“No, it wasn’t.” A wicked gleam made her eyes sparkle. “You know, the dialogue in our last scene is a bit tricky,” she said, glancing from him to the techs. “Would you mind going over it again with me?” She looked back at him. “We could use my dressing room.”
She was full of shit and they both knew it. She’d nailed her dialogue in rehearsal just like he had. “Sure.” He nodded, aching to be alone with her. “I’d be happy to help you out.”
Her smile was far from innocent. “I thought you would.”
There wasn’t a pore in his body that wasn’t aware of her as they left the set. As he walked beside her toward her dressing room, Kayla’s softly scented perfume filled his senses, increasing his desire for her. Several studio employees passed them in the corridor, and other than a nod hello, no one gave them a second look. After all, they’d rehearsed in Kayla’s dressing room in the past. It wasn’t all that unusual for him to be there.
After she unlocked the door, he followed her in. Closing the door behind him, he watched her as she tossed her cup in a small wastebasket and set her keys on the desk. She wore black sweats or as she’d called them this morning…leggings. They clung to her like a second skin. Her top wasn’t as snug. In fact it was more like a tunic. He’d noticed that instead of deliberately showcasing her amazing body, she preferred to dress comfortably. But it wouldn’t matter what she wore, she could wear a potato sack and still look stunning.
When she turned, their eyes locked. The heat in her gaze caused a rush of something more than physical desire to swamp his body, but he had no idea what it was because he couldn’t remember ever feeling it before. Taking a breath, he tried to slow the rapid beating in his chest, but the effort was futile. His heart was pounding like a jackhammer.
“Lock the door,” she said, and without tearing his gaze from hers, he reached behind him and turned the deadbolt. Lifting a hand to her hair, she pulled the band from it and it fell loose around her shoulders. She slipped the band around her wrist. “It’s probably a good thing that Jared and Shay won’t share another kiss for a while,” she said, moving toward him.
“Why is that a good thing?”
“Because—” she halted in front of him, “—if you kiss me like that again everyone’s going to figure out we’re more than just co-workers.” She lifted her hands to his chest. Her light touch over his Dodgers T-shirt sent an arrow of heat straight to his groin. “For a few seconds I forgot we were at work.”
Unable to resist the primitive force inside that demanded he reach for her, he slipped his hands to her waist and pulled her against him. Her body felt soft and pliant against his, reminding him of last night. When he made love to her he’d felt every quiver, and heard every soft moan. She held nothing back, and this morning he wanted her again—desperately. But they’d overslept, and because he’d had to go back to his house to shower and change he barely got a chance to kiss her, let alone make love to her again. “What are you doing after work?” he asked.
“I’m dropping my car off at the body shop where I got the estimate the other day.” Sliding her hands up from his chest, she wound her arms around his neck. The move caused her body to press even more intimately to his and did nothing to ease the urgent demands his body was making.
“Do you need a ride home?” he asked, letting his gaze linger for several seconds on her full lips.
“As much as I’d like that, they’re arranging a rental car for me.”
“How about dinner, then? We could go out or…” He trailed off and grinned.
“Or what?” she asked, her eyes lighting up with amusement.
“Or you can impress me with those take-out ordering skills you were bragging about.”
Her laugh was warm and husky, making it difficult for him to concentrate.
“And we could run lines for tomorrow’s show,” he added, hoping it would help his case.
“We only have two scenes tomorrow,” she said caressing his nape. Her touch was light but, nonetheless, a punch of arousal shot through his body. “It shouldn’t take long to memorize our lines.”
“No, it shouldn’t.” Lowering his head, he planted a kiss at the base of her throat and then worked his way up her neck.
“What will we do with all that extra time?” she whispered and then shivered when he pressed his lips just under her jaw.
