His Leading Lady

Hollywood Hearts

JEAN C. JOACHIM

Sensual Romance

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 Jean C. Joachim

ISBN: 1-62622-785-3

Moonlight Books

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or
distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal
copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary
gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years
in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

A Moonlight Books Novel

Sensual Romance

His Leading Lady

Copyright © 2014 Jean C. Joachim

E-book ISBN: 1-62622-785-3

First E-book Publication: January 2014

Cover design by Dawné Dominique

Edited by Tabitha Bower

Proofread by Renee Waring

All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Jean C.
Joachim

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part,
without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are
fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is
strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER

Moonlight Books

HOLLYWOOD HEARTS SERIES

IF I LOVED YOU

RED CARPET ROMANCE

MEMORIES OF LOVE

MOVIE LOVERS

LOVE’S LAST CHANCE

LOVERS & LIARS

MANHATTAN DINNER CLUB SERIES

Rescue My Heart

NOW AND FOREVER SERIES

Now and Forever 1, A Love Story

Now and Forever 2, The Book of Danny

Now and Forever 3, Blind Love

Now and Forever 4, The Renovated Heart

Now and Forever 5, Love’s Journey

Now and Forever, Callie’s Story (series starter)

MOONLIGHT SERIES

Sunny Days, Moonlit Nights

April’s Kiss in the Moonlight

Under the Midnight Moon

Moonlight and Roses (series starter)

NEW YORK NIGHTS NOVELS

The Marriage List

The Love List

The Dating List

Champagne for Christmas

LOST & FOUND SERIES

Love, Lost and Found

Dedication

To my readers who wanted more about Penny and
Mark.

Thank you: Steve and Larry Joachim for
consultation, Marilyn Lee, JJ’s Book Buddies, Kathleen Ball, the
Tuesday Tales writers, Tabitha Bower, my editor, Renee Waring, and
professional football players in both leagues for inspiration.

The author acknowledges the trademark status and the
following trademark owners mentioned in this work of fiction:

Google

BMW

Gatorade

Academy Award

Boom!
The beautiful blonde barreled
into Mark’s chest right in front of Jean Louis Designs on Rodeo
Drive. He grabbed her upper arms to keep her from falling and
stared into the biggest, bluest eyes he’d ever seen. The flash of a
dazzling white smile, a whiff of lily of the valley perfume, golden
hair, and perfect features blurred everything else around him.

“I’m so sorry,” she said.
Or did she?
He was so mesmerized he barely distinguished the words.

She stood as transfixed as he, focused on his
baby blues, until a man abruptly tapped her shoulder. “We’ll be
late, Penny, come on.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t looking,” she mumbled.

“No harm, no foul,” Mark muttered, his gaze
resting on her generous breasts for a moment before returning to
her face. Toting a shopping bag in each hand, she smiled at him
again and was gone, as quickly as she had arrived. Mark Davis stood
in front of the door, transfixed, as if his feet had been embedded
in the cement sidewalk.

“Come on, buddy, you’re blocking traffic,”
Harley Brennan, his best friend and teammate, said, giving him a
nudge.

Mark snapped out of his reverie and moved
away from the tony store. “Wow,” he said.

“A hottie. Yeah. A wet dream on legs.”

“Penny, huh? Wow.” He shook his head and
continued down the street, listening to his buddy with only half an
ear.

With Harley, Mark returned to the expensive
shop several times during his visit to L.A., but he never saw Penny
again. Back in Las Vegas, he searched the Internet for two weeks,
using her first name with no success, so he finally gave up. He
buried himself in his workouts and practice with his professional
football team, the Nevada Gamblers, trying to forget her.

He went on blind dates, fix-ups by his
teammates, but they never worked out. They weren’t Penny. Even the
ones who were guaranteed to sleep with him on the first night held
little appeal. He had seen the gold standard and nothing else would
do.

One Saturday night three months after his
encounter with the mysterious Penny, he was at the movies on a
double date with Harley. They were resigned to watching a chick
flick. Harley had explained to Mark, that if it meant they got laid
afterward, it seemed a small price to pay. When the lights went
down, it happened.

Mark was gazing at a larger-than-life Penny
on the silver screen. His mouth went dry, and his pulse speeded up.
He let go of the girl whose hand he was holding and simply gawked.
When it was over, Harley was anxious to get the girls fed and in
bed, but Mark insisted on staying for the credits. And there was
her name.

“Penny Thatcher,” he mumbled, fumbling in his
pockets for something to write it down on.

“Yeah, she was all right. But Chaz Duncan is
one hot guy,” Mark’s date said. With no pen or paper, Mark was
resigned to memorizing her name. He knew it was one he’d never
forget.
A movie star. Would she even give me the time of day?
Probably not.

He had a burger with his date, but begged off
soon afterward. Sex with her wouldn’t cut it tonight. He’d seen
Penny Thatcher again, and no other women existed. All he wanted to
do was dive onto his computer and
Google
her.

When he arrived home, he threw down his
jacket and began his Internet search. Sure enough, there she was.
Supporting actress in
The Natural Girl,
the movie he had
just seen, and a minor character in a new cop show,
Las Vegas
Beat.

