Free Free Fall by Unknown

It’s weird, isn’t it? I feel like that too, when I’m watching someone I know. I can’t separate myself from the reality of that person."
    "I’m sorry! I’m sure you’re a very good actor." Nina wanted to show some womanly support.
    "Well, hell yes! I’m a great actor," Joseph mocked. "Just look at me emoting all over the place. I really had to dig deep to find those expressions."
    "That wig you’re wearing is blatantly obvious."
    "Yes, it’s pretty awful. But let me tell you something. I got good reviews and the movie is a cult classic. I’m still getting residuals from it."
    "No kidding?"
    "No kidding, woman. You wanna see the outtakes from it?"
    "Sure."
    Joseph got a VHS tape and plugged it into the VCR. They spent another hour laughing at him and the other actors flubbing their lines. Joseph pointed out the mistakes made by the props master in keeping each scene consistent, and gave her little tidbits on the private lives of the actors.
    "So, do you have paparazzi?" Nina wondered how recognizable Joseph was. Would they be hounded by the media if they went out?
    "No, thank God," Joseph said. "Most A-list actors have to put up with that. Some actors wished they had paparazzi, but I’m not one of those people. They might get a picture of me at an event but that’s only because they’re trying to get shots of people that are more famous than I am. I rarely see my photo anywhere, except when I’m doing publicity for a project."
    "That’s good, then." Nina was relieved.
    "What, you don’t want to live your life in the public eye?"
    "No, thank you."
    "No, I didn’t think you were that type. You seem like a very private person, which is why it’s pretty amazing when you get up on stage. Mild mannered Nina by day, and blow-your-mind Nina by night."
    Nina laughed self-consciously, "Really?"
    "Yes, really. But that’s only my opinion, and I’m biased." He leaned his body against hers and forced her down on her back. He caressed her face and kissed her. Nina ran her hands under his shirt and along his back, skin against skin making a lovely swishing noise from the soft friction.
    "Let’s go back to bed." Joseph lifted up her shirt.
    "Again?" Nina said dreamily, as he kissed between her bared breasts and pinched her right nipple, rolling it between his fingers.
    "Apparently," Joseph replied, punctuating the word with a stab of his erection between them.
    "Why not here?" Nina shifted her position so she could get her legs around him.
    "I think I’m going to need a bigger playing field." He got off of her and held out his hand. A pup tent stuck out of his shorts.
    "What? You expect me to walk?" Nina asked. She took his hand and let him help her up.
    "If I can make it, you can." Joseph led her back into the bedroom.

SIX
     
    HER second night in Los Angeles Joseph took Nina to dinner at one of the popular restaurants in town. They waited in the entry for a table and took in the tall palms, gurgling fountains and the vivid greens, blues, orange and reds of the room. Joseph spotted a flash of pink sitting at a table full of people. He couldn’t believe it. He took Nina’s hand when their table was ready and as they followed the hostess, he saw the girl he had gone home with a week before pop up like a jack-in-the-box from her table. Don’t talk to me! Joseph prayed. But she came right up to him, squealed his name and threw her arms around him like they were long lost lovers.
    "Hello?" Joseph removed her arms from around his neck. Nina had his hand clenched in an iron grip.
    "Janet!" She looked Nina up and down and, dismissing her, went on, "I’ve been waiting for you to call me," she pouted.
    "We are on our way into dinner, maybe we’ll talk to you later," Joseph said, putting emphasis on 'we'.
    They left Janet standing there and continued following the hostess through the restaurant.
    He looked at Nina’s stricken face and said, "What an awful coincidence." He put his arm around her once they were seated and