Naughty but Nice: A Best Friend's Dad Christmas Romance Read online

  “That’s only the characters he writes about. I’m sure he’s a real kitten.” He flashed me a wink.

  “If that’s true, then he’s more your type than mine.” I gave him a sweet smile. Jeffrey was not only my assistant, but also one of my best friends.

  Jefferey let out a howling laugh. “Bitch.” Jeffery was so low under most people’s gaydar, but he definitely preferred men. He’d actually had better luck with them than me.

  I quickly changed the subject from men. “Oh, and I was thinking last night that I want the same artist we used on the last set for our detailed panels. She’s amazing, so see if you can get her again. I know she’s busy.” Jefferey nodded and took down the information.

  I went back to making notes and pouring over the ones the producer had passed along from Star Summers, whose video I’d be working on. I found a few inconsistencies with the script that we had to make right. About thirty minutes had passed before my phone buzzed and Jeffery held it under my nose.

  “You’ll want to take this one. It’s Shauna.” Jefferey had met my best friend a couple of times over lunch and knew how special she was to me. I quickly answered the phone and leaned back in my chair to give my eyes a rest from the paperwork.

  “Shauna? How’s life?

  “It’s wonderful. How’s yours?”

  “Perfect.” I rubbed my temples and breathed a cleansing breath.

  “You sound tired. I hope you’re not working too hard.” She was one to talk. Shauna stayed just as busy as I did, if not busier. Before I could reply, she started again. “Oh, I sent your thanks along to Harris, and he said to think nothing of it, anything for a friend of mine. He’s sure he’ll be able to keep you in work for a while. Oh, and you can expect security on the set daily. Harris said it’s quite customary for his company. You never know when there’s some nut roaming around.”

  “I have a feeling I’m working for the nut.”

  “Now be nice, I’m sure he’s changed since college and besides, the fact that he knew us both was what landed you this gig. Don’t blow it by telling him off.”

  “I’ll be good and try to remember that he’s Harris’s friend.”

  “God no, he’s not really his friend, just an acquaintance in the business, but you should still be nice. Brock Reed is a spoiled brat, but he’s not that bad.”

  I thought about the last man I’d worked for and she was right, there were worse people in the world. Like creepy Greg.

  “Anyway, I’m glad it’s all working out, and I appreciate Harris and you helping me out. Things are taking off full speed now.” My business had been growing by leaps and bounds, and I’d gotten to make some nice connections and wonderful clients who’d wanted me to do sets for them, even personal ones.

  “No problem. How’s your father doing? Has he changed his mind about your career path now that you’re a big Hollywood set designer?” Shauna asked.

  “He’s barely letting me breathe. He’s got a house here now down in Temecula. Speaking of family. How’s your brother doing?”

  “I talked to him yesterday. He’s good. Still single.” Her voice lifted a pitch on the end of her sentence as if she meant it as a suggestion.

  “Duncan made it perfectly clear how he felt when he left, and that ship sailed away with him a long time ago. Literally.” He’d left me to go into the Navy, and even though I’d vowed to wait on him, he’d left without so much as a goodbye. My heart had been crushed and stomped on by that man.

  “Yet, you still ask about him.” A soft laugh sounded through the phone.

  I’m just being polite. You ask about my father and yet, you’ve never tried to date him.” I gave Jefferey a wink when he gave me a wary look.

  “How come you haven’t moved on then? Unless you’re dating someone that you haven’t told me about?”

  I cringed thinking about creepy Greg. He was the only person I’d been to any sort of meal with aside from her or Jefferey and my father and that hadn’t been business-related. In the first years after high school, I’d tried to go out, but all of the dates had gone badly. Most of the men had tried to sleep with me even though they hadn’t taken the time to know me. I had finally decided to focus on my career and follow my dreams in spite of my father. Dating hadn’t been that important to me, and I could never seem to get past that awkwardness of a first date.

