He chuckled. “All you had to do was ask.” Though he had no intention of leaving now, not just because it was the middle of the night, but because he wouldn’t leave her until she kicked him out.

She nuzzled deeper into his chest with an incomprehensive murmur. It was only a few minutes before her soft snores tickled his skin.

Seth waited until her breathing suggested she was in a deep sleep. Then he slipped his arm out from under her and got out of bed. He found his phone as well as hers in his discarded pants. After setting his alarm to wake him up at seven, he threw both phones on the nightstand. Seven was earlier than he needed to be up to get to the set on time, but he couldn’t leave until he told Heather the truth and he had no idea how much time that would take. What he hoped was that he’d tell her and she’d be fine, that they’d laugh about it even. After that, they could spend the rest of the morning fooling around or making love or whatever it was called.

That was what he hoped anyway.

But after having been left by a woman once before because of his lies, he knew that scenario might be overly optimistic.

Still, he had to believe it wasn’t.

He climbed back into bed and spooned himself around Heather’s sleeping form. There would be a lot on the line in the morning. Tomorrow, he could lose it all.

Tonight, though, he had everything.

Chapter Nineteen

Heather was vaguely aware of buzzing. Then movement. Then the buzzing stopped so she buried her head in her pillow and slipped back into sleep.

What felt like only seconds later, the buzzing returned. Except this time it wasn’t buzzing, it was something else. It stopped before she could wake up enough to interpret the sound. Then it started again and she recognized it as her phone’s ringtone.

She reached for her nightstand, searching for her cell with her eyes still closed. By the time she’d located it, the ringing had stopped. Then it started again.

Without glancing at the Caller ID, Heather knew it was Lexie. Who else would be such a pain in the ass at God knows what time of the morning? She pushed the button to answer and put the phone to her face. “What?”

“Turn on Channel Four.”

“I’m sleeping.” Sleeping with Seth, she remembered. She rolled over to cuddle with him while her annoying assistant continued to chatter on the other end of the line.

“Wake up and turn on Channel Four.”

But Heather only rolled into empty bed. She opened her eyes. Yep, no Seth. She strained for a moment and realized the shower was running in the bathroom. Good, he was still there. “What time is it, anyway?”

“A little past seven.” Behind Lexie’s voice, Heather could hear what sounded like a television. “Now turn on the TV.”

Heather didn’t know if she was more annoyed with being wakened so early by Lexie or with not being wakened by Seth. Was he planning to sneak out while she still slept? He still had hours until his call time.

She sat up and rubbed her hand over her face. “Can’t you just tell me about whatever it is you want me to know?” So that I can get off the damn phone and surprise Seth in the shower?

“Heather, get the f**k up and turn on Channel Four! That TMI show is doing a segment on you.”

With a sigh, Heather stretched to rummage through her nightstand drawer for the remote. “Shows do segments on me all the time. What’s so special about this one?”

“Just turn it on!”

“I am. I am.” She pressed the power button and scrolled through the guide until she found Channel Four. “How do you know what they’re going to say, anyway?”

“They did a lead in. It said, ‘Coming up next,’ blah, blah, blah and all this stuff about your family.”

Someone on the crew must have leaked the interview. Maybe even on purpose to build up interest. Whatever. She expected it. “People are going to be talking about my family, Lex. I didn’t think so soon, but—”

“That’s not what I want you to hear. Wait, shut up.” Lexie paused. “It’s on now. Do you have it on?”

“Yes, I have it on.” A publicity picture of her filled the television screen behind a familiar entertainment reporter. “I just have to turn up the sound.” She pushed the volume button up and threw the remote on the bed next to her.

“—tells us that Heather Wainwright gave Jenna Markham a tell-all exclusive that actually tells all,” the interviewer was saying. “In the upcoming interview airing on this station at the beginning of the month, the star opens up about her life growing up, her abusive parents, and about ending her long-time relationship with Collin Satchel…”

Heather heard the shower turn off. So much for joining Seth. She sighed into the phone. “I told you I don’t give a shit about this, Lex—”

“Shh!”

“But not all of Heather’s secrets are heartbreaking.” Heather’s picture was replaced with a candid picture of her and Seth at her house from the day before, probably taken on someone’s smartphone during lunch. “Seems she has a new man in her life. Hollywood Production Designer, Seth Rafferty, is the guy on her arm and our source says the couple is a very happy couple indeed.”

Heather’s brow creased. “Why did they say he was a Production Designer?”

“They said it in the lead-in too. He never told you he was a P.D.?”

“He’s not a Production Designer. He’s a carpenter.”

“Are you sure?” Lexie asked softly.

Despite Lexie’s gentle tone, Heather was getting irritated. “Of course I’m sure. He’s not a P.D., Lex.” She rubbed her forehead trying to think. God, she needed coffee. There was an obvious explanation for the report and she wasn’t getting it because she wasn’t quite awake.

The network had probably just made a mistake. That was it. “They got it wrong, Lex. In the interview. You know how the media can mess facts up.”

“I looked him up, Heather. While I was calling you. He’s listed on IMDb as S. Patrick Rafferty. He hasn’t done any carpenter stuff for years. He’s been doing P.D. work for a long time now.”

Heather shook her head, confused. “But why…”

“Heather—”

She looked up at the sound of her name to see Seth standing next to the bed, hair dripping wet and a towel wrapped around his waist.

“Heather,” he said again. “I can explain.”

“Lexie, I’ll talk to you later.” Heather hung up before Lexie could respond.