Hot air ballooning. I should add that.
Her phone chimed a familiar tune, one that told Sierra that her sister was calling to check up on her. Billie and Tyler had been invaluable in getting Sierra back on her feet and they took family seriously.
It just feels good to have my sister again.
Staying in the tub but drying off her hand, Sierra reached for her phone sitting on a stack of towels.
“Hey, sis. What’s going on?”
“Tyler heard that Ryan Ward was taking over as director of your movie,” Billie said, her voice sounding slightly breathless. “I called as soon as he told me.”
“Are you worried about me?”
It wasn’t Billie who answered but her movie star husband Tyler Gaylord. “I’ve never met Ryan Ward but I’ve heard he can be a real son of a bitch, See. Have you met him yet?”
Twice. I didn’t know who he was the first time.
“I did today,” she replied instead. “He seems nice, actually. He said he was finishing the picture as a favor to Stan. He also says he’s not going to mess with Stan’s vision.”
Which was a shame. The previous director didn’t know much about what made a good chick flick.
“Hmmmm, that’s interesting,” Tyler said. “Honestly, I wouldn’t have pictured either one of them directing a romantic comedy but I’m guessing it was all about contracts and favors. You liked him?”
Very much. Too much.
“I didn’t meet with him for that long but he seemed very supportive. He said that he loved the Molly role in the script and thought that it had the potential to steal the picture. He even offered to help me with the role since I’m so new to acting.”
There was a silence on the other end of the phone before Sierra’s brother-in-law spoke again.
“He offered to help you? That’s…unexpected.”
Was Tyler thinking that Ryan Ward was a big old horn dog trying to get her into the sack?
“It’s not what you’re thinking.”
“What are we thinking, sis?” Billie asked.
“That he’s…you know. He specifically said that we would meet in public, like at a coffeeshop or a cafe. He’s not trying to get me into bed.”
That seemed to mollify Tyler. “That’s good then. I’d hate to have to kill him. I’m glad to know that he’ll be helping you. He’s a damn good director.”
Well…about that…
“I…actually told him no.”
More silence. This was becoming an awkward conversation she didn’t want to have.
“You told him no,” Billie repeated. “Why?”
Because he’s too handsome. He makes me nervous.
“He has so many other things to do to get this movie done. I didn’t think he’d really have the time.”
Lame. Her response was pathetic.
“Don’t you think you should let him decide that, See?” Tyler asked, sounding genuinely puzzled about her hesitation to let Ryan Ward coach her in this role. “It can’t hurt to meet with him at least once. He might have some insights into playing Molly that you haven’t thought about.”
Sierra didn’t get a chance to respond before Billie interrupted. “Babe, will you run and get that new script that just came in? I want to read part of it to Sierra. I think it’s in the office.”
“Uh, sure. Yeah. I’ll be back in just a minute.”
There was the sound of shuffling and then the click of a door.
“Okay, Tyler’s gone downstairs and he’ll be awhile because that script is sitting right here on the nightstand. Start talking, sis. What’s going on there? And don’t leave anything out. Was Ryan Ward really a jerk and you didn’t want to tell us? Is he the asshole that I’ve heard about? It wouldn’t surprise me.”
Sierra sighed, knowing full well that Billie wouldn’t leave her alone until she’d spilled her guts of every single detail, no matter how small and insignificant. Resistance was futile.
“No, he really seems nice.” She might as well start at the beginning. “I actually sort of met him last night at the bookstore but I didn’t know who he was.”
“You met him at a bookstore?”
“We both reached for the same book. Then he asked me for a mystery recommendation.”
“Really?” Billie sounded intrigued, which was bad. Oh, so bad. There wasn’t any intrigue here. “And then what happened?”
“We each paid for our books and left. Separately. I never caught his name and I didn’t tell him mine. I didn’t think I’d ever see him again and then there he was on the set this morning.”
“Did you…want to see him again?”
Sierra didn’t lie to Billie. After so many years of being apart and not even speaking to one another they’d made a pact. To always be straight with the truth even if it was difficult. She’d already danced around the crux of it so she might as well get to it.
“Kind of. Maybe. He’s…handsome.”
“I’ve seen pictures. He’s definitely not ugly. Is that why you turned down his offer of help?”
“Yes,” Sierra admitted, relived that Billie saw the situation clearly. “He makes me nervous and uncomfortable.”
“Wow,” Billie laughed. “Is he that good in person? How does he smell?”
Sierra was about to say that she didn’t know but she realized that she did.
“Really good. Like citrus and spice. But not overwhelming like he’d bathed in cologne. Just fresh and clean.”
“Oh, that sounds nice,” her sister said with a giggle. “So you’ve been wanting to date and have some fun. What’s the problem? He sounds like the perfect guy for you. He’s a known womanizer so he won’t be getting serious or anything. You can have some fun and then at the end of the shoot just move on.”
Billie was way too far ahead. “He never said he wanted to date me. He just asked if he could help me.”
“Did he flirt with you in the bookstore?”
“I don’t know. I don’t have any experience with things like that, remember?”
“Did you flirt with him?”
Had she? She didn’t think so.
