The Critic (7 page)

I tossed the card into the cup holder in my center console and pulled away. My thumb pushed the phone button on my steering wheel. Wait until I told Gina about his nerve, not to mention the sureness and sexiness that he radiated. But my call went to voicemail.
Figures.

“Gina, call me when you get this. The ogre was rather orgasmic.” I clicked the off button and laughed. If that message didn’t get her to call me, nothing would.

She’d tasted sweeter than icing, better than I could’ve ever imagined. The fire that raged through her as she laid into me had made me hard as stone. Going after her and getting into her car while trying to hide my erection had taken effort.

The sight of her behind Melissa, a one-time conquest I wasn’t proud of, had thrilled and scared me all at the same time. I thought of Brett’s words and was happy the Brookstone didn’t keep steak knives on the table. How that woman could get so passionate about my words and not about the words in her script was beyond me.

I sat at my desk and opened my laptop. I reread my review. I supposed it was harsh, but it was still honest. I couldn’t change my opinion just because I wanted to make her mine. I’d rather her trust me and allow me to help her.
I’ll prove to her we could be good together.

Just thinking about her glaring at me and her tits in that worn T-shirt stirred me in a way no woman had before. I needed her like I needed my pen to write. We would be together someday, and she didn’t even know it. I just needed to make it happen.

My phone chimed with a text from Brett.

Brett:
Still on for tomorrow?

Bentley:
Yeah at your favorite place?

Brett:
Of course. Are you feeling better?

I laughed.

Bentley:
Well, there weren’t any knives in sight.

Brett:
Oh shit. You saw her?

Bentley:
She confronted me.

My phone rang, and I grinned. I’d known texting wouldn’t suffice. “Hey.”

“Don’t ‘hey’ me, big brother. What’s the deal with this chick?” Brett sounded annoyed and perhaps a bit scared for me.

I laughed. “Her deal is she hates me.”

“And you find that funny?”

Yup. He’s annoyed.
“No, you calling her ‘chick’ is funny. I had an immediate vision of Andrea kicking your ass.”

“Yeah, like she could do that.” Brett chuckled, but he hadn’t met her yet.

“Call her that to her face someday and find out.” I cleared my throat. “Anyway, she confronted me and then drove me to my hotel.”

“Ahhh . . . there’s my brother. How was she between the sheets?”

I could picture him waggling his brows. “I didn’t fuck her. She gave me a ride. I did, however, offer her my services.”

“Is that what they’re calling it now?” Brett was finding too much pleasure in my discomfort.

“Ya know, I’m glad you’re finding this funny. All I did was offer to help her. You know my rule—I don’t sleep with actresses.” But I’d wanted her since I saw her five years ago. I’d break that rule for her.

“You think this chi—woman is going to let you help her after you blasted her in your review?”

“Yup.”

“Well, you let me know how that goes. My other line is ringing, I need to bolt.”

“Later, man.”

We hung up, and I paced my room. Would she call me and let me help her? She was a prideful woman, but I was pretty confident my phone would ring. The fact that she’d called my office and pretended to be my doctor’s assistant told me she wanted the role. Now I needed her to bring that desire to her performance.

My apartment greeted me with the comfort I needed. I grabbed a Diet Coke from the fridge. Screw him and his goddamn review. I didn’t need him to assist me. I picked up my script.

Katie: Jake, you’re the one I want, the one I need. So many years have passed.

Jake: I’m never letting you go again.

Of course heated passion. I set down the script. There was that word again . . . fucking passion. My phone buzzed. It was Gina.

“Hey.” My voice was hollow and soft.

“What’s wrong? I got your message. So this guy is hot? Details please!” At least one of us was excited.

I rested my head on the fluffy pillow on the couch. “I don’t know if I’d classify him as just hot. He surpasses hot. Put it this way—if he wasn’t the man from hell, I’d be trying to get him in bed. Actually, remember the guy from the diner?”

Gina let out an exaggerated sigh. “Yeah. He was fantastic.”

“Yeah, well, that was him.”

“Get out! Oh my God! So what happened? Did you lay into him?”

She’s excited all right.
“Yeah, I guess. He flipped it on me, G. Told me that I wasn’t passionate. We had words, and I left, but not before I hit the table with my leg, because of course I couldn’t have a graceful exit.” Defeat overwhelmed me. “Then he kissed me.”

“What? Wait, where? Why? You let him . . . he kissed you? Was it good?” The confusion surrounded by joy in her voice didn’t help my situation.

“Gina, please, focus.”

“Sorry, but geez. Okay, go on.”

“I was leaving the restaurant, and he followed me out to the sidewalk. We were arguing, and he grabbed me and kissed me.” My pulse quickened at the memory.

