New York City

August 22, 2002

"Where the hell is Lainey?" Frank yelled at the top of his lungs.

"She’s still downstairs in props!" a voice called up to answer.

"Dammit! I need those wings! How fucking long does it take to find wings?" Frank yelled, stomping around in frustration. Miranda sat on the stool, her chin resting in her hand, looking bored.

"Are we going to be done soon Frank?" she asked.

"As soon as Lainey gets back here with the damn wings!" he shouted.

Miranda rolled her eyes and grabbed a man who was running by.

"Get me bottle of spring water." She said. The man nodded and ran off to get one for her.

Lainey ran up the stairs as fast as she could carrying the giant white feather wings from props. She finally reached the 3rd floor and stopped to take a breath. Just then, someone turned on the giant fan. The wings responded by flying out of her hands and across the room.

"Jesus H. Christ Lainey!" Frank roared. "Can’t you do anything right? Mark! Get over here and put those wings on Miranda! Zip zip, Time is money!"

Mark gave Miranda her water and ran over to get the wings. Lainey was picking white feathers off the ground when Mark stepped on her hand.

"Ouch!" she cried, jumping up and glaring at Mark.

"Sorry!" he shouted backwards at her. Lainey stood and held her injured hand. Mark affixed the wings to Miranda’s back and jumped out of the way. Immediately Frank began snapping photos, and Miranda went into supermodel mode. Lainey gritted her teeth and went back to the table where her coffee was. She hated this job. If she could get paid as much shoveling trash she’d do it. As it was, New York was an expensive place to live and Lainey was a slave to the grind. She could hear the sound of the clicking camera as it captured Miranda’s grace and sleek body. If it could only show the amount of cocaine it had taken Miranda to achieve that look, she was sure that America would recoil in horror. Or maybe not. America was a fucked up place.

"Okay!" Frank yelled out. "That’s a rap!" At this, the confusion began again as Miranda stood impatiently tapping her foot while Mark removed the wings. "Can I take off this stupid bra yet?" Miranda shouted. "It’s poking me!"

"In a minute sweetie!" called her agent from the corner.

Lainey wanted to gag.

"Lainey!" Frank hollered. "Take these back down to props!" he said, pointing at the wings.

"No way! It took me fifteen minutes to argue with Donny, 10 minutes to find them, 5 minutes to get them up here, for 5 minutes of film?" she walked over, enraged. Everyone gasped, all conversation stopped. Frank stared at her in surprise. Then his expression changed to steely anger.

"Do it now, McKinnon, or you’re fired."

A war took place within her. How satisfying it would be to tell him to fuck off. It would not, however, be satisfying to live in a box on the street. She grabbed the wings and swore loudly.

"PMS much, Lainey?" Miranda cooed at her.

"Shut up you anorexic bitch." Lainey hissed.

"You’re just jealous that you’ll never be the one in front of the camera, McKinnon." Miranda snapped.

"How about I shove these wings up your ass and you can fly to hell?" Lainey said.

Miranda air kissed her and flipped her the bird. Lainey walked away feeling like she wanted to punch someone.

Back in the prop room, Lainey walked past an equally pissed of Donny, the prop master. She ignored him and started back down the long isles of the prop room, trying to forget Miranda’s barb. She threw the wings on the shelf and leaned against the wall. Did she have to work in a job where there were beautiful people everywhere? Was it absolutely necessary for them to remind her that she was not one of them? Lainey sighed and walked back down the hallway and into the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face and looked at her reflection in the mirror. A short woman with red hair, green eyes and glasses looked back at her. She took her hair out of it’s bun and shook it out. Long tangled red curls bounced down her back. It gave her a headache to have it up so tight, but she had a thing about having it down. She sighed. She was 23 years old and she felt like 30. No, she would never be the one in front of the camera.

Three days later, she was sitting at her desk. She could hear Jimmy talking to Frank about the next shoot they would be doing. Jimmy was Frank’s boss, and it was one of the only times she had the pleasure of watching Frank be forced to be polite. She wondered who they would be photographing this time. She really hoped it wasn’t another spoiled supermodel. Frank came up to her desk and threw a bunch of paperwork on it.

"Get the mock up for this, then come to see me." he said, and walked away. Lainey spent the afternoon finishing the mock up. Frank wanted the fan again…it was his favorite thing…two fake brown trees, and a simple ring on a chain. Lainey couldn’t imagine who they were photographing this time, with such simple props. She got up and went downstairs to find Frank. At the foot of the stairs, she bumped into someone walking into the room. The mock up papers she was holding went everywhere.

"Shit!" Lainey said, bending down to pick them up.

"Hey, I’m sorry about that!" someone said.

"Watch where you’re going!" she said, trying to re-arrange the papers. She stood up and was about to continue berating the clumsy man when she saw him. He was looking at her with concern, and she found her mouth had gone totally dry. His blue eyes were like nothing she’d ever seen. He smiled at her. He had the tiniest gap between his teeth, and he was chewing his gum ferociously. He was wearing a blue sweater and jeans that looked like they’d seen better days.

"You okay then?" he said. Lainey recovered and became herself again.

"Yeah, yeah. I’m fine." She said, pushing past him. She gave Frank the mock up and walked back to her table. She took a big gulp of her coffee. Absently, she looked for the guy she had bumped into. He was walking up to Frank. He was probably another intern from upstairs. Lainey shook her head, thinking it might not be a bad idea to tell him that he wouldn’t last very long around here if he was clumsy. But something within her warned her that she shouldn’t. Perhaps it was better anyway…having Frank yell at anyone else other than her would be a nice change.

Lainey turned around and went down the stairs to the prop room to find the ring and chain.

A few minutes later, she found herself arguing with Donny again.

"No, no, Donny, it’s a gold ring, not silver." She said impatiently.

"Sorry, all I have is silver." Donny said, shrugging.

"You got me the chain, now get me the gold ring!" she said. "Look, the last time you couldn’t find a prop for me, I got my ass reamed by Frank. Are you sure you don’t have a gold one?"

"Nope." He said, beginning to walk away. She could tell he was really concerned. She looked down and saw his wedding ring. It was a gold band. Donny must have read her mind, because he snatched his hand away.

"Uh-uh. No way, McKinnon." He said. "Sherry will ream me if I lose this!"

“Give me the ring, Donny." She said.

"No way."

"Give me the ring or I tell Jimmy about your porn collection on the computer." Donny hesitated, looking a little panicked.

"Lainey!" she heard Frank shout from above.

"Give it to me Donny!" Lainey warned. Donny reluctantly slipped the ring off his finger and handed it to her.

"If you lose this I’m sending Sherry after you!"

"Thanks!" she said, running down the isle and up the stairs two at a time.

“Lainey!" she heard Frank yell again. "Get up here!"

Lainey got to the third floor, running across the room, trying to get the ring on the chain. The clasp was being stubborn. When it finally opened, she slipped the ring on it and closed the clasp. She came to a skidding halt in front of Frank.

"Finally! Put it on and let’s go! Zip zip!" he said, walking back to his camera. Lainey stopped, looking at the man standing there. He was wearing a black mesh shirt, black pants and nothing else. Lainey found that her feet had become glued to the floor. She blinked at him, and mentally smacked herself in the head. It was the same guy she had tripped over. She willed her legs to move. She walked behind him and clasped the chain around his neck.

“Thanks Lainey." He said, grinning at her.

"No problem cover boy." She said, walking away. Out of old habit, her fingers twisted around the hem of her shirt as she tried to get herself together. She walked back to the table and watched Frank click away.

Whoever that was, he certainly knew women wanted. Some of the girls in purchasing and human resources had come downstairs to watch the shoot. They were all fanning themselves and giggling. He must be famous or something.

Lainey walked over to George and swiped his "hidden" flask bottle from behind the phone books. She poured herself a large dose into her coffee and drank it all in one gulp. It burned down her throat but calmed her immediately. When the shoot was over, the girls swarmed over to him. He spent the next fifteen minutes signing autographs and talking to them. Lainey watched in disgust. When one of the women reached out to touch Donny’s ring, she decided she had had enough.

"Okay you pack of giggly birds, go away. I have work to do and so do you." she said, shooing them away. They all persuaded her to leave them alone by sighing dramatically, but she wouldn’t budge. The women left the studio, looking disappointed and annoyed with her. She turned to see that he was looking at her, his brows knit in question.

"Having a bad day?"

"I’m having a bad millennium, cover boy." She snapped. She removed the ring and chain from his neck. She started to walk away and he grabbed her shirt.

“You know, I was just being nice. You should try it sometime. And my name is Elijah, not cover boy." He said, sounding annoyed.

Now Lainey was mad. He was just like the rest of them. She leaned in close to him and looked him square in the eye.

“Cover boy." She whispered sweetly. She turned and walked away.

Elijah watched her walk away, wondering what was up her ass. He wasn’t used to women treating him like that. The moment the thought entered his mind, he laughed and shook his head. Jesus, maybe she was right. She had called him cover boy, and that’s exactly what he was. The pictures that had been shot today were for the cover of the magazine she worked for. He watched her take the ring off the chain and hold it in her hand. She walked down the stairs without a backward glance.

A little while later, she had a few free minutes while the photos were being developed. Lainey gave into curiosity and walked up to HR on the pretense of asking a question about her benefits. A woman named Jessica was sitting behind the desk, typing away. Lainey cleared her throat. Jessica looked up.

"Hello Lainey." She said, going back to her typing.

"Hey Jessica. Sorry I had to break up the party downstairs… " she said.

"It’s okay. If you hadn’t stopped us we’d still be down there, and I still have a ton of work to do!" she said, smiling. Lainey liked her better already.

"Say, can I get a 401K form?"

Jessica nodded and opened a folder. Lainey took a form and pretended to study it.

"So who was that anyway?"

"Who was what?" Jessica said, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

"Who was that guy you were all fawning over?"

Jessica stopped typing and looked at Lainey like she had just grown a second head.

"You mean you don’t know?" she said, her voice raising slightly in confusion.

"Umm…no." Lainey said, feeling suddenly stupid.

"Jesus, girl, you need to get out more! That was Elijah Wood! From The Lord of the Rings? You know…Frodo?"

Lainey shook her head. She had heard of it but hadn’t seen it. Was that why Frank had wanted a ring? Jessica laughed.

"Lainey, I’m going to give you some advice from one woman to another." She said, looking at Lainey closely. "Go outside once in a while. It’s a great world out there…why not try enjoying it?"

