by Nana Malone
If Lonely Girl was the Cinderella, he was definitely in. For a year he’d wondered who she was, but she never did any television or radio. And he’d certainly have the advantage over her since she wouldn’t know he was Matthew Rhodes.
But before he could listen for more details, Mia met him halfway down the hall. His body went tight, on instant red alert, and his skin hummed with electricity.
She gawked at him with her mouth open for several long moments. But she eventually regained her composure and led him into a conference room, closing the door.
Ryan crossed his arms. “Something tells me you had no intention of ever seeing me again.”
“I—” She snapped her mouth shut, and her face flushed pink under her cinnamon skin.
“Seems like the cat got your tongue. Kind of like I had it the other night.”
“What the hell are you doing here?” she whispered as she glanced toward the door.
He held up her tablet. “Forget something? You know, I haven’t slept a wink since Friday? I kept thinking about how you taste. My theory is you ran because you can’t handle what you felt between us, Mia.”
She puffed out a breath. “First of all, don’t act like you’re trying to do me a favor. It’s disingenuous. And I’m not the one showing up at your workplace when the tablet could have been messengered. You wanted to see me.”
Despite himself, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “You’re the one who left your tablet, thereby forcing this meet-up.”
“Who does that kind of thing? You’re deluded if you think I ever wanted to see you again. You see, me fleeing was my haste to put distance between us.”
Ryan cocked his head. “Ouch. I have tough skin. Why don’t you admit you had fun on Friday? You’re just using my column as an excuse not to see me. But you know I’m right about what I said. It’s all a game. You’re playing it right now. You feel the chemistry, but it scared you, so you ran.”
She blinked at him then folded her arms. “Chem—you’re insane.”
He leaned into her. Her scent driving him crazy. “Oh yeah, then why don’t you prove me wro—”
“You think I want you?” Her voice grew louder and shriller as she spoke.
“It’s pretty obvious.”
“It was a date, we were having fun, but then I discovered you were Satan-spawned, so any attraction I felt is now gone. Now why don’t you give me back my tablet and you can skedaddle.”
He couldn’t help himself, as he crowded her space again. “Sure, just as soon as you tell me you don’t feel it.” He took another step into her space. “Go ahead.”
She took a step back, but she encountered the wall. “I do—”
Need and longing mixed with annoyance ran through his blood, making him tingle all over. Fuck, she was beautiful. He knew what he should do, but her scent of jasmine and honey wove around him, intoxicating him, confusing him. Making it impossible to think straight.
Don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it.
But even though the command was loud and clear, impulse won out. The moment their lips met, the blood rushed in his head.
She tasted sweet and hot, like summer. For a long moment, Mia held herself perfectly still. But then she made a soft mewling sound at the back of her throat and melted against him. Ryan slid his tongue against hers, groaning when she kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers slipping into the hair at his nape. When she scored the back of his scalp with her nails, he shuddered.
His tongue danced with hers, sliding, teasing, playing. Cupping her ass, he pulled her tight against him, lust drowning out the rational protests of his brain. His cock nudged her belly insistently when her full breasts pressed into his body. Sliding a hand into her hair, he fisted a handful, using the leverage to help anchor her head so he could deepen the kiss. With her tongue sliding over his and her body rocking into him, he didn’t give a shit about where he was. All that mattered in this moment was how good she felt.
Somewhere in the distance, chattering voices broke through the spell she wove around him.
Slowly, he drew back. It took more effort to drag his eyelids open, but he managed it. Wide, cornflower-blue eyes met his gaze. Her pupils dilated, and she bit her bottom lip. Then her eyes focused, and she scowled.
He released her. “Fuck. Why can’t I seem to keep my hands off you?”
Her eyes narrowed. “I would prefer it if you would try. Why don’t you just give me what’s mine?”
He could barely stand, and she could hold her concentration like that? Fine by him. “Don’t act like you didn’t feel that.”
Mia folded her arms. “What? Like you’re the first person to ever kiss a girl? Stop the presses.”
He handed over the device. “You know what? Take your tablet. Next time, I’ll leave it on the street for any random creeper to find. Get a clue, honey. You should lock your tablet so randoms can’t get your address and phone number.”
Mia shook her head. “You snooped?”
He already felt shitty about looking through it to get her contact info. “Look, all I wanted to do was get it back to you.”
“By snooping?”
“Next time, don’t leave it somewhere.” Damn, why was he letting her get under his skin?
“You’re an ass hat. Good thing you can kiss because you’re not that good looking.”
Fuck. The moment she mentioned the kiss, his blood migrated south again, but instead of pulling her to him like he wanted to, he took another step back, then another, until he was finally at the door. “Don’t worry, princess, the only way I’m kissing you again is if you beg me.”
Her eyes flared, and she opened her mouth to spit out a retort, but he was out the door before she could deliver the final blow.
He went the same way he’d come, except turned left toward the elevator bank.
On the twenty-third floor, he exited and followed the directions given to him from security. The building was impressive. Hell, the conference room downstairs had been nice. The upper floors were opulent, boasting floor-to-ceiling windows in the hallways and spacious grand offices for the execs.
