L.A. Cinderella (4 page)

B
y the time they were settled into the conference room, only two chairs weren’t covered in papers. However, the chairs were right next to each other. If Natalie moved that stack…

Before she could move anything, Chase spoke up.

“Sit down and we’ll discuss what you’ve found while we eat.” His tone was all business. Maybe she’d read too much into their earlier conversations.

She could be businesslike, too. Relieved, she breathed deep and slid into the chair. When he sat down his denim-clad leg brushed against her cotton skirt. She sucked in a breath, but covered it by opening one of the takeout bags. She crossed her legs away from his.

“I wasn’t sure what to get, so I got a couple of different things. We can share,” he said.

She picked up the containers and opened them. The
rich sauce filled the air with the aroma of ginger and garlic. Settling on beef with broccoli, she found one of the rice boxes.

“What have you found so far?” Chase said. His leg brushed against hers again. Her body tensed. She wondered if he did it on purpose. His warmth radiated to her side. The woodsy smell of his cologne wafted over her.

“The…uh.” She cleared her throat. “Um, well, I was going through the expense reports and I noticed the handwriting was similar on a few of them and…” Should she tell him that she suspected Mr. Morrison wrote them? She closed her mouth. She didn’t want to accuse an innocent man. She only knew that the numbers told her that someone might be taking money.

“And?” he prodded. His gaze bore into hers, but it suddenly softened.

What had they been talking about? Was there a woman alive who could resist him? He didn’t even have to put forth any effort to be irresistible. That kiss—her eyes dropped to his lips. That kiss at the end of
If Only
. She could feel her lips separate. The red-hot wave flowed over her face. She dipped her head as her food suddenly was way too interesting. After all, there was white, brown and green.

Way better to look at that than the slight scruff along Chase’s chin. She was definitely going to make a fool out of herself.

When she dropped her gaze to her food, Chase leaned back in his chair. Trying to draw out this timid woman was like digging for diamonds. It took forever, but he just knew something special was hiding in there.

He’d already begun to suspect his chief financial officer
wasn’t on the up-and-up. Every time Chase approached him, Martin shook and started prattling on about this and that.

Chase also suspected the reason Martin had hired Natalie was because of her timidity and lack of experience. What Martin hadn’t figured on was the intelligence lingering in the depths of her gorgeous brown eyes.

Setting down the box of noodles, Chase studied the woman next to him. She drew him with her quiet strength and a warmth he’d never experienced before. She wasn’t what Hollywood considered beautiful—few people were—but the delicate tilt of her chin, the gentle upsweep at the tip of her nose, her wide, innocent brown eyes and her lips, all drew his eyes and he found himself captivated by her.

He loved watching her lips curve into a smile, tighten when she was upset or part slightly on a breath. Real, that’s what she was. He shifted in his chair. She jerked her head up again. Every nerve in his body longed for more contact than his knee against hers.

Women like her should stay as far away as possible from men like him. Even as he lost himself in her eyes, he could see her pushing him away. She might trust him in the beginning, but when some reporter speculated he was cheating, or when he was gone for months on a shoot, he’d lose her. Distance rarely made the heart grow fonder.

Her gaze fluttered down again, breaking the connection. He couldn’t resist trying to have her. Just for a little while, not forever. Just enough to get her out of his system.

“Show me the expense reports you found.” He cleared his throat.

Her shoulders relaxed beneath her cream blouse. He made her nervous, but he figured everyone did. She reminded him of a small bird ready to take flight at the least provocation, except when she was talking work.

She put aside the barely touched food and pulled forward some papers. She handed him the first two reports.

Her gaze never left his face while he looked over the reports. It was intense, but not sexual in nature. It was the stare of someone waiting for a connection to be made.

The handwriting was similar on both reports, just enough difference to prevent someone from questioning them if they went through on the same day. He noticed the signature authorizing cash payments.
Martin Morrison
.

“Let’s separate all the ones authorized for cash payment first.” When she started to pull more papers her way, he stopped her. “After we eat.”

She nodded and went back to playing with the box of food. Her tongue swept over her lower lip. How soft would her lips be? He took a deep breath; it was going to be a long night.

After they ate, Natalie stood and cleared the table. Her slight body moved efficiently. She didn’t overemphasize any moves, like some actresses. Her blouse was loose on her frame, but her skirt tightened at the waist, and the cut was tight to the legs. As she bent over the table, he couldn’t help appreciating her backside.

It was going to be a
very
long night.

She straightened, and he noticed her ever-present blush. Would she ever not blush around him? Did he really want her to stop?

“I’ll be right back,” she said, as she walked out the door with the bags.

Chase took in the amount of paper. They had hours of work ahead of them. Natalie slipped back in and returned to her seat.

“If you want, you can go through that one while I go through this one,” she said. Her eyes didn’t meet his, and
he could tell that she was struggling. She wasn’t used to giving orders.

