Dreaming Of Your Love (Hollywood Legends #3) (15 page)

“Not
great. But not bad,” Sable said in a rush. “The car was waiting for us. I’m
here and Jade and Paige are on their way home.”

“Then
what’s the problem?”

Sable
sighed. She handed Colt her phone. “See for yourself.”

The
video wasn’t the best quality, but there was no mistaking Jade. Her long red
hair stood out in any crowd. Colt watched as someone stopped her by putting a hand
on her arm. Jade tried to push him away, but when the man tightened his grip,
she grabbed one of his fingers, twisted, and quickly had him on his knees. It
was an impressive move. Especially considering that Jade was in a dress and
heels and the man outweighed her by close to a hundred pounds.

“Who
the hell filmed this?” Colt asked, watching the clip again.

“According
to the post, someone called Musiclover666.”

“These
days you can’t fart in the wind without it hitting the internet.”

“That’s
a lovely analogy,” Sable laughed.

“And
accurate.” Colt set the phone down and pulled Sable into his arms. “Paige would
have done the same thing.”

“Probably.
I taught her the move.”

Colt
nuzzled her neck, smiling when she stretched her head to the side, giving him better
access. He breathed deeply. The night spent in a crowded club couldn’t mask her
unique, heady scent. The smell shot a jolt of desire through his body.

“You
have turned my brothers’ women into fierce, take no shit, warriors.”

“If
I had my way, I would give every woman in the world the ability to take care of
themselves. Do you have a problem with that?”

“Are
you kidding? That is so damn sexy.”

Colt
slowly unzipped her dress, his hands sliding under the material to caress her
warm back. So strong and so soft. The combination drove him crazy.

Sable
melted into his touch. “You like that I’m able to take care of myself?”

“The
world can be a scary place, Sable. You never know what you’re going to find
when you step out your door. Hell, sometimes you don’t have to leave your home.
Shit can find you anywhere.” He took her hand and kissed the palm. “Your
strength is beautiful.”

She
didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. To solve her dilemma, she kissed him.

Sable
had traveled the world. Seen sights both breathtaking and horrific. She had
rubbed elbows with heads of state and goat farmers. Who would have guessed
that, in the middle of a town that dealt in make believe, she would find a man
who accepted her for her true self?

“Let’s
go to bed,” Colt whispered.

“Later.”

Hitting
the switch by the sofa, the room went dark. Sable picked up the remote that
worked the window shades. Slowly, the city lights came into view.

“Here?”
Colt asked when Sable straddled his legs.

Sable
pulled Colt’s shirt over his head and rested her hands on his chest.

“Here.”

She
wrapped her arms around Colt, her lips meeting his.

Hollywood
was all about dreams. For a little while, she wanted to let herself believe
that a wish could come true. Sable looked into Colt’s eyes and suddenly she
felt the possibilities were endless.

For
a few hours, deep in her heart where no one else could see. Where no one could
guess what she wanted more than anything else, she would let herself dream.

It
was crazy and impossible. But she didn’t care. Here, in his arms, she didn’t
want to be sensible. There would be time enough for practicality tomorrow.
Tonight, she would let herself dream of Colt’s love.

SABLE COULDN’T REMEMBER laughing so much in her entire life.
Colt had a way of telling a story, no matter how mundane, and bringing it
alive. Sometimes he acted it out. But he was equally gifted when he only used
words.

Today
he expounded on the hazards of a screen kiss.

“I’ve
encountered everything from an overabundance of saliva to stubbly upper lips.
But the worst is bad breath. God knows I’ve kissed my share of garlic-laden
leading ladies.” He laughed. “Try saying that three times fast.”

Sable
proceeded to do precisely that.

“Nice.”
Colt was impressed.

“Back
up. Do you really expect me to believe that an actress would eat garlic before
a love scene?”

