“I’ll text you,” Craig said. “And I want to see you if you have the time.”
“I’ve always heard you have to make time for the people who are important in your life.” She squeezed his hand. “You’re important.”
She had expected him to smile, but the intensity of his gaze didn’t waver when he said, “The feeling’s mutual.”
13
What had he gotten himself into? The question played over and over in Craig’s mind on his drive back to base. Kissing Sienna had been an impulse he had been thinking about for days. If he was honest with himself, he could admit he had been a bit star struck their first couple meetings, but that now seemed like a distant memory. He wasn’t sure when his perception started to change, but he suspected it had happened somewhere between their first dinner together and ordering dessert.
Never would Craig have thought he would feel so comfortable with any woman, yet the drive from Northern Virginia to Virginia Beach had flown by. He could have talked to Sienna for hours longer, and it still wouldn’t have been enough. And the kiss. Adrenaline still pumped through his body.
It wasn’t like this was the first time he’d ever kissed a woman. He’d dated plenty in high school and during college. Granted, he hadn’t been interested in anyone since he’d broken up with Teresa shortly before he’d started SEAL training, but then, opportunities had been limited.
Still, he couldn’t remember a time he’d been flattened by what should have been a simple meeting of lips.
He wondered if it was because of her fame but then dismissed that thought immediately. He hadn’t been thinking of her as Sienna Blake when he’d kissed her. She had simply been Sienna, the beautiful woman who loved life, enjoyed the outdoors and its freedom, loved her family, and had a fun and sometimes quirky sense of humor.
The truth was that he preferred her the way she looked today, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, her face nearly free of makeup. He supposed she felt more real this way, more attainable, more his.
His hands tightened on the steering wheel at that last thought. Now he really was navigating unchartered waters. Terror and shock rocketed through him and mixed with a kind of wonder. Yes, he may have dated in the past, but for the first time, he felt vulnerable to a woman. He wasn’t sure he was ready for such a depth of emotion, and he was quite certain he didn’t like it.
* * *
Sienna followed George down the hall toward the main elevators, her mind still spinning with thoughts of Craig.
“You’re awfully quiet,” George commented. “Everything okay?”
“What?” Distracted, she glanced at him and repeated his question in her mind before answering. “Oh, yeah.”
“When are you seeing Craig again?” George asked, not quite able to hide the smirk on his face.
“Hopefully tomorrow.”
“You really think you’ll have time?”
“Aren’t you the one who said I need to make time for what’s important?”
“I’m just surprised to see you taking my advice,” George said. “I’ll make sure his name is on the approved list to come on set.”
“Thanks.”
“You know, it would be a lot easier if you would bring Jane out for this film,” George said, referring to her personal assistant.
“I know, but her mom just started chemo, and I didn’t want her to have to travel right now. Besides, she has plenty to do dealing with the fan mail and the business side of things.”
George let the subject drop. They turned the corner into the main lobby and saw Adam Pratt’s entourage enter the hotel. Sienna’s opinion of him immediately began forming. She had met so many celebrities over the course of her life. Some made great efforts to keep a low profile in public, while others needed to be noticed everywhere they went. Adam appeared to belong to the latter category.
The desk clerk, a woman in her midtwenties, looked up when they approached. She goggled at Hollywood’s poster boy before she recovered enough to signal the nearby bellhop. A gangly teen who barely looked old enough to have graduated high school goggled too before he stepped forward and prepared to load luggage on his cart.
The woman at the desk tapped on computer keys to check the new arrivals in, and Adam stood back while another man in his group took care of the details.
Adam exuded an air of impatience, his fingers playing over his cell phone, his gaze shifting upward frequently as though he was silently asking if this tedious process was over yet. Sienna imagined he thought he had important business to attend to, but with shooting starting in the morning, she didn’t know what could be so important unless he hadn’t yet memorized his lines.
She reminded herself that his lines were limited in number during the first few scenes they were shooting, the first one an action scene. Her mind immediately shifted to Craig. It made sense now that he knew so much about the training government types would go through. She wished he really could be a consultant on the movie but knew he’d never have that kind of time. The action scenes in his life weren’t played out for an audience. They were real.
The memory of his kiss washed over her, though tempered by the reality of her situation. She was falling for a guy who not only didn’t understand the limelight but also didn’t have any interest in sharing it with her. She reminded herself that Kendra and Charlie had a similar situation and had somehow made it work. They loved each other enough to find a middle ground, even when it meant forging their own way through previously unnavigable waters.
Adam Pratt’s gaze swept the lobby, not stopping to linger on anyone in particular. Sienna couldn’t help but notice the difference between Adam’s presence and Craig’s. Besides having a generally friendly demeanor, Craig always seemed to be so aware of everyone. She suspected Adam hadn’t even recognized her, even though he undoubtedly knew what she looked like. Granted, with her hair pulled back and her casual attire, many people didn’t equate her with the woman they saw on the big screen and online.
