Spotlight

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  When he had talked to Sienna, he had gotten the impression that their dinner would be casual. Now he wondered if he should have dug out his Sunday suit. He was still second-guessing himself when he heard movement behind him. He turned to see Sienna walk in wearing jeans and a button-up shirt.

  Relieved to see her casual attire, he motioned to the table. “Is this for us?”

  “Yeah. I figured it would be easier to go over the script if we had some privacy, and George is funny about me having men in my hotel room.”

  He gave a half smile. “I can understand that. I have a feeling he’s still a little leery of me.”

  “You’ve got that right.” George’s voice sounded from the hall.

  “Hi, George,” Craig called out. He motioned to the table. “There are only two place settings. Isn’t George joining us?”

  “No, he’ll eat later, after he’s sure I’m safely tucked away somewhere.” Sienna lifted the script in her hand. “Dinner should be here in about fifteen minutes. Do you mind if we start looking through this?”

  “Not at all.” Craig crossed to the table and pulled out a chair for Sienna. After she sat down, he took the seat beside her. He noticed several bright-orange tabs protruding from the script.

  She flipped to the first one. “Here. Look at this.” Sienna set the open script on the table between them and shifted closer. “This is one that has me worried. It’s probably the first scene we’ll shoot.”

  Craig read through the scene she had highlighted. The stage direction called for Sienna’s character to defend herself from an attacker who would approach from behind. “Oh, this won’t be hard.”

  Sienna’s eyebrows lifted. “Easy for you to say. The guy I’m supposed to be defending myself against is as tall as you are.”

  “Like I said, this won’t be hard.”

  “Care to demonstrate?”

  “No problem.” Craig stood up and motioned for her to join him in the open part of the room. “First of all, if this were a real situation and not just a movie, you would want to go for the pressure point.” Craig demonstrated on his own arm, placing his thumb on the underside of his bicep. “If you dig your thumb in right there, I don’t care how big your attacker is, he’ll stop and pay attention.”

  “Really?” Sienna asked.

  Craig nodded. “It might leave some bruising, but you can bet his hold will loosen.” He instructed her on some basic defensive measures, such as tucking her chin to keep her attacker from getting her in a choke hold and the movements she would likely want to use to break free of his grasp.

  “Since this is for Hollywood, let me show you what your director is probably looking for,” Craig said. He took position behind her and put one arm loosely around her neck. Her hair brushed against his cheek, and the smell of her shampoo tickled his senses. His stomach jumped when she leaned back against him, and he tried to convince himself he wasn’t affected by being so close to her.

  He rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Who was he kidding? He had his arm around one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen, and his entire nervous system was going haywire.

  “Now what?” Sienna asked, her own voice low.

  “Assuming you’re trying to break free, like the script says, here’s what you want to do.” He tried to pretend he was helping one of his teammates but failed completely. He took a steadying breath and guided her hands to where they would be most effective.

  “Like this?” she asked.

  “Exactly. Now you’re going to pull both hands down and throw your hips back.”

  “That seems easy enough.”

  He kept his grip loose so she would be able to break free with ease. She did so successfully, but when she turned to face him, her expression was wary. “You’re taking it too easy on me. I don’t think my costar will be so kind. He’ll want to flex his muscles.”

  The surge of jealousy was instant, as was Craig’s surprise. “Your costar is supposed to attack you? I thought it would be one of the bad guys.”

  “Not in this particular scene. This one is a case of mistaken identity.” Her eyebrows lifted, and her eyes sparked. “Kind of like when my bodyguard was recently tackled on the beach.”

  “I heard that,” George called out.

  “Just making sure you were paying attention,” Sienna said.

  Craig felt himself relax. “I gather he’s been with you for a while.”

  “Yeah. Since I was a teenager.”

  George poked his head in. “Dinner’s here.”

  A waiter walked in a moment later, pushing a cart with several covered dishes on top of it. While the waiter busied himself with setting their meal on the table, Craig once again pulled out Sienna’s chair for her.

  “Your mother sure raised you right,” she said with a smile.

  Craig waited for her to sit and helped her shift her chair forward before taking the seat beside her. He watched the waiter serve them their meal, which consisted of fresh bread, a green salad, steak, roasted baby potatoes, and steamed vegetables.

  Sienna motioned to the food. “I hope this is okay. You looked like a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, but if you don’t like it, we can have the kitchen send something else.”

  “This looks great,” Craig assured her, the smell of freshly baked bread complementing the scent of grilled meat. “Although I have to admit, I’m not used to a woman treating me to dinner.”

  “I figured it’s the least I can do since you’re going to the trouble of helping me out.”

  “Trust me. It’s no trouble. It’s actually nice to get off base for a while.”

  Sienna lowered her head as though offering a silent prayer as he and his teammates often did when they were eating in the mess hall. Craig sent up a prayer of his own, not sure what to think of the woman across from him. When he looked up, Sienna started the conversation again without missing a beat.

  She speared a piece of lettuce with her fork. “How long have you been stationed here?”

