Page 8

SIX

“I WON’T STAND for it,” Dirk Danford bellowed. “Do you hear me, Damon?”

Kendra and Billie looked up, startled, from where they were sitting a few yards from the cameras and lights of the set. The dark-haired Adonis of a million women’s daydreams was looking less than appealing at the moment with his face flushed an apopletic scarlet and his lips compressed in a tight line as he faced Joel and waved a scrap of black satin material in front of his face. Kendra shook her head wonderingly as she saw Joel turn away from the discussion he’d been having with the light director to gaze at Danford with glacier cool eyes. She’d discovered in the past weeks that Billie was right about the actor being a conceited lecher, but she hadn’t thought he was a complete fool. People didn’t talk to Joel Damon in that tone of voice, not even superstars.

“Joel,” Dirk continued, “you’ll have to get to the bottom of this or I walk.”

“I think not,” Joel said with utmost softness, but suddenly the atmosphere was several degrees cooler. “I believe even you’re more intelligent than that, Dirk. I have the final love scene between you and Brenna to film today and I want it in the can by evening. After that you can do whatever you damn well please.” He glanced at the scrap of material in Danford’s hand. “I gather that has something to do with this nonsense. What the hell is it?”

“My shorts.” Danford shook the underwear out dramatically. “Look at this. It will take me hours to get out all the knots and every pair in my dressing room has been sabotaged just like this.”

“Black satin jockey shorts?” Kendra whispered.

“Hasn’t he told you? Dirk’s a sex god,” Billie murmured.

“And that’s not all,” Dirk ranted on. “Two days ago someone chained shut the door of my trailer. It took me an hour of pounding and shouting before anyone came and got me out.”

“As popular as Dirk is around here, it was lucky it wasn’t a month,” Billie said sotto voce.

“And what about what happened yesterday to my shoes? How could one of every pair of shoes I possess simply disappear?” He lifted his foot. “Look at me. One tennis shoe and one moccasin. I look utterly ridiculous.”

Kendra couldn’t help it; she began to chuckle. The sound immediately brought the irate actor’s attention to the corner where she was sitting with Billie. Dirk’s frown took on a new dimension as he spotted Billie sprawled in the chair beside Kendra.

“You!” He stalked over to glare accusingly at her. “You know something about this, don’t you? Who did it?”

“Poltergeists?” Billie offered, blinking up at him innocently.

“Not likely,” Danford bit out through clenched teeth. “You’re finding all this very amusing aren’t you, Billie?” His hand delved into the pocket of his robe and brought out several sheets of memo paper. “I suppose you don’t know anything about these either?” He scowled as he read the first one. “As you lust, so shall you reap.” He read another one. “Thou shalt not covet thy producer’s wife.” He crumpled the notes and threw them on the floor. “I’ve been finding them in my dressing room, pinned to the pillow on my bed. I even stepped out of the shower stall yesterday and found one taped to the shower door.”

Kendra suddenly darted Billie a suspicious glance. What had Billie said about Brenna needing a little help? Oh Lord, poltergeists, indeed!

“Well, if the shoe fits,” Billie drawled. She covered her mouth with her hand. “Oops! Sorry. I forgot you were a bit sensitive on the subject of shoes.”

Joel was beside them now. “If you’re through making accusations and disrupting my set, I’d appreciate it if you’d occupy yourself elsewhere, Dirk.” His voice dripped sarcasm. “Preferably learning your lines. You blew them twice this morning.”

“But I saw that big Arab of hers skulking outside my dressing room,” Dirk sputtered. “I know she—”

“ Now, Dirk,” Joel said with soft menace.

With a violent curse Danford turned on his heel and strode furiously toward his dressing room.

Joel turned to Billie, his eyes narrowed. “I don’t suppose you know a thing about all this, brat?”

“Who, me?” Billie asked, her eyes widening. “Do I look like the kind of girl who would invade a man’s privacy while he was in the shower?” She grinned impishly. “Though come to think about it, I might be the only woman on the set who’d be safe alone with a nude Dirk Danford.”

“I’m not at all sure that paraphrasing the Bible wouldn’t be considered blasphemy,” Kendra said, her eyes twinkling.

