by Jodi Redford
Us. He made it sound like they were a couple or something. Lord, that would be the oddest pairing in history. Other than their mutual kinkiness, they came from different worlds. He was sexy beyond words and ridiculously fit. She was...the opposite. No amount of crunches and squats would diminish her curves and get rid of her butt and tummy. She would never be one of those skinny girls who could wear Daisy Dukes and midriff-bearing tops without earning scornful ridicule from the masses. And right now, she felt like a big ole fraud. Because despite Grady’s claim of them being open with each other, she’d let him believe she was something she wasn’t—a perfect sex goddess who had her shit together. Well, now the illusion was pretty much shattered to smithereens. He must think she was a huge liar and fake.
Anxiety and hopelessness merged into a painful ball of pressure that squeezed behind her sternum. She blinked back the stinging pinpricks of the advancing tears, but it was already too late. Her emotions were all too eager to kick her when she was down.
Grady pitched the sodden paper towels into the trash and snatched a couple more sheets. He returned his focus to her face and she quickly glanced away. Apparently not fast enough. He hunched down and looked her in the eyes, his own clouded with concern. “Hey. Why are you crying?”
“B-because I’m a mess.”
“Sweetheart, it’s water. Not the end of the world.”
If only it were that simple. “I’m sorry.”
He crushed the dry paper towels against her pants but kept his gaze locked with hers. “For what?”
“Being an emotional dope. And...chubby.” She whispered the last part and dropped her stare to his chest.
He was quiet for an endless moment. Unable to take the silence a second longer, she peeked up at him. Confusion stamped his handsome features. “Why the hell would you say that?”
“Because it’s true. I’m not a petite thing. I’m sure you noticed.”
His bemusement vanished, replaced with a fiercely intense heat in his hazel eyes. “What I noticed was a beautiful woman with exactly the type of body that gets me hard. If you don’t believe me, I’d be happy to prove it.” There was no mistaking his invitation, or the decidedly more sensual slant his grip on her butt had taken.
She swallowed, struggling between the equal desires to run or rub her body up against his. A fleeting image of them dry humping against the sink flickered through her mind. She corked a whimper. “Please don’t tell me you’re a chubby chaser.” She couldn’t deal with that. Not again.
“I don’t even know what the fuck that is.”
He was so adamantly convincing with his delivery, she nearly fell for it. “Everyone knows what they are.”
“How about you humor me and explain it to me anyway?”
“It’s someone—primarily men—who have a kink for overweight people.” She squinted at him, not an easy thing to pull off when his fingers were massaging her ass through the wad of paper towel. “So I’ll ask you again, McHorny. Is that what you are?”
“I like thick girls. But I wouldn’t necessarily call it a kink. More like when I fuck a woman, I don’t want to worry about breaking her in two. I also love big tits and an ass I can grab onto.” His free hand moved to her other buttcheek and he squeezed, popping a surprised squeak from her. “Does that make me a chubby chaser? I have no damn clue. All I know is that you’ve been the only woman on my mind for the last year. I couldn’t give a shit if you’re one-hundred-and-thirty pounds or three-hundred pounds. Makes no damn difference and doesn’t change my goal of convincing you to get naked with me. No phone line between us. Just sweaty skin on sweaty skin.”
She gulped, his enticing words chipping away at her defenses. “That can’t happen, Grady.”
Puzzlement slipped over his features again. Understandable. She was probably the first woman to ever not immediately jump his bones after hearing he wanted to have sex with her.
I need to have my damn head examined. But that's been sadly true for a while.
He let go of her ass and she mourned the loss of his warm, sinful touch. Even if it was for the best. He cleared his throat. “Is it because I’m a stripper?”
She frowned. “No, of course not. I couldn’t care in the least about that.”