  “No, I haven’t seen anyone else. I don’t have time for men.” I glanced up to see Jefferey giving me the lifted brow stare again. I wasn’t about to go into things and have him overhear about my virginity, though Shauna knew damned well I’d never slept with anyone. She’d often remarked that was the oldest virgin in the world, but only when she wanted to pressure me into going out with someone.

  “Well, anyway, I wanted to say hi and see how you’re doing. I’m sure we’ll talk soon.”

  There was something in her voice that made me feel like she was up to something but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it could be. Was there something about this job or perhaps the producer that she wasn’t warning me about? I decided to let it go, especially since Jefferey was still giving me the eye.

  “Talk soon, friend. Take care.” I hung up the phone and passed it back to Jefferey who took it and put it in the pocket of his loose pants.

  “Why don’t you date? I think you need a man and I don’t think I’m the only one making that suggestion,” he said, tapping my phone in his pocket.

  “I had my heart broken once, and I’m not ready to move on yet.” I lifted a shoulder casually and then glanced back down to the paper before me.

  “How long ago was that? Because if memory serves me, you haven’t been with anyone in the two years I’ve known you.” He straightened the cuff of his sleeve and then tapped his pen.

  “So, what? I haven’t dated anyone in years, and you’ve been more men than I have, it’s not the end of the world.” I let out a long breath and decided not to give him a specific answer. He didn’t need one. “I’ve got to get through this list and have everything ready for Brock.”

  “Mm, Brock. Speaking of dating, I’m sure that our sexy-ass producer has a crush on you.” Jefferey smiled but never took his eyes off his own work.

  “Mind your own business and get back to work.” I tried to act tough but the corners of my mouth played upward and once he peeked he let loose a soft giggle. I’d had enough of the subject, even though I loved my friends for caring.

  CHAPTER THREE - DUNCAN

  I held the door open for a gorgeous blonde as I headed up to see Harris Connor. I wasn’t too thrilled to be seeing the man again, but at least he had the promise of a decent job, or so my sister had said. She’s gotten together with the joker about six months after our mother had passed and since we didn’t have our father in our lives either, it was my job to bust his balls.

  How this prissy son of a bitch was banging my sister, , was beyond me. Shauna could have any man she wanted, though none would ever be good enough for her in my book. I shook my head. I watched the blonde as she walked away and tucked her number into my pocket. It had only taken six floors to score that one, and as I landed on the ninth where Harris Connor’s office was and saw his secretary, a smoking hot brunette, I wondered if I should try to score another one. She stood up and walked to the front as I approached her.

  “You’re Mr. Kelley? Mr. Connor is expecting you.” She walked to the door after I gave her a nod and then that gleaming diamond on her ring finger gave out it’s warning as she opened the door. I wouldn’t be scoring a second number, but maybe this job would make up for it.

  The door swung wide as she stepped aside and I entered finding Harris sitting behind his desk. He stood and came around to shake my hand.

  “How’s the brother of the love of my life doing today?” He gave me a cheery smile and a pat on the back. If he was intimidated by me, he sure didn’t show it. At least until I shook his hand and gave him the death grip on his loose little paw.

  “I’m good. Shauna tells me that
you’ve got an opportunity for me. I must say I hope it doesn’t involve children.” I was worried after the last occasion I’d end up at some petting zoo dodging elephant shit.

  He pulled his hand away and wiggled his fingers. “No, no. Your sister warned me about that, something about you hating glitter?” He straightened his tie and let loose a quiet, nervous chuckle and walked around behind his desk offering me a seat with a gesture.

  I took one of the chairs in front of his desk and forced a smile at his humor. “Yeah, that last job was a nightmare, though I do appreciate you thinking of me.”

