Authors: Michelle Betham
But now India Walsh was on set and, as far as Dominic was concerned, the game he’d been waiting so long to start playing could finally begin.
She’d arrived early that morning, walking into the place like any ordinary person, no entourage – apart from her quite obviously gay personal assistant – no Hollywood glamour evident at all in her outfit of jeans, T-shirt and baseball boots, her long blond hair pulled back into a high ponytail.
But she was so far away from ordinary, because the second she’d stepped onto that set everyone around had stopped and stared at her.
Him included.
But one person rather more attentively than anyone else.
Dominic hadn’t missed the look Michael Walsh had given her, because Dominic was watching him very, very carefully.
He had to.
It was what he was here to do, more than anything else he was here to watch Michael Walsh.
And what he’d witnessed only made the game that much more important.
Whether anything was going on between
India
and her ex-husband right now Dominic didn’t know, but he knew their history.
He knew almost everything about them, because that had been part of the plan.
He’d spent most of the morning watching Michael direct her scenes with nothing but professionalism.
They’d worked together something like half a dozen times or so now, Dominic knew that, so they both knew how this situation worked.
But the little looks, the smiles, the way Michael would lightly touch her arm or rest his hand on her hip as he spoke to her, they were all very small but quite obvious gestures in anyone’s eyes that these were two people who’d once been extremely close.
Although, he sensed
India
’s body language was far less intimate than Michael’s.
Sometimes she’d back off whenever Michael came near her, or turn away slightly just to discourage any move he might make, and that was encouraging for Dominic.
It looked like this game might be easier to play than he’d first thought.
But it wasn’t until a break in filming later that morning that he finally got a chance to introduce himself to
India
properly, before their first scenes together took place that afternoon.
And he was destined to spend the afternoon one very lucky guy indeed because, thanks to the practice of shooting out of sequence, he was going to get to kiss this incredible looking woman as many times as it took to get the scene in the can.
But, if what he sensed was true, and Michael really
was
trying to win back his ex-wife, then he suspected that scene would be in the can fairly quickly.
Maybe he should deliberately mess things up, try for a few extra shots at the target.
Surely it had to be fun trying?
He approached
India
as she sat on the sidelines, talking to her P.A. who looked up and smiled at him.
A wasted smile on Dominic.
He was never swinging that way.
India
looked up too, immediately standing up and holding out her hand.
‘Hey, good to finally meet you, Dominic.’
He took her hand and shook it gently, leaning forward to kiss her lightly on the cheek.
‘It’s good to meet you too,
India
.
I’m a great admirer of yours.
You’re an extremely talented actress.’
She smiled, a beautiful smile that lit up her whole face and Dominic could well understand just why Michael couldn’t seem to leave this woman alone.
But he liked a challenge.
Especially one where he could play against a man like Michael Walsh.
And there was a lot to play for.
A lot to be proved.
‘Thank you.
That’s very kind of you.’
Bobby snorted from his still-seated position and
India
threw him a look, but he just shrugged and threw her a wide-eyed innocent expression back.
‘Excuse him, he’s got hay fever,’
India
smiled as Dominic finally let go of her hand.
She had the softest of skin; he’d held onto her long enough to find that out.
He put his hands in his pockets and continued to look at her, trying to take in as much of her face as he could.
He’d seen her in the flesh before, at premieres and parties and the odd awards ceremony, but this was the first time he’d ever spoken to her, the first time he’d had a chance to get up close and personal with her.
And the timing was perfect.
‘I’m really looking forward to doing this movie with you,
India
.
I think it’s going to be a very… interesting experience.’
He pushed a hand through his slightly dishevelled hair.
‘Look, you can say no, but, I’d quite like to get to know my leading lady a little better, if that’s okay with you. So, how about a drink?
This evening, maybe?
Outside, at the Terrace Bar?
We can… find out a little bit more about each other, I mean, that can only be good for the movie.
After all, we
are
supposed to be playing a married couple.’
She smiled again, and he couldn’t help but notice her incredible eyes, now made up in their movie make-up, all seductive and sexy.
He’d once read an interview with Michael Walsh where he’d described
India
as the kind of woman who got under your skin and stayed there forever.
Dominic thought that maybe a truer word had never been spoken.
He’d only been speaking to her for five minutes and she was already making him feel as though he could stay there talking to her for hours.
‘It can’t do any harm,’ she said, but Dominic could tell she was slightly distracted now as Michael started calling for people to get back on set.
‘I’ll meet you at the Terrace Bar this evening, okay?
Around eight-thirty?’
He gave her one last smile.
‘I’ll look forward to it.’
India
watched him walk away before sitting back down.
‘I’ll bet he is,’ Bobby snorted again.
