“Wackos? I assure you none of them are crazy. They’re carefully selected bachelors from around the world.” Lines on his forehead deepened into a vee above the bridge of his nose.
“Whatever. If you ask me, anyone who’d agree to do a reality TV show has to be a bit strange.”
His lips inched upwards and Jill’s heart rate kicked up a notch at just how attractive he really was. “You agreed to do a reality show. Not only agreed, but competed for the privilege.”
“Point taken.”
His eyes twinkled with amusement. Her insides turned to mush. Oh Jessie, what have you gotten me into this time?
Put her in the line of fire, and she was as cool as a cucumber, but pretending to be a princess for a reality TV show? She almost broke out in hives at the thought.
She met Rob’s eyes and wished she could tell him the truth, but he didn’t look as if he’d understand. Jessie had signed a contract and spent the advance the network had given her. Jill had no choice but to see this charade through if she wanted her sister to remain happy. The memory of just how happy Jessie looked when she’d waved her bejeweled left hand kept Jill’s mouth closed. She’d just have to think of the show as an undercover job. But as the center of twelve men’s attention?
Her gaze dropped to her bare arms to be sure big red welts weren’t popping out on her skin. “What if they all hate me?”
He scanned her from head to toe. A slow perusal that made her feel as if he could see right through her no-nonsense, khaki slacks and navy, short-sleeved blouse. She resisted the urge to shift her weight as he lingered at her chest. So she wasn’t a C cup like Jessie, but she’d never had any complaints about her generous B’s. Okay, so she hadn’t had a lot of compliments either. Still, more than a handful went to waste, right?
Jill looked up to the dark-haired hunk eyeing her. Tiny hairs on her neck stood at attention. A reaction she usually only got when confronting danger. His gaze unnerved her in ways even the toughest thug couldn’t accomplish. Rob looked as dangerous as danger got. Her breath caught.
“They won’t hate you.” His tone left no doubt. Lethal. Rob Lancaster was positively lethal. Maybe she should handcuff him to her just for safekeeping--not that he’d be safe from her if handcuffs and his body were involved.
“How can you be sure?” she asked, fighting the mental image of the man handcuffed and at her mercy.
“Just take my word for it.”
Jill’s eyes widened. This wonderfully scrumptious man saw her as a woman, a desirable woman. Having practically asked for his assessment, she felt foolish. She was a fool. Just being here proved that. Intellectual, tough as nails Jill Davidson--practical till the end.
But not for the next few weeks.
For a short while she had to be Jessie Davidson, her younger sister by ten months. Her irresponsible sister who was everything Jill wasn’t. Feminine. Flamboyant. Sexy. Jessie who had always been popular with the men and who was the center of attention no matter where she went. Jessie who would run her tongue invitingly over her lips and offer to let Rob handcuff her to the bed. Jill gulped at the mental image.
She was tired of being one of the boys.
Rob’s gaze made her feel deliciously female, and she liked the unfamiliar sensation.
“Thank you.” She smiled. If he was an example of what the bachelors would be like, the next few weeks might not be so bad, after all. Too bad he wasn’t one of the bachelors. She could make her pick right now and save the film crew a lot of hassle. “I look forward to working with you.” That had to qualify as the understatement of the year.
Her hand automatically extended, and he shook it.
“That’s some grip you’ve got there.” His eyes danced.
Heat infused her face. She wasn’t sure if it originated from his comment or from the lightening that streaked through her from where they touched. She jerked her hand away.
“I work out.” Competing in a man’s world she had to.
“Obviously, Jane.” His gaze raked over her with renewed appreciation. His lips curved.
Her heart flip-flopped.
The man had a killer smile and a tall, muscular body that probably had women dropping at his feet. She took a deep breath and shoved aside the wicked thoughts his smile filled her with. She had enough to worry about without complicating matters by lusting after the producer. She would lose her job, her reputation, possibly her freedom if she got caught and the network pressed charges. Fraud. Yep, that’s what she was and she needed to keep as much distance between she and Rob as she could. “You know Jane isn’t really my name.”
“Only JP and I know your true identity, and we both think of you as Jane. You have no other name. And, to answer your question, no, you don’t have to marry one of the bachelors.” He plowed a hand through the midnight silk on his head, then added with a thigh-melting wink, “Although, it might help the ratings if you did.”
“That’s a relief. I have no desire to get married.” Not to some guy she met while pretending to be her sister.
He looked taken aback. “That’s not what you said during your interviews. I may not have physically been there, but I did read over the transcripts.”
Transcripts? Her stomach plummeted. Had she just made a major slip?