The extent of her gullibility prickled her skin, followed quickly by a sharp wash of anger. She’d been lied to, used, played. By two bitch-ass fakes. More if you counted the rest of the Avengers.
But Cora hadn’t grown up in Hollywood as Dooley Rule’s princess for nothing. She’d learned that to get her way she had to out-manipulate her father, one of the best mind-game players she’d ever met. All she needed was confirmation and these girls were going down.
To test the waters, Cora said, “Last night? I was getting my brains fucked out by Jack Gordon.”
A total lie, but Kaya’s face turned nearly as red as her hair.
Portia tittered nervously. “Such a kidder.”
To truly test the waters, Cora added, “And if I crook my finger, Cal Lazarus will meet me in the men’s room for a quickie.”
“Like Cal even knows you exist,” Portia practically hissed like the bitch-snake she was.
“She’s bluffing.” Kaya’s glare attempted to drill a hole in Cora’s confidence.
Cora’s heart was pounding, but she wasn’t cracking. “Jack has a lightning bolt tattooed over his left hip, just below the waistband of his boxers.” She glared at Portia. “I could tell Cal about your obsession with real fur. He’d never hire an actress PETA boycotts.”
“I should have dumped you long ago,” Portia said. “The only reason I didn’t was because of Blue.”
It was true then. All her suspicions. They landed with a heavy thud in her stomach.
These two deserved some serious payback. She could out-bitch them with a blindfold and last year’s Versace blouse. She didn’t have a blindfold, but she did have the repurposed Versace.
“You waited years until Blue noticed you were alive, Portia. And he dated you after Kaya. That’s got to hurt.” Cora stood, drawing Cal’s appreciative eye. She crooked a finger at him, then headed toward the men’s room.
Thankfully, he followed.
Chapter 16
“You’re not very good with men, are you?” Maddy asked as she and Blue sat in traffic trying to get back to the Dooley Foundation’s Santa Monica office.
Blue had been impatient with Professor Quinby, who’d clearly been living in his own head for far too long. Blue’s face had been clouded over since they left UCLA.
“I like women, if that’s what you’re asking. But you know that since you’re creating a show about my ex-girlfriends.”
“No, I mean you have no patience for men. You probably don’t have many close guy friends either. Why is that?”
There was something different about Blue today. She’d never have expected him to rise so vehemently to Ulani’s defense as he had earlier in his office. He was more than the Hollywood playboy she’d initially pegged him to be. Maddy itched to put a camera in her hands so she could try to figure him out.
“That’s ridiculous. I – ”
“When was the last time you went out with the guys?”
Blue tapped his fingers on his steering wheel. “Months ago. When I used to have a life.”
Her bullshit meter spiked.
“Probably longer.” Maddy angled in her seat, drawing up one knee to rest on the center console, so she could capture his reactions in her mental camera. “Let me pull some reverse Love Doctor on you. You’re more comfortable having female friends. That’s threatening to most women. They want to be the one woman in your life.”
Blue checked traffic as he changed lanes, cutting in front of a Jaguar and receiving the double Dutch salute – the horn and the finger. His dark expression never changed.
A week ago Maddy would have sat quietly and let the conversation drop. But she’d acquired a bit of chutzpah by standing up to Blue. “Your mom raised you, right? What does she do? Is she a schoolteacher?”
“You’re not going to let it go, are you?” He sighed. “Fine. My mom does hair for one of the studios.”
Maddy sat up so fast the seatbelt tugged her back down. “Oh, my God. You grew up in a salon. That’s like Gossip Central.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“That’s why you know so much about women and relationships.” Only the wishful side though, not the day-to-day reality, and certainly nothing leading to permanence.
“Don’t make such a big deal about it.”
“Can I interview your mom?”
“Back the hell off. There’s more at stake here than your precious reality show.” He gripped the steering wheel tighter, as if pretending it was her neck.
