Chapter Seven

“I can tell you fucked her. You know that, right?” Big Tag’s eyes narrowed as he walked into the apartment bright and early the next day. “I could tell from all the way across the city.”

West frowned. “Hey, keep it down. She’s determined to take the rap for this, and I’m not going to let you make her uncomfortable. I take it you found something. You know you could have sent Wade over.”

He wasn’t used to the big boss showing up at his condo early in the morning. He was actually surprised Big Tag knew where he lived.

“I wanted to make sure your place is secure.” Big Tag glanced around. “This is nice. What’s your brother’s boyfriend’s name? Martin? He’s got good taste.”

“He does. When Rand and I first moved in, we had two lounge chairs and used paper plates every night.” Now that he thought about it, he was really glad Martin had insisted on “doing” his bedroom, or he would have been forced to leave Ally in a room with a mattress on the floor and a dresser someone had left behind.

She was still snuggled down sleeping. He intended to let her rest until they absolutely had to go. He had her full schedule for the day, but there was nothing that was more important than her health.

Which was precisely why he’d forced himself to get out of bed. If he’d stayed, he would have been on top of her again. That little taste he’d had wasn’t even close to enough, and he’d spent much of the morning wondering if even a lifetime would be enough.

He had some serious thinking to do.

His brother’s bedroom door came open, and the man they were talking about strode out still wearing his pajama bottoms and a robe that looked like it could have come straight out of the fifties. “Morning, all. Please tell me our Hollywood princess is still here. I want to win her over with my world-famous lemon crêpes.”

West snorted because now he knew why Big Tag was here. “I think you better make a lot. This is my…”

“Master Ian.” Martin stood up a little taller. “Good morning, Sir. Are you here with an update on our girl? Can I get you some coffee?”

Of course Martin knew Ian. Probably better than West did. Rand and Martin played regularly at Sanctum. Rand was far more invested in the lifestyle than he was.

Though the thought of Ally tied up and naked, waiting for him, did something for him.

“I would appreciate that, Martin. Thank you and, yes, I’ve got an update.” Ian moved to the kitchen table. “And I would not mind a couple of those crêpes. Charlie was busy this morning, so she shoved a box of cereal my way. Luckily, I had this errand to run.”

Yes, Big Tag always knew where to get the best lemony treats, and he would work to get them.

“You two sit down, and I will get things started,” Martin announced.

Big Tag took a seat at the small dining room table. “I’m looking forward to that wedding. Martin won’t disappoint when it comes to dinner. Unlike my nephew. The kid has a celebrated chef for a stepdad and he served corn dogs at his wedding because he thought it would be whimsical. You know what’s whimsical? A nice rib eye.”

The boss was definitely a carnivore. “I do believe they’re talking about a surf and turf menu. Did you get in touch with the lieutenant?”

“I did. She called me last night to go over what she’s found out. The package was delivered via courier. It arrived at the hotel around noon, and a bellman delivered it to Ms. Pearson’s room. I’ve already contacted the courier service, and it will not surprise you to know that the delivery was paid for with cash.”

Of course it was. “There would still be paperwork.”

“And I have a copy.” Big Tag slid a file folder his way. “It’s all in there, and every bit of information is fake.”

It might still tell him something. “I’m going to assume you checked the security cameras around the courier office.”

“Yes, and all I’ve got is a nondescript male in a ball cap who never glances up or takes off his sunglasses. Adam’s already looked at it,” Big Tag began. “He’ll go into more detail today, but he says the person presents as male and appears to be roughly five foot eight and between one hundred and seventy and one ninety. It’s hard to tell because of the jacket.”

“So it could be JK Harris.” That fit the rough description. He stared at the photo for a moment. If it was JK, then the man knew how to hide his distinguishing features. “Where was this?”

“Right here in Dallas,” Big Tag said, his voice going grim. “The courier office is three blocks from the studio. And the great news is we lost track of JK Harris. Or rather we never had it. We know he was at his apartment in LA the night Ally’s home was vandalized. LAPD contacted him. According to them, his very excellent alibi was he was home alone binging Game of Thrones for the third time.”

“Do we have any idea when he left? And can we trace his cell?” West asked.

“His cell is in LA. From what we can tell, he is not. The last thing he purchased on his credit card was a burner phone.” Big Tag seemed completely devoid of any good news.

“So he’s in the wind.”

