Craig, Dede - Three Kisses of Lust (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (15 page)

Maggie made a soft sound of disagreement while she stroked her chin and chewed on it. “I’m not so sure. What makes her different? What makes her different from a Trisha, or Amber, or Elizabeth? All women you thought were special, all ran for the proverbial hills when they found out they were going to be shared. And it always left you devastated. You know I love you both. You are sons to me, and I don’t want to see you getting hurt.” She leaned in, tucking her hands into the pockets of her black cargo pants, her eyes soft and warm.

Liam raised his hands and placed it on Maggie’s shoulders, his fingers pressing softly. “There was a connection there, a deep-seated mixture of chemistry and magnetism, love at first sight, whatever you want to call it. And Mags, it was the same with both of us. You know with all those other women, either Aidan or I always felt slightly more or less than the other. Gia is the only one where those feelings are identical. I think we’ve both fallen for her.” He shook his head, exhaling while he looked at Maggie. He knew he didn’t need it, but her approval meant something, to both of them.

“Fallen for her in one day? How do you know it’s not just a physical thing? You have been scraping the virginal pile for a while now. How do you know she’s not simply filling a temporary need?”

Liam dropped his arms, and angled toward Aidan. But Liam knew just from looking at him that they felt the same about her. It was just there. Of that he was certain. Turning back to Maggie he said, “You loved my father, right?” Maggie nodded, and then he continued. “I know for a fact our father fell for you the minute he saw you screaming at the studio tour guide to let you off the bus. There were a dozen guys there, but my father was the one you connected with and you didn’t even know he was on the tour. For years he still spoke about his crazy redhead who came to Hollywood with only enough saved for a studio tour and pack of Marlboros. It was the first day you met. Can you honestly tell me it wasn’t the same for you?”

Maggie smiled and sighed while she listened. She nodded slowly, seeming to know where he was going with this.

Aidan picked up from Liam. “It’s the same with Gia. It’s something inside of her, a spark igniting our dual souls simultaneously, equally. With all the other women, I think we tried to force ideals onto each other as individuals, not considering the whole. They tended to lean more to one than the other. We confused sex with love. It’s only now we’re older we see how the extra bit is needed for it to be truly fulfilling. And I think we’ve found it with Gia.” Aidan exhaled, sighing deeply.

Maggie flashed her brow, her face crinkling into her familiar smile. “And here I always thought
you
would be the more romantic one.” She held her hand out and squeezed Liam’s cheek playfully before turning to Aidan. “You surprise me, Aidan. I guess you boys are growing into each other after all.” She smiled, lowering her hand before continuing. “Congratulations, boys, I’m so happy you finally found someone. But—” She shrugged, taking in Aidan’s rolled-eye expression.

Liam shook his head at Aidan. That was the one personality trait they didn’t share. Aidan hated the word “but.” To him everything had to be carefully calculated with no room for negative conjunctions. It either was or wasn’t, period. He winked at his brother, giving him a small smile then braced himself as Maggie seemed to carefully contemplate her next words.

“There has to be a but. I’m not sure Gia will understand. I’ve known her for a long time. Granted it’s more a professional relationship, but she strikes me as a one-man kind of girl. She’s also an A-lister. Practically, how would she pull off a relationship with two men and keep her reputation intact? Is she going to have to divvy up time?”

Aidan cleared his throat, though he was beaming, evidently already having an answer. “We’re twins for God’s sake, identical. She could just be seen dating one of us, perhaps me, and then it wouldn’t be as unfavorable as being with the studio boss. We’ll make a public statement and everything so everyone knows and there’ll be no public shame to worry about.”

“Excuse me?” Liam interrupted, laughing, “What exactly is so unfavorable about dating the studio boss? She could be seen to be dating me, and you can step in and run the studio. God knows I’ve been carrying your weight for long enough around this place.” He punched Aidan’s arm playfully. Though he knew his brother would never step in to take the helm, preferring to be in the background.

“Boys, boys, look, let me make a suggestion. Let me speak to her, feel her out. Maybe I can get her to come to your place tonight to, well, talk things through. As much as I know you want to burst into her trailer and declare your undying love, we do have a movie to make. In exactly three hours Tony is going to roll film, and we don’t want our lead actress running off into the sunset either from fright, love, or lust. Let me handle it. I’ll call you later, agreed?” She moved her hands to each of their arms.

Their heads nodded together. Maggie was, of course, right.

* * * *

Gia’s mouth had dropped open when she stepped out of her trailer. In the distance she could see the familiar dark heads huddled in a conversation with Maggie. What were they doing here? She had known the possibility existed they might come looking for her on set, but this early? Seeing them now, she was suddenly terrified. Of what though, she wasn’t sure. Even after receiving Aidan’s text message that he’d destroyed the photographer’s card, she still hadn’t recovered from the possibility that it could have leaked. She’d barely slept, and only after three cups of strong, black coffee was she able to get herself to work, deciding to come in earlier. Thankfully she was already done with hair and makeup, so had some free time to process everything.

She quickly ducked back into her trailer and paced the floor. Her scene was first, and she knew if they were there, watching her with their scorching eyes, there was no way she could do it.

She already felt naked and exposed. It would only aggravate things to the nth degree. She was already dressed in a tan Von Furstenberg wrap dress with nude Louboutin heels, her hair perfectly styled into a sleek, straight style, falling to her waist. She could feel the sheen of sweat on her forehead threaten to frizz out her style, and already the dress was beginning to suffocate her.