“Sounds good.” Pulling the stack closer, he looked for the same signature on the front page. As the smell of brown sauce and egg rolls dissipated, the scent of strawberries and other sweet smells started to permeate his nose.

He glanced over at Natalie’s bent head when he was about halfway through. Precariously balanced, her glasses had slid down to the tip of her nose. His fingers itched to push them back and brush the gentle curve of her cheek. Her finger pushed the lenses back into place.

He brought the paper in front of him back into focus. As the pile of cash payments grew, Chase’s temper rose along with it.

Martin Morrison had come highly recommended. Chase couldn’t imagine the slight man committing fraud against the company, but as the evidence kept mounting up, he couldn’t deny it. The handwriting on all of them resembled Martin’s. But without seeing them together, Chase would have never seen the similarities. Martin was in charge of accounting and therefore the checks.

He doubted Robert would have noticed the handwriting, but how had Robert missed so many expenses paid out to extras? He paused on the expense report for Dana Bradley. It was a cash payment of almost a thousand dollars, but all the expenses were below the fifty-dollar receipt limit they’d established to keep the files smaller.

Robert’s signature was on it, just like the others. Too much like the others. Chase grabbed the last one and put the sheets together. They were exactly the same signature, no variations.

Not only was Martin stealing from the company, but he was forging Robert’s signature, too. This explained why
Night Blooming
had lost so much money, and it made Chase skeptical of the other productions that hadn’t been losses, but hadn’t been as profitable as he’d expected.

Apparently, Martin had gotten greedy.

“Can I see one of your expense reports?” Maybe hers would have Robert’s real signature and not forgeries.

Natalie pushed her glasses back up her nose as she handed him the one she was looking at. He compared Robert’s signatures, and again they were exactly the same.

“Mr. Morrison gave me a list of extras when he gave me the files.”

“Do you have that in here?”

She retrieved a larger document than he’d expected. When Robert and Chase had originally discussed the crowd scenes, they’d decided to use computer rendering for the people. But when other costs increased they decided it would be more economical and more realistic to use extras.

Extras who weren’t supposed to turn in expense reports. “Are all these extra expense reports?”

Her gaze analyzed each pile for a moment. “All except those three.”

“Okay, let’s focus on the extras only. Keep a running total.”

“Okay.” She actually seemed excited by the idea of adding what had to be hundreds of numbers. Her eyes brightened, and she flipped on the adding machine.

Only a slight bit of pink tinged her usually red cheeks. That quiet feeling spread through his chest looking at her. The intelligence sparkling in her eyes drew him. If his life were a little simpler, he’d think nothing of coaxing this woman into his arms.

He shook his head and went back to work. The light tapping of keys followed by the ticking of the numbers printing lulled him as he kept adding to her pile.

“I think that’s it.” He leaned back. The piles had shifted from one side of the room to the other. Her rhythmic typing continued. Her finger trailed down the page. She typed in the number, then lifted the sheet and added it to the other pile.

“That’s the last one.” She pressed the equal sign and then pulled the tape out of the machine.

“What’s the damage?” He leaned forward.

She studied the number and then handed him the paper.

“Five hundred thousand dollars? This can’t be right.”

She looked back at the piles. “I can add it up again to double-check.” She pulled the stack she’d just added back over.

Without this amount,
Night Blooming
would have been around the initial projections. They would need to have everything together if they were going to accuse Martin.

His gaze went back to Natalie. Watching her work was better than hanging out at clubs by a long run, but when she started to trail her finger down the page, he covered her hand with his. Startled eyes met his. A faint tinge of blue had appeared under her eyes. Most of her brown hair floated around her face, framing it.

“You can rerun the numbers tomorrow,” he said, gently. When her gaze flitted to his hand on hers, he reluctantly pulled it away. Standing, he reached his hand down to her.

She glanced up at him before sliding her hand into his. His body came alive, but he resisted every temptation to pull her into his arms. The gentle curve of her mouth was almost too much. As soon as she stood in front of him, he released her hand.

“Let’s get these back to your desk.” Grabbing a pile, he headed out the door, away from her sweet scent. He thought he caught the sound of a sigh as he left the room.

G
rabbing a stack, Natalie followed, too confused and tired to argue. Not that she would have. She passed Chase in the hall on the way to her desk. Her hand still tingled as if he still touched her. She rubbed it on her skirt when she was in the conference room.

She bent and picked up more reports. When she stood, her glasses slid down her nose. Tipping her head back, she tried to wiggle them back.

“Here, let me help.”

Before she could protest, he gripped the sides of her glasses and adjusted them on the bridge of her nose. Her breath caught in her throat. She held the papers as a makeshift shield to keep her treacherous emotions at bay. He was just helping her. That was all.

As if he couldn’t resist, his fingers trailed down the sides of her face. Her pulse jumped, and desire pooled in
her core. Papers on the floor behind her blocked her automatic urge to retreat. Surely, he hadn’t meant anything by it. Certainly he hadn’t meant to make her feel desire.

