The Movie Star and the Spy (The Secret Billionaires #5)

Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

J ulian forced his expression to remain stoic as Destiny’s lit in undisguised confusion. “Blackmailing me?” She looked down at herself, spread out beautiful and oh so tempting on his bed. “If you didn’t notice, that’s not necessary.”

No, it wasn’t, and there was nothing he wanted more than to make love to her. Only it couldn’t happen, not if he wanted more than a simple affair. She was going to be astonished – hell, he was and he’d planned it – but it was his best chance. “Actually it’s the other way around. I don’t think we should make love.”

How he managed to keep a straight face, he had no idea.

She scooted back. “You don’t? Are you serious? We must have some serious signal crossing becaus–”

“No, I want to do this. Believe me, I really, really, really, re… um, I want to do this.”

She relaxed, a smile of feminine satisfaction playing on her lips. “Then what’s the problem? I’m supposed to be the voice of reason, but even I don’t have to ability to stop right now. What are you blackmailing me for? And with what?”

“Perhaps blackmailing is the wrong word, but I don’t think we should be intimate. That is, not unless you admit the truth.”

Her gaze immediately turned wary. “The truth?”

“The truth about how you feel. The truth that this is more than simple lust. The truth that it’s not impossible for it to continue.”

Her expression shuttered. She moved back, away from him, away from the attraction she couldn’t deny. “You’re wrong.”

Something was holding her back, and it had nothing to do with feelings. The emotion burning in her eyes betrayed her. “Then what is it?” he asked quietly. “Why can’t we explore it? What’s stopping you from admitting the truth?”

“Everything!” she suddenly shouted, her stalwart control slipping. “I can’t because of who you are, but more importantly, because of who I am!” She clamped her mouth shut, her eyes opened wide. She’d said too much.

He immediately assumed offense. “What do you mean who you are?”

She hesitated, no doubt trying to prevent another impulsive outburst. When she spoke, her voice was almost robotic. “You know who I am: Destiny Dane, Miss Excavator Falls, aspiring actress and personal assistant. And soon I’ll take another project, and you’ll move on to your next blockbuster and starlet.”

He tightened. “You have this preconceived notion of how I should be. Did something happen, some experience that led you to believe all actors were shallow and insincere?”

She said nothing.

He stayed still for a moment, then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She gasped. “What are you doing?”

“Going to sleep.”

“After all this, you think I’m going to let you hold me?”

“I hope so.” And he truly did. Even if they weren’t intimate, he loved the feel of her in his arms. It was simply right, like she belonged there. Like she belonged to him.

She bristled, but surprisingly didn’t demand her immediate release. He waited a minute, and then a few more. He might’ve given up ecstasy, but he had no regrets. If it made her see the possibilities, it would be well worthwhile.

She sighed softly, shifting in his arms. Her breathing turned even and deep, her chest rising and falling in gentle rhythm. Satisfaction rose. She might act tough and hard, but underneath it all there was a softness to her. She trusted him to take care of her while she slept.

Hopefully his plan would work. He had just over a week to persuade her to admit the truth, because once work resumed it would be all but impossible. He pulled her even closer, smiling when she gave a little mewl of satisfaction. Tomorrow she would have an even harder time resisting him.

He would make sure of it.

Cheyenne awoke to a cool breeze and the sounds of birds in morning song. She snuggled closer to the source of heat under the vegan down blanket. The band of warmth surrounding her tightened.

Wait – what band of warmth?

Or rather whose ?

She shot up, or rather she tried, but the arm tightened and prevented it. “Julian!” she hissed. “Wake up!”

His response: pull her a little closer.

Every sense became overloaded with unfulfilled desire, as vibrant light illuminated the world, brightest at the open portal. Wait – the open portal? “I know you’re awake. You opened the windows.”

“Did I?” The fully awake voice held no remorse. “I suppose I’m caught.”

“Let. Me. Go.”

“Never.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Mind,” he added. “Never-mind.”

Only that’s not what he’d planned to say, and certainly not what he meant. An unbidden shiver made taut muscles quiver. “Are you planning on letting me go?”

“I’m considering it, but leaning toward no.”

“And I’m leaning toward a charge of false imprisonment.”

He finally let her go, but not before bringing her closer for a good morning embrace. And, damn, she enjoyed it. “Don’t get any ideas,” she warned. “You were right yesterday to stop our extracurricular activities.” No, he wasn’t. “Since I’m not giving in to your so-called blackmail, we’ll never have to worry about that again.” Yeah, right. It would be a miracle if she made it past noon.

“Sure,” he said with the ease of a man who knew he’d already won. “Ready to get started?”

Oh, she was ready all right. She’d start with his neck, then his chest, then lower… She licked her lips, stopped her thoughts. Noon was seeming optimistic.

“Would you like a tour of the island?”

