She took his hand and shot a contemptuous look at Harvey, who was glaring at the couple as they walked away. “That guy is nuts. I thought they did better screening for these shows,” Imani said.
“He’s not going to be a problem for you,” Raymond said, suddenly feeling very protective of Imani. “I’m not going to let him bother you again.”
She sucked in her bottom lip as they stepped onto the elevator. This man was too good to be true. Why did they have to meet here? she wondered as she slipped her arm around his waist.
Chapter 8
When the elevator opened on their floor, Raymond wanted to take Imani into his room and just watch her sleep. He wasn’t worried about Harvey, but he didn’t want Imani out of his sight. Not when she was such a vision and they needed to clear up something.
“Imani,” he said, “can we talk for a minute?”
She nodded. “Why don’t we go inside my room?”
Raymond looked down the hall and saw Lucy coming their way. “Sounds good to me,” he said as he followed her inside.
The scent of her perfume greeted him at the door and slammed his heart against his rib cage. This woman was damned intoxicating in every way and he had to keep his hands to himself. Somehow.
“So,” she said when she turned around, “I guess this is about what I said on the beach.”
“Pretty and smart. I like that in a woman,” Raymond quipped. “What I don’t understand is if we’re both attracted to each other, why do you want to pull back?” He inched closer to her, wondering for a moment if he could get another kiss from that beautiful mouth.
“This isn’t the best time to start anything. We’re being filmed and I don’t want my sex life all over national TV. I had no idea that I’d meet someone like you and want to be wrapped in his arms and . . .”
“Kissed by him all the time?” he asked, staring into her eyes. “Imani, why do you want to fight the feeling?” Raymond wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his chest. “This could be a win-win situation.”
“I’m not trying to make the papers for all the wrong reasons. Please try and understand that.” She pressed her hands against his chest, but didn’t pull away. It felt too good being in his arms.
“Wrong reasons? Connecting with another human is the wrong reason to make the newspapers?”
“Actress uses her body to get ahead is more like it,” she said, still not leaving his embrace. “I could’ve been in many other movies, done a couple of shows on Broadway, had I been willing to sleep my way to the top. Not my style.”
“I’m not offering you a role in a movie or on Broadway,” he said, his voice husky and deep, sending shivers down her spine. “If we happen to get something started, what’s the problem?”
Finally she pulled out of Raymond’s embrace and sat on the edge of the bed. “Ray, I can’t say that I want to get something started with you because that’s not on my five-year plan.”
“Five-year plan? You know plans were meant to be changed.”
“And that’s been my problem. I’ve allowed too many people to take me off course and that’s why I’m here,” she said, then slammed her hand against the bed. “As much as I want to get lost in those beautiful eyes of yours, I can’t do that. My family has been against me acting from the start and I like to prove people wrong. I don’t like the word no.”
“Funny,” he said. “You throw it around a lot.”
Imani focused her stare on Raymond. She was beginning to think that Dana was right about her having a thing for arrogant men. Still, there was something about him that was drawing her into his orbit. Maybe he wasn’t arrogant, just confident. “Raymond,” she whispered, “let’s stick to the plan.”
“All right,” he relented. “But plans were made to be changed. Keep that in mind.” He turned toward the door and then looked over his shoulder at her. When Raymond winked at her before he headed out, Imani knew she was in trouble.
“Well, well,” Lucy said when Raymond exited Imani’s room. “I guess you like them fake and phony?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, I told you that she was here for the fame and the money, but every time I turn around, you’re in Miss Actress’s face,” she said, then rolled her eyes.
“Lucy,” Raymond said as he shook his head.
“What? I’m trying to offer you something real,” she said as she took his hand in hers. “Tell me you don’t feel this energy between us.” Lucy closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. “I want you.”
“That’s nice,” he said. “But all I want right now is a shower and a good night’s sleep.”
“I can help you with the shower and the sleep. I wash your back, you lick mine,” she said with a seductive gleam in her eyes.
