One Stormy Night

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2013 Vallory Vance

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-644-7

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Avril Ashton

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  I would like to dedicate this work to the wonderful writers of the Luscious Literaries. You ladies not only rock, but keep me sane. Smooches.

  ONE STORMY NIGHT

  Romance on the Go

  Vallory Vance

  Copyright © 2013

  Chapter One

  Alexis Joplin dug her fingers in the armrest of the make-up chair, forcing herself into an unblinking stare at the ceiling. A hot breath puffed across her face, signaling the pointy eyeliner pencil inching closer.

  “You’re such a baby,” Nikki Mulhew said. “It doesn’t take ten minutes for this.”

  “Sorry.” Alexis tightened as Nikki applied the liner.

  Focused on the ceiling, Alexis heard the pixie haired make-up artist grumbling. She didn’t plan on being frustrating, but hair and make-up were two of her least favorite things about being on television. They both involved potentially painful results— a nicked ear from a pair of shears, an itchy rash from a new blush or a pencil in the eye. All of which occurred during her two years as the co-host for the travel show, Overnight Stays.

  “Lower your lids. I’m trying this new shadow. It has more of a shiny bronze appearance to make those hazel eyes of yours really pop on camera.”

  Alexis released her grip with a thankful whoosh of air. She sat still while Nikki applied the shadow in a tapping motion across her lid. Irritating yes, but not as dangerous.

  “I’m going to re-dye your hair, too, Alexis. I want to add blonde streaks this time.”

  “Fine, you’re not going to let me say no anyway.

  “I’m so glad you’re finally catching on.”

  Alexis smiled.

  On her first day in the studio, Nikki had met her with a pair of shears in hand. “Your hair is too long. It accentuates your jaw line. And it’s too dark for your complexion.”

  Apparently in the four years she’d spent as a part-time reporter with her hometown news station in Maryland, no one else noticed. Now jagged layers of hair rested on her chin, dyed into various shades of brown ranging from pecan to a light tan. Nikki loved the sleeker look, while Alexis mourned the ability to draw her hair up into a ponytail off-camera.

  “And why didn’t you come to my party last night?” Nikki asked.

  “Baseball game with Shane. It went way too long.”

  “Are you really dating him?” An unfamiliar voice asked from behind her. Probably one of the summer interns working in various areas of the Solamar Production studios. The eager kids did everything from emptying trashcans, to getting lunches, and occasionally standing around the make-up room asking annoying questions.

  Before Alexis gave her standard response, Nikki spoke. “No, they’re friends just like they say on TV. Isn’t that right, sweetie?”

  Laughter bubbled around the room, but Alexis kept her eyes closed. She didn’t want to start her weekend scouting trip with a visit to the emergency room. “We are friends.”

  “Isn’t that what I said?”

  Even with the ensuing giggles, chuckles, and snorts, Alexis resisted the urge to add anything else. They were friends, close friends. After her first day in the Dallas in which she’d arrived forty-five minutes late and flustered, due to a GPS suggested detour, Shane began to condense the urban sprawl for her. He gave a tour of the city, pointing out the best places to hear live music, have a good cup of coffee, and enjoy her new favorite cuisine, Tex Mex, all within a five mile radius of the studio and her apartment. Over the course of two years, he’d widened the radius until she drove into the far flung suburbs with ease. That’s what friends did.

  “Really? ’Cause it looks even more like something else in the studio,” the feminine voice said.

  “You can open your eyes.” Nikki beat across Alexis’s cheek with a stiffer brush.

  “Really.” Alexis answered the leggy brunette clad in a miniscule T-shirt and pair of extremely short shorts who stood next to Nikki.

  The girl seemed unsatisfied with the usual response, but continued with her apparent assignment. “Michael says he wants you on set immediately.”

  “Crap.” Alexis jolted out of the chair, flinging off the drop cloth, and sprinted out of the room toward the space designated for production.

  “I haven’t curled—”

  “Can’t.” I have to stop squirming.

  Alexis rushed through the studio door, her heels click clacking over the concrete floor. On camera, she and Shane appeared to sit in a cozy living room, enjoying ice tea in the warmer months and a steaming beverage in the cooler months. However the temperature remained a constant seventy degrees and “the room” consisted only of a faux wall painted a vibrant blue, and two leafy-green potted plants flanking a gray sofa.

  “Sorry.” She plopped down next to Shane.

  “It’s okay.” He handed her the small mike that fit under her collar. “You’ll be early next time. I don’t think anyone cares. It’s Friday.”

  No one besides Shane seemed to notice she’d entered the room. The cameraman didn’t look up, and a few interns continued spraying the plants with oil to make the leaves glisten on air.

  “Nice you could join us. Joplin, you’re up first in ten, nine.” Michael Patterson, their director, snapped his fingers and crouched down a few feet in front of her.

  Interns scurried out of view.

  “Check me.” Alexis turned to her partner and bared her teeth.

