Hollywood House Call. Jules Bennett

      Noah’s rich laughter washed over her…and she was still tingling from his touch. “Callie, I understand what it’s like not to have your family here. Someone needs to share this time with you.”

      Callie recalled him saying some time back that his family lived in Northern California. Other than that, the topic had been off the table, so she’d assumed that meant for her not to ask any questions about them. But that didn’t stop the questions from whirling around in her mind.

      “When should we go?” Callie asked, knowing there was no way she would turn down personal time with Noah.

      “How about after work?” he suggested, sliding out of his white lab jacket and hanging it on the back of his office door. “Our afternoon is light. We may even get out early.”

      Callie glanced down at her clothes. While she might look fine, she’d want to freshen up.

      “You could leave your car here,” he continued. “I’ll drive.”

      Callie wasn’t going to turn that offer down. This might not be a date, but it was as close as she would get to dating her hunky boss—though she wasn’t under any delusions that Noah would fall for her type. Though so far, from what she could tell, he didn’t have any particular type. So why hadn’t he ever asked her out?

      Oh, yeah. She worked for him.

      So what? This was L.A. Did a code of ethics really matter in a land full of sin and silicone? Either something else held him back or he simply wasn’t attracted to her. Either way, she had her work cut out for her if she wanted to pursue anything beyond a professional relationship with him. Granted, she had her sights set on her career, but she could so carve some time out of her day for scenery like Noah Foster. And she knew he wasn’t a long-term type of guy, so really, what could the harm be in getting to know each other on a personal level?

      “Where will we go?” she asked, following him out of his office and down the hall toward the break room.

      He threw a killer smile over his shoulder. “You pick. It’s your night, Callie.”

      She mulled it over, thinking of where she’d always wanted to go but never could justify going alone or paying such high prices. This milestone really deserved to be done up right.

      Then she remembered the one place she’d always wanted to go but never got a chance.

      She offered a wide grin. “Oh, I have the perfect place in mind.”

      Of all the restaurants Callie could’ve picked in L.A., Noah couldn’t believe she’d chosen this one. A pizza place with games that spit out tickets so you could pick out prizes at the end. On a Friday night this place was crazy with kids running amok, screaming, laughing and waving their generic prizes in the air.

      And Callie seemed to be fitting right in.

      This was not what he’d envisioned when he’d told her to choose a place. But she’d laughed as she’d smacked the mole heads that kept popping up through holes, and she’d been a major sharpshooter at the “shooting range.” Now she was off to a driving game while he stood fisting a wad of bright yellow tickets.

      Bright yellow. If Callie Matthews was a color, she’d be yellow. The woman was always happy, always bubbly and never failed to take him by surprise.

      And he hadn’t necessarily lied when he’d told her he was happy for her. Seeing her beaming from ear to ear had stirred something in him. While he still wasn’t thrilled at the possibility of her innocence being shattered, he couldn’t let her celebrate alone.

      Her sweet naïveté was getting to him. And she had no idea the power she was holding over him.

      His cell vibrated in his pocket and he slid it out, smiling when he saw the number.

      “So you are alive,” he said in place of a traditional hello.

      “Kiss ass.”

      Noah laughed at his best friend and Hollywood heartthrob, Max Ford. “When a whole week goes by and I know you’re not filming, I have to assume you’re either dead or getting some serious action. Glad to know you’re still with us.”

      “Oh, I’m alive,” Max assured him. “Where are you? It sounds like you’re at a kid’s birthday party.”

      Noah glanced around the open room where kids ran from game to game, parents chasing to keep up with the chaos. His gaze circled back to Callie and he watched her steering intensely at the racing game.

      “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

      “You’re moonlighting as a clown for kids’ parties, aren’t you?” Max joked. “I’m not sure the ladies will go for the Bozo wig, pal.”

      Noah laughed. “Did you call to annoy me or do you have a point?”

      “I wanted to know if you were free tomorrow. Haven’t seen you for a while. Thought we could get together.”

      Callie jumped from her racing chair and grinned like a kid as the machine spit out another row of bright yellow tickets. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and he found himself standing in the middle of the room with a silly grin on his face. When was the last time he truly grinned because he wanted to and not because he felt forced to please his current company?

      “Actually, tomorrow is the photo shoot for the ads for my new office,” Noah told him. “But I should be free in the evening if all goes as planned.”

      “I thought you were still looking for a model.”

      When Callie turned and caught his eye, he motioned that he was stepping outside. She nodded and moved on to another game.

      “Callie is doing it for me,” Noah said, walking toward the door to move farther away from the noise.

      “Callie Matthews? Damn, she’s hot. How did you manage that? Has she done modeling before?”

      Once outside, Noah took a seat on the bench next to the door. “No, but I’m trying to watch out for her. She’s got stars in her eyes, man. And she just got a pretty good-size role in a new Anthony Price film.”

      “Noah, you can’t save everybody,” Max told him with a sigh. “You’ve got to let go of the past.”

      “Easier said than done.”

      “Had any more offers on the house?” Max asked.

      “Just the two.”

      “Which you turned down?”

      Noah rubbed a hand over his head and glanced through the door to see Callie smiling while tackling another game. “Yes. I turned them down.”

      “And you’re still going to see Thelma every day?”

      Noah’s chest tightened. “I’m all she has.”

      “She’s not even your family, Noah. You have to let go. I understand she’s Malinda’s grandmother, but you’ve been paying her assisted-living bills for a year now. She has Alzheimer’s. She won’t know if you don’t show up. You’ve got to bury the past.”

      He sighed. “I’ll bury it when it’s time.”

      “Good,” his friend said. “You can start by asking Callie out on a date. She’d be perfect.”

      “I’m not asking her out,” Noah replied. At least, he wouldn’t ask her on a real date.

      “Great. Then you won’t mind if—”

      “Yes, I would mind.” Noah cut him off. “You’ve got enough on your plate without adding Callie to the mix.”

      Max’s laughter nearly vibrated Noah’s phone. “You can’t keep dibs on her and not do anything about it. You’re both adults. If you want to go beyond business and get personal, what’s stopping you?”

      “She’s