“Billie, I don’t know what you’re up to, but I won’t have you unnecessarily upsetting that ass,” Joel said impatiently. “I have a picture to finish.”

Billie jumped to her feet and squeezed Joel’s arm affectionately. “Don’t worry, Joel,” she said soothingly as she turned to leave. “The man obviously has no stamina. It will be over before you know it.”

Joel watched Billie walk away, exasperation warring with amusement in his expression. “ What will be over before I know it?”

“I think it would be safer not to ask,” Kendra said dryly.

“You’re probably right.” He dropped into the seat Billie had just vacated. “That’s all I need, a personality conflict on the set.” He grimaced. “And with Billie involved, it will probably escalate into a major brouhaha.”

“You can handle it,” Kendra said quietly. In the past week she had practically lived in his pocket and she had discovered Joel could handle almost anything. He seemed to thrive on problems that would drive most directors into a rage. “I think you enjoy these little challenges.”

“Yes, I’ll handle it,” he said absently, his hand covering hers. “But I could do with a few less challenges at the moment. This week hasn’t worked out the way I hoped. I’ve scarcely been able to talk to you, much less anything else.”

“Anything else?” Kendra asked with a teasing smile.

The sexual tension had been growing steadily between them in the last few days, aggravated by the intensity of the schedule that kept them apart. Yet in a way she’d been glad of this hiatus. She’d enjoyed the casual intimacy of the occasional warm smile Joel gave her as he looked up from the storyboard or returned to the camera after setting up a bit of action. She liked the way he’d come over during a break to where she was quietly watching and just take her hand and hold it with calm affection. Sometimes he talked about the day’s shooting; sometimes he said nothing if he were trying to solve one of the myriad problems he faced every day. She even liked the way he would brush her cheek with an absentminded kiss when he left her to return to the fray. It was a lovingly intimate and commonplace gesture that a husband might make toward a wife of a dozen years.

“You know what I mean.” His green eyes were intent on her lips. “I haven’t even had a chance to touch you in the last three days.” His thumb caressed her inner wrist. “And I want to touch you, Kendra. I need it.”

She felt her lips tingle under that look and she pulled her gaze away from him with some difficulty. “You’ve been very busy. The picture is almost finished now, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “This is the last dialogue scene we’re shooting this afternoon.” His hand tightened on hers as his voice deepened with impatience. “And then I’ll have to go over the rushes tonight to see if anything has to be reshot before I let Brenna and Dirk leave Sedikhan tomorrow.” He scowled. “There’d better not be any. Michael Donovan doesn’t like Brenna doing these bedroom scenes when he’s not on the set. He sure as hell wouldn’t appreciate any retakes.” He leaned over and dropped a light kiss on Kendra’s forehead. “Tomorrow,” he promised as he got to his feet. “Even if we have to work until three in the morning to get the scene right, we’ll have some time together tomorrow.” He turned and walked quickly toward the number two camera beside the king-size bed that was the central focus on the set.

Maybe, Kendra thought wryly as she watched Joel, totally absorbed as he talked to the cameraman. Perfection couldn’t always be regimented and Joel was definitely a perfectionist.

“Hi, is it okay if I sit down or will Joel be coming back?”

Kendra glanced up to see Brenna Donovan smiling down at her.

“Not until the scene is over and from what he said that may mean hours.” She genuinely liked Brenna. Though Joel’s marathon schedule hadn’t given her much opportunity to get to know the actress, she found her to be not only a dedicated professional, but a warm and charming woman as well. She looked enchantingly lovely in a yellow chiffon negligee, her rich brown hair a shiny contrast to the delicate primrose shade. “You look absolutely beautiful, Brenna.”

Brenna made a face as she sat down. “Well, at least the gown itself isn’t see-through,” she said. “I’d hate to think Dirk was getting a free show every time he looked at me.”

“You’re nervous about doing this scene coming up?”

“A little,” Brenna admitted, her eyes fixed apprehensively on the bed. “Michael’s always been here before when I had to do something like this. I guess he thought it would be all right since Joel is directing. He has a great deal of respect for Joel.”

“Billie said you were having trouble with Dirk.”

