HH01 - A Humble Heart (16 page)

see why someone might make that leap that he inspired Christian. It’s not a far stretch.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw

Edward give her a conspiratorial wink and had to stop herself from laughing.

A man wearing a suit stood up next. “Is it true that you are romantically involved with Edward Pierce?”

Rick stepped up to the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s please keep the questions about the books and respect

Dana’s privacy,” he said cordially.

A woman stood up wearing a press badge for Woman's Universe Magazine. “Dana, the sex scenes, love scenes I guess is

more appropriate term, are very detailed and explosive. Did you draw those scenes from your fantasies?”

She was stunned into silence. Edward didn’t help by grinning hugely and wagging his eyebrows at her suggestively. “Ah,

wow….the love scenes….hmmm, I think I’m going to have to leave that to the reader’s imagination.” Everyone chuckled. The

woman looked disappointed as she sat down. She caught Edward’s expression. He looked equally disappointed that she hadn't

answered the question.

Edward stood up next, cutting off several people. When they saw him they sat down quickly, eager to hear what he was

going to ask. “Dana, would you say you build relationships in your books from experience or desire?” he asked. His eyes were

alive with humor. He was being sneaky and he knew it.

“That’s a very good question.” She bit her lower lip, trying to figure out how to answer this.

“I was just wondering if you wrote anything in your book that you pulled from your own experience,” Edward said. Damn

it. At least the female reporter asked the question in a way she could easily sidestep. Edward was really putting it out there.

She was going to have to kick his ass later.

Damn, he was devious. He was curious about the sex scenes and wanted to know if she would do anything she wrote

about. Some of the scenes were pretty erotic and sensual. “I’m afraid the only answer I can give you is that I never write about

anything I don’t have firsthand knowledge of,” she said instead of stepping around the answer like he expected, mostly to mess

with him.

He swallowed noticeably and had to stop himself from staggering back to his seat. He was a big fan of the Christian and

Bailey series and moved onto her other books before he met her and was somewhat shocked at the detail involved in the love

scenes. He was impressed with the passion and clear description she used. No woman could be that sexual and sensual. There

was a lot she described and so many positions. Now as he sat down he was imagining her and him in every single one of them.

The female reporter jumped up again. “Does that mean all of the relationships in the book are based on your past

relationships?”

“I have dated a variety of men before I was married. There were some really nice guys who turned out to be really good

friends, and some that almost made me want to write off men completely,” she said, earning a few laughs. “But I will tell you

these relationships were based on a mixture of my ideal man and experience. I would like to leave it at that.” The woman

nodded and sat down.

Dana answered questions for another hour before she was finally allowed to sit down. Rick walked with her to the table

and sat next to her. Amy sat on the other side of Edward, who sat on her other side, working diligently with her palm pilot.

Edward leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You did a great job.” He kissed her cheek before sitting back.

She met his eyes. “And you are sneaky.”

He laughed unapologetically. “That I am.”

“Dana, Mom said she read over your contracts and they look good. The Maxim one will be ready to sign tomorrow at the

shoot.”

“It’s tomorrow?” she asked at the same time Edward asked “Maxim?”

“Yes, you need to be on set by eight. They want you to wear something comfortable,” Amy said, ignoring Edward.

“Okay, where's the shoot?” Dana asked.

“They’re sending a limo at seven-thirty to pick you up,” Amy said absently as she sent a text message.

“Would someone please answer me? You’re doing a spread for Maxim?” Edward asked.

“Yes,” she answered, taking a sip of her water.

He filed away that answer for later. “Contracts, as in plural?”

“Yes, she has been cast as the lead female lead in the movie
Rogue
,” Amy added.

Edward shot her a stunned look. “You mean the movie I passed up to film the
Christian and Bailey
movie?”

“Yup, that would be the one,” Amy said, not bothering to look up from composing another message.

He looked back at Dana. “That movie has some pretty heavy sex scenes in it. There’s nudity.”

Dana looked at Amy expectantly. Amy answered without looking up from her phone. “It will be fine. There’s no frontal

nudity.”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Edward asked. He pulled her to her feet before she could answer him and led her back

on stage past the curtains.

“What’s wrong, Edward?” Dana asked, already having some idea what he was mad about.

“Why didn’t you talk to me first?”

“Edward, you weren’t there. Besides this is my professional business it’s not part of my personal life.”

“You don’t think giving a million guys a hard on is part of your personal life?” he snapped.

She put her hand on his cheek and gently caressed the vein twitching against his ground jaw with her thumb. “Edward, I

turned down Hustler and Playboy. I’m not interested in becoming a sex symbol. I am interested in experiencing new things. I

would like to try my hand at acting, and this shoot sounds like fun. Please don’t be upset.”

He sighed as he looked into her beautiful eyes. This was something new to her. It meant a great deal to her and he couldn’t

stand in her way no matter how much it upset him.

“Can I come tomorrow, please? I just want to make sure they don’t take advantage. Please?” He gave her a puppy dog

expression he knew would do the trick.

Dana chuckled. “Fine, but just promise you’ll behave yourself.”

“I promise nothing,” he said, leaning in for a kiss. He meant it to be a quick kiss, but once he touched her lips he was on

fire. She deepened the kiss for them both, making him groan with appreciation.

He leaned her against the wall and pushed against her. She whimpered softly into his mouth. His hand moved slowly over

her dress to her breast. He cupped her firmly as he kissed her.

When her hands moved down his back and stopped at his backside he thrust against her. She whimpered into his mouth.

His free hand moved to her thigh and moved under her dress. “Edward, there are about a hundred people on the other side of

this curtain. We have to stop,” she whispered breathlessly against his mouth.

He removed his hands away with a groan. She gave him one last kiss and gently pushed him away. “Be patient,” she said

teasingly before she walked away.

