Текст книги "Take Two"

Автор книги: Laurelin Paige

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Chapter Eight

Micah vacillated about what time he should arrive at the bar. He didn’t want to seem too eager, and he knew the crew had at another hour of clean up after he was dismissed from the set at nine.

He decided to shoot for eleven, filling his time with a light dinner in his room while he ran lines, followed by a shower to scrub his makeup and the lingering scent of Heather Wainwright from his body. Not that Heather was unappealing. They had good chemistry, having hooked up a few times over the years. Now Heather almost seemed repulsive after he’d had the sweet taste of Maddie in his mouth.

Ah, Maddie Bauers. Thoughts of her roused his cock. He mentally repeated her name over and over while he took care of his hard-on in the shower, recalling her fingers in his hair and her firm breasts pressed against his chest.

Jesus, this woman had a hold on him. And, if he played his cards right, he hoped to have a hold of her too, preferably naked. Perhaps even later that night.

After he’d finished cleaning up, Micah dressed in tight dark jeans, a white T-shirt and a thin gray mid-sleeved button-down shirt. He met Fudge in the lobby and they hailed a cab to the Golden Well, the bar next to the crew’s hotel.

The Golden Well was brightly lit and crowded. Micah stood with his bodyguard near the door while he scanned the room, hoping not to be spotted by any fans. He preferred dimly lit restaurants and exclusive night clubs, and he felt awkward and exposed, but his resolve to see Maddie was not diminished.

Fudge seemed to share his displaced feelings. “Why are we here again? You never hang with the crew.”

“I should try something different.” He hated the way Fudge’s words made him sound snobby. Really, it was the nature of the business—different call times and jobs on set—that created different social circles for production crew and actors.

Fudge shook his head. “It’s her, isn’t it?”

“No. Not at all. Who?”

“Fuck, Micah. Just bang her and get it over with.”

Micah frowned. “I’m not going to bang her. God, don’t be so crude.” Banging implied hard and fast, and though Micah imagined some of that with Maddie, he was also counting on long and slow.

“You’re pathetic.”

Micah turned his attention back to the crowd. “You don’t have to be here. I gave you the night off.”

“What else am I going to do?”

Micah spotted the back of a brunette head—hair pulled into a neat, high ponytail, and knew it was Maddie. His breath caught as she turned to—what? Look for him?—and their eyes met. She was so beautiful. He could stare at her face for hours.

“Isn’t that the A.D. over there?” Fudge didn’t realize Micah had already seen them .

There were a dozen or so people sitting with Maddie, but Micah didn’t register any of their faces. “Yeah, it’s her. Them.”

He moved toward where she sat in the back of the bar as if pulled by a string. He vaguely sensed the recognition of a couple of people as he passed their table, heard the hushed whispers that often accompanied his outings. “Isn’t that the guy in that superhero movie?” “Isn’t that Micah Preston?” But he ignored them, his full attention on the lovely woman in front of him.

As he got closer, she smiled, and Micah’s dick twitched. He couldn’t remember the last time a girl turned him on so easily.

“Well, look who’s here,” Joe said, not hiding his surprise.

Greetings passed through the group. Micah recognized a handful of them—a couple of P.A.s, the sound crew, Bruce from lighting. In all they occupied a circle booth and two tables.

The petite, punky sound technician—maybe her name was Claire?—was the only one to give him pause about the appropriateness of his presence. “Wow. Are we being graced with the company of ‘the talent’? What made you decide to join the lowly likes of the crew?”

“I hear you have the best parties,” Micah said smoothly.

“Right you are.” She lifted her beer. “Good to have you.”

“Good to be here.” Chloe. That was her name. And she preferred to be called the Sound Goddess, according to her introduction at the first cast and crew meeting. Fudge took the empty seat next to her.

“Hey, Fudge. Micah.” Sam raised a hand in greeting.

Micah glanced at the boyish P.A. sitting next to Maddie in the booth, much closer to her than he needed to be. “Hi…Shawn, is it?”

“Sam.”

“Aw, sorry. That’s right,” Micah said unapologetically. “Mind if I sit?” He gestured to the empty space at the end of the booth across from Sam.

“That’s where Leila was sitting, but I think she left already. Didn’t she?”

Micah didn’t know who Leila was, but several members of the group affirmed that she had indeed left. He nodded, stealing a glimpse of Maddie’s bosom as he sat. She had removed the button-down shirt she wore earlier over her tank top, giving a much improved view of her goods.