Sable
stuck her head out of her closet. Colt was in what had become his usual spot.
At least, when she was dressing. Reclining on the bed, his head propped up on
his hand. His feet hung off one side, the double mattress wasn’t made for a
body that long.

Most
of the time, like now, he wore nothing but a pair of jeans. No socks. No shirt.
It made Sable think of a restaurant though she couldn’t imagine anyone denying
Colt service.

Dark
hair. Laser-bright blue eyes. A killer smile. Not to mention a body that would
make the dead drool. Lord, he was gorgeous. And for now, all hers.

Colt
would stretch out while she dressed, talking the entire time. Sable loved these
moments. She learned more and more about him. He spoke of his childhood. His
love of acting. Why he thought cottage cheese was creepy and the difference
between brands of root beer. Colt preferred Diet Barq’s. And the reason he
always hung up his car keys on the caddy on the wall by the elevator the second
he walked into the loft. Because his father taught him to do it that way.

“It
happens. Talk about acting.”

“How
do you prepare?” Sable pursed her lips and made a smacking sound.

“You
laugh, but I have a set routine. I floss. Mint flavored. Then I brush. Followed
by mouthwash. Right before the camera rolls, I pop half a dozen Tic Tacs.”

Sable
shook her head and muttered, “I was right. Boy Scout.”

“I
think you mean that as a compliment,” Colt called out after her.

“I
think you’re right.”

Sable
took a dress from the long row. Mint green. It had a flirty skirt that would
hit her just above the knees. Perfect for a casual Saturday. Colt was free
until Monday when his schedule would get crazier. Longer days and a lot of
night shooting. He wanted to take advantage of the downtime. A leisurely lunch.
A drive through the hills. Lots and lots of sex.

If
they were staying in, Colt would have the dress off her in five seconds, but
for lunch it was perfect.

“What
do you think?”

Sable
turned in a circle, the skirt twirling around her long legs. She held her shoes
in one hand. As much as she loved the strappy sandals, she didn’t want to put
them on until they were about to leave. Her feet would thank her later.

“The
last time I was in Rome I had some gelato. It was exactly that color.” Colt
pulled her onto the bed. “And delicious. I’ll bet you taste better.”

“If
we’re going out to lunch, you’ll have to wait to find out.” Sable scooted out
of his reach. “Go get dressed. I’m hungry.”

“I
could make you change your mind.”

“No,
you couldn’t. I’m definitely hungry.”

“Har,
har, har.” Colt weaved right, then left, before swatting Sable on the butt.

“I
take it back,” she called out as he zipped from the room. “You aren’t a Boy
Scout. You’re a dickhead.”

“Really?”
Colt leaned through the bedroom door. “Want to kiss my,” he wiggled his
eyebrows, “head?”

“Go.”

Chuckling,
Sable took a purse from the shelf. A lemon yellow cross-body bag that
complimented her dress perfectly. She added a few items and was debating what
else she needed when her phone rang. The ring tone,
Big Boss
Man
,
letting her know who it was before she looked at the screen.

“Alex.
Did you check out that list of names I sent you?”

“Hello
to you, too.” Sable could hear the smile in his voice. “And yes, I did. They
all checked out. Your boy can feel safe hiring any of them.”

“He
isn’t my boy.” Sable didn’t know why she said it. Or why she sounded so
defensive.

“It
was a figure of speech, nothing more,” Alex assured her. “Is there a problem I
need to know about?”

“No.
Everything is fine. Boring.” Sable slipped her gun into the purse. It was such
a part of her everyday routine, she did it automatically. The way some women
would carry lipstick or a comb. “Colt was right. He doesn’t need a bodyguard.”

“As
you know, it isn’t always about need. The money people behind the movie feel
better if their investment is protected.”

“They’re
worried about money, but they waste it hiring me. Does that make sense?”

“No.
But it is our bread and butter, Sable.” There was a pause. “What’s wrong?”