Twenty minutes later, Lainey again found herself studying her reflection in the mirror. Had she really been hiding from the world? Her reflection seemed to nod back at her vigorously. She sighed. She had used her anger as a shield for so long that she didn’t know anything else. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been so bitchy to this Elijah guy. She left the restroom and headed for the studio, determined to apologize for her rudeness.

Elijah and Frank were looking over the photos that had just been developed downstairs. She watched Elijah laugh at one of them.

"I look like a deer in the headlights!" he said, pointing to it.

Lainey walked up behind them and glanced at the picture.

"Jeez, you’re right!" She exclaimed before she could stop herself.

Both men turned around to stare at her.

"Oh look! It’s the wicked bitch of the west!" Elijah said sarcastically.

"Lainey, don’t you have someone else to annoy?" Frank barked at her.

All her thoughts of apologizing vanished as she resisted the urge to slap them both.

"No, I’m on the schedule to annoy you today." She said, more to Elijah than to Frank.

"Gee, how sweet an offer ‘Lainey’" he said, pronouncing her name with a little nod of his head and a roll of his eyes.

"Are you always this much of an ass or do you take days off?" she said sweetly. At this point, Frank had had enough.

"Go away Lainey!" he shouted.

"Watch it Frank…remember your blood pressure…" she said, and walked away.

"There’s nothing like a redhead in a temper, is there?" She heard Frank say to Elijah.

She was too proud to turn around to see his reaction.

~~~~

The next week was crazy at the studio. Lainey hardly had time to think for all the work that she was doing. The deadline for print time at the magazine was approaching in eight days. Jimmy came down to see Frank that Friday afternoon. Lainey was an expert as eavesdropping, so naturally she heard the whole thing.

"Frank, the shots of Wood are great but we need more. Do you have anything else?" Jimmy asked.

"No, I don’t. His schedule was so tight that all he was able to do was those four hours on Monday." Frank answered.

"Can you call his agent and ask if we can do more?"

"It was hell getting her on the phone the first time…" Frank trailed off, sounding slightly frustrated.

"Try again. Don’t make him come here though…take some in the park or something. Ones that don’t require props." Jimmy said.

Lainey laughed to herself, knowing Frank would be disappointed that he couldn’t bring his giant wind fan. Frank hated location shots.

"Sure thing Mr. Bloomfield." Frank said, addressing Jimmy formally.

Lainey quickly began typing again as Frank walked towards her desk.

"Lainey, set up the things we’ll need to do an on location shoot." Frank said flatly.

"Anything else?" she asked, almost feeling sorry for him.

"Yeah, I can’t handle another round of phone tag with Wood’s agent. Get the number and set it up." Frank said.

"Wood…?" Lainey feigned innocence.

“Don’t even pretend you didn’t hear the whole thing Lainey.” Frank said, eyeing her. "And please be on your best behavior this time."

Lainey frowned at having been found out. But the rebel inside her was itching for another battle of wits with this Elijah Wood guy…

"This is Lainey from Front Magazine, can I please speak to Jane?" she asked politely. She had been trying for 3 hours to get ahold of Elijah’s agent.

"Hold on…" a voice said. Two seconds later she was finally talking to her.

"Mrs. Spacer…I know that Elijah was at our studio the other day for a shoot and I know that his schedule is really crazy but please oh please could we ask him to come to Central Park on Sunday for some off the cuff shots?" Lainey gasped out all in one breath, afraid that Jane would hang up on her. There was silence on the other line. Lainey was afraid she’d been hung up on, but she heard Jane Spacer sigh.

"Fine… he’ll be there for two hours, no more."

"Thank you!" Lainey said, amazed that she’d agreed. They arranged a time and place in the park to meet him and Lainey hung up. She resisted the urge to do a victory dance on her desk.

~~~~

Sunday came and Lainey found herself trudging through Central Park carrying loads of camera equipment. No one else had been able to work Sunday except for her. They all had social lives, Lainey thought, gritting her teeth at the thought. It was summer and she felt like she was going to sweat herself into a puddle. She prayed her deodorant held out.

Frank walked ahead of her, scoping out good places for shots. He pointed to a bunch of trees with a large rock next to it.

"Here." he said, pointing. Lainey dropped the equipment on the ground and let out her breath in a whoosh. This was heavy stuff. She took out her bottled spring water and winced as it slid down her throat. It was already warm.

"Okay Lainey, help me set this up." Frank said, leaning down and beginning to unpack the equipment. A few minutes later, the tripod was set up and Frank was removing his camera from the case like it was a newborn baby. He set it on the tripod and clicked the lock into place so that it wouldn’t fall. He looked at his watch.

"Go get me a soda." He said, thrusting a dollar into her hand. Lainey gritted her teeth for the second time that day, wondering where she could obtain some cyanide to put in his soda. She walked out of the wooded area and headed for a vendor. She purchased a Coke for Frank and another cold water for herself. She downed all the water before heading back. As she was walking, she felt her sneaker loosen. She looked down and sure enough, her laces had come undone. She swore loudly and set down Frank’s soda. She was re-tying the lace when she heard a voice behind her.

"Ooooh…what a perfect opportunity for target practice…"

She stood quickly and looked around. Elijah stood there, smirking. Lainey’s mind raced for an appropriate comeback.

"Sort of like your face?" she said, picking up Frank’s soda and aiming it at his head.

"Good afternoon, your bitchiness." Elijah smiled, walking past her.

"Good afternoon, cover boy."

Lainey watched him as Frank asked him to pose against the rock. He leaned casually against it, his eyes on the camera. She handed Frank his soda.

"Where’s mine?" Elijah asked, his blue eyes flashing at her wickedly.

"Ooops, sorry, I didn’t realize the big movie star drank Coca Cola like the peasant folk…." Lainey shot back.

Frank stopped fiddling with the camera and looked at Lainey with a curious expression on his face. He looked at Elijah, who was watching Lainey. Frank shook his head and sighed.

Lainey watched Elijah as Frank asked him for certain poses. As much as it irritated her to admit it, there was something about him that she couldn’t shake off. His body shifted for another picture and Lainey felt a bizarre flutter in her stomach. She closed her eyes and willed her mind back to reality. She refused to be attracted to a movie star. Suddenly, the urge to leave came over her.

Elijah watched Lainey from the corner of his eye. She stood fidgeting behind Frank. Absently he wondered what she looked like without her hair in that tight knot at the back of her head. It looked red enough to be fire.

He wondered what she was like when she was really mad. ‘I’d like to see it.’ He thought.

There was something going on here…Frank thought to himself. He’d never seen Lainey so agitated before. She always treated the models like shit, but he knew what that was about. He had no idea where this animosity towards Elijah Wood came from. He turned around to get a cigarette and saw she was biting the nails on one hand and the other was twisted around the hem of her shirt. He looked back at Elijah to see him watching Lainey, with a look on his face like he was about to win a long fought battle. Frank shook his head again, and put the cap on the lens.

"That’s it!" he called. This should be fun to watch…

Lainey came up behind Frank and took the film rolls from him. Her fight or flight instinct had kicked in and she wanted to get away from here as fast as she could. She quickly packed the tripod while Frank and Elijah shook hands.

"Nice to work with you again Frank." He said. "I look forward to seeing them when they’re developed."

"Thanks Elijah. We’ll send over copies to your hotel room when they’re done." Frank said. He turned to see that Lainey had almost finished packing. He’d never seen her move so quickly before.

"Okay, let’s go!" Lainey said shrilly, picking up two of the heavy cases and walking away. She rolled her eyes when she heard footsteps come running up behind her. She knew Frank couldn’t run like that.

"Lainey, can I ask you something?" Elijah said.

"No, I haven’t seen Lord of the Things." Lainey said, still walking.

Elijah stopped walking, and Lainey heard him burst into laughter. She kept walking towards the car.

"It’s Lord of the Rings." He caught up to her and said, still laughing.

"Whatever." Lainey said, pulling a case up to re-adjust the weight.

"That’s not what I was going to ask you." he said, coming forward and taking a case from her and swinging the strap onto his shoulder.

"I don’t need help." She stopped and said, reaching for it. He stepped backwards, shaking his head.

"Look, this isn’t twenty questions, or truth or dare here." she said, walking away again. The car seemed like a hundred miles away.

"Yes it is." He said cheerfully.

"FINE!" she shouted, stopping to face him. Patrons of the park stopped what they were doing to stare at her. "What do you want??" she cried.

"I just wanted to know…do you have fangs?" he said, looking at her with mock seriousness. Lainey stared at him for a moment.

He was directly out of his mind!

The innocent look remained on his angelic face.

"AUGH!!!!" she screamed, throwing the camera case on the ground. Elijah jumped back and began laughing hysterically. Lainey watched him jumping around like a little boy on Christmas morning, giggling madly.

She thought that her head would erupt like Mount Saint Helens and spew lava all over the place. But at that moment God granted her the most beautiful comeback line. Her face calmed immediately and her eyes turned to ice.

The laughter stopped.

"Only when I’m hungry for spoiled movie stars with attitude problems and big noses."

His jaw dropped open. The look on his face was priceless.

"I…I do not have a big nose! And I am not spoiled!" he said, his fingers flying to his face to make sure his nose hadn’t become three sizes too large. At this, Lainey had her revenge.

"Biiig nose cover booooy…" she sang, picking up the case and walking away. Her pace increased. She loved having the last laugh, the last word. It was crucial.

"Excuse me, your bitchiness?" she heard him call to her.

Dammit, he had recovered from her insult too quickly. She shut her eyes tight.

The two halves of her brain began to war with her again.

‘If you turn around now, the last word is gone…’ One half argued.

‘If you don’t turn away now, you’ll always wonder…’ The other half called out to her beguilingly.

She gave in. "What?" she said her voice full of annoyance. His eyes were sparking with mischief.

“You should watch out…I may decide to give you a compliment someday.”

He said, winking at her and walking away.

Lainey watched him until he got into his car and left drove away. Her mind seethed in anger. A compliment? What the hell did he mean by that?

“Lainey, will you stop staring at the space where his car was and get your ass in gear?” Frank said, coming up behind her.

“Shut up Frank. Just shut up.” She said, heading for the car.

