The Player (Broken Wishes Series Book 3)

by Joanne Sexton

  When she got closer, he noticed high cheekbones, silky olive skin and eyes that almost glowed. As he tried to determine color, blue or green, she stopped in front of him and stuck out her hand.

  Once Adele and Jade had completed her transformation, Isabelle headed out to the set to locate the notorious Mitchell. To her complete surprise Isabelle discovered a boyishly handsome man a little taller than her. His blond straight hair fell over one eye as he checked light with his meter. She was reminded of Leonard DiCaprio in ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

  Isabelle took the opportunity to study him for a moment before he looked up. She couldn’t help but notice his wiry yet broad shouldered physique and smooth strong looking hands and arms. Definitely cute. Adele’s rundown hadn’t done him justice.

  Eyes the color of the sky on a clear, warm day lifted to meet hers. Her pulse quickened and her physical reaction to him surprised her. As she watched him watching her approach, she couldn’t determine the look in his eyes. Hoping her reaction to him didn’t show in her expression, she stuck out her hand by way of introduction.

  “Hi, I’m Isabelle Winters. You must be Mitchell.”

  Her soft, melodic voice caused Mitch’s heart to leap and then pound like a jackhammer. His feet became rooted to the spot for endless seconds while he stared like an idiot. Say something, do something, he urged himself. With miniscule control over his flooded senses, he planted what he hoped was a laid-back smile on his face.

  “Please, call me Mitch. It’s nice to meet you, Isabelle.”

  “Are you ready to start?” she asked in a cool tone, taking him aback.

  What was that about? “Um, yeah.”

  All of a sudden, he felt out of his element and all words became lost in his mind or wouldn’t reach his dry mouth. This reaction astonished him and only served to make forming words even more difficult. Somehow, he forced his tongue-tied mouth to continue.

  “I thought maybe we could start with you on the seat.”

  With reluctance, he turned towards his camera. Mitch wanted to take in more of her, to find out why she looked at him now as though he had a contagious disease.

  She turned away and he watched her walk over to the seat, lie down on her side and rest her head on outstretched arms. The sultry expression she aimed straight down the camera made his heart lurch again. Not only did she know what to do without direction, nailing the brief, she also stole his breath. For the first time since he was a teenager, his palms grew sweaty and instant desire swarmed through his veins. The usual lust prevalent around other models disappeared in her presence. Instead, it became replaced with a nervous, unable to string thoughts together, infatuation.

  “That’s perfect,” he managed to mumble out before beginning to shoot.

  Looking at her through the lens, he determined her eyes to be green, the colour of the deep part of the sea on a stormy day. They seemed to penetrate his soul and evaluate what they found inside. He directed her though several different poses and each time she knew exactly what he wanted, as though she possessed the same thoughts. To say he was somewhat impressed was an understatement.

  “I think we got it,” he said after snapping the final shot. He headed to her as she stood. “You captured the brief perfectly.”

  A silly school boy giggle erupted in his head. His natural flirtatious manner hid behind this professional, eager to be serious Mitchell in control of his mind. The first time he truly needed, wanted his charm to be at play, it ran scurrying under a rock.

  “Thanks,” she said. “You’re really easy to work with too.”

  “Thanks,” he mumbled. Shyness now slid itself onto the list of unusual reactions.

  “I guess I’d better go change. Thanks again, Mitch.”

  What is the matter with you? he yelled in his mind. Ask her out. Don’t let her get away!

  His mouth wouldn’t co-operate.

  All he could do was watch her sleek legs as she returned to the back room. The effect she had on his senses astounded him. A woman had never made him feel quite like this before. He didn’t want to sleep with her; he wanted to know all about her. Her beauty and almost ethereal poise stupefied him.

  When she re-emerged in running gear, with a fresh clean face and her hair tied back, he attempted to work up the courage to approach her. A quick study told him she looked much better this way.

  Somehow, he convinced his legs to move and he closed the distance in several swift strides. Now he needed to urge his mouth to speak.

  “Um, I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight.” The trepidation in his voice amazed him. Today was full of surprises.

  “I’m busy.” Her face gave little indication of her thoughts. It was a blank canvas.

  “Maybe another night?”

  “I don’t think so.” Her tone sounded cool again and he wondered why. Perhaps it was his inept attempt at charm. “I’ve heard about your reputation and I have no inclination to be one of your statistics.”

  “I’m not that bad,” he said, knowing that perhaps he could be. “I think you’re amazing and want to find out more about you. There’s something about you that’s drawing me to you. I can’t explain it. You’re also beautiful.” Great, now his mouth worked like a flowing river. Internally he groaned at the overeager boy that didn’t go with Mitch the man. Flashing his ‘winning’ smile merely caused her to frown.

  “I’m sure you want to get to know me.” Her tone was filled with sarcasm It seemed she didn’t believe his truth. “I’ve heard all the lines before, and they aren’t going to work. I’m not some dumb model that will jump into bed with anyone who asks.”

  Her reaction caused him to smirk. Not only was it endearing, it was new. “I don’t recall asking you to bed. I asked you to dinner. You are… intriguing.”