“That’s putting it mildly.” Brenna sighed. “The man has as many hands as an octopus and you can’t believe his conceit! I’ve been dreading this particular scene all week. You’d be surprised what can go on under those covers even with thirty or forty people looking on.”

“You could tell Joel,” Kendra suggested. “He can’t do anything to help you if you don’t complain.”

Brenna’s lips tightened determinedly. “No, I can’t rely on Michael and Joel always to work out my problems. I’ll handle Dirk myself.”

“Just so it’s not the other way around,” Kendra said with a grin. “I hear your husband would react very forcefully if that happened.”

A tender smile curved Brenna’s lips. “Yes, he would. But then Michael is very forceful about most things.” Her brown eyes were wistful. “Great heavens, I miss the man! I can hardly wait to get on that plane for London tomorrow. This is the first separation we’ve had since we’ve been married. And long-distance calls every night just don’t cut it. He wanted to bundle the kids onto an airplane last week and bring them with him to Sedikhan. I almost wish I’d let him do it.”

“You have children?”

Brenna nodded. “Randy and Janine. They’re usually with us on location, but we thought it might be a little primitive here in Sedikhan, so we decided it would be better if they stayed in London with Michael.”

Kendra felt a swift surge of sympathy and a little of Billie’s indignation. Brenna was having a very unhappy time of it without her family and didn’t deserve the added problem of Dirk Danford to plague her.

“Oh, oh,” Brenna said gloomily. “Here comes Mr. Macho himself.” She watched balefully as Danford approached the set, wearing the same wine-velvet robe he had worn earlier. She stood up and tightened the belt of her robe. “Wish me luck. I’m probably going to need it.”

Brenna was gone for only a few moments when Billie plopped down beside Kendra and lazily stretched out her jean-clad legs. “Brenna really looks terrific, doesn’t she?” she asked cheerfully. “You’ll notice she doesn’t have big bazooms either. It’s almost enough to give me hope.”

“So you decided it was safe to come back,” Kendra teased. “You think Joel’s going to be too occupied to cross-examine you?”

Billie nodded, her gaze shifting from Joel, to Brenna, to Dirk. There was an anticipatory gleam in the violet depths of her eyes. “Yep, I figured I could stay out of Joel’s way here and still have a ringside seat for the great unveiling.”

“Unveiling?”

“Just watch and see,” Billie said. “One of the extras who worked on his last picture told me that Dirk pulled a tricky stunt that would have rivaled one of yours. I’m just betting he’ll do the same thing today. The man is sinfully unoriginal.”

Kendra gave her a puzzled glance before turning back to watch the action on the set.

Brenna was slipping off her negligee and getting into bed while Joel gave her a few last-minute instructions. Then Kendra’s gaze wandered to the opposite side of the bed where Danford was standing and she gasped incredulously. Danford was shrugging out of the velvet robe and he was totally nude!

“What did I tell you?” Billie murmured.

There was a wave of commentary on the set. Brenna’s eyes widened in shock, but Joel’s registered only impatience. “For God’s sake, Dirk, I told you nudity wouldn’t be required for this scene. It’s not going to be even close to sexually explicit. I’m shooting from the waist up.”

“I know that,” Dirk said with grandiose dignity. “However, I always believe in really getting into a part whenever possible.” He smirked at the snickers from the crew. “I think you’ll find that if I can relate, I turn in a far better performance.”

“Frankly, I don’t care if you wear bells on your toes and a codpiece,” Joel said, obviously annoyed. “Let’s just get this scene shot without any more delay.” He glanced at Brenna. “If Brenna has no objections?”

Brenna’s eyes were glinting angrily but her voice was cool. “I don’t see why I should object to something,” her gaze wandered over Danford’s body, “so trivial.”

This time the snickers became guffaws and Danford flushed angrily. He opened his lips to speak, but Joel turned away, carefully smothering a smile. “Good. Now that that’s settled, let’s get rolling. Into bed, Dirk.”

“Delighted,” Dirk drawled as he sat down on his side of the bed and lifted the covers. His smile was definitely feral as he slipped beneath the covers and slithered closer to Brenna. “This is what I’ve been waiting for ever since we started the picture.”

