Hot Winter Nights (Made in Montana)

by Debbi Rawlins

  “Oh. Yeah.” For some reason, her mentioning it embarrassed him. “It was nothing.”

  “And for doing this. What a kind and generous thing.” She started rubbing his forearm with her thumb, then glanced at her hand and pulled away. “I should be ashamed of myself for letting you make that deal with Baxter.”

  “No, you shouldn’t. Not when I did it for my own selfish reason.”

  Lila blinked at him, looking puzzled at first. And then her eyes filled with dread, as if she expected him to say something she didn’t want to hear.

  “Do you have any idea how much pleasure it gives me to do this? And not just because Baxter’s an ass.” Clint winced. “Um, it slipped.”

  A smile brightened her face. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

  He liked the rosy flush that colored her cheeks and how her eyes sparkled. That same image of her from last night had replayed in his head and kept him up for hours.

  “Darn it, Lila, I want to kiss you so bad.”

  “What’s stopping you?”

  “I didn’t want you to think that I expected—” He faltered when she started to laugh. “Expected anything.”

  “Sorry,” she murmured and pressed her lips together. “Me too. I wanted to kiss you, but I didn’t want to give you the impression I felt obligated.”

  “Well, aren’t we a pair,” he said, and caught her by the waist, drawing her closer.

  “Do I have to lock the door?” she asked, with an impish smile as she came up against his chest.

  “You might.”

  “I’m supposed to be working.”

  “We’ll get to that.”

  “Yes, but—”

  Her lips were soft and warm. He felt the fast, steady thumping of her heart against his chest, echoing the rhythm of his own. She slid her arms around his neck as he skimmed a hand down her back. Lila was slender, but she still had enough curves to keep a man’s hands itching for more.

  She pushed her fingers into his hair, and when he cupped her bottom, she moaned into his mouth. He angled his head and kissed her deeply. Her tongue stroked his, fueling the need that had been burning inside him since last night. Lila moved her hips against him, and he knew there wasn’t a chance she could’ve missed his erection.

  It wasn’t easy juggling good sense and desire. Maybe they should lock the door.

  Clint thought he heard someone just outside. When Lila stiffened, he knew it hadn’t been his imagination.

  “To be continued,” she whispered, and stepped back.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  His grin vanished when Baxter opened the door.

  6

  “WHAT’S THE HOLD UP?” Baxter looked directly at Lila and completely ignored Clint.

  She figured that was probably fine with him. He was busy moving the only mobile stool around, either to give himself leg room or buying time for his erection to settle down.

  The thought had her biting back a smile.

  Lila cleared her throat. “What do you mean?” she asked Baxter. Echoing his deliberate rudeness, she focused on setting out her supplies without as much as a glance in his direction. “You can’t be referring to Clint. Jason isn’t ready for him.”

  Baxter responded with sulky silence.

  Lila hoped it lasted for a while.

  Clint finally abandoned the stool. “How’s it going?” He slapped Baxter on the back and sent him stumbling forward. “I trust everything’s been taken care of with the motel.”

  Baxter righted himself and adjusted his Ralph Lauren shirt collar. “Yes,” he said. “And I prefer that our deal stays between us.”

  Clint glanced at her. “It makes no difference to me, but I don’t see this thing staying quiet.”

  “Sit, please,” she told Clint and shook out a plastic cape, forcing Baxter to move back. “Almost everyone knows.”

  “Already? Jason, too?”

  “No. Not Jason,” she said. “But eventually he’ll find out.”

  “Who opened their big mouth?” With malice in his beady eyes, he glared at Clint.

  “Erin and I put the word out.”

  Baxter turned and stared at her as if she’d betrayed him in some deep, profound way.

  “What do you think the crew would say if they thought my room was coming out of the budget after asking everyone to sacrifice so much?” she asked. “You’d have a mutiny on your hands.”

  “I’m more concerned about what Jason will think,” Baxter muttered.

