Page 44 of The Movie Star and the Spy

“Walking to the limo and wondering if you knew this hallway was lined in mirrors. I know what you’re looking at.”

She flushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His grin was just slightly wicked. “It’s okay. I look at yours every chance I get.”

“Well, I look at yours, too,” she shot back. She spent the next few seconds searching for a way to reverse time. Failed. “Can we pretend I didn’t say that?”

“Sorry, I can’t forget it. It’s engraved in my memory forever.”

So was his ass. Somehow she managed not to admit it. “Why are we going to your limo?”

“We’re going to my limo because it’s time for our date. Don’t you remember?”

“Of course, I remember. I haven’t thought of anything els… I mean, it crossed my mind once or twice.”Or 4,235,332 times.“But I figured I’d go home first, take a few minutes–”Hours. “To freshen up. I’ll call you when I’m ready.”With my excuse.The dates may have been her idea, but she was seriously rethinkingthem. So why hadn’t she canceled them? She wouldn’t evaluate it.

“You can freshen up at my house. You can even take a nap if you want.”

She wasn’t getting anywhere near a bed with him in the vicinity, no matter how much she wanted to. “That won’t be necessary. Besides, won’t people see us leaving together? That’s why you planned to pick me up in the first place.”

“The shoot got out early, so I decided to meet you here. Don’t worry – we’re going out the back entrance, and my bodyguards will make sure it’s clear. Any other excuses?”

“Those aren’t–” she started to protest, then stopped. There was no use. “Okay, fine, no. Let’s just get this over with.”

“That’s the nicest thing a woman has ever said to me.”

She gave a low laugh. “I didn’t mean it like that. But you aren’t being honest either. It’s a classic case of wanting what you can’t have.” She kept pace alongside him. “I’m probably the only woman in the universe who isn’t spellbound by you.”

“So I only want you because I can’t have you? I appreciate your high estimation of my dating ability,” he teased. “Although there must be at least one other woman on Earth who doesn’t want to go out with me. You can’t be the only one.” He paused for a second. “No, you’re right. You’re the only one. There must be something wrong with you. Really wrong. Really, really, really–”

“Julian.”

“Yes, ma’am?” He grinned like a coyote.

“No funny stuff, all right?”

“There isn’t anything funny about what I have planned.”

What did he have planned? They reached the limo before she could ask, and she climbed in. He entered behind her and then…

They were alone.

Cheyenne toyed with her watch. She could do this. She was a professional trained to take down muscle-bound mentwice her size. She could spend the next couple of hours with a famous movie star and not romantically accost him. “What about the driver?” she whispered as the car smoothly glided away from the curb. As with everything associated with Julian, it epitomized luxury, with butter-soft seats, ambience lights and gilded highlights on varnished wood features. Road noises were muted, and a new car scent sweetened the air.

“Don’t worry about the driver.” Julian grasped a cut crystal goblet and filled it with an expensive brand of sparkling water. “In three years, he’s never revealed so much as my lunch to the press, much less a juicy scoop. I pay him well, and he’s very loyal.”

“That’s good.” She looked out the window, at the colorful windows passing by. Tried to stop thoughts of the man. Yet they came unbidden.Kissing? Check. Touching? Check. Tasting? Check, check, check.

He may be right about having herself fooled.

“There’ll be some tasting.”

She gasped. “Did I say that out loud?”

“Say what out loud?”

“Tasting?”

He narrowed his eyes. “No. Is that what you were thinking?”

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