Billie suddenly leaned forward, her face tense with excitement. “Just a little more,” she urged softly. “Just a few inches more, Dirk baby.” As if in compliance, Dirk gave Brenna a smoldering look à la Richard Gere, and scooted still closer to her.

Suddenly his eyes widened in horror. He let out a bellow that shook the rafters of the room and brought Joel wheeling around to face him. Danford scrambled frantically out of the bed; his hands cupped his naked buttocks like a little boy who had just been spanked. “I’m on fire! I’m burning! Dammit, don’t just stand there; put it out!”

The crew just stared dumbfounded at him. He muttered a savage curse, jerked the covers from the bed, and threw them on the floor.

Misty smoke rose from the center of the bed, and Kendra thought there really was a fire. Then she spied a crystalline gleam within an oilcloth cradle, the whole covered by a sheet of plastic wrap.

“Dry ice,” she gasped. “Billie, you didn’t?” She turned but the chair next to hers was empty. Then she caught the glint of sunlight on copper curls as Billie slipped out the door. Billie, very obviously, had. And as Kendra’s gaze went back to the disaster the imp had left in her wake, she suddenly broke into whoops of laughter.

She wasn’t alone. The entire cast and crew were convulsed with mirth and Danford’s expression of indignation only added fuel to the gales of laughter rocking the room. Brenna was lying back on the pillows, her body shaking helplessly, and Joel was grinning from ear to ear.

“Where is she?” Danford raved, his eyes searching wildly about the room. “Where’s Billie Callahan? I’m going to cut her heart out.”

Joel made a massive effort and managed to banish the grin from his face before he strode forward. He retrieved Danford’s robe and handed it to him. “I think the lady’s done a flit,” he said lightly. “And there’s no use going after her unless you want to take on her very lethal bodyguard. I think your best course of action is to go back to your dressing room and cool off.” Then as the room once more rocked with laughter, Joel’s lips twitched uncontrollably. “Sorry, that was purely unintentional, I assure you.”

“I bet,” Danford said sourly. He was muttering obscenities as he shrugged into his velvet robe and stomped off the set.

“That’s it,” Joel called, “we’re wrapping for today. There’s no way I could get a performance out of Danford until he has time to repair the damage done to his self-esteem. Everybody be back on the set at six A.M . tomorrow.” He turned to Brenna and helped her from the bed. “Sorry, Brenna, I know you wanted to fly out to London tomorrow.”

“It’s almost worth it,” Brenna said, smiling. “Lord, I wish the camera had been rolling. I’d give anything to have a black market tape of Dirk jumping out of that bed like a scalded cat.” She put on her negligee and patted Joel’s arm. “Don’t be too hard on Billie. It may mean an afternoon’s shooting lost, but I’d be willing to bet we’re going to see a very chastened Dirk Danford once he has time to think. Like I said, it may be worth it.” She made a face. “Now I think I’d better go make a call to Michael and break the news.”

She had no sooner turned away than Joel was striding toward Kendra, a slight smile lingering on his lips.

“Where on earth did Billie get that ice?” Kendra asked, still chuckling.

“Who knows?” Joel’s eyes were twinkling. “She probably charmed somebody in the commissary tent.” He pulled her to her feet. “But as Brenna said, it just might have been worth all the uproar. How fast can you change and be ready to go?” He propelled her toward the door.

“We’re going somewhere?”

He nodded. “I suddenly have no scenes to shoot and no rushes to view.” He glanced down at her and she inhaled sharply at the smoldering need she saw in his eyes. “That means I can do exactly what I want to do.” He touched the curve of her cheek with a gentle fingertip. “If the lady wants to do it, too. Does she, Kendra?”

Abruptly she found it hard to breathe. There was no doubt in her mind what he meant. The sexual tension between them had been too raw and intense in the past few days to mistake. She knew that she’d been as much in a fever as Joel to be in his arms again. “Oh yes, the lady definitely wants it, too,” she said softly.

“Thank heaven for that lovely clear honesty of yours! If you’d gone coy on me, I think I’d have been tempted to drag you to the nearest cave by your hair. And I want to do things right for you tonight, sweetheart. Dinner, conversation, romance, the works.” He swatted her lightly on the fanny. “I’ll tie up a few loose ends here and pick you up in an hour. Okay?”

