The Celebrity Copycat - A Heartthrob Tale

Chapter 26

Chapter 26:

Day 5

Mikayla didn't know how she managed to fall asleep the previous night. But she woke up with the bright light of the sun already shining through the window. Her muscles were screaming. Attempting to swim across a lake. What had she been thinking?

She hadn't been thinking. That was the problem. If Jackson hadn't come and scooped her out of the water she'd be dead right now.

In her mind she thought if she just walked he would catch her immediately. And maybe he would have. But at least it was a better plan than swimming across a massive lake.

The bedroom door opened and Jackson came in with a tray of food. She looked up at him and felt the heat rush to her cheeks.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

She pulled herself up and said, "Fine I guess."

"That's good. You should eat up. We've got a long day ahead of us." He put the tray on her lap.

A long day. Wasn't he going to punish her for trying to escape?

Mikayla looked down at the food then back at him. She was so confused.

"Aren't you upset with me?"

Jackson sighed and sat down next to her. "Mina, I almost lost you yesterday. I couldn't live with myself if you died."

"You only saved my life because you stole it to begin with," she whispered.

"Look, Mina, I know you're not happy with me. But I can give you the world if you let me."

Mikayla felt another blush cross her cheeks. She looked up at him and for the first time she realized how attractive he was. His muscular frame used to be intimidating to her. But now. Now. She was feeling something else.

No. She couldn't let herself think that way. This was just a reaction from him saving her. It was a plot in dozens of TV shows. Guy saves girl and girl falls in love with him.

"So are you not mad at me?"

"No." He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, his hand gliding to her chin, and she braced herself for the incoming kiss. For some reason she didn't pull back or wince. He then breathed out, "Please eat. Then we can go out."

She ate her food while Jackson played with her hair.

"Mina, do you mind if I ask you a question?" asked Jackson.

"I mean, that already was a question."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Why did you try to swim across the lake?"

"I don't know. I wasn't thinking straight. I didn't think the lake was nearly as big as it turned out to be. And I just . . . I don't know. I just thought I could do it."

Jackson was quiet for a long time. Then out of no where he said, "I just noticed you have freckles on your cheeks." He trailed his fingers along her cheek, crossing the bridge of her nose to the other cheek.

He was so close. She didn't know what came over, but she leaned in and kissed him. Mikayla would think about that moment a lot in the weeks to come. It was the moment that Jackson Danvers changed in her eyes.

He was a broken man who'd hurt her so much. But he was also a man who understood the world she came from because he lived it. And maybe she was just as broken.

She lost herself in his arms. They had plans to go out. But they didn't. She stayed in and she got to know him for who he was, however much of a broken mess he was.