Thrill! (49 page)

Still, only a few more days of filming, then she'd be all his, and there'd be nobody around to get in their way.

k # ft ft

343 "I can't believe you threw Richard out,"

Lara said, pushing her fork around a bowl of cottage cheese and fruit.

"The two of you seemed so happy."

"I can't believe it either,"

Nikki replied.

"But I always harboured the philosophy that if he screwed around on me, I'd do it back to him."

Lara shook her head sadly.

"And I thought the three of us would always be such good friends."

Til be honest,"

Nikki said, picking at a salad.

"Maybe I could have dealt with his infidelity. The thing I couldn't deal with was his obsession with you."

"He doesn't have an obsession with me,"

Lara said, stubbornly refusing to admit what everyone else seemed to know.

"Oh, yes he does,"

Nikki insisted.

"I truly believe that if I hadn't asked you to be in Revenge, he wouldn't have gotten like this."

"Could be he's jealous,"

Lara said sagely.

"Ofwhatr Nikki snorted.

"Well . . . Richard makes big expensive Hollywood movies. Revenge is a small, lowbudget film - something he'll never get an opportunity to do again. Perhaps, deep down, he'd welcome the chance."

"Who, Richard?"

Nikki said derisively.

"He loves the fame and glory. Big budgets are his life. Surely you know that?"

"I suppose so."

"The only thing he's jealous of is your relationship with Joey."

"Well . . . he'd better learn to accept it if he wants to stay friends."

"I don't get it,"

Nikki sighed.

"Men and their dicks. Is there no way they can keep them zipped up?"

"You knew Richard was a risk going in,"

Lara said.

"True,"

Nikki agreed.

"If he screwed around on you - what made me think I had a chance?"

She laughed ruefully.

"Dumb me. I guess my ego told me I was different."

"At least you didn't catch him in the act."

"Small compensation,"

she said, sipping a glass of apple juice.

"Anyway, the good news is I had fun with Aiden last night."

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"At last!"

Lara exclaimed with a smile.

"Someone not old enough to be your father!"

"Yeah,"

Nikki said wryly.

"Better I should be with a reformed druggie."

"As long as he's reformed."

"He tells me he is. Who knows? I'm not planning on sticking around long enough to find out."

"So,"

Lara said, reaching for her sunglasses.

"What's going on with Summer?"

"It's complicated,"

Nikki said, not quite sure how much to reveal.

"Well. . ."

She hesitated a moment before plunging ahead.

"Aiden told me he saw her in a club one night coming on to Mick. Obyiously it was before Mick knew who she was."

"Coming on in what way?"

"How can I put this? She wasn't just flirting. Apparently Mick told Aiden she gave him a blow job in the back of his limo."

Nikki sighed, as if she couldn't quite believe it herself.

"Isn't that nice? Fifteen-year-old girl and crazed director. My director."

"Are you sure?"

"Aiden wouldn't lie. Mick must've gone into shock when he came to my house for dinner and discovered who she was."

"Did you talk to her?"

Lara asked.

"I sent her back to Chicago. Sheldon's in charge, it's not for me to get into."

"Yes, it is,"

Lara said forcefully, remembering her own miserable teenage years.

"If you can't talk to her, at least fill Sheldon in. She needs guidance."

"He'd throw a fit."

"Don't let it go, Nik. She's only fifteen."

"I know, I know, I've got to deal with it. Actually - there's more."

Lara sighed.

"What now?"

"Nothing happened - but she came on to Aiden, too."

A long beat.

"I thought I'd bring her back here at Christmas, spend time with her then."

"How can you do that if you're with Aiden?"

Lara asked, frowning.

"What if this is the start of something you don't want

345 to stop? That'll make her feel really comfortable - knowing he's probably told you."

Nikki shook her head.

"It's not going anywhere with Aiden."

"How do you know?"

"Cause we're too different."

"Could be a challenge."

"I've had enough challenges to last a lifetime,"

Nikki sighed, pushing her plate away.

"Anyway,"

she continued,

"enough about me. How's your big romance?"

Lara's face lit up.

"Joey's wonderful,"

she said dreamily.

"He makes me feel secure. In fact ... he makes me feel like I've never felt before."

"Great sex'll do it every time!"

"Don't you ever think about anything else?"

"Not if I can help it!"

Another long pause.

"Y'know, since Joey's obyiously a keeper - isn't it time you found out more about him?"

"Why?"

Lara said defensively.

"What he did before me has nothing to do with us."

"I know that. But surely a person's background is important?"

"No,"

Lara said firmly.

"The past is exactly that. I know everything I need to know about Joey."

And Nikki knew it was time to shut up.

fr i* i*

Much to Summer's disgust, Chicago was caught in a cold spell. Every time she ventured outdoors she was assaulted by strong winds and sleeting rain. It was bad enough on schooldays - but weekends, too? Not that I have anywhere to go, she thought, staring glumly out of her bedroom window, watching the relentless rain dribbling down the window pane, wishing she was still in sunny LA.

She'd been home almost a month, and back in school a week

- which was the drag of all time, because she didn't belong any more, she was way ahead of everyone. I've almost had sex with a

346

movie star, she wanted to yell at the boys who came chasing after her. Get lost, you retarded little dicks!

The only good thing was that since she'd been back, her father hadn't touched her. Rachel kept him so busy that he didn't have time for his nocturnal visits, or maybe he was backing off now that she was old enough to complain.

