I'm going to re-post this story from EWFN....so hopefully I'll get it up to speed as quick as possible today, because I wrote several chapters over the long weekend ;)2


Disclaimer: This is a fiction entirely of my own sorted imagination. Unfortunatly, I have absolutly no affiliation to or with Orlando Bloom. Any similarties to or about him that may appear are purely coincidental. I am creating an Orlando of my imagination.

Rating: R for swearing and adult content; some chaters contain NC-17 material, and will have a warning beforehand.

Title: Maybe I'm Amazed



Prologue


March, Present Day Red Carpet Post Oscars Party:



“Good evening ladies and gentlemen! Carmen Sanchez reporting to you live from the red carpet of the hottest party in town.�

The beautiful red haired anchor of Entertainment To You purred excitedly into the camera lens. “Coming down the carpet as we speak are Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford fresh from the win of producer and director of this years’ Best Film ‘Recovered’, I’m going to try to stop them for a chat….

“Oh! Wait!� Carmen excitedly began pulling her camera crew forth, smoothing down her hair, and puckering her lips to make herself look sultry and fresh.

“Orlando Bloom has exited a limo and is heading right for us.� She was practically tripping people to get to the approaching actor.

“Mr. Bloom….Mr. Bloom a moment please! Tell us how you feel about your big win for best actor in Hamlet tonight!!�

Orlando made his way down the red carpet; giving the obliged smiles, feigning happiness at the award he clutched in his hand. Inside, his soul was tormented. He just wanted to get to the bar get down a whiskey or two. He craved the solace of being numb. This horrible reporter was coming at him like a raged jackal; the last thing he wanted was his mug on TV right now.

Flashes were popping at warp speed, catching his every move, he had to control his sorrow, the eye of the camera is unforgiving, and the lenses were prying into every angle of his persona trying to catch that one glimpse of weakness.

The adoring public would pay millions to see Orlando Bloom; Film’s Golden Boy extraordinaire being presently eaten from the inside out with heartbreak.

He didn’t stop to sign autographs or to chat with the reporters, he just kept his smile… that was more of a sneer plastered to his face and pushed forward.

This snobbery was expected of him as of late, and the crowd ate it up, yelling louder and louder to get his attention, or even a glance from him. He saw or heard none of it. He had tunnel vision and it was leading him right to the bar.

“Whisky� he grounded out with the impatience of a child.

The bartender kept his demeanor stiff as if to say he wasn’t aware of the celebrity in front of him, or at least to pretend nonchalance. Orlando could care less, although he was inwardly pleased at the fact that the bartender had placed the entire bottle along with a shot glass in front of him.

He ignored the glass and picked up the bottle taking a deep swig from its burning amber contents. This kind of behavior as well had become expected from him, and the people milling around him smiled and shared knowing looks.

As if they knew him, he snorted into the bottle as he turned it up once again for another long drag. People came by and spoke to him, to which he completely ignored…they eventually gave up, acting as if they hadn’t noticed his blatant snubs and continued about their own business.

Orlando felt the buzz of the whisky pushing through his veins, and his eyesight grew softer, as if someone turned the lights down. He laughed aloud at the pleasure of the only company he sought…his good friend: inebriation.

Just as he wiped a stray drop from his lips, he caught sight of a stunning blonde woman dancing with some faceless man. Her gaze was upon Orlando, not her dance partner.

She wore a black gown that was like a second skin. In the front, it was modest and classy, but the back… the back of the gown plunged in a V ending just above the cleft of her buttocks. Two small dimples showed there, and sent his pulse racing.

Dancers blocked his view as they moved to the blues music the upscale jazz ensemble was playing. Orlando’s form shifted in jerky movements as he peered through the moving jumble of bodies, desperate for a glimpse of her. His heart was pounding and he’d broken out in a clammy sweat on his brow. He felt himself growing agitated at the dancers blocking his view, and he had the mind to go over and shove them out of the way.

She appeared to his probing gaze once again, her attention back on her dance partner, but her body language suggested resignation. His stomach lurched in queasy waves of blatant nervous tension. When was the last time that he’d felt this kind of reaction to approaching a woman? He simply had to walk up to one and he’d have her. His own gangly reaction was causing him anxiety, and a slow burning resentment to the man with his arms around her pushed him to his feet. He was at her side before it registered to him that he’d even left the stool.

The band had begun a sultry Billie Holliday song foretelling of heartache and loss. He didn’t even bother to let the man know he was taking her into his own arms… he simply took her. The man huffed indignantly in response, but turned and walked away exactly as Orlando wanted.

She looked at him unflinchingly, her green eyes full of something he couldn’t describe. And to his shock, a tear ran down her left cheek. Her eyes were swimming in unshed ones making them glow almost unnaturally green.

She bit her lip in restraint and looked away. Orlando felt his own heart constrict like someone punched him just below the breastbone, all he could think to do was console her silently. So he just danced with her, held her and danced with her as she faced her own demons.

He could feel her back slightly heaving as she gained control of her emotions, and he laid his cheek on her head and closed his eyes.

They swayed slowly to the music, neither speaking through several songs. At the end of the third song, she looked up at him, he face no longer showing evidence of tears.

“It’s time for me to be heading out� She said as she heaved a large sigh.

Orlando shook his head, “No, please don’t. Just one more dance?� His voice was almost pleading, he just couldn’t let her go, his own desperation was baffling to him.

She smiled a small and soft smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s just time� She said, her voice barely a whisper. She lifted her palm to his cheek, and stared into his eyes, her own lovely eyes scanning his face.

As if she were trying to memorize it.

And without a word, she moved her hand in a graceful gesture and walked in the opposite direction.

Orlando felt rising panic as his breathing became labored, Christ…was that tears he felt???

He blindly went after her, oblivious to the flashes from cameras, and whispers of bystanders. He just knew he couldn’t let her leave.

For one blinding second, he thought he’d lost her, until he caught a sight of her taking her shawl from the coat check. She met his gaze once again and raised her hand in a gesture of goodbye.

He felt like time stood still, and defeat pulled his shoulders down. She was gone. She had gone out the back door to the back of the swanky Beverly Hills night club.

He bolted to the door and rushed out into an alleyway. Why would she run out the back like this? She was there, walking slowly, one hand drawn up to her face, a diamond bangle on her wrist winked as it caught light from city around them.

He ran up behind her, not really sure what to do. He grabbed her shoulders non-to gently and in one swift motion turned her around and had her back up against the wall. His mouth crashed down upon her mouth hungrily. He was out of his senses, and unable to stop what he had started.

He pulled her hair down from the elegant chignon, pins flying about as her hair settled on her shoulders. “Please…we can’t do this.� She said almost in a panic. But he was beyond reason, his inner demons that had been raging took over as he pulled her dress up oblivious to the sounds of fabric tearing, freed himself from his leather pants and entered her almost savagely.

He kissed her madly, urgently… moaning deeply as he felt her soft tongue battling his. She returned his frenzied kisses wildly hot tears burning a path down her cheeks. He buried his face into her neck as he thrust every once of pain that had accumulated in his soul in the last month. His agony leaving his body by way of the love that he made to her against the cold, dirty wall of the alley.

He came in a rush of ecstasy that bordered on being painful.

As his senses began to clear he lifted his head to look into her face, but she had her face turned away from him as she cried shamefully into her palm.

“Baby…. he said….Jesus…I’m sorry…I…I don’t know what came over me. I never wanted to hurt you� Guilt and sorrow washed over him in consuming waves.

She didn’t speak to him as she went about trying to make repair of her tattered hair and dress with shaking hands. She pressed her cheek into the cold brick wall, resting her palm beside her hot face. Orlando put his own shaking palm to her other cheek trying silently to undo the damage he’d done in his madness.

Agonizing moments passed in silence before she disengaged herself from his touch and bent down to pick her clutch up from where it fell.

She once again met his gaze as another onslaught of tears wracked her body brutally.

Without a word, she walked away.

She got a good 30 feet from him before a cry tore from his throat, sounding similar to a wounded animal. “Cassie! Please, God don’t leave me.�

He was crying openly, fat tears ran down his face for the first time in too many years to remember.

“Don’t do this to us.�

Cassie turned and looked at him, he’d dropped to his knees, his head hung down as his shoulder shook with his grief. It broke her heart, further than it had already been broken. But she could not go to him...even when she saw the sparkle of a solitaire ring winking from his pinkie finger.

“Orli…� she whispered. “I can’t. We can’t. It’s just not real, anymore.�

Her own voice sounded foreign to her in its defeat. No more tears would come; she simply couldn’t go on like this anymore.

And she walked off.

He was crying too hard to speak to her again, to try to stop her. He was desperate, frantic almost but the gripping pain in his throat stole his ability to speak.

He realized then that there was nothing he could do to stop her from leaving him. Brutal realization forced cry wretched from his throat that grew louder as he saw the horrific scratches across her back from the wall.

Where had this all gone so horribly wrong?

This prologue always gives me the creeps... *sighs*

Gosh Kim...
I could reread this again and again and again...
wow...
such amazing talent...
And now that I have read a bit more it's easier to but this into context...
and that is SOOO SAD!!!
:cry: :cry2: :cry1:

but I need more :)

huggles
Laila

:o
You know? That title sure is catchy!
I'm not really sure why I never got to read this at ewfn..
Probably my laziness :P

That was really great!

* fLower

I know...I'm sorry :cry: but I promise, I'll clear it up soon!

Laila :x BIG KISSES nuff said




Eh, this chapter contains NC-17 material. If you are not 17 Go away!! :blush:

Two Years Earlier



Chapter 1

[COLOR=purple]Chance Meetings; Changed Lives

Cassie sank dejectedly in the seat of her car and looked around at the freeway with an annoyed smirk.

The 405 freeway was at a standstill with bumper to bumper traffic…again.

Cars were jammed in all sorts of directions, the usual road ragers impatiently making attempts to jump from lane to lane hoping to try and find that one lane that might move just an inch farther.

Cassie leaned back into her seat and let out a long breath; there was no sense in getting frustrated. She was just as guilty as the rest of Los Angeles at succumbing to the occasional road rage, but she had finally come to realize that it wouldn’t make the lanes move any faster. She’d still be stuck in traffic, but with the added bonus of severe anxiety.

Resigning to having to deal, she found a great radio station and turned up the air to cool the car. Leaning once again back against the seat, she allowed her mind to wander…

Heat rose up off the surface of the freeway, indicating the severity of the heat wave running rampant through southern California with unprecedented temperatures. Buildings and bridges surrounding the freeway appeared warped through the hazy distortion of gasses rising from the intense heat.

Her vision fuzzed from staring at the same ugly industrial spot, but in her minds eye, she was walking along the beach with a dark haired man wearing a tux, she in a flowing black dress.

Her dream man spun her around, and dipped her in a private dance all their own….

She could even faintly hear the crash of waves as the Pacific gurgled and receded upon the coast erasing the prints from their feet…

Like a needle scraping across a record, her romantic daydream was rudely interrupted by the sounds of blaring car horns.

Raising her eyes to the rearview mirror to ascertain the cause, her mouth fell open.

“What an asshole!� she blurted out as she caught sight of an enormous black SUV speeding down the emergency lane cutting recklessly in and out of the traffic.

No sooner than the words were out of her mouth, did the traffic began to crawl, leaving a small length of space in front of her small car.

It all happened so fast that her mind didn’t have time to ignite the impulse to move forward. There was very little room in front of her as it were, but the SUV whipped in front of her at a jarring rate.

All she heard was squealing tires and the distinct sound of metal scraping before she realized the offending SUV had nipped her car trying to squeeze in.

Her fury blew up and her adrenaline kicked in before she could think rationally and she was out of the car in an instant feeling much bigger than her 5’3� inches.

