Riding the Line (16 page)
She sighed. ‘I’ve already told you, I’m not pretending to be your sex slave.’
‘You are my sex slave. What I meant was, you know your way around LA. You can help me negotiate my way through all the crap.’
Silence followed his words. He risked a glance at Robyn, found her staring straight ahead.
‘Do you really mean that?’ Her voice was tremulous.
‘Of course I do. I hate big cities, I really do, and this one gives me hives.’ He patted her arm. ‘You can show me the good places to eat, the places to avoid
and
be my chauffeur. If you want to, of course.’
and
be my chauffeur. If you want to, of course.’
‘It would be cool to be useful.’
Dakota spotted the logo of the film company and slowed down. ‘Of course, I can only pay you with sex. Does that sound OK?’
She smiled at him then. ‘As long as there’s a lot of it and it’s of the highest quality, I think that will be all right.’
‘It’s a deal then.’ He lowered the window as a guard from a small security booth approached the truck. ‘Hi, I’m Dakota Scott. I’m due to film a commercial with Just Enough Productions this week. I was told I could park my horse rig here.’
The security guard checked his clipboard and then scratched his head, almost dislodging his faded baseball cap. ‘I see your name, sonny, but I don’t see no mention of you parking that truck here. I’ll have to call Miss Stephanie.’
Dakota smiled. ‘No worries, you do that. We’ll wait.’
The guy retreated to his booth and Dakota turned up the air conditioning and his Garth Brooks CD.
Robyn poked him in the ribs. ‘What’s the hold-up?’
‘The guard wants to check if the rig’s allowed to stay here for the duration.’
She sighed. ‘They don’t seem very organized, do they?’
‘I expect, back in the day, you’d have had a tantrum by now, wouldn’t you?’
‘I probably would have. But luckily for you, I’ve gotten over myself.’
He leant over and kissed her soft scented cheek. When he straightened he realized the security guard was by his window again with a young woman. He opened the door and stepped down out of the truck.
‘Oh, wow, it’s so cool to finally meet you!’
Dakota turned to the young red-haired woman next to the guard who was squealing and jumping up and down, her perfect breasts threatened to escape her tiny top. The rest of her was tall and thin, her black skirt so short he wondered if she could actually sit down in it. He held out his hand.
‘Hi, I’m Dakota Scott.’
‘I know! I’m Stephanie Ford, the production assistant for J.E.P. I have pictures of you all around my cubicle.’
She grabbed his hand with both of hers and clutched it to her breasts. He winced as her oversized plastic rings dug into his fingers.
‘Nice to meet you, Miss Ford.’
‘Oh, please, call me Stephanie.’
Dakota carefully disengaged his hand and heard the door on the other side of his truck thump shut. Robyn had obviously decided to take a hand in the proceedings.
‘I was told I could leave my horse rig parked up here for the duration of the shoot. Is that still OK?’
Stephanie nodded so enthusiastically her huge sunglasses fell off her head. ‘Yeah, that’s fine, that’s perfect, that’s –’
‘Here are your sunglasses.’ Robyn sounded as snotty as hell as she picked up the glasses and handed them back, interrupting Stephanie in full flow.
‘Thank you.’ Stephanie glanced uncertainly at Robyn and then back at Dakota who couldn’t repress a grin. ‘Um, who is this? I only have you on my list.’
Dakota drew Robyn against his side and hugged her. ‘This is my personal assistant, Robyn Cooper. She’ll be taking care of all the details of my trip here.’
His personal assistant
?
What the hell was that about?
?
What the hell was that about?
Robyn tried to ease away from Dakota, but he held her far too tightly. She compromised by deliberately leaning into him and standing on the toe of his boot. He flinched but didn’t let go. She bore down harder. Didn’t he understand that she wanted to stay below the radar?
‘Your assistant?’ Stephanie looked as doubtful as Robyn felt.
