His Larkville Cinderella

chapter EIGHT



A THIRTYSOMETHING makeup artist named Basil patted Adam’s forehead with a towel after the shoot had finally ended. The man beamed as bright as the silver earrings dangling from his earlobes. “You were simply amazing, Adam. If that kiss with Lane isn’t nominated for an award, if it doesn’t win, I’ll eat a big fat beef burger.”

He looked at Basil. “But you’re a vegan.”

Basil winked. “Exactly.”

A satisfied feeling settled in the center of Adam’s chest. The big emotional scene with Lane had gone off without a hitch. He wished he could take credit for his performance during all the takes this afternoon, but that belonged to one person—Megan. He’d gotten himself so worked up about flubbing his lines and making a fool of himself that he hadn’t been able to think straight. She’d been a voice of reason, an angel saving him from embarrassment, a devil kissing him until the only thing he could think about was her. And more of her kisses.

Aware of Basil’s gaze, Adam smiled. “Thanks. Appreciate your support.”

Basil pulled the towel away with a flourish. Not surprising given the makeup artist’s passion for flamenco dancing. “The pleasure is all mine.”

Adam glanced around to see if Megan was on the set. Producers and invited guests sat in an area to the right of the set with cushy leather couches to lounge on and monitors to watch. The rest of the crew was either scattered among the cameras, lighting or other equipment.

No Megan.

He’d wanted her to see how well he did. He wanted to thank her. The way she’d kissed him this morning had rendered him speechless. He’d been turned on and uncertain at the same time. Not a good combination.

“You naughty boy,” Lane whispered from behind him. “Not letting me know you kissed like that. I was hoping Damon needed another close-up.”

Adam hadn’t been thinking about Lane while kissing her. Calliope hadn’t entered his head, either. Only Megan. She might seem like a forever type of girl, but she had kissed him back eagerly, almost recklessly. Maybe acting the part of Calliope had given her the chance to break free of whatever was holding her back and making her cling to her so-called plans. He had to wonder how reckless she might be willing to be with him.

“Just playing my part,” he said.

“We should practice for our upcoming love scene.” Lane blew softly in his ear, making him want to scratch the affected skin. “Your trailer or mine?”

The woman was relentless, even though her fiancé was somewhere on the set. “I told you my rules.”

Lane frowned. “I thought you were a player.”

Adam wasn’t about to play with her. “You’re in a league by yourself. I wouldn’t want to try to compete there.”

Confusion clouded her gaze.

This was his opportunity to go. “I need to change. So do you.”

As Adam walked toward the dressing rooms, crew members gave him kudos and atta-boys for his work. Everyone said they couldn’t wait to see the dailies. Neither could he. That acting nomination was getting so much closer Adam could taste it.

It took him over a half hour to reach the dressing room due to receiving so many accolades. Rosie was waiting for him. Megan, too.

Today kept getting better and better. Adam smiled at the two women, but his gaze lingered on the intern.

Megan’s cheeks were no longer flushed. Her lips didn’t look as swollen from kissing him this morning. A lanyard with laminated pictures of actors in their costumes hung around her neck. Comparing a character to the picture gave the costume dressers a fast and easy way to determine continuity between takes. He kicked off his shoes. “Sorry it took me so long, ladies.”

“No worries.” Rosie placed his shoes into a labeled bag. “You earned every single one of those compliments. Great job.”

“You were watching?”

Rosie nodded. “We all were.”

Megan must have watched, too. That pleased him. But she wouldn’t meet his eyes. Adam didn’t know if that was because of their earlier kiss or the scenes he’d shot. He liked the idea she might be jealous of him kissing Lane all afternoon, but that was probably stretching things given her feelings for Rob, the engineering bozo with the supposedly high IQ.

“Thanks,” Adam said.

“Texas has been enlisted to help today,” Rosie explained. “Kenna was called in to assist with Lane, who’s acting more like a spoiled brat than America’s sweetheart.”

His fault. Now the crew would have to put up with Lane being in a bad mood. He’d be buying the rounds on Friday night after Damon showed this week’s dailies. Spending money on the crew was better than fooling around with Lane. “I’m sure you’ll show Megan the ropes.”

“Speaking of ropes.” Rosie winked. “After seeing the way you kissed Lane, Texas might have to tie me up to keep me in line with you.”

Adam’s gaze met Megan’s. “Promises, promises.”