Jamie Lee waited for him outside of her office with a broad smile. He did a double take. It was the same woman he’d seen downstairs insisting on Lonely Girl’s involvement. His reporter’s instincts immediately started firing off internal questions.
“Ryan Matthews, I’m so glad to meet you. Why don’t you come in?” Her gaze was direct, her handshake firm, and her smile wide. But there was something about that showing of brilliant dazzlers that didn’t reach her eyes. Like the showing of her pearly whites was prelude to a meal where he was dessert.
He shook her hand and followed her into her office. “I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me. Do you vet all of your contestants?”
She cocked her head sharply as if examining him in a petri dish, sending her thick, pin-straight, dark hair, cascading over her shoulder. “As a matter of fact, I do.” She started the interview right away. “You and your brother had somewhat of a reputation several years ago. I like to meet my high profile contestants to make sure we won’t have any trouble.”
He leaned back in his seat. “That was a long time ago. I live a different kind of life now.” On paper, he still managed some businesses with his brother, Reece, but he’d have to shore up his background with his brother in case anyone went snooping.
Her laugh rang clear. “Sure you do. I want to establish some ground rules.”
“Like what?” This should be interesting.
“My rules are important to me and protect the integrity of the show. Let’s start with contact with the Cinderella. Prohibited of course. No calling, no sexting, no notes, no using carrier pigeons, no email. No Twitter.”
“Do you want my signature in blood too? Or will my first-born child do?”
“Let’s just say, I know about your financial situation.”
He tensed. Did she know the truth or the version that
the world believed? “What do you mean?”
“I know you were cut off from the family fortune. I know your circle dropped you after that. I gather you had something tucked away because, after all, a Matthews doesn’t get a job at Burger King.”
Relief washed through his body. In that case, she’d be surprised at some of the dive bars he’d worked in. “I do okay.”
She paired a narrow-eyed gaze with a condescending uptick of her lips. “Sure you do. You need to understand that I will do anything to protect the integrity of this show. Are you a team player? Can you follow my rules?”
Something she’d said downstairs tickled his subconscious. The show has been on for ten seasons. Ratings were mid to strong. Love Reality’s problem was there were a lot of reality dating shows out there, and there was no way to keep up that level without an influx of new viewership from another source. She didn’t just want Lonely Girl, she needed her. Was the show in trouble? Was her position in trouble? He sat straighter in his chair. Jamie Lee might just be his story. “I can follow your rules. Whatever you need.”
“What I care about are ratings. You have just the kind of look and breeding the viewers will eat up with a spoon, then lick the plate. But if you screw with me, I’ll have you booted so fast you’ll scar your pretty-boy face as you skid across my front lawn.”
So this was what it felt like to make a deal with the devil? “We understand each other perfectly. I’m in.”
Chapter Six
“You did what?” Mia’s mother, Sarah, looked none too pleased.
She’d wanted to tell them in person but could only get up to Hope today. “Don’t freak out, Mom. It’s a great show, and more importantly, it’ll get me closer to my own show.”
Sarah Donovan looked unconvinced. “You realize public figures have no privacy. The paparazzi will start to follow you around, and your life won’t be your own anymore. Why didn’t you discuss this with us?”
What did her mother know about paparazzi? Mia braced her hands on the island behind her and hopped up to sit on it. “I’m telling you now. Don’t worry, they won’t be filming here. And it’s not like that. We just filmed the opening episode. It’ll air on Monday. The cameras will just follow me around for a little while, and I’m not famous, so I don’t have to worry about paparazzi. This is a good thing. Besides, I thought you’d be thrilled that I was dating.”
Mia reached for a piece of mozzarella, and her mother slapped her hand before it could reach the chopped chunks she was putting on the pizza.
“I would be thrilled, Mia, my love, if you were dating for real and not as a means to get a show produced.”
“Well, that was sort of the deal I struck. It’s no big deal, and you don’t have to watch. In fact, I’d prefer you didn’t.”
Her mother slid her a glance.
“What’s with the side-eye, Mom?”
“Just what will you be doing on camera that you don’t want me to see?”
This was going to be far trickier than she’d thought. “Nothing.” Note to self to not make out with some guy on national television…again. “I swear. I mean it’s not like you’ve never seen the show before.”
Her mother placed the pizza aside and grabbed the dough for another one. Derek was home for a visit, and Mia’s brother could eat. “Well, there was that one season where the Cinderella took the Prince back to her hotel room. Of course, it was network television so they didn’t show anything, but Mia, I’m not so out of touch I didn’t know what was going on.”
What had been going on was the Cinderella at the time was trying to be discrete with her happy times but forgot the rooms were wired for sound. Mia wouldn’t be the girl making out with multiple guys on screen. At least she hoped she wouldn’t. She’d have to kiss a few frogs, maybe. But it’s not like she’d be there to find her husband.
“I promise, I won’t be moaning in the dark with some guy.” Had she moaned during Ryan’s kiss? Damn it. No more kissing Ryan.
Her mother only muttered “mmm-hmm” before studying her more closely. “So what’s bugging you?”