Frank chuckled to himself.

~~~~

Lainey was both dreading and looking forward to getting the pictures developed. Monday seemed to both arrive quickly and take forever to come. She woke up that morning and contemplated calling in sick. She pushed this thought away as soon as it came to mind. That was a defeatist attitude and she hated herself for it. She got dressed and downed a large cup of coffee.

The subway ride to the building where Front Magazine’s offices were was long and frustrating. Someone coughed on her, making her certain he was contagious. Then she went to hold onto the bar to steady herself and her hand came in contact with someone’s petrified gum. By the time she arrived at her desk she was positively boiling. There was a note on her desk from Frank.

“Come to studio immediately.”

She picked up the note and hurled it into the trash. A headache was just beginning to grow at the base of her skull. She closed her eyes and wished she were anywhere but here.

A few minutes later, she entered the studio and walked over to Frank. He was flipping through a stack of papers. He handed some to her and began his daily tirade of things for her to do. Her mind kicked into high gear as she listened to him. Lainey scribbled notes to herself as Frank yammered on. She was trying valiantly to ignore her headache when she realized she had just missed something important.

Frank was staring at her, looking annoyed.

“Did you hear me, McKinnon?” he snapped.

“Uh, yes, fax the Blue Moon mock up to the LA office…Send Donny the art request for Wednesday and…uh…” she stopped, trying to remember the last thing Frank had asked her to do.

“Bring the Wood photos to his hotel and have him pick 4 and sign off on them.” Frank said.

“What?” Lainey said, looking at him in shock. Frank resisted the urge to laugh at the horrified look on her face. Instead, he drove home his request again.

“I said…take the photos to Elijah, have him pick four, then have him sign off on them, then come back here so we can PRINT THEM!” he said, almost shouting.

“All right, all right! JESUS!” Lainey hollered back.

“Zip zip! Time is money!” he said.

Lainey gave him a look that would freeze water. She walked back to her desk feeling like an idiot. Bad enough she had to see the pictures of him, say nothing about actually seeing him again. She sat down at her desk and rubbed the back of her neck. This headache would be a whopper.

Three hours later she had done everything Frank had asked her to do with the exception of bringing the pictures to Elijah’s hotel. She bit her nails and looked at the clock. It was 1:14pm. She needed to stop being so stupid and just get it over with. She got up and went downstairs to get the photos from George.

“Hey Lainey!” George said pleasantly. Lainey liked him, he’d been working here a long long time. No one minded that he was a little bit ‘off’. Lainey didn’t admit she had snitched his stash of alcohol the other day.

“Hey George.” She said. “I need the pictures we took at the park the other day.”

George shuffled a few papers on his desk and handed her a big brown envelope.

“Have you seen these?” he asked.

“No, why?” she said, signing the “OUT” sheet on the clipboard.

“I think you might like to.”

“George, I don’t have an obsession with this guy like every other woman in this building.” Lainey said, rubbing her temple.

“UmmmHmmm.” George said, watching her. “Still, I think you should take a look at them.”

“Whatever.” She said, waving at him and walking away. She refused to give in to her temptation to follow George’s advice. She didn’t want to see them. It took all her will not to tear open the envelope. She walked back to her desk and set the envelope on top of it. She looked at it like it would jump up and bite her.

Just then, an image of Elijah winking at her came to mind. Her stomach flipped over again and she began muttering to herself.

“Go away. Go away. Go away! I refuse to be attracted to a movie star! I refuse!”

She said, twisting her shirt hem like it was a life line.

“Are you okay Lainey?” she heard Mark say.

“YES!” she said shrilly. Mark backed away, knowing better than to push her temper. She picked up the envelope and her purse, and headed out the door to head for the hotel.

Fifteen minutes later, she walked in the door of the hotel and asked the concierge to ring Elijah in his room. She sat down on a couch and waited, all the while her mind was racing. Why had Frank made her do this? Was he doing it to drive her crazy or something? Why was her stomach in such awful panicked knots? Why all of a sudden did her reflection in the window make her want to smash it?

Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice in her mind...

“Lainey! Throw that makeup away!” she heard her mother say. “Makeup is not going to hide what you really are!”

Lainey shut her eyes tight and willed the memory away. She took a few moments and breathed in and out, waiting for the voice to fade.

“I see the Queen is taking a nap?” she heard. She her eyes flew open to see Elijah in front of her. He was wearing a black T-shirt with red flames on the side and faded blue jeans. His hands were in his pockets and he was regarding her with curiosity.

She jumped up from the couch.

“Shit.” She breathed. He had caught her off guard.

“Mmm...it’s alive.” He said.

Lainey eyed him with annoyance.

“Pick four, and sign off on them.” She said, shoving the envelope at him.

“Did you wake up on the wrong side of the couch again?” he said, taking the envelope.

“Shut up cover boy.” She said, planting her hands on her hips.

She could see she had hit a nerve, as his smile faded.

“You know, I’m not the devil here.” He said.

“Then why the hell are you wearing his outfit?” she snapped.

He looked down at his shirt, then back at her.

“Why the hell do you have such an attitude? What did I do to you?”

“Hmmm...let me think...calling me “Your Bitchiness” might have had something to do with it...” she said, tapping her temple and looking at the ceiling.

He sighed, then laughed.

“There’s just something about you that makes me want to tease you.” He admitted.

“Resist your urges.” She snapped. “Now come on, just pick four. I have to get back to work.”

“I’m thirsty. Come to the coffee shop with me.” He said, walking away.

“I told you, I can’t, I have to get back.” She said.

“Resist the urge to go back.” He said, smiling. He walked out the door and Lainey had no choice but to follow him.

The coffee shop was nearly empty. He settled himself into a booth and grabbed a menu. Lainey sat opposite him. The waitress came up to them and asked what they wanted.

“I’ll have a bagel with cream cheese and a coffee.” He said.

“Coffee, black.” She said.

The waitress ignored her, staring instead at him.

“Oh my god, you’re Elijah Wood aren’t you?” she gasped.

“Yes.” Elijah nodded and flashed a brilliant smile.

“Oh, God, can I have your autograph?” she squealed. He nodded and she ripped off a piece of paper from her order book. He signed it and gave it back to her.

“Oh thanks! I’ll be right back with your coffee and bagel!” she said, walking away happily.

Elijah looked back at Lainey to see her expression was as black as night. He frowned. She looked ready to kill everyone in sight.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, fully knowing why she was mad.

“It must be nice to have everyone fawn over you like that.” She said, her voice as cold as ice.

“It’s helpful sometimes.” He said cheerfully. She sat back against the booth and shook her head.

“I bet you have people everywhere flocking to answer your every whim.”

“Umm...not exactly.” He said.

“Well cover boy, what do you bet she brings your bagel and coffee, but not mine?” Lainey said, raising her eyebrow.

“Please don’t call me that.” He said. He suddenly had a dreadful fear that she was right.

“What should I call you? Brainless Boy perhaps?”

“Only if I can call you an incurably bitchy redhead.” He said, warming to the banter.

“Only around you.” She said, rolling her eyes.

“Somehow I don’t believe you…” he answered, shaking his head.

Just then, the waitress brought his bagel and coffee. Hers didn’t come with it. She smiled in triumph.

“Excuse me, Miss?” Elijah said.

“Uh huh?” the waitress came back, beaming at him.

“My friend ordered a black coffee...could you bring it?” he said politely.

“What? Oh! Oops! Sorry…” she said, hurrying away.

Since when am I his friend? Lainey thought. She watched him plunk sugar and cream into his coffee and stir it. He sipped at it and looked back at her.

“So, are you going to let me off the hook and look at the pictures please?” she said.

“Not until I’m done eating.” He said, enjoying the annoyed look on her face.

Just then a stab of pain hit her in the back of the head. She closed her eyes and rubbed her neck.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, setting his cup down and looking at her. Lainey was taken aback at the look of genuine concern on his face.

“I have a headache.” She answered.

“Wow, that sucks. I’m sorry.” He said. “Maybe I should be nicer to you now or I’ll feel guilty.”

“Don’t let my pain stop you from enjoying your little barbs, Elijah.” She said.

He looked at her in surprise.

“You called me by my name!”

Lainey mentally kicked herself again. She didn’t answer him. The waitress returned with her coffee. He took a bite of his bagel and watched her drink her coffee.

“You like your coffee black?” he asked, his mouth full of bagel. Lainey looked up at him and could not stop the laughter that bubbled out of her at the sight of him. His mouth was full of bagel, and there was a thin white line of cream cheese on his upper lip. She began to crack up, her laughter bouncing off the walls.

“What?” he said, swallowing his bagel and looking around at what she was laughing at. He had never heard her laugh before. It sounded like rain and it made him look at her in wonder.

She giggled convulsively and pointed at him.

“You have…hee hee hee…cream cheese on your…” she stopped again to continue laughing hysterically.

Elijah looked down at his shirt. There was no cream cheese there.

“Where?” he demanded, feeling like an idiot.

She pointed again, still laughing.

“That’s not helpful Lainey!” he said, his voice raising in frustration.

“Your face!” she squealed in laughter. He grabbed a napkin and dabbed his face. He missed it completely. At this, Lainey doubled over in convulsions of laughter. The waitress looked at her like she was insane. The look on his face made it worse. She leaned over the table and grabbed the napkin.

“Here, let me…” she said. But just then, her elbow came in contact with her coffee and it spilled all over everything. It was Elijah’s turn to laugh.

“Shit!” she cried, using the napkin to sop up the coffee.

How strange they must have looked. Elijah rescued the envelope containing the pictures from the table before they were covered in coffee. Lainey looked at up at him, her eyes dancing with mirth. Something within him stirred at the sight of her. She laughed again and reached out to wipe away the cream cheese from his face. He noticed that the tight bun that she always wore was coming loose. Before he could stop himself, he reached up and pulled away the two sticks holding it in place. Her hair tumbled down in a riot of red curls. She gasped and jumped away from him.

“Stop!” she said, yanking it back.

“No, don’t! I like it down.” He said.

She stared at him in shocked silence. He stared back.

The air began to crackle with energy.

The heat between them suddenly became too much.

Lainey panicked.

“I...I can’t...” she said, standing up and running from the table.

Elijah reached out for her. Something had gone wrong.

“Lainey!” he called. “Where are you going?”

“Just pick four and send them back!” she called to him. Her voice sounded strange, like she had a lump in her throat.

“Lainey, wait!” he called, following her. But she was too fast.

He watched her run out of the coffee shop and disappear around the corner, her long red hair flying out behind her like the tail of a comet.

Elijah returned to the booth and sat back, full of confusion. What had just happened? Why had she run like that? And what was this sudden fear that he might never see her again? He looked down at the envelope. He sighed and opened it, flipping through the shots of him in the park. The last one stopped him and he looked at it in surprise. It was a picture of Lainey arguing with him at the park. She was shouting at him and he was grinning from ear to ear. Elijah looked at her tiny form in the photo, remembering how her temper had finally gotten the best of her. He mentally thanked Frank for the picture.

Lainey ran and ran until she could barely breathe anymore. She leaned against a building and gasped for air. Her head exploded in pain. A sharp voice came at her and she cried, holding her head.

“Devil!” she heard her mother scream. “Witch! Red haired witch! I’m going to cut it all off!”

Lainey saw her mother advancing on her with those bright orange shears. She screamed and ran again.

A few minutes later, she ran to a bench and sat down, tears streaming down her face. She wiped them away angrily. She was regaining her composure and at the same time berating herself for acting so stupidly, especially in front of Elijah. She hadn’t had a regressive episode for almost 3 years now. She took a hold of her hair and wound it up tightly. She realized that he still had the sticks she used to keep it up.

“Oh Shit. You’ve done it now Lainey.” She said to herself.

She looked around and saw that she had run almost 3 blocks. She sighed and sat back against the bench and rubbed her temple. Frank was going to kill her. She got up and began slowly walking back.

“Well?” Frank shouted at her the moment she stepped into his office. “Explain yourself McKinnon!”

“He…he didn’t know which ones...” she stammered.

“Great…just great.” Frank said storming away from her and swearing.

Lainey sat down at her desk and grabbed her bottle of Tylenol. As she was taking them she noticed that an email had popped up on her computer. She didn’t recognize the address, so she opened it.

Lainey,

I don’t know what happened at the coffee shop, but I’m sorry if I did something wrong. Will you let me make it up to you?

Elijah

How had he gotten her email address? She stared at the computer screen. He was apologizing? For something she had done? She felt like a total heel now. She was the one that went off the deep end for no apparent reason, and here he was, apologizing. She took a deep breath and wrote him back.

Elijah,

What happened in the restaurant was not your fault, so please don’t think you have to make anything up to me.

Also, so as I don’t go home tonight without a job, could you please send the pictures you chose here tomorrow via courier?

Lainey

She was careful not to give out any more emotion over email. She hit the send button. A few minutes later, his response came through. Lainey opened it.

Yes, I can send them back.

But I still want to make it up to you, so you’ll just have to let me.

Elijah

He didn’t believe her about it not being his fault? That was kind of sweet. At this thought, she shook her head to clear it. What was going on with her? Lainey rubbed the back of her neck and typed her response.

Resist your urge to make it up to me.

She hit the send button.

