Forcing Gravity by Monica Alexander Page A

role. It’s pretty crazy. What movie are you guys doing together?”
    He shook his head. “You’re going to think it’s stupid.”
    Suddenly, the breeze blew just right , and I was met with the most amazing scent. Either it was his aftershave or his cologne or just him, but Jase Brady smelled incredible. I tried to breathe in the heavenly scent as inconspicuously as I could. I didn’t need him to know I was sniffing him from afar.
    “No , I won’t ,” I insisted, although I couldn’t guarantee it . Garrett had done some pretty dumb mo vies in his career .
    Jase took a deep breath. I could not believe how self-conscious he was. He was completely different from what I’d always assumed. I guess that’s what I go t for assuming.
    “It’s a horror movie about some college friends who rent a house for the summer, and it turns out to be possessed by demons .” He shook his head. “It’s stupid. I don’t know why I’m doing it, but my agent felt it would be a good way to show my range. I’ve done some pretty serious roles lately, so I think s he was afraid of me getting typecast. ”
    Oh, right, Vacation From Hell. Garrett had told me about that one, but he hadn’t mentioned who he was star r ing with. I figured that kind of movie would show Jase’s range, but I wasn’t sure I agreed with his agent that it was the right film for him , and I could tell he didn’t either. Horror movies seemed like the thing actors did when they were up and coming, not when they were bona fide movie stars.
    Watching the look on his face, I fought the urge to reach over and take his hand. I loved how humble he was. I hadn’t met a guy like him – ever. Most of the guys I knew who looked as good as him were assholes or players. The fact that he was so unaffected by his looks and his celebrity made Jase Brady that much more appealing. Then I remembered Ethan tell ing me how he hated him , and I wondered if I was missing something. I forced myself to keep my hand in my lap after that , looking for signs that might change my mind about Jase .
    “I’d go see that movie,” I offered, mostly because I’d end up seeing it anyway. I went to all of Garrett’s movies , no matter how bad they were . “Who do you play?”
    “The asshole the demons target because he’s a prick. They torture him and the girl he’s with, and he die s in the end .”
    I raised my eyebrows at him.
    “Sorry, I didn’t mean to give away the ending,” he said apologetically.
    “No, it’s fine,” I said, biting my lip to keep from laughing. It wasn’t exactly a gripping plotline. “Who does Garrett play?”
    “The science nerd who figures out how to fight back against the evil spirits and gets my girl after I kick it.”
    “ Oh, sorry about that .”
    He shrugged. “Eh, it’s fine. I like to think that since my character was killed by demons that he ends up becoming a saint in the afterlife, so things end up okay for him.”
    I stifled a laugh. “Good for him,” I said, humoring Jase’s sense of imagination. It was cute.
    “For the record, I’m doing a Vietnam War biopic next, so I actually can act,” he clarified. “You might not be able to tell from this next film, but trust me, I can.”
    Okay, so I was totally back to wanting to hold his hand aga in. He was so adorable and self- deprecating, but in a really cute way.
    “Personally, I liked you in Radio Riot ,” I said, referencing the movie he’d starred in earlier in the year. It was more of a cult movie about a radio show in L.A., but his character had been this brooding, deep, intros pective deejay who you couldn’t help but fall in love with. Jase’s depth was apparent in that film, and there was Oscar buzz already that he might be up for Best Supporting Actor. “Based on that, I’d say your acting talents are not in question.”
    His green ey es sparkled at my compliment. “So you do know who I am.”
    I shrugged. “Sure. You’re kind of a big celebrity in case you