False Lines (Blurred Lines Volume 7) by Breena Wilde

my make—” She stops. “I mean, would you mind touching up my makeup?” she asks.
    Holy fuck. There may be hope for Scarlett after all.
    Mindy looks at me.
    I shrug. “Go ahead. Thanks, Mindy.” I get off the chair.
    On my way over to the set, Cruze grabs my hand. “Hey Cade. Can we talk?”
    I don’t know why but my stomach tenses. “Sure,” I say, pulling my hand from his. “What’s up?”
    Cruze looks frustrated. “I just want to apologize for earlier. I don’t know what I was thinking. Of course you need time to yourself. I respect that.” He runs a hand through his hair.
    “Thanks, Cruze. I appreciate your understanding. It means a lot.” My fingers find the pearls around my neck.
    “Do you think we could have dinner tonight? I’ll order room service. I know how much you love their bleu-cheese steak and twice baked potatoes.” He smiles sweetly. “We could watch a movie or something.”
    “That sounds wonderful, Cruze, but I can’t tonight. I’ve already made other plans.” A total lie. I don’t have any plans, but I do want some time away from him.
    His face falls and, for a moment, I feel really bad. I reach out and touch his hand. “My birthday is this Friday night. The big two one,” I say in mock excitement. “Jessica is throwing a party that’s supposed to go down in the history books. I’d love it if you could come.” That will give me three full days of man free drama.
    His face lights up at that. “I’d love to. And you’re going to be twenty-one? I had no idea you were such a baby.”
    I shrug. It’s true. I haven’t really thought about age. Not mine. Not his. Not even Zane’s. And I wonder how old he is. I’d guess early to mid thirties, but he might be older. “Yeah, well, how old are you? Not much older than me, I’m sure.”
    John clears his throat, leans in, and whispers: “I’m thirty.”
    “No fucking way,” I say. I’m shocked. He looks really young.
    “Yeah, tell no one.” He uses his first finger and thumb to pretend lock his lips and then tosses away an imaginary key. “It’s a secret.”
    “My lips are sealed,” I say.
    “John Cruze and Scarlett. You’re wanted on set.” The voice booms over a loud speaker.
    “I’d better go,” he says.
    “Yep.”
    “You’ll give me the details once you know about your party?” He reaches out and touches a piece of my hair. His eyes are sad. I almost lose my resolve to have me time.
    It’s important. I know I need this, so I suck in a deep breath. “Of course.”
    “Cool,” he says and walks away.

 
     
     
     
     

     
     
    I don’t know if I can do this. I’ve spent the last two weeks straight with Cadence. She says she needs time, but all I can think is that she wants to be with him—Zane. That somehow that twisted asshole has tainted her, made her into to something she isn’t.
    My mind keeps telling me she’s a prostitute, but when I look at her that isn’t what I see. Instead I see a beautiful, intelligent woman who’s fought to survive and come out on top.
    That’s who she is to me. Why can’t she see that? I wish I knew what to do, how to make her see that she’s all I want, all I could ever need, that I would love her and adore her. I would be all she ever wants or needs.
    “Mr. Cruze, they’re ready for you,” Mindy says.
    “Thank you.” I follow Mindy to the set. Scarlett is there. The set is closed so only the director, a couple of assistants, and the camera crew are there. Much different. In my opinion more intimate.
    I walk over to Scarlett. “Is this going to be better? Was that the problem? Having too many people watch?”
    “I like this better. If we’re going to be real on set I need to know we don’t have dozens of eyes watching us.” She smiles and runs her hands down my chest. “I like the way you make me feel on set.” She stands up on her tiptoes. “I like you, John Cruze.”
    I allow her talk. It helps get me in the zone for the cameras. “I like you