Winter's Heart (8 page)

“Yes, but the world thinks you are,” she reminded him as she slid into his car.

“But I’m not,” he grinned, kissing the tip of her nose before closing her door and walking around the front of the car. Sliding into the driver’s seat, he realized he really liked having her in his expensive sports car. He also really, really wanted to push her out of her comfort zone and unwrap the passionate woman that was inside of her. Starting the car, appreciating the hum of its engine, he turned his head and grinned at her, “I’m taking you for a ride on my bike.”

The corner of her lips quirked up in a half smile, “Does it have a bell that I can ring?”

“What?” he asked, until he thought about her words for a moment and he chuckled. “Not my bike, my
bike
.”

“Ah, yes, your emphasis makes all the difference,” she said wryly, her eyes dancing with laughter. “Will I get to sit on the handlebars like E.T.?”

“He sat in the basket,” he corrected. “But, no, you’ll have to sit on the seat with me and wrap your arms around my waist, and if you ask me very, very nicely I may even give you a helmet.”

“I won’t step within ten feet of the bike without a helmet,” she said, not refusing him outright. Crossing her arms over her delectable breasts, she stared at him mutinously, “I may not even get within ten feet of your bike
with
a helmet.”

Ah, there it was, her capitulation. Smiling at her, he murmured, “You’ll not only ride it, you’re going to love it.”

“How much do you want to bet?”

“Now you’re talking my language,” he grinned, gunning the engine and shooting out of the parking lot. “What will you give me when I win?”

Pressing her lips together, she thought about it for a moment before she answered, “What do you want?”

His grin widened until his face hurt. “Oh, sweetheart, don’t ask me that unless you want to hear my answer.”

Color crept into her cheeks once more and she gave him a sweet smile, which made him unduly happy. “Okay, but if I win, you give my sister a small part in your next movie.”

He chuckled, shifting gears and speeding up as they zipped through the neighborhood. “Deal. But you’re going to love it.”

“We’ll see.” But he could see her smile and knew that he had already won. Hell, wanting to be the cause of more of her smiles, he’d offer her sister a small part regardless.

Tilting her head to the side, she seemed to study him and he wondered what was going through that enchanting mind of hers. Finally, she took a breath and said, “I do have a question.”

“Fire away.”

She pursed her lips in an adorable manner and he found himself grinning even wider. “So, why did you make me your alter ego’s girlfriend? We hadn't even known each other very long at the time.”

He should have realized she was going to ask about that, though he didn’t really have an answer. “I guess I was inspired and at the time it seemed like a really good idea. Maybe I’m psychic because it really
is
a good idea.”

“You’re very strange, you know that, right?” But she was smiling and he realized making her his girlfriend had been a brilliant idea, whether intentional or not.

Trying to temper his absurd grin and failing miserably, he said, “I guess you just bring out the best in me.”

Flynn sat on the edge of the lounge chair while Melissa reclined on another chair. She was trying to pay attention to the conversation at hand while her brain kept replaying her interesting interlude with Winter. It didn’t help that there was an absolutely gorgeous pool beckoning her, taunting her with what she couldn’t have. With the warm sun overhead and the smell of chlorine in the air and the memory of Winter filling her head, Flynn was not at the top of her game and she had no desire to discuss parties and food and guest lists.

After being attacked by Gwyneth and then her impromptu picnic with Winter, Flynn’s brain was already on overload. They had ridden home in companionable silence, exchanging silly little smiles but very few words, and she had felt surprisingly content. When they arrived at the mansion, he had walked her up to the front door and pointed the way to the pool where he assured her Melissa was waiting for her. Then he leaned in, called for Storm, who came running down with a backpack, and the two of them had gotten into that sleek car of his and sped off.

His abrupt personality change had almost caused whiplash and she had quietly made her way through the brightly lit halls wondering what had happened, why did he go from warm and flirty to a man who could barely wait to get out of her presence. Seeing Melissa lying on the chaise with her perfect body and exquisite face reminded Flynn that she was so far out of her league she was in a completely different solar system. Dismissing Winter and his mesmerizing blue eyes and his perplexing behavior, she sat on the edge of her seat and listened as Melissa discussed Storm’s birthday plans without Flynn’s input. Flynn was fairly certain she’d remember ninety percent of what Melissa said.

If only she could strip off the long sleeved t-shirt and slacks, maybe dive into that tempting pool and swim a few laps, she’d be able to concentrate on her job. Sweat trickled down her back between her shoulder blades and she struggled to keep from fidgeting. She eyed the reclining back of her chair, wondering how inappropriate it would be to kick off her shoes and lay down.

