Sean Stirling isn’t having a good day. Hearing snide comments on a photoshoot, he storms off, not caring that he looks every inch a celebrity throwing a tantrum. Things get worse when he falls on the ice-covered street. As a car comes barreling toward him, there’s nothing he can do to prevent his fate. Luckily, Emerson Willis is there to save the day. Emerson pushes the man from the street, then gets bamboozled into accompanying the stranger to the hospital. After Emerson sees himself on television, he realizes the man he saved is a pop star. Now, Sean is smitten and eager to thank his rescuer. Emerson, whose mind is still spinning, can’t tell what to think about the sudden attention. Can the musician convince Emerson they’re made for each other? Or will Emerson dismiss it all as the passing fancy of a rich and famous man?

Double Act

Stop it, he scolded himself. He needed to remember that this was Sean Stirling, a famous musician. A manwho proved he was a flirt and a manipulator. One on one like this, it was easy to forget everything else.Sean seemed so normal.


Across the table, Sean was loading mushrooms onto his plate. “You better grab one before I eat them all.”


Emerson focused on the appetizer. They looked simple, just mushrooms covered with cheese. He stabbed one with his fork and moved it to his plate. He sliced it in half, then popped the bite into his mouth. His taste buds exploded. The combination of garlic and parmesan was perfect. The mushroom was almost meaty, earthy, and not at all rubbery.


“This is amazing,” he said after he swallowed it. He ate the other half and had to close his eyes to savor the taste.


“I always get these here. They use organic mushrooms, from a farm near Albany. Carlos, the sous chef, gave me the recipe but they don’t taste the same at home.”


Chapter 22