Page 6

“Of course, I’m okay,” she forced out fighting words through an arid throat. “In fact, I’m more than okay. I want you to continue.”
Wait, what?
She didn’t mean it, of course. It was just a performance. Obviously, he understood.
The fire blazing in his eyes gave the answer.
How could she turn it around? She needed something that fit with the scene. “To prove I have nothing to hide!” she shot out triumphantly. He smiled wolfishly, and she bit back a matching growl. The words were right, yet her tone proved their worthlessness. It was the character she was supposed to play, so what was the problem?
Problem: Now he knew how much he affected her.
“Let’s get this over with,” she said in a much calmer voice. “As I said, I have nothing to hide.”
“No?” His gaze painted fire on her skin, lingering, branding, possessing. This wasn’t real life, and he wasn’t a real cop – the disrobement had nothing to do with actual police business and everything to do with sexual tension. Thank goodness this was an action flick and not a porn.
“When will we be done?” The words emerged before she could stop them, as she waited for a “cut” that never came. If thepolice thing didn’t work out, perhaps she could start a career as a body double.
Julian didn’t respond with words. He tugged on the waistband of her jeans. pulling her closer and invading her personal space with his towering presence. Those muscles weren’t props, nor was his power. She was accustomed to being in control, with him she was anything but.
He brushed her legs. Cheyenne closed her eyes as the cool air elicited tiny pinprick goosebumps on her skin. In a real search, they touched as little as possible, but here, Julian left no place unscathed. He brushed her inner thighs as he lowered the pants, running his hands along the entire length of her legs as he freed them. He reached the bottom and pulled gently up on her foot. As he lifted a leg off the ground, she fought for balance but lost, flailing her arms briefly before grabbing the closest thing for support.Him.
“Don’t move,” he commanded.
Being looked at was one thing, but actually being touched, patted down, caressed? But it was part of the scene, and she had no choice. As he loomed ever nearer, she closed her eyes. Then…
“Cut!”
Cheyenne exhaled shuddering air, sagging like a prisoner given a stay of execution an instant before the firing squad. All around, the world erupted in applause. Somehow, she had forgotten the audience except for the powerful male who was staring at her with an inscrutable expression, holding her clothing in his hands. In a flash, Cheyenne reached for them, but for the briefest of instants − a fraction of a second − he grasped them tighter.
In that moment, Cheyenne stilled, trapped by the powerful actor who was no longer in a scene, who followed no script. His eyes blazed, and suddenly, they were not policeman and criminal, not actor and actress, not even movie star andundercover operative. They were only man and woman, dueling power and strength. In the next second, he released her, writing a symphony of unspoken words and masked emotion. Something sparked between them, something real, something powerful, something unstoppable.
Oblivious to intangible undercurrents, the director shouted, and for once he actually sounded jovial. “That was fantastic! What a scene, and the chemistry was undeniable. Lou, cancel the other body double.” He rubbed his hands together, grinning like an old-time robber baron. “Destiny, great job. Of course, you’ll have to brush up on the script, but you’ll do fine. Even though we won’t be using your voice or head shots, we need actions to match the plot. After a lot of private practice, you’ll be ready.”
“Practice?” Her voice emerged on the wrong side of panicked.
“Private?” Julian’s was on the right side of satisfied.
The director’s wasallpleased. “That’s right, private practice. In the end, he takes off far more than he did today. The final product won’t be full nudity, of course, but to get the scene…” He shrugged.
Did he just say full nudity? Breathe. Relax. Pretend you are somewhere warm and fuzzy, like a bank robbery.Yet her skin turned from cream to pink to red, as images of Julian exploring played on a loop. Right now little clothing remained to protect her body, but it was vital.
So why wasn’t she already dressed? As she stabbed her limbs into the tight clothing, she forced her voice lower. “I thought you just needed the blocking.”
“That was before I promoted you to permanent body double. You want the job, don’t you?” The director’s voice was half-questioning/half-warning. If she turned it down, she would likely be demoted to the coffee runner’s assistant’s assistant.It would mean the end of her fledging acting career and her mission. She didn’t have a choice.
She formed her lips into a pained smile. “Of course, I do. I mean, who wouldn’t? It’s the dream, right?” Julian tilted his head to the side, his eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly, and her smile slipped at her clear overacting. She took a deep breath, back in control. Mostly. “Yes, I want the job. I’m just not sure what you want me to practice.”
“He wants you to practice being undressed by me,” Julian’s deep tenor broke in, eliciting a moment’s shiver. If only the guys at the station could see her now. She was supposed to be chasing a hardened criminal, but instead she had become a dress up toy for the most desired actor in Hollywood. Although they were no longer in the scene, he exuded power and control, strength and… possessiveness? He did realize no one was recording, didn’t he?
The director waved his script. “Destiny, you’re done for today. Julian, we’re going to spend the rest of the afternoon on the airplane scene. Tomorrow morning we’re shooting scenes with the secondary characters, so you’ll have time to practice. Understand?”
“Understood,” they said as one. The director turned away, but Julian continued to study her. Did he suspect she was not as she seemed? She would have to be extra careful, especially as she started her true job, the mission.
And she would ignore powerful muscles and the man who wielded them.
“Isshe going to throw herself at every guy in the studio?”
Big blue eyes blinked in response.