Hollywood Kids (52 page)

When was that?' he asked.

'A few weeks ago.'

That's when you were with Charlie, right?'

'I was never really
with
Charlie.'

'But you
were
sleeping with him.'

'Sleeping with someone sounds so nice and cozy.'

Fixing her with his incredible blue eyes he said, 'Were you?'

'Was I what?' she asked, although she knew perfectly well what he meant.

'Sleeping with him?'

'I guess I was - round about the time
you
were in bed with Barbara.'

'Twice,' he admitted. 'Casual sex at its most casual.'

She shrugged off her leather jacket, underneath she wore a white T-shirt and faded jeans. Nicely laid-back. Nothing obvious.

'Was she any good?' she asked, trying to sound as if she couldn't care less.

He removed tomatoes, lettuce and a cucumber from the fridge, placing everything on a chopping board. 'Was Charlie?' he countered, picking up a sharp knife.

She couldn't help laughing. 'What is this - a pissing contest?'

He sliced the lettuce in half. 'Is that what you want?'

'No, it's not what I want,' she said, taking a piece of tomato and popping it in her mouth. 'Can I help?'

'Nope, everything's under control, so why don't you go in my office, grab a script and start reading through it.'

Why don't I grab you, she was tempted to say. Or better still, why don't you grab me. She was deeply in lust with this man, and yet for some unknown reason she couldn't bring herself to make a move. Ha! This was a major first.

'I didn't know you cooked,' she said, wishing he'd pay more attention to her.

'Tofu hamburgers and salad,' he said wryly. 'It ain't Julia Child, but it'll taste good.'

She wandered into his office inspecting everything. It wasn't that she was nosy, she just had a strong desire to know as much as possible about him.

All the torn photographs had been piled neatly in the centre of his desk. She picked up a still of Bobby and Jerry when Bobby was just a little boy. A cute little boy at that - long blond hair and big blue eyes. Taking a roll of Scotch tape from the desk she carefully stuck the photo back together, then, on impulse, stuffed it into her purse. Stolen goods. He'd never know.

'Dinner,' Bobby called out. We'll eat on the patio. OK with you?'

They sat outside at a table next to the small black-bottomed swimming-pool. 'Umm, delicious,' she lied, digging into the strange-tasting hamburger, fervently wishing it was a juicy ground steak.

'Did you look at the script?' he asked, pouring her a glass of white wine.

'I don't need to. I know it by heart.'

He was surprised. 'You do?'

'When I tested I learned the whole thing.'

'So when Barbara got the part you must have been disappointed.'

She took a sip of wine. 'Try devastated.'

'Devastated, huh?'

'Destroyed.'

'This part's gonna put you out there. Think you can handle it?'

'Why wouldn't I?

'Cause becoming famous changes a lot of things,' he said reflectively.

She tilted her head to one side. 'Like what?'

The way people relate to you for one. Stardom's a big responsibility. Everyone has their expectations and you're supposed to live up to every one of them.'

'Do you?'

'Do I what?'

'Live up to expectations.'

'I try.'

I bet you do, she wanted to say, forcing herself to eat. I bet you live up to expectations in every way.

'It's given me a sense of my own self-worth,' he continued seriously. 'Before I made it, everywhere I went I was known as Jerry Rush's son. Believe me, that is
not
good for the ego.'

Tell me about it,' she sighed. 'In school we never got into who had the best grades, it was always whose father had the biggest grossing movie and whose mother was on the cover
of People
.'

He nodded. 'I know what you mean. I remember one year in high school when Jerry had a dog of a movie. It was the first one of his that didn't do well at the box-office. Boy, was he pissed! I had to beat the crap out of another kid whose father was a major league baseball star, 'cause this kid was king of the school, and I was in the shitter due to Jerry's failure.'

'But there must have been
some
good times?' she said softly.

'Yeah... the parties. Instead of ordinary birthday parties, it was always elephants and tigers - in fact, it was the whole fucking Los Angeles Zoo on our back lawn. That was kind of a kick.'

'Must have been the fashionable thing. For my sweet sixteen Jordan hired the UCLA marching band! And every Friday I was allowed to have all my friends over for a screening of a new movie. Before it even hit the theatres! Beat that!'