“YOU COMPLETE FUCKING IDIOT!!!� She bent with shaking knees to assess the damage to her car’s front bumper. This couldn’t be happening to her “Why do all you assholes in SUV’s think you own the road? What gives you a right to drive like that?�

Her voice was quivering with her anger. She’d been so calm, simply accepting the fate of traffic rather than letting it grate her nerves, and now this. She continued touching gingerly her much-cherished car while ranting loudly at the driver’s inadequacies.

A thin, longhaired man in well worn jeans and a designer black t-shirt stepped out of the SUV as if there were no problem at all.

“Look love, that car cost…what? 6 or 7 thousand dollars? Here, I’ll compensate you.� He said all together too nonchalantly as he pulled out his wallet and began peeling out hundred dollar bills.

Cassie’s eyes widened at the audacity, and she stood slowly, prolonging turning to face him, afraid of her own anger.

“You….you must be joking� she said with a haughty laugh that made her voice sound more stable than she truly felt.

“I’d rather burn in hell than take a dollar from you…oh, no…I’ll be taking your license, and I’ll be reporting you to your GODDAMNED insurance�

She began yelling and turned around ready to do battle to his face, but her brain froze and terror struck her knees limp. It didn’t even take a full second to recognize the ballsy man was the actor Orlando Bloom.

All of her rage left her, replaced by fear. A celebrity. A damn celebrity, she’d just been hit by one of the biggest celebrities in the film world. Her stomach turned queasily, she’d lost all ability to speak.

Orlando smirked knowingly. She’d just recognized him and was surely going to retract. He used this opportunity to try to placate her. “I said I was sorry, love. I have things to do, and this fucking traffic is getting on my last nerve. Surly you must understand that I have to get around it any way I can� As he spoke, his hands flew about in gestures accentuating his impatience at the situation.

He was a stunningly gorgeous man, his black hair was wavy and hung just to his chin in that tousled “just out of bed� look. His face was so chiseled, that Michelangelo himself would have cried in glory to sculpt him. A cigarette dangled sexily out of the corner of his mouth, and he peered with chocolate eyes from under his sunglasses.

But, he’d opened his mouth and ruined the entire effect.

He was a pompous, assuming asshole that obviously felt that the world owed him the right to behave however he felt, and shake it off as being a celebrity.

Cassie looked at him incredulously, the shock of his identity wearing off. “Give me your license and insurance information.� She said flatly, daring him to try to continue talking his way out of it.

“Bloody hell, Orli, give her your damn information so we can get off this bloody hot freeway� a thickly accented Scottish voice from the passenger side yelled.

He pulled out his ID, and insurance card and handed it to her without another word. His gestures spoke of his annoyance, and he blew air out of his nose as if her demands were outrageous.

He leaned against his car and rolled his eyes at his friend who’d come out of the car to stand by him. The fat red haired Scotsman snorted in answer, a silent verbose of annoyance between them.

Cassie ignored them and fished a pen from her purse and wrote the information down with quivering hands. Assuring herself it was merely the adrenaline wearing off, and not nerves at his presence.

“Orli, mate, I’ll bet the lassie be wanting you address is all, so she an her mates can come up and make visit with ye.� The heavy Scotsman said sarcastically.

Orlando huffed and made a sound of agreement.

Cassie took off her glasses and raised her eyes incredulously. Could he really be that arrogant?

She handed him the information back silently and turned her back on him. He didn’t deserve another moment of her time. She began to gather her stuff and headed back to her car to get inside, all she wanted at this point was to get away from here. She didn’t know why, but she felt like crying.

She felt belittled.

“Just a moment, love� Orlando growled, still leaning against his SUV. “I’ll be needing to see your ID as well, in case you should have it in your mind to do something irrational with my information.�

His voice came out as a low sort of grumble with slight touches of his disappearing English accent present… an all around sexy effect.

Cassie sighed, and pulled out her ID, she’d appease him just to get away. He was trying to make her feel like less of a human being than he was, of that she was sure.

She pulled her glasses off her head, and ran her fingers through her blonde hair in an effort to still her nerves and distract her from her present situation.

Orlando glanced up as she made the gesture and found himself momentarily struck with her subtle attractiveness. Her eyes were magnetically green. He laughed to himself at his natural tendency to assess women and handed her back her ID.

She certainly wasn’t a playboy model, but cute nonetheless in an ordinary sort of way. What he’d consider an all American kind of girl.

“Here you are, then, Cass� he said emphatically to further irritate her by slandering her name. “Would you like an autograph while you have me here?� He asked seriously making his fat friend chuckle behind his hand, pretending like he had something in his throat.

She snatched it from his fingers and presented him once again with her back. “You’re an ass hole,� she said as she walked back to her car.

She opened her car door to get in, and turned to him one last time. “Oh, and hey… your films in the last few years suck. Your talent reminds me of a fine wine grape that fast lost its prime and turned into a festering rotting prune.�

She got in her car, turned on her hazards, and pulled into the emergency lane and disappeared.

Orlando still stood where he was, cigarette still dangling from his lips.

Slowly, the right side of his mouth tilted up in a smirk as he peered out from the top of his sunglasses “I like her…� he stated nodding his head slightly up and down. “A lot.�

He looked down at the information he’d copied from her license, and then slapped his buddy on the back as they returned to the SUV without even once glancing at any potential damage to the car.

He also pulled into the emergency lane, and speed off, only again cutting in and out of the traffic.

***

Cassie pulled her car into the nearest gas station and turned off the engine. She stared into space trying to digest what had just happened to her.

Her hands were still shaking, how could she have resorted to such a childish maneuver?? Couldn’t she have just left well enough alone and got in the car? Did she need to insult him most likely giving him fodder to kindle and retell the story and laugh with all his famous friends making her look like an idiot.

But she couldn’t believe how cocky he’d been, surly that was all an act, no one could feel that high above the rest of society. Could they?

He was however, extraordinarily famous. He’d rocketed to fame at a dizzying pace at a very early age, perhaps he is so used to being treated like he’s a God… that he now actually believes that he is.

She got out to check her bumper once again; the damage really wasn’t all that bad, basically just a bad scrape…but she had to report him to the insurance, just on principal alone.

He needed to be shot down a few levels.

She again sat behind the wheel of her car staring into space replaying the entire incident. Somewhere deep inside, a bubble of laughter started escaping in a small chuckle that turned into intense laughter as the hilarity of the situation sank in.

Things like this could only happen in Los Angeles! It was absurd!

Orlando Bloom is absurd!

He obviously was trying to fit a desired mold society expected of him. People in reality just did not act that futile and self involved!

She had tears rolling down her face by the time she backed her car out and headed home.

***

Orlando rolled the paper with Cassie’s information around through his fingers as he sat on the deck of his home looking majestically over the Pacific.

The beauty of the sunset over the horizon was lost on him. A cigarette rested between his fingers also unnoticed, sending blue smoke curling seductively about his face.

This woman captivated him, which perplexed him.

There was nothing particularly striking about her. Hell, beautiful women surrounded him constantly. So why then was this one plaguing him? Perhaps it was that she was just an ordinary woman…no pretenses about her. Or, perhaps it was that who he was hadn’t affected her behavior, she’d insulted him and turned her back on him as if he were only an ordinary man.

He raised his eyes to the sunset at last, and breathed in the salty air. Maybe he just enjoyed the game, and it had been a long time since he’d had a challenge.

Women were in line to have a night with him, the ease of it became boring and monotonous. He smiled again, and dragged his feet off the railing, flicking the cigarette into the ocean.

He entered into the house with a stride that spoke of intention.

Chapter 2

Limbs entwined in the hazy blue dusk of the room. Heavy breathing and slight whimpers broke the silence as he moved above her, and inside her. “I knew the moment I looked into your eyes that I had to have you” Orlando said as he lowered his lips to the sensitive spot where her jawbone and neck come together, and pushed deeper inside her. “I knew it too…” Cassie agreed with her head tilted to the side to allow him access to this delicious spot she never knew she loved to be kissed. She lifted her hands to his hair, wanting to touch the silky strands that curl so alluringly about his face. She gently raked her nails on his scalp, evoking a sigh from him. A smile curved on her lips knowing that he found pleasure in her touch, and she moved beneath him to heighten the enjoyment he was finding. His skin was so hot, that it felt like warm velvet as his finely chiseled chest slowly slid up and over her bare breasts. The feeling was electrifying and she gasped out when he grabbed the headboard, sending the full length of him inside her…


Cassie jerked up off her sofa at the sensual dream she’d been having. She brought her fingers to the place on her jaw that her dream Orlando had been kissing; her eyes were as wide as saucers. It had seemed so incredibly real!

A blush crept up her face, why had she dreamed about the arrogant imbecile?! Her face contorted into a smirk, because he’s what all women fantasize about, that’s why, and absolutely magnificent to look at.

Too bad he’s an ass, she thought as she got off her sofa and glanced at the clock. 9:52 pm…she must have dosed off watching her movie. Perhaps her body was trying to tell her it was bored with her Friday night ritual of fast food and an old movie.

Cassie moved about her comfortable little apartment, softly petting Astair, her black and white tomcat that was sitting on her kitchen table, exactly where he wasn’t supposed to be. Well, she’d let him get away with it tonight, she thought with a smile, she was going to treat herself to a glass of wine and a scented bubble bath, she was feeling very romantic after her dream.

Padding softly across the carpet to the bathroom with her wine glass in hand full of her favorite Merlot, Cassie caught her reflection in the mirror on her closet door. She looked, well, like she’d been tousling in bed with a real man rather than an imaginary one! Her skin was flushed a deep pink, and her eyes were glassy.

A laughed escaped her lips, “Who needs a real man, when a fictional one is so much more sufficient!” she said aloud to no one’s benefit but her own, and continued laughing at her present wit. “I think I’ll even light some candles!” she sing-songed while running her hand down Astair’s glossy coat once again.

By the time she sank into a lavender scented bath, her whole apartment was alight in glowing candle light, and Billie Holliday was softly playing on her CD player.

Her brush with Orlando today had ignited fanciful romanticism in her that had long been pushed into the back of her mind. Perhaps he was a jerk, but he is definitely the stuff that dreams are made of. Admittedly, once she’d gotten home after her brush with him, she’d spent about an hour on the Internet looking up pictures and articles about him. He was the quintessential celebrity. Always surrounded by beautiful women, in the hottest spots throughout the world looking sinfully sexy in tight fitting leather pants, or torn blue jeans. Designers loved him, and jumped at every opportunity to have him as their living model. He always looked like a fashion plate, and obviously he had no problem with being daring or audacious. His deep cheek bones were only accentuated by the way he had perfected the art of peering out from under his long black lashes.

Indeed, he defined the term “Star”. Of course, he had the temperament to match, frequently throwing well-publicized tantrums, or destroying expensive hotel rooms. But he apparently had a softer side to himself, it was reputed that he had a passion for writing, and was looking to pen his own script.

Her favorite photo had been one of him alone, writing atop a billiard table. His frame bent over the paper, his left hand resting on his temple seemingly holding hair out of his face as he sat in rapt concentration obviously unaware of the photographer lurking at his side. The ever-present signature cigarette between his fingers, ignored as he allowed his passions to pour forth on the paper. It was all together sexy, and downright beautiful.

A stolen moment captured beautifully in an image of artistic incredulity. Cassie found herself wondering if he’d been angry once he realized the photo had been taken, interrupting what was obviously a private moment. The man in that photo had been the man in her dream, poetic, deep and unguarded… not the conceited ‘performer’ she’d met. She’d like to think that the image he presented was all an act, and that deep down inside he was the sexy poet at the billiard table.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock of ‘match in the gas tank’ at her front door. “What, the?” Who could be here this late? No matter the time, who could be here? Cassie had very efficiently shut herself away from friends or admirers after her breakup. Preferring to protect herself from letting people in, rather than suffer the heartache of loss once again. A visitor at her door had to be someone mistaking her apartment for another unit in her complex.

