Dreaming With My Eyes Wide Open (Hollywood Legends #2)

by Mary J. Williams

  But if he pulled it off? Damn. Wouldn’t that be something?

  Going by the feel of his body, Nate figured he had run close to three miles. On the way back, he tried to clear his mind, concentrating on his breathing and the feel of the air on his face as he increased his pace. The moon was at his back, casting long shadows from where it cascaded over his body.

  Scattered in front of him were images out of A Nightmare Before Christmas. Nate was fanciful enough to imagine Jack Skellington jumping up and jogging alongside him.

  Nate laughed at the silly thought. Nothing wrong with silly, his mother would have reminded him. Nate agreed. However, there was a fine line between silly and looney. He debated the difference as he caught a slight movement out of the corner of his eye.

  He didn’t stop. Instead, Nate slowly jogged in a circle, his gaze fanning out around the area. It only took a few seconds for him to find what he was looking for. About five feet off the road was a burlap sack tied with a bit of rope. He hadn’t seen it the first time he passed because a rock blocked the view from one side.

  Nate approached with caution. He had no experience to draw upon, but what were the chances it would contain anything but trouble? A wild animal with sharp teeth came to mind. Or snakes. Nate shuddered at the thought.

  The smart thing would be to keep going. Chuck would have a better idea how to handle it. At the very least, Nate could grab a flashlight and a pair of heavy gloves. Maybe a gun. Chuck must own a gun. This was a ranch in Montana. A rifle had to be mandatory.

  Before Nate could decide his course of action, the occupant of the bag made his mind up for him. The whimper then sharp bark that hit his ears told him right away what he was dealing with. Without another second of hesitation, Nate knelt and untied the rope.

  A cold, wet nose appeared, sniffing at Nate’s hand. Apparently, it liked the smell because instantly, a head, pudgy body, and four large, clumsy feet followed.

  “Hi.”

  On his knees, Nate picked up the puppy, laughing when it began to squirm. It had two goals. Get as close to Nate as possible and lick every piece of exposed skin it could reach.

  Nate was happy to indulge his new friend. There was no way to tell how long the puppy had been in the bag, but it couldn’t have been a pleasant experience. Freedom was sweet and apparently so was Nate.

  “Or maybe it’s salty you like,” Nate said, cuddling the warm body close to his chest. The sweat produced from his run dried quickly, leaving a coating on his skin that suited the puppy just fine.

  “What do you say we get you back to the house? There might be something tastier than me waiting for you.”

  Nate cradled the dog with his good arm before reaching for the empty sack.

  “Easy,” he crooned when the animal tried to burrow into his chest. “I promise; no one will ever put you in one of these again.”

  It only took a few minutes before Nate jogged up the porch steps. The light in the window told him someone was up and the smell of coffee that hit him when he opened the door was a welcome confirmation.

  Paige. Her bright hair was pulled back into one long tail. It left her face free. Free of swinging hair. Free of makeup. Natural. Damn, Nate thought. Paige Chamberlin might be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Considering movie stars surrounded him every day of his life, and his mother was legendary for her face as well as her acting, that said something.

  “Dad was certain you were still in bed,” Paige held up the coffee pot. “Want a cup?”

  “I’ll take a gallon. Black.”

  “Bad night?” Paige was reaching into the cupboard when she spotted what Nate was carrying. “Where did you find the puppy?”

  Forgetting the coffee, Paige rushed toward Nate. Seeing the smile on her face, Nate felt a twinge of jealousy. He wanted her to reach for him with the same enthusiasm.

  “On my way back from my run I saw a bag on the side of the road. This cutie was in it.”

  “On our property?” Paige asked, visibly outraged. “Why would anyone do that? Who dumps a puppy? And on someone else’s land?”

  “We’ll probably never know.” Nate watched as Paige poured milk into a bowl before setting it and the dog on the floor. “Though I would love to find out.”

  “Me too. You could punch them out.”

  “Really?” Nate leaned against the counter. The puppy licked the bowl clean. Paige refilled it, but this time with water. “You want me to do it? I thought you would take care of it yourself.”

