Beneath the Covers (Kimani Romance) (3 page)

“Claudia’s a woman, right?”

“Yes, but not just any woman.”

Peter held up a hand. “Watch and learn.”

Frank’s unease didn’t leave his eyes, but he began to smile.

“W
alk with me.”

It was a command, not a suggestion, but Ashley didn’t care. She rested a hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes at Peter. “Can’t Claudia walk with you later?” she said, annoyed. “I have to get her ready.”

The set became quiet. The crew members knew that Peter didn’t like when people questioned his orders. Ashley didn’t care. A petite woman sporting a series of close-cropped twisted dreds, she liked to keep Claudia on schedule. The energetic makeup, wardrobe mistress and overall “gopher” was responsible for making sure the hosts looked great in front of the camera. She had no trouble working on Peter. He just needed powdered makeup to keep the shine off his forehead. And only once in a while, she would need to substitute his tie selection when he inadvertently selected a hideous color or pattern. But because he’d spent a lot of time on TV sets behind the camera, he knew what was expected. Claudia was the one who needed more attention. She wasn’t one to wear a lot of makeup, and when she did, she did so sparingly. She had no idea the time it took to get her ready for a shoot, and she couldn’t understand the two hours needed to make her look “natural.”

“Must you use that much foundation?” she complained. “I’m going to look like a clown!” But when Claudia started to break out after only two days of filming, Ashley was forced to hold back a little on the foundation.

Ashley had familiarized herself with the hectic schedule planned over the period of seven weeks in four different countries. Thankfully, the entire crew would have either a week or several days off between the first three places, before having to travel to another location. This provided Ashley plenty of opportunities to shop for any additional items she needed. But she didn’t like interruptions, and she didn’t take kindly to Peter’s suggestion that Claudia go for a walk with him. At least, not at that moment.

“This won’t take long,” he said in an indulgent voice that made everyone relax.

Claudia cast an uneasy glance at Ashley then looked back at Peter. Since their kiss, she’d done her best to avoid being alone with him. Distance was her best defense. It’s what she’d told her friend Tamara, who was one of the few who knew about her past with Peter, a month ago when she’d asked how she would handle him.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Tamara asked, unsure after Claudia told her about the project. “I know the money is good, but I have several exes I don’t want to see, let alone work with.”

“It will work out. He won’t want to deal with me, and I’ll stay away from him.”

“But you’re going to be cohosting a show with him!”

“I know.”

“Just remember to be careful.”

She thought of her friend’s words now as she looked at Peter’s face, which gave nothing away. “I know I keep screwing up, and I’m sorry. I—”

Peter shook his head. “That’s not why I asked you to walk with me. Come on.” He left.

“I guess you’d better follow,” Ashley said, resigned.

Claudia jumped out of her chair and did just that.

Once she’d caught up with him, she tried not to bite off her carefully applied lipstick, but she couldn’t imagine what Peter had to say. She knew she was awful. The thought of the past two days galled her. She was used to being a success, of wowing a crowd. But recently she produced only eye rolls and groans from some of the crew members. Peter hadn’t spoken directly to her since that first night. The past couple of days, he’d gone to bed late and gotten up early, and except for a cursory hello or good-night they didn’t converse. Claudia gazed down the stretch of white beach with its sparkling aquamarine water and powder blue sky, amazed she could feel miserable in paradise.

The silence seemed to deepen as their distance from the crew grew. Claudia took a deep breath. “Before you say anything, I know you’re disappointed in me and you have every right. Putting me on TV was a gamble, and so far it’s not working out. Everyone has been patient, and I really appreciate that. So—ow!” She glared at him, rubbing her arm where he’d pinched her. “What did you do that for?”

“I told you, that’s not why I wanted to walk with you.”

“Then why?”

“I want you to tell me why anyone should visit here.”

Claudia threw out her hands. “That’s obvious.”

“Not to me. I’ve come here so often, it doesn’t mean the same anymore.”

She wasn’t surprised he’d been to Hawaii before. She knew he enjoyed life’s luxuries. “The women and the wine aren’t enough?”

Peter ignored her comment and said, “Why should people—single people—come?”

“This beach is gorgeous.”

He shrugged. “I’ve been to a lot of beaches.”

“You cannot ignore the sugar white sands and gorgeous weather.”

“Sure I can.”

“It’s the perfect place to show off one’s figure.”

“So?”

“To enjoy the sensuous smell of the many varieties of tropical flowers found on the island. Listening to the cry of native birds. The—”

He pointed at her. “That’s it!”

She halted. “What?”

