Thrill! (42 page)

"And tell me your pleasure? A joint, champagne? Or how about a little nose candy?"

"I'll take a joint,"

Summer said boldly.

Norman grabbed her hand.

"Now that's my kind of girl,"

he said, with a boyish grin.

"And pretty, too. Veree pretty - just the way I like

"em."

Summer breathed a little easier. She could get through this if

291 all she had to do was be nice to this guy. He was cuter than Aiden Sean any day, although Aiden had that dangerous edge she hankered after.

She sat down on the couch next to Tina. The Hispanic man ignored them, so did his girlfriend.

"Listen, Norman,"

the Hispanic man said in a low growly voice,

"I gotta get outta here. You have my money?"

"What's your hurry?"

Norman grumbled.

"You're always in such a freakin"

hurry. Whyn't you stay an"

join the party?"

"He don"

wanna join no party,"

his girlfriend said, scowling.

"We have places to go. Give him what you owe, an"

let's get the fuck outta here."

"OK, OK,"

Norman said, throwing up his hands.

"Don't get in a blue funk."

He winked at Tina and Summer.

"You two sit tight while I go take care of business."

He beckoned the Hispanic man and his bad-tempered girlfriend, and the three of them vanished into the bedroom, closing the door.

"Darlene told me we've got to get paid up front,"

Tina said, speaking fast.

"The guy has a house account, but Darlene says he's way behind. And after what I just heard, we'd better make sure we get the cash first."

"Well, we can't just like . . . ask for it,"

Summer said.

"Why not? Those people did."

"Who are they?"

"How do I know?"

Tina said, pulling a face.

"Probably his drug dealers or something."

"He has drug dealers to score pot?"

"Where do you get it?"

"Boys on the beach. They're always so ready to give me anything I want."

"Oh, you're such a little princess,"

Tina giggled.

"It's all that blond hair, and those perky tits!"

"I've been meaning to ask,"

Summer said.

"When you left home

- how could you afford to?"

Tina grinned.

"Scammed five thousand bucks from my stepfather's safe. Figured he deserved to give me something for all the trouble he put me through. Then I took off."

292

"What about your mother?"

"She didn't give a shit. She's an actress."

"Famous?"

Summer asked, surprised because Tina had never mentioned her mother before.

"Who cares,"

Tina said, defiantly tossing back her curly brown hair.

"I rented an apartment, and started doing a few modelling gigs. Then I met Darlene and everything changed."

"Didn't your mom send people looking for you?"

"Ha! The old bag was thrilled I beat it. No more competition. Besides, I was sixteen and legal."

"Wow!"

Summer exclaimed, wishing she could do the same.

"When will you be sixteen?"

Tina asked, scooping up a handful of nuts from a dish on the table and cramming them in her mouth.

"In a couple of months,"

Summer said.

"Then do it,"

Tina said matterof-factly, taking out a mirrored compact and studying her pretty face.

"In fact, you can stay with me. We'll work as a team. Guys really get off on baby pussy."

"If only I could,"

Summer sighed, knowing that if she vanished her father would have the whole of Chicago searching for her.

Norman re-entered the room, trailed by the Hispanic man and his sulky girlfriend. They headed for the door.

"Next time don"

make us wait,"

the woman warned, slamming the door behind them.

"Bye,"

Norman said, with a jaunty wave at the closed door.

"Sorry you don't wanna stay and party."

Once they were gone, he focused his attention on the girls.

"OK, ladies,"

he crowed, grabbing the champagne bottle.

"Everybody naked and in the bedroom, it's wwypast gettin"

it on time!"

"Now?"

Summer asked innocently.

"Yes, now^ Tina said, jumping up.

"We hardly know him,"

Summer whispered, finally coming to the conclusion that maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"He's over twenty-one, famous and rich,"

Tina said, ever practical.

"That's all we need to know. Come on,"

she added impatiently.

"Let's go do it!"

Reluctantly Summer trailed her into the bedroom.

293

0^^^Jfl SUMMER WAS confused. Sex was supposed to be ^^^P^B^M* getting one over on someone else, and yet Norman was treating her so nicely. After the debasing experiences with her father, she'd always regarded sex as dirty - something you used to get your own way. But Norman wasn't like that. Norman wanted to laugh and have fun and make her feel good. Not to mention plying her with champagne.

By the time she and Tina had to do some sex stuff, she was completely giggly and drunk. And it wasn't so bad. Although being naked with another girl was kind of icky.

Norman didn't join in. He sat in a chair and watched, as if he were viewing a particularly engrossing movie.

Tina kissed her all over, which made her want to giggle even more. And then she had to do the same to Tina, which kind of grossed her out.

When it was all over she couldn't wait to wriggle back into her clothes. Then Norman took her to one side, handed her a piece of paper with his phone number on, and said, "Call me. We can do private business. No reason we gotta go through Darlene. Right, cutie?"

"It ... it's not for me to say,"

she stammered, staring at his familiar face that she'd seen on the cover of countless magazines.

He favoured her with his famous puppy dog smile.

"You're a very sweet girl,"

he said.

"Kinda special."

"Thank you,"

she said demurely.

294

"Make sure you call me soon,"

he said.

"Oh, I will,"

she said, eyes shining.

