“Um… You know I never say no to that, but Kyle isn’t in town tonight. He doesn’t like me going to parties without him.”
His face contorted in disgust when he heard the name. That nineteen-foot bastard with the cheekbones of a model she met a month after Mike had gone to Europe to shootEverlasting. The one she’d been with longer than all her boyfriends combined. “Kyle? That slick ass broker bosses you around now? What the fuck?”
“No, he doesn’t. He’s my boyfriend. I don’t like to upset him.”
His fist tightened around the steering wheel. “So you’re not going to a party just to please some insecure boy who can’t trust you to go somewhere without him for a few hours? Is that what you’re telling me?”
“Jealous much? Why don’t you get yourself a girlfriend?”
Fair question. One he couldn’t answer without having to lie to her. “Maggie, I got weed. Loads of it. You coming or not?”
“Well, when you say it that way…”
“I’m sending a car over at 9:30.”
Scene 5
Mike
Mike did a double take as Maggie waltzed through the people jumping up and down in the strobe lights on his suite floor. She met his gaze with a crooked smile, sauntering toward him in a wraparound black dress and high heels with fancy lacing. Her hazel eyes, framed with black liner, shone with a wild glint. Holy fuck.
He gave James his drink and walked toward her. “Hey—”
“If you say Kiddo one more time, I’ll steal all your weed, and you’ll never see me again.”
He bit his lip on a laugh. “Come here.” He spread his arms, and she threw herself into them. His nose skimmed across her hair as he bent to kiss her cheek. Why did she have to smell so damn good? He closed his eyes, swallowing a moan. “Mi sei mancato tanto, pazza.”
Her arms slid around his waist, embracing him tighter. “I missed you, too.”
The way he was squeezing a young hottie with his eyes closed in the middle of a room full of people must have raised some eyebrows, but he didn’t care. These friendly hugs were his only chance to feel her warmth, to touch her skin, to hear her heartbeat. He wasn’t going to let go until she did.
When she finally pulled away from him, he gazed at her. “You look amazing.” His fingers played with a strand of her brown hair. “And this looks good short.”
“Thanks. You should tell that to Andrea. For her, my hair is never the right length. My body is never the right size. And of course, my choice of attire is never appropriate for any given occasion.”
“Good thing that you never listen to her. You’re gorgeous.” He took her by the hand and stepped onto the balcony, shutting the party craziness behind the glass door.
She tossed her purse on one of the wicker chairs surrounding a small, walnut table. “Maybe you should try that, not listening to her.”
“You should’ve been there today.” Cool air ruffled his curls as he slouched against the banister. “I’m sure you’d have liked it.”
“I doubt that. Did something new happen?”
He nodded, pushing his hair off his face, his lips twisting into a wry smile.
Her eyes narrowed. “What?”
“I told her I wouldn’t be making the same kinds of movies anymore, and I’d find a new agent if she wouldn’t get me what I wanted.”
She gaped at him. “Shut up! You practically told Andrea Dawson to shove it where the sun didn’t shine? Shit! I really should’ve seen that. She must’ve flipped.”
His eyes widened as he laughed. “Have some respect. She’s still your mother.”
“Suck my dick.”
“God help me.”
She hopped and sat on the banister next to him. “So you’re finally stepping out of your comfort zone?”