Mia frowned. “Who says anything is bothering me?”
“Because I know you. You always come home when you’re feeling a bit strung out or you’re overdoing it, or you need to work something out…”
Mia sighed. The one thing about being with people who knew you well is that they didn’t buy the usual bullshit. From the moment she’d met Sarah Donovan, she’d wanted to stay in her arms forever.
She’d been pulled out of another foster home when they’d decided that they didn’t need all the hassle that came with having her. She’d had trouble at school, getting beat up a lot. Until she finally learned to fight back, thanks to one of her foster brothers. Of course, fighting back meant more than having bruises.
The kids had loved to tease her about her skin and her unusual eyes. It had gotten so bad that when she moved in with the Donovans, she wore brown contacts for years.
She sighed. “I guess I wanted to decompress before the show gets into full swing. And see you guys. Once filming ramps up, things will be a little nuts.” She also needed to talk to her father about that letter. When the letters first arrived, she’d considered getting a family lawyer other than her father to represent her, but the truth was, there was no one she trusted more.
Her mother listened patiently as she recounted the story. Without meaning to, she told her mother how the show came to pass and the concerns she’d been burying. When she was done, Sarah leaned against the counter and chewed a piece of mozzarella contemplatively.
“So why do you think they want you on the show?”
Mia frowned. “Because I’m handy.”
Sarah shook her head. “Now, I know I raised you to be a smart, independent thinker. Try harder.”
Mia pursed her lips. “I’m a good story. Someone the audience can identify with and root for. Orphaned girl looking for love.”
Sarah nodded. “That’s more like it.”
“I don’t want to be anyone’s token. I don’t want to be used.”
“Well, you can always back out.”
Mia shook her head. “I don’t want to back out. I’m not thrilled about the dating show, but the chance to work with Jamie Lee, that’s worth it.”
“There’s something else you’re not telling me.”
“I don’t want to open myself up like that. People will be making judgments on me and my personality and deciding whether or not they love me. I can’t do that again.”
Sarah reached out and took her hand. “You’ll have to pardon my French, sweetheart, but this needs saying.” Her mother cleared her throat and said clearly, with a hint of bite, “Fuck ’em.”
Mia’s eyes bugged as her mouth dropped open. She’d been with the Donovans for fifteen years and she didn’t think she’d ever heard her mother say anything stronger than a muttered “shit” and even that was when she really thought she was alone. “Mom!”
Her mother shrugged. “Like I said, it needed to be said. No one out there matters. Only you matter. As long as you know you are loved and cherished, that’s the only important thing. Do the show. Don’t worry about what people think. Make your dream happen, if that’s what you want.”
“This dream is what I want. Even if I have to endure dating twenty-five guys to get it.”
Sarah laughed. “And why are you so opposed to meeting twenty-five nice young men, might I ask?”
“I’m not opposed to meeting someone nice.” Again, her brain took her to her date the other night. She needed to figure out a way to banish Ryan from her head and quickly. “I mean, dating is hard enough without having the whole world watch you do it. Imagine, if you will, a blind date and all the horrible awkwardness that comes with it. Then picture that the whole world is sitting right there, judging you as you eat. Oh, and add that they’ve stacked the deck with men who may or may not only be dating you for their fifteen minutes of fame.”
Her mother winced. “Okay, you ha
ve a point.”
“Besides, I date.”
“Oh really? Who? And only real dates count. Not the guys you date for your blog.”
Should have kept your mouth shut, Mia. She shook her head. “I had a date on Tuesday.”
Her mother perked up. “Oh really? Is this someone you’ll be seeing again?”
“Uh, not exactly, but at least I had a date.”
Sarah asked, “And what, pray tell, was wrong with this one?”
“Nothing. It was a really good date.”
“Than what’s the problem?”
She opened her mouth then closed it. She didn’t feel like going into the whole mess. “For starters, he doesn’t believe in love and relationships. And he thinks that I’m naive because I believe in love. And well, if I’m being honest, he hasn’t called.” Technically it was the truth.
“If he doesn’t believe in love, then he’s never been in love before. Maybe he needs someone to show him. But if he hasn’t called, that’s his loss then, isn’t it?”
Mia laughed. “You say that with such conviction.”
Sarah checked on the pizza in the oven. “John?” she called out. “Dinner’s almost ready. And come say hi to your daughter.” She turned her attention back to Mia. “I know you inside and out. You’re beautiful and fantastic. Anyone who doesn’t, well, they can go—”
Mia held up a hand, not sure if she could take her mother cursing again so soon. “I get the idea.”
John Donovan sauntered into the kitchen. “Did I hear someone say produce?”
“Mia was just telling me about her show.”
Her father squeezed her hard, picking her up off the floor. “Mama Mia. How’s my favorite daughter?”
Mia rolled her eyes. “I know for a fact you say that to all of us.”
“What? You’re all my favorites, I swear.” He kissed her on the forehead. “So what’s the latest in the world of reality dating?”
Leave it to her father to ask that question. This is where it would get a little tricky. “So, I’ve been selected as the new Cinderella this season.”
