This time, Colt laughed at himself. Yes, it was ridiculous. However, after so many years, looking good was second nature. He liked who he was and every time he stepped outside, he represented the Colton Landis brand. Actor first. Movie star second. It was fun as well as frustrating. And he wouldn’t change a damn thing.
“That’s all it takes? One move?”
“With practice.”
“Show me again.”
Colt paused at the top of the stairs. Sable smiled at Jade. And what a smile it was. He longed to find out if that smile felt as good as it looked. One day soon, he would kiss her just as her lips began to curve upward.
“Here.”
Wyatt waved a napkin in front of his face.
“What’s the big idea?”
“I thought you might want to wipe that drool off your chin before Sable sees it.”
“Hilarious. You and Nate should take your act on the road.” Colt shoved past Wyatt. “Far, far away.”
“Garrett.” Jade pulled him from his seat. “Be a love and let Sable demonstrate on you.”
“No thanks.” Garrett wrapped his arms around Jade’s waist and whispered something in her ear.
“Later.” She made a not so convincing attempt to break his hold.
“Now.” Garrett insisted, inching her toward the stairs.
“Garrett. Leave Jade alone and sit down,” Callie chastised. “Breakfast is ready. Honestly. Can’t you keep your hands to yourself? I don’t know where you get that.”
Wyatt snorted into his orange juice. “He gets it from his mother and father.”
“I don’t think so.” Callie looked outraged.
“You and Dad are still at it.”
“What’s that?” Unknowingly, Caleb proved Wyatt’s point by kissing Callie’s neck and whispering something in her ear. Something that had her face turning pink.
“I rest my case.”
“Oh, eat your eggs,” Callie laughed. Seeing Colt, she motioned him to sit. “How many pancakes, sweetheart?”
“Five.” He sneered at Garrett. “To start.”
“What can I get for you, Sable?”
“Nothing. Thank you.”
“Don’t be silly. The griddle is hot. Lorena mixed up the batter before she left last night. There’s plenty.”
“Don’t bother, Mom. Sable has a job to do. Mixing with family wouldn’t be professional.”
The moment the words came out of his mouth, Colt wanted to call them back. He had meant to tease. Instead, he sounded like a petulant child. Before he could apologize, Sable’s back stiffened, her eyes turning cold.
“Colton! What a thing to say.”
“It’s all right.” Sable stood. “Excuse me. I’ll be outside when you’re ready to leave.”
Sending Colt a dirty look, Jade rushed after her.
“What the hell?” Nate slapped him on the side of the head. “Stop thinking with your dick, Colt.”
“I’m not.”
To be honest, Colt didn’t know what was wrong with him. One second he wanted to kiss Sable, the next he wanted to push her away. As feelings went, he didn’t care for either. The pancakes he’d been looking forward to suddenly tasted like sawdust.
“Do we need another trip to my office?” Caleb asked.
“No, sir. I’m going.”
Colt didn’t have far to look. Sable stood outside the door, Jade right next to her.
“I can stay,” Jade said,
“I think I can handle him.”
“No doubt.”
Once they were alone, Colt took a deep breath. A simple apology seemed inadequate, but it was all he had.
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize.”
“No. But I want to.”
Colt sighed. He made his living expressing his emotions. It was easy when someone gave you the words.
“You spoke the truth, Colt.”
“My family thinks of you as more than an employee, Sable.” Colt rubbed his head. He could still feel Nate’s not so subtle reminder.
“I like your family. However, you’re the one who has to be around me all the time. Is this about sex?”
“Partly.”
“Fine. Let’s go.”
Sable headed toward his car.
“Go where?”
“Your place. We have time before you’re due on the set. A quick fuck and you’ll be right as rain.”
“Sable. Stop.” Colt grabbed her arm. “Now who’s being ridiculous? A quick fuck? Honey, there won’t be anything quick about it.”
Sable’s shoulders shook with laughter, the air draining out of her with righteous indignation.