Raymond gave her a long once-over and decided that despite the fact that he’d never been hornier, he wasn’t going to settle for a bed warmer when the one he really wanted was right across the hall. “Not tonight,” he said, then gave her a soft pat on the shoulder.
“Your loss,” she said with a snort, and then stomped away.
Raymond walked into his room and threw himself across the bed. His thoughts immediately turned to Imani. A woman he just met shouldn’t have gotten to him in the way she had. Especially when she told him that she was only here to become a star. Maybe Lucy was right, he should run the other way and forget her. Forget the sweet taste of her kisses, the smoothness of her skin, and each and every curve on her body. How could he forget her when there was so much more to explore? Nope, he was going to have to break through that wall. Even if that breakthrough didn’t happen until after the show. Imani was a woman he needed to be a part of his life.
But does she want a man or a prop? he thought as he locked his hands behind his head. She made it really clear about her desire for fame. Men are always saying that women blindside us and introduce us to their representative before we get to see the real woman. Imani hasn’t done that and I can’t seem to get her off my mind. Damn it, this is not smart nor is it cool. But I have got to have that woman.
Since he couldn’t do anything about it tonight, Raymond decided to go to sleep and work on getting closer to Imani in the morning. As soon as he closed his eyes, though, her beauty invaded his sleep.
Sleep was not Imani’s friend and when she heard a rumbling at her door, she had no desire to get up and open it. But the knocking continued, persistent and anxious. Part of her wished it was Raymond so that she could tell him off for keeping her up all night. Wait, those were just dreams. It was in her dreams—every time she closed her eyes—that he kissed her, sucking gently on her bottom lip and rubbing his palms slowly across her breasts until her nipples perked up, hard like diamonds. Each image of Raymond in her bed shook her to her core. Made her feel things that she’d never felt and think thoughts that she’d pushed out of her mind when she’d been propositioned by the casting director for the musical Rent. She may have wanted to play Mimi, a drug-addicted stripper, but there was no way she was going to put out to get the role. She’d always wondered if she’d been relegated to the chorus because she hadn’t slept with that director. Both actresses who’d been selected to play Mimi, the understudy and the lead actress, were horrible and the reviews said so. Before she could give it another thought, the knocking continued. She knew she was supposed to do some sort of interview this morning, but why so early?
Flinging the covers back, Imani stalked to the door, filled with old anger and new disgust as she opened the door and placed her hand on her hips. “What?” she snapped.
“Imani, we need you in the interview room,” the production assistant said. He grabbed her by the arm and ushered her out of the room. Dressed in a white cotton gown and no shoes, there was no way that she could be seen on camera. She ran a quick hand through her hair and tried to smooth it as much as possible. Imani imagined that she looked like a Troll doll. She stopped and glared at the PA. “Hey, I don’t know how things work in TV land, but I n
eed to get myself together before I go on camera.”
“This is reality TV, not a movie set. If you don’t want to follow the rules, then you can leave. And if you leave this soon, you forfeit any prize money that you may have earned.” He tapped his wrist. “Time is wasting, let’s go.”
Imani rolled her eyes. “Fine,” she mumbled as she followed the young man down the hall. She pulled her hair back behind her ears and exhaled. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Such the diva,” the man mumbled as they walked into a small room. Imani took a seat in front of the camera and continued to fiddle with her hair.
A woman, who Imani assumed was the show’s producer, appeared from behind a mirrored door. “Jason, thank you. You may go now,” she said, then turned to Imani and extended her hand. “I’m Tres Ellis.”
“Imani—but I’m sure you already knew that. Can I at least get a mirror and a brush before we start filming?”
She smiled. “Sorry,” she said, then turned the camera on. “So, tell me a little about yourself. You’re a B-movie actress, right? You did a film that wasn’t very well received by critics or audiences.”
“I’m not a B-movie actress and yes, Fearless Diva wasn’t the best display of my acting talents, but I was working with what I had,” Imani replied.