“How did you know we were out tonight?” Sam asked, after Micah had gotten the waitress’s attention and ordered a Guinness. “Not that you’re not welcome. Just the crew said the actors didn’t usually come out.”

“I don’t usually. But I was invited.” He wanted to brag that it was Maddie who had extended the invitation, scream it across the bar, but he didn’t need gossip to spread through the crew about he and the leggy brunette.

“I invited him,” Maddie said, not seeming to care about the rumor mill. “Beaumont had me running lines today, can you believe it? No offense, Micah—”

“None at all.”

“And it just sort of came up.” She stopped, blushing, and Micah wondered if she was recalling, as he was, what else had come up between them earlier that day.

“Beaumont’s got his head up his ass,” Joe said, possibly already drunk. “I’m sorry he did that shit to you. You’re too damn good at your job to be expected to waste your time on that fucking shit. No offense, Micah.”

Micah raised a hand to say it was okay and focused on Maddie’s response.

“It’s fine. Whatever.” Maddie blew it off, but he could clearly see it bothered her.

“I can’t believe Beaumont doesn’t respect you more,” Sam offered. “Doesn’t he realize you’re qualified to be running the camera? Why aren’t you a camera operator, anyway? You have the resume for it.”

Envy squeezed Micah’s chest. He wished he knew these things about Maddie. He wished he knew these sorts of things about anyone. He rarely got close enough to anyone to learn what they were good at, what their dreams were.

Maddie sighed. “Camera’s not my end goal.”

Micah stilled, remembering again the night they’d met. She’d wanted to direct and write, was it? Though he was curious whether or not she still had that dream, he couldn’t bring himself to ask. Those were the kind of jobs that a guy like him could arrange for a girl like her. And he didn’t want to put himself in the position to be taken advantage of. Again.

But Sam asked. “What do you want to do?”

Micah braced himself for her answer.

But she didn’t give one. She just shrugged and said, “Not camera.”

Micah forced himself to relax. Why did he always have to be so distrusting? Just because he’d had a past girlfriend—someone he thought he loved—use him for his connections didn’t mean that all women would. But how could he ever get close enough to a woman to test that theory out?

He couldn’t. That’s why he didn’t try.

And he wasn’t trying now. He was simply fooling around with a coworker, something he’d done many times before. He bided his time, drinking his beer and enjoying the crew banter and talk about their real lives. Particularly, he focused on the angel in front of him, realizing that this unique venture into her world provided more insight about who she was as a person than any encounter he’d had with her so far. Before long, he determined she was a workaholic, unappreciated by her boss and exceptionally passionate about her craft.

He also recognized that she wasn’t the type to hook up with men she barely knew. This awareness both delighted and saddened him. He wondered why she’d made an exception for him. And would she be willing to do it again?

Only one way to find out. At a lull in the conversation, he put on his best smile and said, “So, what are your plans for the day off tomorrow?”

“I’d love to find a way to Breckenridge.” Maddie leaned back, giving an even better view of her amazing tits. A bit on the small side, but definitely real—a nice change from what Micah was used to. “The Breckenridge Film Fest is going on this weekend. I’d like to catch it.”

“That’s not even a film festival,” Joe said, his words slurred. “It’s a festival of crap. It’s like a fake film festival of crap.”

Maddie laughed. Damn, it was the sweetest sound Micah had heard in a long time. “I know. But I like film. Period. You never know when you’re going to find a gem.”

Micah grinned. “Agreed.” Hitting California film festivals used to be a favorite pastime of his. Now he couldn’t remember the last time he went to anything indie. “I got my current agent from the Topanga Film Festival.”

“The Mission’s Warrior. Like I said, a gem.”

He was impressed and in awe. Not many people had ever heard of that early film of his, let alone seen it.

“It had its weaknesses,” she continued. “Mainly, the script. The directing was solid and the cast was really strong.” She blushed. “In my opinion, anyway.”

Her pink skin and sweet praise stirred his hardened cock. He wanted to take her, right then and there, no care for everyone around him. But he’d settle for a day at the film festival. He’d rent a car and it would be just the two of them, sharing their love of movies. He’d ask her as soon as they were alone.

“I’ll take you,” Sam said. Every muscle in Micah’s body tensed. “Breckenridge is beautiful and only a couple of hours from here. I’d love to show it to you.”

Micah resisted the urge to punch him. Say no, Maddie, he willed silently. Say no.

But Maddie’s face broke into a grin. “Really? Thanks.”

