Jane Millionaire

“One day,” he finally continued. “I mentioned I planned to write, direct, and produce my own show to JP. He laughed and told me to tell him all about it. I did, and he made it happen.”

“Wow. That’s amazing.” JP had been more of a dad to Rob than his biological father. “So you’ve known JP for most of your life.”

“Yes.” Rob’s face turned sour. “My show didn’t hit the ratings it should thanks to my ex-wife’s interference. We were having marital problems at the time. I’d asked her for a divorce shortly into the first season, the only season, and she used the show as a backdrop for her tantrums.” He turned thoughtful. “But the show got my name out as a director, and one thing led to another until here I am in Europe. With you.”

“I’m glad,” she admitted, snuggling closer, and squelching her curiosity about his ex-wife. The woman must have been an idiot to let Rob go. To have wanted any other man when she’d had Rob.

“About?”

“That you’re here with me.” She touched his face, tracing the strong planes. “So very glad.”

“Just for one night, Jill. Tomorrow we both forget tonight ever happened, and we go about our lives, separately,” he reminded.

She bit back a gulp. “You’re sure that’s what you want?”

His eyes closed. “It’s what has to happen.”

“If you say so.” So, she sounded like a spoilsport. She didn’t care. She didn’t want to pretend an interest in one of the remaining bachelors. She already had an interest. In the man lying with her.

“I can’t believe I told you all that stuff.”

She lifted her head to search his face. Did he regret having revealed so much about himself? “Why not?”

“Because I don’t usually share personal information with anyone. Too much worry about the press printing every word from my mouth.”

“I’d never repeat the things you just told me.”

“No, I don’t think you would.” His chest rose and fell against her. His frustration a viable entity. “But I’ve been wrong before.”

“You’re not this time. When I asked you about your past, I wanted to know for me. No one else. I’m sorry if I gave you reason to think otherwise.”

“I bet you’re one hell of an interrogator for the police force. No criminal stands a chance. You ask a question and they just start blabbing.” He half-smiled although she could tell he was starting to over-analyze the night’s events.

She laughed softly, wanting to hang onto their temporary closeness. “If only they’d let me interrogate bad guys. I just get to catch them and haul their butts in for someone else to question.”

“Will you go back to the force after you leave Europe?”

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I?”

“I assumed you’d relocate to Hollywood.”

“You assumed wrong.”

“Maybe.” His expression shifted, as if he were battling a losing war. “Jill, you need to go back to your room.”

“Huh?” Whatever war he’d been waging, she’d apparently come out as the loser.

“As much as I’d like you to remain in my bed all night, you can’t stay. The cameras in your room recorded you entering mine.”

Uh-oh. That one had flown right over her head. She should have tossed a towel over that blasted camera.

“No one will know what we’re doing.” She didn’t want to go to her room. She wanted her night. Her whole night. Not just a stolen snippet. She wanted to wake up in his arms. Was that asking for too much?

“No, but you have to go to your room before it’s too late. For the record, we reviewed the video footage of the bachelor’s daycare shots. Not the most brilliant of plans, but at least it gives a halfway plausible reason for you to have been in my suite this long. If anyone asks, I’ll simply say we were going over your options again.”

“My options?” How was she supposed to go on with this charade now that she knew what being with Rob was like? She didn’t want options--unless they included him.

“Regarding the bachelors,” he paused. With every second that passed, she knew her fate was sealed. “Nothing’s changed. We’ll stick to our original agreement.”