The Movie Star's Red Hot Holiday Fling(13)

Jessie smoothed her hands down the shimmering skirt. She didn’t recognize the woman reflected in the mirror, nor the luminous glow that seemed to come from somewhere deep within her. “When Blake promised he’d take care of everything, he wasn’t kidding.” She scoped all the boxes and bags that had been delivered to her family’s living quarters at dawn.

Her mom held up a shoebox. “You ready to put these on?”

Jessie checked the contents again. Sandals any red-blooded woman would covet were nestled inside the protective tissue. She lifted one out, and the heel had just enough height to accentuate the curve of her calves. Caressing the sweep of satin, playing with the beadwork at the ankle, she sighed. “I do love them.”

“Hurry up, Cinderella.” Her sister Hannah popped into Jessie’s bedroom. “Your date’s getting antsy. After all, he’s giving the bride away.”

The entire day had been like a strange fairy tale told in fast forward with no time to press pause. From the minute she’d accepted Blake’s request to join him at the wedding, he’d catapulted into full-on action. First they had Skyped Constanza with the news about his walk-on role in the next Quinn Sawyer movie. Then Blake called in his stylists and arranged for Jessie to have a complete makeover.

Though this date was only part of a casual fling, she didn’t dare deny the fantasy. Not to her mother. Not to her sister. And not to herself.

For months she’d been a shadow of herself, her injuries making her feel like a monster held together by stitches, pins, tape, scars. But with her cropped hair professionally styled into a chic short sweep across her brow, her face polished by a makeup artist’s deft technique, and the long open slit in her designer dress revealing her left leg to perfection, she kept wanting to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Blake had given her butterfly wings and enough pixie dust to soar.

Reality didn’t have a place in this room. Not even if it loomed in the near future.

She spread her arms, twirled, then wiggled into the sexy designer sandals. “And they fit like a dream,” Jessie said, smiling at her sister and mom.

They grinned back. Something loosened inside Jessie’s chest, drifted out of her heart, and welled up behind her eyes. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a pill.” Her voice wavered.

“Don’t cry, or you’ll ruin your makeup,” her mom said with an answering sheen of emotion in her gaze.

“Just don’t turn back into a badass pumpkin.” Hannah crossed the room to spritz some of her homemade body spray on Jessie’s shoulders.

The aroma of sunshine and meadows from her sister’s fragrance tickled her nose. “I won’t,” Jessie promised. “And thanks again for the massage lotion. It’s helping.”

“I’m glad.” Hannah flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “Get out of here. Your prince is waiting for you by the Christmas tree downstairs. And I’ve got a hot date.”

Jessie hugged Hannah. “Have a blast.”

For the first time, the word didn’t carry the tag of hurt behind it. Then Jessie’s mom wrapped her arms around her. “Love you, Momma,” she whispered, inhaling the comforting scent of chocolate chip cookies.

“Love you right back.” Her mom held her at length, gave her one final approving glance. “I believe I’ll give that man of yours extra marshmallows next time I see him.”

“You’re on.”

Jessie whipped around. Blake leaned against the doorjamb all sexilicious in a black tux that hugged his broad shoulders to perfection. An instant chorus of hormonal hallelujahs rang through her. Unable to find her tongue, dizzy, Jessie remained speechless.

While she had plenty of exposure to his testosterone during their workouts, Blake Johnston in a tuxedo was devastatingly gorgeous. He radiated sex appeal in all caps followed by super seductive with multiple exclamation points.

Blake’s video footage and publicity photos didn’t capture the sheer animal magnetism, the overpowering charisma, or the intensity of his penetrating emerald green eyes. Eyes that seemed to drink her in as if she were a tall glass of sweet tea on a sultry, southern summer night.

The atmosphere charged between them. As quick as lightning, her sister and mother bolted out of the room, leaving her, and her sensually fired up nerves, alone with Blake.

He moved toward her with an easy, confident stride until they were mere inches apart. “If I’d known buying a beautiful woman a pretty dress and some sexy shoes would guarantee me top billing in your mom’s marshmallow handouts, I’d have decked you out sooner.” His teeth flashed white and his cheek dimpled, the humor reaching his eyes, crinkling the corners. “You look good enough to eat.”