~~~

Tuesday morning came faster than she wanted it to. She got up and took a long hot shower. She dressed in her favorite green sweater and black pants. She went to put her hair up in it’s customary bun and realized that Elijah still had her hair sticks. She prayed he would send them back with the pictures. She rummaged around her medicine cabinet for a hair tie and managed to spill cotton balls everywhere. She looked at the fluffy white balls covering the floor and shuddered. An image of red curls and splatters of crimson blood littering the linoleum flashed through her mind and she heard the snap of scissors. She heard her own voice crying.

Lainey ran out of the bathroom in terror.

She splashed cold water on her face in the kitchen and stomped her foot in frustration. She was 23 years old, not 16. Her mother was gone, and she couldn’t hurt her anymore. She found a rubber band in her desk and put her hair up. It wouldn’t hold for too long but it would have to do. She grabbed her purse, pulled on her favorite leather boots and left her apartment.

She arrived at her desk to find Frank pacing back and forth. When he saw her, he walked over, his face red with anger.

“Well?” he demanded.

“I asked him to send them via courier today.” She said, throwing her purse on the desk.

“When?”

“I don’t know when. I’ll get them to you the minute they get here.” she said, sitting down.

“The second they do, I’d better know.” He said. “Did you see them?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, turning her computer on.

“Did you see all the pictures?” he asked, tapping his pen on her desk.

“No, I just gave them to him.” she said, wondering what all this hullabaloo about her seeing the pictures was.

“Huh.” Frank said, now scratching his bald head with the pen.

“Why?” she asked.

“Nothing, nothing. Never mind.” He said, and began his daily to do list. Lainey grabbed her notepad and began to work.

It was nearly noon when her phone rang. She picked it up.

“Hello, this is Lainey McKinnon.” She said.

“Lainey, this is Liz in reception…I have a…courier here.” she said.

“Great!” Lainey said, relieved to finally get Frank off her ass about the pictures. “I’ll be right down. Can you sign for them?” she asked.

“Umm…no, he says you have to.”

“Okay, I’ll be there in three minutes.” Lainey said, and hung up the phone.

“Frank!” she shouted.

“What?” she heard him shout back.

“Courier’s here with the pictures from Sunday!” she called.

“Finally!” he said. “Bring them up!”

Lainey left her desk and walked down the hallway to the elevator. She punched the button for the lobby and waited for the door to open. When it did she stepped inside. Much to her dismay, Miranda stood there.

“Oh great.” She said, looking at Lainey like she was contagious.

“Fan-diddly-tastic. An elevator ride with a brainless cocaine addicted model. Just what I wanted to do today.” Lainey said sarcastically, punching the lobby button.

“Gee Lainey, I think you took too many bitch pills this morning.” Miranda said.

“Oooh, that’s original.” Lainey said, wishing the elevator would go faster.

“It’s so sad to see someone be bitchy and ugly on purpose.” Miranda said, twirling a long blond curl around her finger and looking at Lainey with mock sympathy.

She was just about to deliver a brilliant comeback when the elevator door opened to the third floor. Miranda stepped out and walked away, leaving Lainey feeling defeated again. Damn, she hated loosing out on the last word! She punched the lobby button again and flipped Miranda the bird. When the elevator reached the 1st floor, she walked down the hallway towards reception. She rounded the corner and stopped short, shocked speechless at the sight in front of her.

Elijah stood there, watching her gape at him. She had put her hair back up, but he could see a tiny red curl at the base of her neck. Her expression went from surprise to annoyance all at once. He grinned. It was just exactly the reaction he was looking for. She strode angrily over to him.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she said, reaching for the envelope. He held it away.

“I’m not resisting my urges.” He said.

“What? Oh. Very funny cover boy. Now please give me the pictures. I have work to do.”

“Nope.” He said, still grinning.

“Come on!” she said, stepping towards him. He danced away just in time.

“I’m not in the mood to deal with your antics today.” She said.

“When have you been in the mood?” he asked, enjoying the way her eyes flashed angry green sparks at him.

“1999.” She said, reaching for the envelope again.

“Uh huh. That was too long ago, you’re overdue.” He said.

“Why do you enjoy torturing me so?” she said, reaching again for the envelope in vain.

“Torture? That hurts Lainey!” he said, clutching his chest. “I’m supposed to make up for something, remember?” He was far too curious now to leave her alone, and he was having too much fun poking at her temper.

“No, I told you, forget it.” She said, planting her hands on her hips and glaring at him.

“Can’t.” he said.

Lainey removed her glasses and closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers. He had never seen her without her glasses before.

“Do you still have a headache?” he said, suddenly feeling bad.

“Mmmhmm.” She answered.

“I’m sorry. Have you gone to the doctor?” He said, stepping towards her.

Her eyes flew open and in that split second he realized he had made a mistake. She grabbed the envelope from him and shouted in triumph. She turned and began to run down the hallway.

“Shit!” he yelled, and began running down the hallway after her. She looked behind her to see that he was following her. She ran faster and laughed wildly as she heard Liz calling after him to stop. She threw open the stairway door and began to run as fast as she could up the stairs. He followed her, swearing as he watched her body disappear behind the door. He couldn’t believe she had fooled him like that!

Lainey gasped for breath as she ran up the stairs. Below her she heard the door open and slam again. She laughed loudly.

“Such a gullible man!” she called out. She chanced a glance downward. His blue eyes flashed as he looked up at her. He looked like a hunter, and she was the prey. She knew she was going to get caught, sooner or later, but this was just too much fun. She began to run again, and she heard his voice call up to her.

“There’s nowhere you can hide leeetle girl….I will find yooou…” He imitated a lecherous voice.

Lainey laughed and threw open the 3rd floor door.

“Not if I can help it!” she said, and ran smack into Miranda. Both of them went flying and landed unceremoniously on the floor.

“What the fuck are you doing, McKinnon?” Miranda shrieked in anger.

“Shit shit shit!” Lainey cried. In her fall, the envelope had come open and it’s contents were everywhere. The stairway door flew open again and Elijah ran through it. He stopped short to see Lainey and Miranda sprawled on the floor.

“Oh my God!” Miranda said, seeing him. She jumped up and smoothed her dress.

“Oh hey! What happened?” he said, trying not to laugh.

“This psychotic bitch just knocked me over!” she whined, grabbing his arm and pulling up her leg to massage her ankle.

Lainey groaned and rolled her eyes.

“A big wind could knock you over, Miranda. There’s nothing wrong with your ankle.” She said, picking up the photos from the floor.

“Oh but there is!” she cried. “Will you help me to a chair?” she said, turning her big blue eyes on Elijah. Lainey wanted to gag.

“Umm, sure…” he said, looking down at her. She turned away, not wanting to look at him. He sighed and helped Miranda as she limped down the hallway.

Lainey watched them disappear around a corner and she swore softly to herself. She should have known better to play cat and mouse with him. Miranda would turn on her supermodel charm now and she would be completely forgotten in it’s glare. She tried to ignore the stab of pain in her heart at the thought. What was she doing, acting like a teenager, running away from him like that? What had possessed her to do such a thing? She swept up the pictures and shoved them in the envelope. She stopped short. She picked up one of the pictures and looked at it in astonishment. It was of her and him, arguing in the park. She looked like she was ready to cut off his head, and he was grinning madly.

“Damn you, Frank.” She whispered. She stood up and walked away.

“Oh, thank you so much…” Miranda said, settling into a sofa in the marketing department. “I have no idea what was wrong with that woman!” she rubbed her ankle again and looked up at him innocently.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

“I…I think so, I should perhaps get some ice on this…” she trailed off.

Elijah sighed impatiently. This was not at all in his game plan.

“I’ll go get some…” he said. “Do you know where…?”

Miranda pointed down the hallway. He could see the white gleam of a refrigerator door. He nodded and walked away quickly. A few minutes later he returned to see that she had shifted on the couch so that her legs were up. Her blond hair was arranged around her face and she was beaming at him.