“We can’t keep doing this, Colt.” She leaned against his car and wiped the moisture from her eyes. “I appreciate a good laugh, but getting there is brutal.”
“I know.” Colt joined her, his hand gripping the hood, his hand inches from hers. “Besides, if Dad calls me into his office one more time, I may as well turn in my man card.”
“What’s the solution?”
“To quote Nate, I stop thinking with my dick.” Colt nudged her with his shoulder and grinned. “I know what you’re thinking. Breaking a habit I’ve had since I turned thirteen won’t be easy.”
“You are a mind reader.”
“Friends?”
“Let’s see how it goes.” Sable’s lips curved. “Ask me tomorrow.”
“Fair enough.”
Between the sun and Sable’s smile, Colt felt the last lingering tension drain away. It wasn’t about his body. He needed a new mindset. Yes, he wanted Sable in his bed. Surprisingly, he wanted her friendship just as much.
Colt liked women, but he rarely took the time to know them. Fun and games and sex. He eased away if he thought his playmate wanted more. He didn’t always avoid hurt feelings. But he never made promises he had no intention of keeping.
Asking for Sable’s friendship felt right. The rest would take care of itself.
“WHAT’S GOING ON?
“They’re smiling. That’s good.”
Nate wedged himself between Paige and Jade. The window provided the perfect view of the drama playing out in the driveway.
“She didn’t knock him on his ass?”
“I don’t know your brother very well, and I only met Sable yesterday. I didn’t realize they had a history.”
“They don’t.” Nate took Paige’s hand in his.
“One kiss.”
“What?” Nate turned toward Jade. “When did that happen?”
“The last time she was here.”
“No kidding. Still.” Nate looked out the window. “That doesn’t mean much.”
“Sometimes one kiss is all it takes.” Paige squeezed his hand.
“Amen,” Jade smiled when Garrett joined them.
“Colt isn’t ready to fall in love.”
“Were you?” Jade touched the stud that pierced his ear. Purple jade, the color his eyes turned when he looked at her.
“I didn’t think so at the time. I didn’t need a kiss to tell me.” Garrett pulled her close. “I was waiting for you.”
“Maybe Colt feels the same way.”
“He wants her. But love?”
“I agree,” Jade nodded. “It’s too soon. However…”
“Let Colt and Sable find their way.” Garrett nuzzled Jade’s neck. “We did.”
Yes, thank God. Jade closed her eyes, sighing with pleasure. It hadn’t been easy. Maybe love wasn’t supposed to be. But she wouldn’t change a thing. The pain—the suffering—led her here to the family she always longed to have. And most important, to Garrett.
“I want everyone to be this happy.”
“I wake up happy. I go to bed happy.”
“Because of me?” Jade knew the answer, but she never tired of hearing him say it.
“You.” His eyes turned deep purple. “Only you.”
Jade cupped his face in her hands. “And only you, my love.”
CH
APTER SIX
A WORLD TRAVELER, there wasn’t much Sable hadn’t seen. The Great Pyramid, the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower. The list was as wide as it was varied.
After today, she could cross a movie set from the list.
“What do you think?”
“I see cameras and a lot of people who seem to be working at cross purposes.”
“Bingo.” Colt adjusted his necktie. “Lesson one. Very little time is spent filming a movie.”
“Hurry up and wait?”
“There you go.”
“Sounds like the Army.”
“Who knew?” Colt draped an arm over her shoulders. “We have more in common that you thought.”
Falling into her girlfriend role, Sable batted her eyes and giggled. Loudly. It drew attention—which was the point. And made Colt roll his eyes—a nice bonus.
“I never date idiots,” he pointed out.
“I beg your pardon. I have a Ph.D. in Pomeranians. I didn’t bring my sweet baby because it’s her massage and pedicure day.”
“Really?” Colt whispered near her ear. “That is how you’re playing this? I like brains with my beauty, Sable.”
“Come on. The blonde with the mammoth breasts? Which Ivy League school is her alma mater?”
