Forgetting Jack Cooper: The Stuntman Edition Read online

  Then it was over and she saw zero evidence of a man who had actually enjoyed that or had participated at all. She actually wondered if she had imagined his consent. Maybe he had been fending her off the whole time and she had fallen into a vortex of sexual desire.

  He pulled back, his eyes narrowed, his jaw set. “Do I know you?” His hands gripped hers and he tried to force them down off of his shoulders.

  Toni didn’t go down easily, despite the fact that she was mildly embarrassed by how perfect her lips had felt on his, or that she might have mind-fucked herself. Talk about an accomplishment. She clung to his shoulders so that they were in a battle of hands and arms.

  “What?” she said, her comedic timing instantly kicking in despite the fact that he had rattled her girl parts. “How could you forget me after that night we spent together in Santa Barbara? You swore to love me as long as there are stars in the sky.”

  His strength was far greater than hers and he got her hands down by her waist. He held them there with one hand, like he was afraid to let her loose. Which he should be. She’d climb right back on him if he released her.

  The sexy stranger frowned, rubbing his lips like he wanted to expunge the feel of her mouth from his. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He glanced around, like he was looking for her handler. “Who are you?”

  “I’m your everything, silly.” Toni pursed her lips and went for another kiss, despite not having actual use of her hands. But whatever had overtaken him the first time, if that had been real, he wasn’t about to repeat it.

  “Stop doing that,” he said, sounding frustrated.

  “No? You don’t love me anymore?” Then she dropped back down and pretended to assess him. “Wait a minute, you are not Jack Cooper.”

  Now the man looked both annoyed and relieved. “No. Not at all.”

  She waited for him to expound on that or ask her questions or tell her off but the silence drew out as he just frowned, deep furrows settling in between his eyes. The man was gorgeous, but very, very serious.

  “Then who are you?” Toni asked.

  Nothing. His nostrils just flared.

  She pretended to tap a mic. “Hello, is this thing on?” She gave him a smile.

  Chance Ashton stared down at the tiniest woman with the biggest head of hair he’d ever seen. She only came up to his armpit and had a halo of black riotous curls. This was not the woman who was supposed to be filming the scene with him. She was also confusing the hell out of him. He let go of her hands and took a step back from her.

  “I’m Jack Cooper’s stunt double. My name is Chance Ashton. Who are you?” And why exactly had she kissed him? He didn’t buy that she was a stalker fan or an actual lover of Jack’s. Security was too tight on the studio lot for just a random nutbag to access the set.

  “Sarah Silverman’s stunt double?” she suggested, her head tilted, a sassy smile on her face.

  “I’m going to take a stab in the dark that you’re screwing with me because I do not think you’re a stunt woman.” Chance didn’t have jokes. Chance didn’t even get jokes. It wasn’t that he was gullible, it was that he couldn’t wrap his head around them. There were only two options here—this woman was certifiable or this was something intended to be funny. He thought it was the latter but he was more bewildered than bemused.

  “How do you know? Are you stereotyping stunt women? If I wanted to, your nuts could be Nutella. I may not look tough, but I can pack a punch.”

  That he seriously doubted. She looked like a toddler could take her.

  Then without warning she punched him in the gut. Or tried to. His reflexes were precise. He’d been training since a teen and had done a stint as a pro fighter in mixed martial arts. Without thinking he had her wrist in his and stopped the blow.

  He wasn’t gripping her hard but she seemed annoyed he had prevented her assault.

  “Hey, now! No manhandling, mister.”

  “You’re the one who kissed me.” Chance didn’t have time for this. He didn’t like people who wouldn’t give a straight answer. “Do I need to call security?”

  “What? No, of course not! I’m legit.”

  Legitimately pulling his leg. Chance was about to find the choreographer and ask him what the hell was going on when the brunette said, “Let’s try that again.”

  He thought she was going to try to punch him again. But she did some weird karate chop to his leg. She came so perilously close to slamming the side of her hand into his dick that he reacted on pure instinct.

