Thrill! (11 page)

Trinee had elected to leave the wardrobe trailer today to make sure his clothes were OK.

"I've got to watch out for you in the fight scene,"

she'd explained.

"We've got another pair of pants - no more jackets, so try not to get too messed up."

Til do my best,"

he said, grinning.

"You do that,"

she responded, grinning back.

They both knew why she was there.

# i& i*

Lara leaned back in the make-up chair while Yoko attended to her face - working fast with a light touch.

"Can you believe Roxy?"

Yoko said, shaking her head in disgust.

"That girl is one loco woman!"

"What happened now?"

"Well,"

Yoko shrugged,

"she picks up this dude on the set Yesterday, and last night she's rolling around in bed with him. The Suy's gonna tell everyone. Her reputation's shot."

71 "I hope she used a condom."

"Ha!"

Yoko said.

"Probably not. Roxy's under the impression she's immortal."

"Perhaps you should mention it to her,"

Lara suggested.

"I mean, using a condom is merely common sense."

"You tell her,"

Yoko said pointedly.

"She never listens to me."

"Maybe I will."

Jane, the second AD, entered the trailer. She was a tall, lanky woman with a long horse face.

"Yoko,"

she said pleadingly.

"Do me a big one and make up the actor playing Jeff."

"I'm only supposed to work on Lara,"

Yoko said with a stubborn expression.

"I know,"

Jane said.

"But there's a problem with one of the other make-up people, and I need this favour. Lara, you don't mind, do you?"

"Doesn't bother me,"

Lara said. Tm nearly finished."

"What about Kyle's guy?"

Yoko said, standing her ground.

"Can't he do it?"

"Kyle takes longer in make-up than Lara,"

said Jane.

"It'll hold everyone up."

"OK."

Yoko said, with a put upon sigh.

"Send him in. What's his name?"

"Joey Lorenzo. And wait till you get a look at him."

Lara got up from the chair.

"Am I finished?"

"Can't improve on the original,"

Yoko said, stepping back and admiring her work in the mirror.

"I merely enhance the rose."

Lara leaned close to the mirror.

"This lipstick is a good colour,"

she said. Til let you know how it comes across in dailies."

"Maybe I can go with you,"

Yoko said hopefully.

Lara shook her head.

"Miles is very particular about who watches."

"That's dumb. Everyone connected with the movie should be allowed to see

"em."

"He gets uptight."

"Directors!"

Yoko muttered.

Lara made her way to the hair trailer. Roxy greeted her at the

rr

THRILL!

door clad in a tight leopardprint sweater, black leather micro-skirt, and faux tigerskin shoes.

"Shit!"

she said excitedly.

"You gotten an eyeful of the actor playing Jeff?"

"No,"

Lara said.

"We're talkin"

a twenty,"

Roxy enthused.

"Trinee says he's engaged. But you know me - makes me want him even more!"

"What's he been in before?"

Lara asked, more interested in his track record than his looks.

"According to what I heard, he had a promising career going, then he had to go take care of his sick family or something. Sounds like a ra*/nice guy."

"Did you see him this morning?"

"He dropped by my trailer, an"

I directed him to the other hairdresser."

She rolled her eyes.

"I must be gettin"

soft in the head

- the man's a freakin"

stud!"

"Really?"

Lara said. Actors didn't do anything for her, they were too self-involved and needy, always concerned about themselves first.

"Kyle's gonna shit a brick when he sees him,"

Roxy said with a manic giggle.

"Shit a/mz/bV brick!"

"He's supposed to be attractive,"

Lara explained, sitting down.

"Why would my character let him pick her up if he wasn't?"

"There's attractive, then there's major babe,"

Roxy said knowingly, licking her glossy lips.

"This one's m.b. I'm tellin"

you, Kyle ain't gonna like it."

Half an hour later Lara strolled over to the set where Miles greeted her with a kiss on each cheek.

"Gorgeous as ever, my darling."

She looked around. Kyle was nowhere in sight.

"Our other star is on his way,"

Miles said, reading her thoughts. He's having a slight hair problem today. As soon as he arrives, we'll rehearse."

"Where's the actor playing Jeffi1'

"Under that swarm of women over there."

Lara glanced across the set.

"Everyone's talking about him. Who is he?"

73 "Didn't think he'd cause this much of a commotion,"

Miles said, clicking his fingers at Jane.

"Bring Joey over. Miss Ivory would like to meet him."

ft & <&

When Jane tapped him on the shoulder and told him the director wanted to see him, Joey was on his feet in a flash.

Lara watched as he approached. For a second she felt a jolt of pure sexual hunger - the kind of feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time. Roxy was right, this was one goodlooking guy.

Cassie, hovering somewhere behind her chair, muttered an awed,

"Oh, my! Time to go on a diet!"

Lara remained cool, checking him out as he drew nearer.

Joey took one look at Lara Ivory and was overcome by her startling beauty. She was exquisite - from her honey-blond hair falling softly around her smooth shoulders, to her beautiful face and incredible body. He was immediately aroused, something that never happened to him unless he wanted it to.

Miles stepped between them.

"Joey, say hello to Lara Ivory. I'm sure you've seen her in many movies."

Lara stood up and extended her hand. He took it in his. An electric shock went right through him as he stared into her direct green eyes.

"It ... it's a privilege to be workin"

with you today,"

he managed.

She smiled, a soft, generous smile capable of driving a man totally crazy.

