Page 72 of A Cameo for a Cowgirl

Harrison laughed but didn’t deny it, his gaze still fixed on Cassie.

Okay, from that look of intensity, he did indeed still like her. She shivered, her fingers plucking at the lacework on her puffed sleeve.

“Ah, good. You’re both here.” Mal gestured them over to the vehicle that would take them to the creek. “Walk with me while I explain a few last-minute things.”

“Have fun today,” Ainsley murmured. “I’ll be praying for you.”

“Thanks. I’ll need it.”

“You’ll be fine,” Ainsley assured.

Harrison patted his horse again and joined her at Mal’s truck.

“So, I understand that you know the country here better than anyone, Cassie. But for this, we need your hair and make-up to stay in place as much as possible so it looks as it should on camera. So we’re gonna drive you over and that way you won’t get too messed up before we’re ready to shoot.”

“Fair enough.”

“Harrison, it’ll be the same for you. We need our hero to stay handsome for as long as possible.”

Cassie snuck a look at him. Sure enough, his gaze was fixed on her still, his smile looking like it was branded on.

“Any questions?” Mal asked.

She shook her head.

“No, sir,” Harrison said.

“Good. Well, let’s get going.”

Harrison opened the car’s back door to her, murmuring “You look beautiful.”

She smiled, and slid in, then he closed the door and hurried to the other side and got in the back too. Mal sat in front next to the driver, checking over notes as the driver took them closer to the creek, the site of today’s drama. She glanced down at Harrison’s hand, resting near hers, and wondered if he knew how nervous she was. And it wasn’t just nerves about a role she’d never done before, but also about how to manage being in such close proximity to him. Because while this was acting, there was also a degree of realness in wanting this man to actually be her hero.

Her finger inched closer, Harrison looked down from where he was reading his script, then looked at her. Again, she sank into the depths of his gaze, wondering if he remembered what he’d said last time, about letting her lead the way. Well, she wasn’t as forward as some. Putting her hand next to his was about as forward as she could be. Her finger fluttered, grazing his, and a frisson of anticipation shivered between them as he cocked a brow in a silent question.

She smiled a yes, he nodded, and his fingers wrapped around hers. Her breath hitched, and she glanced down. This time she didn’t pull away. This time she was glad to have him near. His hand held strength, and surety, and promise.

Mal glanced back, his eyebrows lifting as he saw their joined hands. He cleared his throat.

She tugged her hand away, but Harrison retained it.

“Hmm. I’d heard some rumors, but I was never really sure. Is there something I should know?” Mal asked.

“Not yet, sir. But I hope there might be soon.” Harrison glanced at her. “It depends on what Miss Cassie here says.”

Miss Cassie couldn’t speak to save herself, her throat was so dry. She leaned forward, snagged her water bottle from its holder in the door, and sucked down blessedly cool water.

“Well, I can see that Nathaniel will definitely have his work cut out in terms of providing believable chemistry with Abigail, so don’t go getting too hot and heavy today you two.”

Now her cheeks were blazing.

Harrison gently squeezed her hand, and smiled. “Last I remember that creek wasn’t too hot, so you won’t need to worry.”

How weird that she could wrangle a baby bull to the ground but this man made her feel weaker than one of Miranda’s newborn kittens. She could suddenly understand why romance fiction had so many women swooning. She’d always wondered what made a hero swoony. Now she knew. She was glad she was sitting down because her knees felt weak.

They arrived at the creek, and it wasn’t long before the horse trailers arrived with Ginger and Harrison’s horse. She’d been told there would be some shots taken of her riding along the ridge, and she was happy enough to start her acting career with that.

“Break a leg,” Harrison murmured, pressing his hands together in a praying motion, before she was whisked away by Mal.

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