Then he ordered two cabs, and sent them both home.

She sat in the back of the cab thinking about how wonderful he was, and what a perfect life they could have together.

He was a movie star and rich. He'd be able to keep her father away from her permanently.

When she crept into the Malibu house, she spotted Nikki, asleep on a couch in the living room. Trying hard not to wake her, she tiptoed into her room, shut the door, and fell into bed with all her clothes on.

Yes, she could be Mrs Norman Barton. That would suit her nicely.

# # 0?

Lara awoke first and rolled over into Joey's arms. He groaned in his sleep. She nuzzled against his neck, inhaling his seductive masculine smell. God! She really did love him.

He opened one eye.

"Was"

goin"

on?"

he muttered sleepily.

"There a fire?"

"A fire?"

"Yeah . . . got caught in one once."

"When?"

"Oh, years ago in a ... hotel."

"Guess you escaped."

"Guess I did."

"Lucky me."

"Lucky you."

They both started laughing. He threw open his arms and she snuggled into them.

"Where are you from, Joey?"

she asked, lightly stroking his chest.

"I was thinking ... I hardly know anything about you."

"Florida,"

he answered casually.

"Parents dead. No other family. Your turn."

"The Midwest,"

she replied, revealing as little as he did.

"Parents dead. No other family."

295 "Jesus!"

he exclaimed.

"We really are soulmates."

She snuggled closer.

"Joey?"

"Yes?"

"Let's make love. Let's make wild passionate love."

"Now? he said, surprised at her unexpected boldness.

"No, next week,"

she deadpanned.

"OK, OK-sex maniac,"

he laughed.

"Get me in the mood."

!<

"Not a problem,"

she said - thinking that Joey was bringing out a whole new her.

"Got an idea,"

he said.

"Pretend you're the maid."

"Joey!"

"Not into role-playing, huh?"

he teased.

"Well, I never . . ."

"Never what, Lara?"

he asked, hands reaching for her breasts, tweaking her nipples, making her cry out with pleasure.

"I never did that kind of fantasy thing,"

she said shyly.

"You know, role-playing and all of that. Richard wasn't into it."

"How many men have you had?"

he asked, curiously.

"Was Richard your first?"

"How many women have you had?"

she responded.

"Let's see . . ."

He pretended to think.

"Guess you must be number two thousand and one."

"Ha!"

she said, sitting up in bed, crossing her arms across her breasts.

"You know women love you. I see them watching you all the time."

He rolled onto his back.

"Like guys don't watch you."

"It's not the same."

"You know something, beautiful? In my world there's only you."

"Really?"

she asked breathlessly.

"Yup. You're the only good thing that ever happened to me."

"I am?"

"You am,"

he said, pulling her down on top of him, then kissing her so hard she thought he'd split her lip.

She didn't care. When she was with Joey she didn't care about

296

anything except him. He was her life, her love, and she would do anything for him.

ft ft

Nikki awoke at first light, feeling lousy. After throwing Richard out, she'd managed to get through half a bottle of vodka - not usually her style, but she'd been forced to do something to relieve the tension. And on top of everything, Summer had failed to come home.

She got up from the couch and went into Summer's room. Her daughter was buried under the covers, asleep. She marched straight over to the bed and shook her awake.

"Wass goin"

on?"

Summer mumbled, flinging out her arms.

"What time did you get home last night?"

Nikki demanded.

"Oh hi, Mom,"

Summer said sleepily.

"Why're you waking me? Isn't it like really early?"

,''

"Yes, it's really early,"

Nikki said flatly.

"And you obyiously got

; home really late. Where were you?"

fj,.

"Oh, um ... a party,"

Summer said, attempting to gather her

if thoughts. ('

"Whose party?"

*

"Friend of mine."

^

"And I thought you were with an enemy,"

Nikki said

* sarcastically.

"Funny, Mom."

\

"I don't intend to be funny,"

Nikki said brusquely.

"I don't

4 intend to be funny about anything."

|

"S"

what's up now?"

Summer asked, sensing bad vibrations.

f

"Well. . ."

Nikki said, struggling for the best way to put it.

"I've

f been told something extremely disturbing . . ."

I

"Like what?"

r|

"Look, honey,"

Nikki said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

?4

"You're young and unsophisticated. People will try to take advan—

9 §1

II tage of you - especially in this town. Don't live your life too

1 fast."

297 Oh, God! Her mother had found out about Norman Barton and now she was in big trouble.

"Summer,"

Nikki said, taking a deep breath,

"I know what you did with Mick Stefan, and it's not right. First of all, it isn't the kind of... uh ... thing you should do with anyone, unless you're . . . uh . . . married. There are diseases out there . . . not just AIDS, all kinds of other terrible things."

She paused; discussing sex with her daughter was excruciating.

"LA's a tough town,"

she continued, quoting Lara.

"There's a lot of men here who are into using young girls. You're far too naive to be out on your own."

Summer rolled her eyes.

"Mom, I'm nearly sixteen."

"Didn't you hear what I just said? I know what you did with Mick Stefan."

Summer was silent for a moment. Was getting in the back of Mick's limo that bad? It wasn't as if she'd done anything, but all the same she was obyiously in deep trouble.

"Who told you?"

she demanded, wishing she had a joint to lighten the lecture.