“Remind me. Which blonde?”
“My point exactly.”
Sable laughed. Giving Colt a hard time was more fun than she anticipated. However, playing dumb took too much effort. For her sake, as well as his, she needed to tone it down.
Her backstory, the one she and Colt decided on, wasn’t complicated. The fewer details, the less chance they would slip up.
Sable was a college student studying art history—and an old friend of the Landis family. Last year while Colt was making a movie in Milan, and she was ending a year of study abroad, romance bloomed. A few weeks ago, she arrived in California, at his invitation, they picked up right where they had left off.
The newness of their relationship made a perfect cover. No one questioned Colt wanting his girlfriend by his side. Sable could watch his back without raising any eyebrows.
“In a week, you’ll be bored out of your skull.”
“This is nothing. Try lying in the sand for seventy-two hours with only a mid-sized rock for shade.”
“Sounds like a story. Can you share?”
Sable smiled. Somehow Colt understood that some missions, no matter how much time had passed, were not for dissemination.
“Dull as dishwater,” she assured him. Naturally, he caught the twinkle in her eyes.
“I doubt it.” Colt took a deep breath. “You smell good. What is that?”
“Today? Soap and water. Ivory, to be exact.”
“No kidding?” Colt touched her hair with the tip of his nose. “I swear there’s a touch of lemon.”
“My shampoo.”
Sable didn’t like men who sniffed at her. They came off as overeager dogs. Drooling hounds. She batted them away with ease. Colt didn’t drool. He wasn’t a dog. Though he made her long to scratch his stomach. And lick every well-defined ridge.
“Colt.”
“Hmm?”
“Nothing.”
Sable meant to tell him to move away. Honestly. That was her intention. Instead, she kept her mouth shut. A girlfriend didn’t push her man away. Why shouldn’t she take advantage of the situation? Who could fault her? She was just doing her job.
“Colt? Rene is ready for you.”
“Duty calls.”
Duty. Interesting way of putting it. Sable grabbed a bottle of water and moved to the director’s chair that had Colt’s name on it. She knew about duty. To her country. To her job.
Sable couldn’t let herself forget what she was doing, or why she was here. Colt had a way of messing up her equilibrium. She needed to focus on her job, not on how the sound of his voice sent shivers down her spine.
“Hey.”
An energetic blonde hopped onto the chair next to Sable.
“Hello.”
“I’m Janis Mainard.”
“Sable Ford,” she said, shaking the woman’s hand. “I’m—”
“Oh, everyone knows who you are. The girlfriend.”
Sable fought the urge to look around. Were people staring?
Janis smiled. “Never dated a movie star?”
“Colt is my first. So to speak.”
Sable had no idea if that were something a movie star’s girlfriend would say. It seemed lame and not the least bit funny, but it made Janis laugh.
“It’s a different world. I’m still learning how to negotiate the curves.”
“Are you an actress?”
“You don’t recognize me?” she asked, her voice filled with mock indignation. “You missed the critically acclaimed, Death Ball IV?”
“Sorry,” Sable grinned.
“Hey, it’s tough if you missed the first three.” Janis shrugged. “I wasn’t in any of them, so don’t bother catching up. This movie is my big break. I’m the best friend. The second female lead. She cries on my shoulder, and I inject a few witty remarks about love and men. I plan on stealing every scene.”
They’d just met. However, Sable didn’t doubt for a second that Janis would do exactly that.
“May I ask you a question?” Janis looked around, then lowered her voice. “It’s personal.”
“You can ask. I might not answer.”
“Fair enough. I love your hair. Do you think I should cut mine?”
Sable burst out laughing. It seemed she had made a new friend. Experience had taught her that you could never have too many of those.
“COLT. HELLO?” Rene Longtree sighed. “I can’t work with someone who has the attention span of a three-year-old boy.”
“Sorry. What were you saying?”
