He hadn’t told her he was coming to Los Angeles. When he’d read about the wedding in the paper he’d immediately called Reece, who’d booked him straight on a flight to L.A. where Terry then had every intention of finding out just what was going on with his sister. Although, if he thought about it for long enough, he started to wonder if he wasn’t just using this as an excuse to run away from what was happening in his own life.
For whatever the reason though, he was going. Maybe interfering with India’s life would help take his mind off his own, and that could only be a good thing.
***
Charley couldn’t believe it. Kenny and India - married! It wasn’t the news she’d wanted to be woken up with that morning, that’s for sure. So, India was still winning the game. For now.
She looked in the mirror and wiped away the dusting of white powder from under her nose. She’d needed that fix more than anything. She just wished it had actually made her feel better, but it wasn’t kicking in like she’d hoped it would. She was tired too, the lack of sleep and partying until all hours was starting to catch up with her and she had bags under her eyes that weren’t attractive. Brad had warned her on more than one occasion about over-doing things but she hadn’t listened. Now it seemed she should have.
Rummaging around in her bag for her concealer, she dabbed some under each eye, adding a bit more mascara for good measure. She was on her way to see Brad and had just stopped off in the toilets for a quick pick-me-up.
“That’ll have to do,” she sighed, zipping her bag shut and sliding it up onto her shoulder, adjusting her skirt and top to show just the right amount of leg and cleavage. She had an image to keep up, no matter how rough she felt inside.
When she reached Brad’s office she noticed he wasn’t alone. There was a man that Charley thought she recognised sitting on the sofa flicking through a batch of photographs, but she couldn’t put a name to him. She definitely knew his face, though.
“Ah, Charley, there you are,” Brad smiled, greeting her with his usual kiss on both cheeks. “You might know Jimmy Cash here. He runs ‘The Wood Shed’.”
Realisation hit Charley. She knew she’d known Brad’s visitor from somewhere. She’d often heard some of the other girls talking about him. ‘The Wood Shed’ was one of the most notorious hard-core porn companies around and Jimmy Cash had a reputation for pushing the envelope as far as he could, but people still wanted to work with him. They really wanted to work with him. Many of the other girls, and some of the guys she’d worked with, had expressed a desire to do just that, if only because the amount of money you could potentially make was huge.
Charley had seen one or two of his movies and they were pretty full on. So why was he here? Brad didn’t deal with the harder side of the industry, he was strictly soft porn, or so she’d thought.
Jimmy got up and walked over to Charley, smiling and holding out his hand. She took it and he gripped her hand firmly as he shook it.
He was a tall and very good-looking man in his late 40’s, all dark hair, green eyes and dazzling smile, infact, he looked more like a movie star than a porn baron. She knew he came from Dallas originally and had made his money from magazines before moving into movies. He’d always sold sex, but so what? If that’s what people wanted then why not give it to them?
“Charley Miles,” he said, still smiling that smile. “Pleased to meet you.”
Charley smiled back, thinking he was holding onto her hand for slightly longer than was necessary.
“Jimmy’s my new business partner,” Brad said.
Charley swung round to look at him but he just smiled at her. Business partner? What was going on here?
“We needed to expand,” Brad went on, coming out from behind his desk and perching on the edge of it, folding his arms. “We need to branch out, get a little more ... adventurous. Jimmy’s just what we need.”
Charley sat down in the chair beside Brad’s desk. She felt a little dizzy. Maybe that coke was starting to kick in after all.
“Now, we both realise that the harder side of things may not be for everyone, but we think you can handle it, Charley.”
She looked at Brad again. She’d trusted him in everything he’d said and done so far and he’d never let her down yet. So she was willing to listen to whatever was coming next, although she already knew what that was. It was obvious.
“We think it’s time you moved up another level.”
“We?” Charley asked, slowly crossing her legs. She noticed, out of the corner of her eye, Jimmy watching her intently. She liked him, she’d already decided. She liked him a lot.
“Jimmy’s seen a lot of your work, Charley,” Brad went on. “I told him you’re one of my best girls and he agrees. You could make a lot of money, sweetheart. A lot of money.”
Yeah, she thought. But what would I have to do for it?
She looked at Brad then at Jimmy, who just smiled at her, but Charley read exactly what was intended in that smile and she returned it. She couldn’t help it. Maybe Brad was right. Maybe she did need to think about moving up a level in this business, move onto a new challenge.
“Let me take you to dinner tonight,” Jimmy said, still smiling that smile. “We can talk about just what a star I could make you, Charley.”
A corny line but she could handle Jimmy Cash. She could see beneath that business-like exterior, she could see the man underneath. What harm could it do to see what he had to offer?
She looked at Brad again, who just nodded.
“Ok,” Charley smiled at Jimmy, slowly crossing her legs one more time. “Why not?”
Maybe her day had just got better after all.
***
“I’m not sure we really thought this through, Kenny.”
Kenny rolled over onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow, watching as India read through the papers and magazines that seemed to carry nothing but the news of their shock wedding, as they were putting it.
