He glared back at her, his mouth clamped tight in rebellion. Then, slowly, his mouth widened into a grin that became a chuckle and finally morphed into a full-blown laugh. "I guess we are."
She blew out a breath. "You're not supposed to laugh. We're fighting here."
"You're fighting. I'm laughing."
"I feel like punching something."
He kept smiling at her. "Want to punch me?"
"I can't. You're too happy. Besides, I don't believe in violence."
"Good. Me, either."
"Flynn, you have to admit Kristen's a suspect. She had advance notice of us coming here. Plus I know she's smart or you wouldn't be dating her."
"Sure she's smart." His tone was reasonable. "That doesn't automatically incriminate her."
Zoe couldn't very well yell at a man who sounded so civilized, so she lowered her voice. "But she's capable of organizing all of these incidents."
"She could have, but she didn't."
"Are you absolutely positive? You're the logic guy. Somebody's been doing this, and we can rule out Bigfoot, who couldn't do anything without leaving a trail of stink behind. It could be someone local, but they don't know who I am, so that makes no sense. Logically, Kristen's the most likely person."
Flynn rubbed the back of his neck. "I admit it looks bad, but I'm telling you, she didn't do it" He gazed at her in silence. Finally he sighed. "What do you want to do? Call the police? Have me try to get in touch with Kristen?"
His resigned expression eliminated the last of her anger. He was in a terrible position. Because of her, his romance with Kristen was in shambles, and now Kristen looked like the prime suspect for the "accidents" that had taken place since they'd arrived. Although Flynn needed to know if his potential bride was a psycho stalker, Zoe didn't much like her own role in the drama.
Calling the police, or whatever law enforcement agency held sway in Long Shaft, could be a nightmare. Of course she'd have to report the damage to the cabin eventually, but if they dialed 911 right now the media would come running. She could read the tabloid headlines—Zoe Tarleton Almost Killed by Falling Tree! Lover's Girlfriend Implicated!
No, thanks. There had to be another way out of this mess. But having Flynn call Kristen seemed like asking for trouble, too. Even if she wasn't the person who'd masterminded everything, she was an upset woman about to become an ex-girlfriend. If Flynn contacted her, the rodeo could start.
"I don't want you to call Kristen," she said.
"I don't want to, either. Confrontations don't go well at two A.M."
"Is that what time you think it is? I've lost all track."
Flynn pulled out his PDA and flipped it open. "It's two fifty-five. So what about the police? Even if nobody intended to harm you, we have evidence of intentional property damage."
"I know, but I don't want to call the police, either. If we could keep the lid on until we can get out of here tomorrow, that would be my choice."
He returned his PDA to his shirt pocket. "And in the meantime?"
She wished they could get back to having sex, but she didn't think they could afford the luxury. Vigilance was required, now that someone might actually be trying to snuff her out. "If the kitchen's still in operating condition, I think we need to make some coffee and eat some food. Even if the tree hadn't smashed my bed, I don't think I could sleep now."
"Zoe, if you're tired, I'll stand guard. You can sleep in my bed."
That earnest offer took care of whatever resentment she had left. It wasn't his fault that his girlfriend was going off the deep end. Well, it sort of was his fault for telling her where he'd be and then making her jealous, but Zoe had to share some of that blame.
In any case, Kristen's reaction was way out of proportion. Screaming and hurling insults was one thing. Arranging to have a giant tree land on top of your rival was a whole different ball game.
"I don't want to sleep," she said. "But I know exactly what we can do."
"Zoe, I don't think we can chance that, much as I'd love it. Once we get involved, we're lost to the world. We have to stay alert."
She stepped forward and cupped his lovable face in both hands. His chin was prickly with the beginnings of his beard, and she wondered what it would be like to wake up together every morning. The idea appealed to her. A lot.
"I agree that we have to stay alert," she said. "I wasn't talking about sex, although it's really nice that you assumed I was."
"You're probably not as fixated on it as I am."
"I might be more fixated than you." She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. The privilege of doing that might be coming to an end soon, so she needed to take advantage of the opportunity. "I've loved every minute of having sex with you. But now I think we need to concentrate on something else."
"What's that?"
"The script."
Before starting on the cooking and script-reading program, Flynn suggested they at least survey the damage. He didn't mention that the condoms were probably
buried under a shower of pine needles, because he wasn't supposed to be needing them anymore. Still, he thought about them.
Taking Zoe's hand, he walked with her to the front porch, and together they climbed the steps. Inside the front door, nothing seemed wrong with the cabin. Flynn switched on a lamp and the room looked exactly as it had before.
But once they headed down the hall, everything changed. Where the roof had been, stars shone through, and the end of the hallway was nothing but a mass of tangled branches. Ironically, the house smelled like Christmas.
To say that Flynn deeply regretted telling Kristen his whereabouts this weekend would be a gross understatement. What had he been thinking? No woman would take that kind of news well, and on top of it, Kristen's worst fears had come true. He was now in love with Zoe.