Colt zeroed in on Rene’s words. It was embarrassing to admit. The sound of Sable’s laughter had distracted him. He had a hard-earned reputation as an actor who focused on his work—he didn’t let distractions get in the way.
He hadn’t delivered a line and already the director had to chastise him. Not good.
“You used your clout to get me this job.”
“I wasn’t the only one in your corner, Rene.”
“I owe your family a lot.”
“You don’t owe us anything,” Colt assured her.
Rene couldn’t do her job if she had to walk on eggshells. Better she established her position right away. If Colt didn’t like it, he could have her replaced. The idea made her sick to her stomach. She had worked hard and sacrificed so much to get this opportunity. Was it all going to blow up in her face?
“About your girlfriend.”
“Sable?” Colt frowned. “What about her?”
“Is she going to be a distraction?”
“No.”
“She already is.”
Colt opened his mouth, ready to argue. Then shut it. Right was right, no matter how hard it was to take.
“A momentary slip.” Colt looked Rene directly in the eye, unflinching. “You have permission to kick me in the ass anytime you deem necessary.”
“Can I have that in writing?”
“We want the same thing, Rene. The best movie possible. I promise. Sable will not be a problem.”
Rene soon found that Colton Landis was a man of his word. The moment she called action, he didn’t waver. His focus was laser sharp. He gave her everything she asked for and more. Charm. Humor. Sex appeal. The women of the world better watch out. If they weren’t in love with him now, after they saw this movie, they would be.
Three hours later, Colt took Sable’s hand and led her to his trailer.
“What did you think?”
“There’s much more involved than I realized. You worked on one scene all afternoon. So many takes. Don’t you lose the, what’s the word?”
“Spontaneity?”
Sable shook her head when Colt offered her a bottle of water.
“Exactly.”
“Keeping it fr
esh is part of the job.” Colt loosened his tie, letting out a grateful sigh. “You learn where and when to pull back. It’s important to reserve your energy and use it at just the right time.”
“It would drive me crazy.”
“How did you occupy your mind in the desert?”
Sable watched, fascinated, as Colt removed his suit jacket and started to unbutton his shirt. It was worth the price of admission and she was getting a free show.
“Most of the time, I wasn’t alone. The same old stories and jokes—but the time together made us a tight unit.”
“It sounds like you loved it. Why did you leave?”
Sable hesitated. She rarely spoke of her reasons. And never in detail.
“It’s okay, Sable. You don’t have to tell me.”
“I want to.” Amazed, Sable realized it was true. “Not now. But soon.”
“I’m here.”
Two simple words—and Sable took them to heart.
Trust was a funny thing. In the Army, you trusted your fellow soldiers. Often, your life depended on it. She didn’t find it that simple as a civilian. There were a handful of people in Harper Falls that had her back no matter what.
Her father? Yes. She trusted him. Things were tricky there. He wasn’t speaking to her or acknowledging her calls, but if push came to shove, she knew he would step up.
Colt Landis. Interesting. She barely knew the man, yet she felt a connection. Sable couldn’t put a finger on why. It went beyond attraction. She liked him. The trust wasn’t rock-solid. It was new. Fragile. Time would tell how strong the bond would become. Right now, she felt cautiously optimistic.
“I have a dinner date.” Colt opened a drawer and pulled out a clean shirt.
“That will be awkward.” Sable frowned at Colt’s back. “I’m your girlfriend. Remember?”
“Date is the wrong word. I’m meeting a reporter. She’s doing a profile for GQ.”
“Is this the norm? Dinner with reporters.”
“It’s show business, Sable. There’s no such thing as normal.”
Colt slipped off the shirt he had worn all day. Sable licked her lips. Even his back was sexier than an average man. There was no way around it. Colton Landis was sex on a stick, and she wanted to lick every inch.
“Whoa. What are you doing?”
“Taking off my pants?” Colt hesitated, his zipper halfway down. “I need to take them off to put on another pair.”
Dreaming Of Your Love (Hollywood Legends #3) Page 6