“Kenny?”
He just gave her a huge grin.
“You’re not helping, Kenny.”
“Oh, come on, India. You knew this was going to happen. There was no way on earth that we could have run off to Vegas and done this in secret, it was impossible.”
He was right and she knew it. She just hadn’t thought, at the time, about the publicity that was going to follow. Proof she was still slightly wet-behind-the-ears in this business.
“Do you regret it?” Kenny asked. “What we did?”
India lay down beside him, stroking his cheek gently, smiling at him.
“No. I don’t regret any of it. I love you, Kenny, and in reality I don’t care who knows we’re married. Even if that is all anyone is going to talk about from the second I step out of that front door today.”
He kissed her slowly, pushing the shirt she was wearing gently off her shoulder. “It’s all part of the package, baby. We put ourselves out there, people want to know everything. That’s the deal.”
She kissed him back, helping him by shrugging off her shirt and flinging it on the floor.
“You’re gonna make me late, Mr Ross,” she whispered, not putting up any argument as his fingers gently stroked her thighs.
“I can stop, if you want me to,” he smiled, sliding a hand between her legs, making her gasp. “Do you want me to stop?”
She shook her head, their mouths locking in a long, deep kiss as he pushed her back and all India could do was close her eyes and realise that, out of everything that had happened to her over the past couple of years, this was the real dream come true.
CHAPTER13
Terry sat at the breakfast bar in Reece’s kitchen, looking out at the view of the ocean. This was all completely crazy, all of it. Just a couple of years ago he’d been a half decent, almost famous footballer with a normal sister and a good life. Now here he was, sitting in the home of a famous actor, his career in tatters and his sister a Hollywood star. You couldn’t make it up!
He stirred his tea an
d flicked through the morning’s papers, which still carried anything they could get on India and Kenny’s sudden marriage. The paparazzi had managed to get some photographs of India on the set of her new movie, and one of her and Kenny walking along the beach, arms wrapped round each other, wedding rings on full view. Any photographs of the actual wedding still hadn’t been published, causing some of the less reputable tabloids to cast doubt as to whether it had actually taken place or not. A huge publicity stunt, that’s what some of them were calling it. But, according to Reece, it was definitely all signed, sealed and 100% legal. He’d spoken to Vince Maine in Las Vegas, the owner of the hotel where they’d got married. It was just up to Kenny and India as to whether they wanted to publish any photographs or not.
Terry still hadn’t seen her yet. He’d only arrived in Los Angeles last night and Reece had seen to it that he was picked up from the airport and taken back to his house, and it was more than generous of Reece to let him stay there while he was in L.A. Reece lived close to India and Terry wanted to be close. He wanted to keep an eye on her, whether she thought she needed it or not. He certainly thought she did.
This city was fast turning his sister into someone different, some crazy kid that made snap decisions on important issues and it just wasn’t like her, but what could he do? Reece couldn’t be with her twenty-four hours a day either, although God knows he was doing his best.
He closed the newspaper and let his mind wander to Charley. What was she up to now? Did she look different? She was bound to; she was a porn star, the tame days of glamour modelling were well and truly behind her. Christ, even thinking about her and what she was doing now made him feel uncomfortable. He’d thought his sister having to do the odd love scene was bad enough but when he thought about what his ex-girlfriend was doing for a living ...
He finished the rest of his tea and was still sitting staring out of the French windows when Reece arrived, all smiles and movie star good looks despite the fact it was only half past seven in the morning.
“Do you want to go on set and see India today?” Reece asked, grabbing a mug and filling it with black coffee. Terry still couldn’t think about drinking anything other than tea first thing in the morning. “I can take you, it’s not a problem.”
Terry shook his head. “No. I’ll wait until tonight.”
“She’d want to know you’re here you know.”
“I know.”
Reece sat down opposite him. “She’ll be ok, Terry. She knows what she’s doing.”
“Does she?”
“I’m sure she does, yes.”
Terry looked at Reece, with his dark eyes and handsome face. He was sure there was something familiar about him, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. There was certainly something about this man that wasn’t quite sitting right with him.
“Why do you care so much about her?” Terry asked, half of him not actually intending to say that out loud. “I mean, I know you were the one who brought her over here, the one who gave her her big break, but ...”
“I just want to make sure she’s ok, Terry. Simple as that. There’s something very special about your sister and this can be a tough town. So I just want to make sure she’s ok. Nothing sinister, nothing untoward. I just want her to be ok.”
Terry ran a hand through his hair as he stood up. He wasn’t going to push it but he was starting to feel there was something deeper in all of this, something Reece wasn’t telling him. Or India.
“Is it ok if I have a shower?”
Reece smiled. “Of course it is. Then how about I take you out? Show you some of L.A.?”
Terry just nodded and left to get ready.
Reece sat back in his chair, threw back his head and closed his eyes for a second. He’d seen the look in Terry’s eyes just then, he knew he wasn’t being completely honest with him. Oh, of course he wanted India to be safe and happy but there was more to it than that. And he had a feeling Terry wasn’t going to settle until he found out exactly what that was.