  “You got the job done. He doesn’t care how you did it.” She was about to fasten the cape around Clint’s neck but changed her mind. “Would you mind horribly taking off your shirt?”

  “Why?” Baxter’s voice shot up two octaves.

  “I was talking to Clint.” She gave Baxter a wry look. “You can keep your shirt on. Please.”

  Chuckling, Clint started unbuttoning. She honestly hoped Baxter didn’t faint. Lila wanted to get rid of him, not necessarily embarrass him. He did fine in that department all by himself.

  Seeing the two men side by side, she couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for Baxter. Clint was a good six inches taller, infinitely broader across the shoulders, and had nicely muscled arms and narrow hips.

  To be fair, Clint wasn’t an average-looking guy. But honestly, the two men didn’t look as if they belonged to the same species.

  He shrugged out of the shirt and she held her breath, hoping she wouldn’t blurt out something stupid like, can I lick your chest? It was perfect. Just the right amount of muscle, just the right amount of hair scattered between his flat dark nipples. And not an ounce of spare flesh on his stomach. The hint of a six-pack was there but not too obvious, exactly how she liked it.

  She cleared her throat and pretended she was auditioning for the role of Mother Teresa. “Let me hang your shirt so it won’t get messed up,” she said, modulating her voice. The sainted woman would not ogle or stammer over Clint’s chest.

  Clint passed her his shirt, and while she took it to the back of the trailer, she used the time to breathe deep and even. Deep and even. Deep and even. The brief calming exercise did the trick.

  “You can go,” she told Baxter. “Erin is coming to get Clint when it’s time.” She settled the cape over Clint and then fastened it at his nape. If Baxter hadn’t been standing there, she might’ve been tempted to take a little nip. He smelled yummy.

  “You’re using the cape,” Baxter said, sounding irritable. “Why did he have to take his shirt off?”

  “Oh.” She shrugged. “I just wanted to see his chest.”

  Clint choked out a laugh.

  Baxter’s pasty face turned red.

  Lila was having a heck of a time controlling her own blush. Pulling off that line was harder than she’d guessed. At least she wasn’t facing Clint. She leaned close to his ear and said loud enough for Baxter to hear, “Very nice, by the way.”

  Without a word Baxter headed for the door, but then paused with his hand on the knob. “Let me know when you’re ready to check in, and I’ll take you to the motel.”

  “I have a ride. Thanks, anyway.”

  Anger pinched Baxter’s features. From the beginning he’d behaved like a petulant child used to having his way. And when he didn’t get it, he pouted. But this was different. His hateful expression gave Lila a chill.

  “Let me know if you change your mind.” Casting a scornful glance at Clint, Baxter opened the door. “By the way,” he said, his mocking smile aimed at Lila. “I had them put you in the room next to mine.”

  She held her breath until he was gone. “That’s not going to happen,” she muttered. “I’d rather stay in the trailer.”

  Her hand shook slightly. Grateful Clint couldn’t see her, she pretended to fuss with
the cape’s Velcro fastener using the few seconds to calm down.

  As she came around to face him, she saw he’d been watching her in the mirror. “I know what you’re thinking,” she said, busying herself with selecting the right brush. “I shouldn’t have goaded him.”

  “Not what I was thinking.”

  “I’m not saying this is an excuse, but I wouldn’t be giving him such a hard time if he hadn’t come in throwing his weight around. He knows nothing about the business and is supposed to be learning. Instead, he makes everyone’s job harder.”

  “I got the impression it’s more personal with you.”

  She hesitated, not wanting Clint involved in any way. “He’s asked me out a few times. Obviously I said no. But he won’t leave it alone.” She tried for a joke. “I figure annoying him is better than strangling him. Less red tape.”

  “Have you reported him?”

  “Of course not. I can handle it.” Right, Lila thought wryly. Because she’d done so well to that end. “I’m sorry I asked you to take off your shirt. It was unnecessary.”