  Paige looked him up and down before her eyes met his. “I like the idea of scaring the person. I’d be happy to do the hitting, but I don’t pack the same intimidation factor as you.”

  I don’t know, Nate thought, you scare me shitless.

  “What are you going to do with her?”

  “Her?”

  “The puppy?” Paige set a frying pan on the stove and proceeded to crack some eggs into in. “She’s a sweetheart. It shouldn’t be hard to find her a good home if you don’t want her.”

  “I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I’ve never had a dog. I travel so much it isn’t practical. How about here at the Double C?”

  “Mom adopted the sweetest mutt you could ever meet when I was about five years old. When he died, she couldn’t bring herself to replace him. Having a dog around again would be nice.”

  Finished with her water, the puppy bounced over to Nate and promptly began chewing on his shoelaces. “None of that.” He snatched her up. “Shoes are off limits, understand?”

  Happily, she swiped her tongue across Nate’s chin.

  “I think she’s decided who she loves.”

  “I have a way with women,” Nate said.

  It was the understatement of the year. Paige gave the eggs one last stir before plating them. She added some of the bacon that she had cooked while he was out and two slices of warm, buttered toast.

  “Sit. Eat.” Paige set the plate next to a fork and napkin. “Puppies and teenagers are right in your wheelhouse.”

  “I won’t argue. However, women like me even better.” Nate’s smile was slow. “Want to know why?”

  “Yes.”

  That threw him. Nate had expected her to counter with something snarky. Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he took an eager step in Paige’s direction.

  “But,” she said quickly. “Not right now. Not today.”

  “When?” Nate asked. “Or is it a secret?”

  “Why don’t I pour you that coffee? Your new girl looks like she’s ready for a nap.”

  “She’s had a pretty traumatic time of it.” Instead of setting her down, Nate took a seat, settling the puppy in his lap.

  “There you go.” Paige joined Nate at the table, a cup of coffee for him in one hand and hot tea for herself in the other.

  “Thanks.” Nate took a bite of the perfectly scrambled eggs then fed Beauty a small piece. Her whimper of happiness said it all. Warm food and Nate’s lap. She was in doggy heaven.

  Paige sipped her drink. “Nate.”

  Nate’s blue eyes seemed to have an extra twinkle to them when they met hers. It made keeping her thoughts straight difficult.

  “I like the way you say my name.”

  “Nathaniel.”

  Paige tried to sound like a repressed Victorian schoolmarm. By the smoldering look he gave her, she had failed. Miserably.

  “Tell me what’s on your mind, Paige. Beauty and I are eager to listen.”

  “I was thinking… Wait. Beauty?”

  “Isn’t she a Beauty?” The puppy’s tail wagged. “She agrees. Sweet and pretty as a Montana morning.”

  “Goddamn you, Nate Landis.”

  “Watch the language in front of the baby.” Nate pretended to cover Beauty’s ears. “What did I do?”

  “You’re too…” Edible? No, it wasn’t a good idea to tell him that. Nate didn’t need any encouragement. Paige wanted to slow things down. Telling him how tasty he looked was not the way to do that.

&nb
sp; “When you say things like she’s as pretty as a Montana morning, how am I supposed to resist you?”

  “That’s easy,” Nate shrugged. “You aren’t.”

  The man was impossible. Deciding to change tactics, Paige came at him with logic.

  “How long have we known each other?”

  “I know where you’re going with this, Paige. But…”

  “Less than forty-eight hours.”

  Paige plowed ahead. Nate’s argument, whatever it was going to be, would be tempting. She looked at his mouth and sighed. Too tempting. Especially when she knew how good he tasted. The man was a big sexy walking temptation. He might as well have a neon arrow flashing over his head that said, ‘Mind-blowing Sex Guaranteed.’

  “You need more time.”

  “I’ve never had sex with a man that I’ve known for less than three months.”

  “Say again?”

  “You’ve slept with women you just met?”

  “Once or twice.” Or more.

  Paige leveled a look at Nate.

  “What can I say?”

  “I don’t want you to say anything, Nate.” Paige absently ran her finger around the rim of her cup. “I don’t care about that. I don’t want to know who, what, where, when, or how many. Are you always safe?”