“I’m sure we’ll think of something,” he said and then sought her lips with his. She responded immediately, returning his kiss with such fierceness that all coherent thought left his brain. And he was fine with that. Thinking was overrated anyway. All he wanted to do was feel, and what he felt was the silkiness of her tongue, and the warmth of her lips. She sighed against his mouth. The soft sound enticed him to deepen their kiss and slide his hands down to the curve of her ass where he pulled her against him in such a way that she would have no doubt about how much he wanted her.
And he wanted her. So badly he didn’t hear the ringing of his cell phone until she spoke, “Whoever that is has rotten timing,” she murmured against his lips.
“Ignore it,” he said kneading her buttocks and grinding her against his cock. Whoever was calling couldn’t be as important as what they were about to do.
The damn phone kept ringing. Kayla pulled away from his lips. “It might be important,” she said, unclasping her hands from around his neck.
“I doubt it,” he said with an exasperated sigh. Reluctantly letting her go, he reached into his back pocket for his phone. He glanced at the caller ID. “This had better be good.” He hit the speakerphone button. “What’s up, Lisa?” he asked, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice.
“Did you and Kayla enjoy the beach yesterday?” Lisa’s tone was cool.
He met Kayla’s eyes. She looked as surprised as he was. “How did you know we were at the beach?” he asked.
“Because pictures of your romantic stroll, not to mention a pretty hot looking lip-lock, are burning up the internet this morning.”
“What?” Kayla exclaimed, her face paling.
“Good morning, Kayla.” Lisa’s voice was still chilly. “You were my next call. I don’t like surprises like this. Luckily, I was informed about the photos before my phone started ringing off the hook.”
“Who took them?” Sean asked. He hadn’t seen any paparazzi but that didn’t mean anything. The bastards were very adept at hiding in plain sight.
“Does it matter? Anyone with a cell phone could have taken those shots.” Lisa’s sigh was laced with disappointment. “Both of you know better.”
“We weren’t thinking,” Kayla said. She moved to the sofa and sank down on it.
“That’s obvious. Look, personally, I have no problem with this. You’re consenting adults and what you do is your business.”
“That’s right, it is,” Sean snapped, not angry at Lisa, but at himself for forgetting that his and Kayla’s personal lives were something a portion of the population was interested in. It was the one thing he didn’t like about his profession; the invasion of privacy. “I’m sorry,” he said after a tense silence. “I’m not mad at you.”
“We need to talk about what you want me to say,” Lisa continued. “And what you’re going to say. Remember, you have that fan event in Van Nuys on Saturday. Be prepared to deal with questions from your fans about those pictures. They’re going to want to know if you two are dating.”
“Can you say no comment until Sean and I talk about it?” Kayla asked.
“Of course. And I can continue to say that if that’s what you want. It’s your call, but in my experience the more you deny something the more curious people will become. It’s better to be upfront.”
Sean ran a hand through his hair and moved to join Kayla on the small sofa. He was pissed that they had to go public so quickly. “Can we get back to you?” he asked, setting the phone on the table in front of him.
“Yes. I’ve got several appointments today but if you leave a message I’ll call you when I’m availab
le.”
“Thanks, Lisa,” Kayla said. “I’m sorry you were blindsided.”
“We’ll handle it,” Lisa replied in gentler tone and then hung up.
Shifting on the sofa, Sean met Kayla’s gaze. “That really killed the mood, didn’t it?” she said with a rueful smile.
“I’m sorry.” He reached for her hand.
“It’s not your fault. The fact is we’re on television, and in the public eye. We forgot that yesterday.”
“What do you want to do?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I’m not ready to define what we are to each other. We don’t even know that ourselves yet.”
“Lisa has a point though. Saying nothing will only fuel the fans and the media’s desire to know more.”
“That’s true. We could say we’re just friends,” Kayla suggested.
“No one will believe that.” He squeezed her hand gently. “I wasn’t kissing you like a friend. Why don’t we just say we’re dating and leave it at that? After all, I want to keep seeing you.”
