That thought sobered him a bit. He had to stay focused on his goal. Besides, he wasn’t in a position to form a deep attachment with anyone right now. He needed to keep everything as superficial as possible. Very similar to the way he kept women at bay back home. Singing at a couple of local pubs almost every weekend gave Colin ample opportunities to meet new women. On occasion, he did date a few of them. However, he never went out with them more than twice. Gran would have him married off to the girl before he could blink. She desperately wanted grandbabies. Since Colin was the only one that could provide her with grandchildren, she’d made it her mission to see that he found a wife. It’s why she was so peeved with him about missing his birthday celebration. His grandmother had invited several young ladies to attend in hopes one of them would catch Colin’s attention.
Josie’s door opened, and she stepped out, looking breathtaking in distressed jeans paired with a simple light pink tee, her long, dark hair falling around her shoulders in soft curls.
“You look beautiful,” Colin said. His voice sounded rough, shredding like it did when he sang in a higher octave.
“Thank you.” She assessed his appearance with a quick perusal, and he noticed the tell-tale blush coloring her cheeks. “You look beautiful too.” She made a distressing noise and closed her eyes briefly. “I meant to say handsome. You look handsome.”
Colin stifled a laugh. “So you think Mrs. Dalton will approve?” he asked, pleased when Josie took another quick look at him.
“Yep.” She averted her gaze and gave him a thumbs up. “You’re good.”
She was irresistibly cute, tempting Colin to move in closer and steal a kiss. Just being near her again made him realize that kissing her was an essential part of the plan if they wanted everyone to believe they really were a couple. They just needed to get the first kiss out of the way. Before he could suggest they start practicing snogging right now, Shelby came around the corner.
“Y’all look perfect,” Shelby said, scrutinizing his clothing with a critical eye. “Let’s get started while the lighting is good. Those clouds might not stick around for long.” Shelby took the hanger with Colin’s extra shirt from him and then relieved Josie of her change of clothes. “I’ll take these to the pool house,” she said as she pivoted on her heel. “We’ll start there and then decide on another location.”
Shelby didn’t wait for Josie or Colin’s approval, leaving them as quickly as she’d appeared.
“She’s really taking this whole thing quite seriously, isn’t she?” Colin asked Josie when she looked at him.
A smile emerged on her lips. “Shelby takes everything she does seriously. It’s why her blog has so many followers.”
“Right, she mentioned something about her blog this morning on our way to the airport,” Colin said. “She also said that you’re very good at managing her blog.”
“Thanks.” Josie lifted one shoulder up in a shrug. “I’m lucky that I like my job so much.”
Silence descended as their gazes locked, and Colin felt that undeniable draw toward her. Her azure eyes deepened in color as her lips parted with a slight intake of breath. Did that mean she was feeling the same thing?
The connection was broken when the Dalton’s housekeeper came out of one of the other rooms, carrying a load of laundry.
“We better get out to the pool,” Josie said as she swiveled around and headed for the staircase that led to the first level.
Colin followed behind her, admiring the fit of her jeans. Unlike most of the women he knew who were skinny to the point of emaciation, Josie had nice curves where curves were meant to be.
He reined in his thoughts when Josie looked over her shoulder and nearly caught him eyeing her backside. “We can put our shoes on now,” she said, slipping on a pair of gray suede half-boots.
“Alright.” He set his guitar case down and put on his shoes. When he straightened up, he caught Josie ogling him. The guilty look on her face made him grin, but he refrained from teasing her and picked up his guitar case to follow behind her once more.
They passed through a family room where James Dalton sat on the floor, playing Legos with his boys. “You know y’all will end up on Shelby’s blog, right?” James said as they passed through.
“Not this time,” Josie said, pausing to talk to her employer. “Remember, I’m the one who does all the posting?”
“I remember,” James said with a chuckle, “but I haven’t seen Shelby this excited since she had lunch with Jennifer Garner last summer.”
