wasn’t sure if I didn’t want to be a reporter, or if I didn’t want to be that kind of reporter.
“Have a good evening, miss,” Ernie said with a sweet smile, his lips firmly closed.
If I were Kait, I’d have him telling me all the girls’ names along with their date of birth and social security numbers. She was cutthroat. She was good.
The ride up in the elevator was nerve-wracking, wondering if Leo was angry about the photo getting out. One look at his face waiting for me down the hall told me the answer—no way.
“There she is,” he said, his grin as wide as ever, and I couldn't contain my own. My face instantly broke into smile at the mere thought of Leo these days. He was the anecdote to all bad things in life. I had to hold myself back from running straight into his arms, especially how gorgeously charming he looked in a dark gray T-shirt and jeans.
When I got to him, I threw my arms around his neck and pulled his body close to mine, holding him tight. His arms were around my waist, gently caressing.
“Bad day at work?” he asked, and I held him tighter. I didn’t want to talk about work. I felt disgusting for trying to press Ernie for dirt on Leo—however poorly I had done on that investigation. “You look beautiful,” he said, looking me over. “Temping must pay pretty well.” He kissed my lips, and I reached up quickly to touch his face, make the kiss last longer than a peck. I held him close, feeling the softness of his lips on mine, taking in the scent of him.
“Come on,” Leo said, gently letting me go. “I have good news.”
He led me across the expansive floors of his giant home, the beautiful nighttime view of Los Angeles flickering outside the windows. We went past the curving staircase to his office, where he sat me down on a button tufted brown leather sofa.
“Here,” he said, his tanned face beaming as he handed over a bonded stack of papers. That familiar cover page that said Untitled Armstrong. “It’s our screenplay,” he said. Our screenplay, I repeated in my head, as Leo continued. “It’s finished. The last round you sent me really got it where it needed to be. Sophie,” he said, sitting down next to me. “I’m going to make this movie, and it’s all thanks to you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“I didn’t do much,” I said. “You’re the one who pushed me in the right direction.
“Don’t do that,” he said, taking my hand. He kissed my fingers, his breath warm on my skin. “Don’t deflect a compliment. You earned every bit of praise for this. I’m going to start casting this week.”
“Really? That fast?”
“Why not? I’ve been wanting to do this for some time, and now that the screenplay is completed I don’t want to wait any longer. I’m going to cast unknowns, film it under the radar and release it in a few months. Everyone will be shocked,” he laughed, “that shallow Leo Armstrong can make a movie with no aliens or car chases.”
“Don’t you do that,” I said, putting my other hand over his. “Don’t concern yourself with what other people think, and don’t diminish the movies you do make. You provide a great escapism for people, and God knows we all need that from time to time.”
“How’d I get so lucky to find you?” he said. He held my chin delicately in his fingers, and pulled my bottom lip down with his thumb. He leaned into me and gently pressed his lips to mine, sliding his hands across my face. He held me there as he kissed me softly at first, and then more deeply until the taste of him had me yearning for more, so quickly. Truthfully, all it took from Leo was a look and I was a goner. When he kissed me, I had no hope of resisting. I ran my hands over his strong chest, feeling the muscles beneath his T-shirt before moving to his arms, flexing as he moved his hands across my shoulders and back. He pulled me into him, our chests pressed together, our breath already heavy with desire. I delighted in my tongue on his, tasting him, feeling him on me.
“Sophie Adams, you don’t know what you do to me,” he said before crushing his lips back into mine. I kissed him back, but the sound of my