“Hang on……” she yelled in annoyance. She toweled herself as dry as she could in such a quick time and threw on her peach, thigh length robe. So much for convention, it was the only thing close by. She pulled the door open with exaggerated annoyance, hoping to drive her point home further when she directed what could only be an admirer of her 23-year-old model neighbor, Bebe.

The woman in front of him caught Orlando off guard. She’d certainly looked quite different casually dressed this afternoon. Tonight, he’d obviously gotten her out of the bath, her skin shone with dampness, and her hair that had been gathered messily above her head was escaping in curls obviously caused by the humidity of her bath. And she was wearing a peach robe that clung to her wet skin revealingly. The scent of lavender wafted to his senses. He smiled invitingly; rather glad he’d decided to ignite her ire with an unscheduled visit.

Cassie blinked several times to erase the illusion. Her daydreams were getting away with her, or she’d consumed more wine than she’d originally thought. No, he had to be real, that smirk was identical to the one he sported earlier. His arrogance again agitated her. The man in the photo was definitely far better than the real thing.

“What are you doing here, Oscar?” She purposely insulted him with the incorrect name. It must have worked, because his face fell a little before he caught himself. Then his smile resumed, as he picked up on her intention.

“Well, its not every day that I am told my acting sucks, I admit, I’m quite used to the adoration of being the brilliant film star and budding writer. So, you intrigued me, I came over to see why you think I ‘suck’”.

Cassie looked at him disbelievingly, “You expect me to believe, that you, self proclaimed actor extraordinaire, give two shits about what one average person thinks of your films?”

“Yea. Something like that.” He said and brushed by her, inviting himself into her apartment. She simply let him pass by, watching him silently as he passed by her, too shocked at his presence to object.

He looked around at the candlelit apartment, “Was I interrupting something?” he asked smoothly. At that she laughed, “No, I’m alone”

So, she’s a romantic; he thought to himself…what a pleasant surprise. He’d never have guessed that of the foul-tongued viper he encountered today.

Cassie watched him walk about her apartment, stopping to glance at photos, or whatever knickknacks she kept about. His movements were even sexual, it was as if every natural movement he made was accentuated and yet exaggerated giving him a quality of un-reality. His hair fell into his face every time he leaved over to view something, and she watched as he’d lift his hand and push it back behind his ears, only to have it fall again. Her eyes followed every movement he made; yet she never said a word. He noticed her silence, but he continued his investigation of her home.

Several minutes passed in silence, he straightened up from the bent position he’d assumed to view her photographs on a lower bookcase shelf and noticed Cassie standing aside near her hallway with her arms folded over her chest watching him. She almost appeared to be leery of him. Her expression, and slightly heaving chest indicated to him that she was nervous, or uncomfortable. Her mouth was slightly parted, and she peered at him from the corners of her eyes.

She wet her bottom lip nervously when he began sizing her up. “You never really explained why you’re here,” She said barely above a whisper. He had to strain to her what she was saying. He continued to stare at her for a long moment; he was grinding his back teeth together, making his pronounced cheekbones flex and his lips purse.

Then his faced relaxed a little, and he let out a breath. “I’m not sure.” He admitted blinking several times, his eyebrows drew together in a look of confusion. “I just, well I’m going to go. I intruded upon your quiet evening” And with that, he picked up his keys he’d thrown carelessly on her sofa, and walked out the door without another word. The click of the door latch rang through her apartment with amplified finality.

Cassie stood there with her mouth open in shock. What the hell was that? Had she offended him somehow? And what had he come for in the first place? All these questions floated around her brain leaving her dizzy. She gingerly sat on the sofa where his key’s had been laying, and ran her hand over her neck that had become stiff with nerves. Just before he’d left, she was sure she had seen what had to be the real man behind the performer. His façade had dropped for just a moment, then he’d restored it very quickly and left so fast her senses hadn’t regained.

Orlando Bloom, here…in her apartment. It was all just too surreal. She scanned her dimly lit living space; it didn’t seem the same now. Unreality had intruded upon her rational little world. The ethereal glow of the candles added to the otherworldliness, and she got up quickly and began to blow them out. She just wanted the axis to tip back to the balance she was accustomed to.


She turned on lights with frenzy, moving so quickly through her apartment that she was winded. She straightened any frames he’d picked up, and smoothed over the pleats that had developed on her sofa cover.

Once the frantic replacement of every little thing had subsided, she stood in the middle of her living room with her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her left thumb in her mouth as she gnawed on the cuticle. She still felt off balance, like a wave of discomfort covered her, leaving her feeling like she’d done something wrong.

A feeling of guilt followed the feelings of wrongdoing. Then she realized she was standing there half naked and cold and she ran to her bedroom and threw on baggy sweats and a long sleeve T-Shirt, and slowly, her equilibrium returned.

Astair joined her in her room, and she turned off the lights, and crawled into her bed.



3:52am across town:


Orlando lay staring at the ceiling, thoughts everywhere and nowhere at once. A quick glance at the clock revealed the hour to be near 4am. He emitted a quiet sigh; he very rarely brought women back to his home. There were very few places where he could be himself, his home was a side of himself he didn’t care to share. His preference with sex was to be in control, and to be able to leave when he felt like it. His almost uncontrollable need tonight drove him to bringing home a woman that he was now stuck with.

She was a stunning raven-haired beauty with skin like porcelain. She was beautiful, sexual, and willing. That was the only criteria that needed to be met tonight.

He gingerly peeled the sheets away from his nude form trying to make as little movement as possible. He didn’t want to risk waking the woman. Sophie… he vaguely recalled her giving this as her name when she asked him to call her name in passion. His lips curled in disgust, the woman was shameless. He knew full well he was nothing more than a celebrity notch in her well-ridden bedpost. He needed her out of his house, and he didn’t see an easy resolution to this.

Wrapping a throw from his sofa around his hips, he stepped out to the refuge of his deck. Los Angeles was at it’s most beautiful when the city was asleep. Pale light from the moon bathed the beachfront, making the sand silver against the black sea. He lit a cigarette and let his head fall back against his shoulders. Moments of silence and solitude had become his saving grace.

“Orli…I woke up so cold” Sophie purred from behind him, insinuation thick in her tone. A wave of disgust washed over him ‘perhaps because ice runs through your veins’ he thought with contempt. He kept silent, not wishing to even acknowledge her presence. Perhaps that would get her to leave.

He turned to eye her and met with her nude body, stretched alluring against the door. The woman truly had no inhibitions. A smile that appeared much more as a sneer pulled at his lips, he’d give her a show, one that was sure to send her on her way.

He peeled back the throw exposing his own nudity and his arousal. Her smile let him know she was going exactly where he wanted her. She licked her lips in animalistic expectation as he reached down and enclosed his right hand around his erection; his eyes never left her face. She was enjoying what she thought was his game of seduction.

His paced quickened when she reached between her own legs and began stroking herself. At least she’d give him something to go on as he continued his game of humiliation. “I’m ready, Orli…I need you inside me, it nearly hurts I need you so.” She whined.

He let his head fall back, and sweat was breaking out on his forehead. Sensations were swirling around him he felt the building of a powerful orgasm. Somewhere in the background of his fogged mind, he could hear Sophie demanding him to stop and make love to her.

He tuned it out and allowed his mind to take hold of the fantasy that had been rooting there. Green eyes, and blonde hair, pink lips wrapped around his erection….

He came with a blinding fury that caused him to loose control and cry out. His breath came in powerful heaves for several moments before his vision began to clear. Remembering where he was he looked at Sophie who was staring at him in shock. The bitch was truly shocked! He couldn’t help the laughter that burst from his chest; it was the single funniest thing he’d ever seen. This haughty, nearly perfect woman unaccustomed to any sort of rejection had just watched him beat off to another woman’s image! It was classic. He imagined it could possibly be the first time she’d ever been speechless.

“You… you would rather beat your own dick than make love to me?” She spat in ruthless fury. He simply raised an eyebrow at her. “What is wrong with you Orlando?” She was close to tears but he knew better than to fall for that. Sympathy was the last thing she would get from him.

“Get out.” He said simply. “Nothing is wrong with me, my own hand is more satisfying that your cold body.”

Her façade of control dropped immediately, and she looked for a moment to be very young before she pulled it back together. Orlando felt a moment of regret, he didn’t even know why he felt the need to belittle and humiliate her. He just knew that seeing her made him want to break her. She turned and left. Minutes later he heard the front door open and shut, she’d dressed and left without a word. He didn’t even care how she got home. He was simply relieved she was gone.

Chapter 3

Laughing at Life – Billie Holiday

December 12th

I don’t quite know how to describe my own feelings at this point in time. Sometimes I think I’ve resorted to hallucinations to appease my lonely heart, and others, I realize that I wasn’t dreaming. Orlando Bloom, the actor, has come barreling into my life. Me, just an average, ordinary girl with nothing special to mention. Yet, he is present in my life, even if it has been over a week since he showed up at my apartment. I still can’t figure out what he was doing here. It looked like he had something to say…maybe he just needed someone to talk to. But he didn’t relent; he seemed uncomfortable with his own need and walked out. Ah, I wish I could put the whole event in the back of mind and forget about it, it’s distracting me to no end! But it has certainly struck inspiration for me in the studio. I created four new sculptures in record time!! Perhaps I need crazy events to happen more frequently! My agent would be one happy girl! I myself was surprised by the passion and his presence has evoked, I didn’t know it resided in me any longer.

I am looking forward to my monthly trip to the Dodger game with Trudie tonight! I can’t wait to see her reaction! But more than anything, I look forward to the release from my every day life it affords me. The excitement from the crowd reverberates through me and fills me with life. There’s nothing like 15,000 people all together for the same purpose in one place. Fun, friends and beer!


Cassie slapped her journal closed and headed to her shower to freshen up for the game. Her work in the studio today left her sweaty and grimy. But she felt extremely fulfilled. The work she was producing exceeded even her own expectations this week.

She stopped in front of her fireplace mantle and lovingly stroked the glass sculpture there with her fingertip. It was the first piece she’d ever created, and it had opened a whole new world to her. She had gone to college to study the history of art, not create it. But in order to fulfill a studio requirement, she signed up for glass blowing out of sheer curiosity. It had taken her to the path in life that she now believed was pre-destined for her. It chose her rather than her choosing it.

Her college hadn’t offered any further classes on glass art, so she had packed her bags and moved across the country to California to study at the prestigious Cal Arts. The whole path she’d originally set out for herself had changed on a whim. It had been the best thing she had ever done, leaving North Carolina.

She let her finger linger a few moments more on the flowing glass, full of color and character. This was the one thing in her life no one could rip from her, her art. It was a passion that would never betray her, nor cool. And for that, she got up every day, and continued with her life, even when it threw her some sharp curves. She straitened up and snapped out of her reverie. With a chuckle and shake of her head she headed into her shower.

****************************

“You are kidding me, right?” Trudie stared at Cassie with her mouth hanging open, her red pigtails smacking her face as she turned to stare at her friend disbelievingly.

Cassie could only chuckle and shake her head in affirmation. “No, I’m definitely not kidding you. It really happened. I’m minding my own business, stuck in the consistent God forsaken traffic, and he came out of nowhere. Nearly took the front end of my car off in the process.” Cassie said exaggerating just a bit to add merit and drama to her story.

“Are you FRIGGEN kidding me?? That wasn’t a foul!!!!” Trudie screamed at the umpire jumping out of her seat.

“Did you see that? The umpire must be from Chicago, because he’s obviously favoring the Cubs here.” Cassie lifted her beer to her lips and took a long drink. Trudie was a true blue Dodger fan, and the games they attended at least once a month were always eventful and full of colorful tantrums from Trudie. Both girls were decked out in full Dodger attire, complete with hats and t-shirts. Cassie always looked forward to game nights, it was an opportunity to forget life for a while, and loose yourself in the game and the atmosphere.

Trudie slowly lowered herself back onto the bleacher, and sipped her beer, never taking her eyes off the game. “Ok, so…he scrapes your car, insults you, belittles you, and then what?”

