Blind Love (8 page)

The shot she liked the best was of Tony in denim shorts and a red sleeveless shirt that hugged him like a second skin. Every ripple of hard muscle showed. Mitzi would drool when she saw these pictures.

Catherine loaded the pictures on her laptop and Tony sat beside her to help her pick out the best ones. His arm brushed hers and her breath caught. He gazed into her eyes and she couldn’t look away. His lips covered hers in a kiss so tender she wanted to take him upstairs and have her way with him, but she had to keep this on a professional level or she couldn’t use him on the show. “I think we have enough pictures, Tony.”

His brown eyes sparkled. “Will you show me pictures of the women on the show?”

She shook her head. “No peeking. You’ll meet them on the show, and how can you kiss me and then ask to see pictures of other women?”

His lips curled in a lopsided grin. “How can you kiss me and then put me on a television show to find another woman?”

He had a point.

Tony gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek and left the room, leaving her alone and confused. Did he want her or didn’t he, because one more kiss, and she was his.

Catherine sighed deeply and emailed the shots of Tony to Mitzi. Then she printed out the information on the women Mitzi had chosen so far. She’d have to hide the pictures or he’d be snooping to see what the women looked like. Tony had an ornery streak, and he obviously loved women. If that side of his personality came out on the show, they had a winner.

Reading through the information Mitzi had sent her, she saw that the first three girls—Jenny, Chelsea, and Rachel—were the ones she’d chosen herself. They were all tall and slender and beautiful.

The next three were also beautiful. One was a light skinned black woman, very tall and absolutely stunning. And one was a California beach bunny with a deep tan and bleached blonde hair. She reminded Catherine of Fawn.

The next one
was
Fawn. After what that woman had done, Catherine didn’t want her in Cara’s home or in anyone else’s.

Seven women, seven beauties. Had Mitzi chosen only beautiful women?

The next girl, Lily, was tiny and dark, and the next was a Latina with short hair and a huge smile. Both were adorable and perfect for the show, but where were the average girls? Glancing at the last picture, a pretty blackjack dealer from Reno, Catherine sighed. This wouldn’t do at all. They needed average women with personality. Mitzi was turning it into a beauty contest. Tony would love it, but without average girls, nice girls who weren’t poised and posed, the audience wouldn’t have anyone to root for.

They could save some of the beautiful girls for the fireman on the next show. Fawn was definitely out, and some may not pass the security screening. That meant they had four, maybe five for this show, and they needed at least thirteen to make it work.

If Catherine didn’t get back to work, Mitzi would choose all the wrong women and the show wouldn’t last a season.

Tony called, “Catherine, come watch a movie with me.”

She walked into the family room, where Tony had stretched out on the deep sectional and leaned back into the corner. He pulled her down between his legs and she leaned back into his solid chest.

He ran his hands down her arms and she murmured, “Mmm, this is nice.” More than nice. It was a setup for seduction. The warmth of his body wrapped around her and his big hands were so close to her breasts, she could almost feel them on her. Her body came to life and she felt places that had been dormant for months.

“Relax. I won’t bite.”

Her body tingled at the sound of his deep, sexy voice in her ear. She twisted to gaze into his eyes. “No bites?”

He groaned. “Honey, I’d like to do a whole lot more than bite, but if I start, I won’t want to stop.”

His erection pushed against her behind and she was tempted to rub her bottom against it, but if she did, they’d end up in bed together. An affair with this man could make it awkward for both of them on the show. As much as she wanted to feel his lips and those big, rough hands on her body, he wasn’t hers to have. She forced herself to scoot away.

He took her hand. “You’re killing my ego, Princess.”

“Your ego will get stroked enough on the show.” She stood and leaned down for a tender goodnight kiss, but she didn’t touch him anywhere else. “Goodnight, Tony.”

Catherine went up to bed, but it was a long time before she finally slept.

<>

During a visit to the hospital the next morning, Tony said, “Catherine, I need to inspect one of the parcels of property Nick bought for the development company. Why don’t you take the day off and come with me?”

“I need to stay home today, Tony. The new bed is supposed to be delivered this afternoon, and I have work to do on the show.”

“Sanchez can handle the delivery,” said Megan.

“You can handle it, Meg,” said Walt. “You don’t have to stay here with me all the time.” He looked up at Catherine. “Go on, have some fun today. I’ll be home tomorrow, and you’ll be sick of me in no time.”

Walt apparently thought Catherine would be staying here in Santa Barbara. Tony saw the disappointment on her face. She had something to prove to herself, and her job was the only way she knew how to do it. If Walt asked her to give up her job and she quit to please him, it would crush her spirit.

“Tell you what,” said Tony. “Get your work done this morning, and you can make phone calls from the car. We’ll stop for dinner on the way back. C’mon, it’s my last day here. Cara’s pilot is picking me up tomorrow morning.”

Walt glanced at Catherine and then at Tony. “Tony, if you want to stay, I’m sure we could use your help around the house.”

“Thanks, Mr. Timmons, but I have a job. I help my cousin manage his construction company, and I have a little job to do at Cara’s estate before her birthday bash at the end of the month. I need to inspect this property and get back.”

“Cara?” said Megan.

“My cousin, Nick, is married to Catherine’s friend, Cara Andrews.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh,
that
Cara.”

<>

Fawn worked for a high class madam in Beverly Hills that week. Between her fees and what she could steal from the customers, she’d done pretty well for herself.