  Shane leaned closer and squinted. “You’re good. Me?” He opened his lips over his own set of pearly whites.

  “Good.” She nodded and faced the camera with confidence.

  On her first televised appearance with Overnight Stays, a sliver of ham had been stuck between her teeth. The mortified faithful viewers of the Saturday morning program flooded the show’s website, demanding the return of the more talented co-host Jillian Pierce. Those were the nice comments. Others took the opportunity to post how much prettier Jillian was.

  That had hurt.

  The first week as Shane Fowler’s new co-host hadn’t been the exciting beginning to a full-time television career she’d expected. In an effort to ease her apprehension at ever appearing in front of a camera again, Shane came up with the final check ritual in which they each smiled for the other, making sure their breakfasts weren’t visible.

  “Can you see the teleprompter?”

  Alexis nodded briefly to Michael, keeping her gaze on the script as it rolled upward on the camera’s wide screen.

  “In three, two, one.”

  “Welcome to the weekly video blog of Overnight Stays. I’m Alexis Joplin.”

  “And I’m Shane Fowler. Today we thought we’d take a few questions from our viewers. And the first one is...”

  Once a month, the show’s producers wanted an impromptu question and answer segment for the website where neither she nor Shane saw the questions until they appeared on the screen. Most days, it took forever to film the five-minute spot. Michael rarely approved of their idea of instantaneous charm.

  “How do you and Alexis pick the bed and br
eakfasts you choose to visit? This is an easy one. We compromise. I pick one and she picks the next two.” Shane glanced at her, following the direction of Michael’s hand signal.

  “That’s not true.” Alexis bumped Shane’s shoulder with hers. “He loves everything historical, so if a president once sneezed near the place it’s going to the top of the list.”

  “The next question is…” Alexis looked over at Shane per Michael’s next direction.

  Shane smiled at her. Not the camera-ready smile, but the lopsided one that sparkled up to his espresso-colored eyes. “Are you and Shane dating in real life?”

  No, they weren’t. Did she have to say it twice in one day?

  Michael snapped his fingers, reminding her of pacing.

  “No. Fowler is single and available, and a great catch. But be warned, ladies, you’ll end up doing his laundry.”

  “She’s right. I never got the hang of it. Joplin has resorted to dropping off clothes for me on a regular basis.”

  “I got him this shirt.” Alexis waved at the salmon polo-style shirt stretched over his lean chest. “Please post your comments about how good he looks in it.”

  “And while she pats herself on the back, the next question is...”

  Alexis didn’t hear the next question or the answer. With the close crop of Shane’s sandy-brown hair accentuating his strong Roman nose, and his angular jaw drawing attention to his curvy lips, she battled against the thumping in her chest to see him as only a co-worker.

  Though she’d miss him when he left for Chicago to host a weekly history program in three weeks, she’d be saved from hanging out with him almost daily. Maybe she’d find a real date. One she got to kiss at the end of the night.

  “Join us to find your next Overnight Stay.”

  Shane nudged her arm.

  “I’m Alexis Joplin.”

  “And I’m Shane Fowler.”

  Alexis tilted her head toward Shane’s in the show’s ending pose while Michael consulted with the cameraman.

  “I can see down your shirt from this angle,” Shane whispered from the side of his mouth, still holding his on-camera smile in place.

  “Oh, my God, Shane.” She looked down to see her blouse gaping open from the weight of the ill-placed mike. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

  “I like pink lace.” Shane grinned, giving her leg a light tap.

  The innocent, playful gesture tingled through her. Just friends.

  “I guess the shot’s over. I want to see you two in the conference room before you take off.” Michael popped one of his handy antacid tablets into his mouth as he hurried out through the back door of the studio.

  Alexis groaned, remembering the ham incident, and secured the buttons back into place. She needed one of those little tablets right now.

  “We’ll review the tape, and make sure I’m the only one who could see.”

  “Okay.” She returned Shane’s grin with one of her own, noticing his quick glance down the front of her shirt. “We’ll review it.”

  “Then let’s go, and remember pick your battles with Mike. Don’t go off the handle unless it’s important.” Shane draped his arm over her shoulder, filling the tight space between their bodies with his fresh zesty scent.

  She took a deep breath, relishing the smell, and wrapped her arm around his waist. “I remember.”

  “You know, I think we can get in one more game before I leave.”

  “Not another one. They’re like five hours long.”

  “But you’re so close to understanding the game. I could have sworn you were about to boo the umpire along with everyone else last night.” He laughed, his side hitching with the hearty sound.

  “We both know I wasn’t.” While Shane loved baseball, she tolerated the game only because he asked her to go with him. At bats and RBIs didn’t interest her at all. Most of the time, she snoozed with her head on his shoulder. “I don’t even know why you invite me.”

  Before Shane could say anything, Michael rushed past them. “What’s taking you two so long?”