“We’re not as hot as Jennifer Garner,” Josie said as she resumed walking toward a set of French doors that led to a screened-in porch. Suddenly, Josie pulled up short and looked at Colin with wide eyes. “I didn’t mean you aren’t hot, because you are. Hot. By yourself. Just not with me.”
She was flustered again, and Colin couldn’t help teasing her. “I disagree,” he said, taking a quick inventory of her pale pink shirt that showcased more of her curves to perfection. “You, Miss Sinclair, are quite breathtaking.” He gave her a slow wink before leaning in to open the door for her. “After you,” he said in a low voice.
Colin didn’t allow her much room to go through the door. And, just like before, she barely skimmed past him, giving him a chance to take in the soft flowery scent that made him want to pull her close so he could nuzzle her neck and inhale her fragrance more deeply.
Josie’s shoes clicked rapidly against the stone flooring as she made a beeline for the screen door. He needed to stop teasing her so much, even if it was the most fun he’d had in a while. This time, she didn’t wait for him to open the door for her. Once outside, Josie stepped to the side and held the door open, all the while not looking at him.
Colin hurried to catch up to her, but she was too quick and rushed to open a large wrought iron door that he assumed led to the pool. The moment he crossed through the gate, he felt like he was transported to a resort on a tropical island. Pausing, he stared across the glass surface of the pool to a secluded area with a waterfall. It was stunning and reminded him of a private island in Grenadine, where Wild Card had once performed for members of The Royal Family.
“It’s incredible, isn’t it,” Josie said.
“Unbelievably so,” he said in a hushed tone.
“Last year it was featured as one of the top ten extreme swimming pools in the US,” Josie said with pride. “The Daltons only agreed to let a film crew in here if all the proceeds went to the New Beginnings Center. Then they had a big pool party and barbeque here for the families so they could watch the program on the big screen TV.”
“What Josie failed to mention,” Shelby said, coming out of a pool house that was bigger than Gran’s cottage, “is that she’s the one who thought of it and planned the entire event all by herself.”
“It’s not that hard to hire caterers,” Josie said. “And it’s not my money.”
“She’s just being modest,” Shelby said to Colin. “Our Josie has a heart as big as the hair in the Miss Georgia pageant and works tirelessly finding charities and causes to help ease the burdens of so many people.” Shelby slipped her arm through Colin’s, and they started walking toward the waterfall. “James and I tried giving her a car last year for her birthday, but Josie knew of a few families who needed cars. She worked with a local dealership to find reliable used cars, and refuses any bonuses, asking that we directly donate to a home that helps get families back on their feet.”
Colin could see all the praise made Josie uncomfortable, which made her even more beautiful. He wasn’t sure he’d give up a new car to help someone else. But Josie had done it more than once. She was so much more than a girl with stunning looks and an amazing body. Josie had depth and character, and Colin might have fallen a little bit in love with her right then.
“Okay, y’all need to stop talkin’ about me,” Josie said with a light laugh. “Or my head will be bigger than Scarlet’s.” Her smile faded. “Well, that wasn’t very charitable of me.”
&n
bsp; Shelby let go of Colin’s arm. “Sugar, tellin’ the truth sometimes hurts.” She motioned for Josie to come closer. “Now, let’s get some great pics for that high-headed stepsister of yours.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Josie said as she applied shiny lip gloss to her perfect lips.
Colin didn’t think that was playing fair. The glossy product smelled like berries and drew attention to her mouth. It was unfortunate Josie had stipulated there wouldn’t be any kissing pictures, making up the excuse that her daddy wouldn’t like it.
Since they wanted the pictures to appear candid, Shelby had Josie and Colin walk hand in hand while Josie gave him a tour of the pool, pointing out special features. The dialogue wasn’t very interesting, making Colin doubt the pictures would be any good.
Before they took any pictures with Colin singing to Josie, Shelby had them go into the pool house to change their shirts, so it didn’t appear like the photo shoot happened on the same day.
