The Little Shop of Afternoon Delights: 6 Book Romance Collection. Zara Stoneley
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around for her. Even her grandfather hadn’t been a long-haul guy. He’d gone off with an ahead-of-her-time cougar from the village fish-and-chip shop.
In spite of the evidence, Maggie had remained positive. She’d truly believed she could find her Mr. Right and beat the family curse. Only things had changed when Marcus came along and burst that bubble. Men were fickle creatures. And as if she needed any more proof. Here was Hot Vampire Guy, charming the life out of her, just to pass the time.
The plane juddered. The seatbelt lights pinged on. “Ladies and gentleman – we are experiencing some turbulence. Please return to your seats and refrain from moving about the cabin.”
Nick was ejected from the toilet; followed after about thirty none-too-discreet seconds by the petite flight attendant.
Nick ignored the instruction to sit. He stopped beside Maggie.
“Maggie Plumtree – we meet again.” He raked his gaze over her. “Last time I saw you, you were wearing a fetching little Santa Girl number,” he teased. “I’m glad to see your dress sense has improved.”
She laughed off his jokey remark. It dawned on her, somewhat belatedly, that the fashion shoot had the makings of the old friends’ reunion from hell. Why hadn’t she seen that coming? She needed a thick skin.
Alex glared at his brother.
Nick crossed his arms over his broad chest. “I’ve heard a lot about your work – all good, of course.”
“Of course.” She looked him up and down, hoping the looks she had planned were going to work. “It’s good to see you too, Nick.” She pointed to the fasten seatbelts lights. “Shouldn’t you go back to your seat?”
Nick had been a bit-part actor when she’d known the brothers in London. Unlike Alex, he’d avoided drama school, scoring roles mostly through luck and the helping hand of a famous name. It opened doors and got him into TV medical dramas and whodunits. The way she remembered it, Nick and their mother had more or less kidnapped Alex when Mercy of the Vampires came along. It would have been crazy not to go for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But, ultimately, TV in Hollywood had been Nick’s dream, not Alex’s. Seeing the brothers together now, she wondered what direction Alex’s life might have taken if he hadn’t gone to LA. Before he’d dropped out of drama school to play Nick’s evil vampire twin in the pilot series of Mercy he’d talked about getting into theater, serious stuff like directing and Shakespeare.
Nick pinned her with his sparkly almond gaze and didn’t budge.
“So, what have you got planned for us? Or is it top secret?”
Maggie snapped into professional mode, reminding herself that she needed to let bygones be bygones.
“Day one we’re in downtown Boston. We’re planning something rural meets urban – with fresh produce.” Nick frowned. “Apples. Flowers. Helium balloons.” She bubbled with enthusiasm. “I’m aiming for a kitsch vibe with pretty girls in retro florals. And you guys in country tweeds.”
“Tweeds?” Alex and Nick echoed in sync. They exchanged a skeptical look.
“It’ll be fab. Trust me. The magazine wants something cute. A farmers’ market in the heart of the city feel. I’m going to work with a devil within theme to keep the focus on the vampire premise of the show.”
“Brainy as well as beautiful. No wonder you’ve done so well for yourself.”
Nick’s playboy reputation was as legendary as Alex’s mystery. Lately the tabloids couldn’t get enough of his allegedly on-off affair with his on-screen love interest Ella Swift. Going by what she’d just witnessed, it was more off than on.
In contrast, scandal about Alex rarely appeared in the gossip magazines. Even so, the paparazzi frequently photographed him with some glitterati girl glued to his side. Only last week she’d seen his name on a list of the world’s top twenty most-eligible bachelors.
The show had been a huge success, running for almost ten years and making them household names. It helped that their mother was the flamboyant Cassandra Wells, and being real-life twins didn’t hurt either. It added to the hype that surrounded the Wells brand.
“We’re at Cape Cod the second day. Doing something atmospheric in the dunes.”
“Tell me more. I’m intrigued.” Alex butted into the conversation.
“Leather and lace. Anyone?” Oops. She wasn’t doing very well on the act-professional-absolutely-no-flirting front.
“Just as long as it’s you in leather and Alex wearing the lace. Or should it be the other way around?” A cheeky grin spread across Nick’s face.
“Well, no.” She feared that working with Alex and Nick might require the bringing out of her inner schoolmarm – if she had one. “We’ve booked some lovely willowy girls to do something a bit Victoriana meets boho chic. We’re going to blend that with sea, sand, and a sexy biker-boy look.” She gave a little shrug. “That’s where you guys come in.”
“Cool.” Nick’s grin widened at the approach of the flight attendant, smiling pinkly.
“Sit down, please – um, sir.”
The seatbelt lights pinged off, but Nick was bored now. He made a move to go back to his seat. “Catch you later,” he said loudly, drowning out the disembodied voice of the co-pilot regaling passengers with details of the cruising height and the ground temperature in Boston.
Towards the end of the flight Alex looked down at Maggie. She’d fallen asleep. Her head had dropped onto his shoulder, but he hadn’t dared wake her.
Where had the Maggie who wore bright colors gone? She’d been replaced by a sophisticated looking interloper. Alex gritted his teeth, trapped in his seat by a gently snoring Maggie.
Ten years ago she had made a big crack in the armor he wore like a theatrical mask. He’d chosen LA over following his heart. He’d blocked out everything he loved about London when he’d given up on his dream. That included Maggie.
He looked at her face, her long lashes. Her wavy hair had escaped from its ponytail. It brushed softly against his cheek. She smelt delicious. Every time he inhaled, her wild-flower-meadow fragrance floated up his nose. Her mouth was full. In a good way. Not an LA trout pout. Her skin glowed.
Awkward!
He couldn’t help thinking about the last time she’d slept right next to him. She belonged to a time and place pre-TV. Before things had changed completely. He’d lived and breathed Mercy of the Vampires for ten years – and loved every minute of it. But ten years was enough. When he’d pulled the plug on the show, Nick had been incandescent. He still hadn’t got over it. Too bad. Alex intended to move on, lead his own life – not a default version of his brother’s.
Nick had been depending on him since the miserable night Drake had left their mother twenty-four years ago. Older by just twelve minutes, Alex had gradually become more like a substitute dad to his twin. They’d been alone watching a cartoon while his parents argued, shouting at the top of their lungs. Alex had protected Nick, getting him to stick his fingers in his ears, until he could find the remote and turn the volume up full. He’d drowned out the frightening sound of his parents’ anger. He’d been putting Nick first ever since.
Maggie shifted in her sleep. She still rated ten out of ten on his hot-ometer. He’d happily pick up right where they’d left off. It would make the next couple of days a lot more interesting.
Being near her was like breathing fresh air. It had to be down to her impossible-to-ignore curves. The gentle rise and fall of her breasts drove him crazy. This close, and at this angle, he had an attractive view of her cleavage. Her black top gaped slightly and he caught an unintentional glimpse of deep-pink shimmering silk. Lovely. Who’d have thought that the new understated Maggie would be wearing pulse-raising underwear in a magenta shade that matched her name?