Her eyes softened. “And I want to keep seeing you.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. “I should go,” he said, pulling back even though he wanted to stay and pick up where they’d left off. Lisa’s call had been like stepping into a cold shower but it wouldn’t take much for him to get hard again. “If Lisa knows about those pictures it won’t take long for the whole studio to find out. So, unless we want to provide more grist for the rumor mill we probably shouldn’t stay in here too long with the door closed.”
“You’re right. I was in a relationship with an actor a couple of years ago. He cheated on me with a number of other actresses. I’ve been the subject of gossip before. As much as I hate it, I can handle it.”
“So can I,” he said, hating that they’d been found out a lot sooner than he’d anticipated. But it didn’t change a thing. The whole world could gossip about them for all he cared, he wasn’t going to stop seeing her.
* * *
Seated a few feet from Sean in the ballroom of the Airtel Hotel in Van Nuys, Kayla was astounded at the number of A New Dawn fans lined up to see their favorite stars. But what was more astonishing was the number of fans who were wearing T-shirts with her and Sean’s pictures on them.
She’d just signed an autograph for the fan who was now talking to Sean when she recognized the attractive blonde next in line. “Hi, Stephanie,” she said, happy to see a familiar face.
“Hi, Kayla,” Stephanie grinned and pointed to her chest. “Do you like the T-shirt? A bunch of us on the website had them made to support JaShay.”
“JaShay?” Kayla echoed.
“It’s Jared and Shay smushed together. All the great soap couples have their own name.” Reaching into her denim tote bag, she pulled a blue folder from inside and set it on the table. “I brought along the fan club stuff we talked about at the luncheon.”
Kayla reached for the folder and slid it toward her. “I’ll take a look at it when I get home. How’s the job search coming?”
Stephanie’s eyes lit up. “I have second interview tomorrow. It’s an administrative assistant position at an advertising agency. Donna got a job last week.” Stephanie beamed. “She couldn’t make it today. She went to Vegas with her boyfriend to celebrate.”
“It sounds like things are turning around for both of you.”
“And not a minute too soon. I think I have a good shot at getting the admin assistant job. The first interview went really well. Oh, I forgot.” Stephanie reached into her tote again. “I have T-shirts for you and Sean.” She pulled out the shirts and set them on the table. “You should check out our website. It’s called Fated Hearts. Donna and I started it after the fan club luncheon. We already have over four hundred members and our fan fiction section is getting some really good stories.”
“Fan fiction?”
Stephanie nodded. “Yeah, a lot of your fans are really good writers. They write stories about Shay and Jared.”
“I’ll have to check it out.”
“I have to warn you,” Stephanie leaned forward, lowering her voice. “Some of the stories are pretty racy.”
“Racy?”
“Sexually explicit.” Stephanie winked. “And not for the faint of heart.”
“Oh.” Kayla glanced at Sean. He was engrossed in a conversation with another fan. “Thanks for the warning.”
Stephanie tilted her head and grimaced. “I guess it would be kind of weird reading stuff like that. Especially when it’s written about your character. It just goes to show that Shay and Jared have a lot of fans who want them to get together.”
“Evidently,” Kayla said, hoping her mom hadn’t found the website. The thought of her mother reading sexually explicit stories about her and Sean’s characters was a bit horrifying.
“I’m holding up the line,” Stephanie said. “Let me know what you think about the fan club stuff. Even if I get the job, I still want to do it.” She paused. “But only if you really want a fan club. I’ll totally understand if you don’t.”
“Let me think about it. I’ll let you know one way or the other.” Kayla reached for the shirts. “Thanks for these.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”
“Good luck on the interview,” Kayla called after her and figured Stephanie must not have seen the pictures of her and Sean. Unlike every other fan she’d spoken to, Stephanie hadn’t asked her if she and Sean were an item. Here, like at the studio, she’d perfected the line that they were just dating. She didn’t elaborate and neither did Sean. So far, everyone was fine with the brief explanation. Amanda and Sandy said they weren’t surprised, and when Lance called her after seeing the photos on the internet, he’d let out an even more girlish squeal than her mother had. The only person who seemed perturbed by the news was Rachel. Her blue eyes had been icy and her expression dour every time they crossed paths at the studio. But not one word had passed her lips and Kayla was extremely grateful for that.
