Page 67 of A Lucky Shot

“Good. He’s misguided, but he loves her,” Dawson said, smiling down at her. “That’s what I’m going for.”

A muscle in Josh’s cheek jumped. “Everybody loves a hero.”

“Not everyone,” Dawson replied, stamping his feet.

Josh reached out and pulled Cass out of her chair, tucking her back in close against his front. “You see, the glow?” he said, pointing to the monitor with a gloved hand.

In theory, she saw it. It was right in front of her face, but his breath tickling the shell of her ear stole her attention. “Mm-hmm,” was all she could get out and heat crept down her neck and under her downy parka.

Josh’s hand slid down the length of her arm to find her mittened hand, closing his fist around it. “These keeping you warm enough?”

I want to taste every inch of you. The last time his lips had been that close to her, he’d been buried deep inside her, his hands claiming her body like he owned it. Cass swayed on her feet, trying not to lean into him.

“I’m not cold.” Anymore.

He let a disbelieving noise escape his throat. “If we’d got this scene any earlier, it would have been too dark. Whatever you said to Dawson worked.”

“What we said to Dawson worked.” Her willpower broke, and she closed her eyes as she tilted back on her heels.

He inhaled as her weight leaned into him, closing any distance left between them. He smelled warm and fresh, more citrus than sandalwood, his breath on her neck spreading heat across her body. The pace of her heartbeat picked up from a canter to a gallop in her veins.

“Dawson’s standing right here,” Dawson said, eyes flicking between the two of them.

Josh released her so quickly she stumbled back a pace. “I have what I need. Where’s Libby? We can tear down.”

Cass watched him retreat to consult with Stephen and Libby, and she was left with the cold swirling around her neck and her heart thumping in her chest. She drew a slow breath through pursed lips, shivering slightly.

This is what he does. Ignore it. Seduction is his neutral gear. A reflex. He probably doesn’t even notice he’s doing it.

But he could have asked a PA to call for Libby, instead of leaving me here.

“You alright?”

She dragged her eyes away from Josh’s back, pushing down the flutters. “Yep,” she said, smiling widely. “Good job out there.”

“You’re looking cold there, darlin’,” Dawson said, his breath misting around him. “We need to get some coffee or something in you.”

A jet of steam huffed out her nose like a dragon, and she glanced around in false secrecy. “If you promise not to tell anyone, I bring a thermos of hot chocolate to winter shoots. Way better than that stuff from craft services.”

She rooted in her bag to bury herself in the distraction. She untwisted the lid from the battered carafe and poured out a stream of the rich chocolate into its serving cup, tendrils of rich steam curling around her fingers.

She always brought enough hot chocolate to share, and if Josh wanted to disappear, he wouldn’t get anything sweet from her. “Come on, I’ll hook you up.”

Dawson took the proffered cap and sipped, ending in a groan. “That warmed me right to my toes,” he said, and took another swig. “I have never been so grateful there aren’t shirtless scenes in this movie. I would never be able to drink this on one of those superhero diets.”

“Don’t worry. If you put on two ounces, I’ll let out your tailoring again,” she teased, taking back the cup, and stashing it back in her bag. Her eyes wandered over to Josh, who watched her through narrowed eyes, his arms crossed over his chest.

God, he looked good when he was glowering, too. She smiled and waved, determined not to let her mind travel down that road.

What the hell was wrong with her?

“I was thinking,” Dawson started, “would you?—”

“Good job, Big D,” Libby interrupted as she walked up. “Josh needs to talk to you about this afternoon. He has thoughts.”

Dawson blinked at the interruption. “Oh, sure,” he replied, and tossed a quirky smile at Cass as he followed the summons.

Libby pulled Cass away from the crew tearing down the station, to a space as secluded as could be found on a set with a few dozen people milling about. “Anything new on the romance front?”