Page 35 of The One for Forever

And there it is. That dark intensity in his gaze that I never saw before two weeks ago. The kind that I have no idea how to interpret. It’s almost…wicked.

I ignore the fluttery feeling in my stomach, because I am over that crush, and focus on the takeout bags in his hand. “Did you grab lunch?”

He sets the bags on the desk. “I did. I got Thai for us. Hope that’s all right. You were so focused on your work, so I didn’t want to interrupt you. But I intend to make sure you eat something. Yesterday you skipped lunch.”

The flutters get worse. This is another thing Rex has made a habit of lately. Bringing me food, coffee, afternoon treats. Like he’s determined to anticipate my every whim. I remember whathe said to me before.My goal is to keep you as secure and protected as possible, while fulfilling all of your needs. Spoken in that deep, late-night sex operator voice of his.

Gah. My panties were damp after I heard those words. Could anybody blame me? Of course, Rex had no clue. He’s never had any idea of the effect he has on me.

Hadon me, I correct. That’s all in the past.

He unpacks the takeout containers. I stick a fork into the drunken noodles. “No wonder Bennett Security is so successful,” I say. “Your customer service is next level.”

“I don’t do this for every client.”

“Right. It’s because I’m family.”

His fork pauses on the way to his lips. “Yep. Family.” Briefly, a hint of something like dismay crosses his features. “What did defense counsel want?”

“Oh, Derek?” I finish chewing my bite of noodles. “I’m sure he had some ulterior motive for that visit. Not just to annoy me. He’s fishing for something.”

“Do you think he knows about the potential witness who contacted you?”

That occurred to me. I know Rex is still skeptical about whether the witness is legit, and so am I. For all we know, Derek was behind that gambit. But if that were true, why did I have the sense that Derek was sniffing around for info today?

“I’m not sure,” I say. “But what I do know is that I have to track down the witness. If that evidence exists, I have to find it before it’s too late.” I push my lunch aside and grab my laptop. “We know that it’s likely someone connected to Hayworth Productions. I’ve been narrowing down a list of potential suspects. I want to talk to each one in person. You said if I had ideas about the witness’s identity, you’d be willing to help me.”

“Absolutely. Let’s do it.”

“You—wait, you’re already agreeing?”

I thought I would have to talk him into it. But Rex is nodding along with me. “I didn’t want you to rush off and do something reckless to find this person. But you’ve taken two weeks to plan your next move. I’m sure you’ve put a lot of thought into it.”

My mouth hangs open for a second. “I have. Yeah. That’s what I’ve been working so hard on for the last few days.”

“I figured. Lana gave you clearance to investigate this witness with Bennett Security’s help. So, I’m in. Tell me where we’re going, and you can give me the details on the way.” Then he points at my uneaten food. “Afteryou’ve finished lunch.”

I grab the takeout box, rolling my eyes. But I don’t mind the order. In fact, I like it. It’s nice being the focus of Rex Easton’s attention. I could probably get addicted to it.

I’d better make sure that I don’t.

10

Idecide to clear my afternoon for this excursion. We’re heading into Los Angeles to the main offices of Hayworth Productions. Which means a nice long drive through stop-and-go traffic, just Rex and me.

Good thing I’m now immune to his many charms.

“I’ve got three people on my list of potential IDs for the secret witness,” I say. “Suspect number one, Thompson Hayworth’s son. Christian. He took over as head of Hayworth Productions about two years ago. While Thompson directed Oscar-worthy pictures, Christian managed the business side of things. He’s the wheeler and dealer.”

When we pause to wait in traffic, I show Rex a candid shot of Christian. He looks more like a Wall Street trader than a filmmaker. He’s in a slick tailored suit, his hair just slightly too long. No smile.

“He’s actually the one who introduced Amber to Thompson at that charity event. But Christian didn’t appreciate Amber getting her hooks into Thompson and using him to advance her acting career.”

Rex’s eyes return to the road as we move forward, slowly making progress on the freeway. “What about the age gap between Thompson and Amber? I assume his son didn’t like that much either.”

Rex’s eyes slide sideways, and mine do the same, our gazes meeting.

I shrug. “It’s Hollywood. Hardly the first director to marry a younger actress. Besides, age isn’t the defining feature of a person. Right? Personality is more important. Compatibility, likes and dislikes, sense of humor…” I trail off, aware that this topic is a little close to home for me.

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