She laughed, at his perseverance if not his marital past, unlike Jim who wore a very serious and determined expression.
“Maybe, but not together and not to get married.”
“We’ll see, baby.” His expression softened as he caressed her hand, each fingertip and knuckle before his thumb began to knead the soft flesh of her palm. He took one of her fingers into his mouth where he began to stroke and tease it with his tongue.
Her loud gasp preceded her picking up his hand to reciprocate causing his louder groans to join and drowned out hers.
“Oh, honey, we will most definitely be going to Vegas together, and definitely to get married.”
Before she could respond, not that she thought anything she had to say would cause him to waver, his phone rang.
“Hi, Marc, yeah, sorry. I had something to take care of here. No, no, she’s seen things our way and her team are calling ours tomorrow to sort out the details, but no financial penalties for either side and we part as friends.” There was a short pause. “It would appear that she was taken advantage of and will be literally left holding the baby. I ended up feeling sorry for her. I most certainly have not lost my edge and unless you want to go back to making tea and coffee you would do well to remember that.” He laughed again and then paused before saying, “New York? Yes, good, very good. The English actress?” Looking down at Tasha he grinned. “She is very interesting and keen to work in Hollywood, but there may be some availability issues in the short term. There were a couple from Thursday that could be suitable for some of the newer stuff. I’ll let you have the details tomorrow.”
Jim was still laughing when Tasha’s phone began to ring in her bag. As she scrambled to grab it, she fell off the bed making Jim roar with laughter as he watched her land straight on her still tender ass.
“Sorry Marc, hang on. Something rather valuable and fragile has just fallen,” he told his friend, colleague, and quickly put his phone down on the bed to help her to her feet. “Are you okay?” His amusement was still clear.
“Hardly, straight on my already delicate arse. And the bloody phone stopped before I got there.” Tasha laughed herself now.
Jim landed a single delicate kiss to her cheek before moving his lips so that he was nuzzling her ear. “I’ll kiss it better if you think it might help, but later, baby. Maybe you should get your phone and return the call rather than risking another fall as you dive to find it.” He retrieved his own phone now. “I’m back, no it’s fine, no permanent damage. Yeah, I’ll be in the office tomorrow, maybe not too early though.” Jim pulled Tasha back onto the bed to sit next to him. “See you tomorrow, say hi to Marcia, bye.”
“How many actresses did you see in New York?” she asked him as she processed the details she’d heard.
“Only about six. We often get tip offs on up and coming stars, male and female, and we invite them to casting sessions or informal meetings.”
“We?”
“Yes. I’m usually just an observer really, but Marc, his wife Marcia, Trey and Trish are the main ones. They all come from casting backgrounds.”
“So, why did I only meet with you?” She was curious now, well suspicious more than curious. Suddenly, she wondered if she was somehow being taken advantage of and although she’d been taken advantage of on more than one occasion and by multiple people she was desperate not to add Jim to that particular list.
“Because after Thursday’s session Trish flew home as her son was unwell and Trey did Friday morning with his head in a waste paper basket courtesy of the previous night’s oysters. It was only you we were due to see and Jon had already given me his thoughts on you and as you’d flown in especially I thought it would be unfair of us to cancel, so…”
“So, I met with just you and I’m very glad I did.” She really was, but her grin was more for the fact that their meeting had no ulterior motive.
“Me too, honey.” He grinned in return and leaned down to kiss her, thoughts of dinner forgotten for a while because he knew from the second his lips made contact with hers it would be game over. Her lips would part and invite him in and he would devour her before taking possession of her completely, again. He was going to need some kind of convalescence at this rate, but maybe he could check-in somewhere when Tasha returned home. That thought made him sad and angry in equal parts and the desire to own her once more grew as did his dick, however as he reached her lips her phone rang again.
With his thoughts and the moment broken, Jim pulled back, putting some distance between them.
He afforded her some privacy. “Dinner? Come down when you’re ready.”
She nodded, already answering the phone with a very weak smile and a sigh. “Hi Dan.”
Jim looked at her with concern from his position in the open doorway because she seemed genuinely sad now, like when she’d called her mother, but also because he had no idea who Dan was. He smiled at her, hoping to offer some kind of support and reassurance before leaving her alone while he went downstairs to start dinner, somehow and inexplicably trusting her to tell him at some point who the man calling her was, and why it made it her sad.
****
He was mixing a salad when she appeared in the kitchen wearing the linen shirt he’d earlier removed but was still on the phone.
“Okay, Dan, okay, how much?” She accepted the glass of wine Jim offered her. “That’s a lot of cash. What has he done with the money he had last week? All of it? Well obviously it wasn’t much of tip, was it? When does he need it for?” She sounded angry as she gulped down her wine but then softened her tone, reassuring Dan. “No, it’s not your fault. It’s his. He really is a fucking liability, isn’t he? I can call the bank tomorrow and transfer it, or do it online, but I can’t keep doing this, Dan. None of us can. I’m working my arse off while he sits on his all day and loses our money, money I am running out of.” She was speaking in a hushed whisper now, as if by speaking at full volume would make things worse or maybe she hoped Jim wouldn’t hear all of the details.
He looked across at her and thought she was going to cry as she held her head in her hands. He also decided Dan was no threat to him, although they were very familiar.
“So, has he been spending the mortgage again if he needs that much?” She sounded tired and worried. “What? This is a fucking nightmare. She needs to kick his sorry arse out and get the house in her name before he loses it. Has she been to see Grandma?” Tasha asked and listened to the response intently. “I suppose. No, you’re right. If she went to them and told them she was divorcing him they would probably help, but she’s not much better than him. So how much to clear the security against the house?” She drained her glass and walked over to refill her glass, almost forgetting Jim was even there. “Holy shit, Dan! I will transfer the money to you, but don’t give it to that fuck up of a father for Christ’s sake. I don’t expect you to pay me anything back and I know he never will. I spoke to her yesterday or the day before. I can’t work out the time difference and she didn’t say a word. She said they’d argued because she’d accused him of giving Barbara from the bookies one.” She laughed at Dan’s response, but it sounded hard. “Yeah, maybe him and Barbara could go on a double date with her and Frank.” She laughed again, glancing down at the wine glass she’d drained again.
Jim appeared in front of her and took the glass. He’d obviously decided she’d drunk enough. If only.
“Does Pippa know all of this? Is she okay? I know Dan. I’m sorry for abandoning you both.” The break in her voice proved tears were only one wrong word away. “He would have destroyed me if I’d stayed. If things get too bad take Pippa to Grandma’s and stay there or go and stay at mine. Lucy won’t mind and you should be okay while I’m still coughing up. I’ll call you as soon as it’s done. I love you too, bye.”
