Page 74 of Bad Reputation

“How did you get on the case anyhow?” It wasn’t as if props were her problem.

“Eh, he looked really panicked, so I asked what was up and suggested he could ask the medic. When that failed, I remembered your shoulder.”

Cole had seen her do that several times now, check in with the cast and crew and troubleshoot problems. She was getting comfortable with her job, more confident about the flow and patter of the set.

It was a good look on her.

“There’s probably a chain of command, and it doesn’t involve the intimacy coordinator.”

“I could help, so I did.” She pointed to Cole’s shoulder. “How are you feeling?”

Cole rolled his arm. “A little stiff,” he admitted. “But I’ll make it through.”

“Just a couple weeks to go, and we’ll be done.”

They were in that mad dash to the end, full of small, jumbled scenes and bits. At this point, he had his nose pressed so far up against the glass, he’d entirely lost sight of the bigger picture.

But not of Maggie.

“Yup. Now that we’ve fixed the nightmare doll, I’m glad you stopped by. We’re supposed to make our day at about five p.m.”

“What a relief. These late nights are killing me.”

“The last couple of weeks always feel like that. Do you have anything planned tonight?” This was probably the last night they’d have off until they wrapped, and at that point, he had to get back to Los Angeles. Back to his real life.

The thought was strangely unsatisfying.

She shrugged. “I’d like to say a long soak in the tub, a massive meal from room service, and a book, but honestly, I’ll probably pass out at eight.”

That pretty much described every night of his now. “What about a short detour first? Pick you up at seven thirty–ish?”

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“If it’s hiking, I’m going to be so pissed.”

But he suspected she wouldn’t be.

EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL—NIGHT

“Where are we going?” Maggie asked as Cole led her to the waiting car.

“Telling you would ruin the surprise.”

Phil opened the door of Cole’s town car with a smile. “Ms. Niven.”

“It’s good to see you, Phil.” Maggie slid across the back seat. “Are you going to make me wear a blindfold?”

“Would you?” Cole asked, with the kind of smile she could feel in her inner thighs.

Maggie shivered. “Maybe.”

What a rank lie. What absolute evasive bullshit. If Cole asked, she’d do it in a heartbeat.

From the gleam in his eye, he knew it. “No, no blindfold. It’s not as if we know where anything is in Glasgow, anyhow.”

That was conveniently true. All she’d managed to see of the city was the path from the hotel to the studio. It was really a shame that she’d spent nearly four months in the UK and had experienced so little of it.

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