The elevator doors slid open, and she and George stepped inside. Her soon-to-be costar now forgotten, Sienna wondered if she would be able to see Craig tomorrow.
* * *
Craig leaned over and put his hands on his knees, his breath coming rapidly. The sprint at the end of the obstacle course wouldn’t have been so bad had he not run ten miles before completing it. Footsteps sounded behind him.
Tristan sucked in a deep breath. “What’s wrong, Craig?” he asked in his lazy Texan drawl. “Looks like you need to get back in shape after taking it easy the last few days.”
“He beat you, didn’t he?” Quinn asked Tristan, lacing his fingers behind his head, his own breathing heavy as he too waited for his body to recover from the most recent challenge.
“I didn’t want to embarrass him,” Tristan responded. “After all, he is new to the squad.”
“You never took it easy on me,” Jay said.
“Sure I did. Remember when we raced in freestyle? I totally let you win,” Tristan said.
“Right.” Jay turned his attention to Craig. “It’s amazing how every time someone beats him, he says he’s taking it easy on them.”
When Craig didn’t respond, Jay continued. “But on to more important things. You haven’t said a word about how your drive home with Sienna Blake was.”
Craig made an effort to keep his expression neutral before he straightened. “It was fine.”
“Fine? That’s it? That’s all you’re going to tell us?” Jay turned to Brent. “Commander, don’t you think now would be a good time to practice our interrogation techniques?”
“Apparently,” Brent said straight-faced. “But for now, go hit the showers. We have a briefing with Admiral Mantiquez in an hour.”
“Do you know what it’s on?” Tristan asked.
Brent shook his head. “Not yet, but we’ll all find out soon enough.”
* * *
From across the lobby, he casually turned a page of his newspaper, his right foot resting
on his left knee. To anyone walking through, he would simply be part of the background scene, a hotel guest waiting for someone. He was most definitely waiting for someone.
Sienna Blake stepped out of the elevator with her bodyguard, and the man lifted the newspaper a little higher to hide his face. The action kept her out of view until she approached the front door to catch the shuttle that would take her to the movie set. Adam Pratt arrived right behind her, barely visible behind his two bodyguards and personal assistant.
The newspaper now lowered so he could peer over the top, he watched, amused when Adam extended his hand to Sienna, apparently introducing himself. Sienna smiled graciously, and it didn’t appear that she let her costar know that he had failed to recognize her the night before. Instead, Sienna chatted amiably while they waited for the shuttle.
He had seen Adam’s arrival last night; he’d been sitting in this same spot, using the same ploy to blend in. He also knew enough about Sienna to recognize her when she wasn’t dressed for attention. The two stars looked good together, he noted. Of course, that wouldn’t last. He couldn’t let it. This was his golden opportunity, his best chance to step out of the shadows and into the headlines. It was only a matter of picking the right time.
14
Craig knew he should be excited about his first real mission, but the fact that he was missing out on spending time with Sienna put a huge damper on it.
He still wasn’t quite sure what to think of the current status of their relationship. Every time he thought of their time together, he was confused and uncomfortably overwhelmed. When he managed to think of her as simply Sienna, the person he enjoyed spending time with, all he wanted was more—more time, more memories. Then he would remember her last name and her fame, and he would wonder what in the world he was thinking. Her lifestyle would never mesh with his, as was evident from his current position at the edge of an airfield, where he was waiting for their ride.
Several of his teammates were on the phone, talking to their wives, or in Damian’s case, his fiancé. The conversations were all similar.
“No, we’re not sure yet,” Tristan told his wife.
“I’ll call you as soon as I can,” Quinn said into his phone.
Seth’s conversation took more of a practical tone. “Can you see if Brother Howard can cover my Sunday School class until I get back?”
Craig stuck his hand into his pocket and fingered his cell phone. He had texted Sienna as soon as he’d found out he couldn’t see her tonight, but she hadn’t responded. Now he wondered if he should call her while he still had the chance.
Damian ended his call and took a step toward him. “Have you talked to Sienna yet?”
He started to deny the need to but didn’t see the point. These men were quickly becoming like brothers to him, and Damian was the closest to him of them all. “I’m not sure she’d be able to take a call right now. It’s her first day of filming.”
“There’s only one way to find out.” Damian motioned to Brent standing a short distance away with his wife, Amy. “Brent once told me to make sure you never leave for a mission with regrets if you can help it.” He paused for a moment and added, “It’s good advice.”
Craig gripped his phone and pulled it free of his pocket. “I guess I’d better try to make a call.”
“Good decision.”
* * *
Her bones heavy and her muscles aching, Sienna dropped into the canvas director’s chair with her name on it. She hadn’t actually chosen this particular chair because it had been labeled hers but rather because it was the closest, and she didn’t think she could take another step.
Exhaustion was normal after a full day of filming, but these action scenes were taking more of a toll than she had expected. She didn’t want to think of how bad it would be if she wasn’t used to running a few miles every day. She also didn’t want to dwell on how many times they had shot the first scene.
