Caught on Camera (25 page)

“We both are,” JP agreed. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her up until she lay curled into his side. “You’ve worn me out.”

“I doubt it.” She burrowed her nose in his neck, her words slurred with sleepiness. “You have the stamina of a bull.”

Oh, the woman was good for his ego. Not wanting to leave her, but uncomfortably aware they’d each only managed to eat a couple pieces of bacon before he’d carted her off to the shower, he tucked the covers gently around her and rose from the bed. “I’m going to dispose of this.” He nodded to the sagging protection on his crotch. “Then bring in the food to see if anything is still edible.”

His stomach growled as he padded across the floor, hers replying in a matching orchestra.

The giggles following him from the room made his mood soar. He’d just had the best day and night of his life, and though she may not be ready to admit she cared, Vega was clearly enjoying herself as much as he was. He tried not to feel superior, but her happiness had to be in direct correlation to spending time with him. No doubt after the night they’d just shared, he could talk her into hanging around Atlanta to see where this thing between them could go.

Whistling, he returned to the bedroom with the trays of food and stopped at the sight of her sneaking a bite of chocolate cake off the plate that remained by his side of the bed. “Really? Even for breakfast?”

Her grin lit the room. “If I want cake for breakfast, I can have cake for breakfast. Plus, even stale from sitting out overnight, it’s better than cold eggs will be.”

“You’re right, there.” He scooted into bed and settled the plates between them. “But I also got French toast and fresh fruit. Surely they’ll be edible.”

“
Mmmm
…” She edged closer. “You do know how to treat a lady.”

He wrapped a hand around the back of her head and brought her mouth to his. Her lips automatically parted and he slipped inside, stroking as if they hadn’t just completely devoured one another. He nipped at her lip and pulled back.

“Is that all it takes to win you over?” His voice was hoarse with the power of her. “Feed you well?”

“It’s certainly a start.” She removed the plate covers, and her eyes lit.

“Seriously,” he began, laughing as he talked. “How do you not weigh three hundred pounds?”

She shrugged. “I told you. Exercise.”

“And you’ve always had such discipline?”

The tip end of a strawberry disappeared between her lips as she lowered her gaze. She chewed slowly, then doused the toast in syrup before finally answering. “I went through several years where I wasn’t allowed to eat things like chocolate or syrup. Or at least, only in very,
very
small portions.”

“Wasn’t allowed?” What did she mean? “As in…what? You and your mom didn’t have money for food, or your portions were controlled because you were, what? In jail? Worse?”

“Worse,” she mumbled around a bite of food. When she looked up at him she must have registered the shock on his face, because she laughed out loud. “No. Not
really
worse than jail. I…” She stopped, then gave him another one of her
it doesn’t matter
shrugs before continuing. “I did some modeling when I was younger. They were real sticklers about how much I weighed.”

He dug into the food, beginning to worry she’d eat his portion as well as hers. “So I was right. You are made for the camera.” He inhaled the cinnamon-flavored bread as he chewed, studying the woman before him and trying to figure out what else she wasn’t saying. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It was a long time ago. Not something I talk about.”

Right. Only it still felt more raw than that or she wouldn’t be spending so much time avoiding his gaze. “So what happened?” he asked. “And why not take the modeling to reporting the news? Or a television host? Or whatever you want? With your looks, it wouldn’t be hard to snag any job in front of the camera that you desired.”

“I just don’t want to, okay?” She was closing down.

“Don’t, baby.” He stopped her fidgeting by catching her hands and holding them until she looked up. “Don’t close down on me. Just answer me one question.”

Her eyes made no promises.

“Do you sometimes think about being in front of the camera instead of behind it? I know you want more out of your career. Is that the something you’re really wanting?” He was pretty sure that whatever pain was in her life must have come during her years of modeling, but he wouldn’t push for that, just yet. Baby steps for now.

After several long moments, she tugged her hands from his. She played with a strawberry, balancing it on the tip and twirling it around on a plate. “I used to think that’s what I wanted, but I don’t anymore. I got a taste, and I didn’t like it.”

“But modeling is different than being on TV.” He cocked his head, wondering. “Or is modeling what you really would rather be doing?”

“No.” The angry word punctuated the air. “It’s the last thing I want. I didn’t even want it when I was doing it.”

“Then why did you?”

She flicked the berry with her finger and it rolled across the dish. “I was sixteen. We needed money. I was told it would end all my troubles.”

What she left unsaid was that it had more than likely created her troubles. He wanted to demand answers, to find out who had hurt her and where he could find the bastard so he could make it right, but that wasn’t his place. He needed her to share on her own, first.

Then he’d find the jerk and stomp him into the ground.

But one thing was certain, even if she wouldn’t say it. She
hadn’t
given up on her dreams of being in front of the camera. She was just too natural at it for it not to be a part of her life.

He thought of his earlier call, and how Cat had encouraged him to let Vega do the interview. She trusted her. He did too.

But that didn’t mean he could give her an interview.

Though Cat thought it was a good idea, he wasn’t ready to commit to something like that, but wished he could. If for no other reason than he’d love to give that to Vega.

“Can we quit talking about me now?”

He smiled at the petulant way she asked the question and reached over to snatch a bite of mango from her plate.

“You have got to stop stealing my food.”

He popped the fruit in his mouth and grinned at her, feeling lighthearted and happy, and realized he hadn’t only been good for her. She was good for him.

“It’s a good thing today is our last day together. I wouldn’t want to have to eventually dropkick you for taking my food.”