  “Sure I am. My answer still stands.” She turned and walked out of the studio before he could respond.

  “Damn it,” he mumbled to himself. That was an epic screw-up.

  Disappointment caused him to frown. The first time he’d felt a spark, a real spark, not lust, his extracurricular activities came back to bite him. Isabelle had affected him in a way he couldn’t fathom, and he had no idea what to do with the kaleidoscope of emotions swirling through his veins. When he said he wanted to know more about her, he meant it.

  It seemed it had become a day for firsts. He felt an urgent need to talk with her, to learn more about her instead of merely ravishing her. Not that he didn’t find the idea appealing, but it felt different.

  While packing away his equipment, Mitch decided it was time to stop sleeping around. The thought had already occurred to him that morning, but now there was more reason to stop.

  Somehow, he would find a way to see her again and next time he wouldn’t let her get away.

  Chapter Four

  Confusion or Clarity

  His empty apartment held little appeal.

  Instead of going home, Mitch decided he needed something to occupy his mind. It was Friday night and usually he would be heading out with a hook-up, but tonight the interest wasn’t there. Only one girl filled his head and she had refused him. Something about her made her different. She wasn’t just a model. The usual dog eat dog ambition of other models wasn’t present. He concluded she must be doing it for the money only. There was a reason she chose this profession; it didn’t choose her.

  Most models strived to be the best, at the top, the money a bonus. She had been professional and easy to work with, whereas most other models tended to have a princess complex. How was he going to convince her he wasn’t, underneath it all, a creep?

  The coin landed on heads. He wanted to share his life with someone and wanted to find out if it was with her. It sounded crazy in his head. After one meeting it was a ridiculous notion. What had gotten into him? Surely, he couldn’t determine all these things after one meeting? Nonetheless, he wanted it all the same.

  This new strong fascination wasn’t a passing fancy. It was definitely tim
e to abstain. The way to impress Isabelle would be to prove his worth.

  To ease his restless mind, he drove towards his brother’s house, hoping to score a free dinner and a second opinion. When he pulled up at Jared and Charlotte’s large spacious house, he felt the usual comforting vibe. The door was answered by Charlotte.

  “Hey, Mitch, what are you doing here?” she exclaimed, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside. “Jared will be glad you’re here. We haven’t seen you for a while.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Somehow the pretty strawberry blonde always managed to make him feel sheepish. Like a chastised schoolboy. For once he didn’t mind so much and thought perhaps there could be truth in her words. Between work and his ‘love’ life he had little time for much else. All this was about to change.

  “Do you want to stay for dinner?’

  “That’s the plan.” He grinned.

  “Ah, so you did have an ulterior motive for dropping by.” Her wide smile, followed by a deep chuckle, was contagious, and he found himself relaxing.

  Charlotte strolled down the long hallway leading into the dining room and kitchen, where Jared was in his element cooking dinner.

  “Mitch, what are you doing here? It’s Friday night, no date? This must be a first.”

  Charlotte chuckled again. It seemed his brother wanted to get his own back for the ribbing Mitch habitually gave him over the years.

  “Not tonight. I’ve decided to give it a rest.”

  Jared ceased his chopping and glanced at Mitch with raised eyebrows before returning to the task.

  “What’s her name?” Charlotte asked, eyes lighting up at the prospect of new love.

  “What makes you think it’s about someone else? Maybe I’ve decided casual flings are not for me anymore.”

  “It’s usually about a girl, that’s why.”

  “All right, you got me. Her name’s Isabelle and I met her today. I know nothing about her, but I have this overwhelming need to find out.”

  “That’s how I felt about my girl,” Jared said with a grin.

  Ignoring her fiancé for the chance at gossip, Charlotte continued her usual line of unwavering questions. “Where did you meet her?”

  “At a shoot. She was the model.’

  “Another model, Mitchell?” Jared said, not hiding his skepticism.

  “She’s not like the others. At least, I don’t think so. She refused to go out with me because of my reputation. There’s something about her… and I want to know what it is. I’ve never had that urge before.”

  “Sounds like love at first sight to me.” Charlotte sighed and a dreamy expression filled her face. A perpetual matchmaker, she never turned away from a hint of romance.

  “I wouldn’t go that far, Charlotte. I don’t believe in all that. There's definitely desire though, but of a different kind.”

  Knowing Charlotte would be far from finished with her inquisition, he sat on one of the stools lining the bench. Jared placed a beer in front of him and Mitch took a long swig to avoid Charlotte’s scrutinizing gaze.

  “I wasn’t sure it was possible either, until I couldn’t get this big lug out of my mind,” Charlotte said.

  “Thanks, honey,” Jared said drolly.

  “I have to convince her to go out with me first.”

  “You’ll have to prove to her that you’ve reformed. Show her your intentions,” Jared said.

  Mitch grinned. Although this conclusion had already come to him, Mitch could always rely on his serious brother to pinpoint the solution.

  “That’s the plan. No more casual sex for me. I’m turning into you.”

  “Very funny, Mitch. Look where it got me.” He smiled at Charlotte again, his feelings for her unmistakable.

  Their open displays of affection and declarations generally caused Mitch to roll his eyes, but today he wanted to know how it felt to be them. This surprised him most of all.

