Four (Josh)

The lights of Downtown Chicago glittered outside my window as Devina expertly navigated the city streets. She pulled up to a Best Western and killed the engine. Silently, we got out of the SUV and went inside.

“Reservation for Friedmann,” Devina said in her smooth, accented voice.

The woman behind the counter typed on her keyboard then said, “Okay, Miss Friedmann. Need your photo ID, and have a credit card ready, please.”

I reached for my wallet and pulled out my credit card. Devina looked at it weirdly as I proffered it to her.

“I’m paying,” she said, looking up at me.

“Let me,” I offered.

“No. This vacation is on me, remember?”

Oh, right. Our vacation.  Actually, we hadn’t talked about this.

“I know, but I feel guilty,” I said.

“I greatly appreciate your chivalry, honey, but can we discuss this later?”

She put an odd emphasis on the word “honey” and it made me realize I wasn’t going to win. I put my AmEx back in my wallet.

The woman behind the counter was looking at us skeptically. Oh, shoot. Was I blowing our cover?

Devina put her own AmEx on the counter. The woman took it and went back to her computer.

I shimmied over to stand closer to Devina so I could put my arm around her waist, and whisper in her ear.

“Why won’t you let me pay? I really do feel guilty.”

She turned so she could whisper back.

“Because I’m not paying either. Corporate credit card,” she said slowly.

“Oh.”

Our faces were only inches apart. Being this close I could see just how clear and green her eyes were. They reminded me of the countryside back home in Kentucky.

She smelled of vanilla and amber, a combination I found I liked very much. I wondered if I should kiss her to make our cover more believable. She would kill me. But at the same time I wanted to.

“Ahem.”

We both turned to the woman at the desk.

“Sign here, please, Miss Friedmann,” she said, pointing to an “X” with her pen.

Devina took the pen and signed her name with a flourish.

“You’ll be in room 457. Have a great stay.”

“Thank you,” we said in unison.

We turned away and headed toward the elevator. I was surprised Devina didn’t say anything about my arm still around her waist.

“What is that American phrase?” Devina wondered aloud. “’Jinx, you owe me a Coke.’”

I laughed.

“I haven’t heard that one in a loooong time.”

“A little girl I used to babysit in DC taught it to me.”

“Aww that’s cute.”

“Speaking of owing… If you really want to pay for something, you can order me room service for carting your a*s to Chicago.”

“Of course, honey.”

She looked at me in surprise as we waited for the elevator.

“Really?”

“Yeah, of course! I’ll get you anything you want while we’re stuck together. It’s the least I can do for you.”

“Josh, you don’t have to do that. I �"“

“No, really. Maybe it will ease my conscience that’s on guilt overload.”

Devina bit her lip and looked down at the floor. We stepped onto the elevator and she hit the 4 button. The doors closed and we started to rise.

“Get your hand off me!” Devina whined as she swatted my hand away.

That bruised my ego just a bit.

“You’re my girlfriend. I can do whatever I want,” I countered.

Her eyebrows rose.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard what I said.”

The elevator doors opened and we stepped onto our floor.

“I’m not sure you can do whatever you want,” Devina said.

“Okay. Let’s set some boundaries,” I replied.

“I don’t like how close you were to me back there. I thought you were going to kiss me.”

“I thought about it.”

“I would have smacked you.”

“And you would have blown our cover.”

“I wouldn’t have hit you in front of her.”

I chuckled as she opened the door to our room.

“You would have liked it,” I accused.

“No I wouldn’t have!” she protested.

I just smiled as I followed her inside.

“No kissing. Alright, the cheek would be fine. Or forehead,” she said.

“I can handle that,” I agreed.

We set our bags down and turned to the king-sized bed that lay waiting for us. I looked over at Devina. Her face clearly communicated that she thought the bed might eat the skin off her body if she dared to lay on it.

I dove onto the bed and turned back to her, holding out my arms.

“Come cuddle with me, poopsie,” I said in a sickly-sweet tone.

Devina dramatically rolled her eyes and headed to the bathroom.

“Order that room service, Superstar,” she said and shut the bathroom door with a bang.

Fifteen minutes later, we were sitting on the bed, eating chicken tenders and selections from a fruit tray.  

Devina sat across from me, dressed in a Kelly green tank top that matched her eyes, a pair of calf-length leggings, and her hair piled on top of her head.

We hadn’t said much, but I could tell by the distant look in her eyes that Devina wanted to talk about something.

“Joshua,” she finally said, using my full first name. I found I didn’t mind.

“Yes, Devina?” I asked.

“When I was briefed this morning… they didn’t go into much detail about why you’re in this situation. All they said was some other actor was jealous of you,” Devina said.

I didn’t say anything so she continued.

“And as your… guardian, I guess I’d like to know the story so I know what I’m dealing with.”

So here was Rule #1: I must be completely honest with Devina at all times.

I took a drink of my soda as I thought of where to start.

“There’s a, um… There’s this guy, Gavin Foster… He also auditioned for The Hunger Games. Apparently he really wanted the role of Peeta. Well, I got it, and he’s felt snubbed by me ever since,” I explained.

Devina looked at me in disbelief.

“Well that’s ridiculous. You were clearly the best option,” she said and popped a grape into her mouth.

I shrugged.

“He’s been threatening me ever since. It comes in waves, mostly when we were doing promotional appearances. He’d show up at premieres, follow me around LA, threaten Jen and Liam…” I trailed.

“Why are you just now doing something?!” Devina shrieked.

“I had a lot of security around when we did appearances. But now that’s all over and I’m back home in Kentucky, I’m pretty defenseless. And vulnerable.  And he’s taking advantage of that.”

“Wow. You should have called me sooner.”

I smiled sadly.

“I wouldn’t have been sent to you. Were you even in the States four years ago?”

“No. I was back home in Germany. Still quite a rookie in the BND.”

“BND?”

“Bundesnachrichtensdienst.”

“Oh, wow.  Forget I asked.”

Devina giggled.

“It’s like the German CIA.”

“Gotcha.”

Devina smiled at me and my heart skipped a beat. Her beauty was breathtaking. Thomas was right; I was very lucky to get to pretend this beautiful woman was my girlfriend.

She cleared our dishes and wheeled the room service cart outside. As she did, I undressed so I was just in my boxers.

When Devina returned she halted at the sight of me. It felt good to have her look me up and down.

We just stared at each other for a long moment. Devina broke eye contact and looked at the bed. I knew what she was thinking. Sitting on a bed with me was different than sleeping in a bed with me.

“I’ll call down for a cot,” I offered.

“Don’t be absurd,” Devina said.

With a loud exhale through her nose, she climbed into the bed. She looked over at me once she was settled.

“Well, come on then! Get it over with,” she said.

I couldn’t help smiling at her. I climbed in next to her.

“Don’t touch me,” she said quickly, before I was even fully in the bed.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I replied.

“Oh PLEASE! Don’t insult me.”

“So demanding.” I changed my voice to mimic her. “’Don’t touch me. Don’t insult me. Don’t kiss me.’”

She looked at me in assessment for a moment then turned over to face the wall.

“You don’t sound anything like me.”

“Oh, don’t I?”

“Just shut up and turn out the light. Some of us drove all day.”

“Goodnight, honey.”

“I will castrate you in your sleep.”

I chuckled and reached over to turn out the light.