“Are you sure? There are plenty of folks who think strippers are good for nothing but shaking their wieners. Too dumb to do anything else. Who knows? Maybe they’re right. I can see why you wouldn’t be interested in me.” His tone held a flat quality completely foreign to her, and the fire had distinguished in his eyes. This wasn’t the McHorny she’d been talking to for the last year. This was a stranger capable of building walls.
Just like her. A new shame filled her chest. This time for hurting him. She hadn’t meant to. Hadn’t even realized she was capable of such a thing where he was concerned. But for some reason, he thought she was rejecting him, when really it was the impossibility of them. “You have it completely wrong. I don’t think that of you. At all. But the Charlie you chat with every night...I’m not that woman.”
He took a step back from her, the wall looming higher between them. “You were faking it with me.”
For a person who made their living with their voice, she was doing a terrible job explaining herself. “No, not at all. Every last bit of it was real. Only, the thing is—” She rubbed her temple, trying to piece together her thoughts in a way that’d make a modicum of sense. “In my mind, I’m that Charlie, but away from my headset, this is who I am.” She waved a hand over the front of her body. “A woman who bumbles over her own tongue and walks around with an enormous water spot on her ass. I’d give anything to be that other always cool, perfect and sexy Charlie in real life. But it ain’t happening.”
The stoniness abandoned Grady’s face and he smiled, the sight turning her already wobbly knees to jelly. “So it’s sort of similar to me and The Grinder.”
She double blinked. “The Grinder?”
“My stage personality.”
Okay, he certainly couldn’t have picked a name that fit him better. “I guess you could say that.” Although, when his costume came off he was still gorgeous Grady. She didn’t have the luxury of magically morphing into the countless fantasy women her clients perceived her as.
“I’m not looking for perfection, Charlie. Hell, I don’t even know what that is. All I want is a chance for us to get to know each other away from the phone. It doesn’t even have to be sexual. Though obviously I’d give my left nut to get that Nuru massage in real life.”
He would have to bring that up. Now she couldn’t stop thinking about his glorious inked body slippery with oil. Giving a delicate cough, she leaned her rear against the counter—right freaking in the puddled water again, of course. Attempting to ignore the sogginess invading her ass, she eyed him skeptically. “You’d really be okay with being just friends? You wouldn’t try anything funny?”
“We’re already friends and I see no reason we can’t continue to keep it that way. But you’re gonna have to define funny. I make no promises otherwise.”
“Fair enough. Are you going to try to get in my pants?”
He looked physically pained by the question. She sighed. “You wanted me to define it and I did.”
“Yeah, and I suspected that’s what you meant. But a guy can still hope.”
“So you’re saying you will.”
He scratched his jaw. “I won’t lie and say I won’t.”
Close enough to an answer. “I’m going to have to think about this.” She didn’t know whether to laugh or groan when he checked his watch. “McHorny, it’s going to take me more than a couple of minutes to figure stuff out.”
“Do you think you’ll know by tonight? I wanted to take you out to dinner.”
It took everything in her not to roll her eyes. “That is a date.”
“Friends can’t go out to dinner?”
She shot him a challenging stare and hugged her chest. “Will you let me pay my half?”
“No, becaus
e I’m the one asking you out.”
“Then it’s a date.”
“Fantastic. Pick you up at seven.”
She dropped her arms and gaped at him. “Wait. What?”
“Wear something pink.” He tossed her a wink and ducked out the door.
“Dafuck just happened?” Mystified, she shook her head. Only one thing was clear. That scrumptious devil was going to be the demise of her willpower if she wasn’t careful.
CHAPTER FIVE
A quarter to six they wrapped up the shoot. Not a minute too soon. Even with breaks in between the action, his legs were beginning to feel like overcooked noodles. The good news was he’d thoroughly redeemed himself after the initial hiccup of his performance anxiety. His head remained a stress-free zone and he worked the stage like nobody’s fucking business. It was one-hundred percent because of Charlie. He’d half expected her to bail following his wily finagling of a date. Instead, she’d surprised him by staying for another hour to watch the filming. Every once in a while he’d glance out in the audience and catch her eyes on him. Knowing she was there kept him relaxed and on top of his game. Even after she’d left, the magical flow stayed with him. In a few hours, he’d see her again. If that wasn’t enough to keep his mojo in full swagger, nothing was.