“Oh thank you…” she said, taking the ice from him. “Lainey is such a freak sometimes.” She said.

“Uhh, yeah, are you okay then?” he said. “I really have to go…”

“Oh, sure!” she said, looking disappointed.

“Thanks.” he said, and walked away. Miranda watched him go with a pout on her face. Was he blind or something?

Elijah ran back down the hallway to find that Lainey was gone. He had no idea where in this building her office was, as he had only ever been in the studio. He wandered around for a bit until he found someone he recognized.

“Hey…do you know where Lainey McKinnon’s office is?” he asked.

The man looked at him oddly.

“You’re Elijah Wood aren’t you?” he asked. Elijah sighed and nodded.

“Yes.”

“You were here the other day…what are you doing back?”

Elijah’s patience was near it’s end. He squinted at the man’s name badge.

“Look, Mark. I have some business with Lainey, can you just tell me where her office is?”

“Next floor up, to the left, three cubicles down.” Mark said. Elijah thanked him and ran back to the stairway door.

Lainey had no idea where he was, and she was in the process of trying to convince herself that she didn’t care when his head popped around the corner of her desk wall.

“Caught you.” he said, grinning.

“No you didn’t.” she said, ignoring him.

“I beg to differ.” He said, standing in front of her, still grinning.

“Mmmm…I bet you caught Miranda though.” She said, looking up at him. His eyes widened and he laughed.

“You’re jealous!”

Lainey stood up and sent her chair flying backwards.

“I am not!” she hissed. “Now go away before Frank comes back!”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to get fired!” she snapped.

“But I haven’t signed off on those photos yet.” He said, pointing to them.

She grabbed the clipboard and shoved it at him.

“Oh, gee Lainey! If you wanted an autograph, you could have just asked.” He said loudly, signing the form. Three or four of her co-workers looked over at them to watch the spectacle that was taking place.

Lainey smacked herself on the forehead and snatched away the clipboard.

“Why are you doing this to me?” she cried.

“If you want the truth, I have no idea. But I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.” he said, his voice full of glee.

“Listen, I’m sure you believe that annoying me is a lot of fun, but you’re wrong. I’m boring, really! So just go away!” she pleaded with him. She was so afraid that Frank would come around the corner any second.

“Boring is not a word I would use to describe you Lainey. Angry red haired hellion maybe, but definitely not boring.” He said.

“Okay, okay! She cried. “You win, just GO AWAY!”

Just at that moment, Frank came around the corner to witness Elijah Wood and Lainey standing face to face.

“What the hell is going on here, McKinnon?” he said, striding over. Lainey nearly jumped a mile at the sight of him. She opened her mouth to speak but she never got the chance.

“Hey Frank! Lainey here was just telling me what a bad headache she has.”

Elijah leaned towards Frank and whispered, “I think it’s really from her attitude, but I still think you should send her home.” He reached out and shook Frank’s hand.

Frank was completely caught off guard.

“What?” he said.

“What?” Lainey echoed, incredulous.

“I think Lainey needs the rest of the day off, Frank.” Elijah said, giving Frank a knowing look.

Frank had never seen anything like it. Lainey stood there, gaping at Elijah in shock, and Elijah stood there, smiling pleasantly.

“Oh, by the way, thanks for the picture.” He said. Frank nodded, not knowing what to do or think.

“What about the photos?” he asked. Elijah leaned over and handed them to him.

“I signed off on them.” he said.

Frank sighed. There was a lot of work to do today, but something within him stopped him from saying no. Something was going on here that he didn’t understand. He went against his better judgment and shook his head.

“Sure. Lainey, you can go. Just come in earlier tomorrow, okay?”

If it was possible, Lainey looked more shocked. Frank shook his head and walked away.

Elijah turned and faced her again.

“But…” she began, not knowing what to do or say. This time it was his turn to look triumphant.

“You see Lainey…” he whispered softly. “I always win.”

She stared at him, her mind going a million miles a second and her stomach flipping over until she thought she would be sick.

“But…” she began again.

“I told you I would make it up to you, and that’s what I’m doing.” He said.

“But…” she stammered.

“You are so fond of that word! Do you like my butt or something?” he said, twisting his torso to look at his rear end.

Lainey’s mind stopped flying out of control and she landed on another perfect comeback.

“Only if I can kick it.”

“Umm…tempting.” He said. “But I have something more fun in mind.”

“Come on!” he said, holding out his hand.

Lainey watched him smiling and wondered where her life had gone crazy within the past two weeks. She fought a loosing battle with her mind to not go. In the end, she sighed and took his hand.

Elijah had no idea what he was doing. He couldn’t seem to keep away from this woman. He resisted the urge to pick her up and swing her around in happiness that he had won their argument. She was still watching him warily, like he was going to eat her alive.

“Loosen up Lainey. Enjoy the day off.”

“What are we going to do?” she said, her voice sounded small.

“If I told you it would spoil the surprise.” He said.

“I hate surprises.” She whispered. “Just tell me.”

“Nope!” he said gleefully.

Lainey stared at him as the elevator descended. He was smiling, and the giddy expression in his eyes was nearly blinding.

“Look, I have no idea what you think you are doing, kidnapping me in the middle of a work day, embarrassing me in front of all my co-workers and making me wonder at your sanity, but I should warn you that redheads have extremely short tempers. With all that said, are you sure you still want to “make it up to me”?” she said, glaring at him.

He turned around to look at her. His head was tilted slightly forward and the look in his eyes was like that of a tiger eyeing his lunch. There was the slightest hint of a smile on his face. Lainey instinctively shrank back against the wall of the elevator. An involuntary shudder went through her body and her mind went blank.

“I could make it up to you right now…” he said, stepping towards her. Lainey’s nails dug into her palms. His face was a few scant inches from hers. She looked at him, her eyes widening and her heart pounding madly.

“But I won’t” he said, stepping away.

Her body relaxed and she began to breathe again, but her mind betrayed her with a tiny stab of disappointment.

They left Front Magazine’s offices and got into a cab. Elijah whispered the address to the cabbie and they were soon zooming through the city.

“Where are we going again?” Lainey asked nonchalantly, hoping it would work.

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? We’re going to hell. Don’t you remember, I’m the Devil? See, I’m wearing his outfit.” He said, pulling the waist of his jeans down a little to reveal his red boxers. Lainey blushed scarlet and stared out the window, wishing the air conditioning in the cab worked better. She heard him laugh to himself.

“So, why are you here and when are you leaving?” she asked him a few minutes later after she had regained her composure.

“Wow, are we playing twenty questions again?” he asked.

“Yep.” She said, grinning.

“I’m here doing promotions for LOTR.” He said.

“LOTR?” Lainey said, confused.

“Lord of the Rings!” he said, staring at her. “Jeez, Lainey, have you been hiding under a rock or something?”

“No.” she said defensively. “I heard of it, but I haven’t seen it.”

“You should, it’s great.” He said.

“Well, Hello Mr. Ego.”

“I didn’t say I was great, I said it was great. Pay attention.”

“I heard something about a guy named Orlando Bloom that was in it? My co-worker Stacy is crazy in love with him. She won’t stop blabbing about him.” Lainey said, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, well, she can join the rest of the world.” He said, his voice dropping.

“Oooh, bitter much?” Lainey said, happy to finally find something to jab at him with.

“All I hear is…’Oh Ooorlaaaandooo!’ all the time. It’s sickening. I mean, he and I are great friends, but Jesus!”

“Uhh huh….and all those girls in purchasing and HR weren’t going “Oh Ellliiiijaaaah?”

“Well…” he began.

“I don’t think with your looks that you have to worry about your female fan population.” She said, and just as it came out of her mouth she wanted to snatch it back. His eyes widened and he grinned.

“Why Lainey, you’re slipping! I think that was a compliment!”

“No it wasn’t.” she said sullenly, twisting her shirt hem in her fingers.

“Can I give you one back or will I get my ass kicked?”

“Hmmm let me think…no. Kicking your ass would be so much more fun.”

“So that’s why you were staring at my ass earlier!” he cried dramatically.

“I was NOT!” she said, slapping his arm and giggling.

“I love your hair.” He said.

Lainey’s laughter came to a screeching halt and her jaw dropped open.

“What?” she managed to squeak.

“Your hair. It’s like fire.” He said. There was no trace of laughter in his voice.

Lainey was speechless.

“I’m hoping you’ll let it down today. You know…like the cliché’? Let your hair down and have fun?” he whispered.

There was a lump in her throat the size of Texas.

“Umm…” she searched for words…anything to change the subject. “I’m thirsty, what about you?” she said, her voice hoarse.

“Why don’t you let it down Lainey?” he said quietly.

Her mother’s voice came slamming down on her from out of the past like a jack knife.

“Witch! Satan’s red hair! Beauty is a mask for the ugliness inside! The Lord Jesus will save your soul…I pray he will! Keep thy hair bound, child of Satan!” her mother screamed as the hospital orderlies tried to restrain her. Lainey choked out a tiny sob.

Elijah watched her go from and angry righteous woman to one struggling for control over her emotions. Whatever was happening to her was scaring him. He reached out and took her hand in his. She shuddered and closed her eyes tight and pulled away from him.

“Please don’t ask me…” she said.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry.” He said. “Is that why you ran away yesterday?” he asked softly. She nodded slowly.

“You can tell me, you know.” He said.

“No, never mind. Forget it. I have my reasons.” she said, clearing her throat and shaking her head. She twirled her shirt hem in her fingers again, feeling like she could open the door to the cab and fling herself out onto the street to escape his gaze.

Just then, the cab stopped. He looked out the window to see they had arrived.

He looked back at her to see that she was smiling weakly at him.

“I can’t believe it…” she said. “You took me to Coney Island?”

“I think it’s a long overdue day of relaxation and fun…for the both of us. I think Jane will kill me when she finds out, but for right now, I’m a free man!”

He declared, opening the door for her. She got out and winced in the bright sunshine. She was still fighting to control the wild beating of her heart. She was so embarrassed that she had fallen to pieces in front of him again. But he was still there, grinning at her. She shook her head in wonder. She asked herself for the millionth time whether this was really happening.

For the next few hours, they walked around the park and enjoyed the rides. Lainey hadn’t been to Coney Island for years. She couldn’t remember the last time she had so much fun, though she was loathe to admit it to him. They were walking down the pavement, eating ice cream when he stopped.