“That sounds great!” She jumped at the distraction, a little too enthusiastically, perhaps.

He grinned. “I’m glad you like the idea. Breakfast is bagels, cream cheese and fruit, and there are picnic lunches in the fridge. It’s a pretty small island so we shouldn’t have any trouble walking it.”

“Sounds good.” Somehow, she managed to temper her voice as she slowly rolled out of bed, accidentally brushing against Julian. She stretched, annoyingly well rested after sleeping in his arms all night. “What a coincidence you told me to bring extra clothes, almost as if you knew we’d be stuck on this island.”

“Isn’t it?” He smiled broadly.

“You have no guilt whatsoever, do you?”

“Not the slightest.”

She couldn’t stop a small laugh. “All right then, let’s go check out this island prison… I mean paradise.”

“After you, my prisone… I mean guest.”

Cheyenne travelled to the guest room he had given her, which had been used little. It would get use tonight, she promised. She changed into khaki shorts and a lavender scoop neck shirt with tiny flower embellishments and wispy cap sleeves. Her hair was pulled into a simple ponytail, with ringlets escaping down the sides. After a trip to the restroom, she donned her hiking boots and set out toward the dining room.

Breakfast turned out nicer than expected, with bagels that came from a famous Miami bakery, juicy grapes, freshly squeezed orange juice and the sweetest strawberries she’d ever tasted. She had a huge poppy seed bagel, toasted to perfection and covered with smooth chive cream cheese. Once they finished eating, Julian grabbed a large paper bag from the fridge, and they departed for their walk.

The island might have been relatively small, but it didn’t seem so as they meandered through the lush natural world. They wound their way between tall palm trees and flower-adorned vines, over St. Augustine grass paths and under brilliant pink and violet bougainvilleas. Fluffy squirrels, dappled rabbits and emerald lizards scurried in the brush, while colorful parrots, blue birds and sparrows flew among the trees. Cheyenne hopped over a miniature brook. “This is lovely.”

Julian pushed aside leaves as big as him to let them to pass. “And there’s only two bears.”

Cheyenne halted.

He winked. “Just kidding.”

She grimaced. “The joke’s going to be on you when you discover a bear stowed away on the boat.”

He only laughed and grasped her hand.

As they walked, Julian pointed out a variety of plants, sharing his vast knowledge of the local flora and fauna. By the time they reached a small clearing with a sparkling, pristine lake, she’d all but attended a guided nature tour. “How did you learn about all this? Wait, let me guess. In addition to being a world-famous actor, you’re also a noble prize winning scientist.”

“Of course. I’m also a Supreme Court judge, quarterback for the Miami Dolphins and President of the United States. And, on the side, I’m an undercover spy.”

She stumbled.

He caught her before she could fall. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. I got caught on a branch.” Or simply broke when he inadvertently mentioned her true profession.

His concern warmed her, as he moved closer. “What about you? Any big roles I should know about?”

She shrugged. “I’m at least one of those.”

“Obviously.” He grinned. “I’m not actually a botany expert. A friend of mine is, however, and he shared his knowledge during a get-together.”

A get-together, as in a guys’ retreat or something that involved ladies? Of course, it really was none of her business. She shouldn’t care, and most certainly shouldn’t ask.

“The island gets a lot of use.” He relocated a branch in her path. “It’s a great place to bring my family and friends. Of course, I only allow people I trust. The last thing I need is a hidden camera at the tiki hut.”

Cheyenne nodded absently.

“What is it?” A slow, leisurely smile formed. “Do you want to know if I bring other women here?”

“Of course not.” She flushed. “I mean, that’s none of my business. You could bring a hundred ladies here, a thousand even…”

“A million?”

“A million. It’s your island after all.”

The smile widened into a full grin. “As ideal as this place is for a romantic getaway, I’ve never felt the need – or desire – to bring another woman here. You’re the first.”

The satisfaction was unbidden, strong and impossible to ignore. She glanced away. “It’s none of my business. I was just curious how you used it.”

He brushed his fingers under her chin, softly caressing the sensitive skin. His smile was soft and warm. “I’m glad you care.”

She opened her mouth to deny it, but the lie wouldn’t form. She gestured toward the picnic basket. “So what’s on the menu?”

He smiled, but allowed the distraction. “Actually, I’m not sure. My housekeeper prepared it.”

She remembered the older couple from her arrival. “That’s the woman I saw leaving the island when we came?”

“That’s right. She and her husband take care of the place when I’m not here. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement – the island is watched over, and they get a nice place to live.” He opened the bag and brought out two long subs. He gave them each one, then pulled out half a dozen platters containing various salads, fresh fruits and cookies. He handed her a hardy paper plate, utensils and a bottled water.

Cheyenne wet her lips. “Looks great.”

