Her Leading Man. Maggie Dallen
n>
Cover Copy
Life’s not like the movies . . . or is it?
An avid knitter and manager of a yarn store in New York City, Caitlyn finds herself at loose ends after getting dumped by her long-time, live-in boyfriend. What better way to move on then to find a man like the old-school movie stars that she dreams about? But her first attempt at online dating is a disaster. Especially when the date turns out to be the new renter of a room in her apartment.
Wall Street powerhouse Ben needs a place to crash while his condo is being renovated. Love is the last thing on his mind since he’s just getting over a breakup. But he can’t resist a challenge, especially one like his prim and proper new roommate. A do-gooder with a heart of gold, Caitlyn is spearheading a fight to save an old theater, while Ben is working for the developer trying to tear it down. Sparks will fly, but they may not be enough to ignite big-screen romance . . .
Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com
Books by Maggie Dallen
The Chance Series
The Accidental Engagement
The Accidental Boyfriend
The Accidental Elopement
Reel Romance Series
Her Leading Man
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation
Her Leading Man
A Reel Romance
Maggie Dallen
LYRICAL PRESS
Kensington Publishing Corp.
www.kensingtonbooks.com
Copyright
Lyrical Press books are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2016 by Maggie Dallen
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
All Kensington titles, imprints, and distributed lines are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchases for sales promotion, premiums, fund- raising, and educational or institutional use.
To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.
Special book excerpts or customized printings can also be created to fit specific needs. For details, write or phone the office of the Kensington Special Sales Manager:
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Attn. Special Sales Department. Phone: 1-800-221-2647.
Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
Lyrical Press and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.
First Electronic Edition: February 2017
eISBN-13: 978-1-5161-0141-2
eISBN-10: 1-5161-0141-3
First Print Edition: February 2017
ISBN-13: 978-1-5161-0144-3
ISBN-10: 1-5161-0144-8
Printed in the United States of America
Chapter 1
Seeking Cary Grant, that’s what her online profile had read. The guy sitting across from her at the bar was attractive, had a British accent, and… Well, that was where the similarity ended.
“So what do you really do then?” he asked with a mouth full of bread. They hadn’t ordered dinner but the waiter had kindly brought them a basket of warm bread, most likely in a vain attempt to sober up her obnoxious date, who stank of whisky.
Caitlyn let out a weary sigh. She was way past caring if her disgust was obvious. This man had tested her patience from the moment he’d sat across from her.
“What do you mean, what do I really do?” she repeated.
She hated that question. Hated it.
He shrugged and tossed back a large gulp of his beer. “So you just work at a yarn store then?”
Caitlyn’s hands clenched together in her lap as she prayed for patience. So maybe managing and teaching at a yarn store wasn’t the career she’d dreamed of when she’d gotten her art degree in college, but she liked it there. “Isn’t that enough?”
Her date shrugged again and leaned over the table so the smell of whisky was nearly overwhelming. “Not much of a career path, is it?”
He let out a belch that nearly knocked her out with its gaseous fumes.
“I like it.” She squelched the urge to qualify her life decisions. She certainly didn’t have to explain herself to this man, who wouldn’t know art or passion if it hit him upside the head. Being surrounded by gorgeous textures and fibers, and sharing her passion with others—it made her happy. She’d made a home for herself there over the last five years and she refused to apologize for it, especially not to this drunken jerk.
“And what about you?” she asked, fruitlessly attempting to make eye contact with their waiter so she could pay the bill and get out of there. When that failed, she shoved her empty wineglass toward the end of the table so the waiter could see that they were done. One drink had never felt so interminably long.
“I’m a venture capitalist.” Though with his drunken slur it came out more like vent captlish. “I build companies from the ground up.” He shoved a piece of bread into his mouth and leaned in even closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a state secret. “I make a lot of money.”
Caitlyn actually flinched in the face of such a gauche remark. “Good for you.”
He pointed a finger in her face. “You could learn something from me. I could help you.”
Oh, wonderful. “I don’t need any help, thanks.”
His eyes narrowed to the point where she suspected he might just fall asleep and land face first in the breadbasket. Part of her hoped he would. At least then she wouldn’t have to hear him speak. He wobbled in his seat. “Yeah. You need me.”
“Check, please.” She was a little louder than intended, but it did the trick. The waiter looked in her direction and raised a finger in the “one second” gesture before racing off toward another table that was beckoning.
Her date seemed oblivious to her quest for the check. He was currently leaning over the table, his bleary gaze fixed on her. “Want to know what I think?”
“Not really.” She fumbled through her purse for her wallet. So far, she’d heard everything this man thought on a myriad of topics and was thoroughly disgusted. How this soulless, aggressive, alpha male had managed to come across as sensitive and thoughtful in their e-mail exchanges was a mystery. To think she’d actually been excited when she’d first spotted him sitting there. Sensitive, thoughtful, and hot as hell? For a split second she’d honestly thought she’d found the one. Mr. Right.
She couldn’t have been more wrong.
“I think you need someone to add some excitement to your life,” he said