***
“You have got to stop visiting me on set, Kenny, you’re a total distraction.”
“I’m bored.”
“Go and surf or something.”
They were in India’s trailer on the set of her movie, waiting for her to be called for the next scene.
Kenny’s movie had finished filming a few days ago so he had some time off now, and although India loved him being around, he really was distracting her. And today wasn’t the best day for him to be around anyway. She had a big scene with Michael this morning, which called for her getting naked on an almost closed set, and she was extremely nervous about the whole thing. It was the first time she’d ever done anything like this before and she could do without Kenny watching. That wasn’t going to help her at all.
“Surfing’s not the same without you being there.”
She looked at him, sitting on the sofa, sexy as hell in jeans, t-shirt and black converse baseball boots, his dark hair shorter than it had been due to the movie he’d been making but still long enough for him to carry that messed up almost scruffy look he was famous for. She felt her stomach do a little somersault as he caught her eye and she smiled.
“You managed to surf fine before I came on the scene.”
“You know what I mean, India ... what’re you doing?”
She slid off her wedding ring and put it in the small safe placed underneath her dressing table. “I can’t wear it for filming, Kenny; I’m not married in the movie.”
There was a hint of the bored, spoilt child about him this morning. She’d gathered that he hated being at a loose end but what could she do? She had to work, although it went without saying that she’d much rather be on a beach somewhere catching waves and drinking beer with her new husband.
She sighed, getting up and going over to him, kneeling astride him, sliding her arms round his neck. “What do you fancy doing tonight?”
He slid his hands up her thighs, underneath the robe she was wearing.
“I fancy going out on the bike ...” His lips started kissing her neck, “... finding a totally deserted beach ...” He started to gently stroke her inner thighs and she could feel herself giving into him again, “... then making love to my beautiful wife.”
“Jesus Kenny, I hate that you do this to me every single time.”
“It’s my job, babe.”
She wanted to let him do what he was already half way to doing but she really didn’t have the time, so, after giving in to one long, deep kiss, she gently took his hands and held them in hers, stopping him from going any further.
He groaned and threw his head back. “India!”
“I don’t have the time, Kenny. Besides, stopping like this is going to make sure I give this morning’s scene everything I’ve got.”
He looked at her. “That’s not exactly something I’m happy to hear.”
She put her hands on his face and kissed him quickly. “You’re not getting jealous on me, are you?”
“I’m never jealous, honey; because I know you’re always gonna come back to me.”
She laughed, climbing off him and wrapping her robe back around her, checking her make-up in the mirror.
“Are you gonna be naked out there?” Kenny asked, getting up and going over to the trailer window, looking outside.
“You know I am ... Kenny, listen, I’m really not comfortable with you being on set today. It’s a tough enough scene without knowing you’re watching.”
He pushed a hand through his hair and leaned back against the window, folding his arms. “It’s gonna be tougher for me, sitting in here waiting for you, knowing you’re having sex with another guy.”
“I’m not having sex with another guy and you know that. We’ve done this kind of scene before, if you remember. You know the drill.”
“Yeah, and that’s what I’m worried about.”
“This is Michael Walsh we’re talking about, Kenny.”
Kenny laughed, pushing the hai
r back off his eyes again. “And you think he doesn’t like what he sees when he looks at you?” He suddenly realised he was getting irrational now, surprised by his own feelings of insecurity over something like this. It was a scene for a movie, a controlled situation, and he was getting it all out of proportion.
“You’re so like a bloody little kid when you’re bored, Kenny Ross, do you know that?”
She was right; he was only being like this because he had nothing to take his mind off things.
He looked at her. She was amazing; Kenny knew he’d struck gold with India. She wasn’t only beautiful, she also had a body that could make a dead man come, Jesus, he’d gotten close to it himself sometimes just thinking about her. Maybe that’s what he was going to have to do to get himself through the next few hours.
There was a knock on the trailer door and India wrapped the robe she was wearing tighter around herself, kissing Kenny quickly, smiling at him, leaving him with a look that told him he could have it all the second she was back, but, for now, he was going to have to amuse himself. In whatever way he could.
***
Michael had hardly slept. It was like Christmas was here and he was about to unwrap the only present he’d ever wanted. He’d lain awake in bed remembering what it had felt like to kiss her. Sure, it was only for the cameras but he’d got to hold her close, feel her against him and when his mouth had touched hers he’d felt every proverbial firework in the world go off. And today - today he got to touch her skin, feel her naked body on his and he had no idea whether this was going to be a good thing or not. Yes, it’s what he’d always wanted, but not in this situation. There was a time when he’d have been happy with anything he could get but now he wanted more. The fact India was now married had seemed to raise the determination in him. He wouldn’t be really, truly happy until they were a couple, until she slept in his arms and woke up beside him, and he’d get there; he knew he’d get there, eventually. It was just a matter of time.
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