Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
He needed to know she was aware of a possible problem. Although it might not be a problem. After what happened a couple of hours ago, he kind of hoped it would be a problem. He wished he could avoid the question. The last thing he wanted to do was wreck the peace they’d found this afternoon.
It was more than peace. It was possibility. Somewhere while they walked through the nature preserve together, a possibility had come to life, fragile and new.
And he wasn’t sure if it would be smart to pursue it, but damn it had felt right to draw her close and hold her while she let out all her tension.
Now he couldn’t stop thinking about how much better it would be if they were naked and in bed and he was releasing all her tension in a different way.
“He’s attracted to me, but I can handle it. I don’t flirt with him. I actually don’t flirt a lot. I can keep a careful distance between us,” she promised. “Also, how do you know? Is it because you’re into me?”
There was the hint of bitch. It had been off-putting at first, but now he kind of liked it. It was Ally’s spirit. It seemed brittle, but her strength was quite robust. She protected her softness like a Valkyrie warrior. How many people had seen this woman break down and cry? How many were allowed to see the real Ally Pearson? “Maybe.”
“I thought you would fight me on that one,” she admitted, sitting back with a sigh. “It can’t work, you know.”
He rather thought she was saying that as much for her sake as his. “I think it could. I have all the parts I need. I’m pretty sure you do. Even if you don’t, we can get creative.”
The little brat’s eyes rolled. “I wasn’t talking about sex. I was talking about us. Even if we wanted to, we would have an expiration date. I’m here for three months and then I go back to LA where hopefully I’ll find another job.”
He knew she was right, but the idea of not pursuing that kiss in any way didn’t sit well with him. “Does everything have to be forever?”
“It would be nice if there was a possibility of it working out, but I think you’re right. I don’t know. I think you could break my heart, Rycroft.”
“I know you could break mine,” he admitted. And that was probably reason enough to back off. He didn’t want to cause her more pain. “Do you want me to have Wade assign someone else?”
“No.” The answer came out of her mouth quickly, and then she flushed a pretty pink. “I don’t want another bodyguard. I wasn’t saying no, West.”
She was doing what she did—talking through the situation with brutal honesty. He needed to remember that was all a part of Ally’s process. It was one of the reasons people found her off-putting. They didn’t get to know her, didn’t understand why she did some of the things she did. Ally was honest with herself, and she didn’t see the point in hiding it. What other people thought of as rude, she viewed as being realistic, and there was an odd kindness in her process. “We’ll play it by ear. I’m going to let you set the pace. Let’s be friends for now.”
“I think I would like that,” she replied quietly. “I don’t have a lot of those. And I’m thoroughly aware that Jay has some designs on me. It’s nothing you need to worry about. I also know that he sleeps with most of his younger leading ladies. I’ve learned how to handle it.”
He didn’t like the thought of leaving her alone with a man who could potentially manipulate her. “You shouldn’t have to.”
“Every woman in Hollywood has to deal with it, and honestly, a bunch of the men do, too. We’re equal opportunity gropers in Hollywood. Every place has its pros and cons. Your old hometown wouldn’t accept your brother. Well, he could come out to my hometown and they would accept him without hesitation, and then someone would cop a feel.”
He snorted at that. She wasn’t wrong. There were always pros and cons. “If you need help with him, I stand ready. I really will be right outside the door.”
“We need to get you a Sudoku book or something. Maybe crosswords,” she said. “It’ll be easier when we’re on set. I’m planning on making this the most boring job you’ve ever had.”
He seriously doubted that. He pulled into the round driveway and was surprised to see a familiar face waiting there alongside the valet.
Matt Edwards moved in the minute West stopped the SUV, cutting off the valet who’d been trying to do his job. Matt had Ally’s door open in a heartbeat and was holding a hand out to help her down. “Welcome back, Ms. Pearson. West, I’m supposed to take the night shift. Wade wants to talk to you. In the office.”