Brenda Jackson - Star of His Heart

Nothing could have prepared Ethan for the need that took over his body.

In that moment he captured her mouth with a desperate possession that fueled his fire as it had never been fueled before. He wanted to devour her alive.

A part of him couldn’t believe that she was in his arms and that he was enveloping her mouth as if it were the only one left on earth, which for now, for him, it was.

He couldn’t control the rush of physical hunger consuming his entire being. His tongue tangled with hers with a voracity that sent pleasure spiking throughout both of their bodies. He was kissing her with hunger, as if he were seeking out some forbidden treat that he was determined to find.

Moments later, only because they needed to breathe, he released her mouth and stared into her stunned gaze. Refusing to allow her time to think again, he lowered his mouth once more and at the same time swept her off her feet and into his arms. Before the night was over, his touch would be imprinted on every inch of her skin.

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To Gerald Jackson, Sr. You’re still the one after all these years!

To all my readers who will be joining me in April on the Madaris/Westmoreland Cruise 2011. Be ready to have a lot of fun!

To my Heavenly Father. How Great Thou Art.

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.

— Proverbs 22:1

Dear Reader,

I enjoy doing continuity books where I get to work with other authors. This particular continuity, Love In the Limelight, is special in that I get to work with three authors whose work I admire and enjoy reading—A.C. Arthur, Ann Christopher and Adrianne Byrd. I’ve even nicknamed Adrianne the “Plot Queen” because you never know where her sizzling and titillating love stories will take you.

A.C., Ann, Adrianne and I want to introduce you to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood through four beautiful women—Rachel, Charlene, Livia and Sofia. You will read about their trials, tribulations and, of course, their men. Especially their men. Being a romantic at heart I love to read a sensual romance story with a sexy hero, and I believe these four stories will more than whet everyone’s romantic appetite.

So take a break, chill a moment and indulge yourself in a little romance. Star of His Heart tells the story of a woman who is afraid to love and the man who is determined to cure her of that fear. Every woman should have an Ethan Chambers in her life at least once.

I hope all of you enjoy reading Ethan and Rachel’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Happy reading!

Brenda Jackson

“Quiet on the set!

“Take one!

“Action!”

The director’s voice blared from the bullhorn and the words sent a pleasurable thrill up Rachel Wellesley’s spine. She had known before she’d uttered her first words as a child that she had an overabundance of artsy bones in her body.

The only problem was that as she got older, her choice of an artistic career would change from week to week. First she had wanted to become a painter, then a writer. Later on she had considered becoming a fashion stylist. But at the fine arts college she’d attended, after she took theory and practicum classes on beauty, she had finallydecided on a career as a makeup artist and wardrobe designer. This was the life she lived for and what she enjoyed—being on the set of a movie. Or in this case, the TV set that was taping the popular prime-time medical drama Paging the Doctor.

It was day one of shooting for the second season. All the cast members from last season had returned except for Eric Woods, who’d played Dr. Myles Bridgestone. No one had been surprised to hear his contract was not renewed, especially with all his personal drama last season. The well-known Hollywood movie star had evidently felt it beneath him to do TV and to play a role other than a leading one. But the ratings of his last few movies had plummeted. Everyone who worked with him last season had been aware of his constant complaints. Eric was an egomaniac and a director’s worst nightmare.

Rachel had managed to get along with Eric, but she couldn’t say the same for others who considered him a pain in the rear end. But then, her older sister Sofia claimed Rachel could get along with just about anybody, and she would have to agree. It took a lot to rock her boat. She was easygoing by nature and was an all-around nice person. She figured some things just weren’t worth the hassle of getting high blood pressure and stress.

A slight movement out of the corner of her eye made her shift her focus to the actor she’d heard would be added to the show this season in the role of Dr. Tyrell Perry. His name was Ethan Chambers.

He had been in Hollywood only a couple of years and already, at twenty-eight, he had taken the town by storm. And most noticeably, over the past few months, he and his playboy behavior had become quite the talk in the tabloids and gossip columns.

She gave him an appreciative glance. The only thing she had to say was that if the producer added Ethan to the show to boost the ratings, then he had hit the mark. Ethan was definitely eye candy of the most delicious kind. There was no doubt in her mind he would stir the interest of their female viewers, young and old, single or married.

And she couldn’t help noticing he had already stirred the interest of several of the females on the set. He seemed oblivious to the open stares as he talked to a man she assumed was his agent. Although she found Ethan extremely attractive, she was too much of a professional to mix her private life with her professional one. And the one thing she detested above all else was being in the spotlight, which was something he evidently enjoyed since he’d managed to garner a lot of publicity lately.

She thought that his flashing white smile was as sexy as they came and figured he would be perfect for any toothpaste commercial. He was tall, probably six foot two, and powerfully built with broad shoulders, muscled arms and a masculine chest. He did a whole lot for those scrubs he was wearing. The company that manufactured the medical attire should be grateful, since he practically turned them into a fashion statement.

And last but not least was his cocoa-colored face with those striking blue-gray eyes—a potentially distracting pair for any woman fool enough to gaze into them too long—and his ultrasexy dimpled jaw. She had to hand it to him, he was as handsome as any male could get in her book, hands down.

A soft smile lifted the corners of her lips as she thought that this was bound to be an interesting season. Already a number of the women on the set were vying for his attention. The show’s director, Frasier Glenn, would just love that.

“Cut! Good scene, everyone. Let’s move on!”

Frasier’s words had Rachel moving quickly toward the producer, John Gleason, and Livia Blake, a model and budding actress who would be guest-starring on the show for a few episodes as Dr. Sonja Duncan. The scene they had just filmed was an emotional one in which Dr. Duncan had broken the news to a devoted husband that his wife had died of cardiac arrest.