India
looked at him.
‘What
is
the matter with you?
I thought you’d do anything to get close to him?
Only the other morning you were fawning over his photograph like some lovesick teenager.’
‘Yes, well, there’s no denying he’s still one handsome son-of-a-bitch.
But the way he was looking at you, Princess… Have you not heard about that man’s reputation?’
‘Yeah, and it’s just that, isn’t it?
A reputation.
Doesn’t mean to say he’s really
like
that.’
‘
India
,
India
,
India
.
How many years have you been in this industry now?
And still my little naïve English angel.
That man goes through leading ladies quicker than you go through husbands, it’s what he does.
Do you really want to be next on his hit list?’
‘I’m going for a harmless drink with him later, Bobby, that’s all.
Where’s the problem in that…?
Oh, my God, you’re jealous!’ she laughed.
‘As if!’ Bobby sniffed, turning his attention back to his magazine.
‘Anyway, it’s not as though you’re gonna be sleeping together before the champagne’s finished, is it?’
‘And what if we were?’
Bobby looked at her, narrowing his eyes.
‘Are you just a
teensy
bit attracted to our handsome movie star, Princess?’
India
shrugged, looking over at Dominic who was deep in conversation with one of the wardrobe assistants – a young and pretty dark-haired girl who was quite obviously flirting with him.
It didn’t look too much like he was reciprocating but it didn’t stop a flicker of something – was that jealousy? – taking her over for a brief second.
And when he suddenly turned, caught her eye and smiled at her she felt her stomach turn a tiny somersault.
Followed by a warning shot from the sensible part of her brain.
‘No, Bobby.
I’m not in the least bit attracted to Dominic MacDonald.
Okay?’
‘Whatever you say, Angel.
Whatever you say.’
***
Michael had seen Dominic make his move, walk over to
India
and take her hand, kissing her on the cheek.
Just a bit too over-friendly for a first introduction as far as he was concerned.
That level of familiarity needed to be kept under control.
‘Everything alright?’ Reece asked, watching Michael closely as he observed
India
talking to Dominic MacDonald.
‘Everything’s fine,’ Michael replied, looking down at his pile of notes.
The distraction of
India
and Dominic had caused him to momentarily lose track of exactly what he was doing.
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ Reece continued, still watching his ex-son-in-law very closely, not missing his slightly flustered demeanour, and Michael was never usually one to get flustered.
Reece had worked with him many a time before and he knew that this was unusual for a man like Michael.
Unless
India
was around.
Michael quickly pulled himself together and looked at Reece.
‘Nothing’s going on, Reece.
Between me and
India
.
I promise you that.’
‘I don’t care
what
you promise
me,
Michael.
I only care about what you do to my daughter.
Something went on in the past that I still have no idea about…’
Reece noticed a tiny but all-too-evident flinch from Michael when he’d said that,
‘… and I’m concerned about history repeating itself.
You can understand that, can’t you?’
Michael nodded, briefly looking over towards
India
and Dominic again, her smile as she talked to the handsome younger actor lighting up her whole face and he felt his stomach twist itself in knots as that painful obsession once more took its grip on him.
‘
India
told me you made a move, the other night.’
‘And she knocked me back.’
Michael looked at Reece, knowing those were words he’d waited so long to hear – that
India
didn’t want him anymore.
‘Then respect her decision, Michael.
Because this isn’t just about the two of
you
anymore.
You’ve got Ethan to think of now, so try not to confuse the hell out of him, okay?’
Reece’s response agitated Michael slightly.
What did any of this have to do with him anyway?
India
was a grown woman, and they were more than capable of knowing what was best for their son.
He sighed, a heavy sigh of resignation, knowing he’d never stop Reece from worrying about
India
; there was nothing he could do about that.
But one thing Michael knew he
could
do was make sure her co-star didn’t get too comfortable around her.
She may not want
him
anymore – not yet, anyway – but she sure as hell didn’t need Dominic MacDonald.
‘Everything is fine, Reece.
Alright?
Everything is just fine.’
Reece stared at him for a few seconds.
‘Just make sure it is, and we won’t have a problem.’
Somehow though, Michael had a feeling that
he
wasn’t going to be the problem this time around.
That job was going to belong to an altogether different person.
CHAPTER 8
‘You look amazing,’ Dominic smiled, kissing India’s cheek as she sat down opposite him at a table on the terrace, the late evening sun still warm on her back.
‘I took the liberty of ordering some champagne, I hope you don’t mind.’
She smiled too, taking the glass he handed her.
‘I love champagne.
Thank you.
And thank you for this afternoon.
You were a real pleasure to work with, considering we had some scenes that could well have been quite awkward, for our first time working together.’