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The couch was in a cozy and semiprivate corner. The interviewer, Melody Banyon—who looked to be in her late forties and was a dead ringer for Mindy Kaling—leaned forward in her armchair. “So was it love at first sight?”
From the corner of his eye, Rick noticed Chiara’s elbow inching toward him, ready to jab in case he made a flippant comment. But then Chiara just smiled at him before purring, “Well, I don’t usually notice the stuntmen on my movie sets...”
Rick glanced at the interviewer and a corner of his mouth lifted. “You could say Chiara’s manager played matchmaker. She thought we’d be perfect for each other.”
Chiara’s eyes widened, but then she tossed him a grateful look. “Yes, Odele is always looking out for my best interests...”
Melody gave a satisfied smile. “Great, just great.” Repositioning the voice recorder on the table before them, she looked back and forth between her interview subjects. “And I understand you two just moved in together?”
“Yup,” Rick spoke up, unable to resist. “Like yesterday.” It was also roughly when their whole “relationship” had started.
Chiara shot him a quelling look, and he tossed back an innocent one. He moved his arm off the sofa, gave her shoulder a squeeze, and then leaned in and nuzzled her temple for a quick kiss.
“Mmm,” Melody said, as if tasting a delicious story, “you two move fast.”
Rick relaxed against the sofa again, and responded sardonically, “You don’t know the half of it.”
He knew he risked Chiara’s wrath, and he was surprised to find himself relishing the challenge of sparring with her again. No doubt about it—they set sparks off in each other. And it would probably carry over to the bedroom.
He glanced at Chiara’s profile. She was a beautiful woman. Winged brows, pink bow lips, thick, rich chocolate hair and a figure that was hourglass without being voluptuous. She was also talented and tough enough to play a kick-ass action movie heroine and do her own stunts. He had to respect that—all the while being attracted as hell—even though he knew celebrity actresses like her couldn’t be trusted.
They were duplicitous—they had to be for the press. Like right now.
Chiara seemed chummy with Melody—as if they were friends, or at least acquaintances from way back. Melody asked a few questions about Pegasus Pride, and Chiara answered, while Rick threw in a few sentences at the end.
He wasn’t the star attraction here, and there was no use pretending otherwise. Sure, he had a lot riding on this film—money and otherwise—but he wouldn’t be why this movie succeeded, or not, at the box office. Chiara was the public face of Pegasus Pride.
After a few minutes, Melody changed the subject, mentioning the upcoming Ring of Hope Gala to Benefit Children’s Charities, for which half of Hollywood turned out. “So give me the scoop, Chiara.” Her voice dipped conspiratorially. “What will you be wearing?”
“I haven’t decided yet. There are two dresses...”
“Give me the details on both!” Melody said, her face avid with anticipation.
Rick suppressed a grunt. As far as he was concerned, a dress was a dress. He didn’t care what it was made out of—whether a pride of lions had to be sacrificed for the embellishment, or the designer used recycled garbage bags. His youngest sibling might be an up-and-
comer in the fashion business, but it was all the same to Rick—or as his sister liked to say, Bless your style-deaf soul.
“There’s a one-shoulder pale blue column dress from Elie Saab. The other gown is a red chiffon—”
“Oh, I love both! Don’t you, Rick?”
If it wasn’t for Chiara’s significant look, Rick would have answered that naked was his first preference. Chiara had a body that invited fantasies even, or especially, if she was aiming verbal barbs at him.
He settled back. “I don’t know...isn’t pale blue the color for Cinderella?”
Chiara turned to him and smiled, even as her eyes shot a warning. “Wrong fairy tale.”
When Melody just appeared confused, Chiara cleared her throat. “Well, keep your eyes open on the night of the gala to find out which dress I go with.”
The reporter pressed Stop on her recorder. “So when am I going to see you again, Chiara? Girls’ night sometime at Marmont? Paparazzi snapped Leo there just last week.”
Rick raised his eyebrows. From the lack of a ring, Rick deduced Melody was divorced, widowed or had never married. “You ladies do go for the chills and thrills.”
Chateau Marmont was a trendy celebrity haunt. Some booked one of the hotel rooms for privacy, and others just went to party and be seen. But he preferred his thrills a little more real than a Leonardo DiCaprio sighting.
“I’d love to, Melody,” Chiara said, “but can I take a rain check? This movie is wearing me out—” she looked down demurely “—when Rick isn’t.”
Yup, strong acting chops.
