Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Standing in front of me, he only seemed capable of staring, and the look on his face spoke volumes. He was not at all happy to see me. But that was okay. I wasn’t exactly turning cartwheels myself. At the airport had been more than enough.
“Damie,” Sienna said sharply, and he quickly took my hand.
“Pleasure,” he said woodenly and let my hand go quickly before turning to Sienna. “Our suite is ready. Shall we go up?”
She squinted at him. “Cooper and I were just saying how hungry we both are, so perhaps if there’s a restaurant here at the Overlook, then—”
“The what?” he asked her as I chuckled. “No, this is the Castine Harbor Inn—”
“It’s from The Shining,” a voice said from behind me. “And that was very clever.”
Sienna gasped.
Turning, I found myself facing a man with gorgeous deep forest-green eyes, a square jaw, and short, thick black hair. He was shorter than me by a couple of inches, hovering right around six feet, and I noted how well his suit fit, encasing wide shoulders, a broad chest, and a narrow waist. He was simply breathtaking, the epitome of what one expected when the words movie star were spoken. For just a moment, I could barely remember my name.
“Cooper,” he said, and his smile gave the impression he was genuinely happy to see me. And he was an actor, an award-winning one, so I knew he could make me feel whatever it was he wanted, but still. It was nice. “Finally.”
The warm, sultry sound of his voice, deep and low, was exactly as it was on screen. I was not disappointed in the least.
“You made it,” I said, and figured, what the hell, he was supposed to be my boyfriend, after all. I should just go ahead and treat him the way I had all the others in my life besides Damien, and so I leaned in to hug him right there for everyone to see.
He dropped his duffel instantly, without concern for the six-thousand-dollar bag hitting the floor, and took me into his arms.
I realized as I was clutched to his chest that I hadn’t been hugged by anyone other than my family and friends in quite some time. The excitement that rolled through me, the flutter in my stomach, the sparks over my skin, were familiar and missed. I would really have to step up my game to find, if not a boyfriend, then at least a lover when I got home.
I savored the embrace until he let go—I never stopped hugging anyone first—and smiled at him.
Hard to read the look on his face, but if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was a bit flustered. His pupils were huge, his brows furrowed for a moment as he swallowed, and then he took a breath that seemed to steady him.
Acting was one thing; doing the whole fake-boyfriend thing was another. I understood instantly and reached up and put my hands around the sides of his neck, holding him still. He needed grounding in this moment, and I was there to give that to him.
“Are you all right? I know it was a long flight because you were delayed.”
He nodded quickly, and I watched his shoulders fall, saw him relax into my touch.
“We’ll get you a shower and some food,” I said with a grin. “That’ll fix you right up.”
“Yes,” he agreed, his voice barely there.
Letting my hands drop, before I turned to face Damien and Sienna, I took hold of his left hand and squeezed tight for a moment, letting him know I was there for him.
“You’re Ashford Lennox,” Sienna said breathlessly. “I just saw Invention of Darkness and loved it!”
I too had seen the Frankenstein retelling. It had been given a steampunk spin that was, People magazine said, “so apropos in our modern times.” As usual, he had been incredible in the movie. He would be up for another Oscar next year; that was the buzz already. He’d won in the Best Supporting category last year for his turn as a cop looking for his sister’s killer in The Smoking Room. With sisters of my own, I hadn’t been able to see that one, but was not surprised that he had been, again, honored with all the awards possible.
“I am,” he said, offering her his free hand to shake. “And thank you so much for the compliment.”
She grasped hold tightly, staring at his face. “My God, Cooper, you weren’t kidding when you said things were looking up.”
He turned to me, and his eyes, though still looking like he was a bit drugged, were glinting with amusement. “Was that about me?”
“Yes, it was,” I said with a nod.
“Well, that’s terribly good to hear,” he said with the wicked grin that had graced many magazine covers, before returning his attention to Sienna. “And you are?”