Rising Star Read Online Free Page B

desert in long, black limo.
    “ Which way?” Matt pulled
her head back from the clouds. The car had reached the highway and
the driver awaited their direction.
    She directed the driver to Old Town, where
he parked on the street in front of a New Mexican restaurant. The
driver hurried to open the door for her and even took her hand to
help her out. I’m being treated like Hollywood royalty, while I’m
wearing jeans and boots and riding a horse in their movie. She
smiled as she stepped out and looked back at the car. Other drivers
passing on the street and even pedestrians were staring as they
passed by. Matt took her arm as they moved to the door of the
restaurant.
    The hostess was a young Hispanic girl. She
gushed as she saw Matt Mason in front of her. “Right this way Mr.
Mason. This is the best table we have, right in the window.”
    “ Thank you,” Matt said
without looking at her as he held Selena’s chair.
    The hostess still stood there, menus in
hand, staring at Matt as a middle-aged waitress appeared at her
side. “I can take it from here, Roberta,” she said, taking the
menus from the younger girl’s hand.
    “ I’ve seen all of your
movies,” the older lady told Matt as she set the menus down and
took their drink order. Matt smiled and thanked her, but he kept
his eyes on Selena. He wondered what she was thinking as he looked
at her violet eyes that seemed to hold so many secrets. The aura of
mystery was mesmerizing as he stared at her. Her eyes had almost a
faraway look to them, as if she were always thinking of a different
time and place.
    Selena glanced around the restaurant.
Everyone in the room was staring at Matthew Mason. She felt her
face redden as she realized they were the center of attention.
Maybe we should have went through a drive-thru somewhere, she was
thinking. I would never want to be famous, if it meant all this
attention everywhere you go. Rich, yeah…but Matt Mason can have his
fame.
    She jumped slightly as Matt took her hand
where it lay on the table. “You get used to it,” he told her,
nodding his head toward the stares.
    “ Yeah…I don’t think so.”
She looked at his hand where he had left it over hers on the table.
She temporarily forgot the onlookers as she looked into his amused
blue eyes. Her insides churned as he stared at her. Then he smiled
and the mischievous twinkle sparkled in his eyes. I was right, Matt
thought. She doesn’t like being the center of attention. It was a
refreshing change from the type of girls he knew. Most of them
acted outlandishly, trying to draw attention to themselves in any
way possible.
    Selena began to relax a little once Matt
took his hand away and picked up his menu. She had felt knots of
nervous tension go through her as he stared at her with his hand
still covering hers on the table. A vibration, like a hum of
electricity had passed between their hands. And she could still
feel every eye in the restaurant on them. Guess they’re not used to
having a big movie star eating at a local hangout, she thought.
Yeah, as if I am. She snuck a peek at Matt over her menu. He seemed
completely at ease with all the eyes on them, as if he dealt with
it every day of the week, which he probably did.
    The waitress returned with their sodas and a
bowl of chips and salsa.
    “ I don’t know what to
order,” Matt said. “I don’t even know what half this stuff
is.”
    “ Would you like me to
order for you?” Selena asked.
    “ Yes, please,” he said, a
strange glint to his blue eyes.
    Selena ordered enchiladas for both of them
with frijoles and sopapillas.
    “ Red or green?” The
waitress asked.
    “ Red or green what?” Matt
said.
    “ Red or green chile,”
Selena said. “Green on both,” she told the waitress.
    “ You must not be from
California?” She asked Matt as the waitress walked away.
    “ Toronto,” he
answered.
    “ Really? You’re
Canadian?”
    “ Yes. You have something
against Canadians?”
    “ No. I’ve just never