  He had her on the ground in two seconds flat.

  She squawked in surprise and possibly pain.

  He paused, hovering over her. She looked a little scared. Yeah, this so wasn’t right. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “I’m fine.” Her voice was breathy and her wide eyes did strange things to his insides.

  “Okay, for real, who are you? What is going on, because you are not a stuntwoman.”

  “How do you know that?” she asked, though she didn’t look offended. She looked amused and very relaxed. She was in control of the situation despite the fact that he had taken her to the ground. “I could do stunts. But maybe not if you’re going to throw me around. I guess that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? Damn it. Though I have to say there is something to be said for a hot guy being on top of me.”

  Right. He was on top of her. He scrambled back, caught off guard. It was then Chance realized there was a cameraman filming them. Not the studio crew, but just a kid with a camera. He also realized that her dress was shoved way up on her thighs. He saw a whole lot of smooth pale flesh and white lace panties. His mouth went dry. He pulled her skirt back down instinctively to assist her but she reacted the way any woman would when a strange man grapples with her clothing.

  “Get off me! What are you doing?”

  “I’m trying to cover you back up, sorry.” Now he was really confused. And pissed off. And embarrassed. He had just thrown a woman to the ground. Not exactly cool. “Let me help you up. What’s your name, by the way?” He held his hand out to her for assistance.

  “Toni.” She accepted his hand, slipping her small one into his and letting him haul her to a sitting position. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chance. And I’m sorry, too, you’re right, I’m not a stuntwoman. I’m a comedienne and I actually thought you were Jack from behind. This was a bit of a fail.”

  A comedienne, huh? Now that fit. “Do you want to explain to me what the hell is going on? Because attacking me is dangerous. You could have been seriously hurt.”

  Now she laughed. She actually laughed at him. “Ooh. Okay. Duly noted. Taking Chance is dangerous.”

  If she weren’t so damn cute he would be beyond irritated as hell. But she was. Cute. Like really cute. She had a button nose and sparkling green eyes and a long neck that made him want to bury his lips in that soft flesh and suck. Which was why, if he were honest with himself, he had kissed her back. Just for a second. He hadn’t been dating recently and he’d been cool with that. His last girlfriend had been more into posting pictures of him shirtless on her social media than actually spending time with him and he hadn’t been looking all that hard for a new relationship.

  He wasn’t now either. This was precisely the type of woman who was not his type. He judged her to be in her late twenties despite her short stature, and he had to admit, her smile was adorable. She leaned back on the palms of her hands, and crossed her ankles, like she was perfectly comfortable sitting on the hot asphalt.

  Yet he was at work and he didn’t have time to play whatever game she was playing. They were both sitting on their asses. He rose to his feet and gestured to the cameraman. “I don’t want you putting this on the Internet if that guy is filming.” He held his hand out to help her off the ground.

  She waved her hand, dismissing both his assistance and his comment, and made no move to get off the ground. “We’re not live, no worries. My plan was to sneak up behind Jack and kiss him. I’m not supposed to be
here for another hour.”

  If there was one thing Chance was not, it was funny. He was well aware of that fact. He envied someone who was quick and witty and could make everyone laugh. Chance was intense, he always had been. It used to concern his mother, how disciplined he was even as a child, but his father had always approved, before he’d passed away when Chance was twelve. He’d been a great candidate for the military and had joined the marines right out of high school. But someone like Toni, and her ability to be so spontaneous, intrigued him.

  “So you just go around randomly kissing people you know?” That seemed like an odd career, but then again, he got punched in the face for a living.

  “Oh, sometimes it’s total strangers,” she said.

  He eyed her, not sure what to think. “Then mission accomplished.”

  Toni laughed. “But it was a good kiss.” She winked at him. “Nice bod, by the way. Jack is fit, but you are ridiculous.”

  He wouldn’t be human if that didn’t stroke his ego more than a little. But he was a confident enough guy that he could see her tactic for what it was—a distraction technique. “Thank you. Now please let me help you up.”