“I’m sorry,” Maddy stiffly, straightening in her seat. “I’m passionate about my work.” And he wasn’t. Best to remember that or she’d get hurt worse than the minor cuts he made at her enthusiasm. Speaking of cuts, her mother had called to set up a time to review the accounting for the business. Maddy tugged at her seat belt, as if that would loosen the tightness in her chest. “I believe this show will change your life.”
Blue groaned. “I’m afraid of the same thing.”
“It seems to me you’d want change, seeing as how you’re hiding out and living like a monk.” He’d told her about the Avengers’ invading his condo, chasing him into hiding, and how he’d stopped dating. He was such an interesting contradiction of alpha and beta, choosing his battles to avoid hurting someone. She stared at the graffiti beneath an overpass. “Did your dad train you in his methods?”
“Not a topic of discussion.” There was an edge to his voice that hadn’t been there before.
She took that to mean no. “When’s the last time you dated?”
“You mean, when’s the last time I had sex? I’m not the sex addict those women make me out to be. I can go without sex.” But the burning gaze he sent her way belied his statement. It said he wanted to end his sexual sabbatical. With her.
Her heart pounded in her chest. Her mental viewfinder came in for a close-up of Blue rising out of the surf. Turned on. And naked. She swallowed. “You aren’t a sex addict. Or you would have tried to proposition me.”
Blue laughed, a rich sound that rumbled between them and between her legs. “Didn’t I? Yesterday?”
“That was a test.” One she’d passed, but not before learning he thought she didn’t like sex. “Can we stop for lunch? I’m starved. Your treat, of course.”
“I suppose you want nachos and a side salad.”
“What are you? A mind reader?” And if he was reading her mind did that mean she was on his girlfriend radar?
Blue spared her a glance, one hundred percent confident male. “I only mentioned nachos and salad because I just laughed and bruised your feminine ego. Nachos for comfort. Lettuce for token nutrition.”
Maddy relaxed into her seat. “I’m glad we got that cleared up.” The mind reading part. But what was she supposed to think about his perpetual need to please women?
“Good.” He smiled and patted her knee as if he were her Uncle Blue. “Let’s get wings.”
Hang on. “I don’t like wings.”
“But I do.”
So he wasn’t trying to please her like he had all his exes? Did that mean she wasn’t woman enough for him?
Come on, Maddy. Get your head out of your ass and focus on the project.
She cleared her throat. “What’s your schedule the rest of the day? Any other opportunities for filming? Any coaching on the schedule? I’d love some film of you actually applying the Rules to help someone.”
“I…uh…”
“That means yes! Fantastic. Who is it and what’s her relationship problem?”
“Later tonight I have a group session.” He didn’t sound all that welcoming, but he was navigating through heavy traffic.
“I promise to be discrete.” When he grunted, she changed topics. “Are you close to Amber?”
“How does that relate to anything we’ve been discussing?” So touchy.
“I think it’s interesting how the three of you ended up working for your father’s company.”
“Sometimes you don’t have any choice. Obligations,
like you said earlier.” His tone was arctic, much like she felt when she thought about working in the family business. He switched the spotlight over to her as deftly as he changed lanes. “What about you? How did your childhood mix with the family business?”
“Depressingly normal. I can’t remember not working there.” The sun was uncomfortably warm. She readjusted the air conditioning vents. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful. That business paid for my college education, but cleaning and pressing gets boring.”
“I bet you asked so many questions you knew every client better than their mothers.”
Trust Blue to cut right to the crux. “I was always curious about where they’d worn something or how they got a certain stain.”
“And it’s nice to have a safety net, I bet.” He turned into the shadows of a multi-level parking garage. “If things don’t work out, you’ll have the dry cleaning business to fall back on.”
“Yes,” she said flatly, apprehension storming her insides. “There is that.”
“Blackie, welcome to my humble abode.” Winnie gave off an over-the-top sex vibe in her silver turban and plum-colored robe, which clung to her manufactured curves as if sewn on.