“Awesome. We can work out the deets before we leave. Right now I want to get in a game of pool before Chloe heads out. She thinks she can beat me. But she totally can’t.” He slipped out of the booth and called to the next table. “Did you hear that, Chloe Barfoot? I’m gonna whoop your ass!”

Chloe stood and marched over to him, her small frame barely reaching Sam’s chest. “Like hell you are. It’s on.”

“This I gotta see,” Fudge said.

Micah frowned as Sam looked down and grabbed his beer. Micah couldn’t be certain but he was pretty sure that Sam was sneaking his own peek at Maddie’s bosom.

“Come cheer me on?” Sam asked, leaning on the table.

Now Micah was certain. Sam was totally looking. Who wouldn’t sneak a peek? Maddie’s breasts were excellent—firm, round, perky—and if Sam was sneaking peeks tonight, God knows what he’d try to do to them tomorrow. Micah couldn’t stand the thought. As soon as he could get a damn minute alone with her he’d tell her not to go. Though now she’d likely follow to the pool tables to be the douchebag’s personal cheerleader.

But she surprised him. “I’ll cheer you from here.”

Micah didn’t bother to hide his satisfaction.

After a moment of shuffling and gathering beer bottles, most of the table had dispersed to watch the game.

Maddie flashed a mischievous grin. “We’re alone.”

Hmm. He liked the tone of this conversation. Too bad they weren’t really alone. He was very aware of the waitress eyeing him and the couple in the booth behind him and the woman at the bar. “Mostly.”

“Mostly enough.” She took a deep breath—was she nervous?—and slid herself around to the farthest part of the booth. “I’m glad. I need to give you something.”

“You do?”

She nodded. “Come closer.”

Micah moved closer to her, his curiosity piqued as Maddie took a long swig finishing off her Corona. Then she put a cloth napkin on her lap and dug in her pocket for her ChapStick. He watched entranced as she applied it leisurely to her full, pink lips, just as he had seen her do so many times on set. Thank God for the dry weather.

When she’d finished with her lips, she began to rub the ChapStick liberally over her left hand. Her eyes drifted to a hoodie draped on the back of the booth behind them. She pulled it into his lap.

He raised an eyebrow. What the hell was she doing?

He was answered by the approach of her hand underneath the table and the hoodie where his cock throbbed painfully in his jeans. His jaw dropped as she undid his zipper and freed his aching member, her eyes never leaving his. Well, this wasn’t characteristic of the Maddie he thought he’d begun to figure out. What a nice surprise.

Maddie circled his penis with her lubricated hand, eliciting a gasp. A nice surprise indeed.

He shot a glance around the bar, hoping no one was paying attention to them. But then her thumb grazed the top of his crown and his eyes raced back to her. Who fucking cared if they were noticed? It was worth the risk of being caught.

In fact, that was half the excitement.

“So, Micah, I’ve been meaning to ask you—why so many women in your life?”

Micah blinked several times before answering, not sure he could converse with her hand on his dick. With effort, he managed, “I have a very strict no-strings rule. Relationships in Hollywood are near impossible.”

“That’s pessimistic.” Slowly, Maddie began to move her hand up his shaft from the root to head of his member, driving a shiver down his spine. “There are plenty of actors who have girlfriends in Hollywood.”

Micah put his palms down on the table and stilled himself. “Hardly any of those work out. And the no-girlfriend thing has kept me focused. It’s gotten me to the top.”

She met his stare full on, a glint in her eyes. Her hand slid back down to base camp. Ho. Ly. Fuck.

“Maybe you got to the top because you’re talented.” Again, Maddie moved her hand up his shaft, dragging her thumb along the thick vein on the underside of his cock.

He suppressed a groan. “Talent means nothing in Hollywood.” Was he even making sense? It was so hard to concentrate on…uh…words.

“And lucky.” She paused then moved her hand over his head in lazy circles before sliding it back down the other side of his shaft.

He gritted his teeth. “I am very lucky.”

“And incredibly hot.” She pumped quickly once before returning to her unhurried drag up his member. Micah almost blew his load right then.

He sucked in a haggard breath, amazed that her words could have an additional effect on him. “You think I’m hot?”

“I think you aren’t bad on the eyes.” She repeated the pattern, circling his head, then moving her hand down the other side.

“No, you said hot.” She pumped twice this time, then followed with a slow tug up. “Incredibly…hot.” This was incredibly hot. So…incredibly…hot… Sure, he’d had handjobs in public before, but usually in darkened, private corners, not at a table with coworkers nearby. Certainly not from reserved serious types such as Maddie. It was totally thrillingly unexpected.