Pretty damn inappropriate.

Melissa’s chuckle brought her attention back to the present and she startled, looking at the beautiful actress with wide eyes. “Sorry, it’s just such a beautiful day and I really have no excuse to be wool-gathering.”

“You should change into one of the swimsuits we have in the pool house and take a swim.”

Flynn stared at her as a small but very vocal part of her brain furiously tried to convince her that would be a spectacularly horrible idea while the rest of her was wondering how quickly she could change. Catching her lower lip between her teeth, edging closer to the end of the chair, she reminded herself that she wasn’t really a party planner and she had told them that from the very beginning and still they hired her….

“Go,” Melissa laughed. At Flynn’s dubious expression, Melissa laughed harder, “I swear, if you don’t go and change into a swimsuit right this very minute I’ll fire you.”

“That’s not much of an incentive,” Flynn reminded her, standing up anyway. “But the pool is too tempting to deny so I’ll go change.”

“Excellent.” Melissa leaned her head back and closed her eyes, a smile on her lips. “I’m sure Winter will be disappointed when I tell him what he missed.”

Flynn ignored the words even as a little grin played upon her lips. She was still smiling as she entered the pool house, a beautiful building that was larger and far more luxurious than the apartment she and her sister were currently renting. It looked like an English cottage, with the angled roof and ivy on the walls and if not for the mansion not too far away, she could have believed it was an actual house and not just a place to change into and out of swimsuits. It would have been tempting to explore all of the rooms but she was already abusing her relationship with her client so she found the room with spare suits and picked out the least revealing one.

It was still too revealing but it covered what it needed to cover and there was no one other than Melissa around to see her. Besides, she imagined the beautiful actress wouldn’t spare her a second glance, not when she could look into a mirror and see the most beautiful woman in the world. Grabbing a towel, she headed back to the patio and sat down, unable to wipe the smile from her face, “Thank you, Melissa. You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

Looking at her over the top of her sunglasses, Melissa smirked, “Nice choice.”

Running her hand over the white material of the bikini, Flynn frowned, “Should I change?”

“Not at all,” Melissa grinned, swinging her legs over the edge of her chaise and sitting up. “By the way, your sister called when you were changing. I took the liberty of answering it, I hope you don’t mind.”

Flynn looked around and saw her purse sitting on the ground, her phone sticking out the top. Even though it was something she’d never do, she didn’t mind too much that Melissa answered her phone. “Of course not. What did Fallon want?”

“She got the role of the dandelion and she wants to take you out to celebrate tonight,” Melissa replied, relaying the message and managing to sound suspiciously like an excited Fallon. “You’ll have to congratulate her for me.”

Narrowing her eyes, Flynn asked with wary suspicion, “Did she know who she was talking to?”

“Goodness no,” Melissa laughed. “Could you imagine the media storm if it came out that I answered your phone when I don’t even answer my phone?”

“Um, no,” Flynn answered with a frown, shaking her head no because she couldn’t believe anyone would care. “I just figured if Fallon knew, she would be picking your brain about your
craft
and she’d never hang up.”

Melissa chuckled but didn’t say anything more about the phone call. Instead, she stood up and held out her hand, pulling Flynn to her feet. Sashaying towards the pool, she called over her shoulder, “I like you, Flynn Rogers. You amuse me.”

Flynn wasn’t sure whether or not she should be insulted or terrified. “Um, thanks?”

Melissa chuckled before she dove into the water, her slender form executing a perfect dive. Swimming a few feet, she emerged and pushed her blond hair away from her face, an enigmatic smile on her too lovely face, “Come on in, Flynn, the water feels glorious against overheated skin.”

Because she was on the swim team in high school, Flynn performed a shallow dive and swam underwater until her lungs felt like they were going to burst. In the quiet stillness beneath the water, she pondered Melissa’s strange behavior and was no closer to any insight when she surged through the surface. Sucking in some air in the shallow end, she stood and turned, watching as Melissa gracefully swam through the water until she reached Flynn’s side.

Once more pushing her wet hair from her face, Melissa smiled, “I probably should have warned you that white swimsuits are practically see through when they get wet and that one more than most.”

At first, Flynn didn’t believe Melissa because her team suit had been white but it had been lined so it didn’t become transparent when wet. Looking down, she could make out the outline of her areolas and nipples and knew that the neatly trimmed hair between her thighs was just as plainly visible. Feeling the heat spread through her entire body, she crossed her arms over her chest and sank down until the water covered her to her neck. Who the hell designed a swimsuit that became transparent when wet? It defeated the whole purpose of wearing a swimsuit! “Well, this is embarrassing. I don’t think I’ll ever get out of the pool now.”