He was here to support Senge Tenzing in one of his father’s Freedom Transformations. He still had no idea how the transformation was performed. Hopefully, Maddy wasn’t going to find out he was clueless and expose him to the world with her sizzle reel. Hopefully, he could manage what she filmed and didn’t film.
A few feet inside the foyer, Maddy had her camera trained on him.
His tie suddenly felt like a noose and Mr. Jiggle’s carrier a sandbag. He waited for the trap door to drop. When the world didn’t crack open and swallow him whole, he stepped inside.
Go with the bluff.
Blue smiled winningly. “Winnie, you look lovely.”
Winnie planted some lipstick on Blue’s cheek, and then led him deeper inside her mansion, which had round ivory columns, stark white marble, and Roman statue reproductions. The vast impersonalness felt more like a mausoleum than a home. Although, Blue had expected something tackier – red velvet-covered furniture, a round bed and sex toys. Okay, that was his dad’s bedroom, but still...
Winnie paused next to a marble column, sliding her hand up its length and leaning against it in a wanton movie star pose, undoubtedly staged for the camera. “You didn’t tell me we’d be part of one of the Foundation’s videos. I’m flattered. And it shows your confidence in completing the lesson.” She batted her false eyelashes and eyed Blue’s suit and tie. “That can’t be comfortable. You look like a studio exec. Take it off.” With a flourish of her arm she led them deeper into her temple.
Blue tightened his tie, glancing back at Maddy, whose red light was trained on him. In the next hour, he’d either bluff his way through this or be outed as a fraud. “Don’t film this.”
“But we’ve already signed the releases, Blackie.” Winnie turned. She raised an eyebrow when she realized he was in her shot. She expertly sidled back into Maddy’s view, smiling in that wrinkle-less way she’d perfected. “It’s settled. We film. Come along.”
Of course, an aging movie star would want to be filmed.
Blue’s eye twitched. He waited until Winnie disappeared around a corner and then spun on Maddy. “The Dooley Foundation rescinds your invitation to film.”
“This isn’t your house and I’m not a vampire.” Maddy didn’t so much as hit pause on her camera. “Don’t be mad.”
“No one should film this.” Whatever this was.
Winnie poked her turbaned head around the corner. “Well, I suppose inhibitions are a blessing in this day and age, but you won’t find any of that here. We don’t mind being filmed.”
Maddy shot him a superior look.
With a sinking sensation, Blue followed Winnie down a hallway beneath the curving staircase. Mr. Jiggles growled, shifting to the rear of his briefcase carrier where he had a better view of Maddy.
Winnie turned. “Don’t tell me you have an odious dog somewhere on your person, one you carry everywhere? I wasn’t sure last week at lunch.”
“I…um…”
Maddy closed the gap between them, camera angled down on the carrier.
Mr. Jiggles growled again.
“Blackie, you truly are a wonder. Not afraid to dive in with the rest of us and admit imperfection.” Winnie gestured to his dog carrier. “I have a good feeling about tonight. You can put your baby in the playpen with the others.” She clapped, her rings clanging together.
“Others?”
“My other guests bring their misbehaving babes along, too. I can hardly allow them to chew up my hydrangeas. The gardener would quit. And I wouldn’t trust any of them to run free with so many shoes out.” She veered into a bedroom off the massive white kitchen. A blue child’s playpen was situated in the corner. Three Mr. J clones peered up at him expectantly, pom-pom heads trembling.
“Mr. Jiggles is kind of anti-social.” Blue was reluctant to leave the poodle with those well-behaved, pampered pets.
“He needs to get laid, Blackie,” Winnie said impatiently. “Put him down.”
Maddy circled the playpen, zooming in on the dogs.
Blue withdrew Mr. Jiggles from the carrier. He growled and moved his legs as if running away. When Blue put him in with the pack, Mr. Jiggles ran from one to the other, sniffing butts and prancing around as if he was The Man. And then he mounted a little black dog with a diamond studded collar.
“No-no.” Blue reached in, but Mr. Jiggles growled at him.
