The Mysterious Italian Houseguest
Vicki Lewis Thompson
To Mills & Boon authors everywhere—
In an uncertain world, our stories have given
pleasure, lightened burdens and changed lives.
We rock.
Broad-shouldered, lean-hipped men with square jaws and captivating eyes were a dime a dozen in Hollywood. After spending all twenty-seven years of her life in Tinseltown, Geena Lysander wasn’t easily impressed. It was a testament to the beauty of Matt Forrest that her glasses fogged up whenever he walked into her office.
He was also a decent guy, and she didn’t often come across someone who was both ethical and gorgeous. She’d been strongly attracted to him ever since they’d started working together six months ago. Several times she’d caught a flash of heat in his gaze that indicated he had feelings for her, too.
Once she’d thought he’d been ready to ask her out. When he hadn’t, she’d decided it was for the best, considering their professional relationship. But that hadn’t stopped her from wanting to kiss him, especially when he flashed one of his megawatt smiles.
Judging from the grim set of his mouth, he wouldn’t be doing that today. Usually he came in wearing his signature hat, a chocolate-brown Stetson with a turquoise-studded hatband. He favored snug T-shirts, faded jeans and scuffed cowboy boots.
Not this morning. Instead, he’d pulled a generic baseball cap over his thick dark hair and covered his baby blues with aviator shades. He hadn’t bothered to shave. She’d never seen that beat-up denim jacket before, either, and he’d turned the collar up even though it was seventy degrees outside. The jeans and the boots were the same, though.
Giving her glasses a quick polish, she smiled, then she put them back on and stood. “Hey.”
“Ma’am.” He touched the brim of his cap in greeting, but he didn’t smile back.
If he’d intended to create a disguise, he’d failed. The paparazzi were experts at spotting celebrities trying to look like street people. And Matt, bless his heart, would look hot as sin no matter what he wore. “Any troubles on the way over?”
He shook his head. “Stayed with a buddy last night, which seems to have thrown them off the trail temporarily. Figured they might be watching my apartment building.”
“I can send someone to check that out.”
“I appreciate it, but I plan to avoid my place for a while so don’t go to any extra trouble.” Still no smile, and Matt was the kind of guy who looked for the humor in a situation.
She’d always cherished that about him and hated seeing