“No, I don’t know how to do that either.”
“You do too. I’ve seen you practice.”
And I’m terrible at it. I just can’t get the hair flip down pat.
“So you told him no because you want to flirt with him but don’t know how?”
Sierra shrugged, although her sister couldn’t see her. “I told you he makes me nervous. I do want to date and have some fun but I was thinking that maybe I should start with a man less–”
“Sexy?” Billie broke in, laughing. “Handsome? Masculine?”
“I think he’s out of my league. I need to start small. You know, like an aspiring mountain climber doesn’t show up at Everest on his first day and try and climb it. He works up to it. Starts with hills, then a small mountain. Then a little bigger. I need to pace myself, sis.”
“Ryan Ward as Mount Everest. That’s epic. Listen to me, you’ve been pacing yourself for awhile now but you’re just doing laps. You’re not getting anywhere. If you really want to mark off a few of those list items you’re going to have to take a few chances. What’s the worst thing that could happen?”
Humiliation. Shame. Regret. Plague. Pestilence. The four horsemen of the apocalypse.
“I could make a fool of myself.”
“You could do that anyway,” Billie pointed out. “We all can at any moment. Just let the guy help you. Meet with him. Talk to him like he’s an actual human being. If he flirts, flirt back. If he asks you out and you like him, say yes.”
She made it sound so easy.
“If we like each other, it could get complicated.”
“How complicated could it get in three weeks?” Billie countered. “That’s all you have. It’s perfect for a little on-set fling. In fact, this is the chance you’ve been looking for. Sleep with Ryan Ward. No strings, just a casual thing. Let him know the rules. Heck, he’s a well-known Lot
hario so he’ll probably be relieved that you aren’t looking for marriage and babies. With his reputation I bet he’s great in bed.”
He didn’t have to be great. He only had to be better than her ex-husband and the bar had been set mighty low right there.
“I’m not sure I can do that.”
“Then don’t. No one is forcing you to do anything. You’re in charge now. You’re in command. Not me. Not Tyler. And damn sure not Brian. You. If you want to date, date. If you want to have sex, have at it. And if you don’t feel it, then don’t. Do whatever it is that you want to do. No one else calls the shots.”
That’s the scariest thing of all.
“Maybe I’ll see if he still wants to meet about Molly.”
Sierra wanted to do a good job on this movie. She liked acting and she wouldn’t mind making a career out of it. She had to get better though, and grow as a performer. Ryan Ward could help her with that goal.
He wasn’t even interested in her. Not in that way. He simply wanted the movie to be the best it could be. She’d be a fool to think anything else.
CHAPTER FIVE
The movie wasn’t Ryan’s taste in the least. Sweet and simple with a romantic all-is-lost moment that could have been resolved with a five-minute conversation, it was a poster child for all that was wrong with films these days. The screenwriter had clearly underestimated the intelligence of the average moviegoer. There was nothing challenging or even different about the lead characters. This boy meets girl story had been done a hundred times and often much better.
It was going to make buckets of money.
Because it hit every trope perfectly. The screenwriter might not think the average moviegoer was very smart but he did know what they wanted to watch. They wanted more of what they already liked but with a slightly different twist, and that he’d delivered on spectacularly. Since he wasn’t able to play with the leads much, he’d written two amazingly funny and interesting supporting roles. Roles that Stan, for some unknown reason, had diminished. It didn’t make much sense but Ryan was going to right the ship. The scenes and lines that had been cut were going to be restored and this movie might actually be entertaining. He was happy to do Stan a favor but he wasn’t going to put his name on a piece of Hollywood mediocrity. He’d promised to do his best and that was exactly what he was going to do.
Deep in studying the script changes, he didn’t hear Sierra until she was standing right next to him. He snapped the binder closed to give her his undivided attention. He still couldn’t put his finger on why he was so attracted to her. He’d seen more beautiful women, although Sierra was lovely. Maybe it was how she smiled at everyone from the lowliest go-fer on up. She treated everyone the same and that wasn’t behavior that he witnessed nearly as much as he should in this business. Everyone – cast and crew – clearly liked her. All except Angela, of course.
And if Angela doesn’t like you, you’re probably doing something right.
“Sierra, how can I help you?”
The younger woman was dressed in costume for the next take and the wardrobe department had done an excellent job. The scene was for a girl’s night out and Sierra was wearing a snazzy red cocktail dress that showed off her long, tanned legs. She must have already been in hair and makeup as well because her brown tresses had been coiled on top of her head with a few curled strands around her face. The hairstyle showed off her perfect bone structure and full lips.
Lips I wouldn’t mind…get your mind out of the gutter, man.
Sierra plucked nervously at the belt of her dress. “I was thinking about your offer to help me.”
Really? That was interesting news.
“Did you change your mind?”
“Yes, if that’s okay. I know that you’re really busy.” Her head tilted and her brows pinched together. “You look like you didn’t get much sleep last night.”
Ryan chuckled at her astute observation. “Then I look better than I thought I did because I didn’t get any sleep last night.”