Sable
had no idea. Before Alex called, she felt great. Terrific. She had been getting
ready for a day out with her… Crap. She was thinking of Colt as her boyfriend,
not her client. Alex was a reminder of who and what she was.

Opening
her purse, she looked at the gun.
That is your life, Sable
.
It was
before you came here, and it would be again after you leave
. She could
dress it up with pretty clothes and fancy meals. Colt could take her in his
arms and make her feel things she never knew existed and hold her close while
she slept. But it didn’t change the facts. Nothing would.

Sable
was hired muscle. And Colt was her client.

“Nothing
is wrong. Honestly.”

“I’m
always here if you need to talk. No subject is off the table and it stays
between us.”

Once
or twice Sable had been tempted to spill her guts to Alex. It wasn’t easy
keeping why she left the Army bottled up and he understood the military and how
it worked as well as anyone. But even though she trusted him and knew he would
sympathize, she held her tongue. He couldn’t fix what happened. No one could.

But
Sable didn’t think Alex was speaking about her past. He was concerned about the
here and now.

“I’m
doing the job, Alex.”

“I
don’t doubt it for a second. I’ll let you go. But remember. It’s okay to let
your guard down, Sable. No one will think less of you.”

Sable
put down the phone. She sat on the edge of the bed, her mind working furiously
as she calmly slipped on her shoes. Alex was right. At this point, who was
going to care if she enjoyed her time with Colt—guilt free?

One
minute she would tell herself sleeping with him was wrong. Unprofessional. The
next, she grabbed him and tore his clothes off. Sable waffled between embracing
their temporary affair and worrying about it ending.

The
facts were simple. She was Colt’s bodyguard. At the moment, she was also his
lover. Crossing that line hadn’t been the end of the world. Crowds weren’t
gathering with torches and pitchforks. The tar and feathers were nowhere to be
seen.

Sable
was the one making something out of nothing. Why couldn’t she have fun? Tomorrow—the
future—was coming no matter what she did. One day soon, she would kiss Colt
goodbye and wish him well. She hoped they would part as friends. If she had to
deal with a slightly broken heart, so what? She wouldn’t be the first or the
last woman to live with that affliction. They survived and so would she.

Sable
opened the purse. She lay her phone next to her gun which lay next to her
lipstick. Three items. Seemingly incongruous. But in her world, they were part
of her everyday life.

Sable
Ford. Woman. Bodyguard. Friend. Lover. From the outside, the pieces may have
seemed odd. But every day she found a way to make them fit.

She
had two choices. Pull back and be miserable. Or stop worrying about the future
and embrace every moment. Here. Now.

When
put like that, there wasn’t a choice. Sable wanted to be happy. With Colt.

DINING OUT IN Hollywood often was more about business than
pleasure. Executives met to finalize deals. Others sat in trendy restaurants,
picking at their overpriced meal, desperate to be noticed.
The Shack
was
not the place to go to do either.

The
small, family-owned café served rib-sticking fare. It was bright and cheery and
filled with loud voices, laughter, and the aroma of spicy tomato sauce. It
attracted a working-class crowd. And it was one of Colt’s favorite places to
eat in the world. He wanted to share it with Sable.

There
was no valet service, which suited Colt. Every now and then he liked the
challenge of finding a parking space on a crowded Los Angeles street. It took
talent and perseverance. Giving in was not an option.

“There
was a spot on the last block.”

“It
wasn’t close enough.”

“This
is the third time you’ve circled around.” Sable watched as they passed another
empty parking space.

“That
would be giving in.” Colt maneuvered the car between a delivery truck and van
pulling a horse trailer.

“Giving
in to what?”

“The
parking Gods. If you show weakness, they won’t shine on you. And there.” Colt
pointed triumphantly at a car pulling away from the curb. “I kept the faith and
I was rewarded.”

