Julie James - Just the Sexiest Man Alive

“And by any chance is this a good-looking man?” Valerie asked hopefully.

Taylor glanced down at the picture of Jason on the cover of People. Oh, not really, she thought. Just the Sexiest Man Alive.

“I suppose some ‘people’ might say he’s attractive.” She giggled at her own joke.

Then immediately covered her mouth.

Oh god.

Valerie echoed this exact sentiment. “Holy shit.” She paused. “Did you just giggle?”

Taylor shook her head. “No,” she mumbled innocently from behind the palm of her hand. “Definitely not.”

“Because you never giggle,” Val continued. “That’s not the Taylor Donovan way.”

Taylor nodded resolutely. “That’s right. I don’t. I was just, um . . . coughing.”

Lame.

Valerie was highly suspicious. “I’m going to get to the bottom of whatever’s going on with you as soon as I get out there, you know.”

Taylor smiled. “Two weeks, Val. I promise—I’ll tell you everything.”

SCOTT CASEY GLANCED again at the copy of People that his now ex-publicist, Leslie, had just dropped off.

“Other Contenders.”

To say he was not pleased with this distinction would be an understatement.

It was the second time in less than two weeks that he had been promised the cover, only to see it go up in smoke on account of Jason fucking Andrews. It was enough to make a movie star—Hollywood’s It Guy, no less—want to fire his publicist.

Which is precisely what he had done, three minutes after arriving at Chateau Marmont and seeing the magazine Leslie had brought to their lunch meeting. What else was an It Guy supposed to do?

He certainly didn’t have time to bother with her tired excuses that she’d only promised he would be “on the cover” not “be the cover.” Whatever. He had waved her and her tired excuses off with a flick of his hand.

Scott knew that his time was now—he was hotter than hot coming off the success of A Viking’s Quest and landing the coveted lead role in Outback Nights. He needed someone who could deliver the best publicity 5 percent of all gross earnings could buy.

So now, sitting at one of the hotel’s poolside tables, Scott needed to come up with a strategy. He looked over at Rob, who had joined him for lunch once Leslie’s chair had opened up.

“I need Marty Shepherd,” Scott declared resolutely.

Rob nodded his agreement as he took another bite of his cheeseburger. “You should have Adam set it up,” he said while he chewed, referring to Scott’s manager. “Tell Shepherd that next year, you’ll settle for nothing less than Sexiest Man Alive and Most Beautiful Person of the Year.”

Scott glared at him. “That’s not what this is about.”

Rob eyed him skeptically, mumbling with a mouth full of food. “No? What’s it about, then?”

“Making sure I don’t end up a paunchy actor on some CW show whose biggest film break is Guy Whose Ass Gets Eaten in Anaconda 4.”

Rob looked hurt. “Hey—I’m on hiatus. So I’ve gained a few pounds . . . I’ll lose it by fall.” He pointed his burger at Scott. “And don’t take your Jason Andrews angst out on me.”

“I don’t have any angst,” Scott retorted. He held up the other magazine Leslie had dropped off, the most recent issue of Us Weekly. Jason’s so-called Mystery Woman.

“I’m just sick of hearing about the guy all the time. And I’m sure everyone else is, too.”

“Angst,” Rob whispered under his breath.

Scott rolled his eyes. “Never mind.”

Seeing Scott’s frustration, Rob adopted a more sympathetic air. Scott was higher then he on the celebrity food chain, so this meant that occasional ass-kissing, placating, and general ego-stroking was required.

“Look—you’re gonna call Marty Shepherd. The guy’s the master of publicity.” Rob grinned. “Even slightly round but cuddly character actors on CW shows whose biggest film break is a small but pivotal part in the newest Ocean’s sequel know that.” He proudly grabbed a french fry off his plate and bit down with relish.

Scott was surprised. “You got the part?”

“I’ll be filming in Vegas this Friday.”

“One day? That is a small part.”

Rob chose to ignore this. “Anyway, with Marty Shepherd, in a few weeks, that”—he pointed to the Us Weekly cover—“will be you.”

Scott set the magazine on the table in front of them. “So you think this whole thing with the Mystery Woman is just a publicity stunt?”

Rob shrugged nonchalantly, taking in the two bikini-clad pretty young things that passed by their table. It was the fourth lap of their not-so-subtle attempt to get Scott’s attention. He gave them one more walk-by before they finally gave up and said something.