“Nonsense,” Melissa said, gliding towards her and coming to a stop a little closer than was comfortable. Brushing Flynn’s wet hair off her shoulder, Melissa murmured, “You have a lovely body, Flynn, and we’re both girls. There’s no reason to be embarrassed.”

Though she wasn’t uncomfortable with Melissa’s nearness, she wasn’t exactly comfortable either. But she was being absurd and she forced her body to remain motionless. “Still….”

“
Shh,” Melissa murmured, lifting her head and looking at Flynn with a grin that belied her interest and eyes that were bored. “Let’s just enjoy the water and leave modesty on the deck.”

Swallowing her unease, Flynn offered a wobbly smile, “Maybe we should discuss menus so I don’t feel as if I’m totally shirking my duties and maybe that will take my mind off the fact that I am practically naked.”

Melissa chuckled, lifting her legs and floating on her back. Slowly moving her arms to keep her body afloat, she turned her head and looked directly at Flynn, “Tell me what you think of Winter.”

Flynn sputtered, not expecting that question, especially from Melissa Irish, his supposed fiancée and the mother of his child. Curious, knowing it would be the height of stupidity to ask, she asked anyway, “Are the two of you
engaged?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, he’s, um, very flirtatious and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to react,” she offered lamely, since she couldn’t very well come out and say that she was attracted to the man and he sort of asked her out. “I mean, I know it’s harmless and he doesn’t mean anything by it, but it would make me really uncomfortable if the two of you are engaged.”

“We’re not engaged,” Melissa said with a slight curling of her lips that could have been a smile or a sneer and since she was wearing sunglasses, Flynn wasn’t entirely sure which expression it was. “And I imagine he’s told you we haven’t had sex?” At Flynn’s nod, Melissa’s sneer-smile twitched as she sighed, “Our relationship was dreamed up by our agent and the only reason I’m telling you this is because you’ve signed the NDA. I mean, most of the stuff you read about celebrities is carefully crafted lies and innuendo, to obscure the truth or to create a false narrative. It’s all part of the game and my game with Winter is going to end soon.”

“Why do you play?”

This time, her smile was genuine as she stood up and held her hands out to the sides, “Look at my life, Flynn. I’m famous, I live in paradise with a gorgeous man and his son, and I make more money than I could spend in a dozen lifetimes. What more could a girl want?”

Flynn frowned because she didn’t know how to answer that. Fame wasn’t something she sought because she didn’t like the idea of her life being open for such scrutiny, often times scathing and cruel. She imagined fame was a double-edged sword, giving you everything you could ever want but exacting a huge toll until you no longer knew what was real and what was make believe. “Well, I guess not having to go through life pretending to be something you’re not would be nice.”

Melissa gasped, her arms flailing as she splashed beneath the water. When she surfaced a heartbeat later, a serene smile graced her lips as she smoothed her hair back, looking incredibly beautiful for a drowned kitten. “So, what
do
you think of Winter?”

Flynn sputtered a moment before she answered, “He’s great, really.”

Melissa heaved a sigh, laying back and floating once again. “He really
is
a great guy and Storm absolutely adores him.”

“Well, he should,” Flynn murmured without thought. “I mean, Winter’s his dad.”

Melissa sucked in a sharp breath and looked at Flynn with wide, surprised eyes, “Winter told you about Storm?”

Crap. Nodding her head, Flynn muttered, “Yeah. But you don’t have to worry about anything because I’m not going to tell anyone. I won’t even tell my sister and I tell her everything.”

“I’m not worried,” she said but she was frowning. “I’m just surprised Winter admitted it to you. Of course, after everything else he’s told you I probably shouldn’t be that surprised.”

“It’s not his fault,” Flynn said, standing up and forgetting about her inappropriate attire. Melissa’s eyes darted to her breasts but Flynn didn’t think anything of it as she continued, “I mean, anyone with two eyes can tell they’re related and I sort of mentioned it and he told me the story. Mostly.”

Melissa let out a low whistle, a distant expression clouding her face for a moment as she lost herself in thought. “He must like you.”

“He tolerates me,” Flynn corrected, hesitant to put a rift between Melissa and Winter because she was still confused by the weird dynamics of their relationship. Wading a few feet away, she looked over her shoulder and with a wry smile, she added, “In much the same way that I’m sure you do.”

Melissa startled, staring at her with wide, almost guilty eyes before she threw her head back and laughed, “Oh, having you plan Storm’s party is going to be interesting.”