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Caroline suddenly appeared beside Darcy, red-faced and perspiring from dancing. “It is so hot in here.” She picked up Darcy’s glass and took a healthy swig, regarding him expectantly until he scooted over and provided space for her to sit. “Ah, that’s better,” she murmured. “These shoes are killing me.” Leaning over to rub her foot, she bumped shoulders with Darcy. Claiming her territory? Darcy thought sourly.
But Elizabeth seemed uninterested in competing with Caroline. After one last gulp from her bottle, she stood. “I think I’ll go dance.” Darcy stifled an urge to beg her to stay.
Elizabeth’s eyes didn’t even flicker in his direction as she stepped away from the table; however, he called her name before she got too far. She looked back over her shoulder, and he said, “I’ll think about it…about participating in your project.”
She gave a brisk nod before striding toward a group of PAs who were dancing together. His eyes followed her. She was a good dancer, moving with assurance and a feel for the music. Damn, he was staring! Quickly, he transferred his gaze to his drink.
The waitress handed Caroline a martini and deposited a plate of nachos and buffalo wings onto the table, giving Darcy a flirtatious smile. He returned it automatically and then averted his eyes. She was pretty, but he was so not in the mood for a starfucker today.
Caroline had started a monologue about industry gossip. Half listening, he pulled a nacho from the platter, watching the cheese ooze and drip. He could have five of these before violating the diet his nutritionist had outlined.
After a pause, Caroline’s voice shifted tone. “We should go out for dinner sometime.” Her fingertips ran along his arm, a less enticing sensation than watching Elizabeth peel a beer label.
“We should,” he said insincerely. In Hollywood, people were forever promising things they had no intention of doing. Darcy shifted his gaze toward the dance floor. Elizabeth’s eyes had flickered in his direction—perhaps noticing how close Caroline was sitting. Did it appear he was letting Caroline seduce him? He didn’t want Elizabeth to make assumptions.
Maybe he should join her on the dance floor. His dancing was decent; he wouldn’t embarrass himself. But…it would be strange. International movie star William Darcy imposing his presence on a group of PAs. It would give rise to all kinds of speculation and rumors. Worse, it might raise Elizabeth’s hopes.
Which would be bad, he reminded himself. Bad. Bad. Dancing with her would be the ultimate stupidity. He would have to content himself with admiring from afar.
Caroline leaned her head on his shoulder, her hot breath tickling her ear. “Isn’t that the PA you hit with your car? Why on earth do you keep staring at her? Are you worried she’ll have a stroke and sue you?”
Darcy averted his eyes. “I’m not staring at anyone.”
Caroline ignored this. “She’s passably pretty, I suppose.”
Darcy bristled. “You don’t have to be so nasty, Caroline. The PAs work really hard for not very much money.”
“Puh-leeze! Even lack of money can’t excuse those pants. They add at least five pounds, which she really can’t afford.”
Elizabeth was a little more… well-rounded than most women in Hollywood, but she certainly wasn’t overweight. It was rather appealing. Everyone wanted to starve themselves down to a size two, but Elizabeth was a more normal weight. “She looks good…healthy.”
Caroline steamrolled on. “Is she even out of high school?”
“She just graduated from college,” Darcy said through gritted teeth, pulling away from her. “Stanford.”
“Well, la-dee-da!” She sniffed. “A fancy degree won’t be much use on a movie set.”
Forgetting that Darcy himself had attended Yale, Caroline tended to assume that anyone from an elite college was a snob. “I’m just saying that she’s not that young.”
“My PA can’t even find me the right brand of moisturizer.” She sighed dramatically. “I can’t wait to be finished with this stupid low-budget hell.”
“You didn’t have to take the part,” he snapped.
Caroline regarded her nails. “But it does have Oscar potential. Edgy little indies often get the nod.” She shrugged. “Otherwise it’ll be a waste of time.”
Somehow he found her attitude to be almost unbearably calculating. Arguably, Darcy’s reasons for doing the movie were even less noble, but he still wished the movie meant more to her. Maybe Elizabeth was rubbing off on him.
Caroline leaned against the padded back of the booth and sipped her martini. “The script is so tedious! All those hokey lines about how people should support each other. I might gag the next time I have to spew that nonsense.”
It wouldn’t be the first time they shared complaints about a movie, but today he found himself wanting to defend the script. “I think it’ll be a good movie,” he said nonchalantly.
She gave him a sidelong glance. “Now you’re a true believer?”
Darcy suppressed a flash of irritation; she was just trying to get under his skin. Elizabeth was never like that. Not that there was any comparison. “If you don’t like my attitude, there’s the door.” He gestured with his glass. “Or you can go sit with someone else.”
She gave a conciliatory laugh. “I know you don’t mean that.” She inched closer, molding her body to his.
Darcy didn’t respond, and after a moment Caroline relaxed her death grip on him.
