ALASKAN FIRE

by Alaskan Fire (NCP) (lit)

  “Because what?” he smiled, taking her briefcase from her as they walked side by side into the foyer. Jess caught her breath. Sam was in his most affable mood, his charm flowing over her like molten gold.

  “I was rehearsing … voice exercises,” she said innocently, her glance absorbing Sam’s smart casual clothes--his blue denims and matching blue cotton shirt. His director’s uniform.

  “Are you nervous?”

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t worry. You look every inch the dynamic interviewer. In fact, you look gorgeous.” He stopped outside the hotel entrance and beckoned to Chip who had been waiting for them at the wheel of Sam’s hire car. Sam placed their briefcases in the boot and helped Jess into the front seat so she sat between the two men.

  “Well, this is the big day,” Chip greeted them. “No one ever thought Todd Carmichael could be pinned down for an interview. The whole of Hollywood is agog, I can tell you. And I don’t mean this to be too personal Jess, but there are a few jealous television presenters who could willingly scratch your eyes out right now,” he laughed, accelerating away from the entrance.

  “I didn’t do anything. It was Sam who got the interview,” Jess said, feeling her stomach lurch ominously. This was getting more nerve racking by the moment.

  “And it’s Jess who is going to do a great job of it,” Sam said firmly, placing an arm around Jess' shoulders and pulling her to him. Jess relaxed and let her head rest against his chest drawing comfort from his closeness. He knows how I feel, she thought, and he is clever enough to make me feel good and boost my confidence.

  Sam and Chip continued to talk as Chip drove them towards the Hollywood Hills. Jess was aware of Sam’s steady heartbeat beneath her ear as she inhaled the clean smell of him. The film crew had gone ahead with a truck load of technical equipment ready to set up in Todd’s home.

  At last they turned into Todd Carmichael’s driveway. From the outside the house looked huge, although from the roadway it was completely obscured. Chip parked behind the truck and immediately went to supervise the unloading of equipment. Jess was about to scramble out when Sam stopped her. He turned her to face him his eyes alight as his gaze roamed over her face.

  “Jess, you’ve really done your homework on Carmichael and he is a past master at handling himself. I’m sure the interview will flow well. But just in case, I’ll talk to him first and pave the way for you, okay?”

  Jess' eyes were huge as she nodded in agreement. Sam’s eyes held hers for long, hypnotic moments and her heart raced as his expression changed from gentle persuasion to sudden hungry longing.

  “God, Jess! I want to make love to you so badly, it hurts.” he groaned huskily, his fingers trailing down her cheek to touch the sensitive pulse throbbing in the hollow of her throat.

  I want you too, she almost said in reply, tired of playing games. His lips curved against hers and she responded with a hunger of her own. The kiss was in danger of getting out of hand when Sam ruefully pushed her back.

  “I haven’t picked the best time to start a fire, have I?” he murmured. “We’d better go. We’ve got a great story to do,” he said, releasing her.

  Jess drew a controlling breath. She quickly checked her make-up in the car mirror and was astonished at the face that stared back at her. Her cheeks were softly flushed, her eyes sparkling and her mouth was full and red. It was the face of a woman in love. The love and confidence Sam had given her shone out of her. Her heart soared as she stepped from the car.

  She joined the other members of the crew inside the huge entrance hall and watched as Sam’s tall figure, accompanied by another man she assumed was Todd’s minder, disappeared along the wide passage somewhere inside the house.

  Chip introduced Jess to members of the crew and she cheerfully joked with them about the interview to come. It was a good ten minutes before the minder returned and directed the crew to set up in the large study adjacent to the hallway. Jess frowned at the business-like area. She had hoped the interview could be conducted in a more casual atmosphere, perhaps in the beautiful garden she had glimpsed as they drove in.

