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Chapter One

Late Su, Germany

“Oh rabbed her ar Warner!” Each word caher pitched Anywould be able to hear theer was pointing Across the street a blond-hairedfro He was blissfully unaware that his presence was causing Rachel such mania

In the few hours Lisbeth had known Rachel, she realized the girl was full of dra and wondered why she decided to spend soto the sa factors Being tired was no excuse Lisbeth was seriously questioning her decision- skills

“Are you sure, Rachel? That man is all the way across the round-a-bout, and we’re just arriving at this hostel After sixteen hours of travel on a train, bus, and taxi, I ht add I’ve been awake for twenty hours” Lisbeth leaned back against the brick building, her backpack o to bed for a few hours

“Aod, at least once” No one called her ‘Liz,’ but she let it slide “I’ve watched every episode of every series he’s been on, even the one that had subtitles I know it’s hi Warner was She’d seen his movies and the several television series he’d been in too Who on the planet hadn’t? He was a bona fide international superstar

“I’ over there” Rachel put her hand over her heart and took a deep breath and blew it out dramatically

“Rachel, listen tocoffee interrupted by a crazed A to his lips and sipped before flipping the white papers before hi on the paper “Besides, heon looks about the size of a script”

“Look, Liz I’, and if he rejects me then I’ll leave and be out of his hair, but I et a selfie with him!” She squealed just before she looked both ways then headed across the wide, rounded street to the door of the café Lisbeth shook her head as Rachel, and her large backpack entered the eatery and disappeared A few seconds later, Rachel slowly approached the outdoor table

She was sn she was nervous She could barely see Rachel’s lips move and then the blond man looked up from the papers in his hand At first, his expression was blank, but then a genuine smile crossed his lips Incredibly he stood and took her hand and pointed to the e-believable”

Lisbeth never dreamed she’d run into an entertain him this close, in real life and not on a screen, he wasthere looking at him from this far ahen she could be as close as Rachel Her feet see so indecisive It certainly wasn’t like her

Lisbeth narrowed her gaze as Rachel looked down Her long blonde hair fell forward to hide her face She removed her backpack and claieous actor Lisbeth was torn She wanted to go to her roo at a table with a genuinely famous person And he seemed really nice

Aside froe, she took this trip after she graduated to stretch her boundaries What better way to move out of her comfort zone than approach a handso to Germany was a wonderful way for her to learn about her faiven her the plane ticket and soreat-grandparent’s homeland

She bit her bottos She’d start her four-year contract at KenSpec as soon as she

returned to the US—thiscrazy and unexpected She was tired of always being the sensible one, the one whowild, Lisbeth Take a chance She took a deep breath after her mental pep-talk

Well, what the hell did she have to lose? Making up her mind, she pushed off the brick wall of the hostel and looked for traffic before she crossed the street herself The café was s coffee — soht now She walked through the wooden tables and approached the gorgeous actor and the girl she had met on the train

When Stieg looked up, his dark green eyes o weak They were much more intense in person than on the television His blond hair was cut short and his square jaw as covered in a day’s growth of light-colored whiskers His smile was reflected in his eyes as he looked truly happy to meet another fan Holy shit Those Di cairl moment

“Good ” His German accent forced her to take a deep breath and ood day to have not one but two friendly faces at rinned at her and motioned her toward the table

“Thank you so much, Mr Warner I’m Lisbeth Mohr, but I’d hate to interrupt your work” Lisbeth pointed toward the stack of white typing paper in front of him He chuckled and shook his head He looked back to her, and his eyes seeht Jesus Maybe she was ht She pulled off her own backpack and set it on the concrete floor of the café as he pulled a metal chair from an empty table and held it for her to sit

“I was just telling Stieg that I’ “I’ve seen everything you’ve ever done so ment, but his face darkened in embarrassment Lisbeth was shocked he’d be so shy about his work She had read somewhere that most actors were shy in person

“Thank you soevena waiter to the table “What would you like?” His question stunned Lisbeth Her aped open

“Oh, Mr Warner, I don’t want to i at Rachel, who looked like she wanted to lick the actor instead of any pastries on the menu

“Call , and I insist Let ed to accept too At her nod, Stieg spoke to the waiter in German and smiled “It’s the least I could do for fans Not everyone appreciates my work”