Edward remained where he was for a few minutes, begging his body to calm down and not give him away. When he felt it

was safe he walked back to the table to find Dana and Amy standing up to leave.

“You need to get to bed. They want you well rested,” Amy stated.

“That’s fine with me. I’m sure the kids are driving the babysitter nuts by this point,” Dana said, walking with Amy

towards the door.

They walked to a waiting limousine parked in front of the restaurant. Amy ducked inside as Edward grabbed Dana’s hand.

“I’ll drive her home,” he told Amy.

“Edward.” She used a patronizing tone.

“Amy,” he said, using the same tone. “I’m driving her straight home don’t worry. She’ll be in bed soon and well rested for

tomorrow.” No need to tell Amy he was planning on joining her in bed. That was more information then she needed and he had

a feeling she would yank Dana into the limousine if she knew.

“Hold up, Amy,” Dana said.

She stepped a few feet away from the limousine and hugged Edward. “If you take me home there will be nothing to stop

me from tearing your clothes off with my teeth and testing your endurance for the rest of the night. So we’d better say goodnight

here.” She stepped back to see Edward’s expression. He looked like someone hit him in the forehead with a mallet.

“Fuck,” he groaned softly.

She kissed him quickly, pulling back before he could deepen the kiss. “Sorry, baby, I need to get enough sleep for

tomorrow.” She looked his body over as if she wanted devour him on site.

He actually whimpered when she walked away. She looked back over her shoulder when she heard it and gave him the

sexiest smile he’d ever seen. It took everything he had not to throw her over his shoulder and take her against his car right then

and there.

Edward stood frozen in the parking lot, watching the limo drive away. It was going to be a long night filled with cold

showers. Tomorrow couldn’t come quick enough for him.

********

“Dana, my name is Janet. I’ll be helping you today. Are you excited?” Janet asked in an upbeat tone.

Dana pushed back a strand of her hair. She looked around and noted that the beach was basically deserted, much to her

relief. “Yes, but really nervous.”

Janet waved it off. “Don’t be. We have to go and do body prep first,” she said.

“Body prep?”

“Yes, waxing, buffing, makeup, and moisturizing. It should only take three hours,” Janet said casually.

“Oh,” Dana said. She shot Amy a pleading look.

“Don’t worry it will be fine. I’ll hang out with Edward and keep him company,” Amy said, walking away.

The body prep was one of the most painful ordeals of her life and she included childbirth in that category. She was waxed

everywhere, her eyebrows were plucked, so much lotion and moisturizer was applied to her body that she thought she was

going to slide out of her seat.

It took exactly four hours. She knew this because she counted the minutes. After that was done she was shown her outfit. It

was the smallest bikini she had ever seen in her entire life.

She put on the bikini that had reminded her of dental floss and wrapped a towel around herself. Janet led her out to the

beach, barely five feet away from where the tide was washing over the sand. Several people walked over and fussed with her

hair and makeup. Her towel was pulled away before she knew it, leaving her feeling naked in front of dozens of strangers.

She gulped.

A man carrying a camera stepped forward. “My name is Clay. I’ll be taking your photos today, Dana. Are you all set?”

Dana wanted to cross her arms in front of her, but she wasn’t sure where to start. Her privates were barely concealed

behind the tiny piece of scrap that made up her bikini bottom. Her nipples and the area immediately around them were the only

things covered by the tiny scrap they called a bikini top. What she wanted was a large tee shirt to cover her up. Reluctantly she

nodded to Clay because she had to do something other than stand there like an idiot with people watching her.

She saw Edward out of the corner of her eye watching her. She was too mortified to look him in the eye. Several people

descended on her with makeup. They even put makeup on her stomach. Yes, she felt pretty stupid and was kicking herself for

signing the contract.

*******

Edward tried to steady his breathing, but Dana looked unbelievable. The second they pulled her towel away he started

panting. Amy nudged him repeatedly. There was nothing on earth that was going to make him tear his eyes off her right now. It

was hard enough watching her leave him last night. He wasn’t going to do it today.

“She’s beautiful, huh?” a woman next to him said. He didn’t bother looking at her.

“She’s amazing,” he said in a trance.

“I just wanted to say hi. I’m a big fan of yours,” she said.

He tore his eyes away from Dana and looked at the woman. He was shocked to see a platinum blonde model with

medically enhanced assets. “Thank you,” he said automatically.

Her lips curled into a knowing smile. “I’m Jamie Lynn’s friend, Megan.”

“Who?” he asked absently. He had no idea who this Jamie Lynn was or why the woman was talking to him when he

wanted to watch Dana.

She rolled her eyes. “The Jamie Lynn you dated for a month two years ago.” He looked puzzled. “She's a Victoria Secret

model. She has a tattoo on her bottom of Mickey Mouse.”

He shook his head. Obviously someone he hadn't slept with, because he was pretty sure he would remember a woman

with a Disney tattoo on her ass. Granted he did remember every single woman he ever slept with, all five of them, most of them

girlfriends before he became famous.

“I’m really sorry. I don’t remember her.”

Her smile was back. “Well, why don’t we get together tonight and I’ll remind you.”

“Thank you, but no thank you. I’m taking my girlfriend out tonight.” He gestured towards Dana.

She laughed. “You’re dating her? She has like a dozen kids.”

“Two, and they’re great kids.” He smiled and looked back in time to see Dana on spread knees with her back arched. The

woman next to him made a rude comment and stalked off.

“Holy shit,” Edward hissed as the photographer asked her to arch back further and she did.

Dana leaned back while praying that her skimpy suit didn’t move even a millimeter. Clay worked around her, constantly

snapping pictures. He made her go on all fours with her hair draping around her shoulders. The entire time she avoided