you.”
With a high-pitched sigh, she bounced to tiptoe. “Likewise, Jet.” Her smile could have filled the room.
Winking, he leaned in. Before his lips touched her cheek, he glanced at Billie. He got the reaction he wanted.
She gasped, and her eyes blazed with fuming heat. Crossing her arms, she blanked her expression.
No beer could have given more of a lift. “Ashley,” he crooned.
The second contestant sidled toward him, all but drooling.
He slid his hands into hers. “You’ve been so good to me this week.”
“I tried.” Batting her lashes, she swished her hips.
“Keep trying, darlin’.”
Ashley swung her arms around his neck, her voluminous blonde hair obstructing his view.
Laughing, he pushed her shoulders back. “All right. Nice enthusiasm, Ashley. Mmm.” His thumb and forefinger traced his mouth. “Terry.”
Her smile tight, she approached with the nervousness of a first-time beauty pageant contestant.
Jet reached for both her hands. “You’re a sweet girl, but I think we both know there’s no connection. No spark.” Not that he could claim to have one with any of them.
Terry jerked her head in what he assumed to be a nod.
“I appreciate you coming here, and wish you all the best in life.”
“Goodbye.” She leaned forward, kissed his cheek and then hurried through the French doors, making him wonder if her packed bags waited by the front entrance.
With the aim of a heat-seeking missile, Cat slunk toward him and draped an arm across his shoulder.
He hadn’t even called her name. “Well, hello.”
Cat silenced his greeting by pressing against him, her hips sliding in concert with her lips.
A gasp of shock, maybe frustration, came from the remaining women. Jet angled to see one cameraman cut to Ashley, standing openmouthed. Another camera zoomed close on the couple. He firmed his grip to ease her away, but Cat’s locked arms signaled she intended to hold fast.
Why not? He had no reason not to enjoy this. He relaxed, and the barracuda in his arms renewed her attack.
When it grew a little hot for prime-time television, he broke away. “Easy now.” His forced smile faded when he saw Billie retreat down the walkway.
Probably to slice him open on the blog again. She had no other reason to leave.
The thought sent a pang of regret through him.
* * * *
Ocean waves crashed against the bluff behind the house, sending sprays of water into the air. With pink, gold and orange streaking the sky, the water lit up like a light show.
Billie phoned Zinta. “I miss Philly.”
“It’s fifty and raining. Stop whining.”
“Trade places with you,” she offered. Its gritty gloom was part of Philly’s signature charm.
“Not on your life.”
Billie grunted. She’d suspected as much. “So how’s Caleb?”
“I don’t know.” Zin’s terse reply signaled trouble.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“We haven’t been talking much. Or anything else.”
“Zin…”
“Listen, I have to go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Billie frowned at her cell. She knew those avoidance tactics. She’d used them on Zinta. Something must be wrong.
Justin appeared at her side, and gazed out over the bluff. “Pretty cool.”
“Yes, it’s beautiful.”
“You shouldn’t let it get to you.”
Had she been so obvious? “What?”
“Back there. It’s all for show. We’ll film commentary later and intercut it here. Probably Ashley will complain about Jet pushing her away, but allowing Cat to maul him onscreen. They all know the value of screen time.”
“I get it. I needed a walk, that’s all.”
He nodded. “I’m leaving soon to shoot Ashley’s date with Jet.”
Billie chuckled. She’d like to shoot Jet too.
“I’d offer to give you a lift, but I have to ride in the limo.”
“No, don’t worry about me. I can live without witnessing the big date.” So what if Everett squawked. She wrote about music, dammit. Not the dating habits of the semi-rich and
With a high-pitched sigh, she bounced to tiptoe. “Likewise, Jet.” Her smile could have filled the room.
Winking, he leaned in. Before his lips touched her cheek, he glanced at Billie. He got the reaction he wanted.
She gasped, and her eyes blazed with fuming heat. Crossing her arms, she blanked her expression.
No beer could have given more of a lift. “Ashley,” he crooned.
The second contestant sidled toward him, all but drooling.
He slid his hands into hers. “You’ve been so good to me this week.”
“I tried.” Batting her lashes, she swished her hips.
“Keep trying, darlin’.”
Ashley swung her arms around his neck, her voluminous blonde hair obstructing his view.
Laughing, he pushed her shoulders back. “All right. Nice enthusiasm, Ashley. Mmm.” His thumb and forefinger traced his mouth. “Terry.”
Her smile tight, she approached with the nervousness of a first-time beauty pageant contestant.
Jet reached for both her hands. “You’re a sweet girl, but I think we both know there’s no connection. No spark.” Not that he could claim to have one with any of them.
Terry jerked her head in what he assumed to be a nod.
“I appreciate you coming here, and wish you all the best in life.”
“Goodbye.” She leaned forward, kissed his cheek and then hurried through the French doors, making him wonder if her packed bags waited by the front entrance.
With the aim of a heat-seeking missile, Cat slunk toward him and draped an arm across his shoulder.
He hadn’t even called her name. “Well, hello.”
Cat silenced his greeting by pressing against him, her hips sliding in concert with her lips.
A gasp of shock, maybe frustration, came from the remaining women. Jet angled to see one cameraman cut to Ashley, standing openmouthed. Another camera zoomed close on the couple. He firmed his grip to ease her away, but Cat’s locked arms signaled she intended to hold fast.
Why not? He had no reason not to enjoy this. He relaxed, and the barracuda in his arms renewed her attack.
When it grew a little hot for prime-time television, he broke away. “Easy now.” His forced smile faded when he saw Billie retreat down the walkway.
Probably to slice him open on the blog again. She had no other reason to leave.
The thought sent a pang of regret through him.
* * * *
Ocean waves crashed against the bluff behind the house, sending sprays of water into the air. With pink, gold and orange streaking the sky, the water lit up like a light show.
Billie phoned Zinta. “I miss Philly.”
“It’s fifty and raining. Stop whining.”
“Trade places with you,” she offered. Its gritty gloom was part of Philly’s signature charm.
“Not on your life.”
Billie grunted. She’d suspected as much. “So how’s Caleb?”
“I don’t know.” Zin’s terse reply signaled trouble.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“We haven’t been talking much. Or anything else.”
“Zin…”
“Listen, I have to go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Billie frowned at her cell. She knew those avoidance tactics. She’d used them on Zinta. Something must be wrong.
Justin appeared at her side, and gazed out over the bluff. “Pretty cool.”
“Yes, it’s beautiful.”
“You shouldn’t let it get to you.”
Had she been so obvious? “What?”
“Back there. It’s all for show. We’ll film commentary later and intercut it here. Probably Ashley will complain about Jet pushing her away, but allowing Cat to maul him onscreen. They all know the value of screen time.”
“I get it. I needed a walk, that’s all.”
He nodded. “I’m leaving soon to shoot Ashley’s date with Jet.”
Billie chuckled. She’d like to shoot Jet too.
“I’d offer to give you a lift, but I have to ride in the limo.”
“No, don’t worry about me. I can live without witnessing the big date.” So what if Everett squawked. She wrote about music, dammit. Not the dating habits of the semi-rich and
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