much money that your father and your brothers will want to borrow from you.’
He grinned. ‘In my dreams. But yes, that’s where the road leads. I’ll become obsessed with money, and then they’ll know that I’m a real Falcon after all.’ He added quietly, ‘But do I want to travel that road?’
‘You won’t become obsessed with money,’ she told him. ‘Not you. What you make of it is up to you. It’ll be
‘What about yours?’
‘Yours,’ she said firmly. ‘Nobody else’s.’
He looked at her for a moment, then drew her close, wrapping his arms right around her and holding her against him.
‘What would I do without you?’ he murmured against her hair. ‘Don’t leave me, because I couldn’t bear that. I… You see, if I could only… Just don’t leave me.’
She stroked his hair, deeply touched by what she’d seen inside him. Travis might say what he liked about money and stardom, but that was a front. Inside him there still lived a little boy, longing for his father’s attention and the feeling that he belonged in the family that always seemed to exclude him. She tightened her arms, instinctively seeking to protect that little boy.
‘Don’t worry,’ she said. ‘I’m here as long as you need me.’
‘Charlie-’
The doorbell rang.
‘That’ll be Rick, come to collect us,’ Travis said reluctantly.
She raised a clenched first. ‘Forward into battle.’
He mimicked the gesture. ‘Victory awaits.’
They were to travel in an open car, the better to be seen. When they were seated in the back, Rick drove them down to where Joe was waiting with several of the others.
‘Most of them have gone on ahead,’ he told them. ‘It looks more natural if we don’t all arrive together. Let’s get started.’ But when he saw Travis’s arm about Charlene’s shoulders he looked doubtful. ‘I’m not sure that’s enough. Maybe you should be leaning close so that your head is resting on Travis’s shoulder.’
‘Occasionally,’ Charlene agreed. ‘But this journey is new to me, so I think he’d be pointing things out. I’d say, “Oh how wonderful!” and we’d interact.’
‘Great! You’ve got a real talent for giving directions.’
‘You’re telling me,’ Travis said with feeling. ‘You should see how hen-pecked I am at home.’
Everybody laughed and they set off down the Santa Monica Freeway. It was a merry start to the day.
After an hour’s drive they reached the roads that led to the beach, and the car slowed down so that passers-by could see them. Now Charlene rested her head on his shoulder, as per instructions, and he laid his own head against her hair. Joe, overtaking, gave a thumbs up sign. Perfect!
About twenty of the crowd from the show had arrived before them and had taken over a small section of the beach, entertaining photographers with their antics while everyone awaited the star.
Vera, who’d looked after Charlene on the first day, approached, saying, ‘Your changing huts are over here.’
They each vanished into a hut, emerging a few moments later to stand in the sun, breathing in the fresh air with expressions of ecstasy, while secretly sizing each other up.
Now Charlene knew she’d been right to come on this trip. Not for anything would she have missed the sight of Travis in tight black swimming trunks, reminiscent of the other night. He was everything she remembered, lightly tanned, smooth chested, the perfect combination of lean and muscular.
But he seemed less pleased, frowning a little at her modest one piece. ‘I thought you’d have chosen a bikini.’
‘Tut, tut!’ she murmured. ‘Your respectable girlfriend doesn’t flaunt herself like that. Besides,’ she added in a tone of coming down to earth, ‘I’m too skinny for a bikini.’
‘You’re not skinny,’ he said. ‘Just beautifully slim. There are models who’d give their eye-teeth for your figure.’
‘Thank you, kind sir, but I’d still like to be more curvaceous where it matters. Like here.’ She wriggled her behind to give him a better view. ‘Wouldn’t that bit be improved by a little more oomph?’
‘No,’ he said with feeling. ‘It wouldn’t.’
‘Oh, come on, take a proper look.’
‘I am taking a proper look,’ he said in a strained voice. ‘It’s perfect as it is.’
‘Well, that’s very kind but I suppose you’ve got to say it, haven’t you? We both know I need a bit more there. Perhaps I should try to put on some weight.’
‘I warn you, do that and you’ll be sorry.’
‘Ooh, the dominant male,’ she teased. ‘I thought you didn’t do macho.’
‘Maybe it’s time I tried.’
By now they had reached the water. She hopped in front of him, dancing backwards through the tiny waves.
‘C’mon,’ she taunted. ‘Make me sorry.’
‘Whatever could I do that would make you sorry?’
The thought,
‘You’ll never find out,’ she said, moving faster.
But that was a mistake. She lost her balance and rocked wildly until he seized her and drew her against himself to steady her. She had a wild sensation of his bare chest against her and clung to him, wishing the rest of the world would just vanish.
Joe appeared beside them.
‘Nice stuff, but go back to shore. Charlene, I don’t want you swimming just yet because of your hair. Travis, why don’t you carry her?’
‘Happy to oblige,’ he said, grinning and sweeping her up into his arms.
True to her role, she clung to him, shaking her head so that her hair could float in the sun. As they emerged from the water the rest of the cast was there, playing games, tossing balls about, cheering them.
Then Travis saw something that soured his mood.
‘What the devil is he doing here?’
‘Who?’
‘Him.’ He jerked his head in the direction of a young man capering by the water’s edge.
‘Oh, it’s Lee,’ Charlene said. ‘Well, nearly everyone’s here, so I suppose he was bound to be included. And look, there’s Penny.’
Penny was laying firm claim to her fiance, which should have eased Travis’s mind, but didn’t.
How did she feel about him? Travis wondered. She said it was over but now he knew that she was an accomplished actress. That was fine for presenting a mask to others, but he hated to think that she might be presenting a mask to him.
‘Shouldn’t you put me down now?’ she said.
‘Not until I have Joe’s permission,’ he said firmly, marching away up the beach.
She chuckled and buried her face in his shoulder. He only wished he could be sure she wasn’t looking back at Lee.
Vera was waiting with a large white towel spread out on the sand. Travis dropped to his knees and laid her out so that she showed to best advantage. Then he lay down beside her, propping his head up on one hand and gazing down adoringly.
She gazed back up, trying to match his expression. It was easy. Too easy, she thought with a flicker of alarm.
‘Let’s do this later,’ she said. ‘It’s too soon to lie down.’ She rose hurriedly, needing to get further away from