As the next fan approached, Kayla had the strangest feeling she was being watched. Looking around the room, she didn’t see anyone in particular staring at her. The fans were lined up in front of whichever star they wanted to talk to, and most of them were laughing and smiling as they chatted with one another. No matter which character was their favorite, they shared a common love for the show. Kayla had never met nicer or more loyal fans in her life and was grateful for the support they’d given her.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed a vaguely familiar face in the crowd in front of her. Craning her neck to get a better look, the woman turned her way and their eyes clashed. Startled at the hostility in the older woman’s gaze, it didn’t take but a moment for her to remember where she’d seen her—in the grocery store produce section two months ago. The woman wore a purple jogging outfit with metallic beading instead of the hot pink number she’d sported in the grocery store, but there was no doubt in Kayla’s mind that it was her.
The woman held her gaze and then mouthed the word slut before moving forward in the line. Rachel’s line. Forcing her attention back to the fan in front of her, Kayla’s mind reeled with the possibility that the woman from the grocery store was the person who’d been writing the threatening letters.
Rising from her chair, she smiled apologetically at the woman in front of her. “Do you mind if I use the restroom? I’ll be right back.”
“No problem.” The fan smiled. “I don’t mind waiting.”
“Thanks,” Kayla said and skirted the table. As she headed for Rachel’s table, purple jogging suit woman saw her coming. Her eyes grew round with alarm and she bolted from the line and headed for the ballroom’s double doors.
Keeping her eyes on the woman, Kayla cut through a swath of people hoping to get to the door before the older woman. Unfortunately, several fans grabbed her arm to say hello, slowing her progress. By the time she got to the door and into the large foyer outside, the wo
man had disappeared.
“Damn it,” she muttered, and then almost jumped a foot when a strong hand wrapped around her arm. She whirled around and met Sean’s concerned gaze.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Why did you run out of the ballroom?”
“I think I might know who the stalker is.”
Sean’s eyes flickered with surprise. “Who?” He let go of her arm.
“A couple of months ago, I was in the grocery store and a lady came right up to me in the produce section and called me a slut. She berated me for sleeping with Stefan. She thought I was Shay.”
“Was she here?” Sean looked around the foyer.
“Yes. I got up to confront her and she ran out of the ballroom.”
“I’ll check the parking lot. What’s she wearing?”
“A purple jogging suit with metallic beading all over it.”
Sean’s eyes widened. “A what?”
She opened her mouth to explain. “Never mind. I’ll find her,” Sean said and then turned and took off. After he disappeared from sight, Kayla prayed he would find her and hoped the woman was their suspect. If so, then she wouldn’t have to keep looking over her shoulder, afraid that her mysterious stalker would show up at her door.
Knowing she couldn’t do anything more, she returned to the ballroom and thanked the fan who’d been waiting for being so patient. Ten minutes later, she saw Sean weaving his way through the still-packed ballroom. He took his place next to her.
“Did you talk to her?” Kayla asked after signing a photo for a very excited teenage girl.
“No, but I got the license plate number of her car,” he replied. “I called Lisa and gave her the plate number. She’s going to call Detective Shelton and give it to him. Hopefully he can track her down and question her.” His gaze held hers for several seconds before an elderly fan in a wheelchair rolled up to him.
* * *
Three hours later, Kayla sat next to Sean on the leather sofa in his living room and wished she could concentrate on the baseball game they were watching. But she couldn’t. She’d been so sure the woman from the grocery store was the stalker that when Detective Shelton called to say that he’d talked to the woman at length and could neither confirm nor deny that she was the stalker, Kayla wanted to scream in frustration.
Love in the Afternoon Page 21
