Starfire(35)

“And I love the show.” I looked down at the table and shifted around my utensils. “You’re a great actor, Dalton. Not just a good one, but a great one. You have this magic that nobody else can touch. When I’m watching you, the whole world disappears.”

After a pause, he said, “Thanks.”

I looked over and nearly drowned in his gorgeous green eyes. “I’m serious,” I whispered. “There’s no One Vamp to Love without Drake.”

“They’ll test some side characters and promote a fan-favorite to co-star with Connor.”

“Ugh, he’s the worst.”

“My whole life would change. Instead of getting paid well and doing these great indie projects during the summer, I’d have to scramble and take what I could get.”

“You could be a big movie star.”

“Or I could drop to B-List and go on one of those dancing shows.” He fanned his hand through the air between us, as though clearing away bad karma. “I’ll be fine, Peaches. Whatever happens is going to happen. Why don’t you and I get married just because it’s fun?” He slid along the seat to be right next to me, his arm loosely around my back.

“Fun like trespassing on private property?”

He raised his dark eyebrows and pouted his lips for effect. “I’m not the one who slept on a sheik’s pool lounger in Malibu.”

I giggled at the memory. My life had gotten way more interesting since meeting Dalton.

He leaned in and kissed me on the forehead, right over the eyebrow.

I closed my eyes and savored his lips on my skin. When had we last kissed? Once, in LA, for the cameras, and before that, our last kiss was on the morning he left my bedroom. That had been before everything went sideways, and I got so angry… over a few mistakes that seemed so small now… especially with his hand on my leg.

He pulled away from the kiss and turned to look at the set table before us. “Burger?”

“I don’t know if I can eat, but put one on my plate and we’ll see what happens.”

Grinning, he passed me some condiments. “Yes, let’s put everything on your plate and see what happens.”

The construction noises continuing outside seemed louder now.

“What exactly are you doing to that poor, little innocent cabin? Don’t tell me you’re putting those ridiculous airplane parts in as fans.”

“No, but good idea.” He took a bite and chewed slowly. “I’m just doing a full seismic upgrade and bringing the cabin into this century.”

“Why buy a cabin here in Beaverdale?”

“It’s a great cabin. And after the careful removal of just a few trees, it’ll be waterfront.”

“How many trees? Did you get permission?”

He insisted he did, and that he had permits, but I didn’t know whether to believe him or call bullshit and walk out the door.

I stayed, though, and we talked about his renovation plans as we ate dinner. He asked about the bookstore, and I brought him up to speed on the move and expansion. I paused at one point, teetering on the edge of telling him about Adrian, but the right words wouldn’t get in order and march out of my mouth. That always happens when I think about what I’m going to say. (In other words, infrequently.)

After dinner, we had strawberry cheesecake for dessert, and Earl Grey tea.

I stole a few glances across the small trailer toward the sleeping loft. The last time I’d been there, I’d given him something enjoyable, then snuck off when he fell asleep. Would that ploy work a second time? My inner thighs tingled at the imagined scenario.

We’d been quiet for a few minutes, sipping our tea with a gap of air between us on the banquette seat.

He cleared his throat and looked over at me, almost shyly. “When can I expect an answer to my proposal?”





CHAPTER 12


“I’m dating someone.”

That was my response to Dalton's sudden proposal.

“But he’s in Italy,” Dalton said.

I grimaced, which was not my most dainty expression. “Not Keith. Someone else. Don’t look at me like that. He’s someone I’ve known for a long time. We had a thing back in high school.” I grimaced again, embarrassed at the lie.

Dalton cracked the tiniest smile, and I wanted to kiss him so bad, to smother that smile under my lips and eat him up.

“What’s his name?”

“Adrian.”

“Do you think Adrian would mind if you married me?”

“Yes.”

“Not if he’s… disappeared.”

I stood and grabbed my purse. “Is it late? It feels late. I don’t hear any more construction going on out there. Should we go out and check?”