Winter's Heart (11 page)

“I didn’t look that closely,” she said. “My phone was playing an inappropriate song and I had to answer as quickly as possible.”

He chuckled again and she could picture him sitting by the pool laughing at her. “I actually didn’t have anything to say, I just wanted to call so you could see my handiwork. Which reminds me, why did you break up with me?”

“What?” she asked, confused.

“Your status said you were single,” he told her. There was something weird about the way he said it, using past tense instead of present. “Of course, I switched it back because Mitch needs a nice, wholesome girl in his life.”

A burble of laughter pushed past her lips and she slammed a hand over her mouth to contain the inappropriate response. “My sister didn’t think it was smart to be in a fake relationship with someone who doesn’t exist.”

“It’s unfortunate that I know your password, then, isn’t it?” he taunted lightly. “Because every time she changes it to ‘single,’ I’ll simply change it back.”

“That’s a waste of time,” she sighed, unable to wipe the silly grin from her face. Even though she had just ridden on the back of his motorcycle and spent two hours with the man, she was happy to be talking to him on the phone. “Don’t you have better things to do than stalk me online?”

“Nope.” He sounded so pleased with himself. “You must know that actors have a lot of down time on the set. What else would I do but stalk my favorite party planner?”

“Read a book? Improve your mind?” she offered, her cheeks hurting from grinning so widely for so long. “Learn a foreign language?”

“All worthy pursuits but not nearly as much fun.”

“Wait,” she said, frowning as she finally heard his words. “Are you on set?”

“Nah,” he denied easily. “I’m at home. But I
could
be on set and stalking you online would be my favorite past time.”

“You’re so strange,” she managed as she tried to choke back the laughter that was threatening to burst free. “I think I’m going to have to change my password.”

“You can’t do that,” he growled. “What would I do for enjoyment if I can’t get onto your page and post scandalous stories and naughty jokes?”

“So you’re just using me for my social network?” Even she could hear the laughter in her voice. “Just don’t post anything that will get me fired.”

“You’re far too trusting, Flynn Rogers,” he chided. “Oh! You’re mom just IM'ed me. What do you want me to tell her?”

“Nothing!” she squeaked, the thought of Winter having a fake conversation with her mom making her panic. Not that she thought he would say anything that would get her into too much trouble….

His warm chuckle startled her, but not nearly as much as his words, “Your mom loved the joke about the cross dresser and the scientist. She says she’ll never look at a microscope the same way ever again.”

“Please log off,” she begged, wishing she could log on at work but that was one thing Diane highly frowned down upon. Because of the nature of their clients, there was no social media at the work place and they weren’t allowed to gossip about anyone they worked with, under threat of immediate termination of employment.

“Now she wants the recipe for the double orgasm chocolate mudslide,” he continued, ignoring her. “She says she wants to make it for your dad.”

“
Ew,” Flynn cringed. “Tell her you have to go.”

“Not
gonna happen, Flynn,” he taunted. “She’s giving me some advice for how to deal with men with inflated egos.”

A snort of laughter snuck past her guard and she had to clear her throat to stifle the rest of her amusement. “Log off.”

Feeling the hair at the nape of her neck rise, she raised her head and found Gwyn glaring at her. “Could you keep the flirting down to a minimum? I’m sure Diane doesn’t pay you to talk with your boyfriend at work.”

“Uh oh,” he murmured, sympathy suddenly oozing from his voice. “It sounds like you’ve got to go.”

“I’ve got to go,” she confirmed, holding Gwyn’s eyes.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow at the library,” he said, hanging up before she could ask him what the hell he was talking about. A moment later, her phone beeped, letting her know she got a text message. It was the location of the library and what time he wanted to meet. With a goofy smile, she put her phone back in her purse and went back to work, ignoring the death glares from Gwyn.

Her phone rang again, this time it was her parents’ ringtone: Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, in all of its symphonic and vocal glory. Blushing, she quickly grabbed it and answered, reminding herself to put it on vibrate. “Hey, Mom.”

“It’s your dad,” her dad rumbled.

“Hey, Dad,” she corrected.