“That’s what we need on camera. That passion. Be yourself—natural, fun, friendly. You’re talking to the women who’ve bought your books and made them bestsellers. They want to connect with you. Give them that chance. Be their friend. Can you do that?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Also, don’t memorize your lines. Believe them. Own them. Make them yours.”

Claudia nodded. “Okay.”

Peter reached into his trouser pocket and took out a tiny digital video camera and focused it on her. “Okay, you’re on.”

“What?”

“Talk to me.”

She blinked but said nothing.

He let his hand fall. “Pretend that the camera isn’t there. Just talk to me.” He held up the camera again. “Now, begin!”

“What am I supposed to say?”

“Anything you think is interesting.”

Claudia looked out over the beach. “Hawaii is an island of secrets and mysteries—” her tone was calm, yet forceful “—with tales of gods and goddesses that could rival those found in ancient African and Greek stories. As I look out at the calm waters, I think of a story. Want to hear it?”

Peter nodded and continued filming. Then Claudia told him a story about a Hawaiian princess and her love, betrayal and death. It mesmerized him. He no longer heard the sound of the ocean or felt its breeze. Her words kept him spellbound. They both moved and angered him. How could
she
tell him a story about a woman betrayed by the man she loved?

“The end,” she said.

Peter stopped filming and shoved the camera back in his pocket.

Claudia rested her hands on her hips with a smug grin. “Will that work?”

“Yes,” he said curtly. He walked up to her, cupped her chin and studied her face. His gaze, which had once caressed her with tenderness, was unreadable. “Tell Ashley to soften your makeup, and be careful of your expressions.” He let his hand fall and tilted his head. “You show too much emotion. You have to be more guarded. The camera catches everything—especially fear. Be an actress.”

She raised her eyebrows in protest. “But I can’t act.”

“Sure you can. You’re excellent at showing emotions you don’t really feel.”

Claudia scooped up a fistful of sand and threw it at him.

Peter wiped his face and glared at her. “What the heck was that for?”

“How dare you say that to me. I’ve always been honest about my feelings.”

“You certainly fooled me.” He pointed at her as she scooped up another fistful of sand. “You’ll regret doing that a second time.”

“I regret a lot of things when it comes to you. But it won’t be this.” She threw the sand.

Peter stood still a moment then rushed forward. Claudia turned and ran, but she couldn’t outrun him. He grabbed her from behind and swung her up into his arms and walked toward the water. “I should throw you in.”

“Ashley would kill you.”

“It would be worth it.”

Claudia struggled to release his hold. “Put me down.”

He continued toward the ocean. “I know a few myths of my own, including the ocean god Kanaloa.”

Claudia wrapped her arms around his neck. “He’s also the god of death, so if you let go I’ll take you down with me.”

Peter met her eyes. “I don’t doubt it.”

“Is it your guilt that makes you want to see me dead?”

He abruptly released her so she could stand. “My guilt?”

Claudia stumbled but steadied herself. “Yes, after what you did to me?”

Peter raised his eyebrows, stunned. “After what
I
did? Are we talking about the same night? I wasn’t the one who didn’t show up on our wedding day. You left me standing there and I waited for…” He stopped and shook his head. “You could have told me you changed your mind the day before or the week before, but you waited until one of the most important days in a man’s life to let him know that he wasn’t good enough for you.”

Claudia frowned, confused. “What are you talking about? I thought I made myself clear.”

“Yes, you made yourself very clear. I’d actually thought something had happened to you and checked all the hospitals. You didn’t even make it on the flight. But I still had hoped that maybe you’d missed the day. Even when I returned to our apartment and found all your things gone, I still didn’t think you’d left me. Then I found your note where you explained that you’d made a mistake and didn’t want to see me again. That our love affair was over. And…what is it?” he asked when Claudia gasped. “What’s wrong? Did you get bitten or something?”

“Yes,” she lied, pretending to rub a bite on her leg. She straightened. “We’d better go.” She turned.

Peter grabbed her arm, making her face him. “You didn’t get bitten, did you? What’s wrong? Am I missing something?”

Claudia pulled her arm away and kept her face averted. She couldn’t allow him to read her thoughts. Not now. She couldn’t bear it. Her mind raced as she tried to fathom the magnitude of the truth. All this time Peter hadn’t known the real reason she hadn’t shown up, and she couldn’t tell him. “No, you’re right. What I did was cruel and thoughtless.” She took a deep breath then finally turned to look at him. “You can see me as a selfish bitch or a pathetic wimp. Either way, I panicked and you’re better off without me.” When his dark eyes continued to search her face, she forced a smile. “Look how successful you are now, and you can have any woman you want and still stay a happy bachelor. You’re living every man’s dream.” Before Peter could probe deeper, she turned, eager to escape into the safety of a crowd.