  “Always,” Nate said emphatically. No glove, no love was something his parents drilled into their sons’ heads from an early age.

  “And healthy?”

  “I’ve never even had a cavity.” Nate opened his mouth wide, showing her his perfect pearly whites.

  “No need to show off,” Paige laughed.

  “I would never put you at risk, Paige.”

  Paige felt warmth steal over her. The tone of Nate’s voice. The truth in his clear, blue eyes. He was such a good man. Sexy and sweet. Women who thought they liked the bad boy would change their tune in a flash if they got a load of Nate.

  “That’s all I needed to know. The rest is your business, Nate. I would prefer you keep it that way.”

  “Not a fan of kissing and telling?”

  “God, no. Do you want to hear about my past sex life? Admittedly, it isn’t as colorful or varied as yours, but it does exist.”

  Nate frowned at the thought. Hearing about someone else’s sex life could be fun. Hearing about Paige’s. No. No. And a big fat NO!

  “How long do you need?” Nate was a fan of deadlines. When he had a goal in his sights, he became more determined. “A week? Two? There is a ticking clock, Paige. I won’t be here forever.”

  It took a moment, but after a few seconds of silence, Nate realized he had hit on the problem. Or at least, a big stumbling block.

  “I’m not a blushing virgin, Nate.”

  “Thank God. I don’t know what I would do with one.”

  Paige laughed. “If you wanted her enough, you’d figure it out.”

  Nate pretended to contemplate the idea before smiling back. “I like a challenge.”

  “I’m not.” Paige sighed. “A challenge. I’m not trying to be difficult. This isn’t me being coy. I don’t think I could if I wanted to.”

  “Paige.” Nate put his hand over hers. He could feel the nerves vibrating through her. “Games can be fun. I played them when I was younger. I had more energy and a hell of a lot more patience back then. Now, I prefer straightforward. I want you.”

  “I want you.”

  “I’ll be here six, maybe seven weeks.”

  “I know.”

  Nate looked directly into Paige’s eyes. “I’m not looking for anything long-term.”

  Paige leaned closer, her gaze as steady as his. “Neither am I.”

  “So…?”

  “So. We let nature take its course.”

  Paige turned her hand so her palm met his, curving her fingers. His hand was big and strong, calloused. She knew instinctively that she could trust him to keep her body safe. Fleetingly, she wondered about her heart.

  “My nature says throw everything on the floor and have sex on the table.”

  The wild part of Paige’s nature wanted to shout, yes please. The practical part reminded her where they were.

  “My dad is feeding the horses. He could walk in at any moment.”

  Shit. Chuck. Nate had completely forgotten about Paige’s father. It was a testament to her growing appeal. He knew better than to let his dick do the thinking. However, something about this woman made the world narrow. When he talked to her, she was all he saw. It was exciting and disconcerting all at once.

  Nate fed Beauty the last bite of toast. She could barely keep her eyes open. Swallowing, she rested her head on her paws and sighed. She was warm, full, and knew with complete certainty that Nate would be there when she awoke. With that last thought, she slept.

  “What is this?” Paige ran her thumb over the braided band that circled Nate’s wrist. “I noticed it before.”

  “It’s a buddy bracelet.” Nate smiled. “A little boy who was very sick visited the set of a movie I worked on. He was in a wheelchair because he was too weak to walk, but his head was filled with dreams of being a stuntman.”

  “It isn’t fair.” Paige squeezed Nate’s hand. “Children shouldn’t get sick.”

  “No,” Nate agreed emphatically. “I’ve worked with the foundation before. Seeing a child like that never gets easier.”

  “But you do it.”

  “Could you say no?” When Paige shook her head, Nate nodded. “I showed him and his parents around the set. God, he was bright, Paige. Everything interested him and he had a million questions. By the end of the day, he could barely hold his head up, but he left with a smile on his face. I received the bracelet in the mail a week later with a thank you note.”

  “What happened to the boy?” Paige’s throat felt thick with the tears she wanted to cry for the little boy — for all the little boys and girls. She had to ask even as she dreaded the answer.