  “Well, this one is a bit different. You’ll be working as set security on the production of Star Summers’ latest video. She’s got her own personal security, but it’s nice to have someone on the production side to work as a mediator of sorts. You will mostly be on set, but there might be a time that you have to escort the pop princess back to her hotel or keep an eye out for her when she goes to lunch. Nothing too personal and the hours will be varied. You’ll need to coordinate with the set producer as well since you’ll be starting well before the final production is under way.”

  I’d never heard of Star Summers, but by the way his expression had changed, it indicated that she was a big deal. It made no difference to me.

  I narrowed my eyes. “You’re saying the set designers need security too?”

  He nodded his head and opened up his planner. “They’ll be the first team arriving Thursday in the backlot location, and yes, these pop stars’ crazy fans try to sneak in on early production. As soon as they get wind of a project, they’re all over it. I always set up security early.”

  “Sounds good.” I’d wanted something with a nice change of pace, and this was just the thing. I’d make a lot of money and have an easy time dealing with whatever little punks and screaming fan girls came out of the woodwork for this Star Summers person. I’d Google her later to know what I was dealing with.

  “I’m glad you’re pleased. I did hope you’d agree to take this one. I want someone good on it. The director and producer is Brock Reed. Have you heard of him?” I shrugged and added another name onto my list of Google searches. The name sounded about as familiar as Star Summers. “Anyway, he’s pretty hot right now, and I was hoping things would go smoothly, and I’d get a full contract with him, so this is pretty important. I’m pulling out all my best connections.”

  The guy gave me the crinkled forehead look that almost said, ‘don’t screw this up for me’, but then he fidgeted with his collar and tie again and cleared his throat.

  “Sounds like a cut and dry kind of job. I don’t see why there would be any problems.”

  He shifted his eyes a bit and I had a feeling his nervousness was a bit more than him being intimidated by me. But then he met me square in the eye and played it off like he agreed.

  I promised to meet the set producer on Thursday, and then I left. I hadn’t made it all of the way out of the building when my sister called me.

  “Did you take the job?”

  “Hello to you, too, sister dearest, and yes, I took the job. I appreciate the hook-up.” I reached into my pocket and slipped the woman from the elevator’s card into my wallet.

  “You were nice to Harris, weren’t you?” she asked with a hopeful tone.

  “Yes, I’ll let him live. For now.” I chuckled. I loved tormenting her with the hard-ass role, but she knew the depths of my love for her.

  The two of us had been orphaned two years earlier when our mother had died, and I’d decided then not to reenlist. It had been a hard decision leaving the Special Forces, but I’d seen enough, done enough, and besides, my sister needed me.

  “You like him, don’t you?” Her voice was taking on a serious tone.

  “Do you love him, Shauna?” That’s all that mattered in the end.

  “I do, Duncan. I really do. But I want you to like him.”

  The guy wasn’t as much of a man’s man as I was, but he was okay. I could tell my approval meant a lot to her and probably more especially now.

  “Then I like him too. He’s a good guy. I just wish the two of you would get married already. It would make my job as your protector that much easier.”

  “You’re the best. Promise you’ll always love me?”

  There was that sly tone again. I’d been trained to be observant. Trained as a killer to notice every little detail.

  “Did you do something that I’m not going to like?” I asked darkly.

  Her hesitation was followed by a nervous giggle.

  “No. Of course not. What could I do that you wouldn’t like?” She was protesting too much, but I didn’t let her know I noticed. I was also trained in knowing when to show your hand and when not to. “Call me when you get done on Thursday.”

  I didn’t ask her what she and Harris were up to, but for her to know the job started on Thursday, they’d most definitely discussed things. “Will do. Take care, sis.”

  I hung up the phone and headed out to my Mustang which I’d buffed to a high shine after Katherine had left on Sunday. Round two with her over breakfast had been even better than the night before that, but I still didn’t see her being anything steady. A repeat, maybe, but with the blonde’s card burning a hole in my pocket, I had a feeling that by Wednesday night, I’d have plans for the weekend.