“And what do you do if you fall in love?” Three quick pumps. His cock felt like steel, he’d never been so hard.

“That would be tricky. To fall in love.” He could only produce short sentences. “When you only spend. One night with someone.” Though, if you asked him right then, he’d likely say he loved this woman. He definitely loved what she did to him, what she was doing to him.

Her eyes clouded, but her hand didn’t stop moving, continuing her rhythmic pattern. Her voice was quieter when she continued. “You’ve never considered breaking your rule?”

He’d done more than consider it. He’d broken it hardcore. And that fiasco did nothing but enforce his no-love stance.

But his answer to Maddie was much simpler, though it came out strained. “No. I don’t. That rule got me here. I love it here.” He was close. So close. A few more strokes and he would be done for.

Her eyes darkened. Was that hurt? Disappointment? He couldn’t tell and he was too consumed with what she was doing to him to fully register meaning in her expression.

She leaned over giving him a perfect view of her round breasts and pumped four times fast. It was her final harsh whisper that threw him over the edge. “You would have gotten here anyway.”

Micah brought his hand to his mouth to stifle his moan as he exploded into her hand. Even as he came, he wanted more, knew that this would not be nearly enough. Maddie Bauers was completely and utterly under his skin.

Chapter Nine

Micah closed his eyes as Maddie caught the hot fluid with the cloth napkin from her lap. She cleaned him up, wiped off her hand, balled the napkin and threw it onto the table. She’d never done anything like that—ever—and she was unexpectedly roused.

But she was also resolved. She’d needed to give this to Micah, to even the score and put a cap on their night from the past. Their most recent conversation confirmed again that messing around with Micah would lead to nothing but heartache. He was in love with his career. Why she even bothered to argue it with him, she didn’t know. “You would have gotten where you are in Hollywood too. Don’t kid yourself that a woman would have held you back.”

Micah paused to calm his breathing as he tucked himself back into his pants. “I don't believe that.”

“What about Lulu?” She was taking a stab in the dark, but she’d heard Fudge and Micah talking about the woman in the car ride from the airport. It was evident Micah had feelings for the woman, whoever she was.

“Lulu?” Micah laughed, tossing the hoodie on the back of the booth. “Lulu has never held me back. She’s a major factor in my decision to not date, but it’s not for the reasons you’d think.” He paused. “Lulu’s my mother.”

“Oh.” She blushed. “Whoops. I thought I’d stumbled on a woman you were seeing on a regular basis.”

“Good guess. I do see her on a regular basis, after all. But she’s honestly the only woman I can say that about.”

She sat back, attempting to put everything in perspective. He was a player. A self-declared gigolo. At least he didn’t deny it.

And she couldn’t deny that she was mildly interested. More than mildly. More like wildly.

But she knew herself. She was too into him already. It wouldn’t take much to make her fall for him. As Bree had said, he would make her cry.

She sighed then leveled an even stare at him. “I can’t date you, Micah.”

His eyes hinted amusement. “Who said anything about dating?”

“And I definitely can’t do that with you.”

He leaned forward, challenge written all over his face. “Why not?”

“Are you serious? To just be a random number in a group of women? A notch in your bedpost that doesn’t mean anything?”

Micah put his hand over hers. His touch burned like fire on her skin. “You wouldn’t be random. You’re Maddie from the party.”

“God, Micah, that’s just…gross.” She slid her hand out from under his. “I’m not against one-night stands in general, but you said it before. You’re different. You’d be different.”

Micah leaned forward and placed his hand on her leg under the table, sending electric shocks throughout her body. “If by different you mean the most insanely hot, wicked pleasure you’ve ever felt, then yes, I’ll agree.”

His fingers moved in circles on her leg, and her mind filled with unwanted images of the insanely hot wicked pleasure Micah promised.

Shaking the fantasies out of her head, she removed his hand from her thigh. “Though I imagine what you say is true…” He winked at her and she had to look away. “That’s not what I meant. Most hookups you can love and leave. But not you. I’d see you everywhere after and I’m not talking about in person. And it would make me a major hypocrite. I don’t approve of how you use women like Kleenex—”

“Hey, no one’s ever complained.”

“I’m sure they haven’t.” His cavalier attitude about the whole thing just reinforced her decision. “And I’m sure you aren’t used to hearing those words, but I'm not interested, Micah. Not in the least.”

Okay, that was a lie, but he didn’t need to know that.

Micah fixed a somber stare on her for several long seconds and she began to wonder if he knew she was exaggerating her disinterest. But finally he said, “That’s too bad you feel that way.”