  As the crew set about with the placement of lights and sound equipment, Jess retrieved her notes from her briefcase and sitting well out of the way, checked her questions once again. She knew Todd had a reputation for being difficult on film sets and as his popularity had increased over the years, so had his reputation for being uncooperative. However, he had handled his career very skillfully taking on a range of different roles from romantic leads in the style of Cary Grant to sinister parts in a series of fascinating thrillers. Todd had made no mistakes in the parts he had chosen and for some years had been a major box office draw card commanding huge fees for the film parts he decided to accept.

  He was now in his early forties and although not overly handsome, had a certain charisma, which shone from the screen. No one seemed quite sure when and why he had withdrawn into a private cocoon refusing all media interviews. Not even to promote his films could he be persuaded to face the world’s media making no bones about the fact he wished to keep his private life just that--private. Jess knew he had an extraordinary reputation as a womanizer and had recently divorced his fourth wife, a young starlet, after a marriage lasting barely twelve months. Jess hoped Todd would open up to her and not just stick to discussing his work. He obviously had a very fascinating life, which the world was panting to know about.

  Her hopes were dashed when Sam came into the room, a serious expression on his face. He leaned over Jess and said quietly “Take it easy on your line of questioning, Jess. Todd is being difficult. Nothing about his private life, particularly his ex-wives, all right?”

  Jess swore under her breath in an unladylike fashion. “Well, that makes it dandy, doesn’t it? I hope this doesn’t turn out to be the most boring interview of all time,” she breathed, sarcastically.

  “Come on, I’ll take you to meet him but be prepared, he may be a bit off-hand or rude,” Sam warned her as they walked from the study and along the marble tiled passage into an enormous lounge area. Jess took a deep breath as she stared at Todd. He was seated at a magnificent grand piano tinkering idly with the keys.

  He got up slowly as Sam lead Jess towards him, his eyes flicking over her from her shining black hair to her slender ankles. Jess felt Sam’s hand gently squeezed her upper arm and remembering the look in his eyes earlier, she glowed inwardly. Todd Carmichael, you are a piece of cake to handle compared to Sam Armstrong, she thought as she gave Todd a beaming smile and held out her hand to shake his.

  “I’m very pleased to meet you, Mr. Carmichael. Thank you for agreeing to this interview,” she said charmingly.

  Todd’s expression was disgruntled as he loosely shook Jess' hand. “Huh, think you’ll loosen my tongue by shoving a pretty female reporter at me, do ya Sam?” he said rudely, ignoring Jess' greeting completely. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled with anger.

  “You will do well if you can cope with the questions Jess throws at you, Todd,” Sam replied, matching his off-handed tone.

  “Will I now. That should make things interesting,” Todd replied, watching Jess even though he was talking to Sam.

  “Would you like to run through the questions before we go on camera, Mr. Carmichael?” Jess asked, determinedly keeping her face bright. She whispered a silent prayer Dear God; please don’t let me mess this up. Her eyes darted over the famous star’s face. His eyes were brown, almost black, and his dark hair was heavily tinged with grey at the temples. His face was tanned and attractively lined and he stood on eye level with Jess. You are quite an ordinary looking man in real life, she thought comparing him to the startlingly handsome man standing next to him--Sam! Sam, who had told her only minutes ago he wanted to make love to her so badly, it hurt!

  “Sam, I want to run right through this with no breaks,” Todd was saying, once again ignoring Jess.

  Well, you will have to speak to me in a moment you rude, ignorant man, she thought, gritt
ing her teeth and keeping a pleasant smile in place with difficulty.

  “If you prefer to do it that way, its fine with us,” Sam said reassuringly. “We will set up two cameras and do the intro after with Jess.” He stood to one side, allowing Todd to go ahead of them. Sam gave Jess a broad wink and she made a funny grimace at him from behind Todd’s back.

  In the study there was another pause as a make-up man quickly moved in to pat some TV make-up on Todd’s face. After a moment Todd impatiently waved him to one side. “Let’s do it, for pity’s sake,” he snarled. “The only reason I’m doing this Goddamn interview is because it’s you, Sam Armstrong. If I didn’t admire your work so much, you and your Lois Lane here could take a running jump,” he grumbled as the sound man finished fitting a lapel microphone to his shirt.

