Chapter 1 #2
She was one of those rare people who were universally liked. Obi-Wan assumed some of that was because she wasn’t there to tell others how to do their job or critique them. She was there to help if someone was injured or got sick.
By the time the tour was over, Obi-Wan was struck anew with awe that he was even there.
And overwhelmed with the responsibility on his shoulders.
He wanted to be sure this movie was as accurate as possible.
If he messed up anything, it could reflect poorly on the Army, and the Night Stalkers, and possibly even his own team. Which was unacceptable.
“You ready to meet Carmen and Logan?” Zita asked.
“Sure. Anything I should know before I meet them?”
Obi-Wan could tell Zita wanted to say something, but she simply shrugged.
He respected the fact that she didn’t want to spread gossip or say something out of line.
Which was amusing, since the first words out of her mouth were pretty much just that.
But Obi-Wan wasn’t a man to take offense easily.
He was more amused than offended by her observation of women using his nickname in bed.
And honestly, she wasn’t wrong. He wasn’t promiscuous, but the few times someone had actually called out his nickname in the middle of making love, it was definitely weird.
And that was saying a lot, since he’d gotten used to everyone using his call sign over his given name years ago.
“Seriously. I don’t want to start out on the wrong foot with either of them. If there’s a topic I should stay away from, please tell me,” he cajoled.
“Okay. Do not compare Logan to Hugh Jackman. He hates the man. I have no idea why. And don’t comment on his name either. Logan Striker is cheesy as hell, and of course it’s made up, but he loves it. So whatever you do, steer away from those two topics.”
“Got it. Don’t mention the Dead Pool and Wolverine movie, and don’t talk about nicknames. Easy enough. What about Carmen?”
If he hadn’t been watching Zita so closely, he would’ve missed the slight wince before she smoothed out her expression.
“I don’t think you need to worry about her. She’s gonna take one look at you and bend over backward to make a good impression.”
“Me? I’m a nobody. She’s Carmen St. James. All of her films have been huge hits.”
“You’re male. A hotshot Night Stalker pilot. Gorgeous. And at the end of the shoot, she’ll go back to Hollywood and you’ll stay here. You’re perfect for her.”
Obi-Wan couldn’t help but feel a jolt of satisfaction that Zita thought he was good-looking. But he pushed the thought down. He wasn’t here to fall into bed with anyone. He wasn’t looking for a fling. No matter how rich and famous a woman was…or how intriguing and cute.
“I’m not here for any kind of relationship,” he said firmly.
“Doesn’t matter. Carmen gets what Carmen wants. And she’s totally gonna want you.”
The last part was said under her breath.
Obi-Wan stopped walking, forcing Zita to turn around and look at him in question.
“Sage?”
He couldn’t deny hearing the name he’d used growing up, that so few people used these days, made him feel…special. He didn’t understand the feeling. But now wasn’t the time or place to figure out why this blunt, say-what-she-was-thinking woman had him so intrigued.
“Don’t leave me alone with her,” he blurted, sounding slightly desperate.
Obi-Wan had recently endured a bad experience with another woman who’d decided he was going to be her next fuck.
She’d spotted him at Anchor Point with his friends…
and proceeded to pester him incessantly for weeks.
It was annoying as hell, and she’d almost ruined his pleasure in going to the team’s favorite hole-in-the-wall bar.
She seemed obsessed with bagging a Night Stalker, and it was only because her family moved to the other side of the country that he’d actually gotten a reprieve.
Not that he thought a world-famous actress would take one look at him and decide she just had to have him.
In fact, most people might think he was being conceited, assuming it could happen twice…
but Obi-Wan didn’t want to take any chances.
He’d been told often enough that he was good-looking, and that, plus his job as an elite helicopter pilot was apparently enough to make some women lose all common sense.
He was a man who liked to do the pursuing. He preferred taking the traditional role in a courtship. He enjoyed dating, holding hands, getting to know a woman. Not that he didn’t like to know a woman was interested…but there was a definite line between interest and obsession.
To his relief, Zita didn’t laugh. Or roll her eyes.
She simply said, “I won’t.”
Obi-Wan nodded. He was glad for Zita’s warning. There was always the possibility that she was jealous, that she didn’t like Carmen because she was beautiful enough to get any man she wanted. But he didn’t think so. Zita was gorgeous in her own right, and she seemed down to earth. Grounded.
She also hadn’t been eager to share her thoughts.
All things that led him to believe what she was saying was worth taking to heart. And that he needed to be extremely cautious in what he said and did around Carmen St. James.
Looking at her phone after it chimed, Zita said, “They’re waiting for us. We need to go. The last thing we want is to throw off the first day’s filming schedule.”
“Lead on,” Obi-Wan said.
Zita looked at him for a long moment, then nodded and turned, heading for the director’s trailer.