But Peter stopped her. “I said I wouldn’t let you run away from me, and I meant it.”

Claudia took a hasty step back. “Please, Peter, don’t. Not here.”

He stared at her, surprised by the fear in her eyes. Not weariness. Not unease. True, glittering fear. Of him. It shook him. He reached out to her, but she moved away. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing.” She held up her hands in surrender when he opened his mouth to argue. “You win. I regret everything and I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to forgive me.”

He hadn’t anticipated this. She was supposed to be haughty. Fight him. Not surrender with tears gathering in her eyes. And for one wild moment he just wanted to hold her. He gripped his hands into fists. What the hell was going on? Why was she still able to get to him? Was this another trick? A way to manipulate him?

Claudia brushed the clinging sand from his shirt, desperate to divert his attention. “I’m sorry—”

Peter grabbed her hand. “I promise if you’re hiding something from me, I’m going to find out.”

She didn’t reply.

He let her hand go. “Let’s get back to work,” he said, then walked past her.

Claudia briefly shut her eyes, relieved that her secret was still safe.

A
ll Roy Fitcher wanted was a cold beer and a hot woman. Preferably both at the same time. He leaned against a palm tree, waiting for the shooting to restart. He’d been to Hawaii lots of times and was bored. He couldn’t understand how Warren could marvel at the same location each time. He frowned. Peter Warren—what an annoying prick. He hated the guy and his smug smile, arrogant commands and perfect clothes. Unlike everyone else, he rarely wore T-shirts. No, Mr. I’m-Better-Than-Everyone always wore dress shirts, crisply ironed and never wrinkled. The guy was unreal.

But he’d grown up with money, unlike Roy, who had to fight for everything. Although he was a successful cameraman, he’d always held a secret desire to be in front of the camera one day like Warren had managed to do. But that wasn’t a surprise, everything seemed to come easy to the guy. He wouldn’t even be here if Frank hadn’t called him. Roy liked Frank. He was a man’s man and treated people fairly and paid well. And the money for this assignment was good enough to help him with some gambling debts. But aside from the money, the job had another perk— Claudia Madison. He watched her laugh at something Ashley said and smiled. He planned to get to know her better. Although she’d turned him down for drinks earlier, he was undeterred. He had plenty of time to change her mind.

Roy paused when he saw Peter go over to Claudia. He waited for Claudia to dismiss him, but instead she followed him down to the beach. They should be getting ready for the next shoot. Why was he leading her away? He looked at Frank, but he didn’t seem concerned. Roy folded his arms, resisting the urge to follow them. Peter wasn’t trying to make a play, was he? He turned again to Frank and saw that Ashley had joined him and they were both watching Peter and Claudia. Roy decided to find out what was going on.

“What are you two up to?” he said, trying to sound more casual than he felt.

“Watching the master at work,” Frank said, gesturing to Peter.

“What’s he doing?”

“I don’t know, but I hope it works.”

“I don’t know what the big deal is.” Roy frowned, still amazed by the other man’s appeal. “I mean, what’s he got that I don’t?”

Ashley sniffed. “I hope that’s a rhetorical question.”

He shot her a glance. “Okay, so he’s good-looking and rich, so what? He’s shallow.”

“You sound jealous.”

“I’m not jealous. I just thought women wanted more.”

“The thing about Peter is his contradiction. There’s a part of him you want to rescue and a part of him you want to tame. Plus he’s sexy. It’s a tempting package.” She paused. “What on earth? If he throws her in the water, I’ll kill him.”

“Relax,” Frank said. “It’s just a ploy.”

Ashley breathed a sigh of relief when Peter set Claudia down. “I wonder what the argument’s about?”

“He’s probably trying to give her pointers on how to be more natural in front of the camera.”

“She might not like what he has to say,” Ashley said.

“So far her performance has been…” Frank faltered.

Ashley filled in for him. “Stiff.”

“That’s a good way to put it.”

“I’m sure she’ll improve.”

“She has to.”

Ashley watched them more closely. “It’s funny how good they look together. I wouldn’t have expected that.”

Frank straightened. “What do you mean?”