She blushed, turning her cheeks a pretty pink.

“Let’s get you out of this costume,” Rosie said.

A wicked idea formed in his head. Remembering the feel of Megan’s lips on his, her sweet, warm taste, he wondered what it would be like to have her undress him. Adam flexed his fingers. “I have stuff on my hands. Would you mind?”

“I’ll get a wet cloth,” Megan offered.

“No, we’ve taken long enough. We still have to get ready for the close-up shot.” Rosie removed his accessories, checking them off on her inventory list and placing them in Ziploc bags. She pinned that to the accessory holder, a muslin sleeve that was a foot to a foot and a half long. “Unbutton Adam’s shirt for him.”

Megan inhaled sharply.

He almost felt bad for her deer-in-the-headlights expression. Emphasis on almost. He planned to make the most of this unexpected opportunity.

Megan’s fingers trembled as she reached for his shirt button.

Her nervousness tugged at his heart. “I don’t bite.”

“He doesn’t.” Rosie removed his watch and placed it in a Ziploc plastic bag. “Adam’s more a nibbler.”

“You know this how?” he asked jokingly.

Rosie grinned. “I have my sources.”

“Sources that are wrong,” he countered.

Megan’s fingers fumbled. She finally unfastened one, but she wasn’t smiling.

Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea.

“So you’re a biter, then?” Rosie teased.

Megan’s fingers slipped off the next button. Her fingertips brushed his chest. Heat pooled where she touched him.

Some strong physical attraction...chemistry there. But he’d known that from their kiss.

Her flushed cheeks deepened from pink to red. “Sorry.”

“I’m sorry. I should have had Basil deal with my hands before coming here.” Adam wanted her to laugh, not be nervous and tense. “You’re doing great.”

Rosie’s phone beeped. She checked the touch screen, then grimaced. “I’ll be right back.”

With that, she dashed out of the dressing room.

Megan’s hands froze. “Your hands are fine. Basil took care of them, didn’t he?”

Adam smiled sheepishly. “I knew you were a sharp one.”

She placed her arms at her sides. “Hurry up and unbutton your shirt before Rosie gets back. Pants, too. I’m not unzipping your zipper.”

Adam would have loved her to unzip him, but he’d given Megan enough grief. He did as she’d asked.

She readied a hanger for his shirt. “You and Lane were great today. You, especially. I didn’t think you could be any better than you were this morning. I was wrong.”

Others’ compliments paled in comparison to hers. “I was hoping you were there.”

“I wanted to be there,” Megan admitted. “But I didn’t realize there would be so many takes for one kiss.”

He handed her his shirt. “They have to get all the angles.”

“Well, it gave me plenty of opportunity to see how you acted out the scene with Lane compared to the one with me.”

“It was the same.”

“During the main takes, you kissed Lane longer.”

Interesting, Megan had noticed that. Maybe he shouldn’t have downplayed the kiss in the trailer. But her rock-his-world kiss had caught him off guard. Self-preservation had made him act as if the kiss had been nothing when it had been something. Something big. “Not intentional.”

She stared down her nose at him. “None of my concern if it was.”

The lines around her mouth and tight voice begged to differ. He wondered if that meant she wasn’t so dead set on the guy back in Texas in spite of what she’d said. “I was taking Damon’s request to make the moment more emotional, but I wasn’t timing any of the kisses.”

She lifted her chin. “I didn’t time the kisses, either. But the ones with Lane were definitely longer.”

Satisfaction flowed through him. Megan was jealous. “That’s only because every time I kissed Lane I imagined I was kissing you.”

Excitement flashed in Megan’s eyes, but quickly disappeared. “Yeah, right.”

“I’m not joking.” He glanced at the closed door to the dressing room and lowered his voice. “Just so you know, you’re a much better kisser than Lane Gregory.”

Gratitude shone in Megan’s stunning brown eyes. “If I wasn’t afraid of someone walking in or the fact I decided not to kiss you again, I’d plant a big fat one right on your lips for saying that. Whether it’s true or not.”

“Trust me, it’s true.” He liked her sassy response, but he hated how she didn’t see herself as desirable. He wanted to kiss all the uncertainty out of her. “But why don’t you want to kiss me?”

“Other than the fact that you’re the star and could have me fired quicker than snapping your fingers?”

Her words stung. “I would never do anything to hurt you or get you fired.”

She buttoned his shirt. “You say that now, but you could change your mind.”