She took the last swallow of her beer, trying to drown the cloud that had settled around them. She hadn’t meant to take this to such a serious place. It wasn’t like they were breaking up. Strange how it felt like they were. “Hey, you were fun.” She patted his knee to lighten the mood. Okay, and to get in one last grope.

Micah glanced suggestively at his crotch. “I can still be fun.”

“Oh, no, no, no.” She pulled her hand away from his knee, blocking out the knowledge that he was hard again, suppressing thoughts of what she could do with that knowledge.

“Then what was all this?” He waved his hand, referring to Maddie’s, uh, gift.

Shit. She’d given him the wrong idea. That hadn’t been her intent. She was trying to end things. Not make him want more. “I owed you.”

“You really didn’t.”

She threw his words back at him. “I don’t believe that.” All right, maybe she’d done it just as much for herself as him. To give herself closure. Or maybe to prove something—that she wasn’t a prude, that she could make a move like that without getting attached. Hell, she wasn’t quite sure why she’d done it. Micah confused her so much she had no idea why she did anything anymore. In fact, if he asked her again, she might go to bed with him now.

Micah sighed. Was he really going to give up this easily? She was both relieved and disappointed. “I guess I have to settle for friends.”

She scoffed. Friends? That was ridiculous. He didn’t know the first thing about her, didn’t even seem interested in her beyond the physical. “We’re not friends.”

“We could be friends.” He rubbed his leg against her lower calf, sending tingles up her spine.

Besides, his version of friends didn’t seem the same as hers. She pulled her leg out of his reach. “No, we can’t. You can’t even keep your hands to yourself.”

“I can, and my hands aren’t even touching you.” He waved his fingers in the air to further his point.

“Whatever.” He was flustering her. As always. “Your feet, your hands, your things.”

Micah grinned. “Are you sure you want that? My things are awfully fun.”

She flushed. “We are totally not friends.” She didn’t even want to be friends with him—spend more time with him so she could crush on him even harder? No way.

Micah sat forward, suddenly serious. “Look, we have to spend the rest of the shoot together. Work together every day. And that means you might drop your tape measure in front of me and I might get all turned on and we have to be able to laugh about it like friends.”

He was getting cute. She needed another drink.

“Or Beaumont might want you to run lines. I still have a sex scene coming up. What if you get sent in to help with that?”

“I won’t.” Fuck no. She’d be naked within half a page. She signaled the waitress for another round.

“You won’t be sent or you won’t help?” He propped his elbow on the table and set his chin in his hand.

She glared at him then melted at his boyish expression. God help her. She kept up her protest, hoping he hadn’t realized her crumbling resolve. “Well, I might be sent, but I’m not helping.”

“What? That isn’t any kind of friend to be.”

She covered her eyes with her hands, hiding her amusement. “Because we’re not friends.”

When she removed her hands she found him grinning at her. He gave a half-wink. Oh, for the love of God. He knew he’d won her over.

His ocean-blue eyes sparkled. “You say that, but you don’t mean it. I’m fun. Even when I keep my things to myself.”

“All right, all right.” She sighed. “Friends.”

He sat back, basking in his win. “Awesome.”

Maybe they could be friends. She liked talking with him and hadn’t felt so relaxed in…she couldn’t even remember how long. She enjoyed his banter, almost as much as she enjoyed his hands on her.

No, she couldn’t think about that. They were friends.

The waitress delivered their beers, lingering to stare at the Hollywood star. Micah appeared not to notice. He raised his own beer and clinked Maddie’s bottle. “To newfound friendship.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” She took a swallow.

“Now that we’re buds,” Micah said, setting his glass down. “I have to tell you: do not go on a date with that P.A. scum.”

Here it was. She’d known friendship wouldn’t work. “It’s not a date.”

Micah nodded toward the pool tables where Sam and Chloe appeared to be nearing the end of their game. “He thinks it is.”

“It’s not.” Though she wasn’t exactly sure that was true. “And it’s none of your business.”

He cocked his head. “We’re friends. Friends don’t let friends date douchebags.”

Again with the cute. He had charm down to a science. “He is not a douchebag. And I want to go to Breckenridge.”

“Let me take you.”

Maddie paused momentarily thrown by his abrupt sincerity. “First of all, no. That would not be a good idea.” Not a good idea at all. “Secondly, Sam’s from here. He’s a perfect guide.”

Micah scowled. “He’s a douchebag.”

“At least he’s not a playboy.” Low blow and she knew it.

