A/N: I'm sorry this has taken waaaay longer than it should have, but I'm currently working overnights as a news producer and it has taken quite the toll on my living schedule/energy. But the good news: there's only two more parts for me to write/post, so this will soon be marked completed! Thanks for all of your patience, and I hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 36

I don't know how long we stood there like that, holding on to each other as if our lives depended on it. I was pretty sure Sophia started sniffling at one point like she was crying or trying not to cry, but I was too scared to move and check. I didn't want to ruin the moment by giving her a chance to rethink her instinctive need to reach out to me when she saw me.

Instead, I ran a hand through her hair and placed my chin on top of her head in a way I hoped was comforting if she was still upset. "Your hair's wet," I said.

"That's what happens when you take a shower."

I suppressed the impulse to roll my eyes. Leave it to her to end our nice moment with sarcasm. But to be honest, I expected - and wanted - nothing less from her. "Are you trying to tell me I need to take one?"

She laughed and shook her head, finally letting go of me, much to my dismay. "No. Do you want to come inside?"

My spirits shot back up when I realized she'd stepped back to let me inside. "I think this is the first time you've asked me that question," I said with a grin.

"I think this is the first time you've given me the chance to ask that question."

I would've retaliated with something witty - or attempted to retaliate with something witty, anyway - if it weren't for the fact that that was likely true.

She took a few steps back, giving me room to walk in. She shut the door behind us, nervously twiddling with her thumbs. I'd never been a "guest" in her apartment before - at least not one who had been invited.

I didn't know how to ease the tension, so I did the only thing that came to mind. I made myself right at home. I headed straight to the fridge, suddenly realizing I was thirsty and starving, but also realizing I was too nervous to eat at that moment and a drink would have to do for the time being. I grabbed a can of Pepsi and drank it all in one go, crushing the can with my hand when I was done. I threw it towards the garbage, praying to God I landed it in the can so she wouldn't judge me, and thanking him when I did.

When I looked over at her, she was staring at me like I'd done something weird. "Did you want one or something?" I asked.

Pressing her lips together, she said, "Nope."

I shrugged and walked back into the living room, surveying it as curiously as I had the last time I was here. I think I had called it cozy or homey before, and it was. But maybe that was just because it was Sophia's apartment, and she was starting to feel like home to me.

I stopped to look at the pictures she and Tori had hanging in the living room. I hadn't noticed them before. If I had, I would've realized I'd made it onto their wall of fame. To my surprise, Tori had framed the picture I took with her and Blake. I guess she hadn't destroyed it in a fit of rage when she was mad at me. I couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"What happened over there?" Sophia asked, breaking my train of thought.

I glanced back at her. "My flight got delayed by a few hours because of the weather. There was a power outage since it was pretty bad, but that was it. The airplane didn't have Wi-Fi, either, so I didn't realize the story had gotten so twisted until I was already home. I guess that's just the price of fame."

"Yeah, I guess so." She paused for what seemed like eternity before continuing. "I was scared, Chris. Part of me knew it was too crazy to be true, but the other part of me was scared. I... I was scared I'd never see you again. I was scared I'd missed my chance to tell you how I felt."

I was sure the shock was written all over my face when I said, "What?"

Her eyes widened like she was a deer in the headlights, and the color left her face. "...Oh, would you look at that? My phone's vibrating. It must be Tori," she said, scrambling to get her phone out of the pocket of her sweatpants.

I pushed aside the wave of shock that was rolling over me and quickly walked over to her. Maybe I was going crazy. Or maybe I had heard her right and she just admitted she might have feelings for me, too. "Wait. Not so fast."

"Did you hear that?" she asked. "I think I heard someone knock. I should go see who it is."

I felt my lips twitching up into a smile. "There's no one at the door." I grabbed her phone out of her hands so she couldn't use it as an excuse anymore, ignoring her protests. "No, no distractions. I want to hear what you have to say - uninterrupted. It's your turn."