“I’m not like that.”

She placed the hanger on a clothing rack. “No, I don’t think you are.”

Her words didn’t make him feel much better. He unbuckled his belt. “What else?”

As she faced him, he unzipped his pants.

She gasped, covered her eyes with her hands and turned away from him. “What are you doing?”

“Taking off my pants.”

Megan kept her back to him. “I thought you’d go into the bathroom or something.”

“Why would I do that?” He didn’t understand why she was so upset. “This is a dressing room.”

“But I’m here.”

“Come on. It’s not like we’re twelve.”

She didn’t say anything.

Adam supposed she might not be used to the lack of modesty. “I’m sorry if I surprised you, but actors dress and undress in front of people all the time. I don’t think twice before stripping down to my underwear.”

She lowered her hands from her eyes, but didn’t turn around. “Are you wearing underwear?”

A little prudish, but still cute. “Do I look like the commando type?”

“Must I answer?”

He smiled. “I’m wearing boxer briefs. Fully covered. Satisfied?”

“Take off your pants and hand them to me.” Megan didn’t look at him, but reached behind her. “I’ll hang them up.”

“Turn around. If you’re going to be in costume design, you can’t get all wigged out by a guy undressing in front of you.” He slipped out of his pants, but didn’t hand them to her. “It’s not like you haven’t seen a naked man before.”

Glancing over her shoulder, she met his gaze. “I haven’t. At least not in person. Unless you count sculptures in museums.”

He stared at her in disbelief. No way could she be...

“Please don’t look at me like that,” she pleaded. “I might not have slept with anyone, but that doesn’t mean I have some sort of incurable disease or a giant V on my chest.

V for virgin. His throat tightened. “Most women your age have had sex.”

Her eyes darkened. “I’m not like most women.”

No, she wasn’t.

Squaring her shoulders as if she were facing a troop of armed soldiers rather than a guy in his underwear, Megan faced him. She kept her gaze focused on his face. “Give me your pants.”

He handed them to her. “Does Rob know?”

“I have no idea.” She zipped the pants. “He knows I haven’t dated much.”

“You’ve been saving yourself for him.”

She cringed. “That sounds so...pathetic.”

“It’s sweet and romantic.”

Like her.

She buckled his belt. “If the crew finds out, they’ll think I’m a freak or frigid or something.”

“Having sex while working on a shoot happens, but not everyone is doing it.”

He wasn’t. That would surprise the crew more than Megan being a virgin. But he wasn’t going to tell her that.

“Maybe Rob knows and that’s why he doesn’t want me.” The hurt and embarrassment in her voice made Adam’s stomach hurt. “Because I’m inexperienced.”

“If that’s the case, Rob is not only an idiot, but also a total moron.”

“I suppose giving it up to the first guy I see would be pretty stupid.”

Not if she were giving it up to him. He was the guy she was looking at. Introducing Megan to sex would be fun. He would be better doing that for her than someone as clueless as Rob.

“I mean I know what my sister has gone through being a single mom.” Megan hung up the pants. “That’s a road I don’t want to follow.”

“Having sex doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get pregnant.”

She removed his wedding band and placed it in the plastic bag with his watch. “Not having sex guarantees I won’t.”

“I’ll concede that point.” Adam might want her, but he wanted it to be the right choice for her. “You shouldn’t just give it up. The first time is a big deal. Or it should be.”

There. He’d said what needed to be said, told her good advice and provided the necessary support. If this were a romantic comedy, he would have given the perfect best friend performance. Now he wouldn’t have to feel guilty when he took her to bed.

Oh, the things he could teach her. Playful images filled his mind.

“That’s the real reason I’ve waited,” she said. “I want my first time to be with someone I love and trust and who feels the same way about me.”

Damn. That didn’t describe Adam at all.

Talk about a bummer. But maybe this was for the best.

Someone with a big heart like Megan would never treat sex as simply a physical act of gratification. She would become attached and want a relationship and other things Adam wasn’t willing to give. She deserved all those things. He wanted her to have them. Best to curtail his flirting with her.

“Wait for that right guy.” Adam couldn’t believe the words had come out of his mouth, but he kept going as if some alien being had taken residency in his body, especially his heart, and pushed out any thought of selfishness. “Having sex isn’t something you do to fit in. Don’t let anyone push you into doing something until it’s the way you want it to be.”