“I’m worried the wind brought him right here.” Big Tag sat back.

There was another problem to be dealt with. “Did you find out anything on the tracker someone placed on my car?”

“The GPS was easy to trace back to a large purchase from a mega corporation,” Tag said with a grim look on his face.

West could guess what came next. “We have no idea which subsidiary we’re talking about, do we?”

“It’s got fifty different companies under its umbrella,” Tag affirmed. “It’s going to take a while to figure out which one we’re looking at. The good news is a couple of them have entertainment arms. But this could take weeks not days, and there’s no certainty we’ll be able to legally tie anyone to that GPS.”

So everything was moving at a snail’s pace. “All right. Is there anything else you want me to do?”

Big Tag stared at him like he was trying to decide how to handle him. “Look, I know I was hard on you yesterday.”

West shook his head. “I let a photographer follow us. I didn’t check my vehicle. It won’t happen again.”

“West, this isn’t instinctive for you, and you haven’t been doing it long enough that it’s engrained. If this gets worse…”

A bit of uncertainty started to creep in. The boss was right. There were guards with far more experience. “Then Tessa can take the lead, but I’m not leaving Ally. I’ll stay by her even if you fire me.”

“Her stepfather wants me to.”

There wasn’t a lot he could do about that. He’d thought the scenarios through, and he was comfortable with any decision Big Tag wanted to make. “I screwed up. If it makes your life easier to fire me, you should do it.”

Big Tag sighed. “I told Gavin Jacks that if he wanted to do my job, he should start his own company. I offered for him to find another security group, but that wouldn’t solve his problem. You would still be right there. If it helps, he called me back this morning and apologized. I suspect you’ll get a hearty ‘don’t hurt my daughter’ lecture, but otherwise they seemed to be supporting her.”

“I’m glad because she deserves it.” At least they had the bad part out of the way. “I think she should be safe here. The building is gated, and you need a security code to get the elevator to work. I’ve already told the front office to hold any packages any of us receive down in delivery. I’ll check each and every one. I have a meeting with the head of studio security, and I’ll go over all of this with him.”

Big Tag nodded as though this was exactly what he’d expected. “All of this is very by the book.”

“Am I missing something?” There was a weird air around his boss. Like he knew something West didn’t.

“Yes. You accepted the whole job loss possibility with relative ease.”

Had the boss expected him to throw a fit or something? “I know I screwed up.”

Big Tag’s eyes rolled. “Some of my employees have literally almost caused World War Three and I didn’t fire them. All I’m saying is this might not be your passion and time is wasting. I know it seems like life is long but, brother, it goes by in such a flash. You did the right thing. You came to Dallas so your brother wouldn’t be alone. He’s good now. He likes his job. He’s found his other half. It might be time to let go and start looking for what you want.”

He kind of wanted to look around for the camera because this had to be leading to a prank of some kind. Big Tag barely noticed him. Right? “I’m perfectly happy here.”

“Are you?” Big Tag asked. His demeanor had changed from his perpetual annoyance to something much warmer. “It’s okay to not be.”

Was he trying to get him to quit? That felt bad. “Do you think I want to go home? Do you think all I’m good at is herding cows?”

“That’s not what I said,” Big Tag corrected. “There are a lot of people who thrive in small towns and genuinely enjoy rural life. I don’t think you’re one of them. You’re a curious one, West. I’m still trying to figure you out. Rand was easier. He needed the discipline and confidence to allow himself to be who he is. You never had that problem. You adapt to every situation. When you lived on the ranch, you were an excellent cowboy.”

He wasn’t sure where Ian was going with this, and he had to admit it made him a little wary. “I wouldn’t say excellent, but I did the job that needed to be done.”

“You went to college and seemed to do well there.”

He hadn’t loved every class, but he’d enjoyed the experience. Though there had been a lot of pressure on him at the time. “I was very aware at the time that money was being spent. It’s easier now. We don’t have to worry about the ranch going under.”

“And if that gas hadn’t been found, I would bet you would still be there working beside your brothers.”

There was no question in his mind. “Probably, but I wouldn’t be happy. I wasn’t cut out for that life. Clint was. Heath and Clay are happiest when they’re on the back of a horse.”

“Where are you happiest?”

West had to think about that.

Big Tag pointed his way. “And that is what I mean. It can be hard. It can feel wrong to make the decision to figure out what you want to do, what it takes to make you happy. Prioritizing your own needs can feel selfish, but you’ve done your duty. It’s your time.”