“Uh-oh, now we’ve done it.” He said.

“What?” she asked, looking back at him. He smiled wickedly and pointed. She followed his gaze to the giant roller coaster in front of them.

“Nooo way, Elijah.” She said.

‘C’mon Lainey, are you scared?” he said, throwing the remainder of their ice cream in the trash and came to stand beside her.

“I am not scared!” she lied.

“Liar.” He said, poking her in the side.

“Shut up!” she said, poking him back.

“Well, if you’re not afraid, then let’s go.” He said, walking away.

Lainey followed him, staring up at the massive structure and listening to the deafening screams of the people riding it. Roller coasters had never been her thing. She hoped she wouldn’t get sick. She ran to catch up with him.

“I love roller coasters.” He said. “I love the freedom, feeling the wind whip through your hair and the speed of it.” He looked so happy and excited.

A tiny voice spoke in her head. ‘Wind in your hair.’

Lainey looked up at him as he looked at the roller coaster. The voice spoke again.

‘Freedom.’

Lainey chewed her lip in indecision. Her mother was gone. Lainey wasn’t a witch, or Satan’s daughter. Her hair wasn’t going to hurt anyone. She took a deep breath and reached up to pull out the rubber band.

“I heard this one’s really….” He stopped and stared at her. She had let her hair down. It fell in soft red curly waves down her back and over her shoulders. It went almost to the small of her back. The look on her face was scared yet determined. She looked up at him, her green eyes questioning him.

“Wow.” He breathed. His stomach clenched in surprise at the thoughts that came rushing to his mind. He blinked stupidly at her. She was beautiful.

“You look….amazing.” he said, suddenly feeling unsure of himself.

“Shut up and get on the ride.” She said quickly. She took his arm and pushed him towards the car. He sat down and she sat next to him. She was looking straight ahead but there was a blush on her cheeks. Luckily, the whole car was nearly empty as it was a Tuesday, and the only other people on the car were several seats back. The operator came and buckled them in, and the car began to move. He looked over at her to see her eyes were shut tight.

“You okay?” he asked, wondering if he himself was anywhere near ‘okay’.

“Oh god oh god oh god please just keep me from being sick!” she said, as the car sped up and the ride began.

He threw back his head and laughed as the car sped around the track. The wind whipped around them and her hair streamed out behind her. She screamed as they went down the first hill.

“Put your arms up!” he shouted at her over the wind.

“What???” she shouted back.

“Put your arms up! It’s better!” he said, throwing his arms in the air and feeling the adrenaline rush through him.

“No, I can’t!” she yelled.

“Yes you can!” he said, taking her hand from her tight grip on the bar. He held her hand as the roller coaster zoomed up and flew down another hill. He heard her laugh and he looked over at her. She was screaming and laughing madly, looking back at him, her green eyes full of surprise and happiness.

And in that one fleeting moment, he was lost.

The ride came to and end and it left Lainey feeling exhilarated. She was certain that it would take a week to get a comb through her hair, but she had never felt anything like it before. She wanted to jump up and down for joy. She got out of the car and looked over at him. He was staring at her in a way that made her heart slam against her chest. Her mind raced back to the elevator. She smiled at him.

“Thanks Elijah. I really did need that.”

“I thought you might.” He said, leaning in close to her. She looked up at him, feeling like a bug under a microscope.

“So have I made it up to you?” he whispered.

“No, I think you need to pay me a million dollars.” She said, grasping onto sarcasm.

“Don’t do that.” he said. His voice had deepened ever so slightly.

“Do what?” she said, her fingers gripping the hem of her shirt and twisting it nervously.

“Don’t joke now.” He said, snaking his arms around her waist. Lainey jumped.

“Elijah…I…”

His lips met hers softly. A jolt of energy zipped through her like lightning. She panicked and began to pull away, but he wouldn’t let her. She fought for control against the onslaught of emotions and energy that bombarded her. In the end, she sighed, feeling herself let go and open to him. The heat of it was overpowering. She closed her eyes, letting the feeling of him wash over her. His mouth opened to hers and everything but the two of them seemed to stop. Her pocketbook clanked to the pavement as her arms wound around his neck. She had never been kissed like this. Never felt someone else’s soul breathe with hers. It was indescribable. When he pulled away from her, she looked up at him in wonder. He smiled at her and she nearly stumbled backwards.

“I think I can safely say that you have made it up to me. Consider us even.” She said shakily.

He laughed.

The ride back to her apartment building seemed extraordinarily short. They discussed current events and some of their favorite books. She found out that he had a secret love for Stephen King novels and horror movies. She revealed that she loved Anne Rice and laughed as he rolled his eyes. They agreed to keep their favorite corny author secrets safe. He talked a little about the time that he had spent in New Zealand, and how he wanted to buy a home there. She found out that he still lived with his mother back in LA, which she ribbed him about quite a bit.

She revealed that she had been born in Vermont, and how she had moved here to find a better career.

Thirty minutes later, they arrived at her apartment complex.

He helped her out of the cab and they walked to her front door.

She looked up at him, trying not to think about the fact that her day with him was over.

“I had a wonderful time.” she said.

“Me too. Can we do it again sometime?” he said.

“Oh, I don’t know…I seem to have developed this obsession with Orlando Bloom…so I don’t know if I can fit you into my busy schedule of fantasizing about him…but I’ll let you know.” She sighed, fanning herself with her hand and fluttering her eyelashes. “Oh Orlaaaadoooo!”

“You’d better not be fantasizing about him!” Elijah said, winding his arms around her again. “It should be me you’re doing that about…” he said, kissing her neck with tiny little fluttering kisses that made her toes curl. With effort, she pulled away from him.

“You’re going to have to pick me up off the sidewalk with a spatula if you keep doing that.” she said in a drawling southern accent.

“As long as you’re kissing me and not thinking about kissing Orli…” he laughed, looking down at her. But then his smile faded and he sighed heavily.

“I hate to tell you this Lainey, but I feel it’s only fair.” He said. She looked up at him, her heart suddenly constricting in fear.

“What?”

“I have to go back to LA tomorrow.” He said, taking her hand in his.

Reality slammed into her with all the force of a Mack truck.

“Uh huh.” She said, feeling like a fool for forgetting who they were. She was a photographer’s assistant and he was a movie star. She dropped his hand and backed away. Instinctively she reached up and wound her hair around her fingers.

“Can I have my sticks back please?” she said, not looking him in the eye.

“Don’t do this Lainey.” he said.

“Do what, Elijah? Live in the real world?” she snapped.

“Don’t pull away from me just yet.” He said. “Please.”

She looked up at him and her heart constricted painfully. Her mind was screaming at her to protect herself, to not fall in love with this man standing in front of her when she knew it was already too late.

“What should I do then, just watch you walk away from me? Go back to LA with all those beautiful bitch women?” she said, her voice cracking.

“I don’t want to go back now either, Lainey, but I live there.”

“Yes. And I live here.” she said, holding out her hand. “Please give me my sticks.” She said.

He looked at her for a long time before reaching in his back pocket and handing them to her. She took them and wrapped up her hair quickly. She turned to look at him.

“Look, cover boy. We had a nice day. And we had some amazing, wonderful kisses. But we cannot ignore that we come from two different worlds.” She said.

“Don’t call me that.” he said, his voice laced with anger.

Lainey’s heart was breaking but she continued.

“But that’s what you are. You’re a movie star who lives with his mom. I’m a 23 year old woman who forgot who she was for a while. I forgot that I’m not one of the ‘beautiful people’” She said, turning around and putting her keys in the lock.

“You can be such a heartless bitch.” He said, his voice cracking with bitterness.

“Good bye Elijah.” She said, opening the door and walking inside. She went to shut the door but he jammed his foot in the threshold.

“Whoever told you that you weren’t beautiful was full of shit, Lainey.” He said, pushing on the door.

“Go away Elijah. Go back to your hotel room and forget that this day ever happened.” She said.

“No. I won’t.” he said stubbornly.

Lainey’s exterior wall of anger and bitterness couldn’t take much more of this. She looked at his face, full of hurt and pain.

“Go away.” She said, trying to keep her voice even.

“No. You think you’re not beautiful? You think that the only way to be safe is to not let anyone get close to you? That’s bullshit.” he said, reaching through the door with his hand.

“Come on Lainey, don’t do this.”

“Please.” She said, finally loosing control. “Please, just go away.” She choked back a sob. He pushed the door open, and she turned her back on him. She put her head in her hands and fought for control. He came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

Too late, she realized he would see it.

Elijah gasped in surprise. A long, thin white scar ran from the base of her neck to disappear under the fabric of her shirt. She tried to pull away from him, but he held her.

“Jesus!” he exclaimed.

“Let me go.” She said firmly. He did, and she faced him.

“What happened to you?” he said.

“Get out.” she said, pointing to the door, her voice suddenly sharp.

“No. What happened to you?” he repeated.

“You stubborn asshole! Get out I said!” she said shrilly. Her defensive walls were taking a terrible beating.

“I said no! Who did that to you Lainey?” he said angrily. She stared at him for a few seconds, fuming. If only she had something to throw.

“Who?” he demanded again, loudly. “Who did, this, and who told you that you weren’t beautiful? It was the same person, wasn’t it?”

“Get out!” she shrieked.

“No! Tell me!” he shouted just as loud.

“My mother!”

He stared at her in astonishment.

“Jesus.”

“There, are you happy now?” she cried. “Are you happy that you know that my mother cut my neck with the scissors when she was cutting my hair in a zealous craze? Are you happy to know that I nearly bled to death from it? Are you happy to know that she called me a witch, and daughter of Satan? Are you happy to know that she’s dead now? That she died in a mental institution? That she was……she was…” she trailed off as the room began to spin. A sharp pain exploded in her head and she gasped.

Elijah caught her in his arms as she passed out.

When she came to a little while later, Elijah was still holding her. They were lying on the floor of her living room. She could hear him breathing like he was asleep, but his grip on her was tight. She inhaled, wondering how long she had been out. It had been a long long time since she’d passed out like that. Immediately he stirred, but he didn’t let her go. They held onto each other for a few moments, then he spoke.

“You scared the crap out of me Lainey.”

“I’m sorry.” She whispered.

He didn’t speak, but held her there on the floor, wondering at her strength.

“Elijah?” she said softly. “Do you really think that I’m a heartless bitch?”

“Yes. But I love you anyway.” He said softly. Lainey’s eyes widened.

