Tempted By The Movie Star

A yellow caution light went on in his brain. “Maybe.”

“No maybe about it. I realize you hate the negative publicity being generated, but—”

“Don’t you hate it, too?”

“Yes, absolutely. I’d much rather see positive promo out there for all my clients. But the negative stuff’s accomplished one thing. I guarantee most everyone knows who you are, including the teenage girls who lived in this cabin. They’d be super excited to discover you were here in the same space they so recently vacated.”

“Even if they think I’m the kind of guy who would seduce a married woman?”

“Like I said before, bad boys are popular, too.”

His gut tightened. “I don’t want that kind of reputation.”

“I know you don’t. But I doubt you’d agree to a cute little story about the hot movie star who volunteered his time to clean cabins used by the students of Thunder Mountain Academy.”

“You’re right. I wouldn’t agree to that.”

“I can promise you the girls would be over the moon and even the guys might relish the idea that they had a connection to a celebrity, especially one who can ride and rope.”

“They might, but I don’t want reporters on this ranch invading Mom and Dad’s privacy. Or Cade and Lexi’s, for that matter.”

“I understand.” Her gaze was filled with compassion. “But you might end up having to make a choice. If you’re determined to protect everyone’s privacy, you may be stuck with the bad boy reputation.”

The tightness in his gut turned into a slow burn. “I thought you said this was winnable.”

“It is, but you may not be willing to do what’s necessary to turn this thing around.”

Bile rose in his throat. “I won’t sacrifice my family for personal gain and that’s final.”

“I know. I’ll be back soon with the water.” She put on her straw hat, picked up the bucket sitting beside the door and left.

He turned on the vacuum because then he could swear as loud as he wanted. He’d arrived at the ranch at the age of twelve with a fair number of colorful words in his vocabulary. After hanging out with his foster brothers, he’d added quite a few more. None of the guys used that kind of language around Rosie and Herb, but down in the meadow late at night they used to turn the air blue and laugh like fiends.

This problem was no laughing matter, but swearing still felt like a cleansing activity. He worked his way through his entire repertoire before he started vacuuming. He didn’t want to lose his temper with the machine after Geena had treated it with such loving care.

Maybe her assessment of his situation was wrong. But she was smart and she was capable. Except for her initial reaction to the crisis, he’d been impressed with her grasp of the situation. Unfortunately that might mean she was right about his two choices. Too bad they were sucky and suckier.

Chapter Ten

Cade was on his way over to pick up the vacuum as Geena trudged back carrying the five-gallon bucket that she’d filled about two-thirds full. He didn’t notice her and she was happy about that. The bucket was heavier than she’d expected, but she didn’t want Cade to figure out that she was struggling and take it off her hands. Matt had given her credit for being strong enough, and she didn’t want to admit she wasn’t.

Now that she thought about it, chopping wood might not be as easy as she imagined, either. Much as she longed to be a country girl, she was still a city girl playing at country living. That didn’t mean she’d have to stay that way, though.

Lugging the water had demonstrated that she was soft. She’d slacked off on her workouts at the gym, but that would change now that she had motivation to develop more upper body strength. She loved this place and wanted to spend more time on this ranch or one like it.

On the way down to the bathhouse, when she hadn’t been burdened with a bucket of water, she’d had time to wonder about her visceral reaction to the meadow and the cabins. She couldn’t be positive, but she had a vague memory of being in such a place with her father. She would have been less than three, because by that age her mother had taken over her schedule and packed it with activities to mold her into a superstar.

Sometime around then her dad had died while piloting his small plane. Prior to that he might have flown them to some remote spot for a vacation that she barely remembered. Apparently it had made a soul-deep impression on her, though, because she’d felt a connection to these log cabins from her first glimpse of them.

She was grateful for that epiphany and the trip to Wyoming that had made it possible. But her awakening to the beauties of ranching country didn’t do anything for Matt’s dilemma and she’d come here to help him. She’d had more thoughts about that but wasn’t sure how to approach him with her ideas—or whether to approach him at all.