  From the quick patter of his feet over the faded red carpet, you’d think they all worked for a major network instead of Solamar Productions. However, the small company only produced a dozen shows viewable in a few markets in Texas and Louisiana.

  “Gonna have to edit out your comment, Shane.”

  “You were going to have to edit anyway.” Shane laughed as Michael rounded the corner. “I’m going to miss watching that little man run.”

  Alexis stifled her snicker. Since the two men had been friends in college, Shane easily said those kinds of things. She, on the other hand, never quite clicked with the painfully thin director.

  Michael huffed when they walked into the threadbare conference room as if he’d been waiting hours instead of seconds.

  Alexis sat across from him, mentally preparing herself not to argue.

  “Joplin, let’s start with your assignments.”

  Unlike Shane, who only addressed her as Joplin on-air, Michael never called her by first name.

  “First up, I want you to review the resumes of the final four candidates for Shane’s replacement, no lounging around watching movies.”

  “I don’t just watch movies.”

  “Expense report says you do.”

  Shane squeezed her shoulder and whispered, “Pick your battle.”

  She and Michael clashed almost daily about her research notes, her on-air delivery and her wardrobe choices. It started when the show’s producers chose her over his ideal choice for Jillian’s replacement and hasn’t stopped since.

  If the decision had been Michael’s alone, her mini-production called First Time wouldn’t have made it to the final round of potential candidates.

  Thank goodness for Shane. He chose her video as his top pick because she managed to smile throughout her first riding lesson.

  During the shoot, she bounced over the horse like a ragdoll. By the time she finished, the owner of the stable looked as if he was on the verge of having a heart attack, no doubt thinking about his liability insurance.

  Shane had been impressed, though. And in the end she’d gotten the job.

  “Am I boring you, Joplin?” asked Michael.

  “Huh?”

  “You’re boring me. Mike, we got to get going. There’s supposed to be a storm.”

  Shane ran his hand across her back as he spoke. A friendly gesture.

  “Just leave.” Michael rubbed his hands through his spiky reddish-brown hair. “And Joplin, you’re limited to eight coffees on your expense report.”

  “What?” That got her full attention. Coffee perked her up, even if the beds were lumpy and the food was terrible.

  “Mike, Alexis gets as many coffees as she wants.”

  Both she and Michael stared up at Shane who flung the door open as if the matter was settled. “We have to go.” He held his hand out to her without looking at the reddening face of their director.

  “I’m ready.” Alexis curled her fingers around his, mesmerized by the darkening swirl in his eyes.

  Shane closed the door to the conference room behind them. “Pick your battles, but don’t let him bully you. You’re his star now.”

  As always, he acted like her champion. And he was leaving. “I know.” She sighed, unable to smother the sound.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Sure.” Alexis shook herself back into professional mode. “I’m tired. Five hour game, remember?”

  “Just get your stuff. I want to make it to the Ballard Inn before the storm hits.” He headed down the hall toward his office.

  Larger studios employed scouts who visited locations prior to filming to interview potential guests and get preliminary video footage. However, at Solamar, she and Shane performed that role as well. Not that she minded. She always looked forward to those trips. Shane drove and talked about the history of the area while she watched his mouth move, imagining silencing him with kiss.

  This will be ou
r last time.

  Alexis turned in the opposite direction. The heaviness of the end slowed her steps and forced her to look over her shoulder.

  Shane turned his head as well. “Not more than fifteen minutes.”

  “Twenty-five.” She hurried down the hall.

  Chapter Two

  “Damn it.” Shane whipped open the door to his office and slammed the palm of his hand into his forehead. How many times could Alexis catch him looking at her ass and not notice his lustful gaze?

  In twenty-one days he’d go back to being her mentor.

  He wouldn’t think about whether or not peeling her snug-fitting jeans down her hips revealed a pair of pink lacy panties matching the bra he’d glimpsed earlier. Damn, he needed to stop thinking about fucking her.

  When Alexis arrived in Dallas, she’d had no experience in managing a full-time on-air position. He’d happily suggested which organizations to join, which personal appearances to make, and which social media sites were worth her time. In the beginning of their working relationship, he tried to be the best mentor possible. In the process, Alexis became one of his best friends. She listened to his grand plans about becoming the next Anderson Cooper, asked for his insight about the television industry, and attended every corny themed dinner his mom and dad had hosted.

  She also sat next to him on the night his mom passed away.

  He couldn’t risk losing their friendship for a few moments of carnal pleasure.

  “Crap.” He wheeled Alexis’s suitcase down the corridor out into the open lot.

  Alexis’s bulky bag hindered his steps over the cracked sidewalk. After several jerks and restarts, he heaved the bag onto his back bumper. Shane balanced the suitcase against his chest while he reshuffled the contents of the trunk. Alexis always over-packed, never using half of the things in her hefty luggage. He’d teased her about it once.

  “I’m being prepared,” she’d answered, jutting her diminutive chin up at him.