  Jess sat opposite him waiting for the audio and lighting checks to be completed. This is going to be horrendous, she thought. My first interview with Sam directing and I’m going to make a complete botch up of it.

  She couldn’t see Sam who had sat next to the number one camera guy, but she heard him say “Cameras rolling--action!”

  Jess asked her first carefully thought out question about his latest blockbuster movie. As they progressed all of Jess' worst nightmares began coming true. Todd answered every question with only a few words, not bothering to expand on them leaving her floundering, searching for the next question and trying to keep some continuity in the interview. I’m dying a thousand deaths, she cried inwardly as she wrestled with another question. She could see by his cynical smile that Todd was enjoying her discomfiture.

  Jess seethed! Why didn’t Sam stop this agony? It was ridiculous to continue. Surely he could see how she was being humiliated. Then Todd suddenly said “Has anyone told you that you have the most beautiful eyes?” There was a long, pregnant pause as Jess watched a cruel, teasing expression cross Todd’s face. Right, if that’s the way you want to play it--she decided.

  “Are you flirting with me, Mr. Carmichael?” she said, with an innocent smile.

  “I could be.”

  “Do you usually flirt with strange women?”

  “Only if they look like you.”

  “May I ask if this is the way you acquired your four wives?” Jess could feel the tension in the room as she asked the audacious question. She thanked the heavens she couldn’t see Sam’s face.

  “I like my wives to be young and attractive and I guess you could say I flirt with them, at least when we first meet, that is,” he said with a faint, but unmistakable leer.

  “And would you say your reputation for trading in your wives when they get older and you no longer want to ... shall we say flirt with them, is quite justified?”

  There was another heavy pause loaded with tension and Jess held her breath expecting either an angry explosion from Todd or for Sam to call a halt to the interview.

  Suddenly Todd flung his head back and laughed uproariously, taking everyone by surprise. “Little lady, you are really determined to lay me open for the world to see, aren’t you?” he chuckled, the rudeness and cynicism rapidly disappearing. “Well, here I am! Do your damnedest,” he smiled, his hands held up in an open and inviting gesture.

  Jess smiled a little tentatively and then, throwing caution to the winds, she launched into the interview with a vengeance. Looking back, Jess wondered at the extraordinary range and depth they covered. Todd continued to flirt outrageously with her but no longer in a nasty, lecherous way as he had done in the beginning. However, it gave Jess the opportunity to open up the interview as she responded to his compliments with more than her fair share of flirtatious remarks. She wondered what Sam was thinking. At one stage he crossed to the other camera and sat watching her. She felt disconcerted as she caught the brooding expression in his eyes.

  Nevertheless, the interview went well and led by Jess' questions, Todd ran the full gamut of his emotions talking in depth about the agony of a difficult childhood, his love of acting and his need to still find his perfect woman and achieve lasting happiness.

  “Will you marry me?” Todd asked Jess, tongue in cheek, near the end of the interview as a little boy look crossed his attractive face. Jess laughed in genuine amusement and the camera caught the extraordinary natural beauty of her face.

  “I’ll think about it, Mr. Carmichael,” she smiled.

  “Cut.” Sam’s clipped order rang out and there was spontaneous applause from the members of the crew. Jess watched Sam shake hands with Todd congratulating him and there was general laughter and noise as the crew relaxed after the intense hour-long interview.

  Gathering her notes, Jess realized her hands were shaking. She supposed things had gone well after such a difficult start but she had no idea whether Sam was pleased or not. She unhooked her lapel mike and her eyes met Sam’s over the top of Todd’s bent head. Her heart sank as she caught his look of ice-cold fury.

  CHAPTER TEN

  “I insist you and Jessica stay for lunch,” Todd said to Sam, throwing a friendly arm around Jess' shoulders.

  She bent her head trying to shake from her mind the look Sam had given her an hour earlier. They had finished filming her introduction and Sam had shot some extra vision of her strolling in the grounds with Todd and then seated in the delightful garden. Except for giving direction, Sam hadn’t spoken. What’s bugging him, she thought. He is furious with me. Was it because I ignored his direction and tackled Todd on his private life? But why is he angry? It all came together okay.

