Miss Congeniality (4 page)

“Where’s your date?” Raquel asked while she sipped champagne. Brea reached for her own glass from a passing waiter before she turned to look at both women. Clare looked curious, and Raquel stared with one eyebrow raised. Brea knew why they were asking. They didn’t believe her when she said nothing was going on with Lance the other day at lunch.

“Nate isn’t available tonight.” Nate was her old faithful, one of her best friends, and he had just started dating a new girl with whom he had recently become serious. He was always willing to stand in with her for events, and it really took the pressure off Brea to try to find a date. Although, if his relationship continued, she was probably going to have to find someone else. She was Miss Congeniality, and although she and Nate were strictly friends, the press wasn’t too forgiving if they saw you as a potential home wrecker.

“He and Meredith are on a cruise to the Bahamas.” Nate and Meredith had been dating for six months and took the cruise to celebrate their anniversary. Brea would like to have had a date tonight, but she couldn’t begrudge him his happiness. At least one of them was in a committed relationship. Although, if the text he sent yesterday was any indication, he caught the press conference and wanted details from Brea when they returned in a couple of days. Just one more person she would have to fend off in the rapidly ‘are they or aren’t they’ saga, which was quickly becoming her norm.

“That’s right. I forgot.” Clare’s face lit up. She and Raquel were good friends with both of them, as well, although Brea had known him longer. “How do they like it?”

“Well, he hasn’t really talked to me a lot since they’ve been gone, not that I was expecting him to. But they’ll be back in three days, so you know I am going to hear all about it.” Brea rolled her eyes comically, thinking about Nate and his penchant for theatrics.

Raquel chuckled. “Make sure you let him know when you pick him up that we want to know, too.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll be blowing up your phone next week.” Brea put her now-empty champagne glass on another tray and looked around. “Where are your dates?”

Raquel waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t know. I barely even know the guy. He is someone my PR guy set me up with. Said it would be ‘good for my image’,” she said as she made air quotes. “You know how he is. Apparently, Hunter and I both need to be seen, as the football season is heating up, and he seems pretty nice, so it’s fine.” Raquel’s PR rep was often trying to set her up with some date or another. He felt she could promote a more positive image this way. He assumed if she was with a reputable celebrity—be they athlete, musician, or actor—she would become more reputable by association. It never appeared to work, and sometimes it seemed to backfire; especially when said date went to the press and reported any behavior, sexual or otherwise, they thought would put them into the spotlight.

“Hey, babe.” Jason sidled in behind Clare and kissed her neck below her ear. Clare looked at the Misses, giving a nervous chuckle as she moved out of his hold.

Okay
, Brea thought,
clearly there is trouble in paradise.

“Hey, Jason, I thought you were entertaining Raquel’s date.” Clare turned to question him.

“I left him by the bar.” Jason smiled sloppily and dipped his head to nuzzle Clare’s neck.

“Get back.” Clare pushed him back by his shoulders. She narrowed her eyes, studying his face and the way he could barely stand. “How much more have you had to drink?”

“Clare,” he said, placating her, but she wouldn’t be moved.

“I told you to stop drinking,” she hissed. He leaned in again in apology, but Clare simply shook her head before she pushed him back and walked off. Jason looked around, and then realizing Raquel and Brea were staring at him, asked angrily, “What? She knew I had a couple of drinks before I got here. She should just lay off.”

Quick to defend Clare, Raquel got in his face. “No, you need to lay off the alcohol. This party is important to Clare, but you’re too damn busy trying to get drunk to give a shit. Let’s go,” she said to Brea before walking off. Brea looked at Jason—part disgust, part apology—before she turned to follow Raquel. Seeing Raquel moving swiftly through the throng of people, Brea knew she wouldn’t catch up with her. She didn’t know what the hell that was about between Clare and Jason and wanted to know more. However, there was no way she could find Clare in this crowd. Jason usually wasn’t a big drinker, so something must have set him off to have him get drunk in the middle of a studio event. Figuring she had her own problems, Brea veered toward the bathroom to catch her breath before having to work the crowd again.

Brea first noticed the woman because she loved the hot-pink dress she was wearing. It stood out in the darkened hallway which led to the bathroom, and Brea desperately wanted to know the designer.

Oh, shit
, she thought, noticing the bruised lips which looked as though the woman had been thoroughly worked over. Coupled with the way the woman rushed by, head down, Brea knew if she had been several minutes earlier she would have gotten a show. Hook-ups happened—Brea had been to enough events to know that—but this was different. It seemed more personal and invasive, and she didn’t know why until she caught the gaze of the guy coming down the hallway, zipping up his pants.

You have got to be fucking kidding me
. Brea stared at Lance as he strode toward her. The fact he had been zipping up his damn pants was just icing on the cake.
Clearly his reputation was well-deserved
she thought with disgust as she tried to move past him.

“Hey, darling.” He gripped her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She stared at him in revulsion.

“I need you to let me go,” she stated more calmly than she felt.

“Why?” He moved in to nuzzle her neck. She tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong.

“If you think we are going to have a conversation after what I just saw, you have lost your damn mind. LET. ME. GO.” She continued to stand there, seething in anger but unwilling to give him the satisfaction of losing it.

“That wasn’t what it looked like,” he started, cut off when Brea glared at him.