After pulling on a dark blue graphic tee, Colin stepped out of his dressing room. A moment later, Josie came out of the other changing area wearing an aqua blue shirt that made her eyes even bluer. The soft fabric molded to her body, and the short sleeves revealed toned arms and smooth skin kissed by the sun.
“Is there something wrong with my shirt?” Josie asked.
Colin snapped his gaze up to hers as blood heated his neck and the tips of his ears. “No, not at all.” He rubbed a hand across his unshaven jaw, embarrassed he’d been caught blatantly checking her out. “It looks very nice and matches the color of your eyes.”
“Thank you, Mr. Darcy.” The corners of her mouth curved into a dazzling smile. “And thank you for fulfilling one of my fantasies.”
Colin’s mouth went dry and something hot simmered low in his belly as he considered her words. He’d fulfilled one of her fantasies? Her reference to the renowned Mr. Darcy, a character created by England’s beloved Jane Austen, was a clue to what that fantasy was. He knew the man well since Gran had made him watch the entire BBC version of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth since he shared the same name as the actor. However, it was the plural word fantasies that had Colin’s brain whirring with curiosity about what other daydreams she harbored.
“You have more than one?” he asked.
Confusion flickered in her eyes. “More than one what?”
“Never mind,” Colin said as his attention settled on her glossed lips. She’d applied another layer, and the fruity scent begged him to lean in for a taste. He slanted toward her but stopped when Shelby asked them to hurry because the clouds were moving out fast.
“I guess we better get back out there,” Josie said.
“Yes,” Colin said. “Let’s go.”
As he exited the pool house, Colin reminded himself why getting involved with Josie was a bad idea. Falling in love was complicated enough. Falling in love with a pretty American girl would derail his dreams. His vision board didn’t have one relationship goal on it other than making his grandmother proud of him. Girls were entirely too complex, and he couldn’t afford to get tangled up with Josie, no matter how tempting she was.
It helped when he picked up his guitar, the instrument reminding him why he was doing all of this. Music had always been an escape, and Colin was counting on losing himself in the melody and lyrics to help keep his focus where it needed to be.
He felt grounded as his fingers plucked at the strings to tune his guitar. “Any requests?” he asked Josie.
“I don’t know. How about ‘Make Believe’ by Chase Nichols?” She looked up at him through dark lashes, a shy smile on her face. “It’s always been one of my favorite songs.”
Colin knew the song and the backstory. The love song was all about falling in love while pretending to be a couple, which is what Chase and his wife had done. Exactly what Josie and Colin were doing. Pretending, that is, not falling in love.
“Okay,” he said, feeling his heart pump a little faster as he strummed the opening chords and then started singing.
“It was only supposed to be make believe but nothing’s felt more real. Your laugh, your touch, the kisses we shared. I know what they make me feel. So baby don’t leave me, please don’t go. What we have is forever, and I can’t let you go. Yeah, what we have is forever, and I can’t let you go.”
As Colin got lost in the song, he gazed into Josie’s ocean blue eyes, feeling the music connect them on a much deeper level and making him question if would be able to let her go when the week was over.
Chapter 7
Josie
Josie sat mesmerized as Colin sang to her. His voice still held a hint of the raspy rock star he’d been, but now it had a softer edge to it, pulling her in and holding her captive. She hadn’t been thinking clearly when she’d made the song request. Now it was too late to suggest another song without making a spectacle of herself.
She’d always thought the lyrics were about fairytales coming true. While that was the gist of the song, she now recalled an interview Chase and his wife Addie had done shortly after they’d married almost eight years earlier. During the interview, Chase revealed that he’d written the song because he and Addie had only pretended to be dating before actually falling in love.
Vaguely aware of Shelby taking picture after picture of them, Josie held his gaze as she got lost in the beautiful melody. She couldn’t help feeling like another one of her fantasies was coming true. Forget Mr. Darcy. Colin Wilde, her very own British heartthrob, was singing to her, and he was so much hotter than Jane Austen’s character.