Not that she'd ever complained. Who would she tell? Her absentee mother, who obyiously didn't care? Her stepmother, Rachel? No way.

Her sixteenth birthday was coming up and Rachel had offered to throw her a party. She wasn't sure if she wanted one. Who would she invite? The geeks from school? None of them would be Aiden Sean or Norman Barton - so what was the point?

The night with Norman and Tina remained vivid in her mind. Norman had been so sweet and full of fun. And on top of having a good time, she'd actually gotten paid!

God! How she'd love to tell her father. Let him know that what he took from her without permission, she was now charging for. It would drive him insane, his sweet little girl having sex for money. A fitting punishment for him.

Sometimes she daydreamed about Norman setting her up in her own apartment in LA, visiting once a week and paying all the bills. What an awesome trip that would be!

The fact that her mother had shipped her back to Chicago without giving her a chance to contact him wasn't fair. She'd spoken to Tina a few times.

"Get your butt back here,"

Tina had said.

"There's money to be made and mucho babes panting to pay us."

"I'm trying,"

she'd said.

"Try harder,"

Tina insisted.

Rachel knocked and poked her head around the door. She was pretty, but not in a Hollywood way - she had none of the dazzle and style of Tina or Darlene. Actually she resembled a very young Nikki.

"What are you doing?"

Rachel asked.

"Nothing much,"

Summer replied listlessly.

347 "Want to go shopping? Spend a little of your daddy's hardearned cash?"

"I'm always up for that,"

Summer said, trying to dredge up some enthusiasm.

"Let's go, then,"

Rachel said. Til meet you by the car in five minutes."

Summer peered at herself in the mirror. Her tan was fading, which really pissed her off because she didn't look half as good without a tan. Would Norman still like her all pale-faced and miserable?

She thought about Tina and Jed and the group of friends she'd hung with at the beach. Most of all she thought about Norman, and his cute puppy dog smile. They made a perfect couple.

What a blast she'd had in California. Why did she have to be stuck in Chicago?

And the big question - what was she going to do if her father ever came near her again?

348

~^4^_Jjl F°R SEVERAL days Nikki managed to avoid ^^QMVbM* having contact with Aiden, until one afternoon he cornered her on the set. She didn't know what to say, everything had happened so fast the other night, and when she'd awoken in the morning, he was gone.

"Finally," he said, looking perplexed.

"Oh, hi,"

she said, quite flustered.

He leaned close, speaking intimately in her ear.

"You were somethin"

the other night. A real wild woman!"

"I don't regret it, Aiden,"

she said quickly, backing away,

"only please - take it as a one-off."

He regarded her through narrowed eyes.

"A one-off?"

"It's too difficult for me right now."

Tm not askin"

you to marry me, Nikki,"

he said, his mouth curving into a thin smile.

"Gee - thanks. What are you asking for?"

He gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Thought you'd drop by my place later - fix a hungry man dinner."

Well, he certainly had nerve.

"You thought that, did you?"

she said, irritated.

"Don't you wanna see how the other half lives? Not everyone has a beach house in Malibu."

"And what would I cook for you?"

"Pasta, a steak, whatever you're into."

"Tempting offer. I'm passing."

"Didn't imagine you'd say yes."

349

His tone of voice indicated she was predictable.

"What does that mean?"

she asked, a little bit angry.

"Nothing,"

he said vaguely.

"No,"

she said heatedly,

"I want to know what you meant."

"It's your vibe."

"What vibe?

"Like you're only into money."

"That's the last thing I'm into,"

she said indignantly.

"The very last thing."

"You married two rich guys, didn't you? The shrink in Chicago must have big bucks, and Richard's not exactly hurting."

"Money has nothing to do with any of my relationships,1 she said stiffly.

"Then come spend the night with a bum actor. I won't invite you again."

"Fine, I'll be there."

And as she said it, she realized he'd caught her in a trap.

fr # ft

Lara decided to surprise Joey when they returned from their honeymoon. She knew how much he loved the ocean, and when they were married it seemed like a great idea for them to have a romantic hideaway to run to whenever they needed to be alone. A year ago she'd rented at the beach for the summer - an oldfashioned Cape Cod style house perched on the edge of a bluff overlooking the ocean, located past Point Dume, and quite remote. She'd loved it so much that she'd tried to buy it. At the time it wasn't for sale. Recently she'd heard it was on the market, and she'd instructed her business manager to make an offer. The offer had been accepted, and the house was now hers, but she wasn't going to tell Joey until they got back. It would be her wedding present to him.

The only two people who knew about it were her business manager and Cassie, and she'd sworn them both to secrecy.

Thank God nobody had any clue that she and Joey were

350

planning on getting married. She could just imagine the furore -f. became public knowledge. Her lawyer would insist on a prenuntand everyone else would worry that Joey was after her money.

How could people enter into a marriage like that? This \vasn, a monetary deal. This was two people getting married becaus^ «^ loved each other.

The wonderful thing about Joey's love was that it had notnj^ to do with her being a movie star and all the trappings. He \vasn> interested in publicity or being seen with her, he preferre^ ^ simple pleasures of life. And great loving insane sex.

Every time she thought about the sex she became aro^ ,

She'd never encountered a man who could turn her on the

W3y

Joey did, one glance and she was his. Richard was right aboii^ L not being exciting enough in bed - with him she probably h^n> been, because the magic hadn't existed. Joey had the magic. * . as far as she was concerned, they'd be together for ever.