‘Yeah, didn’t my brother Jay tell you?’ Dakota frowned. ‘Mind you, he’s not the most organized of people, as I’m sure you know. Can you make sure that Ms Cooper gets all the necessary security clearance so she can stay nice and close to me?’
He winked at Stephanie, who blushed and visibly melted. Robyn ground her teeth. He was
so
going to pay for this.
so
going to pay for this.
‘Yes, of course, Mr Scott. We’ll sort that out right now. I have a car ready to take you to your hotel.’
‘Which hotel is that?’ Robyn asked, her smile as saccharine as she could make it. Dakota didn’t know that, in this town, status was everything. Even the choice of hotel was an indication of your current standing amongst the great and the good.
‘The Hilton at Universal City.’ Stephanie looked anxiously at Dakota. ‘Is that OK? It’s real close and they have some nice rooms there.’
‘Sounds good to me.’ Dakota chuckled. ‘I was half-expecting Jay to put me up in a barn.’
Robyn got some wiggle room and elbowed Dakota in the ribs. He finally let her go. She smiled approvingly at Stephanie. ‘That’s a great choice. Mr Scott will be very comfortable there and the commute is short for him to walk.’
‘Walk?’ Stephanie looked aghast. ‘No one “walks” in LA. It’s, like, just not done.’
Dakota eyed Robyn. ‘She does have a point, you know. I don’t want to fill my lungs with all that smog.’
‘Oh yeah, I forgot about your delicate constitution,’ Robyn muttered before flashing Stephanie another of those false smiles. ‘What time would you like Mr Scott on set tomorrow?’
Stephanie consulted her clipboard, her expression flustered. ‘Six a.m. would be good. He can go straight into make-up.’
‘Make-up?’ Dakota looked at Robyn, ‘I don’t need make-up.’
She patted his arm. ‘Yes you do. Nobody’s perfect.’
‘He looks quite perfect to me,’ Stephanie gushed and then cleared her throat as Robyn frowned at her. ‘OK, then, the guard will show you where to park your horse rig and I’ll get your passes.’
Dakota touched the brim of his Stetson. ‘Thanks, darlin’, we’ll meet you back here.’
Stephanie’s blush deepened and she wiggled her fingers at Dakota as she hurried away. Robyn climbed back into the truck and Dakota followed her. He started the engine and waited for the security guard to reappear.
‘Stephanie seems like a nice girl.’
‘Stephanie is an idiot whose IQ probably matches the thirty-eight bra size of her fake boobs.’
‘How do you know they’re fake?’
She shot him a withering glance. ‘Nearly every woman in LA has fake boobs. It’s expected. It goes with the perfect teeth and size-zero body.’
Dakota’s interested gaze fastened on Robyn’s chest and he opened his mouth.
She held up one finger. ‘Don’t even say it, buddy. Mine are all real.’
‘I knew that. I know what fake boobs feel like. You’re not the only woman I’ve slept with. Stephanie’s just young. I bet you giggled a bit at that age.’
‘I never giggle.’
Dakota eased the truck forward. ‘Yeah, you do. I remember you giggling a lot when I was licking that chocolate pudding off your breasts.’
‘That’s different. That’s sex. I’m allowed to giggle during sex.’
‘That’s the kind of comment that could put a man off, you know.’
She patted his knee. ‘It’s OK, I was giggling with you, not at you.’
Dakota parked up against the tattered chain-link fence, turned off the engine and looked at Robyn. The smile on her face died as he took her hand.
‘Robyn, did I do the wrong thing, saying you’re my assistant?’
She shrugged. ‘I’m not sure. There probably won’t be anyone in this small company who has a clue who I used to be. I think we’ll be OK.’
Despite her reply, he could sense she was still on edge. He squeezed her hand. ‘I just wanted to keep you close.’
Her smile returned and her face softened. ‘That’s OK. I understand, I want to stay with you too.’
Dakota stared into her eyes. He wasn’t kidding. He didn’t think he could let her walk away from him yet. It was an enormous relief to hear her admit she felt the same. Every time he looked at her he had that strange sensation of being caught up in a whirlwind of emotions he had no idea how to control, let alone stop.
