Page 49 of Behind the Scenes

“I mean, how many women like me have you helped?”

A look of recognition washed over him, and he nodded. “Oh. You’re my tenth assignment.”

So he’d helped nine other women before her. Had he slept with any of them? Her tendency to be jealous reared its ugly head and made her want to ask, but she couldn’t find the right words. How could she phrase that anyway? Hey, by the way, how many clients have you taken to bed?

That didn’t sound right, and in all honesty, she didn’t want to know. She didn’t care how many women he’d been with. She just liked being near him, walking around at night like two normal people living in a big city. He gave her that, even if he didn’t realize it.

Normalcy. He had no idea how wonderful a gift that was, and Hunter gave her that in those two hours they walked around talking about his work and her films and a hundred other commonplace things she hadn’t talked about in ages.

She couldn’t remember the last time she laughed and really meant it. She didn’t pretend once the entire time, and being genuine felt better than she’d actually remembered it feeling.

When he suggested they go back to the apartment, she smiled and said yes, but she could have stayed out there in that chilly night air for hours more just talking and walking without a care in the world. For the first time in far too long, she’d gone out and had a good time.

As they rode up in the elevator to the penthouse, the reality of her life came rushing back, though, when he turned to her and said, “You don’t have to worry, Alexis. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. I’m going to find out who’s behind this and I’ll be out of your hair in no time.”

She didn’t want to focus on the stalker or anything to do with him. Shaking her head, she quietly said, “I don’t want to think about that now. I just want to think about how much I enjoyed walking around the neighborhood and talking with you like a normal person. Please don’t make me think about how much I won’t have that when you leave.”

The elevator doors opened, and without a word, they each walked to their own rooms. As he closed his bedroom door behind him, she knew she had to apologize. Hunter had never done anything but try to help her. He didn’t deserve to be dumped on like that.

Embarrassed yet again, she knocked lightly on his door as she stood there nervously trying to come up with the right words to say. For far too long, she hadn’t truly told anyone she was sorry and actually meant it. Maybe she was a diva after all.

He appeared in the doorway and smiled like he was happy to see her. “Something wrong, Alexis?”

“Can I come in?” she asked nervously.

Nodding, he stepped back so she could walk in. She cleared her throat and hoped she hadn’t forgotten how to sincerely tell someone she was sorry.

She expected him to stand at the door holding it open so after she said what she came to say she could make a quick escape. Instead, though, he closed it and then walked back to sit on his bed like before.

Alexis once again felt awkward and out of place while he looked as comfortable as ever in his own skin. As she worked up the courage to say she was sorry for what she’d said back in the elevator, she couldn’t help but appreciate that way he had of always seeming to fit in perfectly, no matter where he was.

He didn’t speak, likely thinking not saying a word would be polite, so she had no choice. She took a deep breath and did what she knew she had to do.

“I’m sorry for what I said back there. It wasn’t right to unload on you like that. You haven’t been anything but helpful, well, other than that first time we talked and you were rude. But that doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t have been like that when you were simply trying to reassure me. So I’m sorry.”

She didn’t give him time to respond and turned on her heels to leave as quickly as possible. As she reached for the doorknob, he finally spoke and his words cut straight to her deepest fears.

“Why did you come in here before? What did you want?”

She closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh, unsure how to answer. Should she tell him the truth, or should she simply pretend like she always did?

Did she dare show him the real Alexis or should she continue to pretend to be just the actress she showed the rest of the world?

Chapter Sixteen

She didn’t answer,but as she stood there silently staring straight ahead at the bedroom door, Alexis heard him get off the bed and walk over to stand behind her. Even if she hadn’t heard him move, she would have felt him there. He exuded a sense of power that was unmistakable, and something deep inside her craved what she sensed in him.

“Alexis, why did you come here tonight?” he asked, his voice a husky whisper.

Closing her eyes again, she made her decision to not pretend with him. Quietly, she said, “Did you like her?”

“Who?”

“The brunette at the gym with the perfect body.”

“No.”

Alexis winced at how hard he was making this for her. “Why? She was beautiful and I saw how you acted with her. She looked so perfect standing next to you.”

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