He dropped his hands and took the load from her without a word. She released it, thinking he’d take it and she’d grab the next. Her breath passed out over her lips.

He set the papers on the table and turned back to her. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. She’d seen the look on his face dozens of times. Her heart threatened to pound its way out of her chest.

That was the look he’d given the heroine right before he kissed her. A look that had invaded her dreams where she played the part of Elizabeth in
If Only
. This was where the music would crescendo.

But this wasn’t a movie. Chase wasn’t playing a character, and neither was she. He stepped closer until a mere breath separated them. Obviously giving her the chance to stop him.

She should stop him. She wasn’t what he wanted. She couldn’t be what he needed. She didn’t want to be famous. But with that look in his eyes and those eyes on her, she didn’t think she could bear to stop him.

The back of his hand caressed her cheek. Her head leaned into the warmth as his hand left a trail of fire in its wake. His gaze held hers captivated, as his hand slipped to the back of her neck.

One last chance to say something. Her pulse raced through her veins. She licked her lips. One last chance to stop this. One chance, one taste, that’s all she needed.

He closed the distance until a breath separated their mouths. Her hands came up and grabbed the front of his shirt. His mouth touched hers, a whisper of a kiss.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and she jerked on his shirt. His lips pressed against hers, gently touching, tasting. They
were soft and full. Her heart was pounding so hard she was certain he could hear it.

Her mind swam in a sensual fog. Chase Booker was kissing her. Natalie Collins. His tongue met hers and her knees buckled. It wasn’t just
the
Chase Booker kissing her, but this man. The one who opened doors for her, walked her to the car, made her feel pretty even with her glasses on.

But he shouldn’t be kissing her. He was her boss. His mouth slid to her cheek and sent a searing bolt between her thighs. She pulled in air, desperately trying to surface. She needed space. She needed to think. Pulling back, she rested her forehead against his.

His jagged breathing matched hers. His thumb rubbed the side of her neck, sending an echoing ache through her. Lifting his head, he smoothed her hair back from her face.

She opened her eyes. His were filled with desire, need and frustration. Her body responded to his, wanting to invite him in.

“I should walk you to your car.” His tone was cool. His hands dropped, and he turned.

Ice water splashed through her, cooling her overheated body. He hadn’t meant to kiss her. Was he trying something for a new role? Had she just been convenient? Or something different?

Jerkily, she picked up a stack of papers and walked around him.

“I’ll do that,” he said.

She couldn’t look at him or speak. She just continued down the hall to her desk. Her eyes burned with tears, but as long as she didn’t talk or stop, she could hold them back.

As she set down the papers, she felt him behind her. His hands rested on her shoulders. She could feel the walls
crumbling all around her. There wasn’t a hole big enough to sink into.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” he started.

Her body started to shake.

“No, I did mean to, I just—”

“Stop, please. Just stop.” The first teardrop crashed down on the desk. She felt so stupid for actually thinking a man like him would want her. She couldn’t turn around. She couldn’t see the look on his face. Jerking from his grasp, she went around the desk and grabbed her purse.

Without looking at him, she hurried down the hall. Tears blurred her vision but didn’t fall. He was behind her, but he let her go.

She didn’t stop until she was behind the wheel of her car. She’d been stupid to think someone like him would want someone like her. He’d stopped at the building door and stood there watching her.

She could still feel his lips against hers. Desire clung to her. She’d kissed Chase Booker. It was like going to the sun. She should have known that she’d get burned.

Chase purposely arrived late the following morning. He’d had a long talk with Robert about Martin after Natalie had fled last night. They decided to keep things normal for now, so Martin wouldn’t suspect that they knew anything.

He hoped Natalie had time to get settled before having to see him. He’d acted impulsively last night and moved too fast, but he’d needed to know how she tasted.

It’d been more explosive than he’d imagined. He hadn’t wanted it to end. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place, but he definitely wanted it to happen again.

When he entered Pandora Productions, the receptionist
turned to smile at him like she always did, but froze and pretended to pick up a call instead.

Damn it. He’d hoped his foul mood wouldn’t show, but he had no desire to act right now. No desire to force niceties. He only cared how one person was doing today.

When he walked past her desk, she wasn’t there. He stopped in the hallway. Had she stayed home? Had he pushed her too far?

“Don’t forget to get through the audit today. I have to leave early, but I expect it on my desk first thing Monday morning.” Martin’s voice carried into the hallway.

“Yes, Mr. Morrison,” came Natalie’s timid voice. “It shouldn’t be a problem.”

Chase continued down the hall before she came out. She was here. He’d almost expected her to take a sick day or something, but he was glad she hadn’t. Maybe he hadn’t screwed things up for the company and for himself. They needed her to help with this audit. Who was he kidding, he needed her.

As he entered his office, he saw an envelope in the center of his desk.