Page 105 of Private Lives

He nodded.

‘I can sympathise. When Sia and I separated, we were hounded for weeks. I didn’t even think the press were interested in us.’

‘You’re the biggest movie star in the world,’ said Jessica. ‘Of course the press are interested in you.’

He shrugged. ‘I’m fifty years old and my face isn’t quite as pretty as it once was.’

‘Men just appreciate with age,’ said Jessica. ‘Like good art.’

‘Talking of which, where is this painting?’

‘I thought you’d never ask,’ she said, beckoning him with one finger into the master bedroom. ‘Et voilà,’ she smiled.

The painting was on the wall right above her eight-foot bed. Seven feet wide, it depicted a naked woman stretched out. It was powerful, provocative, but at the same time it had a delicacy and vulnerability to it. She hoped Joe would recognise those same qualities in the painting’s owner.

‘Wow,’ he said quietly, his eyes glittering as he gazed at it. ‘That is amazing.’

‘Isn’t it?’ she said, looking at Joe’s tall frame, his swimmer’s physique. He was separated after all. It was only his Catholic faith that stopped him being officially on the open market, and that meant he was fair game. And if In Touch were already spreading rumours about their supposed romance, why not make it real?

‘I’ll be one moment,’ she said, touching his arm. ‘I’ll leave you to view.’

She slipped into her en suite and quickly took off her vest, kicked off her jeans and, after a moment’s hesitation, pulled off her bra and panties too. Leaning in to the mirror, she licked her lips so that they had a tiny hint of glistening shine. Smiling to herself, she switched off the main light of the en suite and opened the door. She knew that she’d be backlit by the glow from the illuminated mirror behind her: sexy, beautiful, totally fuckable.

‘What do you think?’ she purred.

He didn’t move his eyes from the painting.

Dismissing a moment’s irritation, she moved over to him. ‘I can think of a better nude than the one you’re looking at.’

He turned to look at her in stunned silence, his eyes wide.

‘Jess . . .’

She put her finger to his lips, then, pressing her bare breasts against his shirt, looped her arm around his neck to pull him closer.

He resisted.

‘I’ll do anything you want,’ she whispered.

He was as still as a statue. She lifted her face to his, expecting to see desire and excitement. Instead she saw disapproval. Deliberately, he took her arm from around his neck.

‘Maybe you should put some clothes on,’ he said, his eyes averting from hers.

She took a furious step back.

‘You’re kidding?’ she snapped.

‘Jess, you’re confused. This . . . this isn’t right.’

‘Confused? Don’t make me sound like I’m crazy. You want this as much as I do.’

‘You’re a beautiful woman, Jessica, and I know if we did hook up it would be good for the movie.’

‘Yes, it would,’ she smiled, seeing an opening. She grabbed his hand and put it on to her warm breast, but Joe snatched it away.

‘Stop it,’ he said, his voice trembling.

She grabbed the sheet from the bed and wrapped it clumsily around her body.