He jogged down from the stage. Ford broke from his huddle with his lead cameraman. “Hey, kid. Got a sec?”
Silently waving a sad goodbye to his fast getaway, Grady changed course in mid-step and joined Ford. “What’s up?”
“I was dead serious about working you into an upcoming episode. The skeleton of the story is already percolating in my brain. Any chance we can meet up Thursday or Friday to start fleshing out your character?”
The tension resurfaced in Grady’s gut. “I really don’t know if I’m cut out for a bigger part.”
“It’s still a fairly minor role. Probably only a couple of lines, tops.” Ford clapped him on the shoulder. “I promise you will absolutely nail this. The camera loves you and I have zero doubt that our viewers will too.” A hint of caginess crept into his expression. “Plus I think you’re going to be happy with the ideas I have for your character.”
Despite his massive misgivings, a part of him wanted to believe that Ford’s faith in him was valid. That he could do this. Maybe he’d fail miserably. It was almost guaranteed he’d look like the biggest idiot on the planet once his reading disability was revealed.
Did the prospect of that make him want to puke? Fuck, yeah. But if he didn’t give it a shot he’d live with the regret for the rest of his life. Honestly, that was harder to stomach than the prospect of making a complete fool of himself. “I can do Thursday. Where and what time?”
Ford smiled broadly, obviously pleased at Grady’s decision. “I’ve got meetings all day out of my home office. It’d keep things simple if you swung by there. Say around two o’clock?”
One of the crew members who’d been introduced earlier as the location scout approached them. “Sorry to interrupt, but we’ve got a bit of a situation, boss.”
“Never a dull moment.” Ford fetched a business card from his briefcase and scribbled an address on the back before passing it to Grady. “My cell is the second number on the front. If for some reason you get lost, give me a shout and I’ll send out the search posse.”
Leaving the two men to handle whatever calamity had struck, Grady pocketed the card and ventured to the dressing room. He swapped his costume for the jeans and T-shirt he arrived in. Fortunately, he’d have time for a quick shower before picking up Charlie.
Speaking of which...
He dug his phone from his pocket and hit the speed dial for her number. She picked up on the third ring. “McHorny?”
“Twice now you’ve known it was me. See how in tune we are with each other?”
“I’ll let you in on a secret. Shh, don’t tell anyone.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “I have Caller ID.”
He grinned. Damn, he had it bad for this woman. This whole behaving business was going to be a struggle. “But you knew it was me before you looked at it, right?”
“Of course.”
He stroked his chin. “So you were intending to give me your address earlier but forgot.”
“Oh yeah? Is that what happened?”
“Uh huh. Good thing you’ve got me on the line now and can rectify that problem.”
“Or I can cry foul with that smooth trickery you pulled and not give you my address,” she countered cheerily.
“Nah, you definitely don’t want to do that. Because then I’d cry, and no one wants to see a grown ass man bawling his eyes out. Especially a sweet woman such as yourself.”
“What am I going to do with you?”
He chuckled. “I’ve got a few suggestions. Some won’t even get us arrested if we do them in public.”
“And that’s supposed to convince me I’m not out of my damn mind to give you my address?”
“If you don’t feel comfortable with me having it we can meet someplace. But you know you can trust me. I’d never abuse that.”
She sighed. “I know, McHorny. I can’t text you from my business line, so I’ll send it to you from my cell in a second. I can still expect you around seven?”
He’d be there in fifteen minutes if he could. But better to look like he had some fucking restraint. Besides, he desperately needed that shower since his current rankness sure as shit wouldn’t impress her. “Yep. You’re not a vegetarian, are you? The place I want to take you has the best prime rib in town.”