“He’s not wrong about that,” a familiar voice said. Rand put a hand on West’s shoulder. “You have been the best brother I could have had. You stood beside me even when it was hard, when it cost you friends.”

“They weren’t my friends if they couldn’t accept my brother for his very normal need to love who his heart tells him to love.” He was getting emotional.

“I want that for you, too.” Rand sat down beside him. “I think what Ian is trying to say is that all of your options should be open. Especially given what happened last night.”

Big Tag snapped his fingers. “See. I knew he fucked her.”

“I think it was more than that, hence this conversation.” Rand shook his head. “Sorry, the big boss struggles with his words sometimes. You are so into this woman.”

He wasn’t going to argue the point, but there was a problem with it. “I’ve only known her for a week.”

“I married my Charlie after a week,” Big Tag said with a shrug.

West was confused. “I thought you were against this relationship.”

Big Tag’s lips curled up in a mischievous grin. “Am I? Or do I know how to get a stubborn asshole to speed up his timeline? We’ll never know. And despite what I said, you didn’t really screw up. I wouldn’t have looked for a tag on my wheel well. You were in a gated parking lot at the studio and a secure lot at the hotel. No one should have gotten near your car. When you meet the security head, make him show you all the logs. Let’s see if we can connect anyone to JK Harris. He worked in the industry. I’m sure he still has friends.”

Martin walked in with two mugs of coffee in his hands. His eyes lit up when he saw Rand. “Hey, babe. Master Ian, here’s your coffee. And West.” He put the mugs in front of him and Big Tag. “Bacon or sausage?”

“Why choose?” Ian asked.

“Both it is then,” Martin agreed and turned back to the kitchen.

“He’s a keeper.” Ian took a long drink of coffee. “Just think about what I said. Keep your mind open to the possibilities.”

A soft gasp from behind had him turning. Ally stood in the hallway, her eyes on Big Tag. She’d pulled on one of his T-shirts and wrapped his bathrobe around her. Both were far too big, but she looked adorable standing there with wide eyes.

A look of determination came over her face, her chin coming up stubbornly, and she started to walk toward the dining room.

He started to stand, but Ian reached out a hand.

“Don’t. I want to see what she does,” Ian said under his breath.

“Mr. Taggart, if you’re here to fire West, you should understand that I’m firing you,” Ally announced in her full-on brat reality princess voice.

“Well, that should be interesting since you didn’t hire me in the first place.” Big Tag looked more amused than annoyed, so West relaxed a bit.

Ally had her hands on her hips, facing off with the scariest man West knew. He’d seen grown-ass military men who wouldn’t stand up to Ian Taggart, but his girl simply powered through. “You know what, Mr. Taggart, if you don’t want clients to jump your guards, maybe you should hire less attractive ones. Or you know what? You could upcharge for services…”

“Nope.” He reached out and grabbed her hand, tugging her until she was sitting on his lap. “Too far.”

“Sorry.” She started to stiffen up. “I think we should…”

“Hush.” There was only one way to deal with Ally. He nuzzled her neck. “He’s not here to fire me. He knows we’re together now. Stop making it less than it is.”

“I wasn’t…” She relaxed against him. “Fine, but if he’s mean to you, I’ll show him I can be mean right back.”

“Well, I couldn’t have that.” Big Tag sat back. “I’m not here to be mean. Just here to sample the crêpes.”

She sat up, gasping a little. “There are crêpes?”

Martin stuck his head out of the kitchen. “We are a full-service B&B.”

“I love crêpes,” she said as she snuggled against him. She reached out and grabbed his coffee mug, bringing it to her lips.

She was a coffee thief. He would have to remember that.

He kissed the top of her head as Big Tag started talking about how movies had been made of his exploits.

West sat with her, his mind going over and over what Ian had said.

The trouble was he was starting to think the only thing he was passionate about was the woman on his lap.

* * * *

Ally stood on the balcony of West’s condo, looking out over the green space and wondering if the press had found her here. There weren’t a bunch of people standing around shouting questions, so she thought no. It wouldn’t be long, of course.

She liked it here, and it wasn’t only because this was the place where she’d figured sex out. Sweaty, emotional sex with a gorgeous ex-cowboy was merely a part of the appeal.