'Hey, talk about pissing contests!'

'So now you're happy?' she asked.

He studied her face across the table. 'What's happy, Jordanna?'

She shrugged. 'Dunno. But I've felt happier these last few weeks than I ever have.' Now why had she blurted
that
out. Revealing her feelings was just not cool.

That's nice to hear,' he said evenly.

Their eyes met and there was no pulling away. It was like an irresistible force drawing them together. She pushed her knife and fork to one side of the plate, finding it impossible to eat.

'You're leaving everything over,' he pointed out. 'Doesn't my cooking cut it?'

'I'm not into tofu,' she murmured.

He leaned across the table, placing his hand over hers. 'I don't want to screw anything up here, Jordanna.'

'What are you talking about?' she asked innocently, although she knew perfectly well what he meant.

'You're going to be starring in my movie, we'll be working together every day. I made a bad mistake with Barbara. Let's just be friends, huh?'

The last thing she wanted was to stay just friends, but she nodded as if it was the best idea she'd ever heard. 'Sounds good to me.'

'Then if Charlie - my favourite icon - visits the set, I won't be a jealous wreck,' he joked.

'What
is
this Charlie crap?' she asked. 'Why do you keep on bringing him up? Do you want to know what he was like in bed - is that it?'

'No.'

'Yes, you do,' she teased.

'Wrong.'

'He was a passable lover, very selfish.'

'He's old enough to be your grandfather.'

'No, my father, not my grandfather.'

'He looks old enough.'

'Hey, one minute he's a fucking icon, the next he's old enough to be my grandfather. Make your choice.'

He got up from the table and entered the house. 'Ice cream?' he called over his shoulder.

'Is that all you have to offer?' she said, picking up the plates and following him inside.

'Are you coming on to me?' he asked, looking at her quizzically.

Her heart was pounding, he was actually making her nervous. 'Yes,' she said boldly.

'Didn't we just agree it wouldn't be a good idea?'

She pushed back her long dark hair. '
You
said it wouldn't be a good idea. I didn't agree to anything.'

'Hey, Jordanna,' he said, opening the freezer. 'I was right.'

'Hey, Bobby,' she responded, finally summoning a vestige of her old self. 'You were wrong.'

'Good evening, Mr Nanni.'

'How ya doin', Bambi?' he replied, thinking it was about time he revealed his real name.

'Pretty good, Mr Nanni.'

'Whyn't you call me Luca?' he suggested.

'I prefer to keep things on a more formal basis.'

'You do, huh?'

'Tonight I'd like the cash up-front,' Cheryl said, getting straight to the point.

Luca patted his slicked-back patent-leather hair. 'You don't trust me?'

'Of course I do. It's just that I like the thought of the cash in my pocket before you see what I'm wearing for you tonight.'

'How can I figure what kinda big tip I might wanna hand you?' he asked slyly.

'That's entirely up to you.'

He nodded, deciding he'd give her whatever she wanted, plus a generous tip. Vanishing into the bedroom he returned with an envelope of cash and placed it in her pocket. 'You can take your coat off now,' he said, licking his lips in anticipation.

'When it gets a little warmer,' she said.

He chuckled, enjoying the game. 'What're you drinking tonight?'

'Pernod.'

'I ain't got no Pernod.'

'Order it,' she said imperiously. 'And while you're ordering, I'll have some caviar.'

'You're demanding tonight.'

'You don't mind, do you?'

'Nope. In fact, I got a proposition to discuss with you.'

'Really?'

'Take that goddamn coat off an' we'll talk.'

'If you want it off,' she said audaciously, toying with him, 'take it off for me.'

He walked over and tugged at her belt, loosening the coat until it fell from her shoulders. He whistled through his teeth when he eyeballed the provocative outfit she had on underneath. 'Jeez! You're some hot broad.'

'I dressed especially for you,' she said, feeling the power again, that surge of incredible power that put her totally in control and made her knees go weak.

'Take a walk around the room for me, baby,' he said, settling back on the couch. 'Show me what you got.'

