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The annoyance and hurt faded "You’re scared of her"
He stiffened "I’m not scared"
"You’re terrified"
"It’s not like that"
She grinned "You expect ht it would be nice if people kneere together"
Did he really expect her to believe that? "Josh, you’ve been this fauy for years Youwoo to parties and hang out with Hollywood types"
"You were great with Emily"
"That was different" He stared out the front"If you’d rather wait in the car, I understand"
She could almost hear the pout in his voice "I’ll come with you," she said as she opened her door "And do , bad reporter"
They walked into the studio and were greeted by a production assistant She introduced herself as Brittany, looked as if she couldn’t be more than twelve, but showed absolutely no interest in Josh Refreshing, Charity thought Unusual, but refreshing
They walked past the sets used for the local news and the various cable access shows Brittany pointed to a sround and two upholstered chairs facing each other
"You’ll do the interview there Melrose asked for the green screen so she can load in graphics later" She glanced at Josh "You’ve done this sort of thing before, right?"
He nodded
"Great The irl wants to pat you doith so a sports interview No one expects you to be pretty"
"Oh, but you already are," Charity whispered
Josh shot her a glare She did her best not to laugh
"She’s in there," the assistant said, pointing to a door anddown the hall "Yell if you need me"
Josh paused in front of the closed door, but before he could knock, it burst open
"Finally," a throaty but fe the hours"
Josh dropped his hand to Charity’s waist and pushed her in the rooan ceree, well-litcounter But what really caught her attention was the wo by thered hair that tumbled in loose curls down to the middle of her back Her body was lean, yet curved in all the right places and brsts the size of melons spilled out of a low-cut blouse
Melrose wasn’t just beautiful, Charity thought, feeling as if there wasn’t enough air in the room She was perfect The boobs didn’t look real, but they suited her Melrose was a walking, breathing oat to invisible
"Josh," Melrose breathed, crossing the roo her ar her mouth to his
Charity blinked in astonishment, then touched her own arrabbing her wrists and holding her in place while he stepped back "This is Charity Jones My girlfriend"
Girlfriend Charity hadn’t been expecting that, and tried to figure out if he’d said it because he meant it or if it was a for her eyes off Josh "You’re racing again That’s good The sport needs soht I have a luscious roo fireplace The intervieill air tonight We can watch it together Naked Say yes?"
Charity went fro less-than to pissed in a nanosecond She stepped between Josh and the piranha, held out her right hand and forced a smile
"Hi," she said loudly "I’ hungrily at Josh
"Apparently not," Charity told her firht above her left breast "Look at aze "You didn’t just touch ain, if I have to Yes, Josh is very crushworthy And the sex, as I’m sure you’ll re and being a complete cliché No offense, Melrose, but you’re not in a prime-time soap This is real life And Josh is with me"
JOSH HAD KNOWN THERE was a risk involved when he’d asked Charity to join hi pissed--mostly because Melrose wasn’t the kind of wo Charity along wouldthat happened…or didn’t happen He hadn’t expected her to unleash her inner tiger
She stood glaring at Melrose, fearless, beautiful and deter to take on a powerhouse reporter Daood
Melrose looked from Charity to him, then back "I haven’t heard Josh tell raphic invitation?" Charity said
She didn’t bother to turn around He liked that she didn’t worry that she had to look at hiive hints as to what he should say
"No, thanks," he said "I’lanced at her watch "Let’s get this over with If we hurry, I can still catch a flight out of Sacraet the hell out of this pissant town"
Tenacross froht went on above the camera, her face relaxed and she smiled
"I’ everyback-to-back victories at the Tour de France" She turned her gaze to hiame"
"I’ve entered a race to be held here, in Fool’s Gold We’ll see how I do there"
"Not ready to for to the sport you love?"
"No" He wasn’t ready to do h another practice session without freaking out
"You were the best," Melrose relory?"
"There’s "
"Yes, but none of that really ly "I kno you like to co just beyond the bright lights and held in a groan Melrose was nothing if not persistent At one ti, but not any different Someone different And as soon as the intervieas over, he planned to tell her
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
"DID I THANK YOU FOR co with me today?" Josh asked