Page 83 of Killer Body

At least he’d deceived Ellen. She pushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear and handed him the phone. “Good luck.”

How was he going to talk to Rikki with the two of them watching, Ellen with professional concern and Bobby W for entertainment? He turned his back on both of them and walked to the window. If he couldn’t see them, he could pretend they weren’t there. He hadn’t seen Rikki since Friday and that emotional scene in his house. If he was lucky, maybe he could talk her into lunch.

He pressed the speak button and looked out the window. Santa Barbara never looked brighter, more inviting or full of promise. “This is Lucas.” Might as well try to sound professional.

“I’ve been trying to phone you all weekend.” Her voice was flat, edged in anger.

“If I’d known, you wouldn’t have had to phone more than once, believe me. Bobby W and I were out of town. Ran into a little problem. Have you had lunch yet?”

“This isn’t a personal call.”

He’d seen pride in her face, arrogance. He’d never seen the anger he heard in her voice. This was the woman with whom he’d shared something. A woman who felt something for him. It wasn’t his imagination. He knew she felt something, even now.

“What’s the matter, Rikki? What happened?”

“You lied to me.”

He felt the heavy presence of Bobby W and Ellen behind him. Lowered his voice even more.

“What are you talking about?” Then, in a voice a shade shy of a whisper, “We’re on the same side, remember?”

“Then tell me this.” He could feel her take a breath, and he took it with her, picturing her face, the lifting of her chest.

“What is it?”

“Just tell me. Who the hell is Julie Larimore?”

TWENTY-TWO

Rochelle

“So tell me everything about the part.” Back in the house, she’d managed to let go of Jesse long enough to ask the question. Her head spun with plans. She’d have to up her workout routine, get rid of her ass, make sure it could be photographed from any angle.

“It’s television, of course,” Jesse said.

“Nothing wrong with that. Television is what made me. That and Clenbuterol.”

“The three-week miracle. You won’t need it for this.”

He’d insisted she take Clen before and pretended not to know she still did now and then. She’d never even known what it was until he explained that, in addition to being an asthma medication, they could melt body fat at amazing speed. Sure, they stopped working after three weeks, but that was all it took.

“Are you sure I won’t? At least it’s not a steroid, and in case you don’t remember, I lost nine pounds in ten days the last time. That’s why that baby sold more copies than any of the others from the jiggle series, thank you very much.” She pointed at the poster beside the refrigerator. Had she ever looked any where close to as sexy and in control as that girl?

“I said you won’t need the Clen.”

He went to the refrigerator door and filled a wineglass with water, frowning as if trying to decide what to say next. Worried about Megan, she knew, as was she.

A basket of popcorn sat on the counter. It was the only food she trusted, and she planned on rationing out the entire bowl to herself today, through the night, until they met Megan’s plane and had her home safely with them. At the moment, she’d like to shove the whole thing into her face by the fistful.

“Stop playing games, Jesse. I want to hear about the damned part.”

“I’m not playing games. I’m just trying to think.” He sat at the counter, patted the stool beside him, but she was wired too tight to sit.

“The part,” she repeated. “Tell me about it. How much thinking does that require?”

Bitch mode, but she couldn’t help it. He was expecting far more patience than she could deliver.

He nodded, acknowledging the jab.