Thrill! (9 page)

"I thought we'd all have dinner tonight."

"Can't,"

Summer said.

"Going to a party."

"Already?"

"You wouldn't want me sitting home, would you?"

"Does your father give you a curfew?"

"A curfew? Me?Huh!"

"Don't get smart, Summer. What time do you have to be home in Chicago?"

"Any time I like,"

she replied boldly. Or, she thought, any time he says. Because Sheldon always liked to know she was there when he wanted her to be.

"The rules are different here,"

Nikki said, tapping her watch.

"Back by midnight."

"Midnight!"

Summer squealed.

"Parties don't even get started until then!"

"How do you know?"

"I've got friends here."

"You have? Who?"

"Nobody you know."

56

Oh God! Summer had reached the difficult age. Nikki gritted

h r teeth. She was going to need Richard's help, and at the moment

he was totally unavailable. Til give you cab money,"

she said at last,

Ot wanting to come down too hard.

"And be home by twelve.

Deal?"

"Whatever,"

Summer muttered, stomping off to her room,

thinking what an uncool drag her mother was.

fr &

Richard didn't arrive home until past ten. He was elated.

"The movie's looking incredible,"

he said, fixing himself a hefty drink.

"The South of France locations are exquisite, and Lara's performance is luminous. The way she's grown as an actress is quite remarkable."

"How long before it's all together?"

Nikki asked.

T should have a rough cut in about six weeks."

"That's exciting. Do the clothes look good?"

"Come over tomorrow and see for yourself. You'll be pleased."

T will?"

she said, putting her arms around him.

"Yes, my dear, you will."

T love you, Richard,"

she said, nuzzling her face against his chest.

"Love you too, sweetheart,"

he responded, not really concentrating.

"Where's Summer? Wasn't she supposed to be here today?"

"She arrived, caused her usual chaos and went out."

"Left you here by yourself?"

"She's not exactly my companion, Richard. I said it was OK for her to go out. Told her she had to be home by twelve. We don't have to wait up, I've decided to trust her."

"Good for you."

"You've been neglecting me,"

Nikki said, wishing he would pay her more attention.

"Who comes first - the film or me?"

"You know it's always the movie,"

he said, teasing her.

"You're such a bastard,"

she said, standing on tiptoes and kissing him. T don't know why I love you."

He wrapped her in his arms, almost sweeping her off her feet.

57 "Carry me in the bedroom and ravish me!"

she joked.

"Take advantage while I'm in the mood."

"I'm hungry,"

he said.

"All I've had is coffee and doughnuts."

She put on her best sexy voice. Til give you something to eat you'll really like."

"Yes?"

Now she had his full attention.

"Oh, yes, Mr Barry. You'll like it plenty."

Laughing, they retired to the bedroom.

58

So THERE I was, sixteen years old and out on my own again. I wasn't about to stay with Lulu, the cheating little whore.

I had a couple of options. One of them was Avis Delamore, the old bag who ran the acting class Pd been attending. Avis claimed she was a famous stage actress from England. I wasn't so sure, because every time she got excited, I noticed a touch of the Bronx in her accent.

When I got to know her better I discovered I was right. She'd lived in England for a couple of years with some loser bit-player she'd picked up in a bar. That was the extent of her English heritage.

Avis had a big crush on me, so when I rang her bell and told her I had no place to stay, she immediately said,

"Tou'd better sleep on my couch."

Teah - sure. That night the couch turned into her bed and I was in with a, vengeance. Like I said before, if I really concentrate I can S^t any woman I want.

Unfortunately Avis wasn't Lulu, with her tight stripper's body and perky tits. Avis was a big woman with floppy breasts and heavy thighs.

I soon learned what it was like to fuck a woman who hadn't been getting it in a while. My old man was right. Grateful was good. rateful meant they'd give you anything you wanted. And she did. Al11 had to do was ask.

I never thought about my dad or what he was doing. As far as I

as concerned, he was yesterday's news. I'd moved on and didn't give a shit.

59 Of course, like Lulu, Avis had no idea I was only sixteen. Told her I was twenty, an'she bought it.

She got me to do jobs around her crumbling old house - informing everyone I was her assistant. For this I got to screw her and pocket fifty bucks a week. Trouble was she wanted it every night, and I wasn't inclined to give it up on such a regular basis.

I compromised by making sure she gave me plenty of head. I like getting head - it means I can lie back and not get involved. Avis on her knees, and me fantasizing about movies and all that Hollywood shit. It doesn't matter what they look like as long as they give a decent blow job.

The one good thing about being with Avis was that I got to study acting every day. And the class was hot - there were always different girls coming and going - so naturally I took full advantage of the situation.

Avis was my bread and butter. The girls were my delectable desserts.

Of course, I made damn sure Avis didn't know - didn't even have a suspicion. I was smart enough to realize she wouldn't take kindly to me putting it about.

Everything went smoothly, until one day Avis's daughter, Betty, returned from California, where she'd been visiting her dad -Avis's estranged husband. By this time I was seventeen and quite settled into my new life, so when Betty appeared I wasn't expecting problems.

Betty was the same age as me, and not at all pleased to find me in residence. I heard her arguing with her mom the first night she was there.

"What the hell is he doing here? It's disgusting - he's young enough to be your son."

