Page 62 of When You Were Mine

“Well, everyone shows up in tuxes and gowns for a fancy dinner. Then, at eleven, they’ll change into swimsuits and go into the lake.”

“No wonder you haven’t sold out. I’ve done a lot of crazy things in my life?—”

“Like driving off-road and winding up in the mud flats?” It was barely noticeable, the way she leaned toward him like that.

But it stirred him down to his very soul.Here she is. All of her. Not the brittle, angry part—which he deserved—but the soft and warm parts. “Hey, I was a dumb kid. But yes, like that. Even I wouldn’t do a polar plunge in the Teton mountains in winter.”

And it felt fucking fantastic.

“Would you do it if the water was warmed by a natural hot spring?” She had a mischievous grin.

“Are you saying your resort has thermal features?”

“Yep. It took me years to convince the town to give me permits, but they did. And the springs flow into the lake, so the temperature’s bearable. But after, we’ll all sit in the specially designed hot tubs and watch our very own fireworks show.”

“That’s brilliant. Where can I buy tickets?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She moved onto a table of glassware. “We have a very strict dress code.”

“And what is that?” he asked, amused by the smile she was fighting.

“No kilts or combat boots.”

He burst out laughing. “I deserve that, I know. But I hope you believe me when I say it’s not my choice. I don’t get off on people shoving a selfie stick between my legs.”

“Then, why do you do it?”

He moved closer. “Can you keep a secret?”

“We don’t exactly move in the same circles, but sure, your secret’s safe with me.”

“You know how we thought the producers were newbies and didn’t know what they were doing? Turns out, they were extremely savvy.”

“Just cheap.”

He shrugged. “I think they were smart. They went with first-time actors who would take their offer, which meant they could put their money into production and marketing. But anyhow, as soon as the franchise took off, the media descended. None of us were prepared for it, and I had a son at that point, so they helped me broker a deal. In exchange for my privacy, I had to give the paparazzi something publishable.”

“I get that, but what about all the random people who happen to catch you drunkenly making out with your co-star in a pub or leaving a married woman’s home at four in the morning? You can’t have deals with everyone.”

What she really wanted to know was how debauched Hollywood had turned him, and he was glad for the opportunity. “You’re right. And there’s a foolproof solution for that.”

She waited for his answer, working hard to conceal her interest.

“If you don’t want to be caught doing bad things, don’t do them.”

“Oh, come on. You never did anything bad? Inthirtyyears?” She wanted to believe him.

He heard it in her voice. “I never did anything that would embarrass my son or my parents.” He hesitated on saying more but screw it. He was taking his shot with her.Balls to the wall.“And to be perfectly honest, I never wanted to give you a reason to turn me away.”

“Why would you even think like that? We weren’t in each other’s worlds at all.”

“I never gave up believing we’d find our way back to each other. It didn’t seem possible that I’d never see you again.”

She studied him for a moment. “You must’ve had a lot of temptations over the years.”

Good. Push me for answers. Because I’m ready. “I think we’re born with a bent, you know? You’ve either got a kink or addiction, or you don’t.”

“And you don’t?”

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