“What did you say?” she whispered.

There was an eon of silence.

“I said yes.” He sighed.

“Oh.” She said, pulling away from him. She got up and walked into the kitchen to find some Tylenol. She fought with the bottle of pills as she tried to forget what he had said, or not said.

“Look, I’m sorry I went into psycho mode there. And I’m sorry you had to see me “check out of the building” for a while. But I think you should leave.” She said, drinking some water and swallowing the pills.

She heard him come into the kitchen. She looked at him and saw him stick his fingers into the pockets of his jeans. He was staring at the floor uncomfortably.

“I think you should see a doctor about your headaches, and passing out.” he said.

“And I think that I’m 23 and can handle my own life thanks.” she said, fighting madly to keep her tears from falling. He stood there, not looking at her or moving.

“Go back to your hotel room, Elijah. Go back to LA. Forget you ever met me.” she said, walking past him and opening the front door.

“I don’t want to.” He said petulantly.

Lainey sighed. She couldn’t keep this up much longer.

“But this is my house, so I win this time.”

“This isn’t how this night was supposed to end.” He said, finally looking at her. His eyes were shining indigo blue. She gulped and fought back the urge to embrace him.

“You’re only angry that you didn’t win this time.” she said, reaching out to grab his shirt and maneuver him out the door.

“I always win.” He said, covering her hand with his.

“Not in my world.” She said.

Elijah gazed at her. Her eyes were a piercing emerald green that perfectly matched the blue shirt she was wearing. He sighed, not knowing what to do or think. He could go now and leave her in peace but he would never be rid of this nagging need for her. He couldn’t believe he had said he loved her. Then he had chickened out and now she was ushering him out of her life like he didn’t matter. His mind raced for a way to win this fight. He grabbed her hand as she reached for him. He closed his eyes and prayed this would work.

He took her hand and laid it on his chest. Lainey jumped unexpectedly. The heat from his body seeped into her hand and she closed her eyes tight. She could feel him breathing. They stood there for a moment, letting the energy between them speak instead.

“I’m not perfect.” He broke the silence. “I sing off key, I smoke cigarettes, I chew gum like there’s no tomorrow, I swear like a sailor, and I have an awful temper but I love you.” he said all in one breath.

Lainey didn’t move or respond.

“You say that now.” She finally said. Looking up at him.

“And I’ll say that tomorrow. And next year, and the year after that….” He said. “All I need to know is whether you can say the same.”

“But I don’t smoke, chew gum or sing off key.” She said.

“Smartass.” He laughed softly. “I mean…do you love me Lainey?”

Lainey closed her eyes, and the battle raged in her mind. Could she say yes, and possibly get her heart get pummeled in the end? Could she say no and always wonder are her own fear? She bit her lip indecisively.

She opened her eyes again and looked at him. His face was a combination of trepidation, fear, hope, and nervousness. He was chewing his fingernails, watching her closely. His startling blue eyes gave away his soul. Lainey sighed in surrender.

“How can I not with you staring at me like a sad puppy dog?”

Elijah let out a breath he was holding. He laughed again and picked her up, swinging her around.

“AUGH!” she squealed. “Put me down you idiot! Didn’t it occur to you that throwing around a woman who just passed out a little while ago isn’t a good idea?”

“Oh god! I’m sorry!” he said, setting her down.

“This time I am going to kick your ass!” she said, sitting down and shaking her head at him. He grinned wickedly, turned around, bent over and stuck his butt right in her face.

“Let the beatings begin.” He said.

“Don’t tempt me.” she said, poking him.

“I plan on tempting you on a regular basis from now on.” He said, standing straight up and pulling her to her feet. He hugged her gently.

Lainey sighed.

“Now what do we do?” he said.

She snuggled into his arms and breathed the scent of his skin.

“I don’t know.”

“Would you consider moving to LA?” he said, dreading her answer.

“It’s so far away…” she said, this time twisting his shirt in her fingers.

He shifted his weight and looked down at her.

“It’s far away from your…family?” he asked gingerly.

“My mother is dead, Elijah. She died in 1996. She was schizophrenic. My father died when I was only 5.”

Elijah held her close again, wondering what it must have been like for her to grow up as an orphan. He thought of his mother, brother and sister back home in LA.

“If you come to LA, I want you to see a doctor about your headaches.” He said seriously.

“Mmmhmmm….” She said, trailing her fingers along his arm.

“And if you ever pass out on me again I’ll kill you.”

“Mmmhmmm….” She continued trailing her fingers up his arm to his chin.

“Are you listening to me Ms. McKinnon?”

“Mmmhmmm…” her fingers reached his hair and she curled her fingers into it.

“That’s not playing fair.” He said, reaching up and pulling the sticks from her hair.

“I hate these fucking things and I don’t ever want to see them again.” he said, hurling them across the room. They clanked against the wall and slid down behind the couch. He wound his fingers into her hair and kissed her.

“LA…” she sighed deeply as he kissed her along her neck, sending delicious shivers along her spine. “Isn’t that where Orlando Bloom lives?”

“Ooooh you heartless little red-haired devil.” He said, burying his face in her hair.

“No, you’re the devil…remember, you’re wearing his boxer shorts?”

“Oh yeah…how could I forget?.” he laughed.

Lainey sighed and he kissed her, long and soft, gentle and sweet.

~~~~

November 16th, 2002

Lainey sat on the uncomfortable chair at LAX waiting for him. She had been waiting almost an hour now, and she was getting really annoyed.

She went over their phone conversation in her mind.

“I’ll pick you up at LAX at 11:00am. Wait for me!” He had said.

“Don’t be late!” she had answered. She sighed as she twirled a red curl around her finger. She really had missed the sound of his voice. He had left New York nearly 4 months ago.

They had talked on the phone at least once a week or more if his schedule allowed. And of course, there was always his emails asking her to move to LA. She had agreed to come to Los Angeles so that she could “see what it was like.”

But now he had left her alone in this airport. She hated airports. She looked up at the clock to see that it was noon. She opened her purse and took out a bottle of medicine. As she shook out a pill she could hear Dr. Spence’s voice in her head.

“Lainey, you are prone to migranes. I can’t believe you waited so long to see me! You should have come to me much sooner. Your ‘injury’ from when you were 16 makes these migranes more dangerous, as the scissors nearly severed a major artery. And I hear you’re wearing your hair up so tight that it makes it worse? Are you into pain or something?” he said, shaking his head. “Don’t do that anymore. What I do want you to do is take 2 of these a day and come back in six weeks.”

She popped one of the tiny white pills into her mouth and drank some of the water she had bought from the vending machine earlier. She looked around for him again but he still wasn’t there. She stood up and grabbed her suitcase. If she was going to have to wait much longer, she wanted something to read. She headed for a newspaper vendor.

“Fucking god-damn LAX parking lots!” Elijah swore loudly as he maneuvered for a spot. He was an hour late already to pick her up, which he was certain would put her in a fine temper. He found a spot and ran for the door. When he got inside the gate where she should be waiting, he couldn’t see her anywhere. He swore again and headed down the hallway. A few minutes later, he spotted her. Her back was to him and she was absently flipping through a magazine. He grinned and tiptoed up behind her quietly.

Lainey felt someone’s hand on her ass. She screamed and dropped the magazine. She turned around, ready to punch whoever it was when she saw him. His blue eyes were sparkling with glee as he looked at her.

“Gotcha!” He said, picking her up and swinging her around.

Lainey felt the familiar surge of joy at hearing his voice again. She resisted the urge to laugh in happiness. Instead, she cleared her throat and glared at him. He set her down again and looked at her sheepishly.

“The highway was really crowded and I couldn’t find a…” he began. She held her finger up to him with an icy look on her face.

“You ask me to come to LA. So I come to LA. You ask me to wait for you. So I wait. In fact, I wait a whole hour for you to come rescue me from this airport which is teeming with a bunch of FREAKY people, and you think it’s funny to sneak up behind me and lay your hand on my ass?” she said, tapping her foot and glaring at him. “I could knock you senseless right now Elijah!”

“Well…I’ll just have to make it up to you.” He said, taking her suitcase out of her hands and grinning.

Damn. He wasn’t falling for it.

“Ooooh no. Remember what happened the last time you wanted to “make it up to me?” she said.

“Indeed I do…” he said, leaning down and kissing her deeply. Lainey tried in vain to stop him, but her mind and body were zinging with energy. She sighed inwardly as her memories of him invaded her mind. She dropped her façade and hugged him.

“God I’ve missed you Elijah.” She whispered. It felt so good to be back in his arms again. New York seemed like a bad dream.

“I’ve missed you too Lainey.” He said, hugging her back.

“You haven’t been tempted by those beautiful bitch women, have you?” she said, twisting his shirt in her fingers.

“No, I’m only tempted by one bitch woman.” He said, pulling away and looking her in the eye.

“Asshole.” She laughed. He looked down at her. Her hair was loose and free, like the doctor had told her to do. He smiled.

“Are you ready?” he said, brushing a lock of her hair away from her face.

“I’m as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.” She said.

“What?” he said, looking confused.

“Never mind.” She said. “I’m just a little nervous to meet your friends.”

“They’ll love you.”

“Mmmm…including Orlando?” she said, smiling coyly.

“Don’t even think about it McKinnon.” He said, taking her hand and walking towards the door. She laughed and followed him.

The rest of the day was spent driving around LA in his car as he showed her his favorite spots, including a massive CD store. She shook her head in wonder as he purchased 18 CDs. He looked as happy as a kid in a candy store.

He then took her home and introduced her to his mother, brother and sister. His mother was the sweetest person Lainey had ever met, and she immediately felt relaxed in their home. She ate dinner with them that night, and was impressed at how “normal” they seemed. She had assumed his family would be…well…Hollywood like. But they weren’t. Lainey found herself laughing and joking with them in no time. She couldn’t imagine what it was like growing up in a normal family.

That night, he took her to the “guest house” where he lived. It sat behind his mother’s house, and he gave her the ‘tour’. She was impressed, though she didn’t show it. He sat on the couch in the living room and flipped on the TV. She sat down, and he smiled at her.

“I’m glad you’re here Lainey.” He said, opening his arms. She smiled and snuggled into them, still wondering to herself how she managed to get there.

Elijah sighed to himself as she curled into him. Her wild red hair tickled his nose but he loved it. All he had to do now was convince her to stay here in LA and things would be fine. He couldn’t go another 4 months without her. In fact, he couldn’t go another few hours without her. He chewed his fingernails thoughtfully as they watched the TV in silence. About a half an hour later, he could hear her even breathing. She had fallen asleep. He looked at the clock to see it was nearly eleven. He wasn’t anywhere near tired. In fact, his body was pumped full of energy. He had waited so long for her to come to Los Angeles, and here she was, asleep. He sighed in frustration and tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. The warmth from her body grew hotter against him as she slept in his arms. He swore softly. She looked so peaceful lying there that he was loathe to disturb her. He sat there for another few minutes, trying to decide whether or not to wake her up. She sighed contentedly in her sleep and shifted her body ever so slightly. He bit back a groan. Oh God…he couldn’t take it anymore…

“Lainey.” He said quietly. She heard him, but it was just too delicious to stay in the warmth of his arms.

“Lainey…” he said again, a little more urgently.

“Mmmhmmm?” she said, opening her eyes and yawning. She looked up at him. His eyes had gone a deep shade of cobalt and he was looking at her with a strange expression. Lainey came immediately awake.

He shifted on the couch and sat up. She sat up too, still watching him. He said nothing, but held out his hand. Her brows knit in confusion as she took his hand. He stood up and so did she. He turned and began walking out of the living room.

“Elijah, where are we going?” she laughed.

He stopped and put his finger to his lips. She looked back at him, completely confused. He began walking again, and she followed him. He walked up the stairs silently, and stopped in front of a door. He turned around and snaked his arms around her waist. Her heart dropped into her toes. He kissed her urgently. She returned the kiss hungrily, her fingers curling into his hair. Then she heard the door open. Suddenly the realization dawned on her what was going on. She pulled away from him and gulped nervously.

“Oh.” Was all she could say.

The door swung shut behind them.

