Hidden Charm

by Jill Sanders

  “You look uncomfortable.”

  He nodded. “I’m no Cary Grant.”

  Her eyebrows shot up and she tilted her head as her eyes ran over him again. “Yet you look just as good as he ever did.”

  His eyes bore into hers as her cheeks flushed.

  Suddenly, the car pulled to a stop and Mark helped Emma out. There were bright lights as he made his way out of the car alone. He tried not to watch as Emma and Mark posed together for the cameras. When shouts of his name rang out, he turned towards them and tried to give his best smile.

  The music was loud when he finally entered the private party. A drink was shoved into his hand as Jim pulled him around and introduced him to a bunch of people he figured he would never see again, at least until the night of the premiere.

  When one drink was empty, another one was handed to him. Tiny finger food was passed around and he tried to eat at least as much as he drank. When he felt a slight buzz, he set the drink down and asked for some water instead.

  He had watched for Emma but had only seen a flash of red every so often in the crowded room.

  Almost two hours after arriving, he called for the limo to take him back to his hotel. He figured since the crowd had thinned, he could make his escape.

  He was standing outside when he felt her step next to him. Glancing over, he smiled as she stopped by his side.

  “Evening.” He ran his eyes over her.

  She smiled back at him. “Leaving so soon?” she asked.

  “Yes, you?”

  She tilted her head. “I wasn’t, but when I saw you sneak out, I figured I would follow.”

  “Is Mark not coming along?” He glanced back towards the glass doors and noticed they were alone outside.

  “No, he’s neck deep in producers, agents, and people who will kiss his ass.” He could hear the sarcasm in her tone.

  “Want to share my ride?” he asked as the black car pulled to a stop in front of them.

  When she nodded, he opened the door and helped her slide into the car, then took his spot next to her.

  “Did you enjoy the evening?” he asked after the car pulled away from the curb.

  “Yes, you?” She turned slightly towards him.

  “As much as one could enjoy being in an uncomfortable suit in a room packed with people you don’t know.” He smiled. “You look wonderful tonight,” he said again. He figured the first time didn’t count because he hadn’t said it out loud.

  “You too.” She reached over and ran a finger along his collar. “Looks like you can’t wait to pull that tie off.”

  He did so and let out a loud sigh, causing her to laugh.

  “What about those shoes?” He nodded to her feet, which she’d been wiggling.

  She toed off the heels and repeated his sigh, only hers was softer. His body responded.

  “Much better.” She leaned back into the leather seats.

  “How many more of these do you have to attend?” he asked.

  “Too many.” She glanced over at him. “When are you leaving?”

  “Tomorrow.” He looked out the window as the dark city flew by them.

  “We’ll miss you.”

  He turned and locked eyes with her.

  “We or you?” he asked.

  “Both,” she said after a moment of silence.

  He didn’t know what caused him to move, but suddenly, his hand was up, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. “I’m going to miss this, our time together, too.”

  They both moved at the same time and suddenly their lips were pushed together in a kiss that seared him to the core.

  She was so soft next to him and she smelled like something he could only dream of holding onto for the rest of his life. Her hands were tangled in his hair, holding him closer as he roamed over her sexy curves as they almost spilled out of that sinful dress.

  Somehow, she ended up in his lap, her soft ass pushing against his hard-on, which was bound by the damn suit slacks. His hands moved under the flair skirt and found her soft skin. Her moan almost undid him.

  Then, the car slowed and pulled into the hotel, and she slid off his lap and pulled her shoes back on.

  He shifted slightly and prayed that no one would notice the bulge in his pants as he walked inside.

  They didn’t speak as they walked through the brightly lit lobby. They didn’t touch as they waited for the elevator and when the doors slid closed, he glanced back and cursed the glass walls of the elevator. Even though it was close to one in the morning, there were still people in the lobby who would notice them.

  “I’ll walk you to your door,” he said when the doors slid open to her floor.

  “Thank you.” Her voice was low and she avoided looking in his direction.

  He knew how he wanted the night to end, but he wasn’t going to push her. Especially when he noticed her hands shake as she opened her door.

  “Emma, my flight leaves pretty early.” He stopped her from entering her room by putting a hand on her arm.

  “Oh?” She blinked a few times and finally looked him in the eyes.

  “If ever… If you need to escape all this… you know where to find me.” He took a step closer, sealing the space between them. “I meant it. I have enjoyed our time together more than you’ll ever know.”

  Her fingers dug into his jacket and held him close to her. “Me too.” She reached up on her toes and laid a soft kiss on his lips.

  “Goodnight,” he said, taking a step back.

  “Night.” She smiled. “Safe trip home.”

  He nodded, then turned and left. The image of her standing in the doorway in that red dress would be locked in his mind for the rest of his life. So would the pain of leaving her behind.

  Emma closed the door behind her and sighed. Wow. Just… Wow.

  She stood with her eyes closed, leaning against the hotel door, until her phone chimed and woke her from the sexy daydream she was having about JT.

  Pulling it out of her clutch purse, she frowned down at the message from Mark.

