Page 51
Seventeen
Maddie grabbeda French fry off the dining cart next to the bed and dipped it in ketchup. She twisted to face Micah who was stretched out next to her studying his script. She leaned over and fed the fry tohim.
“Yum,” he groaned. “French fries and sex…now that’s what I call a perfect evening.”
“Post-coital fries are the best. You sound like you don’t get that very often. I’m going to assume you don’t usually eat French fries.”
“Not on my diet plan. But I figure we’ve been burning enough calories that I can indulge.”
She giggled as she stuck a fry in her own mouth. “No French fries, no girlfriends…you kind of make it seem sucky to be a Hollywoodstar.”
He gave a dramatic sigh. “You have no idea.” He resumed reading his script.
She picked up another fry and chewed on it slowly, watching Micah as he closed his eyes and silently mouthed his lines. It had been a great day, waking up with Micah, sex in his trailer, a perfect shoot. Then, after she’d cleaned up the set and stopped by her hotel room for a change of clothing and some personal items, she’d arrived at Micah’s room. They ordered burgers and fries from room service, and while Micah was supposed to be reviewing his lines, occupied their wait with more physical activities.
They still hadn’t talked about their arrangement, and even though that’s what they agreed on, she still couldn’t help feeling anxious. Was all of this new for Micah or had he been with a woman longer than one night before? What was the best way to balance getting to know him under the covers with getting to know him outside of the bedroom? How should she act with him around others? Could she expect that she was with him until further notice or would she have to wait each day for an invitation to his bed? They were standard new relationship questions, but because of who Micah was, they felt heavier.
He reached up and stroked her arm. “Hey. What’s going on in that pretty head of yours? You seem to have gone someplace serious.”
“Not too serious.” She decided that if she didn’t share her thoughts she’d never get to know him. “I was wondering how long you’ve had your no-girlfriendrule.”
His hand rested on hers. “Wow, not too serious at all. I must not be very entertaining.”
She slipped her hand out from under his and poked him in the ribs. “Oh, you’ve been plenty entertaining. Now answer the question.”
He sighed. “Seven years. Right about when I signed with my manager, Stu. That was just after I met you, actually.”
She bit her lip. “And in seven years, you’ve had no long-term anything?”
Micah tossed his script on the nightstand. “Now I didn’t say that.” He spoke carefully. “I dated a model about four years ago. For several months. It was all over the tabloids. Maybe you read aboutit.”
Maddie’s breath caught. She vacillated between jealousy and hope. Who was the bitch? And did that mean he was open to a relationship again?
“I don’t read the gossip mags.” She spoke as cautiously as he had. “What happened?”
“I…do you really want to hearthis?”
“Yes, I reallydo.”
“Okay. Nichelle was her name. And she’d just started getting some major jobs when I met her. Then we started going out and I decided to break my rule and give the whole relationship a try.” He blew out a heavy breath. “That’s when I discovered yet another reason Hollywood relationships don’t work. You can never tell who’s into you for you, and who’s into you for what you can getthem.”
She tensed, realizing that whatever this Nichelle had done to Micah had made an impact. “What did shedo?”
“Turned out she wanted a part from a director I was working with. She pushed me to introduce them, so I did. Then when he didn’t give her the part, she dumpedme.”
“Are you kidding me?” Maddie felt a wave of nausea, but she kept it to herself. The man had such a jaded opinion about romance in the first place, then to have someone use him like that? It would make her goal of getting close to Micah that much more difficult.
“I’m dead serious.” He stared at her, sensing her anxiety, perhaps. After a moment he asked, “What aboutyou?”
“No one’s ever used me to get a part in a movie.” She took another French fry and fed it to him, hoping to remind him of the awesome things about girlfriends, such as post-coital French fries.
He sneered at her. “Have you had anything serious?”
“Who says I don’t have a boyfriend rightnow?”
“Ha haha.”
“What?” She tried to hide the hurt from her voice. “Does it seem utterly impossible that I’d have a boyfriend?”
