Thrill! (27 page)

he said mournfully.

"No coke, no speed, no fucking anything. I'm havin"

a drink - don't let it bother you -1 give up drinking when I'm working."

184

f THRILL!

!

Tm sooo looking forward to being on the set with you two

" Nikki drawled.

"Mick doesn't smoke when he's working, you don't ^ drink. Wow - this is going to be a blast watching the two of you

\ control your addictions."

I Aiden smiled - a small, thin smile.

"You produced anything

\ before, Nikki?"

,"

"No,"

she said, immediately on the defensive.

"However, I've

3 worked in movies for the last six years. I've had plenty of

I experience."

I

"Doing what?"

I'

"Costume designer,"

she replied, determined not to let him

I intimidate her.

"And of course, my husband's Richard Barry, so I've

1 certainly had an education in all aspects of making movies."

Jv Now why had she told him thati He was supposed to be

\ impressing her, she didn't have to give him her resume.

2

"How old're you?"

he asked, sucking on an ice cube. fl

"That's an extremely rude question to ask a woman."

| He expelled the ice cube back into his glass.

"You ashamed of

m your age? What are you - thirty-five - forty?"

Jf

"Thanks a lot,"

she said indignantly.

"Thirty-two."

H He chuckled - a chuckle with a mean streak.

"Knew I could get

J it out of you."

(|

"Why?"

she couldn't resist asking.

"Do I look older?"

$t

"Just f-in"

with you, darlin',"

he said casually.

I* Shouldn't he be kissing her ass? This was the first job he'd had

s in eighteen months and, with his track record, he was lucky to get

it.

"How old are you? she demanded, not happy with his attitude.

"Thirty-four goin"

on dead,"

he said blankly.

"You're both old,"

Mick said with a crazed cackle.

"Now me, I v still got it goin'. Last week I had a babe who couldn't've been

i more than fifteen givin"

me head in the back of my limo."

I

"And you're proud of that?"

Nikki asked, amazed.

I* Mick sniggered.

"It's a guy thing,"

he said with a superior smirk.

I'

"Yeah - probably a guy who can't get it up,"

Nikki muttered.

I

"Now, now - don't go getting jealous,"

Aiden said, mocking

I her.

185 Oh, God, she'd been worried about Lara meeting Mick, when this one was ten times worse.

She didn't want to think about the rape scene. Richard had warned her to be absolutely sure about the people she hired especially the actors - and she hadn't listened. Now he'd spend the next seven weeks saying, "I told you so."

She decided getting too friendly with these two misfits was not a good thing. Distance was good. A cool attitude would let them know who was boss.

As soon as she'd finished eating she consulted her watch, said a quick

"I hate to eat and run, but I have an appointment."

"Somethin"

I should be at?"

Mick asked, mouth twitching.

"No. It's uh . . . personal,"

she said, sliding out of the booth.

"See ya on the set,"

Aiden said, looking her over in a way that made her uncomfortable.

She hurried from the restaurant, stood outside on the sidewalk waiting for her car, and took a big gulp of fresh air.

There was something about Aiden Sean that spelled trouble.

Nothing she could do about it now - his contract was signed, he was part of the team.

And yet ... in spite of everything, he did have a certain charisma - working with him would definitely not be dull.

Her car arrived and she jumped in, tipping the valet much too generously.

She had work to do. Time to concentrate.

ft - -ft

"I haven't called Mick and I don't intend to,"

Summer said defiantly. "Cause I didn't even like him. Aiden Sean's the hot one."

"Then why'd you do stuff with Mick in the back of his limo?"

Tina asked, ever practical.

"I didn't^ Summer answered indignantly.

"One sloppy kiss, and then he made me try to suck his you know what."

"Did you?"

"No way. I thought going outside with him would get Aiden to notice me. I was into a stupid fit,"

Summer admitted.

"Don't you

1 Of.

ever do anything that even when you're doing it you know is dumb?"

They were sitting on the beach wearing minuscule bikinis with thong bottoms, smoking a joint and working on their tans.

"Yes,"

Tina agreed.

"When I was a hokey little kid."

"You're not so old."

"I've been around."

"So have I,"

Summer said, throwing back her head to catch the sun.

A fiftyish man, jogging along the beach, double-taked both girls and almost stopped.

"Married. Three kids. Cushy job,"

Tina said, eyeing him up and down.

"I could have him any time I wanted."

"Men!"

Summer said.

"Pricks for brains,"

Tina said.

"You've got it!"

Summer agreed.

And they both rolled on the beach in fits of giggles.

187

^^^__Jlfc LARA AND Joey walked along the seashore hand ^^j^dP^* in hand, barefoot and completely at ease with each other. They'd eaten dinner on the back deck

- light pasta and a green salad accompanied by a bottle of red wine. After they were finished, Joey had said,

"C'mon, we're takin"

that walk along the beach you were on about."

"Great,"

Lara had replied, her mouth dry with anticipation.

Now they were together, strolling along the damp sand, and she couldn't stop thinking about what would happen next. It was inevitable that he'd make a move, unless she was reading something into their friendship that didn't exist.

This was ridiculous, merely holding his hand was having a major effect. Talk about chemistry!