  His goal was to get away from her as quickly as possible. This was not the way a day at the office was supposed to go.

  “Only if you agree to kiss me again.”

  Chance stared down the brunette, hoping to intimidate her. She didn’t flinch or break his gaze. If anything, she looked even more amused. “Why?” he asked.

  “It will be good for ratings and you did just knock me to the ground. I think you owe me.”

  If she had left it at “ratings” he could have resisted. But his guilt and moral confusion left him no choice. “Fine. But one kiss, two minutes of my time, then my day returns to normal.”

  “Now that’s a pick-up line every woman dreams of hearing.”

  “I’m not—" He started to protest, but instantly realized she was just messing with him. “I’m not trying to be rude.” It was just he was at work and she wasn’t his type.

  She wasn’t genuinely interested in him anyway.

  She tossed her curls back. He hated that he was standing and she was still on the ground. He felt uptight and restless. She looked relaxed and in control.

  “Well, Chance Ashton, maybe you should try a little harder.”

  That irritated him. He was not being rude. He really wasn’t. He stood by that. He was about to protest when he realized that she had something hooked into the belt on her dress. “What is that?”

  Because he could have sworn it was a gilded dildo.

  Chapter Three

  Given her profession, Toni was good at rolling with the punches. Sometimes, literally. But none of this was going the way she wanted it to. At all. By now she should be making out with Sexy Stuntman and yet Chance was looking at her like she was a circus sideshow.

  She much preferred the kiss idea. Because Chance the stunt double was gorgeous, with a chiseled jaw and dark, burning eyes. His body was nothing but muscle, and he had some dark beard stubble that tempted her to reach out and scratch it. If she weren’t on the ground still and if he didn’t appear ready to toss her down again if necessary.

  “Oh, this old thing?” She tapped the golden dildo and shrugged. “It’s just a douche award. I hand them out sometimes.”

  The man’s expression was impossible to read. He was like a Greek statue, all stony and sexy and blemish free. Given that bulge in his pants though, he wasn’t all ancient sculpture with a tiny penis. The man had a whole lot going on in that tight suit. She was tempted to reach forward and tickle him right there, just to see how he would react. But even she wasn’t crazy enough to do that to a total stranger.

  Toni felt caught off guard, a rare feeling for her. Something about Chance was unnerving. Of course, she realized what it was the second the thought popped in her head. He was insanely good-looking and she was very much aware of his presence as a man. She had been born without the flirt gene and this was the kind of guy who was way out of her league. He made her nervous in the most basic way possible. She wanted to get naked and smoosh bodies with him, but he would never give the little funny girl the time of day. She was the hot guy’s buddy, never his girlfriend, and Chance fell into that category.

  Plus he clearly thought she was the world’s strangest creature.

  He was looking at her like she was bird poop that had landed on his arm.

  “Don’t worry, it’s not meant for you,” she said. “I have a perverse sense of humor in case you hadn’t noticed. But it’s a good career.”

  “I have no response to that. But if you don’t get off the ground I’m going to do something I might regret.”

  “Such as?”

  “Throw you over my shoulder and escort you off the premises.”

  Tempting. Very tempting. But while that was sexy in theory, Chance looked like he wanted the power to vaporize her.

  “Not necessary. Just give me a hand.” She had to get up if she really was going to kiss him again anyway. “This asphalt is starting to sear my skin off the bone. Why is Burbank so damn hot all the time?”

  Chance took her hand and hauled her up with zero effort. “It’s all the hot stars,” he said, with a complete straight face.

  Toni got even more nervous. Why did it feel like she was being punked herself? Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dangerous was impossible to get a read on. He was just watching her intently. So when in doubt, be an idiot. That was her motto.

  She started patting his chest all over.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Searching for your mic. Jack had to have set me up. Like this is a reverse joke on my reverse joke.” She found no evidence of a mic on his chest or his lower back, but she continued to feel around, because well, he felt amazing. Not to insult all the men she had dated in the past, but they were all basically marshmallows next to Chance Ashton. Okay, so that was insulting to all her exes, but come on. Chance was a rock. Nothing but muscles.