She moved her hands to the crossover belt and loosened it before standing directly underneath the air-conditioning vent. She lifted her chin toward it, feeling the cool air trace down her face, neck, and body, heaven against her sweltering skin. She had already decided that she didn’t want to have anything to do with them. It was just too risky. But, damn them, she cursed. Why did they have to look so hot, so tempting, and so infuriating?

With their messy, black, screaming-sexy bed hair and smoldering jet black eyes. Even their white shirts in stark contrast to their gorgeous tanned arms were a taunting cry to her aching body and frustrated heart. She jolted when she heard a sharp rap on her door. She bit her lip, hoping it wasn’t them, not now when—

“Gia, honey, you in there?”

Thank God it was just Maggie. Gia quickly walked forward and leaned toward the door, opening it. She beamed at Maggie, though she caught the glint in her eyes. She definitely knew.

Gia cleared her throat and moved back to stand underneath the cold air. She could see Maggie was here to talk to her about more than just work. She of course knew Maggie and Liam were particularly close. It was common knowledge she had dated their father and was closer to him than most. And having worked with Maggie on several movies, she knew all her “looks.” This one was different. She could see a mixture of guilt and collusion plastered there.

“You look stunning. The wardrobe team seems to be working for their pay. You’re lucky you get to keep some of the haute couture items. The folds on this thing are incredible,” Maggie reached a hand toward the velvety fabric, rustling it between her fingers.

“Maggie, I love you, but get to the point. You never comment on folds or couture, so I know something is up. I can smell it.” Gia raised her eyes upward, pretending to stare at the air-con with one hand relaxed over her neck and the other dangling at her side. She could hear Maggie sigh alongside her and hoped she couldn’t sense the anxiety snaking through her chest.

“Okay, promise me you won’t freak out.” Maggie walked around to face Gia, tilting her head down, and she met her eyes.

“I can’t do that.”

“Okay, then promise you’ll
try
not to freak out.” Maggie reached her hand out, resting it on Gia’s bare arm.

Gia nodded slowly, her breathing becoming shallower by the second while she waited. Whenever someone told her not to freak out, inevitably they were softening the blow, knowing full well she would freak out anyway. She chewed her lip, a dead giveaway of her raging tension, but what the hell. She was tense and nervous as the day of her first real audition. Maggie had been talking to Liam and Aidan. It was the only thing she could possibly be here to talk about. Everything to do with her role always went through Charlie first, and he hadn’t called her yet, so what else could it be?

“Okay. It’s about Liam and Aidan. Honey, they’re like sons to me, maddening, hot, and crazy at times, but they are sweethearts. I’m not really the cupid type, but these boys are different. They are special. Fuck me over and call me a romantic, but I think they both have, well, deep feelings for you—”

“Maggie, please, I don’t have time for this. I can’t—”

“Just listen, okay.” Maggie’s eyes pleaded. “They’ve waited their whole lives for someone to complete them, to make them whole as only a woman can. They’ve tried with separate women, the same woman. Nothing ever worked. They always ended up miserable. Until you came along.”

Gia tugged her arm away from Maggie’s and turned to face the door, her heart racing in her chest. She shook her head, trying to process it all, but unable to ask any questions.

Maggie walked toward her. “Just one favor, meet them for dinner, just to talk, and then you can make up your mind.”

Gia bristled and her stomach clenched. She blinked at the sting in her eyes which threatened to tear up at any second. “Talk about what? Being a page-six toy to twin moguls? Inviting the world into my sordid love life? Yes, I’m attracted to them. Who wouldn’t be? If it was one man, I probably wouldn’t be standing here listening to this. It would be so much easier. He or they, whatever, are great, and there was a connection, but as a single guy. Not a set. Maggie, this is insane. I have work to do.”

“Gia, just talk to them. It’s not something I can explain. You have to see it for yourself. From the look in your eyes I can tell you feel something, maybe even something more than just a physical connection?” Maggie tilted her head, her gaze penetrating through Gia’s faltering mask.

Gia sighed, her shoulders slumping. If only they were simply one person.

Almost reading her mind, Maggie continued, “They are different, I promise you. This is not just a game to them. I have known them for most of their lives. If it was a game, they would have never come to me. Don’t you see. It’s so much more. So”—she leaned in, her eyes brimming with hope—“will you talk to them? Just dinner?”

Gia nodded slowly, her lips pursed and resigned. She had lost the fight against every cell screaming for her to decline. Instead, she said, “Fine, just dinner.”

“Okay, I’ll take you there after we wrap. Maybe it will be more comfortable. As soon as I know I’m not needed anymore, I’ll leave.”

Gia nodded again, too numb in the morass of fatigue, confusion, and an unhealthy dose of hope. Was she perhaps a fool to have a fleeting wish, that maybe it could work out, just maybe?

Chapter
12

“Ready, honey?” Maggie’s voice rang through the large trailer.

Gia was surprised when, later that morning when she finished a scene, she had been led to a brand-new trailer the size of a small apartment. It had been furnished in an array of silver, pink, and white modern finishes. A single red rose was placed on a sleek aluminum coffee table with a simple note handwritten on copy paper.

Only the best for someone as special as you.

There was no name. She was used to receiving a degree of special treatment, but this morning the gesture had infuriated her. She looked around the trailer and noted the newest addition of five vases of roses in shades of white, cream, and pink. She had to smile at the blooming symbols of possibly the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her. She had never dared complain. It wasn’t in her, but she had to admit, she did feel cramped in the tiny trailer. How did he, or they, know? she wondered. She raised her head as Maggie stepped in.