Even her clear voice taunted him.
He staredat her pert nose as she turned toward the small coffee she was mixing. The white t-shirt… yes. A few minutes ago. He snapped his fingers as he’d solved the mystery. “I just saw you in Jennifer’s room. Are you related?”
She stared at the coffee and not at him but again her hands trembled a little as she said, “I’m now working for her as her new assistant.”
He leaned against the whiteand blue counter and folded his hands on the edge beside her as he asked the question every Morgan wanted to know. “Do you know her publicist?”
She glanced at him and pushed her dark hair over her shoulder. The assistant fit the “girl next door” type. Just talking to her made him feel… calm, like he was home at his sister’s house in Miami. “I just started like ten minutes ago. My firstjob is getting her coffee.”
She handed him a small cup before she started on a second one. He held it like she’d given him the keys to her heart.
Matt sipped the brew and again the sense this was from home hit him. He smiled at her and continued to lean on the counter. “This is good. It tastes like it’s fresh from Miami, and that I’ve had this before.”
She nodded at him—wherecould he possibly know her from? He stood straighter when she said, “Well, I’m from Miami.”
Knowing her name would be nice. And whoever she was, she looked absolutely normal and she made great coffee. He reached for her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Matt.”
She shook it and her face blushed from the roots of her hair all the way down to below her t-shirt collar. “Ashley Romero… hi.”
Her plump bottom lip caught his attention as she said her name. The urge to kiss her hit him, but he held back as a plan came to mind. He winked. “Hi. Look, I was wondering if you have two minutes in between getting Jennifer’s coffee that I can talk to you… alone.”
Her eyes widened as she put the metal coffee maker down and glanced at the door. “Me?”
Most women he met werehappy to drag him into a corner. He put his cup down and would enjoy the taste in a second but he tucked his hands in his pockets so as not to startle her. “Ashley, you’re the prettiest girl in the room.”
She laughed and picked up the coffee to stir Jennifer’s drink. “I’m the only woman in the room—we’re alone.”
He sipped his coffee to take a moment and study Ashley. Her hips werea little too round for the cameras though honestly cameras were horrible judges. Her curves would be nice to touch and his adrenaline raced at the idea. “Most women take that as a compliment.”
She finished making the coffee, avoiding his gaze as she said, “Oh… well, I guess I’m nervous talking to you.”
He stopped fidgeting. The last thing he needed was to scare her off. She was perfectfor the role of girlfriend, and if he could sway her, she’d be the angel he needed in order to be star of the new series. “Nervous, bad or good?”
She started cleaning the coffee maker in the small sink with communal soap as she again didn’t look at him but said, “Good. I’m a fan.”
He set his coffee down on the counter. “Okay, that’s better than bad. I’d hate to be on a pretty woman’s“avoid” list.”
She placed the rinsed metal container in the side strainer to dry and then turned toward him, briefly brushing against his body, sending a spark. Her face was red as she said, “You’re not—and I’m sure you can charm anyone.”
He scratched the back of his head. The idea hit him that he knew her, but he wasn’t sure. He chose not to ask as his mind was blank as to wherethey might have met. “Well I hope not. I like people with thoughts and opinions that don’t fall for false charms.”
She left Jennifer’s coffee on the counter and finally looked up at him. Her brown eyes were soulful and interesting. “Where do you want to talk to me?”
No one needed to hear him. The last thing he needed was a hot mike where someone caught him presenting a stranger withhis insane proposal. He pointed across the small breakroom toward the fake gold lock and asked, “Would you mind if I lock the door? You can stand near it, but I don’t want us interrupted.”
Her eyebrow lifted but she nodded. “Now I’m curious, but I should warn you that I do know self-defense. You have to hurry, though, or Jennifer’s coffee will be cold.”
Matt had one minute to makehis case. He left her side and locked the door. She didn’t move from the counter so he went to one of the white plastic tables and pulled out a plastic blue chair. Joking, he said, “I’m sitting down with my hands on the table where you can see them at all times.”
She sashayed those sexy hips of hers and took the seat closest to the door. She gazed up at him. “Okay, I’m listening.”
The sense that he’d seen her before hit him like a brick that fell on his head. “It’s strange how much I think I know you. Have we met?”
This time her face went white and she shook her head fast. “No. We’ve never spoken. I’d have definitely remembered.”
Hmm. Very few people were unique-looking as most of the world had similar shapes and often people recognized small character traitsmore than faces, so maybe Ashley just reminded him of someone else. He let it go and sat back in his chair. “I want you to quit your job with Jennifer.”
She jerked her head back, her mouth opened in surprise. “Wait what? I was just hired.”