“Isn’t everything these days?” Rob answered, eying the ass of the larger girl, who he guessed was pushing a size 6. If things went down with these two, this was the ass he’d be getting. “Jason Andrews has a movie coming out soon, doesn’t he?”

Scott nodded. “Inferno. Next month.”

“This sure would be a convenient way to get everyone in a frenzy over him before the film’s release.”

Scott saw the truth in this. He studied the photograph of Jason coming out of Mr. Chow’s with the so-called Mystery Woman. The woman, a brunette, had her face turned away from the cameras.

“Who do you think she is?” he asked.

Rob tore his eyes away from the pretty young things—who now were halfway around the pool—and leaned in for a better look. “I don’t know . . . she kind of looks like Kate Beckinsale. No wait—Eva Green.” He whistled his appreciation. “Definitely the best Bond girl yet. No doubt.”

Scott agreed with Rob’s guesses. The long, dark hair and body, from what he could see, definitively resembled either actress’s features. “Maybe it’s one of them . . . I can’t tell,” he mused. “She sure looks pretty fucking hot though.”

“She wouldn’t be with Jason Andrews if she wasn’t.”

When Scott glanced up sharply, Rob shrugged. “Sorry. But it’s true.”

“Who said she’s ‘with’ Jason Andrews?” Scott pointed to the photograph. “All I see are two people coming out of a restaurant.”

Rob humored this with a look. “I don’t think Jason Andrews does a lot of platonic entertaining.”

Before Scott could respond, the two pretty young things stopped in front of their table.

“Oh my god,” the size 2 exclaimed gleefully to Scott. “I was right—I told her it was you.” She gestured to the size 6, who also stared all dreamy-eyed. “We’re totally your biggest fans.”

Scott checked the women out, looking them up and down. Feeling a little generous that afternoon, he grinned and glanced over at Rob and his nearly finished cheeseburger.

“Well, my friend, did you save any room for dessert?”

WHEN THE CAR first stopped, having arrived at its destination, Taylor assumed there had been some sort of mistake. But then the driver got out and opened the door, quashing all her hopes of a mix-up.

“Mr. Andrews is waiting for you inside,” the driver said with an efficient nod. As Taylor got out of the car and took in the sight that ominously greeted her, all of her preplanned early exit strategies fell to pieces.

Looming before her was a jet.

A private jet, from the looks of things, not that Taylor had ever ridden in one before.

Having seen the car pull up, Jason stepped out onto the jetway and welcomed her with a smile. “Hello, Ms. Donovan. Ready for this?”

Not at all sure that she was, Taylor eyed the jet warily as she crossed the tarmac and climbed the metal steps leading up to the passenger hold. When she got to the top, she stopped before Jason, going for an unimpressed look.

“How original. Didn’t I see this in Pretty Woman?”

Jason smiled pleasantly. “Let’s hope the evening ends as well for me as it did for Richard Gere.” He winked.

That shut her up right quick.

Taylor coolly passed by him and stepped into the plane. She took in the rich cream leather captain’s chairs—eight of them—the matching double couches that flanked both walls, and the tawny marble wet bar near the back. Not a bad setup.

“You rented this?”

Jason gave her a look. Hardly.

“I bought it three years ago. Commercial travel got to be too much of a hassle.”

Taylor’s eyes darted nervously to the cockpit. “Please tell me you’re not flying it.”

Jason laughed at the horrified look on her face. “You’re safe. I’ll be back here with you.”

Taylor glanced around the small seating area. Great. How cozy.

She took a seat near the back, in the chair closest to the bar, thinking a Grey Goose on the rocks might soon be in order. Jason eased into the chair next to her.

“Now can you tell me where we’re going?” she asked as she fumbled with her seat belt.

He shook his head. “Not yet. Although I’ll give you a clue: from what I’ve seen so far, it’s a place that suits you well.”

Taylor considered this hint. Then an excited look crossed her face.

“Napa Valley?”

Jason shook his head. “It’s not Napa. And no more guessing.”

“I hope I’m at least dressed appropriately,” she said, gesturing to her outfit. “Someplace ‘where you’ll be teaching me something’ didn’t give me a lot to go on.”

Jason deliberately took in the black V-neck tailored shirt and fitted gray skirt she wore. Taylor self-consciously crossed her legs at his gaze, inadvertently drawing his attention to the slit in her skirt that parted mid-thigh.