Page 46 of Find Me in California

“You thought somebody was robbing us in broad fucking daylight?”

“It could happen. And Adam said you were sleeping.”

“I should fire you. You could have cracked my cheekbone.” He nailed me with a look he never would have shown me in my daydreams, and I was mortified. I felt silly for having the fantasies, and I felt horrible I’d almost seriously injured him. I didn’t know how to make it up to him, so I kept apologizing like a moron. I deserved to be fired and turned to go pack my things.

“Don’t go. Liza will be more upset with me than she already is if she comes home and finds you gone.”

“Wouldn’t she be upset if she found you injured by me?”

He picked up his booklet and flipped through to the page he’d been on. “I doubt it.”

His gaze flew to mine before lowering again, his expression guarded. He didn’t seem standoffish. More like he was ashamed he’d admitted to me Liza’s lack of concern for him.

I hesitated leaving for that very reason. Somebody should be concerned about him. I also didn’t want to leave him.

Curious, I asked him what he was reading. It looked like a manuscript. He told me it was the screenplay to the movie he’s filming, the sequel to last summer’s blockbusterSeason of the Gods. I was intrigued, and I said that I’d have to go see the first one so that I could watch this one.

“You’re kidding?” He laughed. “The only person on the planet who hasn’t seen the movie and she lives in my backyard.” He laughed again, his face softening.

I pushed my hands into my pockets. “Is that a problem?”

“That you haven’t seen my movie or that you live in my backyard?” He angled his head to the side. “I’d say both.”

“I offered to leave.”

“Don’t.” He grinned. “I think you’re growing on me.”

That made me smile. I felt warm inside like I had the first time we’d met.

I nodded at the screenplay. “You seem frustrated. Is it not good?”

“The screenplay’s great. Better than the first movie. But I can’t seem to please the director on this one scene.” He shoveled his hair back, his voice taking on a worried note. “No matter how I play it, he doesn’t like it. He wants more emotion one take, less on the next. I can never get it right. We’re filming tonight and I’m already wound up.” He shook his arms, trying to loosen up.

He was under pressure, and I knew exactly how to help him relax so he could focus.

I grabbed two pillows from the nook’s couch and dropped them on the flagstone. I sat cross legged and gestured for him to do the same. He balked at first, but when I explained that I wanted to show him howto meditate and how it could relax him, he sank onto the pillow with a dramatic sigh that made me smile.

We faced each other, our knees touching, my heart racing at the contact, and I tapped into my inner balance before I lost myself. Matty has a strong presence. He draws people’s eyes when he enters a room. I’ve seen it happen at Liza’s parties. And even with just the two of us, even though we were outside, I was very much aware of him. Almost too aware. He smelled of ocean and pine from his cologne and salt from a nervous sweat. And his eyes. I hadn’t realized how intense the color hazel could be, or how ruggedly handsome his mouth was this close up. No wonder women swooned for him. No wonder I fell for him within moments of meeting him despite his abrasiveness, which I know is just a front to keep people away. They’ll take anything they can get from him—a strand of hair, a wink, a smile, a grope—if he lets them. He has to protect the side of himself that isn’t in the public eye.

I cleared my throat and told him to close his eyes.

“Why?”

“So you can focus on your breathing. Trust me, this will help you.” I smiled again when I realized I was making him uncomfortable. Was it possible he was just as affected by my presence?

His eyes held on to mine for a beat before closing. I followed suit and instructed him to breathe in for four counts, then out for four counts. We did it together twice more when I felt him looking at me again. I opened my eyes.

“What?”

“You’re beautiful. I hadn’t ...” He shook his head. “Never mind. Ignore me.”

My internal temperature went from warm to infernal. Every nerve in my body woke up and was firing, angling toward him. Could he tell I’ve been fantasizing about him? I took a steady breath. “Close your eyes,” I whispered. He did, and so did I. He synced his breathing to my count, and then I stopped counting and we just breathed. It was the most intimate thing I’ve ever experienced, hearing his breaths, feelingthe heat of his body where his knees pressed into mine, his scent filling my lungs. My skin tightened with desire.

“Are Liza and Adam close?” he asked.

My eyes snapped open. “Excuse me?” Matty was watching me.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I get the feeling there’s something going on with them.”

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