“Look at them—how their gestures seem to complement each other. How her artsy dress makes him look more casual, and his classic style makes her look less flamboyant. It’s strange.” Ashley looked at her handiwork, pleased with the outcome. Claudia looked stunning in a pale blue, off-the-shoulder cotton blouse and a white pair of wide-legged silk pants. She had pulled back Claudia’s hair, which was held in place with a heavy dose of hair spray, and her outfit was set off by coral-shell earrings and a necklace. Peter looked equally ravishing in a dark purple, finely woven cotton shirt that showed off his muscular physique and a pair of loose-fitting khaki trousers. Together they made a very handsome pair.

Frank clapped his hands together. “It’s great.” He stood. “I just got an idea,” he said then left.

“Oh, they’re heading this way,” Ashley said. “Back to work.” She returned to her station, which was situated off to the side under an oversize bamboo umbrella.

Roy didn’t move but kept watching Peter. “He’s a fraud,” he muttered. “And one day I’m going to prove it.”

“No.”

Frank held up his hands. “Just hear me out.”

Peter and Frank sat in Frank’s suite. The shoot was over and they’d just finished dinner.

“I heard you the first time,” Peter said, “and the answer is the same. I’m not doing scenes with her.”

“I know she’s not your type. You like your women a bit more…” He hesitated, searching for the words.

Peter sent him a sharp look. “A bit more what?”

“Classy.”

“Claudia’s classy.”

“Not in the usual way.”

“In the usual way?” Peter said in a soft voice that was indistinguishable.

“You know…the big hoop earrings and long necklaces. That artsy style. We like our women more understated, right?” he said, suddenly unsure of Peter’s mood. “I’m not saying she’s not a very attractive woman.”

“I know what you’re trying to say, and the answer is still no.”

“Okay, so you don’t like her.” When Peter looked surprised, Frank shrugged. “It’s obvious. We all saw you nearly toss her in the ocean.”

He shrugged. “I was just making a point.”

“There’s something else.”

Peter shifted in his seat. “What?”

“She gets under your skin. I can’t help but notice it, because I know you. You’re cordial to her, but not in your usual way. Typically, you get a woman to smile, then you get her to laugh, then you get her into bed.”

Peter began to grin. “There’s still time.”

Frank shook his head. “You won’t be able to get her with your typical charm. The biggest problem is she’s a female version of you.”

Peter’s grin vanished. “She’s not a female version of anything, and certainly not me. She’s no different from any other woman.”

“If you believe that you’d be making a mistake.”

Peter drummed his fingers on the table. “I understand her more than you know.”

“Probably and I don’t know why she rubs you the wrong way, but it works.”

Peter stopped drumming and flattened his palm on the table. “What?”

“When I saw the two of you on the beach today, my mind went crazy. Because she’s not your type, it makes things more interesting. You’re more unassuming. I don’t know what it is, but something sparkles when you’re together.”

“Sparkles? What is this, a disco?”

Frank grimaced. “Bear with me—I couldn’t think of another word. This is a great idea.”

Peter shook his head. “No, there’s no reason to change things. She was flawless in her last shoot. I’ve finally got her on track.”

“I know. Whatever you said worked. She was natural and friendly and great to look at. But together, you’re dynamite. The camera will love you. You want a hit? I know how to give you one.”

“We have different audiences,” Peter said, knowing he was fighting a losing battle.

“You’ll blend them together. The guys will love looking at her, and the ladies will love looking at you. It’s the perfect combination. It’s TV gold!”

Peter looked away.

Frank leaned forward. “Besides, combining scenes in the various locations will save on costs and put us back on schedule.”

“I can’t argue with that.”

“Don’t argue at all. Just tell me if you want a hit or not.” He held out his hand.

Peter stared at Frank’s extended hand, conflicted. He wanted this to work, but he’d made another mistake this afternoon. He shouldn’t have touched her again, but he hadn’t been able to help himself. He remembered the way the sun touched her hair, the way the wind caressed her skin, how her face glowed as she told him about her impression of the beach. She’d stirred something deep within him, and for one wild instant he pictured her naked on the beach with the waves washing over her smooth brown body, making her legs look sleek and wet and her nipples hard. Then he imagined himself as the wave completely covering her…

Peter silently swore as the vivid image rose again in his mind. He’d found nothing wrong with her makeup, but he had to say something to help dampen his dangerous attraction to her. It was more potent than he’d realized, and now he couldn’t stop thinking about the brief look of fear he’d seen on her face. What did it mean? It wasn’t just sexual unease, and it reached him at his core. He had to find out what she was hiding. But now wasn’t the time.

He knew Frank understood what worked, and fortunately no one suspected how he really felt about Claudia. The situation was complicated enough.

Peter shook Frank’s hand. “Don’t make me regret this.”