  This was shaping up to be a pretty good week, and if everything went well on Thursday, it would be, blonde or not, though I hadn’t had many turn downs in my life. In the military, I’d been infamous among my brothers for breaking hearts, but there was only one I deeply regretted breaking. And I’d been a worthless fucking coward in how I’d done it.

  CHAPTER FOUR - RACHEL

  “Jefferey!” I called out to my assistant to give me his opinion. He came from across the room and folded one hand across him with his other hand to his chin. I let out a long breath. “It’s too big. We’re going to have to cut it down. I don’t think it will be in the shot.” The problem with set designs for film was that all the important parts had to be visible on camera and there were specific props that had to be used.

  “I think you should just push it back a bit. It might help, and you’d do better trying before taking a saw to it,” Jeffrey noted.

  “That’s not going to give me enough. Get the specs list and let’s see if we missed anything else. I’m not about to present this to Brock until it’s absolutely perfect.”

  We took the list and right away I saw the issue. I pointed my finger on the sheet. “That’s supposed to be five feet instead of eight. My messy handwriting strikes again.” I took a deep breath and turned to my carpenters who stood against a counter I’d been using as a makeshift desk. “This has to lose three feet, let’s make it happen, please.”

  They gave me some murmurs, and two of them took to the mock up stage and pulled the board down and carried it out while the other four stood around trying to look useful.

  I turned my head to Jefferey. “Remind me why we need all of them?”

  “Well, it certainly isn’t because they’re nice to look at.” He made a sour face to the crew who looked about as good as they smelled. They were a cranky bunch. Jeffrey pulled me into his arms to console me. It had been a rough day already and it didn’t seem like it was ever going to end.

  I broke away from him and turned around glancing over my shoulder . “Okay, that should put us on track, I’m just going to—”

  I slammed right into a solid wall of chest. The smell of his cologne hit my nose with a dose of nostalgia, and I lifted my head to his gorgeous hazel eyes which were just how I remembered them, and left me just as breathless.

  “Duncan Kelley.” The name rolled from my lips before I could even stop it. Even though he nodded, I didn’t think it was real. “What are you doing here?” My heart twisted like someone gripped it with razor sharp teeth and all the old feelings came rushing back to me; the love and the pain.

  “Don’t tell me. You’re the set producer?”

  He took a
deep breath, and I couldn’t stop taking in the sight of him. His hair was much darker than it had been when he was younger, making those pale, hazel eyes seem like they were glowing in their sockets. There was more of him too, the thick cord of muscle across his chest and down his arms had my fingers twitching to touch him. Then there were the tattoos. I’d never imagined he’d have so many, the black markings enhancing his muscles and made him look like the warrior he was.

  He appeared even more fierce than the day he ripped out my heart. Suddenly, anger ripped through me. He had some nerve showing up at my job. What was he even doing here? “Well?”

  “I’m security.” He glanced over my shoulder at Jefferey. “Don’t let me interrupt you and your boyfriend. I’m supposed to be checking in.” His voice was also a lot deeper than it had been when he was in school like it had weathered with age and experience. Perhaps it had.

  “Jefferey is my assistant and friend.” I folded my arms around my waist and pulled my lips into a tight line. I didn’t owe him an explanation, though my mind went back to the time he’d seen me paying the lawn boy my mother had hired. Duncan had come across the yard so fast that the poor guy had tripped over himself to get away. He’d always been that way until they day he’d decided that he didn’t care anymore.

  He’d come to me talking about the Navy, and I’d been so supportive. I’d have not been so inclined if I had known then that he was going to leave me. I’d even promised to wait for him, to be there when he got out, but a week later, all I’d gotten was a lousy text telling me there was no future for us. He’d told me that I had a whole big life in front of me and he wasn’t getting in the way. He hadn’t even given me a choice, just like my father, he’d made the decision then and there what my life, my future would be. At least my father had always had the guts to say it to my face though.