Sable
kept her thoughts on the subject to herself. Colt seemed so proud. She didn’t
want to burst his bubble by pointing out the amount of gasoline they had wasted
looking for a parking space that was half a block closer than the one they
drove past two loops ago.

Colt
neatly parked next to a hulking black SUV and mud-caked Ford pick-up that on
better days might have been dark green. The larger vehicles dwarfed his
Maserati, but it stood out in any crowd. Colt’s car gleamed in the California
sunshine. Polished to a bright red perfection.

“Not
bad.” Colt shifted into park. “What do you think?”

“I
think that you are wonderfully weird and absolutely adorable.”

Sable
leaned over and kissed him and with a hum of pleasure, Colt kissed her back.
Slow and easy, she teased his lips with her tongue until he opened for her. On
and on. Sable would have gladly skipped lunch if she could stay right here,
like this, all afternoon.

“You
taste like wild cherries.” Colt sucked on her bottom lip then.

“Lifesavers.
It’s my favorite flavor. Want one?”

“I’m
happy sampling you.”

Sable
was happy letting him. She wound her arms around Colt’s neck, her hands sliding
into his thick dark hair. She loved touching him. So many textures. Silky hair.
Hard muscles. Firm lips that softened perfectly when they kissed. And that bit
of scratchy perfection when his cheek rubbed against hers.

“Necking
in the front seat of my car. The last time that happened I was a sophomore in
high school. All I could think about was trying to talk my date into the
backseat.”

Sable
turned her head, to look at the seat, and give Colt better access.

“This
backseat?” There was barely room for a small suitcase. How two full grown
teenagers could fit back there, she had no idea.

“I
had borrowed my father’s Mercedes sedan.”

“Ah.
How did the evening end?”

“I
hate to brag.” Colt’s lips curved against her neck.

“You
love to brag,” Sable smiled back. “Go for it.”

“I’ll
say this. That condom in my pocket didn’t go to waste.”

Sable
laughed. She wanted to ask how many young women gave into his adolescent charms
but decided she didn’t need to know. The number had to be high. Who in their
right mind could resist?

“You
must have beaten the boys off with a stick. Any backseat shenanigans in your
past?”

“Nope.”

“That’s
it? Nope?” With his right hand, Colt linked his fingers with her left one. He
brought them to his lips. “Any particular reason?”

Sable
watched as Colt lightly kissed the back of her hand, rubbed his lips across her
knuckles. It was a surprisingly erotic gesture.

“My
mother put the fear of pregnancy in my head from the cradle. I carried around
visions of broken condoms and a life of dirty diapers.”

“Scary.”
The more Colt heard about Sable’s mother, the more he wondered how she got away
without being totally screwed up.

“Scary
is putting it mildly. That kind of fear is the best birth control ever
invented. I had plans and they didn’t include a baby or a husband.”

“That
meant staying pure until when?”

“I
didn’t say that I stayed pure.” Sable kissed the side of Colt’s neck. She liked
giving as well as receiving. He always smelled and tasted amazing. “But if you
were asking when I lost my virginity? After high school.”

“That’s
vague.”

“It’s
honest. How about you, hot shot?” Sable sent out the challenge. She should have
known Colt wouldn’t hesitate to pick it up.

“It
was summer. We were in London where Mom was shooting a film. She was older and
experienced.”

“Naturally.”

“Laurell
was the leading man’s daughter. Seventeen and built like a brick shithouse.”

“Charming.”
Sable sat back to listen, but she kept hold of Colt’s hand.

“I
call them as I see them. And to a fifteen-year-old boy, breasts that size are a
dream come true. Not to mention the rest of her.”

“The
hussy. Did she know she was breaking you in, so to speak?”

“The
way I remember it, I was sophisticated and worldly,” Colt grinned. “Laurell
might have a different tale to tell. Either way, I studied. Putting my nose to
the proverbial grindstone. By the end of the summer, I put a smile on her face.”

“And
she put one on yours. I’d say it was a fair trade.”