"Thank you,"

she said.

"While we're waiting for Kyle to put in an appearance,"

Miles said, oblivious to the sexual tension steaming up the set,

"let's run your dialogue."

"Good idea,"

Lara agreed.

Joey continued to stare, unable to take his eyes off her - she was mesmerizing.

In the scene he was sitting at the bar while she and Kyle wefe at a table exchanging insults which culminated in Kyle's abrupt exit.

Joey began to read from his script - even though he'd learned his dialogue and was word-perfect.

"I've been watching you,"

he said, in character as Jeff. A pause.

"Was that your husband who walked out?"

"He's not my husband,"

Lara replied, suitably flippant.

"Then ... I guess you're free to dance with me."

A coquettish tilt of her head.

"Why would I do that?"

"

"Cause I think it's what you want to do."

At that point in the script she was supposed to get up and head for the dance floor with him. It was a short scene, but their chemistry together was undeniable.

They read the scene through twice, and were about to do it a third time, when Kyle appeared, striding onto the set like the movie star he was.

Miles said,

"Kyle, meet Joey Lorenzo - he's playing Jeff."

Kyle nodded curtly, barely acknowledging him.

"Let's go,"

he said to Miles, cracking his knuckles.

"I'm ready to rock

"n"

roll."

"Fine with me,"

Miles said.

"We'll start with you and Lara at the table. Joey, for the master you'll be at the bar."

They all moved in front of the camera, Lara and Kyle in the foreground, Joey at the bar.

"OK, everyone,"

the first AD shouted,

"we're going for a rehearsal. Let's have some quiet."

Kyle and Lara rehearsed their scene several times before Miles was satisfied. Then the make-up and hair people ran in, powdering and primping the two stars. Finally they were ready to shoot.

Kyle was not one-take Charlie. They went through nine takes before Miles was satisfied and yelled a terse,

"Cut! OK, print it!"

Joey had nothing to do except sit at the bar watching them. He was hot and pissed off, with a hard-on against Kyle Carson, who'd treated him like he was a lowly extra. Big movie star asshole. Who exactly did he think he was?

Lara Ivory had his attention full-time. Ms Ivory, he decided, w^s too fucking beautiful for her own good.

At the lunch break Trinee commandeered him.

"Let's go,"

she

75 said cheerfully.

"I'm accompanying you to the lunch truck, protectin"

you from the women."

"What're you talkin"

about?"

he asked, like he hadn't noticed that every female on the set was trying to get close to him.

Tm with you, man,"

Trinee announced, appointing herself best friend.

"We engaged people gotta stick together."

He grinned and kept watching Lara as Miles took her arm and they left the set together.

Was she sleeping with the director?

No, she had too much class for that.

"Where's Barbara Westerberg?"

he asked Trinee, thinking it was about time he put his charm to good use.

"Haven't seen her around."

"She doesn't get to the set until the afternoon,"

Trinee said.

"Stays about an hour - then leaves. That's what producers do, unless they're the line producer - then they're on your ass the whole time."

"How long you been in this business?"

"Two years,"

Trinee answered proudly. Tm learning. One of these days I'm gonna be a producer."

"Can you do that?"

"Why not? It's about time. How many Hispanic female producers you see around? Anyway - my fiance says I can."

She giggled. Til be a producer, and he'll be world heavyweight champion. What you think?"

"Sounds good to me."

"We'd better put an old T-shirt on you,"

she said.

"Just in case you ruin your clothes over lunch."

He followed her to the wardrobe trailer where Eric was stretched out on the floor engaging in vigorous push-ups.

"Oh!"

Eric exclaimed.

"It's the engaged couple!"

" Veree funny,"

Trinee said, stepping over him.

"Is there a gym around here?"

Joey asked. He needed to work out, keep himself in prime physical shape.

"Yes, and it's Kyle's,"

Eric said.

"Mr Carson has his own personal gym trailer. I'm sure he'll let you use it. Not!"

"He seems like a nice enough guy,"

Joey said carefully.

76

"Just you wait,"

Eric said, pursing his lips.

"Mr Americana is a snake in the ass."

"What's flEwtmean?"

"How many lines do you have?"

Eric asked, getting up off the floor.

"Not that many."

"You'll end up with one line and a knockout punch,"

Eric said knowingly.

"That's if you're lucky."

Joey's stomach knotted up, it was shit being nobody. He should be the star. He should have everything Kyle Carson had.

"Hey,"

he said easily.

"Doesn't bother me."

Trinee tossed him an old denim shirt. He took off his jacket and shirt and put it on.

She hung his movie clothes on a hanger.

"You coming for lunch, Eric?"

she asked.

"Wouldn't miss the maddening crowds,"

Eric said, reaching for a pink sweater to throw over his Hawaiian shorts.

ft #

They watched the dailies in Barbara Westerberg's trailer. Lara studied her performance, noting every move. The streaks in her hair worked perfecdy, she made a mental note to congratulate Roxy.

Kyle had genuine screen magic, and they were definitely a hot couple, which pleased her. This would be an easy shoot, and the result was sure to equal excellent box office. She needed a light frothy comedy to counterbalance the more serious roles she'd been playing lately.

Tm happy,"

Miles said, as Barbara clicked off the VCR.

"Everyone else satisfied?"

"No criticism,"

Barbara said.

"Nice hair, Lara."

"How about me?"

Kyle said, glaring a little.