Free A Midsummer Night's Fling (Stage Kiss Series Book 1) by Beth Matthews Page B

she wasn't there. Which meant she'd gone out the other way or she was still wandering lost in the labyrinth of the admin building.  
    Here's hoping she's totally lost , he thought as he waited for Judith to pass him so he could start combing the hallways for Nicola.  
    But Judith lingered in the doorway, one of her brows arched as she studied him. "Good morning, Max."
    He felt an entirely masculine stir at the rich invitation in her voice. Judith was still a knockout with a great figure: ripe breasts, round hips. He'd never been opposed to older women, but he was opposed to sleeping with directors. That could get messy quick; messy with a capital 'M' for: "Max, you're fired." Better not to take the chance.
    "No rehearsal?" Judith asked.  
    "I needed to get something from the admin building."
    "Ah."
    Max waited, but Judith continued staring at him, a flirty smirk curling her mouth. Was he pumping pheromones this week or something? With Nicola jumping him yesterday and Judith undressing him with her eyes, he felt a bit overwhelmed. He didn't want to flirt, not before coffee, but he couldn't shove past Judith either.
    "I wanted to get some time alone with you, Max," she said, forehead furrowed with thought.
    "Excuse me?"
    She shot him a startled glance then gave a throaty laugh, patting his arm. "Oh no. Max, honestly. I wanted to talk to you for a bit about some stuff coming up the pike for the fall."
    "Oh. Sure. Whenever." Maybe that hadn't been an invitation earlier? Maybe Judith just had a flirty personality?
    "Tonight," she said. "After your rehearsal? The two of us could – "
    Footsteps shuffled in the hallway and Judith eased back. Max seized his chance and started through the doorframe. He nearly bounced off Nicola as she rounded a corner fast.
    Nicola stumbled then let out a relieved laugh. "Oh, thank goodness. I was scared I'd be late for rehearsal. Or, actually, I was scared I was going to be lost in the hallways forever and die of starvation."
    "Rita sent me to find you," he lied.  
    Nicola raised an eyebrow but didn't contradict him. "Come on then, help me find my way to the main stage."
    "Right. We'll talk later, Judith?" Max waved 'bye' to the director then hurried from the admin building.  
    As soon as they cleared the stairs, Nicola broke into an angry stride, her feet picking divots out of the gravel with each step.  
    "Hey," he called.
    "Hey yourself," she tossed over her shoulder. "'Oh, Max ,'" she cooed in a high falsetto. "I want some alone time with you."
    Great . Max rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." Nicola just didn't like Judith. Which he didn't really blame her for. Judith definitely seemed . . . complicated.
    Nicola whirled on him, stopping so abruptly on the path he had to grab her arms to stop his own momentum and steady himself.
    She flung his hands away. "You're too talented to pull that casting couch crap, Max."
    "Thank you so much for implying I have to sleep with people to get parts."
    "That’s not what I – "
    "Anyway, not that it's your business – but I'm not sleeping with her."
    " Yet ."
    "And you care why?"
    A flush fanned over Nicola's cheeks, but she continued to glare. She worked her mouth a few times but failed to make sound.  
    She knows she's wrong . Max bit the inside of his cheek, fighting not to grin. Some trace of amusement must have leaked onto his face though because Nicola threw her hands into the air with exasperation. "You are such a jack ass," she snarled.
    "No. I'm the fairy king," he pointed out, infinitely reasonable. "Gil is playing the jack ass."
    Nicola crimped her mouth, acknowledging the joke but obviously wanting to hold onto her anger.
    "Are we going to talk about yesterday?" he asked.
    She froze and he thought she might say, Talk about what? but then resignation leaked into her eyes. "Fine." She made a You start gesture with her open palm.
    "Why did that happen yesterday?" His gut was prickling, waiting to hear her answer.
    " I don't know ," she said. "We