  “I don’t care about that.” Clint looked serious. “How much do you know about Baxter?”

  “Oh, he’s harmless. I didn’t mean to make a big deal of him asking me out. Lots of guys do. I ignore them.” She realized how easy that was to misinterpret. “I’m impressing you left and right, aren’t I?”

  He cracked a small smile. “You’re just stating the facts.”

  Lila sighed and nudged his chin higher so she could decide how dark she wanted to make the stubble. She touched the side of his face. His jaw was as smooth as could be. “I assume you shaved this morning and not last night.”

  “Afraid so.”

  “How much of a shadow will you have by late afternoon?”

  “If I were going someplace that mattered, I’d have to shave again.”

  “Okay. That’s good.” She touched the other side of his face, his skin warm under her fingers. Her body welcomed the heat radiating from him, and she felt her breathing change. Uneven. Shallow. She didn’t dare look into his eyes.

  Except she did. And now she couldn’t pull her gaze away from the dark seductive want mesmerizing her.

  “How likely is it someone will be coming through that door?” His voice was low and rough.

  “When?”

  “In the next two minutes.”

  All she did was smile. Without waiting for an answer, he caught her wrist and kissed her palm. In the next second he’d pulled her onto his lap.

  Surprised, Lila gasped but didn’t resist. “I’ll never have you ready in time.”

  “One kiss,” he said. “That’s all.”

  “Just one, huh?”

  “Or two,” he said, with a slow smile. “Your call.”

  She touched her lips to his but realized she was at an awkward angle. Shifting, she broke contact trying to find a better position.

  He frowned at her. “Not like that.”

  “Hold on,” she said, laughing. “I’m just getting more comfortable.”

  “No.” He bit the side of her neck. “Forget comfortable. I want you on edge,” he murmured against her skin. “Ready to explode.”

  Lila shivered. “Okay,” she said weakly, closing her eyes as he trailed soft biting kisses to her ear.

  Tilting her head to give him access, she put a hand on his chest. The plastic barrier frustrated her. She wanted to feel warm skin and soft hair beneath her palm. Maneuvering her hand under the cape would be impossible since she was sitting on the stupid thing.

  He cupped her jaw, bringing her chin around until their eyes met. “I’ll take that kiss now,” he said.

  Their lips touched. His arm tightened around her. The light pressure of his mouth increased, and she could feel him getting hard beneath her bottom. His tongue swept past her parted lips. She tasted coffee and the faint mint of toothpaste. His tongue stroked hers, and she eagerly met each caress with a stroke of her own. She felt weak, weightless, held together only by Clint’s kiss and strong arms.

  She wasn’t at all prepared for his sudden retreat. Blinking at him, she tried to gather her wits. “What’s wrong?”

  “You didn’t hear that?” He glanced at the door. “It’s probably nothing,” he said, releasing her, frustration in his eyes. “But we better not push it.”

  “No.” She slid off his lap and had to clutch his shoulder to steady herself.

  “You okay?” he asked, his hand going to her waist.

  “Not sure,” she murmured, surprised she was literally weak in the knees. No man had ever done that to her before.

  She turned to pick up her stippling brush and dark eye shadow, and caught a glimpse of her flushed face in the mirror. Her eyes were bright, and her hair looked as if she’d just gotten out of bed. She quickly ran a hand through it.

  The movement drew her attention to the other mirrors. She’d worked in this very trailer hundreds of times and had been totally clueless. You couldn’t even blink without seeing yourself from three angles.

  “Wow!” She swept a gaze all the way around, her pulse quickening. “This would be a pretty wild place to have sex.”

  Clint grinned. “Sweetheart, you read my mind.”

  * * *

  THREE HOURS LATER, reminding himself he was doing this for Lila, Clint leaned against a cottonwood tree and stared off toward the foothills, trying his best to look casually sinister. Because if he had to do this take one more time, he was likely to use the gun stuck in the waistband of his jeans. It was just a prop, but he figured he could use the butt to beat Jason Littleton senseless. Clint wished someone had warned him the director was an asshole.