She also liked Rand and Martin and lemon crêpes, and not having to be on every second of the day. For so long, even being with her family involved cameras and crews and playing a part. She wouldn’t take that back. The show had set her mom and stepdad up for the rest of their lives and ensured she was taken care of financially. It gave her the freedom to pursue her dreams, but it had come at a cost. Being with West and his family made her realize how long it had been since she’d let her walls down.

It felt good. It had felt so good being with him the night before, and it hadn’t all been about sex. Crying in his arms had felt like she’d released a pressure valve she hadn’t even known she had.

She heard the sliding glass door open and turned. West was in the shower. They needed to leave in an hour, and she would have to face her castmates. She was eager to get to do some research today while they were on the tour, but she wasn’t happy about putting her mask back on.

It wasn’t West who walked out. It was Mr. Taggart’s big body taking up all the space in the doorway.

“Is it all right if we talk before I head out to the office? I’ve got a couple of questions Eve wanted the answers to.” When he wasn’t frowning, he was a spectacularly gorgeous man. Not that he was bad when he frowned.

He reminded her of her stepdad. When he wasn’t in authoritative mode, he was quite pleasant to be around.

She stepped to the side and allowed him to join her. “Sure. What does she need to know?” Eve was the profiler who was doing a work-up on her stalker. “Although I can make it easy for her. If she’s wondering why JK does what he does, it’s because he’s an asshole.”

Taggart chuckled. “Yeah, I got that. I think she wants to understand why he’s an asshole.”

She wasn’t sure having someone profile her stalker would really do any good. “Does it matter? It’s not like I’m going to pay for his therapy. He could use it, though.”

Taggart joined her, resting his arms on the balcony railing. “Yeah, we all need that from time to time. How are you this morning? Yesterday seems to have been pretty rough on you.”

She was surprised he was being so nice to her. She’d gotten the feeling they hadn’t exactly hit it off, but he’d been charming this morning. That could have been all about Martin’s breakfast. “I’m okay. It was rough, but good things happened too. I mean, the exploding box thing was awful, but it turned out to not be real blood. I knew it the minute I calmed down enough to smell it. It’s a common mixture the FX guys use for blood on movie sets. I know the policewoman said she needed to send it to a lab, but that’s what it is.”

“So you think he’s working with someone? I thought he was in set design not special effects,” Taggart said.

He might have been the inspiration for a couple of movies, but it was clear he didn’t know how crews worked. “He would know how to make it. Everyone pitches in, especially on small budget sets, and almost everyone starts there. I happen to know JK started out working for the set dresser on a couple of low-budget horror films, so he would have helped the FX guys. He would also know how to spring-load a box.”

“But he’s never done anything like this before,” Taggart mused. “None of his stalking behavior has been physical.”

“The LA cops told me they thought he might be escalating. Not that they would do much about it.” They hadn’t arrested him for the dead birds in her home citing they didn’t have enough evidence to get a warrant. “West told me he’s probably here in Dallas.”

Over breakfast, he’d given her a rundown of all the reasons she needed to be super careful. She rather thought she was about to get another lecture.

“We’re looking for him,” Taggart assured her. “I’ve got our sister company actively taking the lead. Despite teasing Adam about his design choices, he’s the best in the business. He’ll find this guy. Did anything happen around the time he first broke into your home? If I understand correctly, before that he’d never physically accosted you.”

“He liked to yell things at me,” she admitted. “It sucked, but I didn’t feel like I was in real danger. It’s not like he cornered me or tried to get me alone. I think it was more like he wanted an audience to air his grievances to. Oh, he was big into trolling me on all the socials.”

Taggart’s head nodded as though that was the answer he’d expected. “So what changed?”

“I don’t know. I’ve heard he’s had trouble getting a job. I don’t feel bad about that. He was harassing women. He should have trouble getting a job.” Most men she talked to about it hedged in some way. They talked about giving him another chance and him learning his lesson.

“He could have kept his mouth shut, done some training, and been a better human being. Then he would deserve a job. Until then, fuck him.”

Okay, she kind of liked West’s boss. It gave her the courage she needed to tell him the bad part. She knew West would tell his boss about what had happened with Matt, but she needed to do it herself. “Speaking of, we should talk about Matt.”

A brow rose over Taggart’s blue eyes. “Why? I don’t have an employee named Matt. I had one. He fucked up and could have gotten the client killed. Then his ass argued with me and he said a couple of things I didn’t like, and poof, he’s gone. It’s one of the true joys of being in charge.”