Her smile brightened her entire face. It was as if the sun had appeared after being covered by clouds. Simply beautiful. Breathtaking.

“Thank you. I don’t feel like such a freak now,” she said. “You’re really something, Adam Noble. Just when I think you can’t get any nicer, you do.”

His heart slammed against his chest. He struggled to fill his lungs with air. What was happening?

Megan wasn’t the anomaly. He was.

If any of his friends had heard him, they’d confiscate his player status, delete all the hot chicks’ phone numbers from his contact list and laugh him right out of town. Adam swallowed. “Just don’t let anybody know.”

The V above her nose deepened again. “About being a virgin?”

“That I can be such a nice guy.” His jaw tensed. “I’m a leading man, not a best friend. You’d be wise to remember that.”

He’d spoken the words for his sake as much as hers. Unfortunately, Adam had a feeling he might be the one struggling not to forget them.

* * *

Hurry up and wait. That seemed to be how things worked on the set. The days ran into one another, one week into the next. Megan had finally gotten into the swing of things, but she never knew exactly what she would be doing each day when she arrived at the lot.

The only problem, if she could call it a problem, was Adam. Megan thought they were friends, but she no longer saw him except at meal times or if she went onto the set to watch a scene being shot. If she didn’t know better she would think he was avoiding her.

Maybe he was.

I’m a leading man, not a best friend. You’d be wise to remember that.

Did he mean he wasn’t a friend type or her friend? Not knowing frustrated her. But what could she do about it? She wasn’t supposed to be hanging around him. She couldn’t force him to be her friend or spend time with her or make him kiss her again.

Strike the kisses. More of those were bad ideas.

But she missed her conversations with him, his smile, his sense of humor.

Tuesday evening, Megan followed Kenna and Rosie out of the wardrobe department. The two women had taken Megan under their wing, both professionally and personally. Even though they were older than her, they didn’t seem to mind her being younger and new to the set. She enjoyed working with them and hanging out during meal times and breaks, talking about work, fashion, men. It was the kind of relationship she had always wanted with her sister. The kind of relationship Jess had had with their mother. But Megan hadn’t told them, or anyone, about kissing Adam while they rehearsed lines. She wanted to keep that secret. Her secret.

An outdoor scene was being shot tonight so call times had been shifted later. Everyone would eat dinner, then prepare for the shoot.

Kenna rubbed her hands together. “I hope there’s salmon.”

“Beef brisket and corn bread would be nice,” Megan said.

“Homesick, Tex?” Rosie asked.

“No.” Megan hadn’t heard from her family. Not that she’d thought about them much the past few days. Rob, either. That was odd. Guess she was busier than she realized. “But I’m hungry.”

Whatever they were serving for dinner smelled delicious.

Craft Services provided all the snacks and drinks the crew could want, but a caterer, in this case a Cordon Bleu–trained chef, prepared meals. The food was to die for. Tasty, healthy and priced right—free. Megan was on her feet so much, working crazy hours, she was losing weight in spite of food being available all the time.

“You know what they say.” Rosie picked up a plate. “A well-fed crew helps a production run smoother.”

“Let’s hope that’s true tonight,” Kenna said in a low voice. “Rumor has it there are lighting ‘issues.’”

Rosie sighed. “I hope not. I don’t want to be here all night.”

“Tony had an early call time,” Kenna said of her gaffer boyfriend who she met on the set. “He hinted things weren’t going well.”

Delays happened for a variety of reasons—equipment breaking, weather for outdoor shoots, props and lighting. Some setups, especially exterior scenes, could be complicated and take hours.

Megan stood behind her two friends in the line for dinner. “A good thing we could sleep in this morning.”

“I needed the rest,” Rosie said.

Megan picked up a plate. “Me, too.”

Waking without an alarm had been so great. Dreaming about Adam Noble, not so much. She needed to get him out of her thoughts once and for all. He hadn’t even placed her in friend zone. He didn’t want to be her friend.

Better that way, she kept telling herself. Maybe one of these times the words would sink in and not bother her so much.

Megan went through the buffet. The delicious aromas made her mouth water. No brisket, but she helped herself to a generous helping of pulled pork, steamed green beans, a baked sweet potato with butter and brown sugar and a glass of iced tea. She joined Rosie and Kenna at a table.

“Where’s your dessert?” Rosie asked.

Megan placed a napkin on her lap. “I’ll get a brownie later.”

As they ate, they discussed fashion trends for the fall. The topic turned to an upcoming awards show.

