Womanizer (Spoilt) (9 page)

She believed he was genuine and had taken a chance
, but it appeared he was exactly as she had assumed. Stupidly, she was the one who had initiated the date and then the ‘sleep over’, thinking there was a connection between them, something special, when in fact she was just another conquest.

Somehow she managed to complete the shoot, changed the moment it was over
, then left without saying a word to anyone. When she arrived home, the house was quiet due to the late hour. She crawled into bed and attempted to sleep, to no avail. How could she have been so naive? Like a lovesick teenager she’d thought maybe she was different, maybe he felt the same way she did. Jesse murmured in his sleep and her heart lurched. How was she going to explain to him why he wouldn’t see Mitch again?

Fuming, she muffled a frustrated cry in her pillow. Then the hurt crept up and wedged in her throat and she stifled a whimper. The first time she’d began to fall in love it had been with a man like him. The same type of man she detested, just like her father. It had all been a cruel deception by a lying playboy. How
could she have let this happen, she wondered, as an errant tear slid over her cheek.

W
ould be there tomorrow to face the music?

Chapter Eleven

Playboy

For the first time ever, Mitch was early for the shoot the following morning with the aim to arrive before Isabelle. While he waited impatiently for her to appear, one of the stylists beckoned him over - a girl he’d spent an evening with, and he realized with a stab of guilt, that he couldn’t remember her name. She was standing on the far side of the studio and seemed anxious to speak with him, so he decided to find out why.

“What’s up?”

“I haven’t seen you for a while, Mitch. I really enjoyed our night together.” She winked.

“Yeah, me too,” he answered politely. These situations alwa
ys went smoother if he was nice but not too charming. “I’ve been kind of busy lately.”

“Would you like to have a drink with me tonight?” She run her hand up and down his arm and gazed at him with an expression which showed her intent. He could barely recall their time together, and even if there was no Isabelle, he didn’t want to repeat what he couldn’t remember.

“Um, no thanks ...” He paused and searched his brain, trying to remember her name. “I’m actually seeing someone.” He gave her his best, most charming smile, hoping to avoid a scene. He’d encountered situations like this before. Some girls didn’t do casual sex.

“Oh,” she said, the disappointment written all over her face.

His ego did a little dance but his conscience told it to hit the road. Leaning forward, she whispered in his ear all the things she wanted to do to him. As she regaled him with whisperings of their night together, memories surfaced in his mind and caused him to chuckle. She was a firecracker, he remembered now. As he opened his mouth to decline again, he spotted Isabelle across the studio and her icy stare indicated her displeasure.

“Sorry
, but I have the girl I want. Will you excuse me?”

Without waiting for a reply, h
e strode across the studio and followed Isabelle as she stormed out the back to the dressing room.

“Isabelle,” he called.

She stopped and turned to glare at him over her shoulder.

Taken aback by her reaction
, he approached her with caution. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there last night. Something important came up -”

“I’m sure it did,” she said in a cool tone, cutting him off.
“I can see you were nice and cozy over there with Amber. Is she next or was she the one from last night?” Her face contorted and he started to explain again but she cut him off.  “Look, I don’t want to know.”

She turned on her heel and strode away.

Although he understood her reaction, he was still a little puzzled over it. Yes, he had been talking to Amber, but he was turning her down. He thought Isabelle was reasonable and would’ve listened to his explanation. Impatience became his companion as he waited for her to reappear.

When Amber sauntered over and attempted to make small talk with Isabelle, she would have none of it. Her jealousy at the sight of their obvious intimacy was frustrating and hurtful all at once. When she’d heard him laugh after their whispered exchange she felt like someone had taken a spoon and shoveled out her heart with it.

“I’m glad Mitch is here today,” Amber prattled on. “I so want to go out with him again. I might have got him too, then you turned up and now it is so obvious.” Amber offered an apologetic gaze.

Isabelle wondered what it was she was sorry for exactly. “It has nothing to do with me. I’m sure he’ll come around,” Isabelle managed to reply between calming breaths.

“I don’t think so. He said he is se
eing someone and I think I know -”

“He sees lots of people from what I’ve heard,” she said, cutting her off and not wanting to hear anymore.  “It’s probably why he didn’t turn up last night. I think I know what came up.”

“He seemed pretty sure.”

“He looked like he was enjoying your company to me.” Isabelle knew her voice sounded sharp and that she wasn’t hiding her displeasure well.

“No, he was just being nice. He wasn’t interested. Trust me, I know.”

Isabelle shrugged. It still didn’t explain where he’d been last night. Anger rose up and threatened to choke her, at him, at herself, and even
at Amber who hadn’t done anything wrong. With great effort she pushed all her hurt and anger aside and changed the subject. Best get through the shoot as fast as possible and leave. The sooner she distanced herself from him the better.

Once Amber and a hair stylist she didn’t know had finished
, she walked out onto the set to find Mitch checking his equipment and lighting. Her heart jumped at the sight of him. As he concentrated, a little crease formed between his eyes and this intensified his gorgeous face. Images from their night together flashed through her mind and the emptiness in her chest deepened. Her humiliation burned.

His treachery h
ad hurt her more than she realized and it assaulted her now as she watched him. How would she get through today or any other shoots they might have together in the future?
This is ridiculous
, she chastised herself. It was one night. It isn’t like he’d made any sort of commitment to her. What had she actually expected?