Cassie bit her bottom lip and glanced at Trudie from the corner of her eyes “I called him an asshole and told him he had the acting ability of a prune.”

“That’s nice. RUN, RUN, RUN!! YESSSSSS SAFE!!” Trudie was back on her feet jumping up and down. In the midst of her excitement, she stopped dead in tracks, her brows drawn together in confusion.

She turned her face back towards Cassie who was still sitting. “You said WHAT???” she asked incredulously. “You heard me.”

Trudie threw her head back and laughed heartily. “Oh, oh Cass, only you…. would insult one of the hottest pieces of ass on the planet!!” She was laughing so hard she had to wipe tears off her cheeks.

“But, Tru, the strangest thing was, he showed up at my house later that night. With absolutely no legitimate reason why, he just looked around my living room at all my pictures and nick nacks, said he didn’t know what he was doing there, and left just as quick as he got there.” Trudie looked at Cassie like she’d grown horns. “He came to your house? Jesus. How’d he know where you live?” “Well, he had my address from my drivers’ license, that’s the only logical explanation.” “Orlando Bloom came to your house?” “Yes.”

The girls drank their beers and watched the game quietly, both lost in their own thoughts. “Do you think he was hot for you?” Trudie broke the silence with a comical tone to her voice. Cassie smacked her on her arm and snorted. “Tru, you perv! Of course not! What one earth would a man like that see in someone like me??”

“Right, I forgot, you’re so ugly you for sure got beat with the ugly bat when you were a kid.” Trudie snapped back sarcastically. “That’s not it at all…really, I’m not putting myself down here, I’m merely stating the obvious. I’m a normal person. Normal people to mix with the Gods.”

“Oh, my…speaking of the God’s, Shawn Green’s up to bat” Both girls turned their attention the player being discussed. Appreciatively taking in his physique as he took to bat.

“It is against nature to make a man that beautiful” Trudie whispered in awe. Shawn cracked a fly ball straight into left field, allowing him to make it safely to second base. “Hmmm, yes, he is lovely, isn’t he? Is he married, Tru?” Trudie slapped her thigh and faced Cassie with determination, “See, that’s exactly why women should run this game. Because we’d put the stats that people really want to know on the scoreboard. You know, Age, Penis size, Girth, Married, Straight, Single, Gay…none of that runs per year, average and other inconsequential bullshit. What do you think?”

“I think, we are coming to the games for all the wrong reasons!” Cassie replied laughing. God she loved Trudie. She was vulgar, sassy and witty. And she could bring a smile to Cassie’s face under any circumstances. She was a priceless friend.

*laughs her ass off*

sorry gotta say that!

to be edited when I reread that stuff....

I totally agree with Trudie! Men MUST not be beautiful!

And after seeing my secret crave's (who am I fooling?) ROTK premiere pictures I have come to the conclusion that Orlando Bloom is an alien!
And it is alla conspiracy against us, poor harmless women, to make us all go mad and... oh me! Mt theory is kind of gutter-ish... I don't think I want to share it here...

anyway! So glad you are posting this awesome story here!

Welcome, Kim!

:yay:

Ey! Eh... :angel2: I go to lunch, and come back and see my banner is up!! YAY! That must have been you, Laila!! ***HUGS***

Ursi....I believe you may be right. All kidding aside. God does not make a man like that for any other reason than to test us. I mean, what else could it be?? Of course he'd be chosen as Legolas...he has an otherworldly aura about him. Ok. I'll stop....Cant be helped!!! :drool:

Whew...let me get these posts up so I'll be caught up.

Chapter 4

The way you look tonight - Billie Holiday

[color=purple]Cassie threw her keys down on the table and pulled off the baseball hat letting her hair fall down around her back and shoulders. She felt like a whale, she’d eaten enough for 3 people at the game and her stomach was rumbling unhappily. A hot shower and crawling into her bed was the only thing she could think of at the moment.

As she shuffled towards the bathroom, her foot brushed over an envelope on the floor. “What’s this???” She moaned, annoyed at the interruption.

She turned the envelope over in her hands and saw her name printed across the front in black ink. Her brow was furrowed in confusion as she stood there staring at the letter. Shaking herself, she opened it and pulled out a simple crème colored paper folded in half. Obviously expensive paper, she thought ironically as she opened it.

Cassie,

Crustations Restaurant
Santa Monica BLVD. Beverly Hills
Saturday 9pm

~O

Cassie stared at the note in shock. O? Orlando? It couldn’t be anyone else. Was he asking her to dinner?? She ran her fingertips over the looping letters feeling their indention in the paper. The penmanship was impressive, beautiful and flowing to have come from a man’s hand.

She carried the letter over to the sofa and sat down. It must be something else. It had to be…was someone playing a joke on her?? If not, this gave her but two short days to prepare, mentally and physically for a dinner date with quite frankly, one of the sexiest men in the world.

Her stomach jumped with butterflies just thinking about it. She put her palms on her flushed cheeks. ‘How can I go through with this?’ she thought panicking to herself. ‘I couldn’t conduct myself in that kind of a situation? I wouldn’t know how to behave, what to wear, I’ll look like a fool…, She was working herself up into a full panic attack.

Taking several deep breaths, she forced herself to put the letter down, and went to the bathroom. She turned the taps on for the shower, and turned to face her own image in the mirror. All of the color had left her face except for two spots of red on her cheeks.

Slowly, a small smile spread over her face. She stood there staring at her image for several minutes. ‘Dinner with Orlando Bloom. Me…who would have ever thought?’

She peeled off her clothes and stepped in the shower, smile still on her face.

**********
The next two days were spent in a frenzy of shopping to find the right dress, shoes, everything! Cassie did something she never did: she lavished herself. A pink blush rose on her cheeks when she thought of the sexy undergarments she bought. ‘Not that I think for one second he’ll be seeing them, it’s simply to afford myself the luxury of feeling feminine and beautiful’ She reassured herself as she pulled up the black sheer thigh-high stockings that clung to her thighs by the sheerest of lace. ‘The secret to confidence, after all is to feel sexy, right? So, the lace strapless bra and panty set is for no other reason than to give me the confidence to walk in that restaurant and sit across from him’

Cassie sighed and looked at her reflection “Talking to yourself, again…not a good sign.” She said with sarcasm.

The last touch was to pull on the dress that she had painstakingly gone to every boutique in West Los Angels to find. She opted for simple, but with an understated sexiness.

It was a black silk strapless dress that hugged her curves and fell in a straight line to mid-calf. The final touch was a pair of strappie black heels that tied with a satin ribbon around her ankles.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to face her reflection in the full-length mirror on her closet door. It was a woman she had not seen in more than two years.

Tears sprang to her eyes; she had neglected herself for so long. Pushed away every part of her that was feminine. The dress flattered her figure perfectly. She was of average height, yet the cut paired with the hills made her appear longer in frame. Her waist was small, but her hips had curve and her breasts were naturally full. She had pulled her honey blonde hair into a twist, with a sever part on the right side. Her desired effect was to mimic the actresses of the glamorous hey days of Hollywood.

She left her makeup simple, but wore a boldly red lipstick. Her reflection smiled back at her, giving her reassurance that she could indeed fit in with the Beverly Hills elite. The thought sent the butterflies back into her stomach.

“It’s now or never!” She told her reflection, and turned to put on a necklace made of shimmering crystals that looped around her neck, and fell down her back like a line of tear drops, ending where the back of the dress began. The feather-like swish of the crystals touched her back like a whisper when she walked.

She had to admit, if the evening itself turned out to be a complete failure, she’d walk out of it having crossed a large milestone. She felt beautiful to herself; something that she lost when the man she loved with all of her heart had chosen to sleep with her baby sister two nights before their wedding.

The very foundation of her inner strength had crumbled to the ground at a betrayal so large, not just her fiancé, but by her sister, too.

She pushed the unpleasant thoughts out of her head and let herself out of the apartment, locking the door behind her. Locking the painful memories inside, and going out without the burden of her heartbreak on her shoulders. Indeed, this night was a victory no matter its outcome. [/font]

When you're smiling
When you're smiling
The whole world smiles with you
When you're laughing
When you're laughing
The sun comes shining thru
But when you're crying
You bring on the rain
So stop your sighing be happy again
Keep on smiling
'Cause when you're smiling
The whole world smiles with you

When your smiling – Billie Holiday


Chapter 5


Crustations Restaurant in Beverly Hills is where the elite went to see and to be seen, to dine on the finest creations in seafood Los Angeles has to offer. Cassie had never been inside the restaurant, just glared at it longingly with the rest of the average population.

The exterior was made up of sheets of glass with water and colorful bubbles running in between them, it gave the effect of being under water. Cassie smoothed her hair, and checked her lipstick once more in her compact before walking through the door the Maitre De held open for her.

She felt almost sick to her stomach with nerves. Worrying that her nausea would case her to have bad breath, she blew into her palm and then sniffed. “Whew! No bad breath” she thought, and glanced up to see the Maitre De staring at her with undisguised distaste.

“Would Mam care for a mint?” He said in a snooty, and obviously fake Mediterranean accent.

“No, thank you, my breath is fine, thanks all the same.”

“ And whom is Mam here to see?”

Cassie was fast becoming irritated with the pompous ass. “Mr. Orlando Bloom. I’m sure you’ve heard of him, he won the best actor Oscar last year.” She threw the same condescending tone in her voice, hoping to wipe that uppity sneer off his arrogant face.

The Maitre De corrected himself quickly. Suddenly a bundle of nerves, he couldn’t provide attention fast enough. Cassie watched him with an eyebrow raised in amusement; he was certainly snooty no longer.

“Of course, miss, and your name is?”

“Cassie Gregory” “Indeed, yes…please allow me to show you to your table.”

Her amusement at the behavior of the Maitre De allowed her to forget her nerves, and she looked around the beautiful interior. The entire room was lit mostly by candle light, each table had dainty tea lights flickering romantically on them, and the carpeting and chair cushions were upholstered in rich burgundy velvet. It was a beautiful environment.

Black and white photographs of various celebrities lined the walls, and Cassie stopped along the way to peer at a few of them. She sighed deeply, Paul Newman, he was such a dreamy man!


Orlando watched the Maitre De lead Cassie to his table. He realized he was holding his breath, she looked absolutely incredible. Beautiful in a way that he’d missed so much being surrounded the last few years by nothing but aspiring starlets, or party goers that graced the clubs and hang outs where celebrities could be found. She was natural, and unpretentious. And most importantly, she glowed with a light was uncorrupted by the Hollywood standard that so many women fell into living in this city.

He watched her go from photograph to photograph; oblivious to the impatient Maitre De wishing she’d just let him seat her.

A soft smile touched his lips, he’d had such reservations about asking her to meet him, and had very nearly called several times to cancel. He was glad that he had decided to come, although he really still couldn’t figure out why he’d been so determined to see this woman again. He knew nothing about her, except that she liked lavender baths. Something just drew him... it was inexplicable.

He wasn’t even really sure she would come, after all, he’d been nothing but obnoxious to her. He’d found out a long time ago that there was no point in being kind or genuine anymore, the only thing that most people wanted out of him was purely superficial. He’d allowed too many people to take too much of him, to the point where the layers of the man he’d once been was all but peeled away.

When he’d gone to her apartment, his intentions were to rile her up; at least, that is what he had told himself. Once he got there, he realized that she was a real person, with pictures of her grandparents and friends sprinkled on various tables and shelves.

It was the way that she had been looking at him that had unnerved him. She seemed almost scared of him; she wasn’t one of those piranhas he was used to playing the game with. His being there magnified the fact that he was an ass hole, that none of the heart of a kind man beat in his chest any longer.

Basically, seeing her was like holding a mirror in front of his own face, and seeing that he didn’t like that man at all, he became unrecognizable to himself. So, he’d made his escape. Vulnerability wasn’t a luxury he could afford.