  -where u at?

  -Back at the hotel

  -I’ll be there in 10

  -No, I’m tired

  -Can I come by tomorrow?

  She thought about having to keep up appearances for the next few months and groaned.

  -Sure, meet at the diner?

  The little hole-in-the-wall diner by the studio had been a staple for most of the crew during filming.

  -No, I’ll pick you up at 10. I have a surprise for you.

  She groaned again.

  -ok

  She tossed her phone down and pulled off her new dress and shoes then stepped into the shower to clear her mind of the sexiest kiss she’d ever had.

  By the next morning, she’d fantasized about that kiss so much, she was sure she’d imagined how good it had been.

  When Mark picked her up, she tried to figure out how she was going to make it through it.

  Mark had one of the latest Porsche models and when she stepped from the curb, he leaned over from the driver side and waved at her. She stepped off the curb and opened the passenger door and got in.

  “Morning.” He smiled over at her.

  “Morning.” She locked her seat belt into place just as he peeled away from the curb, causing gray smoke from the tires.

  She held on as he drove fast through the city. “I thought we’d head out of the city for lunch,” he said without looking her way.

  She remained silent as he drove, not wanting to take any of his attention from weaving through traffic at a high rate.

  Less than an hour later, they pulled into a small, secluded restaurant that she knew only by reputation. The place was more expensive than she wanted to think about.

  They were shown immediately to a private sitting area that overlooked the hillside. Lavender flowers surrounded the private patio area and instantly she was thankful she’d worn a summer dress and there was a slight breeze.

  The waiter pulled ou
t her chair and seated her facing the view while Mark sat directly across from her. He ordered a bottle of champagne and then waved the waiter away.

  “So.” He reached over and took her hand in his. “I was talking to Jim and the guys last night.”

  She waited, but he just smiled over at her.

  “Have I told you that you looked amazing last night?”

  Something in his tone told her that he wanted something, but she ignored the warning and smiled.

  “Thank you,” she replied. He hadn’t, nor had he mentioned how she looked today.

  “We were discussing the release day.”

  “And?” She shifted since he wasn’t letting go of her hand.

  “Well, everyone knows how it ends for Liam Adams, Dylan St. Clair, and Hannah Rodgers.” He chuckled.

  They had filmed their final scenes early on in the shooting before she’d started seeing Mark on the side.

  She smiled. “Yes, I can’t believe how wonderful the book was, even without a happy ever after.”

  Mark’s eyes narrowed. “There is a time and place for mushy stories, and JT Whistler doesn’t seem like a man who likes mush to me.”

  She thought about the kiss last night and almost came to JT’s defense, but bit her lip instead.

  “Anyway, like I said, we were thinking that…” He released her hand and to her shock, pulled out his chair and slid slowly to his knee as he flipped open a ring box.

  She vaguely heard the snapping of cameras and blinked as the flashes almost blinded her.

  “Will you marry me?” Mark said plainly. Then he leaned in and whispered. “It’s what the production wants.”

  She swallowed and glanced around when she noticed all of the cameras on her and all of the smiling faces of the people watching them.

  She turned back towards Mark and followed the course someone else had laid out for her life.

  Chapter 4

  One Year Later

  JT stepped off the dock and smiled when Bo, his six-month-old yellow lab, came running towards him and almost knocked him over. The massive dog had grown so much in the past few months that he was at the point of needing obedience lessons. Yet another thing to add to JT’s growing to-do list.

  He was halfway up his walkway when he heard the engine of another boat. Bo let out a loud, excited bark, quickly did three circles, and then made his way towards the docks again.

  He followed more slowly. He didn’t get a lot of visitors, mostly just his family or people he knew from East Haven Resort.

  When he saw the charter boat, he frowned and watched it move closer to his dock. Then he saw the woman in the boat and his heart skipped. Emma.

  He was smiling when she stepped off the boat and onto the dock. She pulled off her dark sunglasses as she approached him.

  When their eyes met, his smile fell away. Behind the carefully applied makeup, he could see dark shadows under her eyes, eyes which looked full of fear and sorrow. She was wearing baggy clothes, which was out of character for her. He noticed that her face was narrower, meaning she’d lost weight since the last time he’d seen her.

  He stopped in front of her as the boat pulled away. He wanted to grab her, pull her close, and hold on, but instead, he tucked his hands into his pockets to stop the desire.

  “You didn’t say you owned an island.” She glanced around.

  “I didn’t?” She turned in a circle, his eyes moving over her, trying to assess what else was different. One year, two months, and three days. He’d never thought he’d see her in person again, except at the premiere of his movie, which was two months and three days away. Not that he was counting.

  “This is amazing.” She turned back to him and smiled, but the emotion didn’t reach her eyes. “Do you live here alone?” She knelt and gave Bo a pat. Bo, for his part, was a perfect gentleman and jumped all over her and tried to inhale her face.

  She laughed and tried to push him away. JT quickly snapped his fingers and the dog returned to his side and sat on his butt, tail wagging and tongue hanging out as a long string of drool dripped from his chin onto the dock.

