Jonathan hurried over and pulled his headphones down around his neck. “Taryn, see that first mark? I want you to stand over there and then when I give your cue, I want you to walk from there to here.”

“Sure. No problem.” I walked to the first mark and waited.

I made the same walk from point A to point B several times while the commotion of filmmaking

and lighting

adjustments

happened around me. I had no idea why I was chosen to walk back and forth, but it didn’t matter; I was just relieved to finally feel like I was serving some purpose instead of being a useless body in everyone’s way.

Ryan was off giving some sort of quick interview so I really didn’t know what to do with myself.

While I stood on the second mark, I noticed Mike escorting Ryan out to the set. I saw panic flash over Ryan’s face a moment later. He ran over to me like a father removing his child from the middle of a busy high-way. Thankfully his concern for me made thoughts of Thomas disappear.

“Sorry,” Ryan said in apology to Denny.

“Taryn—what are you doing?” he whispered furiously. He started to tug my arm, pulling me off my mark.

“No! Wait.” I tried to hold my ground.

“No, no. Ryan, leave her there,” Denny instructed. “We needed a stand-in for Nicole.”

“Oh,” Ryan uttered. Relief washed over his face.

“Jonathan has found a use for me,” I explained, bouncing slightly on my tiptoes on the large silver-tape X, trying to keep warm.

Even though it was sunny outside, the temperature in Vancouver was on the chilly side.

I nodded when Jonathan told me to stick around, but he needed ten minutes.

“Jees, I sort of panicked there for a minute.”

I frowned at him. “I think I know better than to wander out in front of the cameras.”

“I didn’t know. Sorry.” His lips curled in amusement. “Just think, your first official job in the movie industry is as an actor stand-in,” he said with a laugh. I could see the hint of pride touch his face. “You know they have you on film now? We’ll have to see if we can get a copy.”

I nudged him softly with my elbow. “This isn’t a job. It’s a quick favor for Jonathan. So, are you ready? Know your lines?” Ryan nodded. “Yes, I know my lines. I presume you know them, too.”

As if he had to ask. “I’ve been given my own official copy.”

“Of course,” he teased. “Jonathan make you an assistant director yet?” I nudged his stomach lightly for picking on me. “No. Denny has, though. They put me in charge of kicking your ass when you get out of line.”

Ryan smirked, sparked by my challenge.

He bumped me, knocking me off balance, but I quickly recovered and bumped him right back. His long fingers cinched around my upper arms as he glared down at me, his eyes half-lidded and challenging. “You think you’re tough enough?”

I swallowed hard, turned on by his show of dominance. “Absolutely. I know all of your weaknesses.”

His eyes darkened and he took my neck in a gentle but possessive clutch, instantly igniting a warmth inside me. “Yeah?” he growled, biting his lower lip, daring me to defy him. “You think? Little do you know, you’re my greatest weakness. But don’t get any ideas. Remember, I’ve had my hands and mouth on every inch of your body. I know how to take you down—quickly.” Oh how I wished we were somewhere private where he could make good on his threat.

“Promise?” I whispered, drawn to watching his lips twitch, thrilled that we had this effect on each other.

“As soon as I’m done here, I’m going to prove it to you,” he breathed out.

Was that a simple statement or a vow?

“I look forward to it,” I replied, feeling stunned and out of breath.

“I’m so hard right now,” he told me, toggling his gaze between my lips and my eyes.

One quick glance at his crotch and I could see he was being truthful.

“I wish I could fix that for you.” Thoughts of using my hand, my mouth, rendering him helpless and moaning, danced in my mind.

“But I think you’re going to have to hold that thought.” I tossed my chin in Denny’s direction.

Ryan breathed out a curse and turned his frame slightly, readjusting the erection in his pants as nonchalantly as possible. It was hard not to laugh at his predicament.

“Stop it,” he groaned.

“Apparently wake-up sex wasn’t enough for you?” I teased.

He glared down at me in utter exaspera-tion. “Four or five times a day might be enough for me. Keep that in mind, future wife of mine.”

A giggle erupted from my mouth. “As much as I’d like to take you up on your challenge, right now I think we need to get you refocused. So . . . Chase. What did the police say?”

Ryan groaned. “Taryn, I know my lines.”

“Okay.” No need to warn me twice. I turned my attention to watching crew members setting up a very large screen several yards away. Where are they going to put that huge green screen now? That looks like a pain to move.

Ryan sighed. “Nothing. They don’t have any new leads.”

I glanced back at him. “Hmm?”

“My lines? My next line is ‘Nothing. They don’t have any new leads.’”

“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t hear you.” Watching Ryan’s new set assistant try to figure out which pocket to shove her walkie-talkie in while tripping over power cords was quite entertaining. She looks young and upset about something. The shimmery blue streak of color in her black hair is kinda cool.

Ryan cleared his throat. “I hate when you pretend to ignore me. Well? Are we going to do this or not?”

The sudden bad feeling about this not being a good idea hit me. “I’m not ignoring you.

Maybe you should rehearse with Nicole. I don’t want to upset anything.” Ryan didn’t agree. “We have ten minutes and she’s still in makeup. Do you have a copy of the sides?”

I pulled my copy of the scene dialogue from my back pocket.

“You’re standing on her mark. Ready?”

“Sure.” I took two pretend steps to land on the X. “Chase, what did the police say?”

“Nothing. They don’t have any new leads.

Reed won’t turn over my dad’s client list without a court order. I sort—”

“Wait . . . is that how you are going to do it for real?” Even though he recited from memory, he rushed and stumbled through it.