Yet she couldn’t deny the feelings he evoked in her and the connection between them. Had it all been in her mind?  This was why she never got involved at work.

With resolution, she closed her mind and stood waiting on the set, ready to work and get it over with.

To kill time waiting for her to emerge, Mitch rechecked his equipment and lighting. Why had she been so cold earlier? This caused him to frown. How could she be so upset over one missed call and shoot?  No benefit of the doubt for him, it would seem. She’d already tried and convicted him. Didn’t their night together mean anything to her?

H
e understood why she would be skeptical but he thought he’d shown her she was different. Their night together meant more to him than any other before it and he thought that would be enough to convince her and alleviate any doubt.  It seemed he’d been wrong.  Still frowning in confusion, he looked up to discover her waiting on set.  It was time to straighten things out. There was no way a misunderstanding would keep them apart, especially now he was falling in love with her.

“
Izzy,” he began. Her stony stare made his heart leap and stomach roll. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you last night but something came up and -”

“I’m sure it did,” she replied with eyebrows raised
, repeating her previous response to his excuse.

“It’s not what you
think. I was with Charlotte at -”

“What? She’s your brother’s fiancé
e, how could you -?”

“We were at the hospital. Her sister had her baby and there were complications. Jared had to go to work
, so he asked me to stay with her until they knew Chelsea would be alright, which she is by the way. I got in late and didn’t want to disturb you. I thought about calling you on the way to the hospital but I thought you might have been sleeping. I hoped you would understand. The weekend meant a lot to me and I have no intention of seeing anyone else ...” Mitch knew he was rambling but didn’t care.

Her face began to soften and hope surfaced.
“Oh, Mitch,” she said, a smile lighting her face. “I’m so sorry for assuming the worst. I feel terrible now. How awful that must have been for her family.”

A relieved grin lifted his lips until he remembered her mistrust. “I understand why you would assume the worst and I probably deserve it.
Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt that you didn’t trust me.”
Did I really just say that?
he thought. He suddenly felt very vulnerable and it was an alien feeling.

“Oh, Mitch.”

Her face screwed up and her lips pursed before she grabbed his hand and led him to
a private spot behind the set. Her mouth sought his while her hands trailed up his back and became lost in his hair. Her hands and lips on him again caused his blood to boil and his groin to ache. He didn’t realize how much he craved to feel her again until this moment.

Her lips were intoxicating and he wanted more. He didn’t care where they were or who would see them as he drew her in closer, his hands exploring every inch of her body. He was crazed by her and would have taken her right there if she hadn’t pulled away and jolted him back. Her ocean eyes stared into his and he could see that she believed him and couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his face. Hers matched his, wide and delirious. Eyes full of desire reflected his.

“You had better go and see the makeup artist,” he said with a chuckle.

Her laugh matched his. “Yes, I can imagine as it is all over your face too.”

They both went off to tidy up.

The shoot was the best they’d both worked on. Being around him, she decided, brought out the best in her. Knowing the angles of her face and curves of her body so well ensured Mitch captured Isabelle at her best and they both thought the results would ensure they nailed the brief. After they wrapped for the day, Isabelle rushed to change while Mitch packed up. When she hurried out he was leaning against the doorway, waiting for her.

“What are you doing now?” h
e said quietly as he ran a hand through her hair.

“Going to your house.”
 

Her eyes and smile confirmed her intentions.

The moment they walked in the door, Mitch captured her lips and kissed her deeply, hungrily. Shutting the door with his foot, he proceeded to guide her upstairs, removing their clothes as they went. They fell on the bed together, lips still feeding hungrily, their hands a frenzy of movement as they explored each other. Isabelle delighted in the feel of his smooth hard body and became light-headed from the masculine aroma at the base of his neck.

Somehow he managed to resist the urge to rush, to feel her again, and concentrated instead on giving her pleasure. Their legs entwined and her hands all over his body were driving him wild with desire and he thought he would explode with it.

His fingers massaged her and she moaned into his mouth. She mimicked his movements and stroked him until they groaned in unison. As she arched her back with pleasure he
rolled onto his back bringing her with him and guided himself inside her.

Watching her make love to him was definitely the best place in the world to be.

* * *

Several hours later they still lay entangled
, neither of them in a hurry to move.

“I’m sorry I doubted you,” she said
, breaking the silence.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call.”

“What did they have, boy or girl?”

“A girl.
Elle. They named her after Chelsea’s roommate who was murdered.”

“Oh, how awful.
I mean nice, but awful.”

“Do you remember on the news about the ‘Spoilt Slayer’?” He shook his head as he recalled the name dubbed by the media.

“How could I not? The worst serial killer this city has ever had.”

“Well
, Chelsea was the survivor. It was how they met. Lucas is a detective. So it had a happy ending, so to speak.”

Isabelle shook her head as she remembered the news coverage and the horror Chelsea and Lucas would have endured. “Wow, they’ve had some tough times.”

“Yeah, but they have the baby now, so it’s all good.”

“Speaking about happy couples,” he said trying to diver
t her from the horrible subject, “Jared and Charlotte are having a small dinner party tomorrow night in celebration. Nathan and Carrie will be there with the kids and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me. You can bring Jesse too.”

“We’d love to.” She beamed.