  “Wow.” She stood back up. “He’s well trained.”

  “Not well enough.” He winced when he noticed a dirty paw print on her jeans. Then his eyes moved to the two bags that had been set on the dock before the small charter boat had left. His eyebrows shot up.

  “Um, yeah, so… I was hoping your offer was still open.” She moved in front of the bags and gave him a begging look.

  “Yes, of course,” he answered too quickly.

  “Are you sure?” She tilted her head and took a step back. “I could always—”

  “No.” He shook his head and moved quickly to grab her bags. He tucked the smaller one under his arm and pulled the bigger one behind him. “Bo, home,” he said and the dog raced towards the house as fast as he could.

  “Are you sure?” she asked, following him as he walked up the cobblestone pathway.

  He glanced back. “You’re already here and I did offer. Besides, there’s plenty of room.”

  She walked beside him in silence until they turned the corner and the house came into view.

  “Wow.” She sighed. “I didn’t think the view could get any better.” She stopped at the top of the hill where the pathway circled around a stone fountain he’d rebuilt himself.

  The house was, in his mind, still under construction. It was a classic New England–style home that had been built back in the fifties and had desperately needed an update. The outside was almost finished, except for the back deck, which he was in the process of building. The inside was a different story. He’d remodeled most of it, but still, the upstairs was… damn. The upstairs was a mess.

  “I’ll warn you.” He stopped just as the path ended at his front patio. “I’m in the process of remodeling. Things may be a little… messy.”

  “I’m just thankful you remembered me.”

  He glanced over at her in shock. “Seriously?” He chuckled as he shook his head. He reached to open the door, but the suitcase hindered it. “Would you?” He nodded to the door.

  “It isn’t locked?” she asked, opening the door easily.

  “I live on an island,” he said by way of explanation. “Besides, I have a seventy-pound monster to watch out for this place.” He nodded towards Bo who was sitting on the front porch.

  He motioned for her to enter then stepped into his foyer behind her. Setting the bags down, he moved around her. “I’ll show you around.”

  As he walked around his house with Emma following him, he had a million questions he wanted to ask her. He held off, knowing she might need time.

  When they were done walking around the main floor, he turned to her. Before he could say anything, she jumped in.

  “I really appreciate this. After… everything that’s happened, I just needed some time.” Her hands were clasped in front of her in a tight grip.

  His eyebrows shot up. “What’s happened?”

  She scoffed. “It’s been all over the news.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t watch TV.”

  She blinked and glanced around as if she was trying to remember if she’d seen one on the short tour. “The papers?”

  He shrugged. “The paperboy hasn’t been by for a while,” he joked.

  She closed her eyes and sighed. “You’re the only person on this planet that doesn’t know then.”

  “So?” he asked, not wanting to point out that not everyone follows gossip from Hollywood. He’d thought about finding out what she was up to, but then the word stalker flashed quickly in his mind and he’d forced himself to mind his own business.

  She pushed a lock of her blonde hair out of her eyes, then sighed deeply. “I’m going to need a glass of wine.” Her eyes turned towards him. “Unless you don’t partake?”

  He chuckled and motioned back towards the kitchen.

  He pulled out a seat at the table for her and took down a bottle of red wine from his wine rack. He poure
d them each a glass, sat across from her, and waited for her to take a drink.

  Realizing she might be hungry, he walked over to his pantry and pulled out a box of crackers, set a slab of cheese next to it on a plate, and set it all in front of her with a knife.

  She watched him in silence, then smiled when he sat back down.

  “Thank you.” She took some cheese and nibbled on a cracker.

  The suspense was killing him, but seeing the worry in her eyes, he knew she needed to tell her story on her own terms.

  “The short story is, the engagement with Mark is officially off.”

  He must have made a noise because she stopped and looked up at him.

  “Sorry.” He wanted her to continue, but she tilted her head at him.

  “You didn’t know we had gotten engaged either?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “I try not to…” He shook his head. “Never mind. Continue.” He motioned with his wine glass, then took his first drink and instantly wished for something stronger. “Why did you break it off?”

  “Mark had been cheating. For a while.” She took another drink. “And then there was the fight the other night. A very public fight.”

  “Sounds like you’re better off without him,” he supplied.

  “Of course, it’s just… we were supposed to keep it together until after… the premiere.”

  “Screw the premiere,” he said, sipping the wine again. Deciding it wasn’t good enough, he pulled out a bottle of rum.

  “Can I have some of that?” she asked as he splashed two fingers into a glass.

  He set the glass down in front of her and then poured himself another glass.

  “You okay?” he asked after he swallowed the amber liquid.

  He watched her down the entire glass, then close her eyes and roll her head back. “I will be. I just need a few days away from… the craziness.”

  “Stay as long as you want,” he jumped in.

  Her eyes moved back to his. “I could always get a hotel…”

  He reached over and took her hand. “Emma, stay.”

  She nodded and reached for another cracker.

  “I’ll make us some dinner.” He stood up.