The song didn’t last long enough for her liking. As Colin sang the last few measures, awareness sparked between them like the first Friday fireworks on Savannah’s riverfront. “No, this isn’t a fairytale, it’s not make believe. Our love is forever, baby please don’t leave.”
Josie took a steadying breath as he strummed the final chord. Stillness surrounded them as the note faded out.
Shelby got in close with her camera, breaking the magical spell. “Colin,” she said, drawing his attention away. “That was beautiful.” Shelby smiled widely. “Your voice is incredible.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Dalton,” Colin said. “That means a lot coming from you.”
“You’re welcome, honey. And please call me Shelby.” She glanced at Josie and held up her camera. “I captured some really great pictures. They’re good enough that even Scarlet won’t dispute y’all are in love.”
Josie felt the blood rush to her face as she stood up and smoothed her damp palms across her jeans. She was embarrassed by how enraptured she’d been with Colin. He was just doing his thing, which meant she was the only one who appeared to be in love. “Awesome. Do you think we have enough then?”
Shelby pursed her lips as her gaze shifted between Josie and Colin. “Y’all are gonna have to take a few selfies. But first, I’d like to shoot some pics in the garden.”
“Sounds great,” Josie said. Although she desperately wanted to be done with the photo session, she was grateful for the short walk across the property. It gave her a little time to gather her wits about her. She needed to get over this infatuation with Colin and remember this was all make believe. Nothing more was going to come from this fake engagement. While pretending to be in love had worked well for Chase Nichols, the odds of something like that happening between Colin and Josie were slimmer than her daddy standing up to her stepmother.
Ducking beneath a low-hanging branch, Josie led the way to one of the prettiest spots on the Dalton’s property. Colin and Shelby were behind her, talking about his music. He really was talented and had a real shot at a solo career. Josie needed to remember that was the whole reason he was here. All notions about a forever kind of love with Colin Wilde needed to stop, no matter how her body reacted whenever she gazed into his hazel eyes.
The secluded garden was surrounded by live oaks with Spanish moss hanging from the limbs. Early spring flowers blossomed amid the cobblestone and centered as the focal point was a large magnolia
tree with a double wooden swing hanging from one of the thick branches. Josie loved coming here whenever she needed to think or wanted downtime. She’d always thought it was the perfect place for a wedding.
Josie forced images of her in a bridal gown and Colin in a black tux out of her mind as Shelby asked the two of them to stand under the canopy of the magnolia tree. She concentrated on keeping everything on a professional level but it was hard when Colin took both of her hands in his and pressed his forehead to hers. She was stiff, making the pose feel awkward and not at all romantic.
“Y’all are way too tense,” Shelby said as she took several closeups. “Loosen up a little and act like y’all are in love.”
Josie shot her employer an annoyed look before lifting her eyes to meet Colin’s. “Sorry about all of this.”
“It’s quite all right.” Colin’s mouth lifted at the corners as he squeezed Josie’s hands. “Just think of me as Mr. Darcy.”
Josie narrowed her gaze. She’d love nothing more than to picture the man Jane Austen had immortalized. Unfortunately, it was Colin’s face Josie would fantasize about the rest of her life, which was even worse because he was real. “Do you even know who Mr. Darcy is?” she asked with a challenging tone.
“I’m British,” he said with a half-grin. “Every bloke knows who he is.”
Josie pressed her lips together. Maybe he was one man who had actually read the book or viewed one of the movies. Or it could be the British indoctrinated their youth with Ms. Austen’s works. “Hmm, but do you know who Mr. Darcy was in love with?”
“That’s too easy,” he said with a smug smile.
Josie arched an eyebrow. “Then tell me her name.”
Before he answered, a light breeze blew a strand of Josie’s hair across her cheek, sticking to her lip gloss. She let go of his hand to put the errant curl back in place, but Colin beat her to it. He pulled the hair free, leaving a trail of heat across her skin as his fingertips grazed her cheek when he pushed it back in place.
Moonlighting with the British Rock Star: A Georgia Moon Romance Page 6