“I’m not. And prime rib is expensive.”
“Your point?”
“I don’t want you spending that kind of money on me.”
He could practically feel her exasperation through the receiver. “My tips were good last night. I can afford it.” Aw shit. Why did he go and say that? Now she was going to think about women shoving twenties in his jock. Definitely not the impression he wanted to leave her with.
She was quiet for a moment, which only churned the uneasiness in his belly. Finally, she gusted a soft breath. “Okay, but I’m going to at least cover the tip. I insist.”
Relief bloomed in his chest. “We’ll see.”
“McHorny.”
“Damn, I love it when you go all pissy like that. Makes me think of a dirty librarian.” He leaned his shoulder against the wall. “Maybe that should be our next role play scenario. You can spank me with a ruler.”
“Um, I think you’re confusing a dirty librarian with a dirty teacher. Or possibly nun.”
“Any of the above works for me.”
She sputtered a laugh. “I’m hanging up now. Before we both go to hell. Look for my text in a minute.”
She clicked off and he followed suit. As promised, her address arrived in a message bubble a moment later. He saved her private number to his contact list and returned his phone to his pocket. Whistling, he pivoted. Harper stood in the doorway, her hands propped on her hips and one auburn eyebrow cocked. “Who was that?”
“Eavesdropping? Really, cuz?”
She didn’t appear the least bit ashamed. “How else am I going to learn important shit around here?”
“If you must know, I was talking to my date for tonight.” No doubt Charlie wouldn’t like hearing herself referred to as anything beyond a friend. Hence the reason he’d keep it on the down-low. What she didn’t know wouldn’t earn a smack upside the head for him.
“You have a date? Hallefuckingluiah.”
He offered Harper a squint. “You’re way too invested in my social life.”
“Only because I love you, punk. It’s good to see you hitting the dating circuit again. You damn well know I was getting worried about this business with Charlie.”
Guess he wouldn’t be confiding in his cousin about the identity of his date. “And I seem to recall telling you not to worry about me. I’m a big boy and can handle myself.”
“Oh yes, I saw the way you handled yourself earlier.” Harper�
�s gaze sparkled. “You left quite the impression on Ms. Yoga Pants. Or was it the other way around?”
“No idea what you’re talking about.”
His play at innocence earned a snort from Harper. “She’s pretty. You should go for it. You know, if this other date doesn’t work out.”
“Already seeing me crash and burn. Nice.”
She pinched his arm. “You know what I mean.”
He made a show of wincing and rubbing his biceps. “Just for that, I’m gonna rat you out to Beckett. Ooh, and what is your stage name?” he mimicked in a perfect falsetto.
“You can prove nothing. And that doesn’t sound like me at all.”
He grimaced. “I have no clue how I’m going to pull off this acting thing.” He scrubbed his jaw when Harper frowned. “Ford brought up the possibility of me being in another episode of the show. He wants me to stop by on Thursday to talk about it.”
“And you said yes, right? Don’t make me pinch you again.”
“No, I did. Even though it kinda scares the shit out of me.”
His cousin wrapped her arms around him. “I’m proud of you.”
He cleared his throat with a gruff cough. “You might be getting way ahead of yourself. There’s a ninety-nine percent probability I’m going to fuck this up.”
“Doesn’t matter and I don’t care. All I want is for you to give yourself a chance.”
The tightness in his chest had nothing to do with Harper’s fierce hug. Okay, maybe it had a little to do with it. Seriously, she could give a boa constrictor squeeze envy.
Curtis poked his head through the doorway. “Hey, boss lady, you’re needed up front.”
Harper gave an exaggerated sigh. “Probably Ford has realized he’s secretly in love with me. I’m going to feel horrible breaking the poor man’s heart.”
Chuckling, he pushed her toward the exit. “See you tomorrow.”
“Eh. Obviously, someone’s in a hurry to get rid of me. Have fun on your date. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”
