Her head swam, drunk on his appreciation.“You’d have to kill everyone who watchesCanyon del Oro, too, then,” she said.
“Don’t think I won’t do it,” he joked, pulling a mock stern voice.
Her pussy clenched.She loved it when he turned dominant.God, she loved it when he did anything.Her gaze swept over his muscled arms at the steering wheel.An actor who wasn’t self-involved.A man’s man, who knew how to treat a woman.Well, if one thought women ought to have their panties pulled down and their bare bottoms spanked until they squealed.Which she never dreamed would turn her on half as much as it did.
Joel pulled in to the repair shop, and accompanied her in, like the gentleman he was.The men at the counter scurried up to help her.“Good evening, Ms.Sparks.We have your convertible all set to go.The total charge with the new part and labor comes to four hundred and fifty-eight dollars.”
She handed him a credit card.“Sure.Here you go.”
Joel touched the small of her back in that possessive way he had.She looked over her shoulder and smiled.
The man turned back, looking uncomfortable.“Uh...I’m so sorry, but this card was declined.Do you have another card?”
Her neck grew warm as she dug in her wallet for a different card.“Sorry about that, please try this one.”
A few moments later, he turned back with the same chagrined look.
“That one didn’t work either?”Her heart thudded in her chest.Fucking Bev.Or her mom.What the hell was wrong with them, anyway?Had they really maxed out every credit card she had?
Joel leaned past her and handed the man his credit card.“Here, put it on this.”
She ground her teeth.Great.Joel already thought she was a total fuck-up.This just went to prove it.
“I’ll pay you back,” she said, looking out the door instead of at him.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, easily.When she didn’t respond, he put a finger under her chin and turned it to face him.
She dragged her eyes to meet his.“Thanks,” she said, her chest heavy.Taking handouts from her co-stars was not exactly a dream come true.
He touched her nose, then turned to sign the credit card slip.“I’ll see you back at the house.”
She nodded, digging in her purse for her phone as they walked out.
He caught her wrist when she pulled it out.“I don’t want you talking while you drive,” he said, back in full daddy mode.
She rolled her eyes.“I’ll put it on speaker phone.”
He held the phone up out of her reach.“No.No talking and driving.Period.Understand, young lady?”
“Come on, don’t be an—” she stopped, about to sayasshole.But that wasn’t the way they talked to each other and she knew exactly how he’d deal with her if she did.Besides, this wasn’t really worth a battle.“Fine,” she sighed.“I’ll wait ‘til I’m home.I mean, at your place.”
“Which is your home.”
She walked toward her car without acknowledging him, then realized she was being rude.“Joel?”she called out, stopping and turning to see him walking toward his car.
He stopped and looked back.
“Thank you.”
He smiled and turned back to his car.
God, just that smile made all her resistance melt.
She climbed in her car and palmed her phone again.He wouldn’t know if she kept it on her lap and spoke on speaker.She looked in her rear view mirror.He appeared to be waiting for her to pull out first.She tucked the phone back in her purse.He was right.She was a terrible driver, especially in L.A.traffic.She needed all the focus she could get.She exited the parking lot and merged onto the busy street, hitting the accelerator.Joel cared about her.Either that or he was just flexing his authority.But no, that didn’t seem right.He was looking out for her.
That realization made her ache with longing.She could not get attached to this man.She could not lose her heart.Because in two or three more months, filming would end and it would all be over.
She pulled up to his house and entered the code to open the giant iron gate.His garage door stood open and his car was parked inside.She parked in the drive and pulled out her phone, hitting the number for Bev as she walked in through the garage door entrance.
