London.
***
Charley was accustomed to being around international celebrities from Brad Pitt to Prince William and was never rattled. But sitting this close to Vince Castle? They were barely into the Knightsbridge traffic when her hands started to shake.
“You okay?” He smiled.
“Just—cold,” she lied.
“Tomorrow afternoon you may be wishing you were.” He smiled again.
“I hear it’s spectacular down there. It’s the one place my mother was dying to go…before she died.” Charley looked away as the reality washed over her. “Sorry, this happens to me from time to time.”
“My mother died when I was ten,” Vince told her. “I get it.”
“I’m sorry,” Charley said.
“Time’s a pretty good healer,” Vince said warmly as he put his hand on hers in a gentle, comforting manner. “Keeping busy helps, too.”
“I guess that’s one reason I jumped at this job,” she admitted.
“And I thought it was my charming smile that seduced you.”
You do have a charming smile, she thought.
“But don’t let it fool you,” he added. “Once we’re on the clock, I’ll make the most savage lions around us look like kittens.”
“I get that,” she nodded.
“Your job, should you wish to accept it, and you already did, is to anticipate my every move.”
Is that his hand on mine? she realized. But before she could react, he pulled it away.
“I really do get it,” she said with a smile. “From making sure your alarm is set to your phone being charged to the position of your bounce light, should you need it.”
“Nice,” he said, smiling. “I knew you were the right girl for the job.”
“About the job,” she asked cautiously. “I have absolutely no details about it. But you know that, I guess.”
Vince reached into a Louis Vuitton duffel at his feet and pulled out a two-inch-thick binder labeled “The Look.”
Charley started to open it, but he stopped her.
“You’ll have plenty of time on the plane to go over the details,” he reminded her. “Eleven hours to Johannesburg.”
“If anyone understands budgets and scheduling, I do,” Charley assured him. After all, she had been at her mother’s side at every OMG fashion shoot since she was a toddler.
She slipped the binder into the oversized OMG lambskin handbag that held all of her essentials, next to a book wrapped with a simple ribbon. Vince noticed the book.
“Not sure you’ll have time for heavy reading material,” he said, smiling.
“It was a Christmas gift,” Charley offered and then hesitated. “Long story.”
The moment was broken as the driver hit the brakes to avoid running into an unruly pair of tourists who had stumbled into the street. The tires screeched as Vince’s arm immediately blocked Charley from being thrown forward into the back of the front seat.
“Thanks,” Charley gasped.
“We’ve got precious cargo here, mate,” Vince called to the driver. “Let’s get there in one piece.”
Lion, kitten, or viper? Charley wondered, as she glanced at the man who could change her career in a heartbeat.
Then she caught herself. Viper? Where did that image come from? Why would I think that?
Marlena sat at the desk in the master bedroom and hung up her iPhone. She’d spent three glorious hours speaking to her children, who were scattered around the world. Being in Lausanne, Switzerland, Marlena was anywhere from two hours to seven hours ahead of them, and the time difference could be a bit disconcerting. She wished she could talk to her friends in Salem, too, but it was late, late night in the United States, so she would have to wait until late afternoon to connect with anyone.
She sat back and looked around the empty room. John had been predictably absent since his offer to surprise her with an adventure. Knowing John, that could mean anything from a romantic dinner in the vineyards to an impromptu visit to the devastatingly beautiful Greek island of Santorini. If being confined to bed for nearly
***
Charley was accustomed to being around international celebrities from Brad Pitt to Prince William and was never rattled. But sitting this close to Vince Castle? They were barely into the Knightsbridge traffic when her hands started to shake.
“You okay?” He smiled.
“Just—cold,” she lied.
“Tomorrow afternoon you may be wishing you were.” He smiled again.
“I hear it’s spectacular down there. It’s the one place my mother was dying to go…before she died.” Charley looked away as the reality washed over her. “Sorry, this happens to me from time to time.”
“My mother died when I was ten,” Vince told her. “I get it.”
“I’m sorry,” Charley said.
“Time’s a pretty good healer,” Vince said warmly as he put his hand on hers in a gentle, comforting manner. “Keeping busy helps, too.”
“I guess that’s one reason I jumped at this job,” she admitted.
“And I thought it was my charming smile that seduced you.”
You do have a charming smile, she thought.
“But don’t let it fool you,” he added. “Once we’re on the clock, I’ll make the most savage lions around us look like kittens.”
“I get that,” she nodded.
“Your job, should you wish to accept it, and you already did, is to anticipate my every move.”
Is that his hand on mine? she realized. But before she could react, he pulled it away.
“I really do get it,” she said with a smile. “From making sure your alarm is set to your phone being charged to the position of your bounce light, should you need it.”
“Nice,” he said, smiling. “I knew you were the right girl for the job.”
“About the job,” she asked cautiously. “I have absolutely no details about it. But you know that, I guess.”
Vince reached into a Louis Vuitton duffel at his feet and pulled out a two-inch-thick binder labeled “The Look.”
Charley started to open it, but he stopped her.
“You’ll have plenty of time on the plane to go over the details,” he reminded her. “Eleven hours to Johannesburg.”
“If anyone understands budgets and scheduling, I do,” Charley assured him. After all, she had been at her mother’s side at every OMG fashion shoot since she was a toddler.
She slipped the binder into the oversized OMG lambskin handbag that held all of her essentials, next to a book wrapped with a simple ribbon. Vince noticed the book.
“Not sure you’ll have time for heavy reading material,” he said, smiling.
“It was a Christmas gift,” Charley offered and then hesitated. “Long story.”
The moment was broken as the driver hit the brakes to avoid running into an unruly pair of tourists who had stumbled into the street. The tires screeched as Vince’s arm immediately blocked Charley from being thrown forward into the back of the front seat.
“Thanks,” Charley gasped.
“We’ve got precious cargo here, mate,” Vince called to the driver. “Let’s get there in one piece.”
Lion, kitten, or viper? Charley wondered, as she glanced at the man who could change her career in a heartbeat.
Then she caught herself. Viper? Where did that image come from? Why would I think that?
Marlena sat at the desk in the master bedroom and hung up her iPhone. She’d spent three glorious hours speaking to her children, who were scattered around the world. Being in Lausanne, Switzerland, Marlena was anywhere from two hours to seven hours ahead of them, and the time difference could be a bit disconcerting. She wished she could talk to her friends in Salem, too, but it was late, late night in the United States, so she would have to wait until late afternoon to connect with anyone.
She sat back and looked around the empty room. John had been predictably absent since his offer to surprise her with an adventure. Knowing John, that could mean anything from a romantic dinner in the vineyards to an impromptu visit to the devastatingly beautiful Greek island of Santorini. If being confined to bed for nearly
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