~~~~

On the third day of her visit, she was sitting in the chair in the living room, pouring over the classifieds in the paper.

“Elijah, will you get me a pen?” she called to him in the kitchen.

“Why?” he said.

“Don’t ask me stupid questions, just do it!” she hollered back. A few minutes later, he came in the room. She looked up and nearly spilled her coffee all over the chair. He was bare chested and he was wearing his “devil” red boxers. He held the pen out to her.

“Your pen, Mistress.” He said, getting down on his hands and knees in front of her. His blue eyes flashed with mischief.

She snatched the pen away from him and giggled.

“Stop it, you’re getting me all hot and bothered, looking like that.”

“Then my evil plan is working.” He said, grinning wickedly.

“Your evil plan?” she said, trying to affect an air of boredom.

“My evil plan to make you stay.” He said, trailing his fingers up her arm, leaving goose bumps in their wake.

“Mmm hmmm.” She said, putting down the paper. “You’ll have to try harder than that.”

He leaned in and kissed her until she couldn’t breathe or think.

“Do I win?” he said, breaking the kiss and tickling her arm. She was still trying to regain her breath when he saw the newspaper. His eyes widened.

“That’s why you wanted the pen!” he said.

“Yes. I’m just looking…but…” she stammered.

“You’re staying?” he asked, all joking set aside.

“I might be.”

“You’re staying.” He said again, this time with finality.

“Maybe.” She said, raising her eyebrow.

“No. You’re staying.” He said.

“I said MAYBE, Elijah Jordan Wood!” She poked him with the pen.

“I have ways of making you stay…” he said, tickling her stomach.

She squealed and jumped out of the chair. She ran towards the kitchen with him hot on her heels. She screamed in laughter as he grabbed her. She managed to get away again.

“Let the tickle war begin!” she heard him shout.

“No!” she cried. She tried to run around the corner of the kitchen table but misjudged the distance. Her foot caught on a chair and she fell. He landed on top of her and began tickling her without mercy.

“No! Stop it!” she giggled, tears streaming down her face.

Elijah laughed and pinned her down with his legs. His hands grabbed her wrists before she could tickle him back. She squirmed underneath him, here eyes flashing.

“Are you staying? Say it or I won’t stop!”

“Ahhh!” she cried again, still trying to get away.

“I’m going to win, you know it, so just give in!!”

“No! Maybe! AUGH!”

Elijah stepped up the tickle war and pretty soon she was screaming for him to stop.

“Okay, okay! I’m staying!” She panted. He grinned.

“I knew I’d win.” He said, kissing her, his tongue claiming hers like a prize. Her eyes closed as she let his kiss travel from her mouth down to her neck. She shuddered as her body responded to him. Her fingers curled into his hair. She felt his leg slid up hers and her eyes flew open. He was grinning at her wickedly.

“Lij you’ve got to stop or we won’t make it to dinner on time…” she gasped. “Besides, I can’t even look at you right now without wanting to rip your clothes off…”

“Mmm…I was almost ready to let you go when you said that.” He said. Lainey sighed as his hands wandered down the side of her thigh.

“Lij…” she moaned. “Please…I want to make a good impression on your friends and…OH!” she cried as his hand came in contact with her chest.

“You’re making an impression on me…” she heard him say.

Lainey tried in vain to tell him to stop. Of course, she really didn’t want him to stop at all.

Elijah was enjoying himself far too much. He looked up at her to see that her eyes were squeezed shut and her breathing was coming in short little gasps. Her hair fell like a waterfall around her shoulders. She looked like a wild valkyrie from Nordic myths. His body was responding to the friction she was creating as she writhed beneath him. His hands roamed over her body and he wondered absently what the likelihood of them getting caught having sex right here was. His hand slipped underneath her shirt and heard her sharp intake of breath. He looked up at her again. She was staring at him, her green eyes full of surprise and desire.

“Right here?” she squeaked.

“Right here.” He said, moving up and kissing her again. She looked at the hallway that led to the front door.

“But what if your…Oh god…I don’t care either…” she said. He felt her hands slide down his stomach and he lost all ability to think.

A half an hour later they lay on the kitchen floor, giggling madly.

“We totally steamed up the patio door.” He said, pointing to it.

“Uh huh. And I think I have a permanent imprint of your linoleum tile on my ass.” She laughed.

“Oooh can I see?” he smirked. She slapped his hand away.

“Haven’t you seen enough of my naked body today?”

“Never!” he cried. She laughed and then sighed. She took his hand and curled her fingers around it and looked at him.

“I love you Elijah. But if you hurt me I’m going to unleash my wild Irish temper on you. And if that happens, believe me, you won’t survive, you got that?” she said.

Elijah looked down at her. He was surprised at the rush of emotion he felt. He kissed the tips of her fingers and smiled at her.

“Yes Mistress.”

~~~~

That night, after much fretting about her dress and how her hair seemed to have a will of it’s own, Lainey and Elijah arrived at the restaurant where they were having dinner with his friends.

They sat down and Elijah introduced her to everyone. To his left sat Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, and Sean Astin. To Lainey’s right sat Orlando Bloom. She couldn’t help but giggle convulsively when Elijah introduced her to him, something that Orlando hadn’t understood for the life of him. Lainey turned to him and smiled wickedly. She wound a red curl around her fingers and batted her eyelashes at him.

“So Orlando…I just have to tell you that I thought your performance was brilliant as Legolas.” She said. She felt Elijah’s hand tighten on hers.

“Thanks Lainey.” He said with his stunning British accent.

“Would you like to have coffee with me sometime? We can talk while Elijah throws daggers at your head.” She said sweetly. Orlando looked at her in shock.

“Excuse me?” he stammered.

At this, Billy, Sean and Dom burst out laughing. Elijah smacked himself in the forehead, rolling his eyes.

“So Lainey.” Billy said, winking at her. “We hear you’ve stolen Elwood’s heart from him.”

“No Billy, his heart is firmly intact.” She sighed. “It’s his mind that worries me.” Billy giggled.

“Ha ha. Very funny.” She heard Elijah say. But she couldn’t resist.

“Us too, Lainey.” Dom piped up. “We were wondering where he’s been for the past 3 days. Now we find he’s been with you!”

“Well, actually Dominic, I had him tied up in the bedroom for the past three days.”

“Jesus Lainey!” Elijah shouted, his face turning red.

Billy and Dom roared in laughter. Orlando shook his head in disbelief.

“So Lainey, has Elwood scared you with his little obsessive habits yet?” Sean teased, poking Elijah on the arm.

“Shut up Sean.” He said, shooting Sean a warning look.

“What do you mean?” she said curiously.

“Well, where do I begin…” Sean started. Elijah glared at him.

“I think you should start with the incessant smoking…” Orlando quipped.

“What?” Lainey said, looking back at Elijah in shock. He grinned weakly.

“Or what about the CD’s?” Billy said, pointing at him.

“Or the continuous nail biting?” Dom said.

“Shut up you guys!” Elijah shouted.

Everyone burst into laughter.

“I knew that you smoked, but incessantly?” Lainey said, frowning.

“Well, they’re cloves.” He said, blinking at her.

“Cloves.” She repeated. “As if that all of a sudden makes smoking okay?”

‘Well…yeah.” He said sheepishly.

“Mmmhmmm. And what about the CD’s? I saw you buy those 18 the other day…do you have more?”

“More?” Dom interrupted. “Try almost 1,000 or more.”

For the second time that night, she turned to Elijah in surprise. He seemed to shrink in his chair.

“I’m going to kill you guys.” She heard him mumble. She had never seen him so embarrassed, and the urge to make it worse filled her.

As if reading her mind, he looked up at her, his eyes pleading with her not to.

She looked back at his friends and smiled sweetly.

“Don’t pick on the poor man.” She said, patting his head gently. “That’s my job.”

“Yeah, that’s her job now. Leave me alone.” He said, sitting up straight again and smiling. His friends snickered.

“Besides, it’s so much fun to watch his face get red like that.” She said, taking a sip of her water. “It looks the same way when we’re having se…”

“Christ!” Elijah yelled, clamping his hand over her mouth.

The table erupted in laughter.

Lainey giggled, and leaned over to kiss Elijah on the cheek.

“You know I love you, and that I pick on you because I care.”

Elijah shook his head and took her face in his hands.

“You’re going to ‘care’ me into an early grave Lainey.”

“Ahh…but what fun we’ll have doing it…” she said, kissing him on the cheek.

“If I find you eyeing Orli again I’ll have to kill him.” He whispered in her ear.

“Don’t worry. I love you and only you.” she said, picking up her menu and perusing the items with an air of boredom. “I’ll just fantasize about Orlando on the side.”

“Heartless Bitch.”

“Cover Boy.”

The End.

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