  “I’m sorry Todd, but I’m afraid I will have to go back to the studio and edit this story ready to be flown to Sydney tonight in case we use it this week. However, I’m sure Jess would be delighted to stay and have lunch with you,” Sam said silkily, raising dark eyebrows as he watched Jess' look of dismay.

  “That’s great, how about it, Jess? I’ll make sure you’re dropped back at the studio later this afternoon and you can see what sort of a job the great Sam Armstrong’s done with editing our story. As long as the best bits aren’t left on the cutting room floor,” Todd laughed, attempting to usher the unwilling Jess inside the house from where they were standing at the main entrance.

  Jess pulled herself up to her full height and looked Todd straight in the eye. “I will be honored to join you for lunch, Todd. Thank you,” she said her voice clear and polite. “But, I need to speak to my boss in private a moment, if you don’t mind.” Todd retreated with a knowing smile as Sam waited for Jess to join him, an impatient frown on his face.

  Jess faced him, her eyes fiery. “You may as well tell me now why you are so angry with me,” she blurted out.

  Sam surveyed her flushed face. She was standing up to him and was expecting him to explain his actions. How could he tell her that he’d been consumed with jealousy, an unknown emotion for him, which felt as if he had been thumped in the heart? That every time Jess had raised her beautiful eyes to flirt with Todd, he’d wanted it to be him? That he had this sudden vision of Jess and Todd together and of Jess explaining that she’d found her true love? It was ridiculous. He had to put up his own protective barriers because Jess was affecting him badly.

  “Well, for a start I am not used to working with unethical journalists,” he said, pushing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

  “Unethical? Are you accusing me of being unethical?” Jess cried, her voice rising.

  “Yes, I am. Any journalist who uses their sexuality to get an interview is unethical, in my book.”

  “I did not use my sexuality, as you so crudely call it. Todd was deliberately flirting with me.”

  “And you flirted back!”

  “Yes, I did, but only to open up the interview and get things moving. It was harmless fun. Anyhow, what about you?” she continued. “You hardly did your job professionally, did you?”

  “What the hell do you mean?”

  “You humiliated me. You made no attempt to rescue me at the beginning of the interview when Todd was being so difficult. You left me to die on ca
mera.”

  “I was waiting to see what you were really made of. Any top journalist could have managed to get themselves out of that spot without resorting to sexual innuendoes.”

  “How dare you, Sam!” Jess exploded. To think only a few hours ago she had dreamed of him making love to her. “You have got the interview you want, haven’t you? And I’m sure if you don’t like my style you will edit me out without a second thought.”

  “You’d better believe it,” Sam replied vehemently. “I just hope there will be enough footage to make up a good story by the time I edit out your promiscuous comments.”

  Jess furiously turned on her heel but Sam caught her arm, swinging her around to face him. “Don’t let this glitz go to your head, Jess. When we fly to Alaska tomorrow there will be no glamorous film stars to have lunch with up there.”

  Jess' eyes searched his face. “Why did you suggest I have lunch with Todd? I want to edit the story with you.”

  “It would be pretty rude if we both refused his invitation. Besides, he obviously fancies you. Who knows, you may land up as wife number five.”

  “You are a bastard! I thought I was supposed to be your woman and yet you happily hand me to Carmichael on a on a plate.”

  “You’ll cope,” Sam said dryly, turning away. “I’ll see you later. Todd knows where the studios are.”

  * * * *

  “You’re Sam’s woman, aren’t you?”

  Jess looked up from her delicious prawn salad as she and Todd sat beside his pool enjoying their very late luncheon. Her eyes reflected astonishment and she tried to hide her embarrassment. Todd had been amusing and courteous as he had shown her through his huge house, dwelling over his magnificent art collection to explain many of the paintings in detail. He had made no further flirtatious remarks to Jess and she had relaxed in his presence fascinated by his beautiful home with its priceless antiques.