  Casually sinister.

  What the hell did that even mean?

  “You’re doing great,” Erin said as she approached him. “We shouldn’t be too much longer.”

  “Can I move? They aren’t filming with you standing here, right?”

  She nodded. “But don’t get comfortable. You have only a couple minutes’ reprieve.”

  “Your buddy, Jason—”

  “I know. He’s being a prick.” Erin glanced over her shoulder. “Jason wasn’t always like this. He’s stressed over being so far behind schedule plus a bunch of other things. It doesn’t excuse him...”

  The director was early thirties. Tall, wiry, his blond hair pulled into a short ponytail. Clint knew Lila and Erin had gone to UCLA with him, and he could see the subject bothered Erin, so he let it drop.

  “Lila wants you to know that when we break for lunch she’ll meet you by the catering truck,” Erin said, while studying the dark stuff on his jaw. “If that’s okay with you.”

  “Yeah, sure.” He felt chilly standing in the shade wearing a T-shirt and his thin, worn denim jacket. “Do you know how much longer they’ll need me?”

  “Most of the afternoon, I’m afraid. You’re doing too good a job acting for them to let you go.”

  Clint shot Jason a look. He was still chewing out some poor kid holding a camera. “You mean, looking casually sinister?”

  Erin followed his gaze and her smile looked more sardonic than amused. “Believe me, I get that you want to kill Jason. That’s perfect. Keep thinking that, and we won’t have to do many takes.”

  “I’ll admit it,” he said. “I was hoping the gun was loaded.”

  “If it was I would’ve beaten you to it.” She clapped him on the shoulder. “Hang in there. This afternoon we’ll be filming in town, so it’ll be warmer.”

  His jaw nearly hit the ground. “Are you serious?”

  “What’s the problem? You didn’t expect this to take so long, or you don’t want your neighbors to see you?”

  “Both.”

  She gave him a sympathetic nod. “Just remember it’s for a g
ood cause.” A young woman yelled, “Places, everybody,” and as Erin backed away she said, “Any chance you can take Lila to the motel this evening?”

  “I’m planning on it,” he said, despite not having asked Lila if that’s what she wanted.

  “Thanks.” Erin turned and hurried toward a group of extras standing off to the side.

  Clint recognized a couple of them. They were all young, looking eager and excited, and probably jealous that he’d been used in two scenes with close-up shots. Hell, he’d trade places with any of them in a hot second.

  When he’d offered his services in exchange for Lila’s motel room, he hadn’t understood exactly what was expected of him. He would’ve minded a whole lot less if he was just a face in the crowd. Though he supposed it didn’t matter. He’d liked seeing the way her eyes lit up at the idea of having a bathtub. He liked her, period. So yeah, he would’ve made the same decision either way.

  Unfortunately, that didn’t make the prospect of being on display for people he knew any easier. A few locals had been hired to build sets. Yesterday he’d seen them working at the edge of town. Even if they’d finished the job, wherever the crew filmed, they’d draw a crowd. He was just going to have to tough it out.

  An hour later when they broke for lunch he had to remind himself of the greater good. Baxter shooting him looks that could kill didn’t bother Clint. And he ignored Jason’s occasional tantrums. Ironically it was Erin who made Clint want to rethink this whole movie gig as they left the set and went in search of Lila and food.

  “Um, I hate to ask you this,” Erin said. “But how would you feel about saying a few lines in tomorrow’s scene?”

  Clint snorted a laugh. “Hell, I think you already know.”

  She grinned. “Can I convince you to do it anyway? It pays more money.”

  “I don’t care about that.”

  “Yeah, I figured.”

  The thing was, he liked Erin, but not enough to make an ass of himself.

  After walking in silence for several minutes, Erin spotted Lila and flagged her down.

  She changed course and headed toward them with a smile across her face, her hair loose and fluttering in the breeze.