“I can bet what he said. I know that I’m seeing West, but…”

“That doesn’t mean you hit on Matt,” Taggart agreed. “It doesn’t mean you flirt with everyone. I’m starting to figure you out, Allyson. At first, I thought you were a typical brat princess, but then my daughter bought a dress for spring formal that does not involve black or leather.”

That made her smile. She’d thought a lot about the young woman lately. “Good for Kala.”

“I’m pretty sure she did that because someone took the time to tell her she didn’t have to wear a costume to be herself.”

“I think she’ll probably be back in combat boots come Monday, but it’s good for her to understand she can be whoever she wants to be. She can be goth girl one day and wear a princess dress the next. She doesn’t have to wear her armor all the time. It’s freeing when you realize the armor is your bones and skin and soul and it’s always with you when you need it.”

“You remind me very much of her. I thank you for being kind to her,” Taggart said.

“Of course.” She took in a deep breath. “You know the world would be a way better place if we felt like being kind was like the norm.”

“It would,” he agreed. “Now because I like you, I’m going to have a dad talk with you. I know you have a stepfather, but he appears to be a ‘protect the women’ kind of dad.”

“You don’t protect the women?”

“Absolutely, but the first protection is learning to protect yourself. If anything like what happened with Matt happens again, you are to call me. You are to lock yourself in somewhere safe and wait for a guard who is interested in keeping his or her job to show up.”

She knew what came next. “I promise I also won’t open any packages. I will allow West to take the fake blood next time.”

He stared at her for a moment. “I’m worried you’re not taking this as seriously as you should.”

She thought she was taking things pretty seriously. She hadn’t been back to her own home in weeks. “What else should I be doing? I’ve got a guard on me twenty-four seven. I promise I’ll follow all the protocols. If this is about the hike…”

“It’s not,” he countered. “You were with West, and you can’t be cooped up inside all the time. As long as you have West or Tessa with you, it’s fine. This is about something else, something I want you to think about. It’s honestly about instincts and about the fact that you remind me so much of my daughter. She powers her way through things and ignores her instincts. I worry she can’t hear them because she’s so busy giving the world her middle finger. That part she gets from me.”

“I’m not afraid of JK Harris if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“That is exactly what I’m worried about and why we’re having this talk,” Taggart said. “I want you to be afraid of him. Have you ever heard the phrase fear is a gift?”

“I thought military people weren’t ever supposed to be afraid.”

He chuckled, but it was easy to see he was serious about whatever he was going to say next. “That’s complete bullshit, and I hope Hollywood isn’t getting that message out. I want you to be careful, but beyond that, I want you to listen to your fear. The kind of fear I’m talking about isn’t something to be overcome. It’s something to listen to, to give in to. Don’t mistake it for panic. Panic is the real enemy, but fear can save you. Fear is the instinct that someone is watching. If you feel that, do not ignore it. Don’t shrug it off as paranoia. Accept it and find safety. The problem with fear is if we’re right about it, most of the time, we have nothing to show for being correct. That’s why people will tell you you overreacted. Fuck ’em. They don’t know what you felt or what could have happened.”

A chill went through her. “You think he really wants to hurt me.”

“I think he already has,” Taggart replied. “I also think there’s something more happening here. He escalated from screaming at you and trolling you online to invading your home and sending you pranks that could have genuinely hurt you. He’s putting more on the line now. If we’re right about who this is. That is what Eve is trying to figure out.”

“She thinks it could be someone else? Someone new?” She hated the fact that there was absolutely more than one person out there who wanted to bring her down a rung. “I get a lot of hate mail. Some of them are harmless. Some of them feel… Well, they spark that fear instinct you talked about.”

“Is there a reason you didn’t send them to me?”

“Because I don’t keep them,” she admitted. “Like I said, there’s a lot of them. I delete the emails and throw away the letters. I don’t like having them hanging around. It would be like a weight on me. But my direct messages are still on my social pages.”

“Yeah, I checked those out. You get a lot of hate online.”

She wondered if those assholes would soon find West’s socials and give him a big dose, too.

Did she have any right to drag him into her world?

“I think that’s all part of being a celebrity online,” she explained. “Everyone gets it. Some people don’t see us as real living human beings. We’re characters to them, and that makes it okay to put all their hate and anxiety on us. To others, they feel like they know us so well we’re best friends. When you don’t acknowledge that relationship, they get offended. It’s a tightrope.”