Even so, he couldn't believe that Kristen, who had graduated magna cum laude from Columbia, would plot to seriously maim or even kill her perceived rival. He'd never felt that kind of intensity from her. She was a cautious person, or at least he'd perceived her that way.
Maybe he'd been wrong about her, though. Zoe had made a good point. He didn't know her all that well. If she'd actually hired someone to create havoc, she should be jailed or hospitalized.
And if she wasn't the culprit, who was? Flynn knew he should be solving this riddle with his usual mental dexterity, but lack of sleep, and mind-blowing sex, had eroded his usual capabilities. All he really wanted to do was cuddle with Zoe in her queen-size bed and then make love to her some more.
Unfortunately, as they discovered upon peering through the branches blocking their way, the bed had been reduced to rubble. Not only had Flynn lost a pair of socks and the box of condoms, but the tree could have destroyed everything Zoe had brought on this trip, with the exception of the script, which she'd left in the living room.
He put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry. You're pretty much wiped out."
"Yep. No loss on my nerd clothes, but my cell phone's buried under that mess. And then there's the essential stuff—soap, whitening toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, blow-dryer, styling brush, hair gel, exfoliant, night cream, body lotion, sunscreen, makeup, nail polish remover, cuticle cream, eye cream." She tapped her finger against her chin. "I know I'm forgetting something."
"You're welcome to share any of my staff."
She looked skeptical. "And what kind of selection would you have?"
"Shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant, mostly. A razor and some Aqua Velva."
"I love the Aqua Velva on you, but I think I'll pass on sharing it. That would be too weird. No blow-dryer?"
"Sorry." He wished he could be of more help. "I'd let you use my razor on your legs, but I'm guessing you do the waxing thing."
She smiled up at him. "And what makes you think that?"
"Well, it stands to reason that if you wax your... um ..." He realized that he was venturing into a discussion they shouldn't b
e having.
First of all, he couldn't pull it off. Maybe after he'd been driving a red Ferrari for a while he could talk about Brazilian wax jobs with panache, but he wasn't there yet. And second of all, any reference to this topic would only remind both of them of the fun times they'd had with oral sex.
"You are so sweet and sexy. I could just eat you up."
And didn't he wish she would. "Let's not go there, okay?"
She laughed, took him by the arm, and pulled him toward the kitchen. "I can't help thinking about that topic and neither can you. But we won't act on it. I'm not about to let some stalker catch me with my pants down."
Zoe had eaten worse meals than the microwave dinners Flynn had bought, but not many. She was grateful for the energy the food gave her, though, and it turned out that Flynn made excellent coffee. She felt fueled up and ready to tackle the script again.
"Let's skip to a scene near the end," she said.
Flynn sat beside her on the sofa. "Good idea. We need to avoid the heavy-breathing scenes for now."
"Exactly." Zoe flipped through the pages. "To sum up, Tony and Vera have decided to destroy the formula because the company wants to rush the pill to market without enough testing."
"Good for them."
Zoe glanced up from the script. "It kills both their careers, though."
"That's okay. They did the right thing."
"Yeah, I thought so, too. When I read the treatment I liked the way it ended." She returned her attention to the scene. "So Vera has to leave the country and take on a different identity, which Tony helped her with. This is their good-bye scene. I have the first line." She cleared her throat.
VERA
So this is it.
TONY
Guess so. What are you going to do once you get to Chile?
Vera laughs, trying to keep the mood light.
VERA
Probably wait tables. I'll survive. I'm more worried about you.
TONY
Ah, I'll be fine. I'll wait tables, too, if it comes to that. Anyway, you take care of yourself. Send me a postcard.
VERA
I will.
TONY
I'd kiss you good-bye, but that would be a sappy Hollywood ending. You're not into that sappy stuff.
VERA
No, of course not.
TONY
Me, either.
VERA
You'd actually wait tables?
TONY
Sure, why not? It's good honest work.
VERA
Okay, then I have a really, really stupid idea. I'm sure you won't like it.
TONY
Lay it on me, sweetheart.
VERA
I was thinking that... maybe we ... maybe we should wait tables together. But you'd probably hate Chile.
TONY
I like the food. Why wouldn't I like the country? VERA
Really?
TONY
Why not? Besides, you'll need me to supplement your income. I'd make more money than you.
VERA
What makes you think that?
TONY
I'd wear tight pants and get bigger tips. You have that flat-chested problem to deal with.
Vera makes a face.
VERA
Maybe I don't want you coming down to Chile after all. TONY
Yeah, you do, because you happen to love me. VERA
I never said that!
TONY
If you don't love me, what are you doing inviting me down to Chile to wait tables with you?
VERA
I just thought—
TONY
Be quiet, Vera. You know you love me, and I love you, including your flat chest. In fact, I'm crazy about your flat chest, and your skinny legs, and your juicy—
VERA
Tony! We're in a public place!
TONY
Doesn't bother me a bit.
VERA
You're making a scene.
TONY
You're lucky I don't throw you down right here. That's how much you flip my switches, baby.
VERA
I... do?