  “Complete remission.” Nate smiled. As good news went, it was about as good as you got. “This bracelet stays put.”

  “Are you superstitious, Nate?”

  “No more than anyone else. However, why push my luck? Andy is playing soccer this year for the first time and I plan on going to a game. Hopefully, I’ll get to go every year for a long, long time.”

  Later, Paige wondered what she would have said if her father hadn’t chosen that moment to enter the kitchen. He broke the intense mood with the rush of fresh air and cheery greeting. Grabbing a cup, Chuck poured himself some coffee. He smiled at Paige but when he saw the puppy, he grinned.

  “Who is that?”

  Nate told Chuck the story while Paige cleaned up the breakfast dishes. Her back to the men, she let her mind wander.

  It wasn’t fair, she thought, stacking the plates in the dishwasher. The more she learned about Nate, the more she wanted to know. In her experience, men became less interesting the longer she was around them. Paige had the feeling that Nate Landis was a bottomless well of interesting. Uncovering the layers would take years. Decades. A lifetime.

  Where had that come from? When she had told Nate that she wasn’t looking for anything permanent, Paige had told him the truth. He didn’t fit into her plans for so many reasons. Most importantly, Nate inhabited a different world. Not just geographically.

  His family. The money. Paige didn’t think he was a snob. However, she didn’t know anything about Hollywood beyond the tabloid headlines and Entertainment Tonight. They were not a fit outside of the here and now. She would be a fool to think otherwise.

  Paige knew what this was. Sex. Plain and simple. The attraction was off the charts. It had been from the moment she laid eyes on Nate. It was flattering to find out he felt the same. The important thing was to never forget. Their time together had a ticking clock attached. When the sand ran out of the hourglass, that was it.

  No matter what, she would have to watch Nate walk out of her life. The last thing Paige wanted was a lifetime of regret because she didn’t act on her desire.
Her choice was simple. Take what Nate had to offer or turn her back on a passion she might never find again.

  When put like that, the answer was amazingly easy. She would jump. Eyes wide open.

  “I need a shower.” Nate stood, cradling the sleeping puppy in his good arm. “This girl needs to see a veterinarian. Is there a good one in the area?”

  “Dr. Mount,” Chuck said over the rim of his cup. “Paige works with her rescuing horses and finding them homes. She specializes in large animals, but I’m sure she’ll look at Beauty.”

  “I’ll get her number later and set up an appointment. Right now, we have people arriving at eight. There is prep I want to go over with both of you.”

  “If that little lady will let me, I’ll take her outside while you shower. We don’t want her peeing in the house.”

  The transfer from Nate to Chuck went without any fuss. Beauty seemed content that she was in good hands, especially when Nate whispered to her that he wasn’t going anywhere.

  “Do you think she understood you?” Paige smiled.

  “The words? No. I do think she knows the tone. She is a sweetheart. If I ever get my hands on the asshole that left her to die, he won’t be eating solid food for a month.”

  Paige blinked in surprise. Nate came across as an easygoing guy. Quick to laugh. Someone who let things roll off his back with little worry. Yesterday was a perfect example. He had been thrown into the middle of her father’s movie dreams and on top of that, had the directing job foisted onto him.

  The way he handled the inexperienced cast and crew made Paige shake her head in wonder. He found a way to soothe nerves, tamp down some cases of robust enthusiasm, and charm everyone. Nate managed all this while somehow maintaining his role as leader and authority figure.

  And Nate did all of that with good humor and charm.

  That was why the steel in his eyes while he made the matter-of-fact threat to Beauty’s previous owner sent a shiver down Paige’s spine. Holy shit. Was it twisted that his alpha male chest pounding gave her a sexual thrill? She had no idea. Nor did she care. This was one of those layers she was peeling back and she liked what she saw. A lot.

  “Nate?”

  “Hmm?”

  Paige moved closer. Then took one more step until she could feel the heat of his body. He smelled so good. Clean, male sweat. And Nate. It was a heady combination. She put her hands on his chest, smiling when she saw the spark her touch set off in his clear blue eyes.