Winnie tittered. “A dog is just like the rest of us – wound up so tight. A little sexual release goes a long way, doesn’t it, Blackie?” She pulled Blue along with her out the back door. “That’s what transformation is all about – from tension to peace.”
Winnie led them past the pool to the spa, which was located in a secluded area beneath towering palm trees. It was a large spa, big enough for eight. The sun had set and shadows were claiming the yard.
There were three women in the bubbling water. Two were gray haired, one of which was Mary, Winnie’s mother, whom he’d met at Amber’s wedding. A younger looking blonde spun away and sank into the frothy water as soon as she saw Blue.
Trepidation tap danced through his muscles. What if the blonde was one of his ex-girlfriends?
“There are no cameras in Wicked Tantric. There is only faith and trust.” Senge Tenzig stepped out from behind a palm wearing what looked like orange MC Hammer pants and a white sleeveless tunic. His petite, swarthy frame blocked Blue and Maddy from going any further. He leaned around Blue to study Maddy. “You have come to join us on this journey to freedom, I see. Good. You two are not suited in bed as it stands.” Senge pointed at Blue. “You are burnt out on sex without love. I can tell by the twisting of your chakras, although they are not as stifled as your sister’s were. And she…” He pointed at Maddy. “She has locked her legs against men because she knows not what she is doing. Repressed she is, hiding behind her camera.”
Blue bit back a laugh, while Maddy made a strangled noise.
“Yes, I should have seen it, too.” Winnie paused. Her zipper was down to her naval, revealing curves barely covered in a bikini too small for a woman her age.
The bull-like huffing next to him came from Maddy.
“Temper, temper,” Blue cautioned, unable to contain a grin.
“Maddy, would you like me to get you a bathing suit?” Winnie gestured to the spa. “You’re welcome to join us.”
“Say yes,” Blue said under his breath, suddenly very certain that Maddy would put on a loud transformation. “I’ll film.”
“No, thank you, Winnie.” Maddy lowered her camera, her brows dropping in annoyance, first at Blue and then at Senge’s baggy, flat crotch. “What, exactly, are you trying to say about my libido, oh mighty, miniscule sex master?”
“Two points for the repressed filmmaker,” Blue murmured.
“Why explain when you know th
e truth?” Senge steepled his fingers and smiled enigmatically as if he knew more, but preferred to say less. “You are not making good use of your time on earth. Life was not meant to be lived in mediocrity. Now, leave us.”
Winnie shed her robe and sank into the hot tub like a turbaned goddess ready to be worshipped.
“We’re not here for your sex advice,” Blue said. “We’re here to make sure Winnie’s group gets their money’s worth.”
Senge glanced over his shoulder at the hot tub. “A group of women. That is always a challenge. It is hard for them to forget the others around them to achieve fulfillment, especially if they have strong alpha tendencies.” Senge giggled. “But I am always up to a challenge.”
“Satisfaction guaranteed?” Maddy clutched her camera to her chest.
“I can make even you deliver. You will tell me if you want coaching through the joining of the two of you.” Senge giggled again. “It would be a pleasure to watch you try to get beyond what lies between you. And of course, Blue has me on retainer, so my fee would be waived.”
Blue scowled at the idea that he couldn’t show Maddy what she’d been missing without instruction from Senge.
“Now, I must ask you to retreat to the house. I cannot work with such stifled chakras present.” Senge turned away with a swish of his wide pants.
Chapter 17
“I’m offended.” Maddy set her camera on the kitchen counter. She looked out the window toward the spa, itching to open the window and film. “Senge thinks I’m repressed. How do men get that repressed message?”
“It could be that…” Blue gestured below his collarbone and then to her, his smile barely contained.
Maddy glanced down at her B cups, covered in a soft cotton T-shirt. “Because I’m not showing cleavage? You expect me to schlep around a camera with a Wonderbra?”
Blue had the grace to look apologetic. “This is L.A. You can’t look like a tomboy on the playground if you want to communicate you have a marketable commodity.”
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