‘Dakota?’
He realized Robyn was waving her hand in front of his face.
‘Yeah?’
‘Shall we go and get our bags?’
He nodded and took off his seat belt. ‘Let’s do that. I can’t wait to get to the hotel.’ He risked another sideways glance at her. ‘You know that’s the second time today you’ve passed up the opportunity to be sarcastic to me.’
Robyn paused as she got out of the truck. ‘You’re right. I’ll make it up to you later.’
‘Maybe my niceness is rubbing off on you.’
He couldn’t see her as she walked to the door at the side of the horse rig, but her snort was all too audible. He found the keys and unlocked the door. Their bags stood ready on the carpet by the small table.
‘I’ll get them, honey.’
Robyn held the door open for him as he returned with the bags. She shook her head as he passed her.
‘You really need to work on that attitude, Dakota. No real movie star would ever be seen carrying his own bags.’
‘I’m no movie star. I’m just an overeducated cowboy.’ He hoisted the larger bag on to his shoulder and adjusted his grip on the other. ‘Can you take the keys and lock the door?’
He started walking, aware that Robyn was still staring at him. She had no idea how uncomfortable the whole idea of appearing in the boot commercial made him. The only reason he was doing it was to help his half-brother out and, if he was honest, finance a large chunk of his master’s degree.
Robyn caught up with him and he slowed his pace. A silver Mercedes had pulled up beside the guard’s booth.
‘Wow, Jay really has gone crazy,’ he muttered as Stephanie waved at him.
‘What’s wrong now?’ Robyn asked.
‘We get to ride in a Mercedes. I always thought Jay was the tight-fisted one in the family.’
‘He probably didn’t order the car. That would be the production company and Stephanie obviously believes you deserve only the best.’
Dakota winked at Robyn. ‘I just figured out why you’re being nice to me.’
‘Really?’ She raised her eyebrows, her expression challenging.
‘It’s simple. You’re jealous of Stephanie.’ He didn’t wait to see the effect of his words. He simply picked up speed and hurried toward the car. After a quick word with the driver he stowed the bags in the trunk and turned to Stephanie. To his relief, Robyn was already in the car.
‘Thanks Stephanie. You’ve been great.’ He shook her hand, offered her his best smile.
‘No problem, Mr Scott, it was a pleasure, a real pleasure.’ Stephanie glanced at the car and lowered her voice. ‘If you’d like to come out for a drink sometime, just call me.’ She slid a business card into Dakota’s shirt pocket.
He blinked at her and took a step back. Hadn’t he made it obvious that he and Robyn were a couple?
‘Thanks for the offer, but Robyn keeps me pretty busy, you know.’
Stephanie fluttered her eyelashes at him. ‘I’m sure she does, but if you ever want to change it up, give me a call.’
Dakota decided to shut up and get in the car.
Chapter Thirteen
‘Dakota, can you just relax your right shoulder? You look a little tense.’
Dakota turned slightly toward the arc of blinding lights. How in hell had he gotten into this? He felt like some sort of cheap mannequin, slathered in make-up, his hair coated with a can of hairspray, and as for his chest . . .
‘Dakota?’
‘I think Mr Scott needs a moment.’
Robyn’s confident voice came out of the glare and she walked toward him. He tried to smile at her but was worried he might dislodge the goop they’d slapped on his face. She touched his arm.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘It’s all frickin’ wrong.’ Dakota gave up and scowled good and hard. ‘How am I supposed to act like a rough and tough cowboy when I look like Barbie’s boy toy, Ken?’
She looked him up and down. ‘What’s wrong? You look OK to me.’
He shoved a finger in the air. ‘One, most cowboys do not go to work without their shirts on and, two, none of them oil their chests!’
‘But it makes your muscles gleam in the sun.’
He bent toward her, caught her quick smile. ‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’
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