Lara and the City of Angels (9 page)

“Of course, Sean. You know you can ask me to do anything—well, almost anything—and I would do it. I don’t want this to blow up in your face, hence the reason why I called in the first place. What the hell is in the water and the air down there in Louisiana anyway? She sounded almost
gleeful
to let me know she was getting away from you and that isn’t like her. Has she met anyone while she’s been out there?”

“Just some low rent, ultra-rich heir who likes to play an actor and he happens to be the second cousin of Dominic,” Sean said with less emotion than what he was feeling at that moment.

“Holy shit. You’re not telling me she and Kristian Stenfeldt have bonded.”

“Why? Should I be concerned?”

Bijoux snorted on the other end of the line. “Um, yeah. Imagine a man as equally hot as Dominic but he’s good natured, monogamous and has all the moves like Jagger and then some.”

“Ouch. How the fuck do you know so much about Kristian anyway?”

“Julie, his ex. We did a film together where she had a bit part and she is so freakin’ talented and ultra sweet. They were together then and she had nothing but good things to say about him. They’re still friends even though they have broken up due to the tension of working on the same show. Anyway, Kristian is not the kind of man you leave a vulnerable woman with and expect to still have your marriage intact after everything has been said and done. What a clusterfuck.”

Sean’s head began to pound as his heart thundered in his chest. “Bijoux, thanks for letting me know and we’ll speak soon, okay?”

“Wait a minute before you hang up and proceed to either call Lara or drink yourself into a stupor. One, give Lara some space and let her process what’s going on. It just might be lust or an early mid-life crisis. Two, we have a pre-production meeting tomorrow morning which starts at nine. Looks like we won’t be delayed for as long as we thought—word around the campfire is Introspect approved Burton’s budget and we are leaving for Hungary in about a week. Thought I’d give you a head’s up.”

“Where are we meeting up?”

“The Polo Lounge. Where else?”

“Thanks,” Sean said and ended the call.

He wanted to call Lara so badly, his palms were sweaty but he knew it would make absolutely no difference what so ever. In this one situation, he’d been left completely on his own to pick up the pieces and that is what hurt him so badly, he couldn’t dare put his pain into words.

Chapter Nine

L
ara woke up happier than she had in a very long time.

After a short nap, she showered and got ready for her evening scenes. Kristian had called and she’d informed him she would be delighted to accompany him to the set.

As she would have to change as soon as she arrived, she had slipped on a pair of white skinny jeans and silk floral baby doll top which clung to her breasts but immediately flared underneath all the way down to her lower hip. It covered the designer jean label and she felt sexy yet accessible at the same time.

She brushed her hair after a quick blow dry when her phone began to ring. It wasn’t Sean, thank God, but it was Elin, who was due to arrive in a couple of weeks. It was a bit weird for her to be calling as they’d already spoken to one another earlier that evening.

“Hey, sweetie, what’s up?” Lara answered as she put her phone on speaker and proceeded to do a light make-up job.

Though they were slathered with even more makeup and false eye-lashes on the set, it was habit and something that couldn’t be broken just because she was on a television show now.

“Nothing much except one of our mutual friends has blabbered to Sean about what you told us and he’s livid.”

Lara laughed out loud despite her reaction being completely inappropriate for the occasion. “Aw, poor Sean. He wants everything to go his way or the highway. Do you know he called up my father and I can’t even file for divorce with our family lawyer? He said either we do a legal separation or I leave the set immediately and go home to ‘work on my marriage’.”

Elin was silent for a moment before she said, “Perhaps that isn’t a bad idea. Ben Allen is ultra friendly and he would understand if you need to go home and get some personal issues in your life sorted out—”

“There’s nothing to
work
out, Elin. Sean has been the way he is our whole marriage and nothing has helped, not even marriage counseling…the
one
session he would attend! He’s not happy with me and all of you must think I am crazy but listen to me…I haven’t had sex with my husband in over
four
years. Do you know how frustrating that is for me?”

“Whoa…what do you mean you two don’t have sex?”

“Well, he wants an occasional blow job every now and then but he won’t
touch
me. If it wasn’t for our appointments twice per month, I would have gone crazy by now. I don’t know what his deal is—whether he is a closet homo and doesn’t want to tell me or if he isn’t attracted to me in particular—but he has absolutely zero sexual interest in me,” Lara explained in an acidic tone.

“Oh, Lara, at least I know why you didn’t share it with us. I’ve had no complaints from the times I have been with Sean and he is absolute gentleman so the whole ‘gay’ thing isn’t an issue. He’s definitely bi—even I can’t deny that—but he certainly has no problems with the ladies. I can tell you this for certain.”

She took her phone off speaker and pressed it to her ear. “That’s my point, Elin. I know he doesn’t have a problem or someone in our little circle would have complained by now but all I get is silence from you girls. If it isn’t that then it has to be me and I can’t spend another year in a sexless marriage. Love doesn’t mean a damn thing if he can’t show it to me physically and either he can’t or he won’t.”

