Thrill! (38 page)

"Yes, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves while we're doing it,"

he said smoothly, turning on the charm.

"A glass of wine with your ex-husband - is that such a terrible thing?"

"I have to be truthful with you, Richard,"

she said, glancing across the room,

"I'd be a lot more comfortable if Nikki was here."

"How can you say that?"

he complained, giving her a hurt look.

"I was married to you, for Chrissakes. It's not as if we're having a secret assignation."

"I suppose you're right,"

she said, gazing blankly around the restaurant. So far she'd had a busy day. She'd taped several TV interviews for Australia, followed by an hour with a reporter from Premiere magazine. And now lunch with Richard. Later she'd agreed to do even more print interviews at her publicist's office, something she hated, even though she'd done so many of them it was like being on automatic pilot.

She was half tempted to excuse herself from the table, go to the phone and cancel, but then she realized she'd be letting everyone

264

m THRILL!

?down, and publicity was important, especially as she had three upcoming movies to promote.

j The truth was she had no desire to spend a couple more

I precious hours sitting in her publicist's office when she could be } with Joey.

Ah, Joey . . . Was she thinking about him too much? Was she getting in too deep too fast?

Who knew? Who cared? She was content for the first time in ages, and that's all that mattered.

"Are you happy?"

Richard asked, as if delving into her thoughts.

"Very,"

she replied firmly.

"Joey's allowing me the freedom to be myself."

He stared at her, wondering how he could ever have let this woman go.

"That's an interesting statement,"

he said.

"What exactly does it mean?"

"Oh, I don't know . . ."

she said vaguely.

"Shedding my inhibitions, becoming totally free."

His eyes gleamed.

"Sexually?"

"That's really none of your business."

"Well,"

he said, leaning back in his chair.

"Since we're being so truthful, that was one of the reasons I found myself seeking out other women."

"Excuse mcf she said, frowning.

"Don't get me wrong,"

he said, afraid he'd overstepped her tolerance level.

"But, sweetheart, you have to admit - you were never exactly adventurous in the bedroom. There are times a man needs more . . . spice."

She glared at him, her green eyes suddenly cold. What gave her ex-husband the right to talk to her this way? If their sex life was so lousy it certainly wasn't her fault, she hadn't been the one out there screwing around.

"Y'know, Richard,"

she said, her tone cool,

"I may not have been as adventurous as you might have liked, but did you ever consider that you seemed to prefer watching TV?"

Now it was his turn to do a slow burn. This was the second time he'd been told he preferred television to sex. First Nikki. Now Lara. Shit! He'd had more sex than they'd had hot dinners.

"If you W want to get into reasons"

he began.

265 "I don't,"

she interrupted, realizing the smart thing would be to make a move before they became embroiled in a real fight.

"This lunch was a mistake,"

she continued, standing up.

"In fact, I'm leaving while we're still talking."

"You can't do that,"

he said, standing too.

"You tricked me into coming so you could talk about our past. You know what, Richard? I think you're jealous because I've found somebody I'm in synch with."

"That's ridiculous!"

he objected.

"Joey's young and goodlooking,"

she said heatedly.

"We're having a great time together, and it's sticking in your gut. So don't start telling me I was a dud in the bedroom. Let me tell you something - when a woman's not good in bed, it's because the man doesn't inspire her. So ... no more cosy little lunches for two. Let's stay friends and out of each other's business, OK, Richard?"

And before he had a chance to reply, she was on her way to the door.

She stood outside trying to compose herself. How dare he criticize her performance in bed. Joey certainly had no complaints.

A hovering photographer began taking shots, which always made her nervous. As soon as the valet brought her car, she took off, realizing that she now had an hour to waste before going to her publicist's office. Not enough time to go home, so, after driving over the hill, she stopped at Neiman Marcus, indulging in some mindless shopping.

The attention she received from customers and sales people alike was stifling - one of the drawbacks of having a famous face. She smiled politely and signed a few autographs before reclaiming her car and heading over to her publicist's early, startling several assistants who couldn't do enough for her.

linden, her publicist, a handsome black man in his early forties, was delighted to see her.

"How's my favourite client?"

he asked, kissing her on both cheeks.

"Tired,"

she replied, suppressing a yawn.

"You sure don't look it,"

he said cheerfully.

Linden was a former stuntman who'd lost an arm in a stunt gone wrong on one of Lara's early movies. She'd helped him make

T

266

the best of a bad situation by investing in the publicity firm he put together, and becoming his first client. Now, six years later, he was extremely successful and well liked in the business. He often told her he owed it all to her. She laughed, and refused to take credit.

"You're always so sweet, Linden,"

she said.

"I try to please my clients at all times,"

he replied with a smile.

"You certainly do that."

Linden settled her in a private office and she called home. Mrs Crenshaw informed her Joey was out.

She didn't want him to be out. She wanted to talk to him, tell him she missed him and couldn't wait to be in his arms.

Last night he'd made love to her in the games room - bent her over the pool table, lifted her skirt and taken her just like that. It had been incredibly erotic.

Joey was never predictable sexually. Sometimes he made her feel like a whore and sometimes the perfect lady. The combination was dangerously addictive.

Merely thinking about him caused her a shudder of excitement.

She smiled. Joey always put a smile on her face, and that's exactly the way she liked it.

ft ft ft

"Thanks for seein"

me, I appreciate it,"

Joey said.

