Page 18 of Overexposed

Good.

She didn’t need the accessories to look good… Also it was reassuring to see she wasn’t married because that had definitely crossed my mind when she disappeared without a trace.

“That feels good,” she admitted when I had her lean back against the ice pack. “The ice, I mean.”

“It’s okay to say you like my hands on you,” I said and she let out a snort.

“You wish.”

“I know,” I said, then traced a finger down her cheek. The red marks on her throat were definitely going to bruise, but herface was unblemished. It didn’t look like the guy punched her. I wanted to know more about the jackass that attacked her.

Her eyes slitted open, and I could practically feel the impact of her trying to focus on me. What I didn’t like was how large her pupils still were. I needed to check for reactivity. I hadn’t managed it when the lights had been on earlier.

“Are you two done? Or do I need to leave you alone?” Ollie’s dry tone hit the right note and reminded me that we had companyandthat Slick and I had a lot to discuss before we hit the sheets again.

But that was definitely going to be awhenand not anif.

“Fuck off,” I told him cheerfully as I stood. “Let me see the hand.”

“Asshole,” Ollie responded, then thrust his hand at me. The knuckles were definitely scraped up. The bleeding had all but stopped. His gaze went past me to Slick. “Didn’t know she wasthatgirl.”

“Wouldn’t expect you to,” I told him. “You can’t really see her face in the pictures.”

“Can see her body,” he countered, and I smirked. He did not have to remind me about that. “But all I saw when I came out was some guy trying to strangle her as he beat her head against a car.”

The imagethatpainted just pissed me off.

“Pulled ayouon him,” Ollie continued as I cleaned his knuckles, then applied some antibiotic ointment. They’d heal up in a couple of days. Fortunately, he’d just finished filming a picture and had a few weeks before another one started.

“A me?” I asked as I glanced up. His attention was still on Slick.

“Yeah, you fromThe Dead Keep Walking.” Ollie grinned. It was one of the first action flicks we’d done as adults. It was also the picture that cemented my desire to get out of being an actorand to focus solely on stunt work. I’d done all of my own stunts on the picture.

Carlisle “Candy” McShane had been the head of the stunt group. He was old Hollywood and he’d taken me under his wing. I missed the old coot. Shaking off that reminder, I repacked the first aid.

“I did a lot of shit in that movie. What scene are you talking about?”

“You remember where you jumped and hit the guy with both feet right in the chest. Then rolled up and roundhouse kicked him?”

“Yeah,” I said slowly. It was a stupid move. The double kick was effective, but it also dropped you on your own ass. You had to be fast.

“Did it like a champion.” Ollie dusted off his shoulder and grinned like an idiot, then he sobered. “What are we going to do with her?”

That was a damn good question.

chapter

eight

Stella

Did I fall asleep on the mega-celebrities’ couch while they chitchatted about some old movie? Yes. Undoubtedly yes. I was tired, for one thing, and my head hurt enough that I firmly believed sleep was the only cure.

Strong, warm arms scooped me up, rousing me from my rest slightly and I groaned as the daggers through my brain lit up once more.

“Where’re you takin’ me?” I mumbled, not really putting up much of a fight because…brain daggers.

“Bed,” Gem responded, his deep voice like a soothing balm as he carried me. “But you can’t go to sleep, okay? You’ve definitely got a concussion so you need to stay awake.”

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