  “I hope it does the same for me.” They both stared at him, saying nothing, their surprise evident by their expressions. “Pick your jaws up off the floor. It’s not that surprising.”

  “I just never thought I’d see the day you became serious.” Charlotte’s tone although mocking- she’d been on the receiving end of his jokes on more than one occasion too- held some truth to it.

  “All right, you two, I get the message. This isn’t like me, but I think you’ve picked apart my character long enough. Can we talk about something else now?”

  After storming out on the ‘charming’ Mitchell, Isabelle couldn’t help but notice the impact he’d had on her. When she’d first set eyes on him, her heart thumped like a teenager meeting her favorite movie star. The rumors were true. He was sexy, there was no doubt about that, but he was also inappropriate for her life. The man was a player. Everyone in the industry knew this. The last thing she and Jesse needed in their lives was a man like that. Yet, try as she might, she could not deny the electricity that sizzled in the air between them.

  His eyes haunted her as she jogged around the park. The boyish grin was charming, but she refused to be another notch on his bedpost, regardless of her attraction. Jumbled thoughts swirled around her mind as she ran out her frustrations. Her energy depleted much quicker than her thoughts faded, so she headed for home.

  Jesse and Carol were having dinner when she arrived, and Isabelle discovered she’d been jogging longer than usual. Her limbs protested against the abuse, which in turn reminded her why she ran so hard in the first place. Mitchell Montgomery. What the hell was happening to her? And why couldn’t she get the guy to leave her mind?

  “How was work today?” Carol asked as Isabelle rushed past towards the bathroom.

  “Interesting, I’ll fill you in after I’ve had a quick shower.”

  While Isabelle washed her hair, her thoughts drifted again. Stop it, Isabelle. Why was she even thinking about him? Again! There was no denying he set her soul alight from the first moment she saw him, but there would be no way in the world she could entertain these thoughts. Jesse was her number one priority. What type of mother would she be if she were to jump into bed with a known womanizer?

  The thought of it appealed to her more than she cared to admit. It had been a long time between drinks. Isabelle couldn’t fool herself into thinking she didn’t miss sex, but she had to be responsible.

  Shaking her head with a fierce determination, she attempted to shrug off her desire. Why was she even considering it? What was she thinking? Men like that disgusted her. Yet she couldn’t shake him from her mind. An emotion she could only assume to be desire spread prickles of warmth over her skin. Confusion and annoyance forced her to dispel lustful thoughts.

  With another firm shake of her head, she left the shower and dressed quickly, anxious to spend time with her family.

  She hoped this would push all ludicrous musings aside.

  Chapter Five

  Reform

  Over the following two weeks Mitch took every job on offer, in the hope of seeing Isabelle again, without any luck.

  The only women he seemed to photograph were models he’d slept with before, who hinted at a repeat performance. Mitch politely refused. Nothing was going to jeopardize any chance of a relationship with Isabelle. Now he’d made the decision to abstain, Mitch felt new energy and contentment, which surprised him. He had been ready to consider giving away his old life and now he had further motivation. If only he could see that motivation again.

  Whispers of gossip about his sudden lack of interest in playing around, echoed throughout the industry, and for once he welcomed the rumors. The story may reach Isabelle’s ears too. Though he needed no reminder, their billboard went up down the street from his apartment. Every day her beautiful face stared down at him, and he couldn’t wait to see her again, to have another chance at a first impression.

  Now that he had free nights, he’d taken the opportunity to develop and frame more of his favorite landscape photographs. His lifelong ambition was to find a gallery to exhibit his artis
tic work. Photographing models was not something he wanted to do forever.

  The time had come to find a gallery that would display his work. Mitch made two copies of each print, one for framing and one for his portfolio. He’d compiled a list of galleries and planned to visit them on a free day the following week. If he could sell some of the pieces, he may be able to give away the modelling shoots. The sooner he moved away from temptation the better; once he’d seen Isabelle again, that is.

  Mitch had also taken advantage of his extra free time by catching up with his family, particularly his niece and nephew, Mabel and Tommy. Spending afternoons at the park or zoo with them always brought him happiness. It also reminded him what little he had achieved in his life. Sure, he’d travelled the world working as a freelance photographer for newspapers and magazines, but the things he’d seen and accomplished were hardly worth the effort. The only good things to come out of the despair he’d seen in war torn countries were purchasing his apartment and the fantastic landscape shots he’d captured.

  Mitch evaluated every aspect of his life and didn’t like what he saw. And, try as he might, no matter what he did to distract himself, his mind unrelentingly drifted back to the stunning girl with brunette hair and blue-green eyes.

  One evening, after a day with Mabel and Tommy, Carrie insisted he stay for dinner. Not one to say no to time with family, and a free meal, he hung around. Going back to an empty apartment continued to hold little appeal. This seemed to be a theme of late.

  Nathan and Carrie seized the opportunity to find the source of the change in attitude in Mitch. Their inquisition was similar to Jared and Charlotte’s, and Mitch wondered why his family decided it was so interesting. In his opinion, it was simply time. Did they think that little of him? Did they only see him as a playboy?