Lovers & Liars by Jean C. Joachim Page A

emotional straitjacket. After he married, he’d have to
curtail his extracurricular sexual activities or end up the lead story in Celebs ’R Us. Max would have a fit, and
his true love, East West, would founder.
    There
was more to his reluctance to wed, but he wasn’t ready to face the truth. Lying
to himself had become a habit, and he refused to admit
that his heart was overruling his head. It’s
not about Erica. She has nothing to do with this. Once again, Gunther
played tag with the truth.
    He
was looking out the window, as if the answer to his dilemma was pasted on the
clouds, when Elsa opened the door and walked in. “I need to talk to you.”
    “Whatever
happened to a hello kiss and ‘glad to see you’?” He turned to face her.
    “Don’t
play with me, Gunther. Our engagement is a business arrangement. I’m not stupid.”
    “It
can be more than that, Elsa, baby, if you’ll warm up a little.”
    She
laughed. “Always the seducer, aren’t you?”
    “Hey,
you’re my fiancée. I’m supposed to be getting plenty, instead I’m getting
nothing.”
    “You’ll
get it. After we tie the knot.”
    “How
do I know? I need a refresher now and then.”
    “Isn’t
that what you pay secretaries for?”
    “Hey!
Don’t talk about Erica like that. She’s not a hooker.”
    “Isn’t
she? Doesn’t she do everything except sleep with you, for a very generous
salary?”
    “That’s
business. You and I are a partnership.”
    “That’s
a business arrangement of sorts. But I’m not getting my half. You’re in most of
my publicity shots for my new movie, but you never cast me in yours.”
    “I’m
doing musicals. Do you sing? Do you dance?”
    “I
can learn.” She sidled up to him and slid a finger down his cheek.
    He
removed her hand. “I’m not risking millions of dollars on an actress in
training. It’s not my money and not my sole decision, either. No one would go
for me putting you in a musical, Elsa. I just can’t.”
    She
made a face. “Then what’s our partnership for?”
    “I’ll
make other movies.”
    “You’d
better. I don’t like tying myself down and getting nothing in return.”
    “Are
you tying yourself down?”
    “What
do you mean?” She balled her hands into fists and planted them on her hips.
    “ Celebs ’R Us suggested you were sleeping
with your co-star in Spain. Were you? If you were… I don’t intend to become a laughing
stock because my wife is fucking every leading man she comes across.”
    “I’m
not fucking anyone. Besides, who would know?”
    “Everyone
would know. You’re not good at keeping secrets.”
    “And
what about you and your secretary?”
    “Doe-eyes?”
    “What?
What did you call her?”
    “Erica?
I’m not sleeping with her.” Not that I
wouldn’t, given half a chance.
    “You
expect me to believe that? She’s hot.”
    “She’s
also very good at her job. I need her. I’m not about to seduce her and lose
her.”
    “Oh?
It wouldn’t be the first time.”
    “Are
you keeping track? Because I have some statistics of my own. Let’s see…there
was the director on the picture you did in Sweden. And the lead in that
off-Broadway play you did for six months. Did you bang him every night, or only
on matinée days?”
    “I
don’t have to listen to this,” she said, raising her chin.
    Gunther
grabbed her by the arm. “Oh yes you do. As long as you’re my fiancée. Every
word. You’re no lily-white virgin, baby. So don’t start throwing rocks at me.”
    “You’re
a bad boy, a seducer, a ruiner of young women. You’ve
broken more hearts on this couch than I’ve broken in my entire life.”
    “The
girls know what they’re doing. They’re old enough. It’s a little innocent fun.”
    “There’s
nothing innocent about it. You’re a snake, an evildoer.”
    He
tightened his grip until she gasped. “I don’t like to be called names.”
    “If
the shoe fits.” She pawed at him, but his hold was like iron. “Let go. You’re
hurting