  “I don’t even know what that sentence means.” He laid his hands over hers and stopped her progress down his abs, which was a damn shame. “And to be honest, I don’t care.”

  Though she was pushing her luck, she had to admit, she tried to move her hand down further. She was perilously close to his waistband and the glory of what lay below. But he held her firmly in place. Damn it.

  Forcing her gaze upwards, she said, “No?” because that was brilliant. Not.

  “No. I just think you need to stop touching me like that or we’re going to have a situation.”

  “God, I hope so.” Because of course she said that out loud, because she had zero filter. Like none.

  “You want me to restrain you again?” he asked, eyebrows shooting up.

  And here she had thought he meant a situation as in a boner. But he actually meant that if she didn’t stop he was going to have to make her stop. She was apparently in his personal space.

  “Don’t be a tease,” she said breezily. “I know you don’t mean that. So, we’re going to try this again? I approach you and we see what happens?”

  She was one hundred percent convinced he would tell her to buzz off at this point. But he didn’t. He just nodded and stepped away. “Do your thing.”

  Right. Her thing. Comedy. She turned and found Ned right behind her, as usual. She gestured to him to follow her and marched fifteen feet away.

  “Your cheeks are red,” Ned said. “I think you’re blushing.”

  Busted. “It’s hotter than Hades out here!” She glared at Ned.

  He lowered the camera and grinned at her. “I’ve never seen you flustered. The hottie in the suit has you all discombobulated. Never thought I’d see that.”

  Annoyed that he was completely right, Toni glared at Ned. “How old are you? No one says discombobulated under the age of eighty.” Which wasn’t true but she needed to deflect.

  She also felt the compelling need to glance over her shoulder at Chance. He was standing there with h
is back to her, hands in his pockets. It was tempting to lick her lips but she resisted the urge. Instead she squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. She had a job to do. Make people laugh. Not get distracted by Stonewall Ashton.

  “Just do your job,” she told Ned. “I don’t pay you to have opinions.”

  It was such a pretentious thing to say and so totally unlike her, Ned burst out laughing. “Holy crap, Toni has a crush.”

  “Shut up!” Because that overreaction wasn’t totally confirming Ned’s accusation or anything. Toni took a deep breath and smoothed her palms down the front of her dress. “Let’s have some fun.”

  Then she marched over to Chance. She tapped him on the arm. When he turned, there was no feigned surprise. Chance was no actor. He looked… smoldering. Toni’s breath caught in the back of her throat. He wanted her to kiss him. It didn’t look fake.

  And so everything inside her caught on fire and began to burn. She forgot about the camera behind her manned by Ned. She forgot about her career and her need to entertain her audience. In that moment she was just a woman who was face-to-face with a hot, muscular man amid some serious sexual tension.

  She went up on her tiptoes to reach him, and it felt like everything happened in slow motion. She lifted, he bent, and suddenly his mouth was on hers and the moment stopped making sense and the world went insane. The kiss was electric. It was insta-sizzle. From the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes crammed in her sneakers she felt the tingle of excitement and arousal.

  Without even thinking she wrapped her arms around his neck and moved in closer. More. She wanted more. His kiss was skilled, smooth, his tongue sweeping open her lips and teasing inside. Yet it didn’t feel rehearsed, or like a screen kiss. It felt genuine, real. His strong arm shifted around her back and he hauled her up against him. Toni collided with muscle, his power suit, and his lips.

  There was only one thing she could do. Kiss him like her life depended on it.

  No one could ever accuse her of holding back in any situation. She was known for her enthusiasm and her willingness to dive into whatever nonsense she had going on. This was no different. Because this was the best first kiss she’d ever had the pleasure of experiencing. She couldn’t help but sigh and his hand drifted lower, to the top of her ass, ready to cross that line if she gave him any encouragement. Which she wanted to.