“I don’t mean to interrupt you at work but I wanted to let you know that I’ll be coming out next week for the preliminary measurements,” he said, excitement lacing his voice. Clearing his throat, tamping down the enthusiasm, he continued, “I’ll bring Jeff so he can get some idea of what we’re working with. Is that okay with you?”

“I’m sure it will be fine,” she assured him, knowing that he was way too excited to be told differently. Plus, it gave her an excuse to call Winter back. “Just email the flight information and I’ll pick you guys up at the airport.”

“I look forward to seeing you and your sister.”

“Same here, dad.” With a smile, she hung up and was about to call Winter when she thought better of it. With Gwyn breathing fire, it would be foolish to call Winter, no matter how legitimate the pretext. Her phone chimed and she saw a text from him. Her belly fluttered in excitement that he texted just when she was thinking about him.

Winter:
Hey. Your mom says your dad’s coming for a visit next week. Looking forward to meeting some of your family.

With a grin, she typed,
Does she know she’s not talking to me yet?

Winter:
Of course not. She wants to know if your dad is going to be meeting your fictitious boyfriend. I told her that it was a distinct possibility and if all else failed you’d hire an actor.

Flynn:
LOL. Even my dad knows who you are, you doofus.

Winter:
Did you just call me a doofus? Seriously?

Flynn:
No, I texted it. I really have to get back to work. TTYL?

Winter:
No doubt. Doofus.

Smiling widely, she turned the phone to vibrate and slid it back into her purse. Her smile faltered as she thought about what she was doing. Getting involved with a famous actor, especially one who was supposedly engaged to America’s sweetheart, was idiotic. If only she could separate Winter the man from Winter the actor because she really, really liked him. When she was with him, it was easy to forget the extravagant world that he normally inhabited.

She was getting way, way ahead of herself. He was a world famous celebrity who was comfortable in his own skin, able to flirt as easy as he breathed. She was just a distraction he played with on the side while he lived his fake life with Melissa Irish. It would be unwise to forget who he was and who she was. As long as she remembered, she’d still be able to enjoy her time with him.

There was no sign of Winter or his motorcycle by the time Flynn arrived at the library early the next day. Since her sister had to be half way across town at a specific time, Flynn had ridden the bus, taking the time to mentally prepare for the meeting with Winter, not that she had any idea what he wanted or why he wanted to meet at the library. And not just any library, but a tiny little library in the middle of a sleepy, little suburb. It had taken her nearly two hours to get there.

Because she was meeting with a client, Diane had given her the day off, which was going to bite when it came time to deposit her paycheck. Flynn knew it was irresponsible but she justified it because her sister was filming a commercial and even though she had no idea when Fallon was going to get paid, she
would
get paid. Hopefully.

Browsing through the shelves, trying to keep an eye on the front door, she found the book she had started back home but had forgotten to pack when they moved. With a little squeal of excitement, she grabbed it and headed over to a table to read while she waited, figuring she might as well do something enjoyable until Winter arrived.

Before she had even read the first page, the book was plucked from her hands and Winter was sitting next to her. Blinking a few times at the sight of him in blue jeans and a t-shirt and a fake beard, she wasn’t sure what to say. Her lips parted but she knew she wouldn’t be able to speak because he looked ridiculous. “I hope you don’t think that disguise will fool anyone.”

“Nobody is paying me the least bit of attention,” he said with utter conviction as he studied the book with a scowl. The cover was the typical romance cover of a nearly naked man hovering over an equally nearly naked woman. “What is it about?”

Biting back her grin, she answered, “The hero is this sexy as sin, alpha wolf and he discovers his destined mate is a klutzy human. He’s none-too-happy about that because A.) she’s human, which is a grave sin and B.) she’s uncoordinated. An uncoordinated wolf is a dead wolf.”

“And you actually read this crap?”

“Proudly,” she said, stealing the book back and holding onto it.

He snorted, “You’re so worried about humans that you never stopped to consider the possibility that your wolves probably have fleas or rabies.”

“Way to ruin it for me,” she groaned, unable to wipe the stupid grin from her face. Crossing her arms on top of the table, she leaned towards him, “So, why are we out here in the middle of nowhere?”