Her tone was fun, but her words brought the light moment to a crash. He took one of his berries and fed it to her, a feeling of dread sitting low in his gut before he ever asked the question. “How about if today wasn’t the last day?”

She shook her head. “We can’t hide out down here forever. Plus, people know we’re on the island. Going out would be out of the question now.”

“I’m not talking about staying here.” He rubbed a thumb over her bottom lip and leaned into her space. “Let’s date when we get home.” He kissed her. “See where this goes.”

Wide eyes stared back at him, the rejection kicking him in the gut without her uttering a word. Not wanting to hear it vocalized, he pressed a finger to her lips.

“We’ll talk about it later.”

She continued to stare as if he’d lost his mind. Quite possibly he had. What other reason was there for ending up begging her to like him every time he saw her?

“Just think about it, okay? With the job situation, you don’t have to immediately return to Savannah. But even if you did, we could easily see each other on weekends.”

Her head began to shake, and he stopped her with a look.

“Don’t turn me down without giving it some thought. Plus, I listened to what you said about me the other night, and I didn’t like the picture you painted. I don’t want to be that person anymore.” He leaned in close and made sure she saw the honesty in his eyes. He didn’t want to be the playboy, doing nothing more than looking for the next hot piece of ass. He wanted more. He wanted Vega. “You and I are good. Together we could be amazing.”

He didn’t know where all that had come from, but he didn’t regret putting it out there. They were good together. And she stirred feelings in him he hadn’t known he could have.

However, the bullheadedness in her eyes said it didn’t matter that he’d just laid his heart on the line. When the day came to an end, she was going to stomp all over it.

Anger threatened to replace his good mood. Not solely at her resistance, but at their situations. If he wasn’t who he was, if he wasn’t plagued by paparazzi with every step he took, she wouldn’t be so hesitant to be with him. Maybe then, she’d even be the one begging to be with him instead of the other way around.

Unable to tolerate the thought of them ending so soon, he decided to turn the tables. There was one way to ensure she’d be by his side for a few more days. And he was going to make damned certain not to leave her a choice in the matter.

Mentally crossing his fingers, he prayed that his sister was right, and opened his mouth. “I’ll do the interview.”

Shock registered across her face. “What?”

“You still want me to, right?”

“Of course I do.”

He nodded. “Then I’ll do it. We can do the face-to-face following the press conference Saturday night, and it can be aired whenever after that your station thinks best. But I get complete discretion to require changes to the final copy if I don’t approve.”

She sat in the middle of the bed, her uncombed hair damp and tangled around her face, naked the way God had put her on the earth, and her mouth hanging open far enough he could see her back teeth. And he found her the most beautiful person in the world. He only hoped he hadn’t made the biggest mistake of his life by putting his trust in the wrong hands.

“So do you want to?” he prodded.

“Why did you change your mind?”

Not even with this could she be anything but difficult.

He shook his head, ready to shake her. “Cat thinks it’ll be a good idea.”

She eyed him as if that wasn’t a good enough answer. Now he had to beg her to do the interview she’d come after him to get? He could not figure this woman out.

When she continued silently watching him, he picked up her hand and pressed his lips to her fingers. “And I do too, Vega. It’ll be good for both of us.”

She blinked as if coming out of a trance, and a small smile began to form on her gorgeous mouth. He loved the pure pleasure she evoked when she smiled.

“Can I ask you to consider doing one thing, though?” he asked.

She nodded. “Anything.”

“I want you to do the face-to-face.”

“I told you—”

“I know what you told me. I’ve heard every word you’ve said to me since I met you. But I’m telling you, I think you want this.” He squeezed her hand. “I think you
need
this. So just consider it, okay?”

Her tongue darted out to lick her lips as she studied him. Finally, she replied, “You’ll do it even if I say no?”

His shoulders slumped. “I’ll do it even if you say no.”

The smile once again blossomed across her face, and hope filled him that the upcoming week would bring something special to his life that he hadn’t even known until now he’d been missing. He had five days until the announcement—likely only five days left with Vega—and he intended to make the most of them.

“T
WENTY MINUTES UNTIL
descent.” JP’s tone was low as he entered the living room where Vega was on her cell with Bob. They’d spent another day on the island but were nearing Atlanta now, late Monday night.

She dragged her gaze from her lap, where she’d been scribbling notes—plans for the footage she needed to obtain—to find him hovering at her side. He was crisp and polished with a clean black suit once again in place. She inhaled. And he smelled wonderful. She nodded that she’d heard him.

“I need to get off the phone, Bob. We’re about to land.”

He’d called because he’d seen the beach pictures that had now made it to all the news channels. It hadn’t been hard to watch the clips of the auction and see that it was the same person with him in Anguilla. “You’re sure you’re okay?” Bob asked.

He didn’t know the story behind her life, but knew enough about her that he understood that being caught soaking wet with one of the country’s highest-profile people was not anywhere near being on her bucket list.

“I’m fine, honestly. I just seem to keep making a spectacle of myself. Hopefully today’s pictures will be the last incident.” Not that she believed that at all. There were still topless photos out there waiting to surface, but it wasn’t like she could tell him that. It would be mortifying enough when it came out.

“And you don’t need anything for the interview?” Bob was sending someone to trade out the news van for her car in the morning, but she’d keep the equipment she needed out of it.

“Just the hotel room, please. If you don’t mind. Can you extend it through Saturday?” She had not been looking forward to explaining how she’d failed to secure the interview after all, so had been thrilled to be able to discuss her plans on the call instead.