Harry
for me? I don’t care how much he hates you, I pay you to run
interference,” he said and finally clicked off, ending the
call.
“My agent,” he said, turning her way. He
shot her an apologetic look. “Sorry about that. It took longer than
I thought.”
She shrugged. “It’s business. I
understand.”
He rose and strode over to where she sat.
“Do you picture me as a superhero?” he asked.
“Would you have to wear tights?”
He laughed. “Why? Do you have a problem with
my legs?”
“Nope.” They were as strong and powerful as
the rest of him. But something told her that despite their banter,
this wasn’t a lightly asked question. Rather, he was asking her
opinion on his next role. “Wasn’t your last film more serious?”
“You saw
Last Dawn
?”
She forced a nod. Hard as it was to admit,
she’d seen all his movies. She made it a point to go alone to the
theater in order to spare herself questions, comments and innuendo
from her friends.
“My guess is that now you’re worried if you
go back to an action film or one based on a comic book character,
you’ll be taking a step backward when it comes to being taken more
seriously as an actor.”
“How’d you know?” he asked, surprise evident
in his tone. Yet by the warm smile and gleam in his eyes, he was
obviously pleased she understood his concerns without him having to
explain.
“I watched the evolution of your work.” She
stated the truth for his benefit alone. Admitting she’d followed
his career made her feel even more vulnerable to him than she
already was.
“And what’d you think?” A muscle ticked in
his jaw as he leaned against the counter beside her.
She wondered if the insecurity she sensed
was a figment of her imagination or if he really cared about what
she thought of his work.
She placed the jar down on the counter,
pushing it out of the way. “
Last Dawn
was a real stretch,”
she said of his portrayal of a convict on death row. “You showed
depth and range. Real growth.”
“And?” he asked, correctly sensing she
wasn’t through critiquing him yet.
“And taking a commercial role now could
damage the new reputation you’re seeking to establish.”
He leaned forward, his forehead close to
hers. “You’re suggesting I turn it down?”
She drew a deep breath, finding it hard to
believe he’d need her opinion on something so important. “I’m
saying you should think long and hard before agreeing. And—”
“And?” he asked, grinning.
“And the possibility of Melanie Masterson
playing opposite you has nothing to do with that suggestion,” she
said, forcing the words out on a rush of air.
He tipped his head backward and let loose
with a genuine laugh. “Nothing to do with it?”
She shoved his shoulder with one hand,
hating that he’d caught her feeling any jealousy at all. “Almost
nothing,” she said.
“You need to know she was a fling,” he told
her.
“A long-lasting one though.” She couldn’t
help but state facts and hope he’d fill her in some more.
He tipped his head to one side, studying
her. “I was searching for something, trying to pretend she could
fill a void …” His voice trailed off.
His words reminded her of her own feelings
about John and a distinct wave of guilt arose. She tamped it down.
John had given her this time to figure things out, and from the
look on his face, he already knew where her heart lay. She sighed
and pushed thoughts of John out of her head, at least for a few
more days. She’d promised herself this time and she needed to take
it.
Meanwhile, Dylan sat waiting for her reply.
“I get it more than you know,” she murmured. “As for the movie, you
have to know my opinion doesn’t mean a thing. I don’t know the
business or the players. I don’t even know how important commercial
success is to you.”
In short, Holly thought, she was on the
outside of his life looking in. She felt like a complete fraud
offering her opinion at all.
He
for me? I don’t care how much he hates you, I pay you to run
interference,” he said and finally clicked off, ending the
call.
“My agent,” he said, turning her way. He
shot her an apologetic look. “Sorry about that. It took longer than
I thought.”
She shrugged. “It’s business. I
understand.”
He rose and strode over to where she sat.
“Do you picture me as a superhero?” he asked.
“Would you have to wear tights?”
He laughed. “Why? Do you have a problem with
my legs?”
“Nope.” They were as strong and powerful as
the rest of him. But something told her that despite their banter,
this wasn’t a lightly asked question. Rather, he was asking her
opinion on his next role. “Wasn’t your last film more serious?”
“You saw
Last Dawn
?”
She forced a nod. Hard as it was to admit,
she’d seen all his movies. She made it a point to go alone to the
theater in order to spare herself questions, comments and innuendo
from her friends.
“My guess is that now you’re worried if you
go back to an action film or one based on a comic book character,
you’ll be taking a step backward when it comes to being taken more
seriously as an actor.”
“How’d you know?” he asked, surprise evident
in his tone. Yet by the warm smile and gleam in his eyes, he was
obviously pleased she understood his concerns without him having to
explain.
“I watched the evolution of your work.” She
stated the truth for his benefit alone. Admitting she’d followed
his career made her feel even more vulnerable to him than she
already was.
“And what’d you think?” A muscle ticked in
his jaw as he leaned against the counter beside her.
She wondered if the insecurity she sensed
was a figment of her imagination or if he really cared about what
she thought of his work.
She placed the jar down on the counter,
pushing it out of the way. “
Last Dawn
was a real stretch,”
she said of his portrayal of a convict on death row. “You showed
depth and range. Real growth.”
“And?” he asked, correctly sensing she
wasn’t through critiquing him yet.
“And taking a commercial role now could
damage the new reputation you’re seeking to establish.”
He leaned forward, his forehead close to
hers. “You’re suggesting I turn it down?”
She drew a deep breath, finding it hard to
believe he’d need her opinion on something so important. “I’m
saying you should think long and hard before agreeing. And—”
“And?” he asked, grinning.
“And the possibility of Melanie Masterson
playing opposite you has nothing to do with that suggestion,” she
said, forcing the words out on a rush of air.
He tipped his head backward and let loose
with a genuine laugh. “Nothing to do with it?”
She shoved his shoulder with one hand,
hating that he’d caught her feeling any jealousy at all. “Almost
nothing,” she said.
“You need to know she was a fling,” he told
her.
“A long-lasting one though.” She couldn’t
help but state facts and hope he’d fill her in some more.
He tipped his head to one side, studying
her. “I was searching for something, trying to pretend she could
fill a void …” His voice trailed off.
His words reminded her of her own feelings
about John and a distinct wave of guilt arose. She tamped it down.
John had given her this time to figure things out, and from the
look on his face, he already knew where her heart lay. She sighed
and pushed thoughts of John out of her head, at least for a few
more days. She’d promised herself this time and she needed to take
it.
Meanwhile, Dylan sat waiting for her reply.
“I get it more than you know,” she murmured. “As for the movie, you
have to know my opinion doesn’t mean a thing. I don’t know the
business or the players. I don’t even know how important commercial
success is to you.”
In short, Holly thought, she was on the
outside of his life looking in. She felt like a complete fraud
offering her opinion at all.
He
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