She hadn’t heard anything from the interview she’d done for Henry Wallace Productions, but the girl who’d interviewed her seemed to think she wouldn’t have any problems getting on the show. Still, she wanted to be sure, so she called Mitzi.

“We’re still getting contestants lined up,” Mitzi told her, “but your interview was the best one. You have an excellent chance of being on the show.”

Shooting for the show didn’t start until June, so Fawn called the madam in Beverly Hills. “I’ll be available for a few more weeks.”

“You won’t work for me again. One of the clients complained about the money you lifted from his wallet.”

Damn! Scratch that job. The only sure thing in her life was Walt Timmons.

If
she could get near him.

<>

When she got home from the hospital, Catherine called Henry. “I have someone here to take care of my father, so I’ll be back at work on the project tomorrow, either from home or back in the office.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Have you called Mitzi?”

“Not yet. I looked over the profiles she sent of the women, and we can only use about half of them on this show. One is out completely. I refuse to work with the empty-headed bimbo who drugged my father and caused him to fall down the stairs.”

Henry chuckled. “Good to have you back, Cat. You’re in charge of this project, so tell Mitzi what you need her to do. We have a show to produce.”

“Yes, sir.” Catherine hung up and let out a loud whoop. She had her show back.

Her next call was to Mitzi. “I want you to find some more girls. We’ll use Jenny, Chelsea, Rachel, JoJo, and Lily. Save the others for the fireman, all except—”

“No, Cat. I’ve already interviewed—”

“Tell Fawn she won’t be needed.”

“Why? She’s the best of the bunch.”

Catherine’s voice rose. “I won’t work with her, and I don’t want her in Cara’s house.”

“
Cara?
You’re on a first-name basis with Cara Andrews?”

“We went to college together.”

For once Mitzi was speechless.

“Find some other girls. We need thirteen, and we’re down to five. You can use the blackjack dealer, Carina, as an alternate, but no more beauty queens. Think character actresses instead of leading ladies. If we don’t have some average girls in the mix, this show won’t work.”

“That’s stupid. The whole concept is stupid. Putting a blindfold on the guy—”

“Stuff it, Mitzi. Looks aren’t everything, even in Hollywood. Henry put me in charge, and we’re doing it my way. I’m available by phone, and when you find some other girls, you can email their pictures to me.”

Catherine had never spoken with a co-worker that harshly, but she wasn’t about to give Mitzi a chance to screw up this show. Tony was on it.

“What do you think of the bachelor, Mitzi?”

“He’s absolutely yummy.”

Yes, he was. If she had any sense, she’d keep him for herself.

Chapter Five

T
ony followed Nick’s directions, and two hours outside Santa Barbara, they arrived at their destination. The property was remote, hilly, and covered with brush and rocks. “Well, this isn’t what I expected.”

He scanned the information Nick had given him. “Forty-five acres that backs up to Forest Service land. They bought it for development purposes, but I can’t picture people living out here.”

“I can’t either.”

“There should be a big building here somewhere. Nick wants to know if it should be restored or torn down.”

Catherine pointed. “It’s on the hill by that clump of trees.”

“You call those trees?” They looked like scrubby bushes to him.

“Looks like there’s an old dirt road.”

Yes, there was a dirt road, but it was strewn with rocks. “You’d have to be a mountain goat to get from here to there.”

“That’s why I drive an SUV. Let’s go.”

He drove slowly toward the building and soon regretted it. He could be doing some major damage to Catherine’s SUV. They should have hiked in instead of driving, and he would have suggested it if Catherine hadn’t been wearing sandals.

The closer they got to the structure, the bigger it grew. Peering through the windshield, he asked, “What is it?”

“Looks like an old mission. Wouldn’t it make an awesome hotel?”

Litter scattered near the building told Tony it was already used as a hotel of sorts. He spotted the field of cultivated plants and turned the SUV around so they could make a fast getaway if necessary. “Stay in the car until I make sure there’s no one else here.”

She unclipped her seatbelt. “There’s no other vehicle here.”

He pointed to the left, and she stretched her neck to look over him. “What is it?”

“Pot. Marijuana. Someone is using this property for their cash crop, and I doubt they’ll appreciate us intruding on their privacy. Doors locked, and at the first sign of trouble, call 911.”

“And tell them we’re
where
? I don’t think there’s a street address here, Tony, and I’m not staying here alone. If you’re going in, so am I.”

“Stubborn woman.” No wonder he’d never dated a redhead. He opened the back and pulled out the tire iron. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but it was better than nothing. “Stay close to me.”

“No problem.” She clung to his arm.

The cavernous structure was cool inside, with high ceilings and masonry walls at least a foot thick. The main floor looked like it was used to process their crop, and the big stone fireplace had a sweet, smoky scent.

Catherine sneezed.

The staircase was solid stone and there were tiny bedrooms off the long hallway upstairs. Three of those rooms were furnished with camp cots. Big crosses on the walls confirmed what they’d already guessed. At one time the church must have owned this property.

The third floor was a mess where parts of the roof had caved in. It would take a lot of work for this to be restored, and he didn’t see any power outlets or light fixtures. No plumbing either. Nothing but the shell of a very old building and an illegal crop.

They walked back down the stairs to the landing, where Catherine peered through the window. “Tony, look at the view.” He stood behind her, his arm around her shoulders, and looked out. The territorial view stretched for miles in every direction. He leaned down and kissed the side of her neck, and she made a sound like a kitten purring. It was all the incentive he needed.