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“There you are, Rachel.” The male voice got my attention as I opened the door and Rachel walked in ahead of me. I looked up to see Jefferey giving me the once-over, but it wasn’t his voice I’d heard.
The other man, a younger, handsome man with a boyish, devil-may-care grin walked up and put his arm around Rachel and led her in.
“I just came by to check and see if things are running smoothly and—”
He turned when I cleared my throat and Rachel chimed in. “Brock, this is Duncan, the head of our security for the production, and Duncan, this is Brock, our producer.”
Brock gave me a casual glance up and down and then shook my hand. “Good to meet you, we’ll talk soon. I’ll give you the low down on the smoking hot Star Summers, who you will no doubt, be getting very up close and personal with.” He gave me a wink and a nudge, and then he scooped Rachel against him and walked away, sweeping her along with him.
In that first minute, I knew I hated the guy.
CHAPTER EIGHT - RACHEL
It had already been a long morning by the time I heard a knock at my door. I’d been running the vacuum across every carpet and polishing every piece of wood for the past two hours and after cleaning the window blinds my shirt was covered with little fluffs of dust.
There wasn’t any time to do anything with my hair, which was tied up in a messy bun or to run upstairs and change from my tank top and shorts into something more presentable. I went to the door in hopes that it had been anyone else or at least someone I didn’t mind seeing me in my pitiful state. No such luck.
“I’m coming!” I yelled to the door as I approached, tossing the dust rag to the coffee table. I crossed the room and peeked out my tiny window to see Duncan waiting on the other side. Shit.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see him, but I hadn’t expected him at all, and I needed a shower still. Cleaning was part of my Saturday morning ritual, which started with exercising until I’d worked up a vicious sweat and then cleaning my house while I cooled down before jumping in the shower to wash all the grit away.
As badly as I wanted to see him, I wished I could send him away or push a pause button to return in a better state, but that wasn’t happening and making him wait any longer was just rude. I opened the door a crack, and when he smiled, my heart melted. I opened the door wider and stepped aside.
“Please come in and excuse my appearance. I’ve been cleaning.” I figured the smell of lemon furniture polish and disinfectant had told that tale, but I wanted to make it clear.
He stopped no more than an arm’s length away and met my eyes. “You look beautiful, as always”
“You’re still a crafty charmer. I appreciate that.” I lowered my chin and tucked a stray hair behind my ear.
“I’m serious. One day you’ll learn how to take a compliment.” He grinned ear to ear, and I recalled how he used to tell me the same thing all those years ago.
“Yeah, and I bet you say your lines on all the girls.” I wasn’t stupid enough to think he hadn’t moved on. He’d been sexually active before we got together the first time and even though he hadn’t pressured me, I knew it had been hard to refrain.
“Only one girl ever mattered to me.”
“Please. There you go again.” I rolled my eyes playfully, and he stepped closer. “What did you come here for?”
“What’s up with you and that producer?” His smile had fallen, and he was staring me dead in the eyes, his voice full of grit.
“Nothing, he’s just my boss for the moment.” I shook my head and as I started to smile I held it back, knowing that he was serious. I had spent the rest of the afternoon with Brock after our lunch date, but that was only to work out the kinks before Star Summers decided to pay us a visit.
“It didn’t look like nothing to me. He was all over you.”
“He’s just that way. You can ask anyone.” I shrugged it off like it didn’t matter. Sure, he stood a little close, liked to put his arm around me, and helped himself to lead me around by my hand, but he was just that type of person. “He’s the same to all the females.”
“I didn’t like his hands on you.” He glanced down to my feet and slowly made his way up as if he could claim me with his eyes. “Did you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, I just don’t think it was so inappropriate to make an issue of it, that’s all. If I got offended every time some man in this industry made me feel uncomfortable, I’d never work again. Besides, I’ve known him a long time. He’s almost an old friend too.”
His eyes flared. “How well did you know him?”
“I’ve never been with anyone if that’s what you’re implying.” The blush went to my cheeks, and I started to turn away, but he grasped my hand.
“Why?”
“Because I only ever wanted one man, and he broke my heart and left me.”
“You know it belongs to me, don’t you? That you gave it to me all those years ago, tell me.” His eyes were burning into mine, his brows pinched tight and his mouth set hard behind the goatee.