He leaned closer as well and she was smacked with the windswept scent of Winter and mint. It was enough to knock her off her feet, if she had been standing, and it took way too much effort to keep from inhaling deeply simply to breathe him in. “I thought we could go see a movie.”

“Like a date?” she asked dubiously.

“Yep.” Again, he looked so pleased with himself. “I figured you’re the type of girl that needs to be wined and dined a bit before giving up third base.”

“You’re not going for the home run?” she asked, wishing she hadn’t asked that question because she was so not ready for accepting runners into home base.

“Not on the first date,” he told her, his eyes twinkling with amusement, his dimples flashing. Was he just toying with her or was he being sincere? Giving her a once over with his striking blue eyes, he tilted his head to the side in consideration, “I plan on saving my first home run for a special occasion.”

“I… see,” she said slowly, because she didn’t see, not at all. Winter Mitchell was gorgeous and even if he wasn’t a world famous actor, he could have any girl he wanted. Why would he put forth the effort to… court her unless he was just playing a game because he was bored? Well, why couldn’t she enjoy it because he made her feel excited and nervous and
good
? “You do know that you don't waste any time, don’t you?”

“Not when I know what I want.” He gave her a wolfish leer that melted her brain. “And I want you.”

“Oh, wow.” Was she dreaming? God, she hoped she wasn't dreaming because Winter Mitchell was a million times hotter than any character he had ever played on T.V. or in the movies. Clearing her head so she could think a little bit, she asked, “Um, so, what movie do we want to see?”

“I was thinking about the latest action flick.” The words were said solemnly but his lips twitched with suppressed laughter. “I hear the star of the film is a real prick but he’s a decent actor and the chicks seem to dig him so I figured we could check it out.”

She looked at him in confusion for a moment before she realized he was talking about the film he made that had been out for a few weeks. He was talking about himself. God, he was such a doofus! An adorable, sexy as all hell, doofus. “Sounds good. Can we get popcorn?”

“Absolutely,” he said, pulling her to her feet and throwing an arm around her shoulders. The entire side of her body was pressed against his and he was unbelievably warm and she really liked being in the crook of his arm. “So, where’d you park?”

“I took the bus.”

He
tsk
ed, shaking his head in mock disappointment, “Did your rust bucket finally die?”

“No, you jerk.” She lightly smacked his hard stomach then let her hand rest on the solid flesh, her cheeks hurting from the wide smile pulling at her face. “My sister needed it more than I did today.”

“Your sister’s career is more important than your fake boyfriend?” he asked in a wounded voice. “Ouch, that hurts.”

“My fake boyfriend didn’t bother to ask how I was getting to a library in the middle of nowhere,” she returned
. “Besides, I’m the queen of the bus lines.”

“Well this works out perfectly.” He grinned wickedly as they stepped outside and she saw the motorcycle gleaming in the sun, two helmets waiting for them. Despite the exhilaration she felt on the last ride she took with him, she still froze. He tightened his hold on her, lowering his head until his lips were against her ear, “Don’t chicken out on me now, Flynn.”

“I’m not,” she protested, even though she was. His breath moved over the sensitive skin of her neck and she shivered, loving the way her belly tightened and her nipples pebbled. The thought of getting on the back of his bike wasn’t so bad as long as she got to wrap her arms around him and hold on tight. “Really, I’m not.”

He smiled and even with the absurd beard he was insanely gorgeous. “There’s my brave girl.”

Taking a deep breath, she let him lead her over to the beast and grabbed the helmet. Before she did anything else, he grabbed it from her and held it like he was going to put it on and so she waited. Instead of putting it on immediately, he bent his head and pressed a soft kiss against her mouth. The light touch was sweet and over before it even began and she felt it in her toes. Her lips parted in surprise and she could only stare as he smiled down at her and straightened up, pushing the helmet onto her head as if he hadn’t just kissed her.

Once again, he rocked it from side to side before rapping against it with his knuckles. Holding her hand, he steadied her as she swung her leg over the bike and sat down. Then with one last smile, he put his helmet on and got on the bike. “Don’t worry, love, we’re not going far.”

