Free Hot Spot by Debbi Rawlins Page B

Why was she behaving like this? Maybe, if she didn’t, she’d do something even more foolish…
    “I promise it’ll improve as soon as this is over.” He set down the cup. “Where do you want me?”
    “In the bedroom.”
    His right eyebrow lifted. “Oh, really?”
    “Let me get a new roll of film,” she murmured when a witty comeback failed her. “I’ll meet you in there.” She hesitated, and then added, “Feel free to take off your shirt.”
    The look of astonishment on his face made her feel much better. More in control.
    She laughed. “I guess that’s a no.”
    “Depends on whether that’s a personal or professional request.”
    “Which one will get your shirt off?”
    He smiled, but before he answered, Madison’s cell phone went off, playing Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield.”
    She cursed silently for not having turned it off. Really stupid. Nothing was more important than this shoot. She was about to silence it when she noticed it was Karrie calling. In the second that she hesitated, Jack withdrew a cell phone from its case hooked onto his belt, and motioned for her to take the call.
    Madison might have resisted, but he’d already started checking his messages. So she quickly answered before voice mail kicked in. “Hey, where have you been?”
    “Rob and I were on a dig with some of his studentsand I didn’t have phone service. I just got your messages. What’s going on?”
    Madison saw that Jack had wandered toward the bedroom, his phone at his ear, and she continued toward the far corner of the suite for more privacy. “I can’t talk long. I’m at a shoot.”
    “But everything’s okay?”
    “Oh, yeah.”
    “Damn, your messages about gave me a heart attack. You sounded…I don’t know…frantic.”
    Madison sighed. “Sorry. I’d just needed to talk to you.”
    “About what? Wait a minute, is this about Jack Logan? He agreed to the spread?”
    “Yep.”
    “Congratulations.” She paused. “Oh, wow, is that the shoot you’re on now?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “Tell me.”
    “Not a good time.” Madison glanced toward the bedroom door. No sign of Jack. A lot of street noise on the line made it difficult to hear. Karrie was obviously traveling. “Are you going to be home tonight?”
    “You’re not making me wait. Is he as good-looking in person? Ouch.” Karrie chuckled. “Rob just pinched my leg.”
    Madison smiled. As if he had anything to worry about. Karrie was so head-over-heels in love it was almost sickening. Madison had never seen her friend happier. “Tell him I said hey.”
    “So, tell me about him.”
    “I can’t. Seriously. Look, I’ll call you at home later. About five your time?”
    “Make it six. We’re on our way back to Las Vegas now. Just one more question. Is he the one in the psychic’s prediction?”
    “Oh, brother.”
    “Come on, Madison. You can’t tell me you don’t believe after what happened to me with Rob.”
    “Coincidence. That’s it. Madam Zora got lucky.” She glanced over her shoulder, not expecting to find him standing in the middle of the room, staring at her.
    He quickly looked away but she wondered how much he’d heard. Not that she’d said anything bad. But still, it was unnerving knowing he’d been the topic of discussion.
    “I really have to go now. I’ll call you later.” She barely heard Karrie say goodbye before Madison severed the connection. “Sorry,” she muttered, turned off her phone and stuffed it back in her camera bag.
    “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” he said, “but I thought I heard you refer to a Madam Zora.”
    Just what she needed. To have him think she was some fruitcake who sought advice from psychics. She shrugged. “She was a guest at a party I went to a few months ago. I don’t really know her.”
    “She’s the psychic, right?”
    “Yeah, I think so.” How the hell did he know who she was? The name, of course. After all, how many of her friends were called madam? “Ready to get