For reasons he couldn’t even explain to himself, he wanted her to know that he was not the sub-human jerk he had portrayed to her.

He stood up as the Maitre De pulled out her chair for her to sit, hesitant to speak, he was afraid that nothing would come out the way he wanted, and needed it to.

They literally stood there staring at one another for what seemed like an eternity without speaking.

“You look beautiful, Cassie. I didn’t realize you could look lovely.” As the words escaped his mouth, Orlando flinched inwardly. ‘You daft prick! Way to stick your foot in your mouth’ “Uh, what I meant was, you seemed less feminine when I saw you the first time” “DAFT, DAFT Buggered Prick”

Cassie stared at him disbelievingly; he’d brought her here to ridicule her. That ass hole led her to believe…her mind raced furiously, well, she wasn’t sure what exactly he led her to believe, but she was slapped with a cold burst of reality. She deluded herself, and dressed up prettily only to fall right into his ridicule. He blatantly made a fool of her. She picked up her clutch and stood to leave, without even having uttered a single word.

Orlando jumped up and reached across the table grabbing her wrist desperately. “No. Wait… really, please wait. That all came out wrong.” Can we please start over?” He loosened his grip on her wrist when he realized he was grabbing her tight enough that his fingers were imprinted on the delicate skin.

He slid his fingers down her hand, and pulled her small fingers to his mouth where he kissed them lightly. The kiss came out more like a small breath across her fingertips.

“Ok, yes. Please, lets start once again.” She said with a quivering voice. His breathy kiss on her fingers had jolted her senses.

She smiled at him as she resumed her seat across from him. “I must admit, um Mr.….”

He cut her off mid sentence, “Orlando. Please, call me Orlando.”

Her stomach jolted once again and she realized how much she needed a drink. Her nerves were getting the best of her. ‘He’s just a man, he is no different than me, pull it together, he is JUST LIKE any other person’

“Yes, Orlando that is, I ah was, er…I am surprised by your invitation.” Her eyes jittered nervously over his face. He was beyond handsome he was stunning. She took in his appearance, he was wearing a black v-neck sweater with black pants, and his hair was tucked behind his ears. One long curl had escaped and was hanging over his eye. Around his neck he wore a leather strapped necklace with an odd silver charm. ‘God he’s gorgeous…and he smells so good.’ She inhaled his scent; it was clean, yet with a spicy masculine lift. It reminded her of suede. Her mind was blank, struck silent by her attraction to him. There wasn’t a woman in the world that wouldn’t feel a sexual pulse from him.

“I’ll be honest with you, Cassie, I was surprised by my invitation, too.” His voice took on a lift of humor and his chocolate eyes sparkled as he looked into her green ones.

She closed her eyes briefly, feeling rather than hearing the vibrations of his voice. Even his voice was beautiful. Her body was still humming with the effects of his voice; she had to mentally slap herself. She was acting like a silly teenager.

“Would you like a glass of wine?” He asked holding up the bottle that was on the table in front of him. She noticed he’d already had a glass. Her shoulders sagged with relief and she breathed out a giggle.

“Yes…please. I’d love one!” The silent understanding between them relieved the pressure, and no further acknowledgement was necessary. He understood that she was nervous; she understood that he was suffering from foot in mouth disease. It was all that was needed to break the ice.

His eyes held hers once again, and her laughed to himself as he realized that never in his life had he said so much without saying anything at all.

Girl! You're posting this way too fast!!
I haven't even read chapter one, but tomorrow, when I'm not as sleepy as I am now, I promise I'll read as much as I can!!

*Laughs* I know! I'm re-posting it from EWFN so this has been written for a while...I'm just copy/pasting what I've written thus far...Glad you're here, though!! Welcome!! :yes:

Kimi :love:

*Sigh*
I did it! LoL!
I read it all! :D

I like this!! :yes: Dunno why I never read it on ewfn!

:yay: Great!!

Ok...I'm going to get these darn chapters caught up!


What a little moonlight can do
Wait a while
Till a little moonbeam comes peepin' through
He'll get bored
You can't resist him
All you'll say
When you have kissed him is
What a little moonlight can do

What a little moonlight can do ~ Billie Holiday


Chapter 6


“If you were another person, would you be a friend of yours?”

Cassie laughed out loud at the question. “Orlando! That’s a loaded question! If I say yes, then I am conceited and narcissistic! If I say no, then I am admitting that I’m a freaky and most likely posses a half a dozen social anxiety disorders!”

“Ok, then…answer this one. If you could be anyone at all in history, past or present, who would it be?”

Cassie questioned with a slightly slurring voice. 2 hours and nearly 3 bottles of red wine later they had taken to asking ridiculous questions about one another.

Orlando traced the lip of his wine glass with his index finger, contemplating the question while staring into the contents of his glass trying to focus. The wine clouded his brain.

“I’d be an average Joe. A man with a job, and a family.”

She stared at him a few moments unsure of the implications behind his answer. “But, didn’t you say you’d gone to school dreaming specifically of becoming an actor?”

“Yes, I did. And for years after making Lord of the Rings, I was living the life I had dreamed. It was amazing, playing parts in films that had such depth and credibility. But, things change. The public expected me to share every single aspect of my life. In fact, I’d say they demanded it, assuming that being a celebrity meant you basically whore yourself out to the public eye. Everything that had meaning to me in the beginning was smothered by the lack of respect I wasn’t allowed to live a life of my own in fact, my life became no longer my own. It’s very lonely and limiting to not have the freedom to simply be who you are. Can you imagine not being able to take a piss without someone writing about it in the tabloids? Or suffering a breakup without people discussing your reaction or lack of, not being able to feel sad or happy or anything for that fact without a camera snapping your picture or some chat room picking apart every aspect?”

Cassie shook her head no, she felt sorrow at realizing she herself was one of those people that had figured celebrities deserved whatever they got, after all, they had chosen to live their lives in the spotlight.

She had her elbow propped on the table, and her chin resting on her hands, giving him her full attention, encouraging him to keep talking.

“I don’t know Cassie, somewhere along the way I came to resent the very thing that was once most important to me. I had created a monster, and I lost control of it. The worst thing about it all is people began to use me. Use me to further themselves. Whether it be an agent, or a director, or some bloody woman who wanted to sleep with me to be able to say that she had. And the good people, real people like yourself would either be too intimidated to be around me, or saw me as the asshole I project because it’s too risky to trust people anymore and let them in. No one was going to try to get to know me before judging me either way. I’m either a celebrity, or and asshole. Orlando doesn’t exist anymore. Only Orlando Bloom celebrity lives here.”

He pointed his index finger at his chest then rubbed his temples easing some of the tension building behind his eyes. He hadn’t spoken this frankly to anyone outside of his family in years. It was risky allowing his guard to go down, never knowing who would run to the news or the papers with all the good information. Orlando Bloom is human, too.

He made an impatient sound and shook his head. “For once, I’d like to just be able to not have to worry. It’s exhausting having to be ‘on’ all the time. Before I knew what happened, I was lost to myself, I wasn’t just pretending to be a jerk, I was a jerk. It’s safer than trusting people. I am not a nice person, Cassie.”

Images of what he had done to that woman whose name he couldn’t even remember the week before ran through his mind.

Cassie watched the play of emotions across his face realize he had chosen her of all people to open up to. What she saw in his eyes was raw and it was real. It was a touch of what she had seen before he bolted out of her apartment.

She was afraid of the impact she could have on him, what would she say to something like that? What was the right response to the things he had just said?

“Would the ass hole celebrity like to pay for my meal, then walk me down the street to buy me some coffee to sober me up from all the wine he poured down my throat during said dinner he bought me?”

Orlando threw his head back and laughed heartily. It had felt good to vent, and not to have to regret it afterwards.

“No, actually… this asshole celebrity would like you to walk him down the street and buy him a cup of coffee. Remember, celebrities are know for being cheap, and we expect everything to be given to us.”

“All right then, Mr. Bloom, I figure that’s an even trade, dinner for coffee. Lets get out of here before I pass out. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to the ladies room while you pay the bill”

She stood up and teetered close to loosing her balance before she grabbed the back of the chair to steady herself. “Woa!” She giggled, “I think I definitely need a cup of coffee!”

Orlando watched her make her way carefully towards the ladies room and smiled as she tipped too dangerously to the right, and landed against an old man sitting with his family.

He gave the waiter his credit card without taking his eyes off Cassie, and when she disappeared from view, he kept his eyes on the spot he last saw her, waiting to see her again as she came back towards the table. His eyes stayed on the same spot when the waiter sat the credit slip in front of him, and he accepted the pen to sign. He couldn’t even be sure he signed the slip in the correct place.

She came back into view after what seemed like an eternity smiling at him as she made her way back.

He stood up, and she looped her arm through his to steady them both. The wine was affording her the leisure of inhibition.

He stood several inches above her, and he smiled down at her with ease, “I believe you are drunk Ms. Gregory” “I believe you are right, Mr. Bloom.” She giggled.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, the non-drunk Cassie was wondering how embarrassed she would be when all was said and done tomorrow. Drunk Cassie shoved the rational side of herself far into the back of her mind and flashed a bright smile at Orlando.

“Lets get you out of here silly lady” He escorted her out with his hand on her lower back.

The air outside felt good against her wine flushed face, and she lifted her face towards the sky breathing deeply. “Its amazing how clean the air of Los Angeles can smell when one is inebriated!” She turned a quick circle in an imaginary dance with the moon, humming a soft song oblivious to people around them staring.

Her attitude was contagious, and Orlando pulled her into his arms and danced her in a circle. When they came to a stop, she still had her face turned up towards the sky. He swallowed a lump that developed in his throat, and leaned towards her slightly parted lips caught up in the moment of careless play.

His head jerked away quickly before he could steal the kiss he desperately wanted; jolted to reality by someone screaming his name.

Cassie’s eyes came open slowly, and Orlando pulled her by the hand in the opposite direction from the screaming fan. He was simply not ready to let anyone intrude upon his happy evening.

They walked along the boulevard in silence for several blocks. Cassie though she sensed him close to her lips while they were dancing, but the screaming fan had interrupted them, and she would never know if she was imagining his breath on her lips or not.

She decided to keep on walking in silence, enjoying the feel of his hand on her shoulder while the life of LA whizzed around them. She was snapped out of her thoughts by the feel of his fingers brushing lightly on the skin of her back.

She looked up at him and he smiled sweetly “Your strap is coming out of the back of your dress.” He said softly.

She blushed, and stuck the rest of the strap in to the dress. “It’s the straps you use to hang the dress with.” She said bashfully, the two spots of pink on her cheeks spreading towards her ears.

Orlando held the door open to the all night coffee shop decorated to look like a 50’s diner for Cassie to enter. There was an old jukebox in the corner playing Beatles songs and waiters in crisp white uniforms with red and white-stripped aprons.

The place shined like a new penny and Cassie laughed pleased with the inviting environment. “This is brilliant!” She beamed.

“I thought you’d like this, I discovered it on accident one night after some release party. It’s a real jewel, and most people don’t even know it is here” They took a booth to the rear, with Orlando’s back to the restaurant, to help ensure their privacy.


The waitress sat two cups of steaming coffee in front of them. Cassie wrapped her hands around the mug to warm them.

“I’m glad that you came, Cassie. I really wasn’t sure that you would. But, I’m glad that you did I’ve enjoyed this evening.”

“I have too, I really have. I guess I’m a little surprised by how easy it is to talk to you, and how easy it is to forget who you are.”

She reached up and brushed a stray hair that had escaped the knot. Orlando watched her face with interest, she showed so much animation, and he could read in her face that she was speaking plainly. Several times she tilted her head, or widened her eyes for emphasis. He found her intriguing.

