Page 160 of You Found Me
She shook her head, but she wasn’t sure if it was an answer to his question or a denial that he was there.
“Les?” She hated sounding so weak and timid.
His dimples sank in just a bit more, and his eyes crinkled with pleasure. “Are you hungry? There’s snacks in the fridge.”
The smooth tenor of his voice tickled to life a dim memory of the catering table at Piper’s last movie.
Would you like to go get some coffee after? I know a great little cafe just down the street.
He’d been nice, but it had been a busy day and she’d been distracted by all the activity as they set up a complicated shot. Had she even answered him? She couldn’t remember.
Lester’s pleased expression faltered as he watched her process. “What’s the matter? You look pale.”
“Uh…I…I’m…thirsty.” Her voice cracked on the last word.
He frowned with what she interpreted as genuine concern. “Go on, sweet thing, sit down. I’ll get you some water.”
It was the kind of thing one friend would say to another. She watched the man who stood between her and freedom shut the door and drop the bag he was carrying onto a nearby table.
He moved closer to her. With every step he took, the room grew smaller and smaller until there was no room to move, no room to breathe.
He leaned close to kiss her cheek. “We have a lot to talk about.”
She jerked away from his touch.
A spark of anger flashed through his eyes. “What’s the matter with you?”
She couldn’t fight him. He’d overpower her without even trying. She had to keep him talking.
“Just…sleepy.” She managed a small, stiff smile. “Wh…where are we?”
“The first pit stop. Nice, huh?” He glanced around, pride evident on his face.
Did he really think she’d compliment him on his choice of prison?
She watched him, not sure what to do. She managed to nod slightly, hoping he’d take that for agreement.
His eyes warmed. “I knowCharming Charlieis your favorite movie. Not many know they didn’t strike the set. It’s just been sitting here for years. Thought you’d like having a behind-the-scenes look.”
“Charming…Charlie?” She felt stupid repeating him, but at least she’d managed to say something. He’d turned her favorite movie into a prison? “I…it looks…familiar.”
“It should. Nothing’s changed here since. Can’t say the same for you, though.” Lester reached out to touch one of her curls. “I have to admit, I’m not liking the red.”
She couldn’t help but flinch away.
His gaze hardened. “Stop acting like I’m some sort of creepy stranger. I’m not going to hurt you. We’ve been friends a long time.” He stepped into her, his eyes narrowed with sudden aggression. “You remember the day we met. Tell me. Tell me how we met.”
He’d gone from relatively normal to unhinged delusion in the blink of an eye. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry and her tongue felt like a lead weight. “You…asked me to…coffee.”
He leaned back, looking satisfied. “That’s right. I knew you’d remember. We had a real connection that day. I think we both knew we had something special.”
For a second she couldn’t breathe. Her lungs refused to work. Normally when she ran into this kind of crazy there were bodyguards in the way. She squeezed the necklace again, even though it didn’t seem to do anything.
Lester’s gaze flicked to her hair. “I know that shitty color wasn’t your fault. They tried to hide you from me. Don’t worry. I brought something to fix it.”
He moved past her. He was just a guy, coming home to his girlfriend after a long day. “I also brought you a change of clothes. I know you hated that T-shirt. It was way too plain. My sweet girl likes to sparkle.”
She gripped her robe tighter. She knew she should say something or do something to keep him distracted, but her feet refused to move. Words refused to tumble out.