Dreaming With A Broken Heart (Hollywood Legends Book 1) by Mary J. Williams

said as he struck a match.
    “Everything is better by candlelight.”
    Jade blinked, her eyes wide — vulnerable. A man could
    drown in those eyes .
    “No,” Garrett whispered. “Don’t turn away,
    Jade.”
    Tentatively, Garrett lifted his hand, then hesitated when
    Jade’s eyes widened. To his relief, she didn’t flinch. Instead, she jutted her
    chin out almost daring him. His touch was gentle — almost a caress — turning
    her face toward him and the flickering light.
    “Your skin is like fine silk,” Garrett said. He
    ran his thumb over her cheek.
    He now knew why she was reluctant to show him her face.
    Gaunt, he supposed was the word. Alarmingly so. Yet what Garrett saw didn’t
    make him want to turn away. He wanted to gather her close so he could protect
    her from a world that put the sadness in her large, expressive eyes.
    “Our fries are getting cold,” Jade sighed. Her
    face turned toward his hand, giving the palm a soft kiss before she pulled
    back.
    “So they are.” Garrett swallowed. That kiss. That
    small gesture moved him more than he could say. Almost as much as the thank
    you, he saw in her eyes.
    They made small talk for the rest of the meal. Garrett was
    happy when Jade ate a third of her hamburger and most of her French fries.
    Conversation helped. She didn’t have time to think about what she was putting
    in her mouth when Garrett entertained her. Location shoots were a breeding
    ground for hilarious anecdotes.
    “You did not fall into a portable toilet.”
    “Not in, as much as through,” Garrett chuckled
    ruefully. It was funny now. Then? Not so much. “When you work with actors
    known for pulling practical jokes, sometimes you become collateral
    damage.”
    “That must have been…”
    “Disgusting,” Garrett finished for her.
    “Crap, urine, and blue… dye, I guess. Whatever that chemical is they use
    in those things. After that, I made sure we rented the environmentally
    friendlier toilets. Once you’ve walked around for a week looking like a mottled
    Smurf, you never want that to happen again.”
    Jade smiled. Really smiled. Garrett decided his discomfort
    had been worth it.
    “Did you ever discover the toilet saboteur?”
    “Sure,” Garrett nodded. “Benjamin
    Larson.”
    “Oh, come on,” Jade gasped. “Now I know
    you’re kidding me. Benjamin Larson? He’s a Shakespearean legend. I saw his
    Hamlet last year when I was in New York. He was brilliant.”
    “He was ,” Garrett agreed. “On stage,
    he is as serious as a heart attack. Off, when he is passing the time on a movie
    set, he acts like a crazed three-year-old hopped up on too much sugar. And
    speaking of sugar.”
    Garrett cleared away their plates, putting them and the
    leftovers in a plastic bag. Then, giving Jade a spoon, he opened the last
    container.
    “Pudding.” Jade’s eyes grew wide, the hazel
    turning almost green.
    “Chocolate. My parents’ cook makes the best — bar
    none.”
    “You remembered.”
    “Surprised?” Garrett took her spoon, scooping up a
    bit of the creamy dessert.
    “You’re a busy man,” Jade said with a shrug.
    “In other words, the men in your life have not paid
    attention to your likes and dislikes.”
    Again, Jade shrugged.
    “Want to know what I think?” Garrett held the
    spoon out.
    “What do you think?”
    “Take a bite, then I’ll tell you.”
    Jade stared for a moment, long enough for Garrett to wonder
    if she was going to refuse. Finally, she opened her mouth. He held her gaze
    while her lips closed over the spoon
    “Mmm,” Jade sighed. “That is much better than
    the instant stuff.”
    “Instant? Sacrilege.”
    “Well?” Jade asked.
    “Oh right. I think you need to hang out with a better
    class of man.”
    Before she could comment, Garrett offered another bite. Then
    another.
    “Aren’t you having some?”
    “Thank you for offering.”
    Before she could pull away, Garrett covered Jade’s mouth
    with his. The kiss was brief. But