She had expected a few takes, especially since she was so inexperienced with the use of stunt doubles, and she had thought she would be the weak link. She hadn’t realized Adam would come into today’s filming completely unprepared. Liam Rickman, the other actor in that particular scene, at least knew his lines, but he too clearly hadn’t prepared for the physical demands of his part.
Though it wasn’t particularly fair, she was a little more understanding of Liam’s difficulties. He’d grown up a well-known child actor, and this was only the second adult role he had landed in recent years, and he had never before performed in an action film. Liam’s first attempt at transitioning from child to adult actor had been playing the role of a disturbed mental patient. Unfortunately for him, the film hadn’t done well at the box office.
Adam, on the other hand, had several action flicks under his belt and should have known what was required to prepare for his role. Unfortunately, their first hour of filming had been little more than a rehearsal. Craig had figured out what the screenwriter had wanted within a minute or two, but Adam had to be told over and over what he was supposed to do.
The thought of Craig was enough to push her muscles into action, at least enough to lean forward and retrieve her cell phone from her bag, which was currently hanging off one side of her chair. She scrolled past the text messages from her mom and dad, two from each, and found one from Craig.
Her heart lifted a little at the prospect of seeing him tonight, but that hope was dashed when she read the short message: Change of plans for tonight. Call you when I get back in town.
Her brow furrowed as she read the words a second time. She had heard that people in the military sometimes had to leave town with little notice, but she had always thought those stories were exaggerated. Apparently not.
“Hey, Sienna.” Adam approached and lowered himself into the chair beside her. “How about we go grab some dinner?”
“I don’t know . . .” Sienna began. She was a little surprised by her knee-jerk reaction to decline the offer. It wasn’t like Craig had asked her not to date other people, but the truth was she didn’t want to date anyone else.
“Hey, we both have to eat sometime, right?” Adam interrupted before she could continue. “Besides, it will make shooting these scenes together a lot easier if we know each other a little better.”
What Adam said made sense, and it wasn’t like they would really be alone. Between his bodyguards and George, they had the beginnings of a party.
“I guess that’s true.” She tried to readjust her mind-set for her evening plans and get over the disappointment Craig’s text had caused.
“How about I pick you up at your room in an hour?”
“Why don’t we make it half an hour, and I’ll meet you in the hotel restaurant,” Sienna countered. “We need to make it an early night since we have an early call time tomorrow.”
“Don’t you want to go out and see the town a bit?”
“Not tonight.” Sienna thought of the last fodder she had seen about Adam in the tabloids, a rumor that he had cheated on his longtime girlfriend. Immediately she wondered if he was deliberately trying to be seen with her to get them and their movie noticed. She couldn’t blame him if he was. After all, publicity was part of the business, but she didn’t have the energy for it today.
Her cell phone rang, and she looked down to see Craig’s name light up the screen. Shamelessly, she used the call as a lifeline to reclaim her freedom for the evening. “Sorry. Looks like I’m going to have to take a rain check for tonight.” Not waiting for Adam to respond, she stood up and started walking away from him so she would have some privacy. On the fourth ring, she answered the call. “Hello?”
“Hey, Sienna. I just wanted to make sure you got my text.”
She continued walking along the far side of the set in search of a quiet spot. “Yeah, I got it. I gather you’re still heading out of town?”
“I am. I don’t know much about when I’ll get back, but the guys in my squad seem to think it might be a couple weeks,” Craig told her.
“I’m really sorry about the timing. I was looking forward to seeing you tonight.”
“Me too,” Sienna admitted. “I guess we’ll have to postpone until you get back.”
“I’d like that,” Craig said before changing the subject. “How did your first day of filming go? Did you already shoot that first action scene?”
Sienna’s mood lightened when she thought of how happy the director had been with her preparation for that particular scene. “I did. My part went very well, thanks to you.”
“You did the work. I just offered a few suggestions.”
“That may be, but your suggestions were exactly what the director was looking for.”
A rumble sounded in the background. “Sorry, that’s my ride. I have to go.”
“Your ride? It sounds like a helicopter.”
“It is. I’ll call or text you as soon as I can, but it may be easier to e-mail. Can you text me your e-mail address?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll write to you before I leave so you have mine.”
“Sounds good.” Not sure what else she should say at such a moment, she finally settled on “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Yeah. Take care.”
The call clicked off, and Sienna replayed the conversation in her mind. Where would he have to go for a couple weeks, especially with so little notice? The thought of her current script, of the many dangerous situations her character would go through, made her heartbeat quicken. Craig wasn’t living the military version of a terrorist situation, was he?
“Everything okay?”
Sienna startled at Adam’s voice, turning to see him standing behind her. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”
“It sounds like your plans changed again. Maybe we can catch dinner together after all.”
“Thanks, but I really am wiped out. I think I’m going to stick with room service tonight. Maybe another time.”
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