Chapter 9
Sean climbed off his motorcycle and secured his helmet. It’d been a last minute decision to take his bike into the city rather than his truck. He didn’t get many opportunities to ride and the weather today was ideal—sunny and warm but not sticky and humid. Besides, he’d promised Mia a ride, and who knew how many more opportunities they would have? Already almost a week of filming had passed. His chest tightened at the thought of her leaving.
You’ve got bigger problems this weekend than Mia leaving. Anger flared at both himself and his father. Meeting with him was the only way to keep him away from the bed and breakfast, but he wished he’d never agreed to see him. After all this time he had nothing nice to say, and regardless, he’d never forgive the guy. In his opinion tomorrow afternoon was one giant waste of time.
Deep in thought, he walked the few short blocks from the garage at Mia’s hotel to The Kettle, a coffee shop at Quincy Market, where filming was taking place that day. An entire area near the coffee shop had been closed off, but that didn’t stop people from hanging around on the outside of the barricades. Earlier in the week she’d sent him a pass to get through security and promised to find him when she finished up. Breaking free from the gathered crowd, he reached the barricade and the stonefaced security guard stationed on the other side.
“Ms. Troy informed us you’d be arriving,” the guard said when Sean showed him his pass. “Come on through.” The guard announced into his radio that Mia’s guest had arrived and then pulled apart the barricade.
“Who’s he?” Sean heard someone call out as he entered the restricted area, but he didn’t turn to look.
Almost as soon as he walked in, a fashionably dressed woman with short dark hair and an earpiece approached. “I’m Avery, Mia’s assistant,” the woman said as she extended her hand.
He remembered that Mia’s older sister worked as her personal assistant, but there was nothing visual to indicate the two were related. Where Mia was tall, her sister didn’t even reach his shoulder despite the heels she wore. Her eyes were more hazel than brown and her nose was a tad too large for her face.
“She’s in the middle of a scene right now. The last one of the day. You can wait anywhere in this area.” She nodded around them. “If you need anything, have someone get me,” she said before walking away, speaking into the microphone attached to the earpiece.
Sean watched Mia and a male actor speak on the steps. He stood just far enough away that he only caught every other word or so, but judging by her hand gestures and facial expression the scene depicted a heated exchange between the characters.
Mia wiped something from her cheek and then turned on her heel. Sadness filled her face as she started to walk away. At first the other actor remained still. Then just when Mia was about out of reach, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.
“You know you want to stay,” the male actor said, pulling her against him. Lowering his head, the actor claimed her mouth.
Something primal rose up inside Sean at the sight. Grinding his teeth together, he struggled to stay back when everything inside him urged him forward. In his mind he envisioned pulling Mia away and then knocking her co-star onto the sidewalk. As the kiss continued, Mia wrapped her arms around her co-star’s neck as his hands traveled lower and cupped her ass. Ruled by emotion, Sean took a step forward.
“Cut,” a voice called out.
In front of the camera, Mia dropped her arms and pulled her mouth away. He co-star, though, kept his hands on her body and his eyes locked on her face as if the rest of the world didn’t exist.
“You two nailed that scene. Let’s call it a day,” a man announced, walking closer to the couple.
Mia took a step back and her co-star’s hands fell away. When she spotted Sean, her lips curved into a smile and she started toward him, leaving her co-star to stare after her.
When she reached Sean, she slide her arms around him and kissed him without even a hello first. The familiar scent of her favorite shampoo washed over him and rather than diminish the primal urge to throw her over his shoulder and lock her away, it grew stronger, and he tightened his hold around her waist.
“I’ve missed you,” Mia said as she pulled back.
Over her shoulder he caught her co-star watching them. “Really? Could’ve fooled me.” The words spilled out before he fully considered them.
Mia took a step back forcing him to let go. “What’s the matter?”
“What the hell was all that?” His temper and not logic now ruled his brain.
“Do you mean the kiss?” Mia asked. “It’s called acting, Sean. It’s what I do.”
“The hell it was. Maybe you were acting, but he wasn’t.”
Mia shook her head and smiled. “You’re jealous.”
Sean crossed his arms and glared at her. “I just didn’t come here to watch you get groped by some other guy.”
“There’s nothing between Mark and me. He’s engaged.” Mia’s breath blew across his ear as she leaned in toward him and wrapped his arms around her waist again. “Besides, you’re the one who will be in my bed tonight, not Mark.”
Her admission pushed away some of his anger. Regardless of how her co-star felt, Mia stood in his arms right now. Next month another guy may be in the very same spot, but for now he had Mia all to himself.
She placed another kiss on his mouth. “Let me tell Avery we’re leaving, then we can go.”
He allowed her to lead him through the many people on the set.
“Did you park around here or at my hotel?” She navigated her way around several pieces of equipment.
“At your hotel.” He spotted her co-star coming toward them before Mia did. “Someone’s looking for you.”
The actor she’d kissed moments earlier stopped in front of them. “Is this the friend you were expecting?”
In one motion, Sean tossed his arm over Mia’s shoulders and pulled her close.
“Mark, I’d like you to meet Sean. He’s staying with me this weekend.”
Mark’s eyes were hard and full of dislike, as he looked at Sean and extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You, too.” Sean stuck out his hand and gripped Mark’s. The other man’s hands were as soft as Mia’s and he half-expected to look down and see nail polish on his fingernails.
“Have you seen my sister? We’re leaving, and I want to let her know.”
“I saw her with Brent Stockbridge,” Mark answered as his hand fell back against his side.
“Great. Thanks. See you later, Mark.”