“Once we got to talking, you could have been any man at all.” She laughed when he looked wounded “You know what I mean!! It’s just that you are quite famous, to put it lightly, and well…I was very nervous to actually sit across from you and talk. I was sure I wouldn’t know what to say, and you would think me the silliest girl in existence. But, once I started talking with you, all that faded, and I found myself not trying anymore, it just all came natural.”

“Did I say something wrong?” Cassie asked quietly when he looked at her quietly chewing on his bottom lip. A small dimple appeared in his right cheek, and then disappeared when he took a deep breath.

“No. You definitely didn’t say anything wrong. I think it’s just the best compliment I’ve had in a long time.”

“Orlando?”

“Yes love?”

“Why did you act like such an ass when you hit my car?” Her eyes were so clear the question so direct that it took him by surprise.

He stared at her a moment longer than prudent to respond, but all of the things in his head floating about to answer that question were turbulent and volatile. How could he sum up several years of pushing himself away in order to become that asshole, in a few words?

Simply put, he couldn’t.

The waiter came to refill their coffee, affording him the luxury of avoiding the question. Maybe later, at another time he could answer that question. For he was sure about one thing, he wanted to get to know Cassie Gregory better. She was refreshing to his thirsty soul. He felt regenerated in the very short amount of time he was with her.

The attraction was an added surprise. He was attracted to the woman sitting across from him.

He took in her appearance as she sipped her coffee unaware of his scrutiny. She was pretty, no doubt…but not beautiful in the conventional standards. Her figure was a knockout; he would’ve never guessed that body resided under that frumpy pair of overalls spattered with some kind of paint that she had been wearing in her car that day.

It disarmed him when she appeared in the skimpy robe, he wasn’t prepared to find her in anyway attractive.

“I don’t want to like you.” She said so quietly he almost didn’t hear her. She was looking at him much in the same way she had been in her apartment.

“Yes you do.”

They stared at one another unflinchingly brown eyes locked into green ones.

“I think we better get you back to your car, love. “

She nodded her head and took his hand as he led her from the booth.

They walked the distance back to the restaurant in silence. Cassie’s mind was racing. ‘What does he mean when he speaks in riddles like that? Does he want to see me again? Did I ruin the whole thing? He got so quiet in the end…’

They walked back to the valet and handed him the ticket for her car. She smiled up at him getting ready to thank him for the dinner, and most likely to say goodbye assuming this would be the last time she would see him.

He was looking at her intently and she was again struck with how disarmingly handsome he is. The moonlight was reflecting off his skin giving the impression that his eyes were black.

He had rendered her unable to move much less speak with the intensity of his stare.

He leaned over and brushed his lips on her cheek, his fingers caressing her jaw then moving up to the sensitive skin on the lobe of her ear. The kiss sent her reeling into a sensual fog. Her legs went weak, and she lifted her hand to his chest for balance.

He pulled away from her cheek, never breaking contact with her eyes and lifted her palm kissing the tips of her fingers. Millions of pinpricks ran across every nerve in her body, she almost felt as if she had flown out of her body and was hovering somewhere in a state of ecstasy.

He took the hand she had resting upon his chest and guided her into her waiting car.

He leaned down before pushing the door closed. “Goodnight, Cassie Gregory.” “Goodnight Orlando.”

It wasn’t until she was parked in front of her apartment that she had even realized she’d driven home.

You're mean to me
Why must you be mean to me?
Gee, honey, it seems to me
You love to see me cryin'
Sing the blues and sighin'

Mean to Me~ Billie Holiday


I woke up yesterday thinking I had dreamed the entire evening with Orlando. As soon as I sat up, I realized I hadn’t been dreaming and I was suffering one hell of a wine hangover. God why had I drunk so much? I know why…because it was the only way I was going to relax enough to be able to sit there and talk to that man. I pretty much wasted the entire day staring into space, replaying image after image. The only thing I managed to do properly was go to the grocery store. As soon as I walked into the market I was greeted with Orlando’s photo on People’s sexiest man alive issue. I admit, I walked around looking at it as I shopped. Today, I simply wonder how I can take my mind off of him and the entire evening long enough to get some work done before Shelly kills me. She was a little peeved with the lack of work I produced yesterday, but I guess the one good thing about the hangover was that I was TOO hung over to care. I can’t help feeling like I did something wrong. He didn’t say he wanted to see me again, and I haven’t heard from him at all. I don’t even feel like he got to know who I am. I pounded so much wine that I acted very differently than I would have under different circumstances. Who am I kidding, he is never going to ask to see me again, he probably wanted to get on my good side so I won’t file the accident with my insurance. (Which incidentally, I haven’t yet…) Trudie will snap me out of it. She’ll put God’s good sense back in to my fanciful head.
…but the way he kissed my cheek, and my palm. A kiss on the cheek usually comes out to be a chaste way of saying goodbye. He has now redefined my concept of a kiss on the cheek. If I never touch another man again, that gesture will be enough to last me a lifetime.


“You listen to me Cassandra Victoria Gregory. You stop telling yourself that you are not as good as that man. He is no better than you, he isn’t more special than you, he simply makes a fuck lot more money. Aaaand has his mug plastered on every movie screen and trade paper around the planet. Cass, everyone has got to squat to take a shit.”

Cassie would have laughed at Trudie’s analogy of Orlando being no different than her, but she was feeling foolish and now embarrassed. The last thing she wanted to do was to have Trudie see her acting like a fool.

“I know… I’m being ridiculous. Why couldn’t I have just remained indifferent to him? I even told him I don’t want to like him, but I can’t seem to help it. The man I saw last night is not the man I met on the freeway.”

At the mention of the word freeway, Cassie felt a little twinge in her gut remembering that he had avoided answering her question at dinner.

“Fuck him. Twiggy asshole bastard. He probably has a skinny little pencil dick.” They both laughed till they were in tears.

“Ah, Tru… I can always count on you” Cassie said while wiping her cheeks and desperately trying to get air after being seized by her laughing fit. “I have to get to work. I did absolutely nothing yesterday, so on top of everything, I’m behind. And I have a showing in less than a month. Shelly is really going to kill me.”

Trudy listened to Cassie complain down the hallway until her voice drowned out. “Hey, Cass…I’m going to chill on your couch for a while. I have to go back to work in a half hour, and your place is closer than mine.”

“Yea, sure…make yourself at home. Fix something to eat. I went shopping yesterday, there’s plenty of food.” She yelled coming back towards the living room.

Trudie took in Cassie’s appearance as she gathered her tote and water bottles to take to the studio with her. “You look like a redneck farmers daughter, Cass… why DO you wear those God awful things??”

Cassie looked down at her overalls. They were ancient and tattered. But she loved them. They were the only thing she would work in. In a sense, she felt the brought her luck like a strange talisman of sorts.

“Those fucking things are more effective at keeping men away than a chastity belt.” Trudie said in disgust sticking her tongue out at Cassie.

Cassie shook her head. “Alright….I’m leaving now.” As she pulled the door closed behind her, she turned back quickly and made an obscene gesture at Trudie and firmly slammed the door.

“She loves me.” Trudie said to Astair who was glaring at her from the top of the television. “Must have food” She sang as she headed to the kitchen and began opening cabinets.

Confusion made her eyes widen, and her expression was that of having eaten something foul. “Cassie…are you loosing your bloody head?” The cabinet was full to near overflowing with nothing but cans of tuna and even a pack of sardines.

“What WERE you thinking about in the market?? You don’t even eat god damned tuna.”

She slammed the cabinet shut in irritation and turned to the refrigerator. “Cottage cheese, cheese, more cheese and more bleeding cottage cheese. It’s a prescription for constipation! She didn’t buy anything substantial to eat. It’s like the ninny walked along in a fog throwing things in the basket.”

A knock at the door brought her away from her rantings. “Silly bimbo better have sent me a pizza after getting my hopes up for eating.”

She pulled to door open so hard Orlando’s hair blew in the wind gust it created. Trudie being a tall girl, they stood nose to nose neither of them speaking. Several moments passed with the strange redhead sizing him up irritating him beyond measure.

“I’m looking for Cassie.”

“Sorry. Just missed her.” She said beginning to close the door.

Orlando stuck a hand out blocking the door. “Well, do you think you can tell me where I can find her?”

Trudie tapped her foot nervously, debating on whether she should tell him where the studio is. Finally she heaved a deep sigh of frustration “If you hurt her, I’ll cut your nuts off with a dull plastic knife. Cassie is one of the most genuine people I know and she’s been through a lot.”

“I’m not looking to hurt her, I just want to see her.” Orlando’s expression stayed blank, he didn’t know who Cassie’s bulldog was, but he didn’t like her much at the moment.

They continued to glare at one another unflinchingly for what felt to Orlando to be an eternity. “Alright, alright…she’s in her studio.”

“Studio?” He looked perplexed.

“Her damn glass studio fairy boy.”

“Elf. I played and elf, not a fairy and the god damned glass studio is news to me. Where might this studio be?”

“Down on the Venice Beach boardwalk on the end closer to Santa Monica.”

“Thank you.”

‘Jesus…wicked bitch of the west’ He turned and headed back to his car.

When his back was turned Trudie made like she was licking his bottom as it walked away.

“Hottest piece of ass on the planet.” And slammed the door.

I'm gonna get you, I'm gonna get you
I'll make you love me, wait and see
Both day and night and night and day
You're gonna see a lot of me

I'm gonna haunt you, I'm gonna haunt you
Oh what a pest I'm gonna be
Both day and night and night and day
You're gonna see a lot of me

You’re going to see a lot of me ~ Billie Holiday



Chapter 8

Cassie stood before the giant glowing oven with her gathering rod in hand. “Are you ready to gather Cass?”

Stephan her assistant stood before the oven door with a mitt on prepared to open the grate. “Yes…I’m ready”

Stephan slid the heavy door open allowing a blast of hot air to strike Cassie’s face. It was crucial that she and Stephan work as a unit to avoid any possibility of burns.

Synchronized as if they moved as one, as Stephan pulled the grate open, Cassie lowered her rod into the molten hot glass turning it counterclockwise using the tips of her fingers. She held the rod above her head while keeping the turning consistent allowing gravity to pull the glass into a glowing red cone shape.

Rolling the glass across the metal table to even it out, Cassie’s brain shifted to that hazy and filling place she disappears into when creating with glass. The outside world was non-existent in this realm and her will took a mind of its own. In her mind’s eye, she was already shaping the new image: red passion and organic flowing sensuality merging almost violently with a cool mauve climax.


In a swift motion she flipped the rod around above her head and blew into the blowhole at the tip. A small bubble appeared inside the cone

“Steph, oven.” She issued. They shared their own language when working; it was the most crucial element in creating her art, her assistant had to think and work as one with her. She needed only to bark out certain key words, and he knew exactly what she wanted.

He slid the oven door open once more and Cassie slipped the rod back in for a second gather. Never ceasing with the continual turning of the rod, she slipped the long metal pole into a cooling fountain to cool the handle where she gripped, then took it for a quick heat in the glory hole to keep the temperature up. She shifted around and sat on her workbench and picked up the jax tweezers and began shaping the image she’s had in her mind.

She pulled out several long strands and intertwined them making them reach one another in the bubble in the center. “Take a flash, Steph”

Stephan pulled the rod from her bench and stuck it in for a quick re-heat and returned it to her. She added the red in her mind and returned it for another quick heat.

Orlando stood quietly and un-noticed in the doorway lost in his own surprise as he watched her work. She was wearing those hideous overalls he’d seen her wearing when he’d first met her, and her hair was pulled back in tight ponytail.

The hair that had escaped at her nape was curling, damp with sweat. Her face was mostly obscured by large plastic safety glasses. She looked horrible and beautiful all at one time.

But it was her movements that had him entranced. She looked like her hands were governed by another unseen force. He watched her barking orders that seemed to go unfazed by her assistant that did her bidding as quick as possible.

“Bring me the punty, Steph” She said never taking her eyes of the rotating form. Stephan dipped a small amount of glass on the end of a much smaller rod and rolled it across the shaping table a couple times until he was satisfied.