'Yes, Mr Nanni,' she said coolly. 'Anything to oblige.'

Glancing at her watch, Kennedy was surprised to see it was past eight. She'd been expecting a call from Michael to confirm dinner arrangements. He hadn't called and she was disappointed.

For the last few hours she'd been busy at her word processor, putting together her story for
Style Wars
on the murders. She needed more information on Zane Marion Ricca, his past was very sketchy. She already had researchers in New York working on it for her.

She thought she might call Michael - find out what was happening. As far as she could remember they'd arranged a definite date.

You're being stood up, a little voice informed her.

I
am not
.

Oh, yes you are.

She refused to be juvenile about this. She was hardly an insecure teenager waiting anxiously for a date. Picking up the phone she dialled Michael's number and connected with his answering machine. She hesitated for a moment before leaving a message. 'Uh... hi... this is Kennedy Chase. It's eight fifteen and I haven't heard from you, so... uh... I guess tonight is off.'

What else was there to say? Nothing. The next move was his, and if he didn't make it - so what? She was glad she hadn't gone to any trouble, although she
had
washed her hair and taken a long scented bath before sitting down at her computer, but that was merely to relax before working.

Her phone rang and she pounced.

'This is Kennedy.'

'This is Nix.'

Who?'

'Short memory.'

'Oh... Nix.' She remembered him all right. Tail, talented and twenty-four. Too young by far, but appealing all the same.

'I'm here for one night, so I thought if you were free...'

'I'm not,' she said shortly, cutting him off.

'I would've called you earlier, but LA turned out to be an unexpected stop.'

'Really,' she said, sounding uninterested as it occurred to her that several months earlier they'd shared a memorable night of passion and he hadn't called once. At the time it hadn't bothered her, but now that he thought he could walk right back in it
did
bother her. She got rid of him quickly.

Men.

Who needed them? Most of them couldn't chew gum and talk on the phone at the same time, Her father used to say that to her when she was a teenager and a boy had let her down. Dear old Dad. She missed him.

Suddenly the evening loomed ahead and there was nothing she felt like doing.

Michael Scorsini.

Damn him, he was evoking feelings she'd thought were long buried.

There was no way she planned on sitting around thinking about him, so on impulse she called Charlie.

He sounded delighted to hear from her.

'Thanks for last night,' she said, 'I enjoyed it.'

'Shoulda come by my club,' he drawled. 'It was happenin'.'

'Can I
buy
you
dinner tonight?'

He chuckled, not fooled by her offer. 'OK, green eyes, gimme the happy news - who stood you up?'

'No one.'

'My ass.'

'Am I buying or not?'

'Yeah. An' since you're buyin', you get to pick me up. How about nine?'

'I'll be there.'

'An' don't bring the blues with you.'

'I have no clue what you're talking about.'

He chuckled knowingly. 'Sure, baby. Never bullshit a bull-shitter who's been there an' back more times than you'll ever know. See ya.'

Maybe Charlie Dollar was just what she needed.

Maybe not.

'I've been thinking,' Luca said.

So've I, Cheryl wanted to say. I've been thinking that this is not such a good idea after all.

The feeling of power, of total control, only lasted until after the sex. And the sex with Luca was not exactly scintillating. His particular kick was watching her parade around the room until he was aroused enough to require a blow job. Twice was definitely enough.

Why had Grant let her go through with this? She was furious with him because he didn't give a damn about her, and it was about time she woke up and realized how selfish and self-destructive he was.

'You listening to me?' Luca said gruffly.

'Yes, I'm listening,' she answered.

'OK, this is it, babe. I'm settin' you up.'

'Excuse me?'

'I own a big fancy house here, an' you're gonna live in it. No more hookin' for you, Bambi. You don't havta do it no more, 'cause I'm plannin' on takin' care of you on a permanent basis.'

This jolted her back to reality. 'Are you serious?'

'Sure am. You'll move into my house, in fact, I'll even let you fix it up, hire an interior designer, that kinda shit. I'll pay you an allowance, an' you'll be mine exclusively. Howdja like that?'

'I'm not for permanent sale,' she said sharply.