Free Lovers & Liars by Jean C. Joachim

to clean up your rep if you’re going to be
taken seriously.”
    “Guys
don’t care. They don’t care if you’re screwing the chambermaid. As long as you
don’t end up on the front page.” His gaze rested on her breasts for the
hundredth time.
    “What
makes you think these girls aren’t going to expose you?”
    He
stopped for a minute and scratched his chin. “Haven’t so far.”
    “Don’t
push your luck.”
    “It’s
my recreation.” But I’d much rather mess
around with you.
    “Go
work out at the gym. Run. Work it off some other way. Trust me, Gunther, one of
these days a girl you screw in here is going to come back and bite you in the
ass.”
    As
soon as the words were out of her mouth, Erica broke into a fit of giggling.
Gunther got it and joined in. They laughed until they cried.
    “You
know what I mean.”
    “Okay.
You win.” Maybe you’d like to take their
place? Love to get you down on that sofa. Rip your clothes off.
    He
picked up the press release again and returned to his desk. Erica sat across
from him, her notebook open, scribbling as fast as she could. She crossed her
legs, drawing his gaze. Damn. Great legs,
too.

 
    * * * *

 
    Whitmarsh’s studio was empty when Erica showed up. Sam was the next to arrive.
    “I
brought a snack.” She put a brown paper bag on the desk and took out the sandwiches
she had prepared.
    “Brown
bagging it. I love it.” Sam sauntered over and sat
down.
    She
offered him one. They ate in silence for a while.
    “You’re
doing really well in class,” he said.
    “Thanks.
I’m feeling a little more confident.”
    “Are
you auditioning anywhere?”
    “Don’t
think I’m ready.”
    “I
think you are. And I bet Whit does, too. Do you have a day job?”
    She
nodded, her mouth full of ham and swiss .
    “What
do you do?” He took another bite.
    “Office
work.”
    “For
who?”
    “I
can’t say.”
    “Why?”
    “He
doesn’t know I’m an actress and doesn’t want one working for him.”
    “Come
on. That’s ridiculous. Everyone’s an actor in L.A.”
    “Can
I trust you?”
    He
offered his pinky. “I swear.”
    “Gunther
Quill.”
    “Oh,
my God! You’re working for Gunther Quill? You should be able
to get into movies with no problem. What a connection!”
    “I
found out about this place through his email. He’d kill me if he knew my
plans.”
    “What
are your plans?”
    “To
be an actress, a good actress. Films, Broadway, whatever.”
    “Me,
too. Can you get me in to see him?”
    “How
could I explain knowing you?”
    “Oh,
right. I guess. Will you keep me in mind if anything comes up?”
    “Of
course.” I’m already betraying him enough
without bringing you into the picture.
    “We
should go out sometime.”
    Before
the conversation could go any further, the rest of the students flooded in.
Whit took Erica aside. “Can you stay after class for a moment? I want to talk
to you.”
    She
nodded. Is this good or bad? She
focused on doing her speech to keep her nerves at bay. After class, she
wandered over to the master coach.
    “Erica,
you have talent. And looks. I think it’s time for you to shine. There’s a
perfect part, a supporting role in a new movie . The woman originally in the part had to bow out due to   schedule conflict.
They’re frantically looking for a replacement. You’d be perfect.” He jotted
down some words on a piece of paper. “Here’s the day, time, and address. Be
there.”
    “Thank
you, Mr. Eddy.”
    “You’re
welcome. But don’t get too happy until you get the part.”
    The
next morning, Erica bounced into the office, full of energy. She was excited
about the audition.
    Gunther
arrived full of orders and looking a little frazzled. “Max invited us to the
opening night of Sway.”
    “Us?”
She said while scribbling down his directives.
    “I
never go without a beautiful woman. You’re going. Make plane reservations.
First class only. We leave on Thursday morning, return Sunday afternoon.
Reserve a