“Holy shit! So . . . how did he taste?”

I clutched a pillow to my chest, trying to contain my heart. I was sure it was going to come barreling out of my ribcage any minute. “‘How did he taste?’” Those words squeaked out of me.

“You have to admit the man looks delicious. Like a warm truffle that’ll melt in your mouth and coat your tongue in sweet sensuality.”

“Oh my God!” I sighed. “Fine, I’ll admit it. It was the best kiss I’ve ever had. I felt it everywhere, and I mean everywhere. The roots of my eyelashes felt it.” I felt my face flush with lust. When our lips met, it was as if they’d belonged together. The comfort and familiarity that came with something that should have felt so foreign made me wonder what the hell had happened to my resolve.

“This is so great!” She sounded like a giddy schoolgirl getting the latest gossip.

“Great? You think this is great?” I shook my head. “G, how is this great? I mean, this man is just . . . ugh! I mean . . . UGH! Ya know?”

Gina let out a full-blown laugh. “Well, someone has got your panties in a dampened twist. Look, Andi, you never know. Maybe this is all meant to be. Could it be possible that fate has brought you two together?”

“Fate? Are you kidding me? Whose side are you on?” My mind was in a haze as though I was floating and looking down at this situation rather than experiencing it.

“Yours. Always yours,” she said, “but think about it. What are the odds of him reviewing so many of your shows? You aren’t on Broadway.”

“Yes, thank you for the reminder.” I looked at the pages lying next to me. “Will you come over and run lines with me?”

“Of course I will, but answer something for me first.” Her timid yet stern voice rang through the phone.

“Fine. What?”

“If he wasn’t Bentley Chambers the hard-ass critic and just Bentley Chambers the man, how would you feel? Imagine us walking into a club and seeing him leaning against the bar. Would you feel the same way?”

A chill went down my spine as I remembered his face covered in dark scruff, his styled but messy hair, a jawline that was so lickable it made my tongue twitch, and eyes that infiltrated my soul. Even in a leather jacket, his body had looked toned and tight. I sighed at the memory.

“Andi?”

“Yeah?” The word came out as a whisper as I imagined my hands on his back.

“Well?” Gina giggled.

“I’d want everything he offered and more. But he’s not just some random guy. He told me I lacked passion, that I didn’t even know what it was and he could show me. Who says that?”

“I’ll tell you who—a sexy-ass man with confidence. I’ll be over in a little bit.”

She hung up, and my mind replayed the kiss I’d shared with Bentley. I thought about the difference between that kiss and those I’d shared with Justin. There was no comparison. I needed a man who could awaken my body and make me wet with just the thought of him. I needed a man who could make me feel things no one ever had. And I knew who that man was . . . Bentley. Dammit.

Gina showed up about an hour later. We tried to run lines, but it really didn’t work. When it came to the hugs and the tender words, all we did was laugh. That didn’t help my cause, so we popped in
The Notebook
and watched a kiss that made me move toward my television. Their kiss . . . I could actually feel it and the rain that covered them. That was what my kisses needed to be like. That was what Bentley meant.

My best friend moaned slightly, and I could tell she felt it too. I turned my head toward Gina, who was still fixated on the movie.

“G?” I tapped her shoulder.

“Yeah.” She sighed. “What?”

“That’s the kiss, right? The one you can actually feel?”

“Hell yeah. Makes my mouth water, and I swear my thighs are throbbing.” She crossed her legs and whimpered.

“Okay, well, on that note, I think I’ll call Justin and see if he can run lines with me.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. He’s so cute.” She snickered.

“What am I going to do if he isn’t available? I’ve practiced kissing the back of my hand more times than I’d like to admit.”

Gina scrunched up her nose. “I’m surprised you admitted it at all. What are your other options?”

The business card I’d put in my purse popped into my head. “No way could I call him.”

“Who?”

I squeezed my eyes closed, not realizing I’d spoken out loud. “Bentley.” I peeked at Gina, who was speechless and staring at me as if I had three heads. “He told me he’d help me. How about that? Blasted me in the newspaper and then wants to help me perfect my role.”

“That would be awesome.” Gina’s face lit with hope.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” I headed into the kitchen for some wine. I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of chardonnay. “Want a glass?”

“No, I need to get home. Andi, think about it. If he works with you and you still aren’t up to par, it’s like he failed. There is no way a guy like that will admit in black and white that your performance is lacking after he worked with you on perfecting it.” She stood as I poured the largest glass of wine I could. “Sweetie, you should do this. We know he’s gorgeous, so win-win, right? I mean, at this point, what do you have to lose?” She shrugged, and I lost a bit of my resolve.