had a feeling that she might regret not leaving right then and there.
But she loved her apartment. And at the moment, she was willing to do whatever it took to keep it.
* * *
Gemma Darlings was in his kitchen. Obviously one of his friends had set this up as a joke or as a birthday present. When he’d ordered his meal, he certainly didn’t count on getting a gorgeous woman as part of the deal. His night was looking better and better.
Nearly everyone knew Gemma, and he was no exception. She’d started her modeling career at the tender age of eighteen, and she’d done everything from televisions commercials to catwalks. Her long blonde hair and sultry red lips were trademarks in the summer, and those dark brown eyes were glamorous in winter ads. She’d been America’s sweetheart until she’d been caught in the arms of a married man.
He’d treated the scandal with a grain of salt. The tabloids had a way of blowing things out of proportion, and he knew that better than anyone. But as her career began to fade, he started to believe that the rumors were true. She was nothing but another woman who thought she could have anything.
Not that Charlie could really judge her. He’d had his fair share of married women. The only difference was that it was expected of him.
And he didn’t get caught.
She’d nearly jumped at the chance to serve him when he’d offered her money. Charlie wondered just how much she was getting paid for this gig tonight.
How far was she willing to go?
He grew hard just thinking about it.
“So you are friends with the owner of Towney Catering,” he said as she joined him. “Do you brag about that a lot?”
“Actually, today is the first day I’ve seen her operation. She invited me down to talk and found herself in the middle of an emergency. It was you or Smithfield.” She handed him his plate and settled down to him.
Charlie grimaced. “Really? Smithfield? Surely I rank higher than him.”
“Sure, but you’re a first time customer. He’s a regular. Aren’t you supposed to be a birthday party?” She took a swig of the beer and leaned back.
He took a moment to admire how perfect she looked on his couch. She had that girl next-door look, and he loved it.
“I took a look at the list of people attending the party and decided that it wasn’t for me,” he said as he dug into his steak.
“Aren’t you supposed to rub elbows with the rich and famous when you’re rich and famous?” she asked with a lifted eyebrow.
“You’re rich and famous too,” he pointed out.
She clammed up quickly, and he realized that he’d hit a soft spot. Maybe she wasn’t as rich as she used to be, but she was certainly famous. “I thought maybe I’d rent Dusty Tracks. Ever seen it?”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously? I think that was my dad’s my favorite movie.”
“Too spoiled for an old movie? It’s a classic.”
“Casablanca is a classic. Dusty Tracks is a terrible movie they made forty years ago. Being old doesn’t make you a classic,” she said with a scrunched up nose.
Charlie chuckled. “So you’re not a fan. But you didn’t answer my original question. Have you ever seen it?”
Gemma cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. “’Bout time we hit them dusty tracks. Only way we gonna get anywhere is if we start gettin’,” she said in a low voice.
“What the hell was that?” Charlie said as he burst out laughing.
“That’s the main character. Thomas something or other.”
“That is not what he sounds like,” he said as he wiped the tears away.
“Oh, it’s close enough. My Dad used to have it on at least three nights a week. When I was a kid, I’d sit down and watch it with him, but when it go so that I could quote every word of it, I had to call it quits.”
“Call it quits huh? You were missing out.”
Gemma smiled and settled back
But she loved her apartment. And at the moment, she was willing to do whatever it took to keep it.
* * *
Gemma Darlings was in his kitchen. Obviously one of his friends had set this up as a joke or as a birthday present. When he’d ordered his meal, he certainly didn’t count on getting a gorgeous woman as part of the deal. His night was looking better and better.
Nearly everyone knew Gemma, and he was no exception. She’d started her modeling career at the tender age of eighteen, and she’d done everything from televisions commercials to catwalks. Her long blonde hair and sultry red lips were trademarks in the summer, and those dark brown eyes were glamorous in winter ads. She’d been America’s sweetheart until she’d been caught in the arms of a married man.
He’d treated the scandal with a grain of salt. The tabloids had a way of blowing things out of proportion, and he knew that better than anyone. But as her career began to fade, he started to believe that the rumors were true. She was nothing but another woman who thought she could have anything.
Not that Charlie could really judge her. He’d had his fair share of married women. The only difference was that it was expected of him.
And he didn’t get caught.
She’d nearly jumped at the chance to serve him when he’d offered her money. Charlie wondered just how much she was getting paid for this gig tonight.
How far was she willing to go?
He grew hard just thinking about it.
“So you are friends with the owner of Towney Catering,” he said as she joined him. “Do you brag about that a lot?”
“Actually, today is the first day I’ve seen her operation. She invited me down to talk and found herself in the middle of an emergency. It was you or Smithfield.” She handed him his plate and settled down to him.
Charlie grimaced. “Really? Smithfield? Surely I rank higher than him.”
“Sure, but you’re a first time customer. He’s a regular. Aren’t you supposed to be a birthday party?” She took a swig of the beer and leaned back.
He took a moment to admire how perfect she looked on his couch. She had that girl next-door look, and he loved it.
“I took a look at the list of people attending the party and decided that it wasn’t for me,” he said as he dug into his steak.
“Aren’t you supposed to rub elbows with the rich and famous when you’re rich and famous?” she asked with a lifted eyebrow.
“You’re rich and famous too,” he pointed out.
She clammed up quickly, and he realized that he’d hit a soft spot. Maybe she wasn’t as rich as she used to be, but she was certainly famous. “I thought maybe I’d rent Dusty Tracks. Ever seen it?”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously? I think that was my dad’s my favorite movie.”
“Too spoiled for an old movie? It’s a classic.”
“Casablanca is a classic. Dusty Tracks is a terrible movie they made forty years ago. Being old doesn’t make you a classic,” she said with a scrunched up nose.
Charlie chuckled. “So you’re not a fan. But you didn’t answer my original question. Have you ever seen it?”
Gemma cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. “’Bout time we hit them dusty tracks. Only way we gonna get anywhere is if we start gettin’,” she said in a low voice.
“What the hell was that?” Charlie said as he burst out laughing.
“That’s the main character. Thomas something or other.”
“That is not what he sounds like,” he said as he wiped the tears away.
“Oh, it’s close enough. My Dad used to have it on at least three nights a week. When I was a kid, I’d sit down and watch it with him, but when it go so that I could quote every word of it, I had to call it quits.”
“Call it quits huh? You were missing out.”
Gemma smiled and settled back
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