TONY
Damn straight. So brace yourself, doll-face, 'cause I'm about to plant one on you, sappy ending or not.
Zoe sat very still after Flynn finished reading the last line. He'd done a terrific job. They were lines he was supposed to read, lines she'd asked him to read, so why should she give them any significance?
Even so, her heart was pounding as if the words had meaning beyond the script. She kept hearing him say I love you in that deep, resonating way that sounded so sincere. But maybe her coaching had transformed him into a convincing actor.
"How did I do?" he asked.
"Great." Her voice came out raspy, so she cleared her throat and tried again. "Really good." She still didn't dare look at him for fear her emotions would be written all over her face. "Did I sound nerdy enough?"
"You needed to be a little more hesitant and awkward when you invited him to wait tables with you. Vera doesn't know how to be seductive. You'll have to work hard to keep that sexual invitation out of your voice." He sounded very matter-of-fact. Not emotionally involved at all.
All right. Apparently reading the scene hadn't affected him the way it had affected her. "Then let me try that line again."
"As long as you're doing that, you might as well do the we're in a public place line again, because it could use more indignation. Even if they've had sex, she's not prepared to put on a display."
"Then maybe we should redo the whole scene."
"Fine with me." He shifted slightly on the sofa.
She wondered if he'd intentionally moved closer or if the fact that their hips were touching was an accident. She didn't move away. If they read through the scene again, he'd be saying those words of love one more time, and she wanted to hear them again, even if they were meaningless to him.
"Okay then," she said. "Let's take it from the top."
About two lines into the scene, she became aware of the warmth generated where their bodies touched. She tried to ignore it as she concentrated on acting like a nerd instead of the hot leading lady she was normally. After she delivered the line, Flynn didn't stop her, so she assumed she'd done a better job.
Then they came to his I love you line. He read it smoothly, without a hitch, and with exactly the right emotional depth. Much as she tried to downplay the effect, the words sang in her head. She forgot to read her next line.
"Zoe? You're up."
"Oh! Right." She delivered the line, hoping she put in enough indignation. They continued reading through to the end.
"You need one more run-through," Flynn said. "To solidify it."
The combination of his body heat and his voice seduced her more than she could let him know. Add in words of love, and she would be a puddle in no time. "Maybe we should try another scene instead."
"No, I think this one's good."
Smiling, she glanced over at him. "Since when did you become the expert on which scenes to read?"
He shrugged, which jiggled his body against hers enough to ignite some serious fires. "I'm not. I just like this scene." "Why?"
His gaze was even warmer than his body. "I just do."
Shivers of delight ran through her. Possibly, just possibly, he was sending her a subtle signal, the only signal he felt capable of right now. They'd been lovers a very short time and he had a girlfriend to deal with.
Under those circumstances, a man like Flynn would want to proceed carefully before he blurted out anything significant. But if he should have the opportunity to send a coded message through something like this script, then he might do it. What an electrifying concept.
'Then I guess we should go over it again," she said.
His gaze locked with hers. "As many times as it takes."
Chapter Twenty-Six
Flynn hoped Zoe was receiving what he was putting out there. In trying to avoid a sexually charge
d scene, she'd managed to find an emotionally charged one. He knew it was too soon to say straight out that he loved her. But Tony could say it to Vera. That appealed to him.
So he'd delivered the line with as much feeling as he dared. Then he'd used his job as nerd coach to convince her they should go over it again. And again. Each time Tony said I love you to Vera, the air seemed to vibrate. Flynn thought Zoe might be getting the message, because her cheeks turned very pink and her eyes sparkled.
How he'd love to kiss her right now, but they didn't dare start that routine with the back of the house open to the night and some weirdo playing dangerous games. So he had to be content with reading the final scene in the script and sitting close enough to Zoe that he could feel her breathing.
What a cozy situation. Flynn imagined what life would be like if he could sit like this with Zoe every night for the next fifty or sixty years. Sounded like a great deal to him, but he couldn't speak for Zoe. Too bad the last scene in the script didn't give her a chance to say how she felt about him through Vera the way he was using Tony's dialogue.
After they'd finished a fourth go-round on the scene, Flynn decided he couldn't keep making her go over lines that she'd delivered perfectly. "That was excellent," he said.
"Thank you." She leaned her head against the sofa. "I need more coffee. I'm starting to get sleepy."
"Forget the coffee. Put your feet up and go to sleep. I'll make sure we don't get any nasty surprises."
She turned her head to look at him. "That doesn't seem fair. You must be as zonked as I am."
"I don't really need that much sleep."
"Man, I do. Eight hours is the bare minimum for me."
He stretched an arm across the back of the sofa. "Then lean on me and get some rest. We still don't know what we'll have to deal with tomorrow."
"I'll feel guilty."
"Don't. Come on. I'm not the least bit sleepy." That wasn't quite true, but he liked the idea of sacrificing himself a little. He didn't think the stalker was his fault, but he wasn't a hundred percent sure. Besides, having Zoe trust him to keep watch seemed significant somehow.
Gone With the Nerd Page 27