At breakfast, Rosie had talked about all the support she and Herb had received for the academy project. Matt’s star power could contribute to the success of the school, perhaps really put it on the map, but reporters would have to be involved. He’d said he didn’t want them invading his foster parents’ privacy.

But she had no idea how Rosie and Herb felt about it. What if they’d gladly trade a little privacy for the publicity they’d get by aligning themselves with Matt’s celebrity status? And what if they were reluctant to ask that of him because they didn’t want to risk jeopardizing the privacy he found by coming here?

If it turned out that Matt was protecting Rosie and Herb while they were protecting him, it was enough to give her a migraine. Or it should have been. But in this setting she couldn’t imagine ever having a headache again. The air was blissfully smog-free and she didn’t have to endure the cacophony of honking horns and the rhythmic thump of audio systems set to stun.

Los Angeles seemed a million miles away. She’d make those phone calls after this cleaning gig but she wasn’t looking forward to talking with the client who’d thrown a tantrum because he hadn’t been mentioned in People this week. Dealing with Matt wasn’t easy, but she’d rather coax someone into the limelight than have to drag a client offstage with a shepherd’s crook before they made a complete ass of themselves.

Cade was leaving the cabin with the canister vac in hand as she approached. He put it down and walked to meet her. “Here, I’ll take that back for you.”

“Thanks, I’ve got it.” She pulled the bucket out of reach so fast she sloshed water on her jeans. Felt kind of good, actually.

His brows lifted. “A little possessive of that bucket, aren’t we?”

“Yes. Yes, I am.” Sweat trickled down her back. “I carried it all the way here and I intend to finish the job by myself.”

“You have grit, Geena Lysander. I like that.”

“Thank you.” She lowered her voice. “Let me ask you something.” She put the bucket down and swallowed a groan of relief.

“Sure.”

“Has it occurred to you that linking Matt’s name to the academy could be a good thing for business?”

His expression grew wary. “It might have.” He moved a step closer and spoke quietly. “But he needs this place as an escape and that could ruin it for him.”

She decided not to address that particular assumption. It could be true, but maybe not if she planned her strategy in advance. “So the thought that Matt could be a draw has crossed your mind.”

“Yes, ma’am, but we dismissed it immediately. I hope that’s not the road you’re heading down.”

She noticed his use of we. “I’m not heading down any road. I’m still trying to read the map. Matt says he doesn’t want your privacy invaded, meaning all four of you—Rosie, Herb, Lexi and you. According to what I’m hearing from him, it’s not about his need for privacy. It’s about yours.”

“See, that’s the way he is, always looking out for the people he cares about. Which means we need to look out for him. This situation has made him think that he’d be more of a hindrance than a help.”

“But that’s not necessarily true.”

Cade tugged on the brim of his hat. “No, ma’am, but as long as he thinks it is, then Thunder Mountain can continue to be his sanctuary. Which is fine with us.”

“When you say us, do you mean the four of you?”

“Uh, there’s a few more than that involved.”

“Who?”

He hesitated.

“If you don’t mind my asking.”

“Guess not. You’ve been trustworthy so far.”

“Cade, I care about Matt. I’d never do anything to hurt him.”

He met her gaze and seemed to be evaluating what to say. Finally he nodded. “Okay. Ever since Matt got this part, we’ve recognized his potential to help the academy. The primary group on site includes Mom, Dad, Lexi and me, plus Damon and Phil. Then there’s Ben Radcliffe, who teaches saddle making for us, and his wife, Molly, who set up the curriculum. Finn’s wife, Chelsea, is in marketing, so she immediately saw the possibilities, but she also knows that Matt’s a private guy who cherishes this ranch. The upshot is that no one’s said a word to him about helping to publicize the academy.”

“So you guys are miles ahead of me. I had no idea.”

“And now you know.”

“I do. Thanks for trusting me with this.”

“You can’t tell him.”

“I won’t.”

He smiled. “And now you’d better take that water where it belongs before he sends out a search party.”

