Read Online Hollywood Blackmail by Jackie Ashenden - Free Book Online
Authors: Jackie Ashenden
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Ferrari.” She pulled open the door.
He really should be feeling annoyed because although it was true—he had crashed his Ferrari—that had been more than six months ago and he hadn’t so much as dinged the paintwork of the Veyron. But he didn’t feel annoyed. Like back in the cottage, he only felt pleased. “So you have been reading about me.”
“Not intentionally. It was on every single TV channel. It wasn’t like I could avoid it.”
“I don’t take the Veyron out much these days. But I’ve got a Harley you might like.”
“I probably won’t like. Cars and motorcycles do nothing for me.”
“Then you haven’t been riding in the right cars or motorcycles.”
She rolled her eyes. “Get in, Ash.”
Automatically he began to move toward the driver’s side and then realized Lizzie was still standing there.
“Excuse me?” she said coolly. “You’re on the wrong side. This is my car. I drive.”
Oh, she was definitely punishing him. Good thing he didn’t mind. Good thing it also had tinted windows.
He gave her a grin. “Whatever you say, nurse.”
Lizzie snorted.
There weren’t any paparazzi hanging around the gates as Lizzie drove carefully out of the parking lot. Seemed like Ash’s diversion had worked even better than he’d hoped.
As soon as they hit the Pacific Coast Highway, Ash felt the tension inside him begin to unwind. Fantastic. He’d avoided the press, which meant he still had a chance at this audition. Okay, so he’d have to lie low at home for a while, but the most important thing of all was that he had her. He had Lizzie back again.
Satisfied on a level he hadn’t felt for years, he opened the window and leaned back in his seat, the salty ocean breeze coming in, the view of the sea sparkling out to his right.
“Well,” he said, putting his hands behind his head. “That worked.”
“So far. We still have to get to your place. What if there’s still press waiting around there?”
“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.” He tried stretching his legs out and failed. “This is a ridiculously sized car.”
She didn’t even glance at him, her gaze fixed on the road ahead of her. “It’s economical.”
“It’s way too small.”
“Funnily enough, I didn’t buy it with you in mind.”
“Gets you from A to B, huh?”
“Exactly. By the way, you’d better close that window if you want to remain anonymous. Also, it’s blowing my hair.”
Ash sighed. And did the window up.
The sun coming through the front had caught the strands of red in Lizzie’s dyed brown hair, making it look like she had a headful of smoldering flame beneath a scattering of earth.
Interesting thought. Eleven years ago she’d been a brightly burning fire, but not so much now. Now she kept those flames hidden beneath brown dye and a blue uniform. Beneath a cool front and a calm manner. But he was willing to bet those flames were still there.
“So where are we headed?”
“Santa Monica.”
“Nice.”
“Expensive.”
“That, too. You have your own place?”
“Yes. It’s small but it’s mine.”
“You seem to do small a lot.”
“We can’t all be movie stars with millions of dollars.”
“No, but if you’d stayed, you might have been married to one.” Possibly not the best thing to say but he couldn’t help himself. She had an answer to everything and it was starting to get on his nerves.
Tension settled into her posture, a crease appearing between her brows. “I’m assuming you’re not expecting an answer to that.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, not the slightest bit apologetic. “That was a rule, wasn’t it?”
“You’re not sorry about at all,” she said levelly. “But if you must know I’m happy with my job. I’m happy with my life.”
He studied her. “You don’t regret leaving?”
“Nice try.”
“So the direct approach won’t work, huh?”
“Nope.”
“You look beautiful today.”
“And neither will flattery.” She
He really should be feeling annoyed because although it was true—he had crashed his Ferrari—that had been more than six months ago and he hadn’t so much as dinged the paintwork of the Veyron. But he didn’t feel annoyed. Like back in the cottage, he only felt pleased. “So you have been reading about me.”
“Not intentionally. It was on every single TV channel. It wasn’t like I could avoid it.”
“I don’t take the Veyron out much these days. But I’ve got a Harley you might like.”
“I probably won’t like. Cars and motorcycles do nothing for me.”
“Then you haven’t been riding in the right cars or motorcycles.”
She rolled her eyes. “Get in, Ash.”
Automatically he began to move toward the driver’s side and then realized Lizzie was still standing there.
“Excuse me?” she said coolly. “You’re on the wrong side. This is my car. I drive.”
Oh, she was definitely punishing him. Good thing he didn’t mind. Good thing it also had tinted windows.
He gave her a grin. “Whatever you say, nurse.”
Lizzie snorted.
There weren’t any paparazzi hanging around the gates as Lizzie drove carefully out of the parking lot. Seemed like Ash’s diversion had worked even better than he’d hoped.
As soon as they hit the Pacific Coast Highway, Ash felt the tension inside him begin to unwind. Fantastic. He’d avoided the press, which meant he still had a chance at this audition. Okay, so he’d have to lie low at home for a while, but the most important thing of all was that he had her. He had Lizzie back again.
Satisfied on a level he hadn’t felt for years, he opened the window and leaned back in his seat, the salty ocean breeze coming in, the view of the sea sparkling out to his right.
“Well,” he said, putting his hands behind his head. “That worked.”
“So far. We still have to get to your place. What if there’s still press waiting around there?”
“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.” He tried stretching his legs out and failed. “This is a ridiculously sized car.”
She didn’t even glance at him, her gaze fixed on the road ahead of her. “It’s economical.”
“It’s way too small.”
“Funnily enough, I didn’t buy it with you in mind.”
“Gets you from A to B, huh?”
“Exactly. By the way, you’d better close that window if you want to remain anonymous. Also, it’s blowing my hair.”
Ash sighed. And did the window up.
The sun coming through the front had caught the strands of red in Lizzie’s dyed brown hair, making it look like she had a headful of smoldering flame beneath a scattering of earth.
Interesting thought. Eleven years ago she’d been a brightly burning fire, but not so much now. Now she kept those flames hidden beneath brown dye and a blue uniform. Beneath a cool front and a calm manner. But he was willing to bet those flames were still there.
“So where are we headed?”
“Santa Monica.”
“Nice.”
“Expensive.”
“That, too. You have your own place?”
“Yes. It’s small but it’s mine.”
“You seem to do small a lot.”
“We can’t all be movie stars with millions of dollars.”
“No, but if you’d stayed, you might have been married to one.” Possibly not the best thing to say but he couldn’t help himself. She had an answer to everything and it was starting to get on his nerves.
Tension settled into her posture, a crease appearing between her brows. “I’m assuming you’re not expecting an answer to that.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, not the slightest bit apologetic. “That was a rule, wasn’t it?”
“You’re not sorry about at all,” she said levelly. “But if you must know I’m happy with my job. I’m happy with my life.”
He studied her. “You don’t regret leaving?”
“Nice try.”
“So the direct approach won’t work, huh?”
“Nope.”
“You look beautiful today.”
“And neither will flattery.” She
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