“Okay,” Tres said. “So, I see that you are from New York. Do you know Raymond, who’s also from New York?”
Imani hid her smile. “I wouldn’t say that I know him, but he did save me from a speeding cab in Manhattan.”
Tres wrote a note on her pad, then looked up at Imani. “How would you feel if America set him up with someone like Lucy? I noticed that you two clashed in the limo on the way over here.”
“You all were filming that?” Imani asked, immediately wondering if every move she and Raymond had been making was filmed as well.
Tres nodded. “Mostly everything since you all arrived has been taped. We wanted to get some test shots and see who has the best chemistry and things like that. But back to my question. Raymond and Lucy—how would you feel about America bringing them together?”
“Well, I, umm . . . Lucy and Raymond wouldn’t work. He’s the kind of man who needs a woman who isn’t clingy in his life. Lucy isn’t that kind of woman.”
“So, you are the kind of woman he needs?”
Imani cocked her head to the side and fingered her hair. “That’s not for me to say. I think Raymond and America will make the right decision.”
“So, you said that he saved your life in New York. Would you say that the two of you have a connection?” Tres asked.
A connection? Heat rose from the center of her being and settled on her cheeks. Hell yes, she had a connection with Raymond. Obviously, this woman hadn’t paid attention to the footage that had been recorded. Squirming in her seat and praying that her face didn’t reveal the true connection she wanted with Raymond, she was at a loss for words.
“Well?” Tres pressed. “Would you say something about your connection with Raymond?”
Imani shrugged and sighed. Get it together, this is officially being filmed. “Define connection,” Imani said, channeling her Sharon Stone from Basic Instinct.
Tres raised her sculpted eyebrow at Imani as if she knew the actress was putting on a show. “Well, let’s move on. Some of our other contestants have expressed doubt as to why you’re actually here. They think you’re just trying to show off your acting skills and that you’re after the fame and the money.”
“And I take it that you believe the rest of those women are not? Let’s be real, finding love on TV is a pipe dream,” she replied.
Tres stood up and extended her hand to Imani. “Thank you,” she said.
Imani slowly rose to her feet and shook her hand. “Are you sure there aren’t any more questions?”
“We’re done for now,” Tres said with a smile.
Nodding, she headed out the door and told herself that she had to be camera-ready at all times. She was not going to be caught looking like anything less than a star on camera again. Reality TV or not.
As she approached her room, she couldn’t help but think of Raymond, and when she turned to glance at his door, Imani was shocked to see him opening it. Had he been waiting for her? Was he really seeing her standing there looking like this?! Sighing, she gripped her doorknob as he said, “Good morning.” His smile was brighter than the sun, dazzling, made her heart skip a few beats. When she felt her nipples press against the flimsy material of her gown, she crossed her arms over her chest and returned his greeting. “Morning.”
“You’re up rather early this morning,” he said.
She stared at him, drinking in his image. Shirtless, board shorts looking as if he was about to head out and conquer the ocean with his surf board. Turn away, Imani! she told herself as her eyes traveled his body in reverse. “Well, I was doing a cast interview, and now I’m going to get some breakfast from room service.”
“That sounds like a horrible way to start your day. I have to do one of those too in a while. But why eat in your room when you can join me for breakfast on the beach?”
“I have to get dressed and . . .”
“You don’t have the option to say no,” he said with another smile. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Trust me, I’m a doctor.”
Could she handle sitting on the beach with him while he looked so incredibly sexy? Was this what people meant when they said they had a hunger for someone? How could Imani hunger for something that she’d never had before? Why was her body responding to this man in ways that she’d never dreamed of in her life?
She told him she would join him for breakfast. “But first, I have to change into something more suitable for the beach.”
Raymond winked at her. “See-though gowns are suitable for any occasion,” he quipped.
