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“There’s more?” He smiled, only to realize that she was perfectly serious.
“Oh yes. Do you remember when you were on the run in Devil Slaughter? I loved that. I love it when it’s just you against them. That’s the kind of picture Jimmy would have made if he hadn’t died.”
“Jimmy?” He tossed the pillows against the headboard and settled into them.
“James Dean. You’ve always reminded me of him.” She rose and came toward the bed. In the dim light of the room, her blue eyes bathed him in admiration. “I’ve been so lonely,” she whispered. “Would you like me to get undressed for you?”
He’d gotten sick of playing games, and her directness was refreshing. “That’s the best offer I’ve had in months.”
“I want to please you.” She sat on the side of the bed and leaned forward to kiss him. As their lips met, her hands clasped his shoulders and began stroking his arms. He kissed her more deeply and touched her breast through the silky fabric of the dress. She immediately pulled away and began unfastening her blouse.
“Hey, slow down,” he said gently.
She looked up at him, her eyes clouded with confusion. “Don’t you want to see me?”
“We’ve got all day.”
“I only want to please you.”
“That works two ways.” He pushed her beneath him and slipped his hand under her skirt.
When Belinda felt Jake’s hand on her thigh, she saw the scene in Devil Slaughter where Bird Dog tangled with the beautiful Englishwoman. She remembered how he’d pulled her off her horse into his arms, how he’d run his hands over her body searching for the knife he knew she carried. As Jake’s hand circled her thigh, she pretended he was searching her.
Her mouth fell open to his kisses…wonderful, deep kisses. She’d meant to undress for him, but he took off her clothes, one item at a time. It didn’t feel right seeing his face so close, so she shut her eyes again and visualized the way he looked on the screen.
Better. So much better…
She parted her legs to offer herself. His beard scraped her skin, deliciously hurting her. And then he stopped.
As Jake gazed at Belinda’s closed eyes, he knew he’d made a big mistake. She was completely passive, like some kind of vestal virgin offering herself up to the gods. The adoration she’d showered him with since they day they’d met now felt faintly creepy. He could do whatever he wanted, but this was like making love to a blow-up doll.
Her eyes flickered open. He had the urge to wave his hands in front of her to see if she was still there. “Is something wrong?” she asked.
He told himself to do it and get it over with, but the image of Flower’s face popped into his head, and what had only seemed creepy now felt sordid. “Second thoughts,” he said, pulling away from her. “Sorry.”
She reached up and touched his shoulder. He waited for the cross-examination to begin—tried to figure out what to say—but to his shock, it didn’t happen. “All right,” she said.
Moments later, she was gone.
Three days passed, but as Jake sat on the back of a tractor, his bare chest oiled with phony sweat, the incident continued to bother him. He spotted Belinda perched by the wardrobe trailer reading a magazine. He’d been doing his best to avoid her. Unnecessary, as it turned out, because she treated him exactly as she had before. She didn’t seem to expect anything from him, and that alone was unsettling.
“Here’s your shirt.”
He hadn’t seen Lynn approach. “Since when are you working wardrobe?” he said, as he took the denim shirt from her.
“I wanted to talk to you without anybody listening in.” Lynn folded her arms over the phony pregnancy padding beneath her maternity top. Something in her determined expression made him wary. “I saw Belinda go into your room the other morning.”
Shit. “So what?” He came down off the tractor and patted her stomach to distract her. “How’s the baby doing?”
“You’re making a big mistake.”
“I need to find Johnny Guy.” He started moving away, but she stepped in front of him.
“She’s nothing but a well-dressed celebrity fucker.”
Lynn was right, but Belinda’s sophistication had kept him from seeing the truth. “Nice talk,” he said. “I saw her running lines with you yesterday. What is it with you women?”
“Did you even once think about Fleur?”
