The Fame Game

“Nico,” I whisper.

My protest dies on my lips as he crushes my lips with his. He kisses me, his tongue tangling with mine as he pulls me closer to deepen the kiss. With each flick of his tongue, it’s like Nico has a direct link to my throbbing core. I should push him away. But when his hand drops to my thigh, my brain shuts down…

I steal my lips from his, out of breath and panting when our eyes meet.

“Nico, we can’t do this.”

He shoves a hand through his black hair and sighs, leaning back against the couch. His emotions are out of whack. Nico only feels something for me because I’m helping him salvage his career. Once he gets back in the spotlight, he won’t want me. He will move on to a famous actress or a model, someone more in his league.

An agent who dates her clients wouldn’t make it far in this business. No one will take me seriously if they find out we crossed the line.

I lift the plate of nachos from the coffee table. “I have to get up early for work. I’m going to bed.”

“Leave these.” He takes the plate from my hand and shoves a chip into his mouth, speaking between bites. “Goodnight.”

As if nothing happened, Nico’s eyes are on the screen, devoid of emotion. He’s a talented actor, but no one is that good. How can he kiss me and then act so nonchalant?

Chapter Twenty-One

Willow

Today is Nico’s last day of filming. He left early this morning, not long after I got out of the shower. I punched him in the arm for good luck, and he laughed it off as if he wasn’t ready to jump out of his skin. But I saw how he anxiously fiddled with the seam of his shirt, chewing on his bottom lip.

A golf cart zooms across the blacktop in front of me, forcing me to slam on the breaks. Liberty Productions is a nightmare at this hour, with employees rushing between buildings. Delivery vans are blocking entrances to some buildings, shielding the letters on the side.

Nico is in Building D for the duration of the film. The Fallen is a fantasy movie filled with court intrigue and mystery. He’s playing the role of King Maslan’s assassin, all while he’s falling in love with the beautiful Queen Alora. His character has to choose his love of a woman over his position at court.

After I drove past the building twice, I find Building D and park in the last open space. I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder, coffee in hand as I get out of the car. Keeping my fingers crossed that Nico is doing okay, I head into the building where they are shooting the film. I move through the crowded hallways filled with assistants and employees talking loudly on cell phones and radio devices.

I enter the set through the back door, careful not to make a sound as I slip inside and close the door behind me. The king and queen are in the middle of holding court, their loyal subjects gathered around them. Nico is on the opposite side of the room, next to one of his costars. A gorgeous blonde with long legs and big boobs that are falling out of her low-cut gown. She whispers something into his ear, and a smile stretches the corners of his mouth.

After he kissed me, I couldn’t move or think for hours. I’m still not myself. And seeing Nico with another woman sends a sharp pain into my chest. It feels like someone punched me in the heart. I shouldn’t feel anything for my client. He’s my chance at getting my career off the ground. This is also the start of something new for Nico. So, why does my stupid heart wretch every time Maggie Coldwell leans into Nico’s muscular body, wrapping her tiny fingers around his thick bicep?

The director sits in a chair beside the camera and yells commands. I cringe at the sound of his deep voice that booms throughout the room. No one seems fazed by his attitude, least of all the actors playing the king and queen. They nod and mutter a few words to acknowledge his instructions. Nico leans against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. Maggie flicks her hair over her shoulder, eyes on the actors moving across the throne room. My eyes burn a hole through Nico, and as if he senses me, his head snaps in my direction.

He raises his hand, giving me one of his boyish grins that makes my stomach flip with excitement. My new client should not have this effect on me. Whatever girly feelings are brewing inside me need to go away. I wave, my expression mirroring his.

A few minutes later, the scene playing out wraps, and the room erupts into chaos. Actors shuffled through the room, switching places as necessary. Some people grab a bite to eat, sinking into black chairs. Nico is up next. He moves to the set, a bedroom laden with purple fabric. This is the scene we rehearsed, the one where he kisses Queen Alora. Chunks rise in the back of my throat as I think about him kissing another woman.