Free Center Stage (Bright Lights Billionaire #2) by Ali Parker

other guy or gal involved think it was their idea. I know how you smart girls work." He lifted his eyebrow, giving me a knowing look.
    "Wow. You're good." I glanced up at Deza. "What're the rules on dating or sleeping with your co-workers on the set?"
    "You and Ethan are not getting together. Hands off. Completely."
    I lifted my hands. "I'm not interested in Ethan, but I didn't see anything about me dating the cameraman or one of the extras. People find themselves in precarious situations all the time. I want to be prepared. What're the rules, or are there any?"
    "Just be smart about your decisions." Frank leaned back and closed his eyes as he clasped his hands over his belly. "Our jobs are hard enough as it were. You being pissy at someone on set during filming because of a break up or some other drama would just make it worse. And Deza is right. As much as you and Ethan seem to be hitting it off, it needs to be a solid working friendship and nothing more. No love or lust. It would fuck up everything, and you just got started."
    "Good to know." I glanced down toward him to find him watching me closely.
    Conflicting emotions tore up my insides, but I knew myself well enough to know that if nothing else happened, Ethan and I would most certainly be sharing a long sweaty night together, and it would be soon if I had any say in it.

Chapter 9
    Ethan
     
     
    "I should be rich enough at this point to have someone else pack for me. You do it. You dress me better than I dress myself anyway." I tossed a t-shirt at Deza and dropped down on my bed in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs.
    "Cover that up. God." She walked into the room after bitching at me for ten minutes from the living room to hurry up. As if we had any-fucking-where to be that night. We didn't, and I was pretty sure the plane wasn't leaving without me.
    "Don't be jealous. Get over it and I'll let you pet it too." I laughed deep in my chest as she tossed the t-shirt back at me and pretended to gag. "Keep it up. I know I'm close to breaking you down."
    "Breaking me down." She turned and put her fist on her hip. "And what pray-tell does that mean?"
    I sat up and licked my lips. "You tell me what the hell pray-tell means and I'll give in to your harassments. You can have an hour with me, okay?"
    "I live my life with you, and you're too young to know what pray-tell means." She turned back to the closet and grumbled softly under her breath.
    I moved to my stomach and wiggled my way to the edge of the bed, putting my chin in my hands and waiting for the opportunity to strike again. She worked through my clothes, pulling out various things and draping them over her arm.
    "I don't get paid enough for this shit." She glanced back and lifted her eyebrow at me. "Are you checking me out?"
    "Duh. Your ass looks good in those jeans. You're way too little for a big boy like me, but I can appreciate the ass for sure."
    "I hate you sometimes." She turned back around as I rolled onto my back and scooted up a little more, letting my head hang off the bed.
    "No you don't. You say it too much. People that really hate each other show it, and you only show me love." I smiled as she walked up beside me and dropped the clothes on the bed next to me. "No one else would put up with me... but you do, and it's because you love me."
    "This is true." She sat down beside me and brushed my hair back, digging into my scalp with her fingers. Chill bumps covered my skin as I moved over and rested my head on her thigh. "I think I'm still in love with Darren. It's been ten years, and all I've thought about was him."
    "Really?" I lifted my eyes to check her expression. I couldn't really tell if she were kidding or serious. She'd never mentioned Darren to me. To think that we had a close relationship and I didn't know that her ex-hubby had stolen her heart was pathetic. Maybe the relationship was one-sided, as in her taking care of me and me doing nothing in return.
    "Really." She popped my forehead softly