She appeared horrified but he shook his head at her concern. “Seriously, it’s okay. I’m one of those weird people that doesn’t need much sleep. If I get five or six hours tonight I’ll be all caught up.”
“That’s…good.”
But she didn’t look convinced. People that slept normally never understood. Sometimes he wished he slept like regular humans but he simply didn’t. Luckily, it gave him more time to work on activities he truly enjoyed.
“How about we meet and work over dinner?” he suggested. “There’s a really cute cafe called Picasso’s in the downtown area. I ate there last night and it was excellent. Quiet, too.”
“I know that place. I eat there all the time.”
“I’ll get with you at the end of the day as to when. I’m not sure how long we’ll be working today. Is that okay?”
Sierra smiled, clearly relieved that he was still wanting to help. It was cute that she had been nervous to talk to him about it. “Perfect. And thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Ryan watched Sierra walk away instead of putting his nose back where it belonged – in the script. He was intrigued. Interested. He wasn’t the type to fall for a woman easily, so it said something about this female that she’d managed to snag his attention and hadn’t let go. He wouldn’t mind spending more time with her, getting to know her better.
Who am I kidding? I wouldn’t mind going to bed with Sierra Oliver. In fact, I’d like to a lot.
Nothing serious, though. Just a little fun in the sheets between two co-workers. An on-set fling that would bring them both pleasure and leave them with a few happy memories. Was Sierra up for a no-strings affair? She was so new to Hollywood. Did she realize that most of the romances were as fake as the movie sets and the special effects?
Because Ryan might be making a romantic movie, but he didn’t believe in happily ever after. This industry had made him too cynical.
* * *
This isn’t a date, so stop acting like it is.
It was actually kind of funny that Sierra was acting this way. She’d barely dated in high school. Brian had basically been her first serious boyfriend, so she had little to no experience with the opposite sex other than her twisted ex.
But the anticipation of seeing Ryan felt the same as she remembered when Tim Hazlett worked up the courage to ask her to the movies when she was fifteen. She’d changed outfits several times, although she didn’t have that many clothes to begin with. Billie had curled Sierra’s hair and talked to her the whole time, keeping her calm until Tim showed up. Her sister hadn’t gone on her first date yet but somehow she’d known just what to say. Later Sierra had told Billie about how Tim had stuck his tongue in her mouth when he’d kissed her goodnight.
Filming had finished around seven which was fairly early, so Sierra had time to take a quick shower and change into jeans and a cream-colored sweater. Her face had been scrubbed of the heavy production makeup and she wanted to let her skin breathe a little so she only added some mascara and lipgloss. No blush was needed as her cheeks were flushed with excitement and more than a bit of nervousness. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and checked her reflection one last time, making a face in the mirror.
It was going to have to do.
And it’s not a date anyway. So it doesn’t matter.
But it still kind of felt that way. Sierra couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so attracted to a man. If ever. Whenever they were in the same room, she acted like a schoolgirl. Her palms were clammy, her stomach did somersaults, and her lips had trouble forming actual, real words that others could understand.
Billie had suggested that Sierra go for it with Ryan. Flirt, date, have sex. Let herself go and have the fun that she’d missed out on. But that was easier said than done. Not that she needed to worry about this at all.
Ryan wasn’t interested in her…that way. Right? But if he was, what was she prepared to do about it?
* * *
I am sweating through my t-shirt. What the hell is wrong with me?
Grimly, Ryan stomped back into the bedroom of the little condo he was staying in while working on the movie. He needed another damn shirt. Ripping off the white button down, he tossed it on the bed and then tugged the white t-shirt he’d been wearing underneath off and away.
This was ridiculous. He was a grown man but an innocent dinner date with this woman had sent him into a tailspin.
This is not a date. This is business.
Okay, it was business but he’d admitted that he was interested in Sierra Oliver. If the evening ended up in his or her bed he wouldn’t be upset.
Checking his armpits one last time, Ryan reached for his deodorant next to the bathroom sink and gave them a quick spritz. They smelled fine but a guy couldn’t be too careful. He didn’t want Sierra – or anyone – saying that he was stinky. He’d taken a shower when he got home but there wasn’t time for another one. His current state was going to have to do.
It doesn’t matter. It’s not a date, you idiot.
Looking into the mirror, his hand went to his jaw where he was sporting a five o’clock shadow. Shit, should he shave too? Would she notice and think he was trying too hard?
No, he wasn’t going to shave. In fact, he was going to run his fingers through his hair and forget about his comb. Because this wasn’t a date. He was helping an actress with her role which he’d literally done dozens of times. The fact that he’d ended up in bed with those actresses approximately ninety-seven-point-five percent of the time wasn’t something he was even thinking about.
Maybe I should change my shirt.
Fuck it. He whirled away from the mirror and strode out of his condo, flipping off lights and grabbing his coat on the way. He was supposed to meet Sierra in ten minutes at the cafe and it would take eight to walk there. Luckily it wasn’t raining tonight, although the temperature was rapidly dropping. Jogging down his front steps, he almost ran into another person on the sidewalk who was bundled up against the cold. He quickly apologized but then stepped back when he recognized who it was.
And the Winner Is Page 3
