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“No!”
“That’s what I thought you’d say.” He took a sip from his mug. “How can we be two lovebirds if we don’t arrive together?”
“We’re trying to be discreet at work.”
“But not for the press.”
“Anyway, you own a motorcycle.”
“Look outside. I had my car deposited here early this morning by a concierge service.”
Rats. He’d been up even earlier than she’d thought. She tossed him a suspicious look and then walked over to peer out the French doors. She spotted a Range Rover in the drive. “Lovely.”
“I think so.”
She glanced back at Rick with suspicion, but he just returned a bland look. Another of his sexual innuendoes? Because it was impossible to tell what he’d been referring to—her or the car.
Then she sighed. She had to pick her battles, and it was clear the drive to the office was not one worth fighting over.
Rick walked toward her, pausing to glance at a script that she’d left on the counter yesterday. “It’s early. Want me to quiz you on your lines?”
“No!” Not least because there was a scene were the leads got flirty.
Rick raised an eyebrow and then shrugged. “Suit yourself but the offer stands. Anytime.”
Yup, he was an anytime, anywhere kind of guy.
“What else are we supposed to do while we’re shacked up together?” he asked, his eyes laughing at her.
She raised an eyebrow. “Go to work?”
Within the hour, she and Rick pulled up to the gate to Novatus Studio in his car.
Rick rolled down his window in order to give his identification to security, and with a sixth sense, Chiara turned her head and spotted a hovering figure nearby. The flash of a paparazzi camera was familiar.
“Odele,” she muttered, facing forward again.
There was a good chance that her manager had tipped off a photographer so someone could snap her and Rick arriving together at the studio. Odele was determined to give this story her personal spin.
Rick gave an amused look. “She thinks of everything.”
* * *
Rick tried to be on his best behavior, but having some fun was oh-so-tempting...
The Living Room on the first floor of The Peninsula Beverly Hills was nothing if not a den for power brokers, so he supposed it was perfect for a print interview over afternoon tea with WE Magazine—which wanted the dishy scoop on Chiara’s new relationship.
Rick eyed the sumptuous repast set out on the coffee table before them: finger sandwiches, scones and an assortment of petite pastries. Arranged by Odele, of course, the afternoon tea in The Living Room was worthy of a queen. Of course, all of it went untouched.
This wasn’t about food, but business. Showtime in Hollywood.
When he and Chiara had arrived at Novatus Studio that morning, Odele had surprised them with the news that she’d arranged a friendly press interview for them later the same day. Chiara was already scheduled to have the cover of the next issue of WE Magazine in order to promote the upcoming release of Pegasus Pride, but Odele had deftly arranged for it to become a joint interview about her new relationship. He and Chiara had left work early, because Odele had already spoken to Dan, the director, about their appointment. Dan had been happy to oblige if it meant more positive ink ahead of the release of the film—everyone was banking on it opening big at the box office.
Rick had to hand it to Chiara’s manager—she wasted no time. But he knew what Odele was thinking—better to get ahead of the gossip by getting your own version of the story out there before anyone else’s. So he’d gone along with the whole deal.
Too bad Chiara herself didn’t want him here. But Odele had insisted, arguing his presence would make the relationship more believable. As Odele had put it, Readers inhale romance. Touch each other a lot. To which Chiara had responded, Odele, I’m not making out in public for the benefit of gawkers.
Now, at his sudden grin at the recollection, Chiara shot him a repressive look. She’d already told him she saw his role here as a yes-man supporting player. He figured he could bridge the gap between stuntman and Prince Charming easily enough, but if Chiara thought he’d toady to a gossip columnist, she had another think coming. He stretched and then settled one arm on the back of the sofa—because he knew it would drive Chiara crazy.
