“Joe killed your partner… I don’t know! Think about something that pisses you off.”
I sat up and wrapped the sheet around my body. It was hard to pretend and be naked at the same time.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Ryan asked while trying to tug the sheet out of my hands. “I like that view!”
I playfully slapped his hand away. “I have to focus!”
“The script says that this is a nude scene,” he insisted, pulling the sheet off of me. “Just ignore the cameras,” he teased.
I rolled my eyes. Fighting him was a lost cause.
I thought about confronting the idiot who smashed my window with a rock - how I’d like to smash a rock through their window. I looked at Ryan and proceeded to glare at him.
“I thought about killing you for a long time now, Joe,” I said coolly. “I’m just glad today is the day I finally get my wish. That wasn’t beer you just drank. It was poison. If you tell me where he is, I just might give you the antidote.”
Ryan flashed a big grin at me. “That was pretty good! I liked the improv!”
I just continued glaring at him, hoping he would play along. His happy expression disappeared when I kept giving him the dirty look.
He pretended to pop something in his mouth.
“You forget, Peaches, that my agency developed that poison. Sorry to disappoint you, but I won’t be dying today. You on the other hand…” He sprang up and pinned me to the bed. His body straddled mine; his hands held my wrists to the mattress. His aggressive acting actually turned me on.
“I just might be inclined to let you live,” he said persuasively. “But it all depends on what you’re willing to do for your country.”
“I’ll never give in to you, Joe!” I said with conviction and squirmed under his grip. “You may be strong enough to take my body, but my heart belongs to Ryan.”
He leaned down and kissed me passionately. I didn’t know if we were still playing or if he was serious, but his kiss was definitely serious. He released my wrists and I tangled my fingers into his hair as his tongue swirled with mine.
“I thought your heart belongs to Ryan?” he snickered.
“It does. As does the rest of my body.”
“Hmm!” He smiled his glorious smile at me. “That’s good to know! Now flip over so I can carve my initials back here.”
I let out a shriek as he grabbed my rear.
Chapter 15 – Dinner
“We need to get out of bed and get dressed,” Ryan said, noting the time.
“Are you insane?” I asked. “I thought the plan was to stay in bed all day?” I was surprised that he wanted to go somewhere. Him of all people!
“We can’t. We have dinner plans tonight.” He was smiling in a way that worried me.
“We do?” I was confused. He hadn't mentioned having dinner plans all day. Thoughts of another yacht trip came to mind.
“Yep. We’ve been invited to Cal and Kelly’s for dinner and I told them I would drag you along,” he said while pulling on my hand to drag me out of bed.“
But, but…” I whined. I really wanted to stay in bed and avoid the photographers that were lurking about.
“I promise, we’ll stay in bed all day tomorrow if it makes you happy.” I noted the sarcasm in his voice.
“Oh yeah, like that wouldn’t make you happy too!” I gave him a light shove. He grabbed me around the waist and moved me out of the way so he could dart out the doorway first, laughing on his way to the bathroom.
I had just slipped a white tank top over my head when Ryan came back into the bedroom.
“Nice!” he said. “Pants optional this evening?”
“Not wearing pants tonight.” I put on a charcoal gray sweater dress over my tank. The dress came down mid thigh and had a deep V-shaped neckline and an attached hood. It was another new addition to my wardrobe.
I zipped up my black suede high-heeled boots to finish off the look.
Ryan looked at me strangely.
“Is this okay?” I asked anxiously, worried that he didn’t approve. I knew the paparazzi were waiting outside to take our picture.
“Very much so!” He nodded. “You look adorable. Very sexy.”
Ryan dressed in his signature style, layering a long-sleeved steel gray collared shirt over a white T-shirt and jeans. We sort of matched.
“Wait, before we go I have something that would go great with your outfit.” He unzipped his bag. He deliberated for a moment, making sure he had the right package before handing me a gorgeous gift bag.