A Reclusive Heart (Hollywood Hearts #2)(43)

Which brought up an interesting question, what had she been up to?

Judging by the way she was shifting with nervous energy, avoiding making eye contact, and hugging her bag in a death grip he was afraid he knew exactly what the little recluse had been up to. With a sigh he snatched the bag away from her and opened it, ignoring her protests as he pulled out five large bars of Belgium chocolate and glared down at his little recluse.

“You promised that you’d avoid sugar this morning,” he said accusingly as he shoved the chocolate back in the bag and held it away from her.

She swallowed nervously as she reached for it. “You don’t understand! I need it!”

He shook his head even as he grabbed her hand and led her deeper into the studio. “No, what you need to do is get your cute little ass into makeup and then do this interview.”

When Jamie gasped in outrage he couldn’t help but smile. “But I need it!

Please, Nick! Chocolate soothes me!”

He threw her a disbelieving look over his shoulder, but didn’t slow his pace as he continued to drag her over to makeup. “You’re like the Energizer Bunny when you have chocolate, Jamie. If you want some chocolate you’ll have to get through this interview otherwise I’m throwing it out,” he threatened, knowing that if he took her chocolate anywhere near a trash can that she’d probably try to kill him.

“You wouldn’t dare!” she hissed out and he didn’t bother to answer her as he maneuvered her around a group of people and planted her ass in a tall chair.

“Here she is,” he announced to Margaret, the makeup specialist who’d been hitting on him since he showed up an hour ago to make sure that everything was set up for Jamie’s interview.

“Thanks, Nick. You’re such a sweetie,” Margaret said, placing her hand on his arm and giving it a little squeeze as she sent him another inviting smile. His eyes shot over to Jamie to see how she was reacting to the other woman’s obvious come on, but the damn woman was still sending the bag in his hands looks of longing.

Did he want her jealous? No, not really, but some kind of reaction would be nice since he couldn’t help but want to kill every bastard that got within speaking distance of her. He felt his lips twitch as Jamie tried to discretely reach out and take the bag from his hand.

“This is just getting sad,” he said, sighing as he moved the bag further away.

She looked up at him with sad puppy dog eyes as her lower lip began to quiver and he just barely stopped himself from chuckling, which she probably wouldn’t appreciate. Instead he shook his head and her shoulders slumped in defeat as she let out a cute little sigh.

“Miss. Harris?” one of the production assistants said in greeting as she approached Jamie. “My name is Carla. Is there anything I can get you?”

Jamie immediately perked up. “Yes, um, is there any chance that I could get some chocolate? It helps settle my nerves,” his little recluse said, lying her adorable ass that he planned on focusing on tonight off.

Carla smiled. “I believe we can arrange that.”

“No,” Nick said, cutting the woman off before she did something they’d all regret later. “No chocolate for her whatsoever,” he said, earning a killing glare from Jamie, but he didn’t care.

Chocolate was Jamie’s drug of choice and unfortunately for her she didn’t seem to handle the sugar very well. She got wired, then cranky, then sleepy and when she woke up from her chocolate induced nap he usually had to wrestle more chocolate out of the addict’s grasp before she could make it to the toilet hugging phase, which was probably his least favorite of the phases.

“Then can I have a Coke, please?” she asked, sounding hopeful.

Sugar and caffeine? No, that would never work.

“She’ll have a water,” he said, thankful that the assistant knew better than to listen to Jamie.

When Jamie sulked in her chair he of course ignored her even as he made a mental note to order a huge ice cream sundae for her later. The woman was a little sugar addict and thankfully could be bought easily. Actually, now that he thought of it he should probably hunt down something sweet to give her once her interview was over. He could give her the chocolate in her handbag, but judging by the looks she was shooting the bag the little junkie had already reached her limit for the day.

“So what do you say, Nick?” Margaret asked, making him realize that he’d missed everything she said while he’d been smiling like a fool at his little recluse.

“Hmm?” he asked, barely able to take his eyes away from Jamie as Margaret fussed with Jamie’s hair and makeup.

“She wanted to know if you’d like to go over to her house after this so that she could cook for you,” Jamie explained casually, not sounding upset at all, but judging by the hurt expression on her face she didn’t like the idea one bit. Why that made him happy he didn’t know, but it was nice to know that he wasn’t the only one that got jeal”Actually,” Jamie said brightly as she sat straighter in her chair, “why don’t the two of you go discuss your dinner plans,” she said smoothly as she reached out and snagged her bag out of his hand, “and I’ll just sit here and wait to be called for my interview.”

His eyes narrowed on her as he felt a tick start beneath his left eye. “You’d sell me out like that? Over chocolate?” he said with obvious disgust.