“I’ll see you in a few minutes,” she said, before walking into her room. After closing the door, her breathing returned to normal. Looking down at her gown, Imani shook her head. “‘See-through is suitable for any occasion. . . .’ He is too much,” she mumbled as she fished her pink and black bandeau bathing suit from her suitcase. The Chanel suit had been one of her gifts from the set of Fearless Diva. Had she known that the movie was going to ruin her career before it even had a chance to get started, she would’ve helped herself to more gifts.
After slipping into the strapless suit, Imani gave herself a once-over in the mirror and adjusted her breasts in the suit for the optimal amount of cleavage display. She would be turning heads today, though the only head she was worried about was Raymond’s. She wanted to look tempting as opposed to slutty. Her skin was already beginning to show a sun-kissed glow, or was that the heat from seeing Raymond? Imani shrugged.
Why am I doing this? Focus. This breakfast is going to be filmed and you need to be less seductress and more America’s sweetheart. Still, if he can show off his killer body, so can I. Let him see how it feels to see what you want, but can’t have.
She pulled her hair back in a loose chignon, plucked an orchid from the bouquet on the night table, and stuck it on the left side of her head. Then she grabbed a bottle of sunscreen and tied her sheer black sarong around her waist before heading out the door. And she was right. Every man she passed turned his head to get a glimpse of the bathing beauty. Imani wasn’t vain, but she couldn’t help but smile at the attention. Hopefully they’d remember her when they saw her poster for her next film and go buy a ticket.
She happily skipped out of the hotel, thinking that she should try a drama for her next role. That was the surest path to an Oscar. But thoughts of scripts, award speeches, and movie roles flew out of her head when she spotted Raymond on the sand. He was serious about breakfast being important, and more appetizing on the beach than anything she could have dreamed up. She looked at the blanket he’d laid out, seeing fresh sliced pineapples, grapes, strawberries, and waffles. Her mouth watered at the sight of the food, at least that’s what she told herself.
Honestly, looking at Raymond, laid back propped up on his elbows and showing off every rippling inch of his abs, made her want to not only devour the pineapples, but get a taste of Raymond as well. She sprinted to him, promising herself that she would stay in character. America’s sweetheart would not jump on that man and run her tongue down his six-pack, she told herself.
“Wow,” she said. “Everything looks so great.”
“I’m glad you approve, because I had no idea what you wanted. So, I figured we couldn’t go wrong with fruit and waffles. We can get coffee, iced if you’d like.”
“I think some fruit juice would be a lot better,” she said. “You can get coffee from any corner in New York. Orange and pineapple juice would set this breakfast off.”
“But we can’t get fresh Kona coffee in New York,” he said. “We should try it.”
“As long as I get the juice as well, I’ll try it.”
“I’ll be right back,” Raymond said, rising to his feet and turning to the hotel.
Imani watched his retreating figure and let out a low whistle as she focused on his muscular behind. It was shaped perfectly, and her hands itched to touch it. Shaking her head and reaching for a pineapple slice, Imani munched the fruit and wondered how she’d developed these hot lusty feelings for a man she barely knew. It wasn’t just his body. She’d seen guys with tighter abs, broader shoulders and the like, but there was something else about Raymond. He wasn’t like a lot of the men she’d met in the city. He seemed compassionate and cared about more than getting every pretty girl he saw into bed. Focus, her inner voice cried out. You’re not here to fall in love with Raymond, not here to do anything but perform for whatever director, producer, or playwright looking for a hot new actress.
Leaning back on her elbows, Imani grabbed another slice of pineapple and sucked the juicy fruit while the sun beat down on her. Trying to gather her thoughts and what her next move should be, she didn’t notice that Raymond had returned.
“I hope that smile on your lips is about me,” he said, his voice deep and sensual. Imani lifted her sunglasses as he knelt down with a tray of Kona coffee, cream, sugar, and juice, careful not to spill anything. “They made a special juice blend for you, fresh squeezed orange juice and pineapple juice.”
Too Hot for TV Page 9