He took the hot punty with the small bit of glass and stood across from Cassie with his tip an inch or so away from her sculpture. She took a large pair of pliers and attached the hot punty to the other end of the sculpture. Using the tips of her pliers, she dripped water on the neck of the original rod, then flipped the pliers around and used the flat end to tap non-too delicately on the rod.

The sculpture broke off the original rod and was now attached to the punty. She re-heated the form and began pulling more glass and adding colors where she desired. Time was of no essence in her current world she felt the hazy warmth of passion envelope her and she pored all of the feelings developing into her sculpture. Nothing existed outside these feelings pulsating through her right now. Her body warmed in reaction to the intense rush of feelings that touched her though imagination.

Orlando didn’t know how long he’d been standing there watching her, but he began to grow extremely warm from the heat of the ovens and a fine glean of sweat was beading on his forehead.

Yet, he couldn’t move, he felt rooted to the spot. He’d never seen the art of glassblowing demonstrated firsthand and the entire procedure had him completely enraptured.

He watched Cassie flip the sculpture still attached to the rod and blow air into it making it take more shape. His eyes lingered on the arch of her neck, and the way her body moved fluidly with the sculpture. She was very much a part of what she was creating.

It was incredibly sensual to watch and his fingers itched to touch her, to derive some of the passion that she was pouring into the glass. Something about the shape of the glass made him think of sex and passion.

He shook his head and realized that his mind was venturing into very dangerous territories. He almost felt like he was intruding on a very private moment, though he knew that was not true, but the way she worked made it obvious that a little piece of herself went into everything that she created making her almost naked emotionally, and he felt like a voyeur observing without her knowledge.

Scanning around the area by the door, he noticed a newspaper and a black marker on a ratty desk in the corner. He picked up the paper, noticing that it was from the day before and wrote a quick message for her in bold letters. He couldn’t bring himself to interrupt her while she was working. With one last look at her, he left the building.





Cassie used the small torch to polish off some rough spots where the glass came apart from the punty and delicately placed her sculpture in the annealing oven where it would come to room temperatures over a 24 hour period.

She stared at it before closing the door. It felt like a part of her, and she was hesitant to close the oven doors where the separation would leave her feeling cold. What could she call this? An appropriate title was going to be hard to come by to do the piece justice.

Simply calling it Orlando would be embarrassing, and she shuddered at the thought of him or anyone else knowing that he was the root of the passion that had given birth to the form.

Her eyes scanned it once more, taking in the heavy deep red that was the root, with intertwining shapes flowing in and out progressing to a scalloped edge. Different shades of red wove throughout, it was clearly passion taking shape and bursting forth in waves that tapered out to shimmering and delicate waves.

‘Like an orgasm’ she thought to herself.

“What will you call it Cass?” Stephan asked bringing her out of her thoughts. She shut the doors softly, feeling that emptiness that often came with removing herself from one of her sculptures. “Core.” She said simply acknowledging that no further explanation would be necessary.

Stephan came up and wrapped his arms around her, “I think that may be your finest work yet, my dear. It’s beautiful. Will you sell it?”

Cassie snuggled into his friendly hug “I don’t know, yet. It will be hard to part with. This piece comes from a very personal part of me, I don’t know if I can bear to share that with anyone. I think I may have to sleep here tonight because I need it to be close to me!”

“Don’t resort to being that crazy girl, Cassie. It’ll be here when you come back tomorrow! Speaking of, it’s getting late, I have plans with Brendon. Might I be on my way, or do you need anything else?”

“No, I think I’ll sit here alone for a while. Kiss Bren for me.”

Stephan shuffled around the workshop getting his belongings together, and shutting down the various ovens for the night. “Hey sweets…there’s a rather strange note here for you written on the newspaper. Someone must have come in while we were absorbed in your core.”

Cassie laughed at Stephan and threw a cloth at him “I have tried for years to get you in my core, but you seem to prefer Brenden’s!”

He blew her a kiss and left with a typical Stephan laugh trailing behind him.

Cassie picked up the paper and felt her heart flutter. The same feelings of warmth returned to snake its way up through her body.

Orlando had been here.

Her hand flew up to her collar bone in a gesture of vulnerability. He had been here…watching her work.

Trudie’s voice drifted through her mind ‘Those fucking things are more effective at keeping men away than a chastity belt’

He must have been disgusted with her, she was a sweaty mess in the ugliest overalls known to mankind.

‘Oh GOD!’ she thought panicking, this says he’s going to get some food and sit on the beach for a while…he could still be out there!! She was a mess; he couldn’t see her like this!

But, then again, he may not wait long.

“SHIT!” she yelled out loud to no one in particular. ‘Ah, well…this IS me after all; he may as well see me for who I am. If he’s even still there.’ She had no idea what time he’d written this, and it was near 5:00 pm.

She took a deep breath and walked out the door. The boardwalk was closing up and most of the crowds had gone for the evening.

Winter brought dark early in California. The sky glowed in shades of pink and orange as the sun made its final decent behind the pacific.

She scanned around with her heart racing feeling a little let down when she didn’t see him. Then her eyes crossed a lone figure sitting at one of the graffiti covered picnic tables. He was wearing a hat and a baggy sweatshirt over jeans. His body bent over the table as he concentrated on something he had been writing on.

She knew immediately it was him. The pose was almost identical to the one she’d loved so much from the Internet.

He hadn’t sensed her presence yet and she watched him quietly. It was getting dark and his figure seemed like a dark shadow against the fiery sunset. Her mouth curved in an amused smile as she realized he was wearing a sweatshirt that had Venice Beach Lifeguard printed across it, and a tacky mesh hat with a drawing of a woman’s bikini top with Venice written across the chest.

He’d obviously gotten the hat to disguise himself from one of the local vendors, and eventually the sweatshirt as the temperatures dropped with the evening. He was writing again, like he had been in the photo. She wasn’t sure why, but it made her feel happy, like that man in the photo did exist.

“Orlando?” She spoke softly so as to not startle him. He looked up to her face and smiled.

“Hello Love. I’m glad you came out.”

“I can tell you I didn’t want to, looking like this!” She emphasized her sentence by doing a ‘look at me’ gesture with her hands.

“Ah, don’t be silly. You look beautiful. I think I may find those hideous things strangely alluring.” He said with a slight laugh.

“Ok, now I know you are lying!! But I have to say, I strangely find that disgusting hat attractive!”

They smiled at one another for a few minutes before Orlando started to gather his papers up. “What are you writing?” He stood quietly for a moment and she began to retract feeling like she had no business asking him

“Never mind, I am being nosey.”

He reached out and brushed a stray hair off her face “Not at all…I’m just a little hesitant to tell you, because I don’t want you to laugh at me.”

“I’d never laugh at you.”

“Ok, I’m writing prose. Poetry…”

She stared at him clearly surprised “I didn’t know you wrote poetry.”

“Not many people do. It’s very personal.”

She nodded her head, “ I understand. I feel that way sometimes. I don’t share every piece I make. Some are too personal.” She felt her face flush at the thought of the piece cooling in the oven in her shop.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, to be quite honest. I’m really surprised to see you here today.”

“I told you when I helped you into your car that you would.”

She tilted her head and looked at him quizzically. “You didn’t say anything to me.”

Lifting his hand to brush the underside of her jaw he leaned in so close to her cheek she could feel his warm breath as he spoke “I said a lot.”

He kissed her cheek lightly repeating the kiss from a couple nights ago. His hand slipped around behind her neck applying slight pressure there as he spoke into her lips not quite touching them

“Do you remember now?”

‘God, please kiss me…I need you to kiss me’ Cassie felt a distinct warmth spreading through her loins. But he didn’t kiss her lips; instead he pulled her head back using the hair at the back of her neck, which he’d pried out of the ponytail holder.

“I’m going to kiss you, Cassie. But not right now. Only when I know you’re ready for me to.”

Her voice came out husky and unrecognizable to herself. “I’m ready now.” He chuckled a deep guttural sound from the back of his throat.

“I don’t think so. You’ll know when it’s time.”

He released her and took a step back leaving her feeling cold. Her heart did a flip flop when she realized the separation from him felt very much like the separation she’d felt when leaving the sculpture.

His voice had returned to normal when he asked her if she wanted to have dinner with him.

“I’m a mess, Orlando. I need to go home and shower.”

“That’s just fine. I’ll go with you. You can get cleaned up and I’ll order some dinner in. How does that sound?”

A night alone in her apartment with him…sounded like a dream to her. “Ok….”

He laughed at her quivering voice and gave her a quick pat on the bottom. “Go shut up your studio and get your stuff and we’ll go”

Cassie walked off in a daze. If not kissing him felt that good… she couldn’t begin to imagine the fire her body would ignite when he finally did kiss her.

Chapter 9


If my heart could only talk
Dreams would all come true
'Neath the starlight I would walk
Hand in hand with you
I would have to seek your lips
Thrill you to your fingertips
If my heart could only talk

If my heart could only talk ~ Billie Holiday




Cassie stood under the spray of the shower trying to sort the millions of thoughts running rampant through her head. It had only been a week since Orlando Bloom had literally come crashing into her life, yet it felt like ages. She was truly afraid to leave the shower and face what the evening may bring.

The rational side of her that only showed itself when Orlando wasn’t face to face with her argued that she may be getting into something she couldn’t handle.

Yet, he was out there right now, on the other side of that door fidgeting around in her kitchen in preparation for dinner.

‘We are very different kinds of people’ she argued to herself. ‘So? Live a little…go into things expecting nothing. Then you can’t get hurt. Sleep with the guy that most women in the world would jump at a chance to have’

She sighed and turned off the taps. She knew she was procrastinating, but she dried herself very thoroughly, maybe a little more than necessary, brushed her teeth, put lotion on, straightened the bottles on the vanity, lined the towels on the rack up perfectly.

“Grrrrr!!!” She stamped her foot in frustration. “What is wrong with you?”

She fussed at her image in the mirror. “Just get out there!” She moved and put the seat of the toilet down so she could sit down. She was incredibly nervous; millions of little butterflies were swarming around in her belly. ‘I’ll just sit here for a minute and get myself together’ she was breathing very fast so she sucked in a few deep breaths and tried to calm herself.


After several minutes had passed, Cassie emerged from the bathroom wearing a black velvet track suite with her long hair woven into a messy bun. Orlando watched her walk towards him watching him with that shy smile.

Every time he saw her he could swear she got more beautiful. How could he have ever thought she was ordinary? Even as she was right now, no makeup, hair messy from the shower, she took his breath away.

“I ordered us some Chinese it should be here any moment.” He said handing her a glass of Red wine. “I hope you don’t mind, I took the liberty of opening a bottle of wine.”

“Of course I don’t mind, thank you.” She accepted the glass and took a long drink watching him over the lip of the glass. He had removed his sweatshirt and was wearing a plain black t-shirt which he’d un-tucked.

She smiled as he walked towards her sofa; he had removed his socks and shoes as well. He looked absolutely delicious!

He sat in front of the small fire he’d built and patted the spot next to him inviting her to sit.

She added a little more wine to the rapidly depleting glass and took her spot next to him. He was staring into the flames quietly the glow of the fire made his skin seem almost golden and his eyes amber.

Her gaze slid down to his neck and the necklace he wore, it was the same one he’d had on at dinner.

“Tell me what that charm represents, Orlando.”

He picked the silver charm up from its resting place against his throat and rubbed his fingers lightly over the raised pattern almost lovingly. “It’s actually Buddhist, it’s called the Auspicious Knot. It symbolizes the nature of reality where everything is interrelated and only exists as part of a web of karma and it’s effect…it has no beginning or end. See how these triangular shapes never actually separate? It’s an allusion that they are individual. And the patterns behind them are lotus leaves.

“Are you Buddhist?” She asked surprised.

“Not exactly. I have a profound respect for the religion and the principals behind it.”