As if I had a choice, Quinn Lattimore thought sourly, running a hand through his dyed hair as he regarded Joey through suspicious eyes and asked too many questions.

Joey kept it vague as Quinn pressed for more information.

"I'm startin"

fresh,"

he explained.

I bet you are, Quinn thought, trying to figure out what was going on with Lara lately. First stie'd insisted on making this cheapo movie Revenge. Now she'd gotten her boyfriend a part in it, and the capper was she expected him, Quinn Lattimore, to represent this unknown actor, even though she knew he was obsessively fussy about the people he took on, turning down goodlooking actors every day. And Joey was a cagey one, refusing to reveal anything 367 about his past, including what agent had represented him in New York. Quinn found this highly suspect.

He sat back, checking Joey out. He had to admit that the young man was extremely handsome, but who knew if he had talent?

"You'll need to get some new head shots,"

he said, tapping his stubby fingers on the desk.

"I suggest you go to Greg Gorman he's the best photographer around for men. Not cheap, but definitely worth the investment."

"How much is not cheap?"

Joey asked casually.

"Have Lara call him,"

Quinn said.

"Greg loves her. Maybe she can cut you a deal."

Who doesn't love Lam? Joey thought.

"Listen, Mr Lattimore,"

he said slowly.

"You should know I'm very fond of Lara."

"I'm sure you are,"

Quinn said.

"I'm plannin"

on lookin"

after her,"

Joey added, staring at him intently.

"Does she need looking after?"

Quinn asked, raising a cynical eyebrow.

"/ believe so,"

Joey said, wondering how much commission this fat cat had made out of her.

"Sometimes people are inclined to take advantage of a woman on her own -

"specially a famous woman."

"/ advised her not to do Revenge,"

Quinn said pompously.

"I insisted she take a well-deserved break, but you know Lara - she's stubborn, wouldn't listen."

"She's pushin"

herself too hard,"

Joey said.

"If I'd been with her I wouldn't have allowed her to do it. It's too tough a role. Plus it goes against her image bigtime."

Quinn decided it might be prudent to get Joey on his side. Better to be friends with the man who was in bed with his most successful client rather than enemies.

"Joey,"

he said, warming up considerably, Til get you what I can for Revenge, only I should warn you - they have a non-existent budget."

"Yeah,"

Joey said, standing up.

"Lara mentioned it."

"Good. Because I wouldn't want to disappoint you."

Joey nodded, at least Quinn was a straight shooter. Til look into those head shots you mentioned."

268

"The sooner the better,"

Quinn said.

Joey left the office on Sunset Boulevard, and walked around the corner to Lara's car. A group of musicians were unloading their equipment outside a rock club. An outstandingly pretty girl in a skimpy outfit sat on one of the speakers, casually filing her nails. She glanced up as Joey passed, smiling invitingly.

"Hi,"

she said.

"How ya doin'?"

he responded, hardly noticing her.

"Wouldn't mind a coffee,"

she said, all stoned eyes and exposed pink flesh.

Once he would have taken her up on her invitation, but now he had no intention of doing so. He'd finally discovered the woman he'd been searching for all his life, and no way was he screwing it up.

# #

Nikki sat behind her desk trying to get her head straight. Richard was behaving like a horse's ass, and she didn't know what to do. He was a big success, he had his own movie coming out - French Summer, which was going to garner nothing but great reviews and mega attention - and yet he seemed to be jealous of her modest film.

It didn't make sense. Last night they'd barely spoken again. Truth was he resented Lara appearing in Revenge. Well, too bad, she hadn't forced her to say yes. Lara was free to make her own choices, including Joey - whom Richard hated.

It startled Nikki that he was so concerned. She wanted to remind him that Lara was his ex-wife, and it was about time he let

goA production assistant stopped by with a stack of memos. Nikki riffled through them, placed them on her desk, then picked up the phone and called Sheldon in Chicago, a task she'd been putting off.

"How are you, Nikki?"

Sheldon asked in that supercilious tone she remembered so well and loathed so much.

"Fine,"

she replied, waiting to see if he mentioned Summer first. He didn't.

"Nice vacation?"

she asked, merely being polite.

269 "Pleasant,"

he replied.

A short silence. Nikki broke it.

"Uh . . . Sheldon,"

she said, plunging in, Tm calling to discuss Summer."

"What about her?"

"She wants to go to school in LA."

"Why?"

he asked sharply.

"She likes it here."

"I certainly hope you haven't been allowing her to run riot,"

he said sternly.

"You know your daughter, she's hardly the easiest girl in the world to keep tabs on. Besides, she told me you never gave her a curfew."

"Surely you didn't fall for that?"

How she hated speaking to Sheldon, it brought back every bad memory from her past.

"So - what do you think?"

she asked breezily.

"Is it a good idea or not?"

There was a long silence while Sheldon thought it over.

"Are you available to spend plenty of time with her?"

he asked at last.

"Actually, right now I'm producing a movie,"

she said, wondering how he'd take that piece of news.

He snorted derisively.

" You

"re producing?"

"Is that so strange?"

she said, immediately defensive.

"What experience do you have?"

"Enough, thank you."

"No,"

he said, abruptly.

"It's not a good idea. I want her home as soon as possible."

Til tell her that's how you feel."

"Do that."

"She'll be disappointed."