Page 24 of Crossing the Line
Xavier didn’t like the flirty British tone or the look of the man who’d bent Waverly back in a dip deep enough she was in danger of falling out of her dress.
He wore the light gray suit sans tie and with the carelessness of someone who’d been born with his own tailor. His shirt, a pale blue check, was unbuttoned, giving him a rakish look. His frame was lean, and his grin was toothy. Subtly highlighted hair glinted gold under the lights. His Rolex was real, his tan was fake, and his resume was full of more than a dozen blockbuster films.
Waverly laughed as Dante Wrede, Hollywood’s most eligible leading man, righted her.
“My mother would be crushed if she heard you say that.”
“Then it will be our little secret,” he said, with a devilish wink before turning his attention to Xavier. Xavier returned the man’s once-over.
“Dante Wrede,” he said, extending a hand.
Xavier took it, gripped. “Xavier Saint.”
“Ah, Mr. Saint. I’ve heard good things about Invictus Security,” Dante said, returning the crushing grip.
A well-informed most eligible leading man.
“Glad to hear it,” Xavier said stoically.
“I believe you did some work for Roy Krasinski over at Metro Studios,” Dante said, finally relinquishing the handshake.
He had. It was a short-term assignment involving extortion and a kidnapping threat. It took Xavier little more than a week to identify the extortionist, Krasinski’s entitled stepson who wanted a bigger allowance. The matter had been solved privately and without police.
“Yes, we worked together briefly. How do you and Waverly know each other?”
Another toothy grin. “Everyone knows everyone in this town. But I had the good fortune to shoot a film with the lovely Ms. Sinner and fall madly in love with her while on location in Africa.”
Waverly laughed again. A real laugh. “You’re ridiculous, Dante.”
“It would have been a torrid love affair if she’d only given me the time of day,” he sighed dramatically. “Oh, well, I’ll just keep wearing you down until you agree to marry me.”
“And become the third Mrs. Wrede? Be still my heart,” Waverly said, fanning herself.
“Your casual handling of my feelings guts me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go lick my wounds at the bar and see if that lovely little redhead can heal my broken heart.”
He dropped a loud kiss on Waverly’s cheek and zeroed in on the woman in the short gold dress like a shark scenting fresh blood.
“Why the face?” Waverly teased Xavier as he watched Dante leave.
Xavier frowned. “I don’t like him.”
“He’s harmless,” Waverly laughed.
“Even golden retrievers have teeth.”
“If I didn’t know better,” Waverly said innocently. “I’d say you sounded jealous.”
“Jealous?” Xavier scoffed.
He wasn’t jealous. He just didn’t like that a man could put his hands all over her, and she’d smile up at him like he casually announced a cure for childhood cancer. That wasn’t jealous. That was… concern.
“I’d rather spend time with Geneva. She’s more straightforward about being an asshole,” Xavier muttered.
Waverly elbowed him in the gut. “Youarejealous!” She was gleeful now.
“I’m your security. Security doesn’t like it when people manhandle the women their guarding.”
“It was a hug.”
