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“For the record, I’m not a hard-ass. I’m in control. There’s a difference.”
“Sure there is,” Frankie teased, checking out his ass blatantly and frowning. She had no idea what pushed her to trade barbs with him but she couldn’t resist. He could hold his own against her sarcasm, and damn if she didn’t find a man with a smart mouth and a smart mind attractive.
"So you like a man with a hard-ass who takes control…"
"I never said I liked you."
"That doesn't mean you don't."
Darkness had fallen while they spoke. They stood toe to toe, sparks arcing between them like a poorly wired light switch. She needed to flip that switch off before those sparks turned to flames.
She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything to defuse the situation, his phone rang.
Saved by the bell.
“Hold that thought.” He looked at the display and cursed. “I have to take this.”
He deliberately stepped away and turned his back on Frankie before answering. The better to stare at his ass. She suppressed a chuckle and crossed her arms. How had they gotten from barely tolerating each other to flirting? Was this flirting? Or was he just messing with her?
That had to be it. He had no problem manipulating her temper to get a reaction for the show. Why wouldn't he try her other emotions as well?
All of the lovely heat coursing through her body began to fade. Of course he wasn't attracted to her. Why would he be? He could be with any Hollywood starlet he chose. A woman with no curves who could out-curse a sailor and wield a hammer better than Thor didn't stand a chance.
“What is it now?” Frankie wasn’t deliberately eavesdropping but she couldn’t help hearing his voice go icy and sharp. He could turn that heat on and off so quickly. He was still a talented actor despite leaving the limelight.
Frankie couldn’t hear the other voice well enough to make out the words, but Jake’s shoulders tensed and he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“No.” The finality in his voice was clear, but the other person kept talking.
Jake half turned and Frankie admired the shift of his shoulders beneath the crisp cotton of his shirt. She shook the thought from her head, and reminded herself of what Sofia had said. He was an actor, so far out of her league as to be laughable, who had one hundred thousand dollars to gain by her failure.
He was clearly setting her up for something. Letting his looks or his charm distract her would only make it easier for him to win. If he slowed her down or shot her budget to hell, he'd be a hero, but she'd be broken.
Standing up a little taller, she brushed her dusty hands against her well-worn boyfriend jeans, reminding herself of just where she belonged. She'd never hesitated to go head to head with the boys before. She wasn't going to start now. Sometimes beingone of the guyscame in handy, even if it was one more reason she didn’t have a chance in hell of attracting him. Even if she wanted to. Which she totally didn't. Like not at all.
His terse voice cut through her musings. Who was he talking to like that? An employee? An enemy? An ex-lover?
“Think I’m bluffing? Try me.”
He tapped the phone to hang up, and his fingers flexed into a fist around it. Frankie could tell he was resisting the urge to chuck it against the rocks. He shoved it in his pocket with a growl instead.
“Trouble in paradise?” Frankie asked.
“Something like that." He hissed out a breath and pinched his nose again, as if that could relieve the pressure headache behind it.
Frankie had the bizarre impulse to smooth his hair from his brow. She tucked her hand in her back pocket and reached for humor instead. “What was that you were saying about not being a hard-ass?" she teased. "Remind me not to piss you off.”
“Hey, Frankie, don’t piss me off.”
She couldn’t help the chuckle at his bad joke. In the quiet wake of their shared laughter, she asked the question she should have asked long ago. "Why this project? Why are you so invested in us?"
"I'm not looking to spend the rest of my career shooting reality shows. If I have a breakout hit, I can parlay that into bigger projects, ones that I produce. I believe your family will get me there."
Frankie let that soak in. His ambitions were riding on this project just as much as hers were.
"Where were we?” Jake asked, trying to find his train of thought.
Frankie wasn't about to let him off the hook. He thought he could manipulate her? “You were throwing kinks in my build schedule.” She emphasized the word kink, and got the desired reaction. He was focused on her again, eyes hot. His gaze strayed and lingered on her ponytail.Interesting."And I was calling you out for being an ass about it."
