Even Villains Go To The Movies by Liana Brooks Read Free Book Online Page A

wardrobe room and dumped a two-thousand-dollar pair of black sandals onto the floor. It was just hard to maintain cover when hideous mini-monsters started stalking you on set. She stuffed the fussing minion in the shoe box with a sigh.
    “AJ?” Jacob’s voice filtered through the dressing room wall.
    “I’ll be right there!” She wrapped the box with a belt from the communal dressing table and shoved the minion in her locker to deal with later. The Hollywood promotional machine stopped for no man, woman, or minion.
    ***
    Angela’s eyeballs were fried. Hair billowing in the breeze sounded like a wonderful concept on paper, but the reality of staring into a fan with an open mouth and enough lip gloss to drown a goldfish wasn’t a sexy one.
    Jacob winked at her from his chair by the door.
    “I thought you were done an hour ago,” Angela said.
    “I had time to wash the makeup off. Want to go get some dinner? There’s this great little Greek restaurant on West Third that you’d love. The dolmades are to die for.”
    She scuffed her shoe on the cement floor of the studio. “I wish I could.”
    “But?”
    “I’m still filling in as Glee’s stunt double and there’s another night shoot today. Tonight. Whatever.” She rolled her eyes at her own rambling. “I need to take a quick shower and get down there. They still haven’t found Glee’s blonde wig so I’ve been standing in for all sorts of random things.”
    “Why don’t they just buy another wig?” Jacob asked as he picked up a black leather riding jacket.
    Angela shrugged. “Search me.”
    He stepped close. “Is that an invitation?”
    Angela’s heart skipped as she remembered strong muscles cradling her. But she shook her head. “Not tonight.” Or any other night. Not between them.
    She risked opening herself up to catch his emotions. Frustration and excitement emanated from the next lot over, where Glee’s action movie was filming. Jacob seemed quiet, although she caught a whiff of lust and dominance. Jacob brushed her arm with a finger. “I could wait for you to finish.”
    She stepped away. “That’s sweet, but by the time I finish whatever it is I’m doing for Glee, I’m not going to be good company.”
    “Tomorrow night?”
    “You’re persistent, aren’t you?”
    Jacob crowded her again, his body heat making the small hall connecting the studio lots uncomfortably warm. “I always get what I want.”
    Angela’s pulse quickened again, but this time it wasn’t pleasant. “Good for you,” she said, turning to walk away. “But I just left an abusive relationship and I’m enjoying some quality Me Time. When I’m interested in adding a man to my life, I’ll give you a call.” Angela left, walking just a little too fast, hoping the brush-off would be enough to cool Jacob down.
    He caught up. “I don’t get it. I’m good-looking. I’m a nice guy. I’m the friendliest person you’ve met in LA. Why won’t you have dinner with me?”
    “Because I’m working two jobs, and I don’t want to have dinner with anyone?” Angela shrugged. “This isn’t about you. Relationships are a two-part harmony and if one part isn’t playing along you can’t have a relationship.”
    Jacob pursed his bright red lips, the remnants of the photo shoot giving him an almost clownish appearance. “I’m a nice guy, but I guess it’s true what they say about nice guys finishing last.”
    Anger mounted. “Real Nice Guys don’t pressure girls into dates, guilt-trip them over dumb things, or take someone saying that they don’t want a relationship as a personal rejection. If you delivered pizza and I never asked for pizza, couldn’t pay for pizza, and didn’t want to eat pizza, would you be upset that I didn’t take the pizza when you showed up?”
    “Did you just compare sex to pizza?”
    “Yes.” She was practically running as she reached the door to the studio. The stage was set for another motorcycle scene and then some fancy dress party