tricks in the book tonight.”

“Uh, I don’t think you should be telling me this,” Natalie pointed out. Inside she wrestled with the desire to rip every glossy strand of hair from Desiree’s head and leave her as bald as the day she was born.

“Just thought I should let you know where I stand,” Desiree straightened, satisfied at her appearance. “Even if you were in the picture, though, I would still have made a play for him.”

Natalie shrugged and snapped her small purse shut.

Later that night, Hayden walked Desiree to her door, satisfied that he had accomplished his mission to the letter. Everything had gone according to plan, even Desiree launching herself into his arms and sealing her mouth to his. As they kissed, Hayden ran a mental catalog of the groper’s techniques, even down to the roaming hands. Nothing. Running interference he kept her hands from seeking out his more private area knowing if she did she’d find all her wiles meant absolutely nothing to him.

Breaking the kiss, he felt her breath heavy on his lips.

“Come inside,” Desiree enticed in a low, throaty purr.

Hayden shook his head and gave her an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, I can’t. Even though I don’t have to work tomorrow, I still have to get up early for an appointment.”

The pout immediately appeared on her full lips. Thwarted she ran a hand down his chest.

“Please?” She begged in a little girl voice before grinning seductively and moving closer to grind her hips into his. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

Hayden stepped back. “I can’t, Desiree. I really have to get up early.”

“Why do you always have to be so professional?” She complained when she saw the hardening of his features.

“Because I take my craft very seriously,” he replied. “Thank you for a lovely evening. I had a very nice time.”

Desiree snorted then thought better of it and pinned another enticing smile to her lips. “I did, too. And you’re right. It’s only our first date…we should definitely wait…until after the second.” With that she waggled her fingers at him and let herself in her door.

Walking back to his car, Hayden shook his head. Hopping in, he gunned the engine and drove away.

“Second date?” He scoffed aloud, running a hand through his hair, the only sign of the toll the stress of the evening had taken on him. “Not in this lifetime.”

Meanwhile, in the darkness of Natalie’s bedroom, her lone figure curled into a fetal position on the bed the painful sounds of her sobbing wrenching the silence for no one else’s ears but hers.
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The War (In The Beginning)