Here All Along by Crista McHugh Page A

tongue, and before she could stop herself, she was following his lead and kissing him back.
    She’d kissed him before as part of a role. After all, his big break was playing her boyfriend on TV. Back then, she’d had to fight off the giggles when shooting a kissing scene because it had been so awkward. But this was different. This kiss was pure indulgence. It awakened her senses like no other kiss had before. She tasted the faint sweetness of an apple on his tongue. She inhaled his familiar scent with each breath she drew. She savored the pressure of his hand against the small of her back and the steady throb of his heart vibrating through his chest. She grew more aware of him with every flick of her tongue, every movement of her lips, until she could no longer deny her attraction to him.
    She wanted Gideon Kelly. Preferably, in her bed.
    Which, of course, would ruin everything.
    But that didn’t stop her from enjoying the moment. She made no effort to end the kiss until someone let out a shrill whistle and started applauding.
    Reality crashed into her with the force of a city bus, and she broke away with a gasp. Her vision was hazy, but that didn’t stop her from pushing away and stumbling back a few steps. Her breaths came quick and sharp as though she’d just finished doing speed drills on the treadmill. More applause filled the set, and as her vision came into focus, she realized Gabe and several members of the crew were clapping.
    Embarrassment quickly morphed into panic. This couldn’t be happening. Her pulse pounded in her ears, and her cheeks burned as she looked around the room. Everyone was watching her. Everyone had seen her kiss Gideon.
    She came back to the one person who’d started this all. Gideon held out his hand to her. “Red?”
    She tried to speak, but her throat tightened. Dear God, she just wanted to breathe, but the closer he came to her, the harder it was to draw in that life-sustaining air. She had to get away from him. Her eyes stung with tears. She kept backpedaling until she collided with one of the grips. That was enough to jolt her out of her panic attack. She spun around and bolted for the door.
    ***
    “Red!” Gideon started to chase after Sarah, but Karl blocked his path and grabbed his arm.
    “Who was that?” the director asked.
    He tried to shake free, but by the time he managed to get around Karl, Sarah was long gone.
    Shit!
    “Answer me, Kelly.”
    Defeat wilted his spirit. He’d kissed her. He’d gone out on a limb and taken the risk and kissed her. And damn it, she was kissing him back until someone’s catcall ruined everything. But for those few precious moments…
    It was the closest to heaven he’d ever been.
    He sucked down a few breaths and waited for his heart to stop hammering. “She’s my assistant.”
    “Bullshit.” Karl got in his face and poked his finger into Gideon’s chest. “If I’m going to have another actress disrupt my set—”
    “She’s not an actress.” The lie unsettled him. Anyone watching would’ve seen Red’s talent. “At least, not anymore. She’s just my assistant.”
    “What are you trying to pull?”
    “Nothing, Karl. She was just helping me block the scene so that when Mackinzie shows up, I’ll be ready to go.”
    He ran through the events in his mind. He should’ve stopped like he had in the past, but when she pressed her body against him and looked up at him with that seductive glance, all common sense flew out the window. It was his chance to do what he longed to do off the set, to kiss her and see if she carried the same spark of attraction. He never expected it to turn into wildfire.
    Maybe there was some truth in the script. He’d played with fire, and now he was getting burned.
    Karl took a step back, but his eyes remained narrow with suspicion. “She’s good.”
    “I know. Why do you think I asked her to help me?”
    “No, I mean good enough to be working on a set, not fetching you coffee. Who is she?”
    Gideon