“Okay.” She turned and walked into the sunlit street, her steps as buoyant as her suddenly soaring spirits.

Kendra gazed at her reflection in the mirror over the washstand. As much as she could tell from the slightly distorted image, the white cotton halter dress with its fitted waist and bodice and graceful full skirt was very flattering. Its pristine white was an attractive foil for the gold of her skin and the shiny chestnut of her hair. And most of all, the dress made her feel deliciously feminine after the jeans and slacks she’d worn ever since she had arrived in Sedikhan.

And she wanted to be very feminine tonight, she thought happily as she brushed her hair into a shining cloud around her shoulders and stepped into white sling-back high heels. She felt a little of the reckless exuberance she had known that night at Joel’s Rainbow Keep, but this time she knew for certain that it had nothing to do with drugs or alcohol. It was Joel Damon himself who was causing this breathless excitement. Strange that she felt no shyness or restraint about the idea of spending the night with Joel. After a lifetime of total disinterest in the physical act of lovemaking perhaps she was turning into a wanton. No, that couldn’t be, for it was only Joel who could provoke the heady desire and totally incomprehensible wealth of tenderness she was feeling now.

She sprayed her pulse points lightly with Joy, snatched up a lacy white shawl, and tripped through the amber-beaded curtains, where Yusef stood by the table.

“Will you tell Billie…” Her voice trailed off as the room seemed to shimmer and then narrow into a dark box. She gave a frightened cry and was scarcely aware of Yusef’s startled exclamation. Then his arms were around her and he was lifting and carrying her to the wooden chair by the table. He set her down with utmost gentleness and kneeled beside her, his hands holding her steady while the room whirled around her. She clutched desperately at his massive shoulders while she drew in great gasps of oxygen in an attempt to stave off that frightening darkness.

“You have need for,” Yusef paused, searching for the word he wanted, “a physician ?”

“No,” Kendra said quickly. The darkness was fading rapidly now and there was no way she was going to let anything interfere with this evening with Joel. “I was only a little dizzy for a moment. I’ve probably been working too hard lately.” But she hadn’t worked at all for the last week and she had had another little dizzy spell like this only a few days ago, she remembered. It had been much lighter and she hadn’t come close to fainting as she had this time, but she had definitely suffered the same vertigo. No, she wouldn’t think about it. She was feeling better every minute.

She sat up straight in the chair and smiled with determined cheerfulness at Yusef, who clearly was worried. “I’m fine now,” she announced as she brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. “Sorry to have worried you. You can let me go, Yusef.”

He reluctantly removed the support of his arms. “You are certain?” he asked, a frown on his face. His keen gaze flicked for an instant to the thrusting fullness of her breasts before returning to her face. “Perhaps you should lie down and rest. At times the faintness returns.”

She cast him a bewildered glance as she stood up. He sounded remarkably knowledgeable, she thought in amusement. Perhaps in that bordello where he’d worked he had become accustomed to thinking of women as weak and persecuted dolls who fainted at the drop of a hat. Well, she was definitely not in that category.

“I’m perfectly all right now,” she said firmly. “I think I’ll just meet Mr. Damon outside.” Yusef still looked uneasy and she wouldn’t put it past him to mention that brief dizzy spell to Joel, if his protective instincts were as aroused as she thought they were. “Tell Billie not to worry if I don’t come back tonight.” Yusef was still frowning as she paused at the door. She smiled at him gently. “You mustn’t be concerned, Yusef. Mr. Damon will take good care of me.”

“Mr. Damon,” he repeated thoughtfully. Then his face brightened with relief. “Yes, he is a man who would care for his own. He will watch over you.”

“Right, Yusef,” Kendra said lightly. “Don’t worry about me. You’ve got your hands full just keeping an eye on Billie.”

“She is one who requires much care, it is true,” he said in a gentle tone. “But you will need me now, too. I will be pleased to help you when your man cannot.”

Her man. Joel and she had made no attempt to hide the affection growing between them in the last week, but she hadn’t been aware that Yusef had noticed. It was ridiculous even to begin to think of Joel in terms of that primitively lovely phrase. Still, those two words caused her heart to lift joyously. She closed the door softly behind her. Her man.