“Aye, aye, sir!” She snapped him another salute and picked up her bucket. She was pleased that he chuckled as she walked away. Cade was one of the good guys. In fact, they all sounded terrific and she wished she could meet the rest of the brotherhood.

When she reached the cabin, she left the bucket on the cement stoop and opened the door.

Matt had taken off his hat and had his back to her as he vigorously cleaned the inside of a window. He didn’t turn around. “I was about to go looking for you.”

“It was more of a challenge than I thought.” But watching his tight buns flex inside well-washed denim and his back muscles shift beneath his white T-shirt was reward enough.

“Did you find the outside faucet?” He leaned over to rub a spot near the bottom of the window.

Lordy. “I did.” She paused to clear the lust from her throat. “After I figured out that getting water from one of the sinks or from the shower wasn’t practical, I went looking for a better alternative.”

“Should’ve known you would.” He gave the window one last swipe and turned around. “Did you run into Cade? He just left a bit ago with the vacuum.”

“Yep, I saw him.” She hoped her expression didn’t give anything away.

“The windows over there were a lot dirtier than these, apparently.” He gazed at her. “Which is lucky for us or Cade would have shown up a lot earlier to fetch the vacuum.”

“You mean early enough to catch us...kissing?” Matt had done a lot more than kiss her, and she wouldn’t mind having him repeat the process now that they were alone again.

“Yes, ma’am. Sorry about that. I forgot he’s amazingly fast at windows.”

“You also were looking proficient at the window-cleaning gig when I walked in here.” She still had a buzz going. “How fast is Cade at vacuuming?”

His eyes darkened. “Too damned fast, I’m afraid.” He tossed down the towel he’d been using on the window and came toward her. “Especially when you look at me like that. But I don’t dare grab hold of you. I know what will happen.” He reached out and brushed a damp strand of hair from her cheek and sucked in a breath. “There’s something so sexy about a woman who’s been outside getting sweaty.”

She laughed, although her heart was pounding. “I can’t imagine what.”

“Can’t you?” He brushed his knuckles lightly over her throat. “Your skin’s already nice and warm, plus it’s damp, which makes it so easy to slide my hand—”

“All right, I get it.” She gulped and stepped back.

“Your glasses are fogged up again.”

“I know.” She quickly cleaned them on the tail of her shirt. “You’re right, we can’t do this. Cade and Lexi will show up and find us rolling around on the floor.”

“Rolling? Really?” His smile had a definite touch of wickedness. “I don’t know about you, but I find it’s a lot nicer if you stay put.”

She groaned. “We need to start mopping this floor before I say to heck with what Cade and Lexi find us doing. Are you finished with the windows?”

“I’m finished with the inside. If you’re willing to mop, I’ll go take off the screens and do the outside.”

“I’d rather have you do me.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He winked at her before scooping up the towel he’d dropped and snagging the spray bottle of window cleaner. “So would I.” He went out the door, transferred the bucket from the stoop to the inside, and left her to work out her frustrations with some vigorous mopping.

* * *

Matt vowed that he’d concentrate on the windows. He’d taken off the screens without once looking inside the cabin. Then he’d washed an entire window while managing to ignore whatever was happening on the opposite side of the glass. Feeling noble and in control, he’d decided it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick peek inside to see how Geena was coming along with her mopping.

He was still watching her when Cade clapped him on the shoulder, causing him to jump and drop the spray bottle. Luckily it was plastic. When he turned to confront a grinning Cade, he discovered Lexi was there, too, looking highly amused.

Matt glared at both of them, but mostly at Cade for startling him. “You shouldn’t sneak up on a guy with a loaded spray bottle in his hand. I could’ve hit you in the face with a blast of window cleaner. That stuff has to be bad for your eyes.”

“Couldn’t resist, bro. But I regret to inform you that most women don’t go for the Peeping Tom routine. If she catches you doing it, I guarantee she’ll think it’s creepy that you’re staring in the window while she’s mopping the floor. You’ll lose points, bro, major points.”

“But she’s not just mopping. She’s tap dancing while she does it.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Nope. Take a look.”

