% CHAPTER 37 %

Bret smiles as he makes his way to the couch to sit next to me. I return the smile. I can't wait for his arms to wrap around me and engulf me in his warmth. His touch brings a nice, peaceful feeling these days.

"So no more Amanda?" I ask.

"No more Amanda," he assures.

I chuckle. "How'd you manage to get rid of her?"

"She was actually the one to break the bond."

My eyes widen."Wow how kind of her," I say, the sarcasm about as thick as syrup.

"But enough about her. It's time for us now."

I prepare myself for Bret's touch. The things his arousal can do is just amazing. He wraps his arms around my waist while I knot my hands in his hair and we kiss as if there was nothing else to live for. Feeling him bite my bottom lip, I instantly respond by opening my mouth.

A loud gasp is heard from the front of the living room. I open my eyes and force my hands against Bret's chest, pushing him away to see the commotion. There stands Gwen with her mouth ajar in shock. "Um I-I'll just go now. I...left my house keys here and....IjustwantedtogetthemIamsosorryIinterruptedsomethingIhadnoidea!" She huffs it all out it one breath.

My face burns red of embarrassment. Who knows what is running through her head at the moment?! I mean, she thinks Bret and I are cousins! The thought makes my cheeks burn even hotter. Oh my gosh! She probably won't ever talk to us again! She probably thinks I'm sooo gross omg! Please Gwen! Let me explain! Ahhhh! I look over at Bret. What are we supposed to do now? Grab her and take her to a secret spy agency to have her memory erased?! I'm about to get up. Let me call them up... Bret calmly walks towards her and leads her to the couch.

"It's okay. I understand, but I don't think you should leave until you hear the full explanation."

"I thought we were gonna wait until the beach!" I squeak out.

"I think its sorta pointless now Taylor," Bret says, rolling his eyes. He turns back to Gwen. "How'd you get in anyway?"

"The door was still open."

"Oh," Bret and I say simultaneously.

"Well you see," Bret starts out.

"Him and I aren't cousins!" I blurt. "We were lying to you guys I am so sorry we were going to tell you everything at the beach, because we really trust you guys and when we become famous, we know you guys aren't the kind of people to go out and stalk us..." I laugh nervously.

Gwen stares at the floor for a few moments before looking up at me with a look that makes me feel so guilty. "Why would you two pretend to be cousins?"

"We're starring in a movie, Taylor and I. I didn't want to make anything look suspicious that we were living in the same house."

Oh thank god Bret is acting to calm because I am freaking out! I feel like she still doesn't believe us. I mean cousins kiss cousins all the time! Well actually no they don't, but it has happened before! So what would stop us? Oh my gosh, she doesn't believe us. She's going to turn us to the FBI and then we are going to get slaughtered and they will cover up our deaths! Don't do it Gwen! Don't turn us in!

"You could've said you were childhood best friends or something and your parents were gone for a while."

I chuckle nervously. "We're good actors, but we're not that good. I would not have been able to contain my distaste for Bret for a full 8 hours or more at the beginning of all of this."

Gwen seems to think all of this over. Do the right thing Gwen! Okay seriously? I need to pretend like I'm at least half normal. We are not in some action movie...although Bret and I are actually starting in a movie. There I go again! I really need to stop. Gwen's eyes stay fixed on the floor.

"Wait, so you two are starring in a film together...why are you going to public school?"

"Our tutor got sick so we needed to go somewhere for education."

"Well...this is unexpected," Gwen says. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of this. And you wanted to present that to all of the people in our group at the beach?"

Bret and I nod. "We were hoping," I reply as I chew on my bottom lip.

"This is a bit much to take in. It's not going to work. The only reason I'm believing you two now is because I saw you on...the couch."

My cheeks heat up again. "About that..."

"Don't worry about it," Gwen chirps. "It's over and done with. So no one else knows?"

"Only Whit because she's been my friend since kinder and knew me before all this movie stuff, but we trust you all enough. Besides, the movie is coming out next year. They're bound to make the previews soon."

"What about the school? Everyone knows you two, as cousins. It's going to be hard to convince the entire school you aren't."

"We thought we could ask the principal to make an announcement or something."

Gwen shakes her head and tuts at me. "That's the worst plan ever."

"Well we aren't all as smart as you," I grumble.

Gwen begins to blush and she clears her throat consistently. "The plan just needs a little bit of work."

"What do you suggest we do Mrs. Know-It-All??"

The blush spreads further throughout her cheeks. "Well we could try dropping hints before, you know, show a little at a time, step by step. If we go with your plan, it would be like dropping off a kangaroo at their doorstep."

"So now you're suggesting to just not do our plan at all," Bret says.

"No that's not it! Just don't tell them everything together. First, tell them you're actors. I suggest you do it at the lunch table."

"Won't that trigger everything else, though?" I question.

"Not necessarily. If you know how to say it right, you should be just fine."

"Oh, well I guess we could get Derek to write a script or a few choice words?" Bret turns to me. "Babe what do you say?"

I shake my head. "We have got to figure this out on our own. Derek definitely doesn't need to be writing something like this for us, especially since he was the one who told us not to tell anybody."

He shrugs. "I guess you have a point there."

Gwen's face lights up."Wow I've never seen you two agree so easily to something!"

I shrug. "Well he is going to have to make sacrifices for someone like me."

Bret rolled his eyes playfully. Just then his phone rings. He picks it up. "Hello?...Oh hey Derek!" A frown embeds into Bret's face. "No scenes today?...Okay yeah sure I'll tell Taylor."

A glint of mischief passes through his eyes. "Looks like its you and me alone tonight my dear."

"Should I be worried?"

"No you should be one hundred percent grateful."

If he wasn't so sexy I would have slapped him. My head lifts with pride. "Don't be saying things like that. I don't want you to think I'm leading you on."

"Oh but you are."

"I'll just go," Gwen mutters uncomfortably.

"No Gwen don't leave me here to die!"

"A lot of things may happen tonight," she starts, "but dying isn't one of them. Adios!"

She walks out of the house. Then a banging on the window starts. Bret lifts the curtains to reveal our sweet little Gwen. "And lock the door!" She makes a little turning lock signal.

I laugh and go to the door, locking it tight before going back to the window and giving her a big thumbs up. I am so glad she has decided to listen and help out. I knew she would come around! I never doubted her for a second! Gwen trots to her car and leaves.