“Oh, you think you’re so slick.”She tried to ease off him, but he wrapped his arms around her.He wasn’t ready to let her go yet.“I thought you were hungry.”
“I’d rather eat—”
She covered his mouth.He was already hardening inside her.He had a ferocious sexual appetite, and in her, he’d found his perfect match.The missing piece in his life.
“Let me paraphrase that,” she said.“I’m hungry, and Chris will eventually want to use his trailer, scrap or not.Can we go now?”
“Give me a moment.”He kissed her, then her breasts, loving the way her breath caught and her pussy muscles tightened around him.He wanted her again.He hoped it would always be like this between them.He loved the way she responded to his touch, the way she could take charge, then give in to him.How she was never afraid to show she wanted him.But all that meant nothing if he couldn’t earn her trust.Without trust, there was no chance of her loving him.
As for what he felt for her, he wasn’t sure what it was.Love.Obsession.He just knew he couldn’t imagine life without her.
While she got dressed and reapplied her makeup, he pulled out his cell phone and called Paula.He wasn’t sure whether his instructions were coherent because he was busy watching Jillian through the mirror.She was so exquisite.
She reached inside her bag and pulled out the jewelry box with the gift he’d given her this morning.He braced himself, sure that she was going to return it.Was he wrong to want to drape her in the finest clothes and shower her with gifts?
“You win,” she said, turning around to face him.“I won’t fight you over gifts.”She opened the box to reveal the Blue Nile signature diamond tennis bracelet set in platinum he’d handpicked in St.Martin.“You said the bracelet reminded you of me.Why?”
“It’s beautiful and fragile, yet it’s made of the strongest element in the world.”He lifted the bracelet from its satin bed and snapped it around her wrist.“Just like you.You are strong, driven, and resolute, yet you’re also delicate.Fragile.”He stroked her hand.“You have the gentlest of hearts.”
She gawked at him.He was amazed she didn’t realize what a gem she was.If only she could see herself through his eyes.From the way she’d defended Margo to her protectiveness toward Chris Lander and the older actress she was talking to earlier, the goodness in her shone through.He couldn’t wait until he was the focus of her love and devotion.
He raised her hand to his lips.“And one day, I hope you’ll trust me enough to accept the fact that I’m always right about everything.”
She laughed.“Like I said, a serious god complex.Let’s go.I’m starving.”She reached for her bag and grabbed his hand.
Outside, the people around the set were eating.Barbs and her husband were having a heated discussion with a group of people at a table.She waved.Everyone at their table looked up, smiled, and nodded.He’d met most of them this morning.Jillian had been working with them for months, yet they totally ignored her.That pissed him off.
He was a businessman and knew you treated all employees with respect, from the heads of departments to the blue-collar construction workers.They all did honest work and were all part of what made a project work.These same scriptwriters and directors would come begging Jillian to fund their movies once she had millions at her disposal.
She stared straight ahead, head held high, completely indifferent to their attitude.Or maybe she knew, but was better at hiding her reaction.She amazed him.Made him feel like the luckiest man in the world.There was so much about her he wanted to learn, so many facets of her he had yet to discover, but he was a patient man.He’d waited this long to find her, he’d wait some more, until she saw him as the man meant to love her.
Her expression changed when they reached Chris and his stunt crew.The group was more boisterous and waved to her.The lead actor, Keith the Aussie, was with them.His mother had mentioned the actor in passing when they’d talked earlier this morning.Apparently, he did his own stunts and knew how to charm older women.
“You did good, kiddo,” one of the guys called out.
“Yeah, nice jump,” a woman added.The rest nodded, some clapping.
Laughing, Jillian gave them a thumbs-up.“No, you guys made it happen.Nice pyros, P.K.Didn’t feel a thing.”
A black guy who looked like a linebacker stood and bowed.“Thanks, kiddo.I try.”
“See you guys on Monday.”She gestured “call me” to Chris.
Lex whisked her away.It was obvious she was closer to the stunt crew than the rest of the people around the set.It just bugged the crap out of him that people like Jillian made the actions in the movies seem authentic yet weren’t accorded the respect they deserved.Any idiot could memorize lines and squeeze a tear.It took talent and hard work to do stunts.
Jillian looked around when they reached the parking lot, confusion on her face.“I don’t see the Phantom.”
“That’s because we’re not using it.”
“Is Mathews picking us…?”her voice trailed off when she saw the two bikes—his Road King was right beside the new Leeds Low Rider.She laughed, glanced at him, at the bike, and back at him.“It’s beautiful.Is it… mine?”she whispered, awe in her voice.
He hated to disappoint her, but… “No.”
“Oh.”Her reaction didn’t surprise him.She touched the surface as though to prove it was real.From the handlebars to the wheel, she traced the chrome and leather.“What do you call it?”
“Leeds LR, Low Rider.”He put the keys in her hand.“Eddie wants to know what you think.”
She glanced up.“You mean I get to test ride it?”