“Yeah, but we still have to head home afterwards,” she muttered, wrapping her arms around his waist and automatically sliding her hands beneath his shirt to touch his skin before she had a horrifying thought. “Unless you plan on dropping me off here and having me ride the bus home? I mean, it wouldn’t be a big….”

“As if I would abandon you in the middle of suburbia,” he interrupted, his voice echoing in the helmet. A shudder wracked his body as he continued, “No, my dear, you’re stuck with me and the beast.”

She sighed in relief, startling when he laughed, “Did you honestly think I’d ask you out and then not take you back home?”

“The thought did cross my mind,” she replied without thinking. “I mean, you asked me to meet you out here instead of finding a theater close to home and I didn’t even know about the movie until about five minutes ago.”

“I suppose that would give one cause for worry,” he conceded. “But I have discovered I like having your hands on my stomach as we’re cruising down the highway. How do you feel about a weekend in Napa?”

“I feel okay about that?” she answered, hating how it came out as a question but his random question had
caught her off guard.

He chuckled, “I was thinking about taking you up for a pre-holiday getaway.”

“That’s in like three months,” she managed to choke out, trying to keep her excitement at bay since he was acting like he wanted more than just a quick fling. Of course, she was the party planner for his son’s birthday, which was less than six months away. Maybe he liked long-term flings, since it was easier to keep one person quiet than to keep a horde of women quiet. So, if that were the case, she had almost five and a half months with him.

She was strangely okay with that.

“Will that be enough time to make arrangements with your boss?” he asked, concerned for entirely the wrong reason but it was endearing that he cared, no matter why.

“I’m sure it will be fine.” She had no idea if it would be fine since the holidays seemed to be the busiest time for party planners… event coordinators, especially in Hollywood. As long as she gave Diane enough notice it should be okay because she really, really wanted to go to Napa with Winter. Hell, she wanted to go anywhere with him.

“I think that should be the weekend we have sex for the first time.” He said it calmly but it didn’t lessen her reaction as her grip tightened as she tried to remember how to breathe. One of his hands moved over hers, offering comfort, but it only freaked her out more. “Breathe, Flynn.”

“Get both of your hands on the bike, Winter!” she cried out, the shock forcing her brain to remember how to suck the wind back into her lungs. Luckily, he put both hands on the bike so she didn’t have a heart attack. Once her heart rate slowed enough so it no longer felt like her heart was going to burst, she asked, “Do you really think it will take three months to get me into your bed?”

“Well, no,” he admitted, almost reluctantly. “But I want our first time to be special.”

How could she help but fall a little bit in love with him? This time when she squeezed, it was because she was hugging him. “I think Napa in three months sounds wonderful.”

It would give her plenty of time to anticipate the moment so she hopefully wouldn’t freak out when it happened, when she finally lost her virginity.

“Um,” he muttered, shifting slightly as if uncomfortable. “It also gives you time to get on some birth control because I don’t want to use condoms with you.”

Arching an eyebrow, she looked up at the back of his helmet and opened and closed her mouth a few times before she managed to say, “And I hope you provide me a clean bill of health because you have far more experience than me and if you plan on going without a condom, you better be damned sure you’re clean.”

“We can play doctor and I’ll let you give me a complete exam,” he teased. At her low growl, he laughed, “I’ll have a copy of my records copied for you.”

“When was your last test?”

“Just before I started shooting and several months after I fucked my last partner.”

She spent the rest of the ride quietly contemplating their conversation. It was weird to be discussing sex in such a clinical fashion while flying over the road on the back of a motorcycle but it seemed oddly fitting. With her fight or flight section of her brain occupied with the ride, her logical brain was able to discuss sex without freaking out.

She was going to have to make a doctor’s appointment.

And try not to freak.

A few minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot of a large cinema, one that had fourteen screens, of which three were playing his movie. Before he turned off the engine, she asked, “Is it weird seeing yourself in movies?”

“It would be weirder if they were pornos,” he said instead of answering, putting the kickstand down and cutting the engine. Climbing off the bike, he pulled his helmet off and smiled at her, “I like being between your thighs.”

She snorted, starting to pull her helmet off before her hands got tangled with his and she ended up letting him take her helmet off her. “Is this need to do everything for me a sign of things to come?”