A rookie, second-string quarterback for the
Nevada Gamblers, Mark lived in Las Vegas.
Maybe they shoot here.
Maybe she lives here.
His pulse jumped. He looked her up in the
white pages, but no Penny Thatcher was listed.
Dummy. Actors
don’t list themselves in the phonebook. Afraid of crazed fans, like
me.
He laughed at himself and turned off the machine. He had an
early practice, so it was time for bed.

Mark hit the showers after a good workout.
He’d connected with the running backs like a seasoned player. His
confidence was high. He smiled as he flipped on the faucet. The
voices of his teammates trumped the sound of the spray bouncing off
his firm muscles, especially the loud voice of the star
quarterback, Darvin Sweetwater.

“I’d better get laid tonight, Reid,”
Sweetwater yelled.

“My girl said these two are hot. One’s got a
huge rack,” Reid called back.

"Come on, Davis," Darvin pulled Mark by the
arm. Since he was the only one who agreed to go on blind double
dates with Sweetwater, Darvin had no choice on this one.

Before they pushed through the locker room
door and into the parking lot, Sweetwater said, “I’m expecting some
sweet lip action tonight. Woo hoo!” He crowed. “You take the one
with the big rack. Usually, I’d take her. I love big racks, but the
other one is an actress on that show,
Las Vegas Beat
. I’ve
been jacking to her for the past month, and tonight’s gonna be the
real deal. After she does me, I’m gonna fuck her nice and
slow.”

Couldn’t be Penny. He’s talking about
someone else.
He wondered if Darvin's crude attitude would turn
the women off.

“You go first, Davis. I hate blind dates.”
Darvin gave Mark a little shove, and he entered the lot slightly
ahead of Sweetwater. Two women moved toward them.
Holy Shit!
It’s her!
Mark gulped, his mouth suddenly as dry as the desert
surrounding them.

“Hi, honey, I’m Tiffany Barker. Who are you?”
The woman with the big rack pushed ahead of Penny and extended a
hand with huge, bright purple nails. He’d never been into
super-sized breasts, preferring something he could get a hold of
with only one hand, but her chest was so huge, he couldn’t take his
eyes off it. Her eyelashes looked to be two inches long. Her red
lipstick and white-blonde hair made her appear cheap.

Cringing inside, Mark took her hand and shook
it gently.

“Are you Sweetwater?” she asked in a sharp
voice.

“Just second string, Mark Davis.” Tiffany
spied Sweetwater strutting their way, not far behind Mark. When she
made a beeline for Darvin, Mark turned to face Penny. A slender
young woman with ample, but much smaller breasts than Tiffany, the
actress wore almost no makeup and looked so beautiful Mark couldn’t
speak. This was the girl, the one who had knocked into him in front
of that fancy store.

She flashed him her bright smile, her blue
eyes clear, lashes all her own, and he melted inside. She extended
her hand. “Penny Thatcher.”

“I know who you are. I’m a big fan,” he
gushed.
Shut up, Davis! You sound like a lovesick
teenager.

She blushed and cast her gaze to the ground.
A humble, hottie actress. Imagine that.

“Thanks.” Sweetwater shoved Mark aside and
introduced himself to both ladies. They divided up into two cars,
Mark and Tiffany in one, Darvin and Penny in another. Tiffany,
obviously annoyed at ending up with Mark, made a face as she moved
toward his modest car, while Penny lowered herself into Darvin’s
two-seater
BMW
.

If Tiffany wanted to upset Mark, she’d be
disappointed. He had no interest in her. He only had eyes for
Penny. The only thought on his mind was Sweetwater’s plan to seduce
her before the night was over.

They went to Steak on the House, Darvin’s
favorite restaurant. Drinks arrived quickly as Darvin demanded and
received fast service, since he was a big spender and famous in Las
Vegas as the darling of their home team. Tiffany couldn’t keep her
eyes off him, so Mark didn’t feel any compunction about turning
toward Penny when he raised his wine glass and said, “To be in the
company of a beautiful woman is a rare treasure.”

Penny colored and clinked her glass with his.
Darvin stared darts at Mark.
Yeah, Darvin, I’m no genius, but
I’m smarter than you, asshole.
Mark smiled at Penny. He watched
his teammate struggle to come up with a better toast and chuckled
to himself.
I outclassed the jerk-off, and he can’t stand
it
.
A legend in his own mind. Uh oh.

Suddenly, Mark envisioned Darvin taking
revenge on the practice field.
Tough shit. I’m just as good as
you...maybe better. Bring it on.
Mark tried to keep the
hostility out of his eyes, but wasn’t sure if he succeeded.

When the food arrived, Darvin dug into his
thick, rare steak with enthusiasm. He kept making raunchy comments,
comparing eating his beef to sex. He put his hand on Penny’s thigh
several times and leered at her. She tried to laugh it off, but
Mark saw her furrowed brow and noticed her repeatedly pushing
Sweetwater away.

Anger rose in his chest.
She’s a lady, you
asswipe. Not a piece of meat for you to devour.
"Back off,
Darvin. Can't you see you’re making her uncomfortable?"