I had already poured my heart out to her in the most embarrassing way possible. The least she could do was expand on what she'd just said. I couldn't walk out of here not knowing just how far those feelings she had for me went. I'd go crazy overthinking it, convincing myself I'd heard wrong to lessen the sting of rejection.

After a long pause - that I was sure consisted of a lot of internal debate - she said, "I care about you, okay?"

I felt that same twitch as my lips turned upwards. I wasn't very good at hiding my feelings when it came to her. So much for being a good actor.

When she realized I wasn't going to say anything more until she did, she took a deep breath and continued. "I took you for granted. I got used to talking to you and being with you every day on set, and for four hours today, I thought I'd lost that. I thought I'd lost you. When Kidnap My Heart ends, I don't want us to go our separate ways. I don't want us to be those costars who say they'll keep in touch but never do - not until they end up on the same project again. I don't want whatever this is to end. But if you're not serious about this and it was all about the thrill of the chase, I'll walk away. I can do it. I don't want to - but you don't get to break my heart twice."

"Sophia, I don't know how else to show you I'm serious about this - that I'm serious about you," I said. "Do you want me to cry? Because I'll cry. I'll grovel again. I'll leave you a thousand voicemails. I'll send you ten thousand corny texts. I'll do anything. But it won't mean anything if you don't give me a chance to prove myself."

"It just doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't?"

"None of this makes sense." She ran a hand through her hair. "Chris, you date models and famous actresses and beautiful, blond country singers. Meanwhile, I'm just the girl you used to make fun of when we were kids." She sighed. "Sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up again. It just really doesn't make sense. Like, okay, it's not like you'd need to put a bag over my head during sex or anything, but I'm no Cassie Lovett. And I'd say I make up for that with my stunning personality, but I'm not even a nice person. I'm annoying, I have no consideration for other people, no filter, and I'm a closed book. I just... I don't understand why you're even standing here right now."

As much as I wanted to focus on the part where she'd alluded to us having sex again, she was being serious about this and we had bigger fish to fry. "Trust me. The fact that you're nothing like Cassie Lovett is a good thing. You don't see yourself the way I do, Soph. You don't see what I see. Sure, you're not always nice to me, but I know you're a good person. I just haven't gotten to see that side of you yet because I haven't deserved it. You're beautiful. You're clever, you're funny, and you keep me on my toes. You're just... everything I need, and everything I never knew I needed." I paused and couldn't stop myself from adding, "And the only way we'd use paper bags during sex is if it's a kink of yours and you're into that. I can roll with the punches."

She laughed. "Yeah, uh, paper bags aren't really my thing."

"Okay, good." Because it would've been a damn shame to deprive myself of a face like that and all of the facial expressions that came with being that intimate. I could feel myself getting excited and quickly shifted my thoughts away from the bedroom and oh, God, think of dead puppies, think of dead puppies, think of dead puppies.

When I was confident I wasn't about to sport an unwanted boner, I said, "Don't fight this. Give it a chance." Not you, little guy. I mean, big guy. Damn it - settle down.

Before I even knew what was happening - before I even stopped arguing with myself - she moved closer, pulling at my shirt to bring me to her level. The difference in our heights complicated things a little, but all those complications faded from my mind when she pressed her lips onto mine. This may not have been our first kiss, but it was the first one that really meant something. It was the first one she'd ever initiated without a script in front of her.

When we both finally pulled away, I pressed my forehead against hers. "Whoa."

She laughed, closing her eyes. "Same. Okay, I have a confession."'

"What's that?"

"I don't actually think you kiss like a dog. Or a toilet. Or whatever else I compared you to behind your back. And probably to your face at some point."

I suppressed the urge to pop my collar and settled for a smirk. I didn't know why that was my first instinct when I was feeling smug. I wasn't even wearing a collar. Did people even pop their collars anymore? Did they ever do it in the first place? Where did I even get that from?

"I know," I said. "You wouldn't have kissed me like that if you didn't like it."

"You never know. I could've just been trying to pick up your slack."

"Y'know what? You're right. I need more practice," I said, already leaning back down to kiss her again. And for the first time, I wasn't worried I'd get decked in the face or jewels for doing it.