She could tell he wanted to say more, and that he was debating on letting his guard down so she sat expectantly hoping he would continue.

“I’m about to blow my entire image out of the water here, Cass.” He said with a laugh.

“I’m not interested in your image, Orlando, I’m interested in who you are as a person. Not an actor or public figure.”

He was grating his back teeth again, that dimple appearing and disappearing as he did.

She reached out and took his hand and put it to her lips kissing his hand as he’d done to her twice now. He looked at her surprised and sucked in a shaky breath when she turned his wrist over and kissed the delicate skin there. Goose pimples broke out across his body and he shuttered.

She lowered his arm, but kept his hand in hers, tracing small circles unconsciously in his palm. He cleared his throat and began a story he’d told very few people.

“Several years ago, I realized I was spinning out of control and loosing sight of who I am. I was in love with this beautiful woman, an actress named Kate. I truly loved her, and I really thought she loved me. She was the only thing in my life that made me feel grounded. Maybe I depended too much on another person to provide me something I should have learned to have on my own, I don’t know, but we had an argument one night and she viciously told me I was nothing to her, nothing but a tool to further her career. And it occurred to me that as an actress, she was virtually unknown before she began dating me. Once it got out that we were dating her face was all over every magazine in the world.”

Cassie looked at him somewhat shocked herself. It was another bad assumption on her part that a beautiful and famous actor couldn’t have their heart broken.

He continued with his story never once looking away from the fire “I went crazy. I was in such pain and had no way to release it without the world knowing everything. I wrecked a hotel suite in Paris in a drunken rage one night and needed 10 stitches in my hand after punching through a glass door in the bedroom. I won’t go into details of my bad behavior, but that was the precise point in which I decided to do or die. You know, get people before they get me.

I was still hurting inside so I began reading about Buddhism and Ultimate truth. I had this necklace made to represent what I read. It represents me as I really am rather than what I show the world.

I know I have no right to wear this anymore, as bad as I treat people, but it is the one thing that reminds me who I am.”

Cassie continued to stare at him without speaking for several long moments. Orlando felt like she must be looking for any reason to get him out of her life without being rude. He wasn’t going to remove his gaze from the fire because he couldn’t stand to see what would be written all over her face.

He jerked in reaction when she brushed his hair away from his face and turned his face to hers. Her eyes scanned his face as if she were looking at him for the first time.

“I’m not waiting until you think I’m ready.”

She leaned in and gently kissed his lips. The pressure from her mouth was feather light, and she brushed her lips back and forth across his several times before gently biting his lower lip.

A slight groan came somewhere deep in his chest but he didn’t move, he allowed her to explore his mouth afraid if he moved, she would stop. The feel of her fingernails scraping through his hair nearly sent him over the edge his restraint was failing quickly.

She kissed his eyelids, his cheeks, his forehead, the tip of his nose, and moved back to his lips. When her soft tongue very lightly licked his partially opened lips he lost control.

Suddenly it was if all of the air was sucked out of the room, his hands went into her hair holding her head tightly as he kissed her as if his life depended on it. Their tongues dueled driven by an unseen force as old and natural as time.

He left her mouth and almost savagely pulled her head back to kiss her throat. Her moan only heightened his passion and he pulled her roughly to him as he ran his hands over her body. He needed to touch her, to feel her body against his.

He pulled her legs around his waist as they began kissing once again nature had her body undulating in rhythm with their tongues upon his lap.

The sound of the doorbell jerked them coldly back into reality and he looked into her face, taking in her kiss swollen lips and rapid breathing. He’d pulled her hair down where it was spilling over her shoulders and down her back.

He shakily leaned his forehead against her cheek and tried to calm the reaction his body was having, his hands gently running up and down her back in a calming gesture. “Foods here.” He said, his voice muffled into her face.

Cassie burst out laughing and cradled his head in her hands bringing his face up so she could see his eyes. “I’m starving”

YAAAYYY!!!!!!! I'm caught up!! Ok girls....here we go :love:


But first: This chapter is NC17, as I've said before, if you are under the age of 17, Bu-bye! :no:


Chapter 10



Cassie picked up the container of spicy chicken and picked out a piece with her chopsticks. Her eyes met Orlando’s over the container lid and lowed bashfully.

Her appetite had successfully ignited, but food was not what she needed to placate it.

They had moved somewhat awkwardly through the motions of preparing to eat, muttering muffled apologies if they brushed up against one another while getting a plate or silverware.

The air was thick with sexual tension as they sat on the floor in front of the fire eating quietly. Cassie’s eyes were trained to Orlando’s image in the wall mirror behind him, Orlando’s eyes were again glued to the fire.

She quietly noticed how his hair had grown long enough that his curls were actually just shiny waves. It looked inviting and her fingers itched to run though it. Was he growing it long for a role? It somehow suited him.


Realizing enough was enough, Orlando cleared his throat and forced Cassie to snap out of her assessing thoughts instead directing her gaze to meet his.

“You’ve found out quite a lot about me in the last couple days, but you have spoken very little about yourself, Cass. It may sound a little cheesy, but what is your story?”

“Nothing. I have no story. I’m just an ordinary girl with a normal life.”

Orlando stared at her with a raised eyebrow. “Bullshit.”

Cassie’s chopsticks froze halfway to her mouth, her mouth open in surprise. “What do you mean ‘bullshit’?”

“I mean bullshit! You can’t sit there and tell me that your life is normal and boring and it always has been. You sculpt glass for a living, and you are obviously not native to Los Angeles, because sometimes I can hear a subtle dialect sneak through with certain words. And frankly, you are a beautiful and interesting woman, so…why are you single?”

Orlando feared he may have gone too far with his bluntness, because she was not saying a word, she was simply staring at the floor.

“Well, OK. I guess what you want to know is what has driven me to being the reclusive and tortured artist, is that what you are saying?” A slight amount of bitterness had crept into her voice and her eyes were locked into his with a simmering anger.

“I never said you were either of those things, Cassie.”

“But you implied it, Orlando”

She emphasized his name with sarcasm and he noted to himself that she had become way too defensive to not be hiding something. He had unknowingly hit a nerve.

“I simply wanted to know what led you to be in the place you’re in, I’m not assuming or implying anything about you. I’ve been open with you all along, you didn’t see me becoming snide when you asked about my necklace although I could have because it happens to be a sensitive and private story.”

She began rubbing her temple slowly “I’m sorry. I had no reason to go off on you like that. It’s a natural instinct I think. I’ve become very adept at shutting down when people try to pry to closely into my personal life.”

He reached out and took her hand “I understand, you are talking to the king of subject diversion, here.”

She smiled at his comment “ Yes, I guess you are. Before talking to you a little, I thought you were arrogant, vicious and hurtful. Basically, an ass hole.”

He feigned a hurt look “How could you think that of me…look how sweet I look?” He began batting his eyelashes and pouting prettily.

“Of course, Orlando. How could I have ever assumed you were anything less than an angel when every report I’ve seen or read of you was of you womanizing and picking arguments with press members. I saw an interview of you once where you were so uncooperative and disagreeable that I began to feel uncomfortable watching it. I can’t imagine how the journalist must have felt.”

It jarred her to realize that this was the same man sitting before her. Orlando has the kind of fame that transcends boundaries. He graces covers of all the major magazines, he’s sought out for major roles in major films. His name practically assured record breaking success.

She herself had seen many of his films, or bought several of the DVD’s once they were released. More than once she had eagerly watched extra disk footage for a glimpse of him out of character.

He’d practically destroyed every romantic notion her mind had built that day on the freeway. As an actor, her mind had built a very different man than what was the reality.

A different man was emerging to her eyes, and this Orlando almost seemed to be a different person all together. Not at all the actor she had seen numerous times in movies and interviews.

“I choose to allow very few people to see me as you do right now, Cassie.”

“Yes, I’m beginning to see that.” She said fidgeting with the drawstring on her pants.

She took a deep breath and met his gaze again. “Alight, I’ll afford you the same luxury. I’m definitely a different person that I was even just a few years ago.

Three years ago, I was full of hope and excitement about the direction my life was heading. It was like a fairy tale almost. I grew up in North Carolina in a beach town called Wilmington. I basically had the All-American life. A good family, great friends living in a modest home walking distance from the beach. I never acted up, I made perfect grades in high school, I was even voted Miss Wilmington my senior year in high school.

Do you see where I’m going here? I had no concept of what it was like to be hurt or be treated badly.

My parents had the ideal marriage and my sister and I were raised in a very happy home.” A small amount of pain clouded her expression, and she pushed it away as quickly as possible.

“I went to college, discovered glass and moved out here to get more education and training in glass blowing. I even did a semester in Venice Italy as an apprentice to a noted glass master.

I had maybe two semesters left before graduation when we had a guest speaker in one of my studio classes. He was an agent for many Los Angeles based artists and he was there to basically educate us on what to expect after graduation.

“Brendon Matisse…. Her voice trailed off as she mentioned his name and she was quiet for several moments as her mind reflected on the initial meeting with Brendon.

“He was magnificent. So confident, and self-assured. It was sexy. Every girl in that class was madly in love by the end of his lecture. I’ll never know what drew him specifically to me, but he sought me out after the class.

We ended up having dinner that night, and the rest as they say, was history. He began representing me, my career flourished and we were engaged less than a year later. I was so in love with him.

It was just one more chapter in my fairy tale.” Orlando didn’t have a doubt in his mind what drew him to her, she was like a light drawing in moths and she didn’t even realize it.

“To make a long story short, Brendon and I made preparations for our wedding, I’d flown him home to meet my family, and he’d taken me to Seattle to meet his.

I was well on my way to imagining how our lives were going to be, our children would certainly have his black hair and blue eyes, and we’d live happily ever after in a house with a white picket fence.”

Orlando had moved closer to her side, sensing she was about to tell him something that was a great source of pain to her, and he wanted to be close to her. The warmth from his body comforted her and she continued her story.

“We were down to only a few days until the wedding, both of our families were here in town and I was adding the final touches to my gown, and arranging and re-arranging table layouts. I was consumed to the point that I was oblivious to what was going on around me. I walked into our house earlier than expected, drained and mentally exhausted. All I could think about was a hot shower and a warm bed.

I heard the shower running and took off my clothes to join Brendon, and when I opened the shower door, he wasn’t alone. He was very passionately fucking my baby sister in our shower.”

Orlando’s stomach clenched in surprise and sorrow for what she must have felt. He leaned in and kissed her forehead, but she was still in that memory and kept talking very quietly with no emotion in her voice.

“What was worse was that they hadn’t figured out I was there yet. I was literally struck dumb. I couldn’t find my voice to cry out and I couldn’t move. So for an agonizing long period of time, I watched my sister and my fiancée having sex. And not just sex, but lewd and obscene sex. He was saying nasty things to her and she loved it."

"He was doing things to her he’d never done to me. I finally found my voice and started screaming… I must have sounded like a wounded animal."

" My sister was horrified, shocked and was desperately trying to stop him, but I guess he figured, he was caught already there was no sense pretending he cared to stop. He continued to fuck Cathy who was simply crying at that point, all the while he was looking into my eyes almost hatefully."

" And I stood there, naked and crying until he finished. He’d humiliated me and destroyed me without a second thought To this day I still don’t know why he was looking at me like that. I suppose he was angry I’d interrupted them."

Orlando was gaping at her in undisguised shock unable to even resume softly stroking her arm in comfort. He was simply frozen in horror at the thought of what she must have gone through.

Her eyes were lowered in shame

“It gets worse. I was still curled in a ball naked on the bathroom floor crying, because I simply didn’t have any idea what else to do, Cathy had run out as soon as she could get away. I don’t know how long I laid there on the floor, but sometime later he came back into the bathroom, wearing his robe and looking like nothing at all in the world was wrong."

"He yelled at me to get up and stop acting like a spoilt child. I was at that point no longer myself, and I struck out at him, clawing and screaming like a w