“I’m sorry.” Elin sighed. “I can hear your voice breaking and the last thing I wanted to do to you is upset you. I know you have a shoot tonight so I will let you go but…promise me you won’t tell this to any of our friends. I know how to keep a secret but I fear Bijoux might go blathering her mouth back to your husband. Those two are close and she’s always liked him a bit more than she cares for you so…”

“There goes our leak. I called her after I called you and Nina so how the hell did he find out so quickly? Nina is a lot of things but when it comes to personal affairs, she keeps anything you tell her in confidence close to the chest. It
had
to be Bijoux.”

“Well, my older sister always used to tell me ‘the best sense is bought sense’ and now you know who
not
to trust. I thought it would be obvious as this is the second film she is working on with your husband—you can’t trust her and don’t delude yourself into thinking you can.”

“Thanks, Elin. I gotta go.”

Lara ended the call and turned off the bathroom light before she walked through her bedroom and almost ran head-on into Kristian.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. When you didn’t answer your door, I used the extra key. Are you okay? You’re pale as a sheet.”

She knew it was wrong but she couldn’t help herself as she embraced him. He slipped his arms around her waist and held her closer.

“You’re completely frazzled and you’re shaking like a leaf too. What the hell happened between our coffee date and now?”

“I got tired of Sean and all his mood swings and his controlling behavior. I left him. I’m filing the divorce paperwork tomorrow.”

Kristian let go of her and held her at arm’s length. “I didn’t cause this, did I? Don’t get me wrong, I am attracted to you…I have been from the first time we met but I would have never crossed those boundaries. It just wouldn’t seem fair. I don’t know your husband and he seems like a great guy but…there is just so much sadness in you and I would love to see those intriguing green eyes light up and for you to be happy for once—am I out of line with that comment?”

Lara shook her head. “No, it wasn’t you exactly but you were the last straw. You’re so good to me and you treat me like gold. I feel so lucky to be with you and…I just hope what ever you and Julie had is truly over because…I would feel like shit if I stepped into an unfinished relationship and ruined any chance you two had of getting back together.”

Kristian laughed at this. “There is absolutely no chance of that happening, honey. Julie dates Kent Renoir—you know, he plays—”

“Tim Cadeaux, the rich yet elusive shape-shifter, yeah, I know.”

“Anyway, Julie is great but she and I weren’t meant to be. We make better friends than lovers and she’s still one of my most trusted confidantes. I told her about my attraction to you the day after you arrived. Her response was we would make a great couple if you weren’t already married.”

Lara couldn’t help herself as she touched Kristian’s handsome face. “I would hope I can safely confide in you but…not now. We’re going to be late and I don’t want either one of us to put our jobs in jeopardy.”

“We have all the time in the world, sweetheart. We’ll get this over with and come back here for a nightcap. Just conversation and maybe a glass of wine or two—it will be a completely relaxing night so you can tell me what ever it is you need to get off your chest. I have a couple cases of Pinot Grigio from California I have been dying to open so I will bring over a couple of bottles I’ve had chilling in my fridge. How’s that for a plan?”

“That sounds perfect.”

They stood there for a few moments drinking one another in and Lara realized she hadn’t wanted a man as much as she desired Kristian in a very long time. He was perfect, a gentleman and he treated her like the most precious person in the world.

Part of her knew she must seem like a fool. It had taken Sean ages to get her to accept a date let alone coax her into his bed. However, her relationship with Kristian seemed effortless and everything worked and flowed so smoothly between them. The days seemed to pass like hours in Louisiana and she adored finding out more and more about this man as he was everything she thought she would have in a confidant, a lover and a husband.

Kristian leaned toward her and their kiss happened naturally as he pressed his lips down on hers. They were silky and soft, like the rest of him; his masculine scent mixed with a luscious fragrance by P. Diddy filled her nostrils and she found herself wrapping her arms around his neck. Their kiss deepened as his tongue sought out hers and the feeling was electric. Her whole body warmed up yet she had the chills at the same time.

He was the first to pull back. “Sorry. I should have asked if it was okay to do that. I didn’t want…I would never dream of hurting you and you’re still a married woman. I don’t think it’s right to do anything that might harm you getting back together with your husband.”

Lara laughed at this statement though it was a completely inappropriate response. “I’m sorry. Your words are heartfelt and I really do appreciate them but at the same time…I have a lot to tell you about my husband and perhaps your opinion of him won’t be so revered after you hear what I have to say. It has nothing to do with getting even but it’s something I’ve needed to get off my chest for a long time.”

He nodded. “Come on, let’s get to work so we can get back here as soon as possible.”

***

T
he work evening passed faster than Lara could have anticipated. She only had a few scenes but she enjoyed watching the others work from the sidelines. Sometime after one in the morning, the director called “cut and print”; she couldn’t leave fast enough with Kristian. Not because the cast and crew weren’t fun but she truly did look forward to spending some quality time with him alone.

They drove back to his place instead of hers and he encouraged her to make herself comfortable as he walked into the kitchen.

She kicked off her high heel sandals and slipped her feet underneath her on the sofa. His house was similar to hers in build and set up but the furniture was completely masculine and the place smelled like various scented candles. Unlike her rental, his actually felt lived-in and homey. She reminded herself to ask him where he’d purchased his candles from as she’d heard there was a candle store on Main Street.