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Damon just groaned, but the grin he wore told Tessa it was exaggerated.

“Oh boy,” he said. “What have I gotten myself into?”

Tessa just giggled.

She was wondering the same thing.

What had she gotten herself into? She sure hoped it wasn’t love.

But it kind of felt that way.

Chapter Twenty

The limo had just stopped at the security gate, but Damon could already tell Tessa was excited.

He could practically feel it radiating off her as she slid toward the edge of her seat, rolled down the closest window, and stuck her head out while her jaw dropped.

“That’s the water tower! The famous water tower!”

“Yep. Has stood there since the late Twenties, I think. Not in use anymore, but it’s iconic. So, they maintain it.”

“That’s right,” Tessa said, the leather beneath her squeaking as she shifted to look at him. “Did you know it used to be next to the studio’s fire department? But after a big earthquake back in 1933 they moved it to its current location. They realized that if the tower fell, it would fall on the fire station and probably bust all their rescue equipment and stuff. That wouldn’t be much help after an earthquake.”

Damon raked his fingers across the day’s worth of dark stubble that shaded his angular jaw. “Consider me impressed. Here I thought I’d be giving you the studio tour, but it seems like you can lead it.”

“Want me to?” she asked playfully. “I know way more than you.” She stuck her tongue out.

Damon threw his head back and laughed before reaching for her.

He didn’t realize what he was doing until it was too late. His hands were around her waist and he was pulling her down the long leather bench seat toward him.

Tessa didn’t stop laughing the entire time.

And Damon couldn’t bring himself to stop what he was doing until his lips were on her cheek. “You’re too cute,” he announced before giving her a little kiss.

The silence that followed was so heavy and oppressive Damon almost opened another window just to ease the claustrophobia.

“I’m sorry,” he offered weakly, feeling foolish because his eyes were scanning everything else but Tessa. “I didn’t mean to⁠—”

“Hey, it’s okay,” she said. “We’ve been playing our parts. Method acting. Am I right?”

He laughed again. “Yeah. Method acting.”

The limo kept driving deeper onto the lot.

Damon couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss.

Calm down. It happened. There’s no taking it back. Just be more careful next time. Don’t hurt this girl. She deserves better.

That was where he decided to leave it.

If he couldn’t recall it or rewind time for a do-over, why dwell on it? And why even bring it up to her?

There wasn’t much sense in discussing it, best he could tell. They’d settled on the method acting excuse—though he knew neither one of them actually believed it—so it would be best just to let it lie.

Besides, either Tessa had already mentally moved on or she was just a damn good actress and should be on one of those soundstages they drove past, filming her day’s call sheet.

“Holy cow!” she yelled.