Page 26 of The Movie Star and the Spy

Right in front of her.

Oh hell.

“Hello,” he rumbled.

Everyone looked at them. Pointing, Considering.Wondering.

What. Was. He. Doing?

She donned a plastic smile, fought for control. A difficult task when she longed to feel just how smooth that costume was. She knew exactly where she’d start. “Jul… Mr. Starcroft. So good to see you.”

“You too,” he purred. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Destiny Dane, my new personal assistant.

Appropriate responses to the sudden assertion she was his personal assistant:

Yell, “hell no” (and kiss him)

Display an inappropriate gesture (and kiss him)

Arrest him (and kiss him)

Inappropriate responses to the sudden assertion she was his personal assistant:

Gawk, break character and exclaim, “Say what?”

Yeah, she did the last one.

It was an ambush, plain and simple. Just like when she’d walked into that weapon smuggler’s house two years ago, only slightly more volatile and far more dangerous.

“That’s right.” His drawl was as satisfied as a lion in a steakhouse. “While we were practicing our scene, I saw her potential. I don’t usually employ a personal assistant, but I just had to make an exception when she begged for the job.”

That little–”

“It took a while for her to convince me, of course. She just made her devotion so clear, her willingness to do whatever it took to fulfill the role.” He winked. “Anything to add, Destiny?”

Cheyenne opened her mouth.

“No? Good. We’d better get going. Destiny has to get properly attired and all.”

Armed robbery. Double parking. Littering. There had to be something she could arrest him for. Wait. Had he said properly attired?

He waved to the crowd, and even though time was tight, spent a few minutes signing autographs and taking pictures. She stood to the side and mentally listed the prisons she could send him to. She was debating between Alcatraz and Devil’s Island (ignoring that both had been closed for over fifty years), when he waved goodbye to the fans. “We should go, or we’ll miss our panel. Bye, everyone.” A strong hand gripped hers, firm and possessive. It took all her professionally trained strength to stop from pulling away and creating a scene as he led her away.

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