Page 35 of Double Obsession

“Got it,” Berta called over her shoulder.

“And your outline and plot summaries this afternoon!”

“When do I have to have the other books finished?” Jenna asked.

Berta pushed her into the hall as she flashed McMurry a thumbs-up. “We’ve got it.”

****

Two hours later, Jenna gamboled to The Lancaster. After the initial shock of it all, the reality had sunk in. Her dreams had come true, and Berta and McMurry were in this with her, as was her publishing house. The stakes were too high for any of her team to allow her to fail.

Berta had dragged her into a coffeehouse and talked sense into her. Working together, they outlined two more books and wrote the draft of both synopses. Berta assured her that they had two weeks to tweak and edit their proposal, and she would have plenty of time to pen the books once the contracts were signed.

Eight years ago, she wrote and published her first romance and it had been a bestseller. After that, the Dukes had been a smash. And now her books were in demand with a film production crew! Her chest puffed with pride. Even though she wasn’t Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, she’d achieved every writer’s dream.

Even more important than her success, a nanny was on the way, and her dad was recovering. Kylie had texted her a heart emoji and told her they were having fun. And the man Jenna had left between her sheets hadn’t run off as soon as he’d awakened. In fact, he’d texted, asking when she would return.

When Jenna twirled, her computer bag swung with her. If she’d had on a hat, she would have flung it into the air with unbridled joy while crooning about diamonds, daisies, snowflakes, chestnuts, rainbows, and springtime.She took the stairs in front of the Lancaster two at a time, skipped to the elevator, and pressed the neon red4.

Once she was cocooned in the steel box, she did an absurd jig and let go of the last year of her life with a reverberating howl.

****

Jenna opened the door to find a six-foot-two naked man lying on the floor face down. As she dropped her bags and raced to him, she tried to recall the ratio of breaths to chest compressions. She’d failed to come to Lisa’s aid; she wouldn’t fail Hunter.

She collapsed beside him. “Hunter, are you okay?”

He groaned and pushed himself into plank position. “One million, one thousand and ten.” The impossibly adorable idiot popped to standing, struck a bodybuilder pose, and kissed his bicep.

She untangled her legs from her dress before standing and swatting at his bulging muscle. “You scared me to death.”

“Just getting my workout in. And you know—” he pointed to the cell phone propped against the baseboard “—entertaining my fans.”

“With naked push-ups?”

He strutted to his phone and bent to pick it up. The man’s shapely glutes defied gravity. He looked over his shoulder and his eyes twinkled with mirth. Putting on a show, he wiggled that muscular ass. She worried her lip as he faced her and grabbed his crotch. “Ready for round three.”

Even though she tingled, she wanted to share her news. Mustering patience, she retreated to the bathroom, grabbed a towel, and flung it at him. “Please cover yourself up for a minute.”

The cotton remained draped over his shoulder as he stared her down with those sapphire eyes.

Hands-on-hips, she tapped a foot.

Hunter wrapped the towel around his waist, sat on the bed, and patted the space beside him. “Come sit and tell Daddy all about it.” His twisted grin only lasted a second. “I’m sorry, beautiful. Is everything okay?”

She sat beside him and he placed a palm on her forearm. “Did you get in trouble?”

“No, but I have to have the manuscript ready by next Friday.”

“Can you do that?”

“I honestly don’t know, but I don’t think I have a choice. At least I have a nanny coming to help with the kids. That should give me more time to write.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

Either the man was an amazing actor, or he was genuinely concerned.

“There isn’t a problem.” Except that she wasn’t supposed to tell him and hyperventilating from joy would be humiliating.In two-three. Out two-three,she breathed. “If I tell you something, can you keep a secret?”