Taggart sighed. “It sounds like hell to me.”

“That part is, but I also get to do something I love, something I’ve wanted all of my life.” As long as she could remember, being in front of that camera, bringing characters to life, had been her passion. It had been hard to be the one who wanted it while her sister had it.

“Your sister got out of the business.”

“It wasn’t really her passion. It might have been if she’d come into it when she was older. Brynn is a very artistic person, and she was a good actress, but her childhood was a lot of work. I resented her a little when I was younger, but by the time we were teenagers, I wanted to take some of the burden from her. I was her assistant for a long time. I think it’s why I don’t have one. I know how hard that job can be. Even if you’ve got a great boss, you can feel invisible.”

“Some people prefer to be behind the scenes,” Taggart pointed out. “They usually pair well with partners who like to be the center of attention.”

He’d been so nice to her that she wanted some advice. “What do I do if my haters find West online?”

Taggart’s lips tugged up. “Can they find him? I don’t think West has a bunch of social media pages.”

“What?”

The door opened, and West looked out, a brow rising. “Am I missing a meeting?”

Big Tag held both hands up as if to declare himself perfectly harmless. “Not at all. I was just updating our client on the fact that she’s going to be handled by you and Tessa only for a little while. I’ll work Jamal into the mix when he finishes up his current job.”

“What happened to Matt? I was going to talk to you about him today.” West joined them on the balcony. “What he did last night was unacceptable.”

“Precisely why I fired his ass,” Taggart replied. “Now Ally here is worried her legions of haters are going to find your Instagram and overload it with criticism your tender feelings won’t be able to handle.”

West’s expression went confused. “What is Instagram?”

Ally rolled her eyes. “That’s bullshit.”

He grinned, a heart-stoppingly adorable expression. “I know what it is but baby, I don’t have one of those. I am not the kind of guy who spends all his time taking pics of his food and posting it online. I do not see the point.”

She stared at him for a moment, wondering what century he was living in. “You don’t have a single social media page?”

West seemed to search his memory. “I think I had a Vine for a couple of months.”

She shuddered. “I don’t understand.”

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “You don’t have to. You have enough social media for all of us. The point, though, is that first of all, I don’t have a bunch of tender feelings. I leave that to the big boss.”

Taggart nodded. “I’m known for my delicate emotional state.”

Sarcasm was big with these people. She liked that, but she wanted things to be clear. “So they won’t be able to scare you off by trolling you?”

“The best way to avoid a troll is to not go over any bridges,” West said. “Some dude in a bar told me that. Of course, he also claimed to be a werewolf, but I did think it was relatable advice. I don’t have bridges for them to set up shop on, so we’re good. And if you’re worried about how I’ll deal with photographers who show up, you’ll find I’m cool under pressure.”

She needed to find a way to make him understand. “They sometimes say bad shit about me, but you can’t let that get to you.”

“It’s your career on the line. I won’t let them get to me. I’m not going to hurt your career by trying to defend you with my fists. But I will try to get you out of there as quickly as possible. We need to decide how we’re playing this now.”

“Playing this?”

“He wants to know if he can hold your hand in public,” Big Tag translated. “Did he wear a condom?”

“Yes,” she shot back. “But one of his own because yours are trash. You know you should really think about this. You claim to provide a premium service, but those are like bulk condoms.”

Taggart’s laugh boomed through the yard, and he shook his head. “I like this one, West. Keep her alive.”

He walked away, and she was left with West.

And his question. “I don’t want to hide you. I don’t want to pretend like you’re just my bodyguard, but I also want to look…”

She thought about what she’d been about to say. Professional. She’d been perfectly professional, and these people didn’t care. They only cared about her past. Why was she trying to placate them?

“You want to look…?” West asked expectantly.

What had she told Kala? That she got to decide who she was. No one else. West was the first man she’d had real feelings for in a long time, and she didn’t want to hide that. She went on her toes and kissed those ridiculously sensual lips of his. “I want to look like the person I actually am. I think I’m going to save the acting for the set this time around if that’s okay with you. But you should know the paparazzi will find us.”

His hands found her waist. “Let them.”

She leaned her head against his chest and let herself breathe. The bad parts might not be so bad if she had this man to hold her hand.