Free Behind the Scenes by Mari Carr Page B

switch on the wall , but froze when she heard a deep voice say, “Don’t.”
    She glanced around the shadows and discovered she wasn’t alone. “It’s too dark in here. I need to get into my costume.”
    The man chuckled. “Then by all means. Turn on the light . I don’t mind a clearer view of you getting naked, beauty.”
    “Parker?” No wonder Emma hadn’t told her who the leading man was. Her friend hadn’t kept the secret from Becca. It was for Becca.
    Four years earlier, Parker Banks had earned a living at Scoundrels as a waiter before, after nearly a year of begging, Emma finally gave the aspiring actor a shot on the stage. Emma had said after his performance he was too good for their little nightclub show and she’d been correct.
    A talent scout had approached P arker that very night and, from that point on, his career skyrocketed, earning him countless roles as a big-screen heartthrob and a spot as one of People ’s Most Beautiful People last year.
    As a waiter, Parker had harassed Becca for months, begging her to go out with him, but she’d put him off, declaring she didn’t date actors. A lifetime of dealing with her famous father’s numerous wives, mistresses and casual affairs had jaded her forever. She’d told Parker he would simply have to settle for friendship—and he had. They’d become best friends, hanging out after hours, watching movies, devouring lots of pizza, and sharing their dreams for the future. Becca didn’t make friends easily, and apart from Emma and Shea, Parker had been on the very short list of people she genuinely trusted and cared about.
    Then, stardom struck and the two of them drifted apart. Parker spent months each year on location, while Becca worked long hours at Scoundrels, trying to escape her father’s enormous shadow. Parker had called a few times to check on her, but their friendship had been put on the back burner as real life and Parker’s insane schedule conspired against them.
    During Parker’ s three years in the spotlight, he’d proven her assumptions about actors true, as he’d been romantically linked with no less than six different women—actresses, models, dancers. All of the women had been famous and stunningly beautiful. Typical.
    Parker rose from his chair and approached her. She forced herself to remain still, while ever y fiber of her being told her to get the hell out of the room. Parker Banks was danger personified to a way of life she’d remained true to forever. She would never be the groupie girlfriend, content to accept however many minutes Parker chose to bestow on her. Given his track record, the average time between hot to not in his bedroom was around three months.
    “What are you doing here?”
    He stood directly in front of her. Close enough that she could smell the light scent of his shampoo and detect the slightest trace of peppermint on his breath. “Acting.”
    His answer was too pat, too simple. “Isn’t this sort of taki ng a huge step backwards, Hollywood?”
    He shook his head. “No. When Emma described the role to me, I had to have the part, had to claim opening night.”
    “You might come to regret that request. Angie broke her ankle. I’m filling in.”
    His smile grew and realization dawned hard.
    “Angie didn’t fall, did she?”
    Parker shrugged as Becca struggled to take a deep breath. What were he and Emma up to? What were they trying to achieve?
    “ I see. I think Emma should find another—”
    Parker grasped her face in his hands, tugging her c loser. “You’re not going anywhere but on that stage, Bec.”
    Her lungs seized at the thought of acting out her private fantasy with the man who actually starred in it night after night.
    He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “I’ve missed you.”
    She couldn’t help it. S he scoffed. “Yeah. Every time I turn around, the tabloids are proclaiming how lonely you are with the current Miss Drop Dead Gorgeous Blonde. I imagine it’s been pretty rough