Cade moved to the window. “I’ll be damned. C’mere, Lex. This reminds me of those old black-and-white movies Mom likes.”

Lexi walked over and stood on tiptoe. “I can’t really see.”

“Okay, here you go.” Cade crouched down. “Get on my shoulders.”

“You know, I don’t think—”

“Do it. This is worth the price of admission.”

“I hope she doesn’t glance our way and see this.” Lexi climbed on Cade’s shoulders and he slowly got to his feet. “Oh, wow. She really is tap dancing. In cowboy boots, no less, and wearing her hat! I wonder if she has music. I can’t hear anything. Maybe she has music on her phone.”

“Maybe.”

“Well, that’s just cool. Look at her go! She’s—uh-oh. She saw us. Now she’ll probably quit.”

Matt expected that, too. But after giving them a smile and a wave, she continued with her routine as she worked her way toward the cabin door. When she finished, she spun back toward them and bowed. They all applauded and Matt whistled through his teeth.

“Let’s meet her at the door.” Lexi hopped down and they walked around to the front of the cabin.

Geena came out holding the bucket with the mop handle sticking out of it. She was breathing hard and her cheeks were bright pink. Matt couldn’t remember ever seeing a prettier sight, and he’d spent three years in the land of gorgeous women.

They all clapped and cheered, which made her roll her eyes and laugh. Setting down the bucket, she executed another little dance step on the concrete stoop and swept off her hat in a dramatic gesture, dislodging the pins in her hair. It tumbled out of its arrangement.

“That was awesome,” Lexi said. “No wonder you caught on to the dance moves so quickly last night. You’re a pro!”

“Sadly, I’m not. I haven’t tapped in a while, so I’m pretty rusty and so out of shape.”

Matt picked up the bucket and mop. He was willing to argue that point. He loved her shape. And her hair, which hung in glorious waves to her shoulders. He longed to comb it back with his fingers, cup her head in both hands and tilt it so he could kiss that smiling mouth.

“Would you please hold this for a sec while I fix my hair?” She handed him her hat.

“Sure.” He felt like telling her to leave it down because it looked sexy that way. He thought better of saying that out loud.

Drawing a deep breath, she retrieved the scattered pins and used them to anchor her hair on top of her head again. “The mop reminded me of a number we put together when I was taking dance. We combined moves from the Gene Kelly mop dance and Fred Astaire’s routine with a broom. You may not have seen either of those since they’re from really old movies.”

“I have,” Cade said. “So have Damon and Finn. When we first came to the ranch, before the cabins were built, we used to sit in the living room and watch those musicals with Mom. She’s crazy about them. She’d go nuts if you did a tap number for her.”

“I’d probably be too self-conscious to give a planned performance. I don’t even have the right shoes.” She took back her hat and put it on.

“That’s what made it so impressive,” Lexi said. “You weren’t wearing tap shoes. Did you have music playing?”

“Just in my head. I thought nobody was watching. Then I saw you guys at the window and my training kicked in. My dance teacher drummed into us that you never stop in the middle of a number when you have an audience. No matter what, the show must go on.”

“I’m glad you didn’t stop.” Matt had been smitten before, but after that dance routine he was completely dazzled. He could manage a two-step and a waltz without a problem, but he didn’t have the dedication to learn something as complicated as tap. Consequently, he admired the hell out of someone who’d had the determination to get good at it.

He had to laugh when he thought about the earnest conversation he’d had with Geena on the porch last night. They’d both announced that now was not the time to have a serious relationship. He’d been of a similar mindset when he told Cade and Lexi he didn’t want Rosie launching into matchmaking mode.

On paper, the timing of his sudden interest in Geena couldn’t be worse. His career was finally off to a promising start, but the film business was notoriously unstable. An actor could go from fame to obscurity in the blink of an eye.

Asking someone to share the ride when the journey was wildly uncertain wasn’t fair. His head knew that, but his heart wasn’t listening. He was falling for this amazing woman at an alarming rate and getting serious sounded like a terrific idea. If Rosie had any advice on how to turn a temporary fling into something more permanent, he was ready to hear it.

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