Halfway back to the house, he stopped and sat on the sand, pulling her down next to him.

"Take a look at the moon,"

he said.

"Somethin', huh?"

"Beautiful!"

she sighed.

"Like you."

"Thanks,"

she murmured, wondering why her pulse was racing and she felt so lightheaded.

"Hey, Lara,"

he said, jumping up.

"Let's take a swim."

"Don't be ridiculous,"

she replied nervously.

"It's dark and cold. You won't see a thing."

He laughed, stripping off his shirt.

"You think the fish care?"

he said.

"You think they give a rat's ass whether it's dark or light?"

He unzipped his pants, stepping out of them.

"You're crazy,"

she said, shaking her head.

"You don't even have a towel."

"Miss Practical,"

he said, teasing her.

"Well, it's true,"

she said, hating herself for sounding like the school prude.

"C'mon,"

he said, pulling her up.

"There's nothin"

like the ocean at night. It's like bein"

in a big, dark think tank."

"I don't have a swimsuit,"

she said primly.

"Your underwear will do,"

he said, standing next to her in his jockey shorts, his clothes in a pile by his feet.

"What makes you think I wear any?"

she asked boldly.

"Oh, you do,"

he said, laughing at her.

"I'd bet a thousand big ones you do."

"Why's that?"

"

"Cause all good girls wear panties."

She couldn't help laughing.

"Let's do it,"

he urged.

"You gotta live dangerously some of the time."

"I... I can't afford to catch cold."

"Not into adventure?"

Her heart began racing. Joey had such an incredible effect on her, and she had no idea how to handle her feelings.

"OK, so don't do it,"

he said,

"but I'm outta here,"

and before she could stop him, he raced into the sea, plunging head-first into the breaking waves.

She stood on the moonlit beach, shivering. Join him, her inner voice urged. If you want something to happen, then do it.

She stepped out of her dress, tentatively approaching the cold water until the sea was lapping around her ankles.

"Joey,"

she called, staring into darkness.

"Joey!"

she shouted, edging further into the surf.

She was almost up to her waist in water when he pounced.

"Gotcha!"

he yelled, grabbing her from behind.

"OhmiGod!"

she shrieked, shivering uncontrollably.

"You startled me!"

"Follow me,"

he said, taking her hand in his.

They waded out until the water was above her shoulders.

"Now start swimming,"

he commanded.

189 "Not too far,"

she said nervously.

"I... I can't see anything."

"Don't sweat it,"

he assured her.

"I'm right beside you."

She wasn't the strongest swimmer in the world, but she trusted him, and he was right - this was an adventure. And why shouldn't she have fun instead of doing nothing but work?

They swam out in the dark ocean. They could feel the waves swelling around them, before lazily making their way inland and crashing on the shore.

"Uh . . . Joey ... I want to go back,"

Lara shouted, starting to get nervous.

"OK,"

he yelled.

"Turn around an"

follow me."

She did as he said, and they began swimming toward the beach, struggling against a sudden undercurrent.

Lara swam strongly, but she soon found herself lagging behind.

"C'mon!"

Joey yelled over the noise of the sea.

She was out of breath and on the edge of panic as she struggled to keep up. Oh, God! Tomorrow her hair would be full of salt water, her eyes red and bloodshot from the cold. She'd look a mess, and Yoko and Roxy would have to work hard to put her together. That's if she ever made it to shore.

Something brushed against her leg. She let out a startled scream, her eyes wide with fear.

"Are there sharks here?"

she gasped.

"Sharks?"

he yelled over his shoulder.

"Yeah. Tons of'em!"

She began doing a frantic crawl, trying desperately to catch up with him.

"Hey - stop freakin"

out,"

he said, treading water until she drew alongside.

"Guess what? You can stand here."

Her feet touched the bottom and she calmed down.

"C'mon,"

he said, taking her hand again.

"We'd better get you outta here before a shark eats you up!"

"Very funny,"

she said crossly, gasping for breath as they staggered out of the water onto the damp sand.

"How are we going to dry off?"

she asked, once again shivering uncontrollably.

"Body warmth,"

he said, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her close.

"It'll do it every time."

It was then she realized that somewhere between going in and coming out he'd lost his jockey shorts.

She felt his hardness pressing insistently against her leg.

"Joey . . ."

she began,

"I. . ."

He brought his lips down on hers, and all rational thought deserted her as he began exploring her mouth with his tongue.

It was finally happening, and she was powerless to stop it. What's more, she had no desire to do so.

They kissed for a long time, kisses the like of which she'd never experienced. One moment his lips were tender, the next - strong and assertive, his tongue slowly caressing her teeth, making her shudder with the anticipation of what was to come next.

He didn't rush things, he took his time, until she was silently begging him to touch her in other places.

Her nipples were erect, straining against the wet silkiness of her bra. She longed for him to undo the clip and touch her breasts. She'd reached the point of no return - a moment she'd been building toward for weeks.

He continued kissing her - long, sensual kisses that were beginning to drive her a little bit crazy.

Weak with desire, she moaned, reaching down to caress him.

He removed her hand as if to say - Be patient. I'll tell you when.

Although the wind was bitter, she didn't notice. Every inch of her was on fire, all she could think about was Joey being inside her.