  “Only a couple weeks.” Craig broke open a roll, steam escaping from it.

  “Where did you grow up?” Sienna asked before taking a bite of her salad.

  “Iowa.”

  “Iowa?” she repeated. “So you’re a farm boy?”

  “You know, there are some people who live in Iowa who aren’t farmers.”

  Sienna’s eyebrows lifted. “I guess that is a bit of a stereotype. Kind of like everyone from Hollywood must work in the movies.” She shrugged good-naturedly. “If you weren’t a farmer, what did you do in Iowa?”

  “Actually, I was a farm boy,” Craig said and was rewarded with her laughter. He loved the way her face lit up with humor, and he tried not to think about how different his hometown was from the world Sienna had grown up in. “I’m from a little tiny town in the middle of nowhere.”

  “I always wondered what it would be like to live in the middle of nowhere.”

  “You do a lot of driving.”

  Sienna chuckled. “I guess that would be true if you don’t live near the store.”

  Craig nodded. “The closest one was forty-five minutes away.”

  “Do your parents still live there?”

  “My mom does. My dad passed away when I was in college.”

  Sienna set her fork down, her focus now entirely on Craig. “I’m sorry. What happened?”

  “Cancer.”

  “That must have been rough.”

  “It was. Especially on my mom and younger sister. They were the ones who took care of him at the end.”

  “Does your sister still live at home?” She picked her fork back up and took a bite of her vegetables.

  “No. After my dad passed away, my sister went to college. She works as a nurse in Des Moines now.”

  “That must have been tough for your mom, trying to put two kids through college at the same time after your dad died.”

  “I didn’t finish school.” Craig fought back the frustration that always surfaced when he thought of the one th
ing he had started and failed to finish. “When Dad got sick, I dropped out to help my brother run the farm.”

  “You never went back?”

  “No. It wasn’t meant to be.” Craig’s shoulders lifted. “The main reason I went to college was to get out of town. My sister had a purpose, so it made sense to help her through instead. I met with a recruiter a couple months after my dad died and decided the navy was a better fit for me.”

  “How did your mom feel about that?”

  “I think she understood I needed to get out of town. I know how to farm, but I was never a farmer.”

  “Have you ever thought about going back to school?” she asked.

  “Not really. I go through so much training with work that I don’t think I’d have time even if I wanted to,” Craig said. “What about you? Did you ever go to college?”

  “I did a year at UCLA.”

  “I gather college wasn’t for you either?”

  “Actually, I loved it, but the opportunity to start my career came sooner than I expected.”

  “Have you ever thought about going back?” Craig asked.

  She hesitated as though trying to decide how much to share. “I never really left. I’ve been taking classes, mostly online, so I can finish my degree. It’s taking forever, but I’m hoping to finish in a few more years.”

  “That’s great.”

  They fell into easy conversation as they ate their dinner. When they finished, Sienna asked, “Do you know yet where you’re going for work tomorrow?”

  “Not yet. I guess I’ll find out when I get there.” Craig shrugged. “Of course, I probably couldn’t tell you even if I did know.”

  “Oh, so you’re one of those kind of military guys, the kind who has to go on highly classified missions?” She phrased it as a question, but her tone was light.

  Craig didn’t answer.

  Her expression grew more serious. “Are you one of those guys who goes on highly classified missions?”

  Craig’s response this time was to change the subject. “How do you like Virginia so far?”

  Sienna stared for a moment, clearly aware that he was deliberately avoiding her question. “I like it. I especially like the solitude of the beach. It will probably get crazy, though, once the rest of the cast arrives.”

  “When does that happen?”

  “Next week sometime. Some of the crew is already here. They’ve been working on the house they rented that we’ll use for our main set.”

  Craig motioned to the script. “Do you want to look at some more of the action scenes?”

  “Might as well.” They read through several, and Craig gave her more pointers on how real-life scenarios would typically play out. They had to skip some of the moves since they would have needed mats to make sure no one got hurt.

  As soon as they finished, Sienna asked, “Do you have to get back to base, or do you have time to go out for some dessert?”

  “I have time.”

  Sienna walked to the door and spoke to George. “What do you think, George? Do you want to grab some dinner at that restaurant down the street while Craig and I get dessert?”

  “I think I could be persuaded.” He eyed Craig. “Are you carrying?”

  Recognizing that he was asking him if he was armed, Craig nodded. “Yeah. It’s standard procedure for my squad.”

  “Good. That way I can relax a bit over dinner and let you play bodyguard for a while.” George motioned down the hall. “We’ll meet you in the lobby in a few minutes after I take Sienna up to get her coat.”

  “See you then.”

  6

  Sienna couldn’t believe how easy everything was with Craig. She walked beside him like they’d known each other for years. He didn’t seem to care that George tagged along behind them, nor did he act like some starstruck groupie who was only interested in her because of her fame.