Avis didn't like confrontations, which was one of the reasons her husband had run off in the first place.

"It's my life,"

she said, defending her position.

"We're very happy."

"Well, I'm not happy,"

Betty yelled back.

"And I'm not living here with him."

Betty and I hated each other for three weeks. On the fourth week we had unbelievable sex on her mother's bed, then things got really complicated.

Betty was a bad girl, the kind I'd always been attracted to. She

60

loathe'd her mother, and couldn't believe I was sleeping with her.

"How w*1 y°u d° ^ with such an old bag?"

she sneered.

"You're really

alow lift-'

I didn't appreciate her calling me names.

One night she came to me with a plan. fl know where my mom keeps her jewellery - let's take it an"

run. We can stay with my dad anA his girlfriend in LA."

"You mean steal her stuff?"

I said, sounding like jerk of the year.

"No, we'll ask her for it,"

Betty said with her best sneer.

"What d"

you think I mean, dummy?"

Avis had been good to me, but then I'd been good to her, too.

On the other hand Betty offered excitement and adventure. She wns young, pretty and totally wild. I had nothing to lose and a shitload of adventure to gain.

So we grabbed all of Avis's jewellery from the safe deposit box she kept under her bed, and took off for California.

I was finally on my way to Hollywood.

61

^^t^^Jfl JOEY PROWLED restlessly around the hotel. He'd ^^^P^P&taA explored the town, checked out the beach and now he was bored. Two weeks"

location and only three days"

work spread out over fourteen days - he'd go crazy if he didn't think of something to keep him occupied.

He considered visiting the set - they were shooting at a beachside restaurant. But hanging around sets when not working was hardly smart, besides, it was boring.

Yesterday he'd finally gone to the wardrobe trailer - manned by Eric, a gay guy with a muscular body and white crew-cut, and Trinee, a young Hispanic girl with glossy jet hair hanging below her waist. They'd fitted him in a black silk T-shirt, and a white Armani suit. He got off on the look, it was straight out of GQ

Now - since he had nothing else to do - he decided to return to the trailer. He left the hotel and slowly strolled over.

Trinee was the only one there. She was busy organizing racks of clothes, while quietly humming a Gloria Estefan song under her breath.

Joey leaned against the door watching her for a few seconds.

"Where's Eric?"

he asked, like he cared.

She barely glanced up.

"On the set with Kyle Carson."

"How come you're not there?"

T'm in charge of the trailer today,"

she replied, a touch pleased with herself.

Joey took a closer look. She was very pretty with bold eyes, a

62

crushed rosebud mouth, and small inviting breasts. Unfortunately she was short, and diminutive girls failed to turn him on.

"Can I try on my stuff again?"

he asked.

"Everything fit, didn't it?"

"Putting on the clothes helps me get in character."

"OK,"

she said, reaching along the rack for a hanger with a cardboard tag bearing his name. He noticed she had a small pearl ring on her engagement finger - which probably accounted for the fact she wasn't falling all over him.

"I see you're engaged,"

he remarked.

A pleased smile spread across her pretty face.

"Two weeks,"

she said proudly, holding up her ring hand and waving it in his face.

"I'm engaged, too,"

he lied, deciding that it wasn't a bad idea to pretend he was. Trinee would spread the word and it would give him more substance - plus it would keep the women on the movie at bay. He had a rule he tried to keep - never fuck where you work.

"Really?"

Trinee said, cheering up considerably.

"My fiance is a boxer. What does yours do?"

Joey considered his reply. He wanted to make himself look good - no models or actresses need apply.

"A lawyer,"

he said at last.

"She's the youngest lawyer at her firm."

"Wow!"

Trinee responded.

"Cool!"

"Very,"

Joey agreed.

He tried on his outfit again.

"You look hot,"

Trinee said admiringly.

He stared at himself in the full-length mirror, wishing that his role in the movie was bigger. He was capable of anything and ready to fly, nothing was going to hold him back - not after where he'd been.

"Do I get to keep the clothes?"

he asked.

"That's up to the producer,"

Trinee replied.

"It's not usual unless you're the star."

"One of these days I'll be the star,"

Joey said confidently.

"You can bet on that."

"Well . . . you're sure handsome enough,"

she agreed with a light laugh.

"Y'know, I'm surprised they hired you."

"How come?"

63 "Kyle Carson's gonna shit when he sees you're better looking than him."

He smoothed back his dark hair, still gazing at his reflection.

"You think I am?"

Now that they were both safely engaged she indulged in a little light flirtation.

"Oh, c'mon, man, you know you are."

"The director liked me,"

he mused.

"So did the producer what's her name?"

"Barbara Westerberg."

"She liked me a lot."

"I'm totally in shock you slipped by Kyle."

"What does that mean?"

"I worked on his last movie,"

she said with a knowing nod.

"Oh boy! Every actor had to be older and less handsome than him."

She lowered her voice to a confidential whisper.

"He's losing his hair, you know."

"That's gotta make him real insecure."

"Not really,"

she replied.

"He still tries to jump everything that moves."

"Yeah?"

"Only females, though,"

Trinee said with a giggle.

"'You're safe."

"Gee, thanks,"

he said drily.

"When do you work?"

"Tomorrow. The bar scene."

Tm sure you'll be great,"

she said.