“I don’t give a shit what it looked like. I told you the other day, and I will tell you again, nothing is going to happen between us. I just want to know you aren’t going to accost me every time I see you.” Green eyes flashed in anger, but he let her go without saying anything to her. He stepped back, gesturing for her to proceed to the bathroom. Taken aback, she continued to stand there, unsure what to do. He sensed her hesitancy and took the opportunity to stick it to her.

“If you don’t give a shit, why are you acting like a jealous lover?”

“Whatever.” She walked off, flipping him off when she went. The sound of his laughter could be heard all the way to the bathroom.

Brea stood at the bar, wanting to be anywhere but there. She was standing with Raquel and Clare, not really paying attention as they discussed the evening thus far.

“So, why was Jason drunk?” Brea asked, figuring she should participate in the conversation.

Clare sighed sadly. “He told me tonight he wants more.”

“What do you mean more?” This from Raquel, who often sought clarification for what most people said. She was constantly questioning and when Brea asked her why one time, Raquel answered she always wanted to know what she was up against. Brea thought her response was a bit strange at the time but she didn’t call her on it, figuring to each their own. Plus, Brea had enough secrets to know some people just wanted certain information to stay buried.

“He wants to date me.” Brea cringed at Clare’s words, knowing how Clare truly felt about him. She always said he was good for a fun time, but she could never see herself in a relationship with him. Especially since he constantly rode the coattails of her fame.

“What did you say?” Brea asked, rubbing her hand down Clare’s arm in comfort.

“What do you think I said? I never wanted a relationship with him. I thought he would be a nice, uncomplicated piece of ass, but we see how well that turned out. Now he is drunk and being embarrassing.” Clare looked at Jason, who was leaning all over Hunter. He didn’t seem to mind, but Brea knew Clare hated any kind of negative publicity. Moreover, if Jason kept up, that shit would be all over some gossip news show tomorrow.

Raquel smiled sympathetically. “Are you going to let him go?”

Clare shrugged. “I’ll have to. This has disaster written all over it if I keep it up, and I don’t need to be THAT girl.” Clare’s eyes widened, realizing what she was saying and to whom she was saying it. Through little fault of her own, Raquel was ‘that’ girl, leaving a string of broken hearts and bad publicity as long as her arm. “Raquel, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean ...”

“It’s okay,” Raquel brushed it off. “I know you didn’t mean it, and I know what my reputation is. Hell, I enjoy it half the time. It means guys are too scared to go after me, so I tend to avoid the fame seekers.” Clare visibly relaxed, but she continued to stand by the bar making worried glances at Jason. When he fell forward, prompting Hunter to look in their direction, Clare held up a finger as though to say wait a minute.

“Look, I better go. It’s going to be hard enough to get him back to his place. I want to get him home before it gets worse.” Hugging both Raquel and Brea quickly, Clare approached Jason to lead him outside. He slumped over her, but she managed to walk with a surprising amount of dignity as they left.

Having finally disengaged himself from Jason, Hunter walked over to the bar to join the other two girls.

“You about ready?” He put his arm around Raquel, acting the part, nodding hello to Brea. Raquel looked at Brea for permission, who quickly waved them off.

“You guys go ahead. I am about to leave myself. I just need to talk to Garrett about something before I head out.”

Raquel hated leaving anyone alone at a party. She was almost fanatical in her obsession about making sure everyone got home safely. “You sure? We can wait.”

“I’m good. You go; I’ll call you in the morning.” Raquel reluctantly said goodbye, allowing Hunter to walk her out.

Brea quickly grabbed a glass of champagne from the bartender, desperately wishing it were a shot of Patron, turning to lean back against the bar and search for Garrett. She needed to talk to him about the change in cast. She had left him several messages, but he was dodging her. Cagey bastard. Brea knew she had no say, but she wanted him to know her displeasure. Garrett was nowhere to be found, but sure enough, the bane of her existence was striding toward her with purpose. Could a girl not catch a break? Downing the champagne in one unladylike gulp, she put her glass on the bar and waited for the show. It was bound to be a good one, if the first two were any indication. For once, she wasn’t going to shy away from him, figuring she needed to nip his arrogance in the bud now.

“Hey, darling.” He smirked at her, knowing he irritated her and doing it anyway. She smiled mockingly.

“Look who it is: Hollywood legend and actor extraordinaire.” She leaned closer, her lips a hair’s breadth away from his. She knew exactly what she was doing and knew she had him when those green eyes grew hazy with what was to come.

“Edgy, sexy as fuck, and just rough enough around the edges to seduce random girls in the back.” She moved, kissing his cheek softly before whispering in his ear, “Too bad you won’t ever get that shit from me.” She felt him tense at her words, but he kept quiet. She pulled back, laying her lips lightly on his before she leaned back to gauge his reaction. His eyes narrowed, realizing he played right into her hand, and he moved before she could guess what he was doing.

She found herself pinned between his arms against the bar, her body pressed against his tightly. She could feel his erection against her center, making her want to rub up and down his body. She didn’t have to move; he did it for her, holding her hostage with his piercing glaze. He rubbed once, twice, making her squirm in an unconscious bid to get closer. What started as her plan to put him on notice had backfired.

“You feel that?” He pressed his erection into her hips, pressing tiny kisses to her jaw. She bit her lip to resist the moan of pleasure. She was captivated and could do nothing except nod her agreement.