GLASS_ A Standalone Novel - Arianne Richmonde Page 0,14

projects, and Hooked Up Enterprises, more credibility, creatively speaking. I was stunned by your performance, Janie, and I was the one to contact Daniel in the first place. Daniel agreed. An actor of your caliber would do us proud. You could carry this film.”

I took in a deep breath. I didn’t know whether to feel insulted or flattered. I was about to be Hooked Up Enterprise’s tax loss experiment. Samuel Myers told it like it was, and I admired his honesty. Especially in the notoriously bullshitty world that was Hollywood. At least I knew where I stood.

“She’s not sexy enough,” Samuel suddenly announced, as if I weren’t in the room. “Sorry, honey, you know it. I know it. This is a hot-blooded love story we’re talking about. A la francais. Close ups in private places. Think Last Tango in Paris. Think Sharon Stone crossing and uncrossing her legs.”

My alter ego took over again. I could feel my cheeks burning, my veins surging with bubbling blood. How dare he tell me that I wasn’t sexy! How dare this pig of a man judge me like a book cover.

I got up from my seat and walked over to Daniel. Startled, Daniel looked up at me as I straddled him, my Halston dress rising high as my smooth bare legs gripped either side of his muscular thighs. I sat on his lap facing him and, leaning in close, started to slowly lay my lips on his. Shocked into stillness, he did nothing. Just closed his eyes in resignation, his nearly black hair flipping over his brow. I could smell him. Clean. Rough. Uncompromising. A bullet of sexuality and intensity straight to my fluttering heart. And elsewhere. In that instant, he was all mine. My tongue darted out and I flicked it on his mouth, trailing it seductively along his full lips. They parted, and I heard him take in a sharp breath. I kissed him. Hard. To my amazement I felt his erection strain against his slacks. I continued the kiss, licking, sucking gently, nipping. I groaned quietly—almost imperceptibly—into his mouth, which tasted of oranges and mint. Then, as abruptly as I’d accosted him, I got up.

“There,” I said. “Consider that my audition.” I turned to Pearl and smiled. “Nice meeting you,” and I made a B-line for the door.

I could hardly believe what I’d just done. What had gotten into me?

Star was waiting outside.

“So?” she said, her eyes wide with expectation, “how did it go?”

“Run,” I cried, grabbing her by the wrist. I realized I’d left the sexy shoes behind, but I didn’t care—they could keep them as a memento. “We need to get the hell out of here before I get arrested.”

4

I RELATED MY OUTRAGEOUS behavior to Star, who was giggling and driving at the same time, the wind whipping her hair across her face.

“It’s not funny, Star. Something in me took over.”

“What you did was puuuurfect.” She slapped her hand on the steering wheel in glee. “You’ll see.”

“What I’ll ‘see’ will be one hundred percent humiliation. Daniel will never want to set eyes on me again; he must think I’m some kind of horny slut. Pearl Chevalier will no doubt be shocked and wish she’d never called me in, and Samuel Myers, despite not thinking me sexy, will go home and whack off, but will still not want me for the role.” I sighed, and gathered my hair into a ponytail to stop it blowing into my lips. “Besides, I don’t want that part anyway. I don’t want to cross and uncross my legs while the camera takes a close up. I don’t want to be ‘fucking’ some lame actor on a high definition screen when I am a respected theater actress. This is not a good move for me professionally.”

“I don’t know. If it’s in the name of art and the shots are cool and interesting and artistic?”

“I doubt they will be if tacky Samuel Myers has anything to do with the creative side of the film.”

“That’s where Daniel Glass comes in. He’ll make sure it looks good.”

“There’s many a slip ‘tween cup and lip.”

“That’s from Hamlet, isn’t it?”

I nodded. “I think so. The old bard was wise. Daniel is a very talented theater director but he has little experience with film, and certainly the Hollywood Machine. Anything could go wrong. Even midway in the shoot. He’d be under Sam Myers’s porky fat thumb.”

Star laughed. “Yeah, I’ve heard old Sam’s pretty slimy, but Pearl seems to have him wrapped