Hollywood Ever After (Red Carpet 1)

“A Ferris wheel is all well and good. But if the boy’s on the hunt for a dragon, we’ll have to look a bit further into the country.” Josh smiled. “That’s where you’ll find them.”

“Were you an avid dragon hunter as a boy?” I asked.

He nodded, never taking his eyes from me. I felt heat flooding my cheeks, but couldn’t look away.

Natalie and Helen brought the box of assembled sweets to the table, arriving in time to overhear the exchange.

Natalie asked, “Are you going to come with us tomorrow?”

Josh looked at me, arching an eyebrow. “Am I?”

“If you’re free?” I spoke quickly. “If you want to. If it sounds like fun?”

He smiled. “I am, I do, and it does.”

My smile grew. I could feel it.

“One thing.” He paused, arching a mischievous eyebrow and leveling his gorgeous smile. “Is your phone fixed? Or do you have a new number?”

I smiled and dug through my bag. “Here. It’s new.”

After he’d programmed his number into mine and my number into his, he sat back with a satisfied smile.

“Now that that’s settled, why not bring a knife over and we can share?” My mother stared into the box.

Shannon did too. “I like that idea, Marty. Otherwise things could get nasty.”

An hour later, we prepared to call it a night. Helen and Josh were going home one way, while the hotel was another. Natalie, Shannon, and Mom sat inside our cab, while Helen waited in the car. Each of them was pretending to give Josh and me a moment’s privacy.

“Until morning, then?” His hand grasped the compass, his thumb stroking the skin over my collarbone. He swallowed, watching me exhale shakily.

“Come for breakfast? Get an early start?” I wasn’t playing hard to get, not even a little bit.

“How early is too early?” His voice was low, husky.

“But you’re not a morning person.” I smiled, remembering.

“I can be. Besides, it’s the letting go now that I’m having trouble with.” I heard the tension in his voice. I felt the same way.

“Tomorrow’s not too far away.” I tried to reassure us both as I gazed up at him. My eyes got tangled up in his.

He bent, his breath caressing my temple, to drop a soft kiss on my cheek. “Good night, Claire.”

“Good night.” I resisted the urge to kiss him, to pull him against me. Natalie was sitting in the taxi, watching and waiting.

Josh helped me into the taxi and shut the door. Natalie waved goodbye from the window as we drove away.

“Now do you have something to tell me?” my mother asked.

Natalie turned wide eyes on us. “Like what?”

Shannon giggled. “Really, Natalie?”

“You mean that Josh is Mom’s boyfriend?” She stared at me, smiling. “He’s got it really bad for you, Mom.”

“Really?” I asked, sounding pleased.

My mother smiled. “Y