He flinched slightly. “You don’t know that. He doesn’t want to show you Breckenridge. He wants to show you what’s in his pants. And I guarantee it’s not much.”

“Whatever, Micah.” She was not going back to a conversation about pants. That only led to thoughts of what was inside Micah’s pants. And she had already thought about and touched—God, did she really do that?—his love muscle way too much for one night. Correction, too much for one day.

And now she was thinking about his dick again, hard and inside her. Did she really have to give this up?

It was as if he sensed her resolve breaking. “Come on, I’d make it fun.” He gave his most devilish grin—the one that made Maddie weak in the knees and slippery in her panties. He lowered his voice as Sam and a few of the spectators returned to the table. “I think I’ve demonstrated that in the past, haven’t I?”

Maddie’s belly tightened at the soft, seductive quality of his voice. Dammit. She had planned for the evening to go one way: handjob then blow off. Instead he had complicated things with “just friends”, wandering hands, and an invitation to spend their day off together. She no longer had a hold on what was up or down with Micah Preston. What she did know was that a daytrip spent with Sam would pale in comparison to one spent with the hot piece of meat next to her, though Sam would certainly be safer. Well, somewhat safer—he would likely make advances of his own, but Maddie could handle him. Not necessarily true with Micah. She was befuddled.

“I totally thought she had you,” Fudge said. “Excellent final play.”

“Thanks, man.” Sam slid in next to Maddie.

Maddie turned toward Sam, distancing herself from Micah. “So you won?”

“I kicked her four-foot-eight ass.”

“Four foot eight and a half, thank you very much,” Chloe corrected, sitting along with Fudge on the other side of Micah.

“Next time, I’d love to have you there to cheer me on.” Sam put his hand over Maddie’s on the table.

Ah, crap. He was totally into her. And going alone with him to the film festival would likely give him ideas about them as a couple which would totally be misleading because she was not jumping baby-face Sam. No, she couldn’t do that to him.

But it was Micah that made her decide to compromise. She glanced at him when Sam took her hand, expecting to see an I-told-you-so look on his face. Instead, he’d let his mask slip for the slightest of moments, and underneath the hot actor exterior she saw a lonely, yearning man.

It tugged at her heart and before she could think too much about it she slipped her hand out from under Sam’s and said, “Hey, I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Micah to go with us to the festival tomorrow.”

“And Fudge,” Micah said, not missing a beat. He winked at her.

“Yes, and Fudge. That’s not a problem, is it?”

“Uh, no, of course not.” Sam’s disappointment was evident but he recovered quickly. “Is there anyone else who wants to go? I can seat one more.”

“Hell, I’ll go,” Chloe said. “We could take the van I rented. I could fit one more.”

Joe reached for the hoodie next to Micah, wobbling as he did. “Awesome. I’ll join you. Might as well see what crap the next gen of filmmakers is working on. Which means I need to get to bed. I might have had a little more to drink than I thought.”

The bunch agreed to call it a night. Phone numbers were exchanged and specific times set for those meeting in the morning. Maddie trembled as she handed her phone to Micah for him to enter his info. His number. She tried not to let that thought excite her.

The waitress brought over the final tab. Micah grabbed it first, then pulled out a gold American Express and returned it to her.

“It’s on me,” he said.

Surprised and grateful “thank yous” passed among the lot. “Thanks, man, that was really nice of you,” Sam said. “You’re welcome back anytime.”

“It’s no problem. The waitress wanted my autograph anyway but couldn’t get the nerve to ask. Now she’ll have it.”

So he had noticed the waitress. Sure Micah had more money than God, but treating everyone was a nice gesture and Maddie saved her own acknowledgement until she had his full attention. “Thank you.”

He nodded and she felt his eyes as she stood, grabbing her purse from where it hung on the back of Sam’s chair. She waved and started out of the bar.

Before she’d made it to the street, her phone buzzed with a text from Micah from the party. She grinned at his entry then read his text. No, Maddie. Thank you.

She wasn’t sure if he was thanking her for Breckenridge or the handjob, probably the latter. What struck her was the effort he was making to get her…it made her tummy swirl with a storm of butterflies.

But it also made her dizzy and disoriented. Why her? She’d said no, more than once. If he was really only interested in a lay, why was he still trying to win her? Was it the thrill of the chase? Had her refusal read to him as playing hard to get?

It was the uncertainty and the fear of leading him into pursuing her more that kept her from responding to his message. Instead, she closed his text and pretended she could put the man out of her head as easily as she stowed her phone in her pocket.