Kenna scooped up another forkful of salmon. “I can’t wait to see what people will be wearing at the Viewers’ Choice Awards.”

Rosie nodded. “I love seeing all those gowns on the red carpet no matter what the awards show.”

“There are so many of them. They all start sounding the same,” Megan admitted.

Kenna nodded, and started ticking award ceremonies off on her fingers with exaggerated yawns. Midlaughter, Megan realized Adam stood next to their table with a plate of food in one hand and a glass of water in the other.

“Mind if I join you?” Adam asked,

Megan’s heart bumped. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He gave new meaning to the term “smart casual” in his cerulean polo shirt and khaki pants. The shirt intensified the green in his eyes. Her pulse accelerated.

Stop staring.

She glanced at the other two women, who motioned for Adam to sit.

Adam took a step toward the empty chair next to her, much to Megan’s delight. Maybe he wasn’t ignoring her, after all. But then he changed direction to her dismay. He pulled out the chair next to Kenna on the opposite side of the table from Megan and sat. “Thanks.”

Disappointment tugged at her. Too bad she hadn’t picked up a brownie. Chocolate sounded good right now. Megan stabbed her fork into her sweet potato and took a bite. Brown sugar and butter didn’t have the same emotional benefits as a chunk of chocolate.

Adam stared across the table at her. “Do you like awards shows?”

“I’ve watched them on TV,” Megan said.

“What you see on TV is staged,” Kenna said. “The real fun is when the red light on the camera goes off. The emcee tells funnier jokes.”

Rosie nodded. “And the seat fillers run around in their gowns and tuxes while someone races to the bathroom.”

Adam placed his cup on the table. “I did that.”

“Race to the bathroom?” Megan asked.

“Sit in empty seats during breaks,” he said.

Kenna’s mouth formed a perfect O. “I had no idea.”

Adam shrugged. “It was a paying gig. One where I didn’t have to fall out of a building or roll across the top of a car.”

Rosie smiled. “Lucky you. I don’t have that kind of claim to fame, but I have been enlisted to make impromptu fashion repairs in the ladies’ powder room as well as tape breasts to ensure no nip slips.”

Adam winked. “That sounds like a better gig than mine.”

The man was incorrigible. A total flirt. And absolutely gorgeous. Megan stared at the food on her plate, but nothing looked appetizing any longer.

“I’ve only attended some after-parties,” Kenna said.

Rosie stared over her cola can. “Those are much better than the awards show.”

“Why is that?” Megan asked.

Rosie grinned. “Drinking, dancing, more drinking.”

Kenna looked at Megan. “We should try to get invites for a party after the Viewers’ Choice Awards so Tex can see what it’s like.”

Megan’s first instinct was to decline. She’d never been into parties, but then again, she’d never been invited to many. “That would be fun.”

Adam’s mouth quirked. “You’d want to go?”

She thought for a moment. Dancing sounded fun. “Yes, I would.”

Rosie batted her eyelashes at Adam. “Maybe some hot actor nominated for favorite onscreen couple could get our names on some after-party lists.”

He squinted. “What’s wrong with your eyes?”

Rosie punched his shoulder. “You’re worse than my brother.”

Adam laughed. “I take that as a compliment. I’ll see what I can do about getting you ladies on a couple of lists.”

“Thanks.” Kenna rubbed her hands together. “That gives us two weeks to plan our outfits. Think you can do it?”

Megan nodded. She wondered if Adam would be at the same party. Not that it mattered.

“We’ll need at least a week to figure out what shoes to wear,” Rosie said. “Though I’m sure we’ll be barefoot by night’s end from all the dancing.”

“You mean when the sun comes up,” Kenna said.

Adam grinned at the redhead. “I like how you think.”

Picking up her iced tea, Megan wondered if he knew Kenna was dating Tony. Not that who Adam flirted with or liked was any of Megan’s business. For all she knew, he’d hooked up with someone on the set and that was why he hadn’t been around. She wasn’t thirsty, but she sipped her tea to give herself something to do other than think about him.

“You’re the planner,” Adam said to her. “Anything your partners in crime are forgetting for your big night?”

Megan set her glass on the table. Invite, dress, shoes... “Hair and makeup.”

“Basil!” Kenna and Rosie said at the same time.

Adam grinned. “Looks like you’re all set.”

“All set for what?” Eva asked, standing next to the table.