“It should taste good, too. My housekeeper doubles as a chef, and she gets fresh food from the mainland once a week.”

She bit into the sandwich and sighed at the flavorful delight. The sub was overstuffed with fresh vegetables, cheeses and a variety of sauces, artfully arranged for a colorful display. “This is delicious.” She patted her face with a napkin. “It’s like she just picked the vegetables.”

“She probably did. There’s a vegetable garden on the other side of the house.” He took a bite of his own sub. “We share the produce with the mainland when we’re not here.”

They ate in silence for a few minutes, finishing both sandwiches. Afterwards they dined on pasta and potato salads and sweet lemon cookies. Cheyenne was more than full when she placed down her napkin. “Once again, my compliments to the chef. Please thank your housekeeper for me.” Mischief sparked. “Although if you want a little spice next time, I know just the one–”

“Not in a million years.”

She laughed. For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, overlooking the crystal cool waters of the brook. Despite the welcome shade of the tree canopy, the day had grown warm, and the water was pure and inviting. “Do you swim here?”

“Every chance I get.” He gestured toward the bank. “Interested in a little dip?”

“I wish I could, but I didn’t bring a bathing suit.”

“That’s okay.” His grin turned wolfish “Actually, that’s great. I’ve already seen your secrets, multiple times if you recall. Shall I prove it? There’s the cutest little beauty mark on your inner thigh, on the very upper part. If you’d like, I can show you…”

He leaned in, and she gave a hard shove. He didn’t know all her secrets. “Even if you’ve seen everything, we shouldn’t do it again, as you so wisely decreed yesterday.”

His smile was all wicked as he moved back. “Afraid you’ll give in to temptation if we swim naked?”

Precisely. Absolutely. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. “Definitely not.”

“Too bad.” He nodded at the sparkling waters. “There’s nothing like a cool swim on a warm afternoon. Want to play a game instead?”

Relief, disappointment and no small amount of surprise narrowed her eyes. He’d given in far easier than expected. “A game sounds fun.”

He removed a deck of cards from the basket. “Poker?”

“Sure.”

Although her mind stayed on swimming… well really on Julian swimming… well really on Julian swimming naked, the card game proved enjoyable. They played a dozen rounds, each winning about half. They talked, laughed and joked, alternating dealer duties. After he’d lost a particular close hand, Julian shuffled the deck in his hands. “Too bad you didn’t have anything riding on that last round. Want to add something to make it interesting?”

She chuckled and shook her head. “My paycheck is missing most of your zeros. I like to hold on to what I got.”

“How about we wager something else?”

“Like what?” She waved at the lush, natural surroundings. “Coconuts?”

“Actually, I was thinking of something more clothing-like.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Nope.”

“You really expect me to play strip poker with you?”

“It would solve the bathing suit problem.” He winked. “We could go for that dip you’ve been craving.”

“Yeah, but there’s still the ‘we’ll be naked’ problem.”

His expression showed he didn’t think it was a problem. “What if I make the stakes worth your while?”

She bit back the no, proceeded cautiously, “What sort of stakes? Your reward is pretty obvious.”

“Playing definitely has its advantages,” he admitted, “but I want more.”

What he wanted was obvious. And damn it, she wanted it just as much. Yet she couldn’t give in. “I. Am. Not. Betting. That.”

He laughed. “I never dreamed of asking you to gamble that . I’m the one who stopped us yesterday, remember?” He grimaced. “However, if you’re ready to admit…”

“Don’t say it.” She raised her hand. “If you’re looking for a confession, the answer is still no. Not that there’s a confession to make.”

He clearly didn’t believe the lie. “How about we make it simple? If I win, we go on another date.”

Another date? She might not make it through this one. “Our first date was one night, our second was a weekend and this one is a week and a half. If we go out again, it’ll last a month.”

“Good point. We should probably plan it for after production finishes.”

“Don’t you dare–”

“Fine. We’ll make it a normal one-night date. If you want to make it longer, I won’t stop you, but I’ll try not to plan any accidental plane trips to Italy. Although it’s lovely this time of year. Have you been to Venice?”

“Julian.”

“Of course, to get you there, I’m going to need your real name. For customs and everything. What is it again?”

She glared. “You already know my real name.”

“Destiny Dane isn’t your real name. You’re lying.”

About so many things. “Why are you so sure my name isn’t Destiny Dane?”

“Why are you so afraid to tell me the truth?” he countered. “What are you hiding?” He paused, yet she remained silent. His tone turned lower, yet no less powerful. “I wish you would trust me. I can’t stand back while you may be in trouble. I will discover the truth, even if I have to find out on my own.”

Cheyenne’s throat dried. He was no longer hinting. He was planning to investigate her.

“So why don’t you tell me now?” His expression bespoke fierce intelligence, pure power and raw challenge. “Who are you really?”