  She had worried things would be awkward when he was helping her with the action scenes, but he had helped her feel at ease, all except for the rush of attraction that had flowed through her when he had held her against him. For a moment, she had forgotten he was supposed to be her attacker, instead letting her mind get carried away by the warmth of his body against her back and the sudden leap in her stomach.

  Craig had seemed unaffected by their close proximity, and for the first time in years, she found herself unsure of where she stood with someone. Yet she couldn’t deny she felt more herself with Craig than she did with most people.

  When they reached the restaurant, Craig pulled the door open for her, and the thought struck her that her grandfather would approve of her current companion. If Craig was LDS, her grandfather would probably start planning a wedding, right after conducting an old-fashioned interrogation while cleaning his shotgun.

  The fact that she desired her grandparents’ approval more than her parents’ only served as a reminder of how different their values were. Her father would be just as happy to see her with some A-list actor who would keep her name in the social pages as he would to know she was with someone who offered her true friendship. She knew publicity was part of her job, but that didn’t mean she always had to be in the news.

  She didn’t doubt that her father wanted her to be happy, but he often got so caught up with keeping Kendra and her safe that he didn’t take the time to understand what she needed for true happiness. She wanted what her sister was about to have: a temple marriage to someone who loved her, a companion who cared about her more than anything else. Not that she expected to find that anytime soon, but she liked to think she could find the dream someday.

  They stepped inside, George following right behind them. Immediately, Sienna reveled in the scent of freshly baked pastries and homestyle cooking. “I ordered dinner from here yesterday. The apple pie is amazing.”

  “I’m surprised you indulge in dessert. I thought people in your profession lived off salads and celery sticks.”

  “I’ve heard that.” Sienna looked at him thoughtfully. “I tried it once, but I didn’t like it, so I decided not to do it again.” Craig chuckled, and Sienna felt a sense of satisfaction that he appreciated her humor.

  “I’m glad to hear that. I’ve never really understood people who live off of vegetables.”

  “What about fruit? Apple pie counts as a fruit, doesn’t it?” Sienna asked.

  “I guess you could say that.”

  When they approached the hostess, Sienna saw the light of recognition in the woman’s eyes.

  Craig stepped up before the hostess could say anything. “Would it be possible for us to get a quiet booth in the back? We just wanted to get some dessert.”

  The woman took a second to respond, as though she had to gain her composure before speaking. “Of course, sir.” She fumbled with the menus before leading the way to their booth. “Is this okay?”

  “This is great. Thanks,” Craig said, waiting for Sienna to sit before sliding in across from her.

  “Your waitress will be right with you.” The hostess handed them each a menu and disappeared back the way she had come.

  “Did you want apple pie again, or do you want to try something new?” Craig asked.

  “I know it may sound boring, but I just want apple pie.” Sienna noticed the hostess talking to a waitress, the two women turning to look in their direction. Sienna offered a little wave.

  “You realize you just made their night.”

  “I doubt that.”

  The waitress approached with a hesitant smile and took their order. Out of the corner of her eye, Sienna saw the hostess show George to a table across the room. The simple fact that George wasn’t in hearing distance afforded her a sense of privacy she wasn’t accustomed to enjoying.

  The waitress served their pie in record time. Sienna scooped up a bite, savoring the warm apple contrasted with the cold ice cream. Glancing across the table, she couldn’t help comparing Craig to her last boyfriend. She wouldn’t have been able to order dessert in front of Joseph. He would h
ave criticized her for taking in so many calories, always quick to remind her the camera added pounds.

  She swallowed and lifted her fork for another bite. “Do you have any idea how long you’re going to be out of town?”

  “I’m not sure. From what I’ve heard, I should be back early next week.”

  “That’s good. I’m actually heading out of town for a few days myself.”

  Craig’s eyes sharpened with interest, but it wasn’t the greedy self-serving look she often saw from the reporters who too frequently followed her around. Instead, Craig’s expression revealed simple curiosity. “Where are you going?”

  “My sister has a concert tomorrow night in DC. We’re going to meet up so we can hang out for a few days together.”

  “That’ll be fun.”

  She saw the way his curiosity melted into acceptance, and he seemed to pick up on her excitement about the upcoming weekend. “It will be. We don’t get a lot of time together, especially since she got engaged.”

  “I heard about that. She’s marrying a cop, right?”

  “An FBI agent, actually.”

  “I remember seeing it in the news when she had that stalker go after her.” His eyes met Sienna’s and held a quiet understanding. “That must have been terrifying for your family.”

  Sienna’s fingers tightened on her fork. “Definitely. I actually didn’t know much about it until afterward because I was in Europe at the time.”

  “Still, just knowing what your sister was going through must have been really stressful.”

  Not wanting to dwell on such a negative topic, she asked, “Will you be able to call or text me while you’re traveling?”

  “It’s possible, but I won’t be sure until I get there.” Craig’s eyes met hers. A touch of uncertainty flashed in his expression, but when he spoke, his tone was flirtatious. “Do you want to talk to me while I’m on assignment?”

  She felt color rising in her cheeks and hoped he wouldn’t notice. “It would be nice to hear from you.”