Payback by Kim Brogan Page B

think Caden may want to have your company all to himself.”
    Jessica tilted her head and blinked several times in thought. “Really? Is that true, Caden?”
    Caden’s breath caught , and I knew that if we were alone he’d have his hands around my throat. He gave Jessica a real actor’s smile, “Of course I want to be alone with you, Jessica. We’re good friends, and I’d really like to get your take on my recent relationship with Laura Grafton .” The mention of the new girlfriend was emphasized for my consumption.
    Jessica didn’t look too disappointed , and I knew why.  Contrary to popular thought, Jessica preferred that her lovers have a vagina.  I know because she asked me out on the set one day. I was flattered until I learned she had asked just about all the females out on the set. I stood as the hostess brought my food over.
    “Congratulations, Caden, I’m sure you’ll be very happy with Laura.  She’s a very beautiful woman. I’m sure she looks perfect on your arm.”  I wasn’t sure my jibe was understood. I wanted to remind him that he went out with beautiful, not brilliant, women. 
    He rolled his eyes. “Jessica, I’m sorry, but I don’t really feel hungry anymore. Give my best to Natasha.” He turned and started out of the restaurant. The hostess’s face fell when he left.
    Jessica explained, “Natasha is going to join me here.  I invited Caden for appearances. The paparazzi have been following Natasha and me.”
    “I see.  Well, I’m going to take my food and go home.  It was lovely seeing you , Jessica.  Good luck with the movie.”
    More air kisses and the brunette woman with the multilayered hazel eyes said good bye. I pulled the hood over my head and made a mad dash out the door and up the road. I was looking down, the rain pounding so hard I was having trouble navigating my way towards my car.
    A car pulled up and the door opened. “Get in.”
    I looked and was surprised to see Ca den in his Escalade. “No thanks. I’m just another block away.”
    “Get in, Mary!  I need to talk to you.”
    I glared at him for calling me Mary, but I crawled into the passenger seat anyway.  He drove down the road for a few minutes, passing my car and making a turn onto Santa Monica Boulevard heading towards the Pacific Coast Highway.  “Whoa!  Where are you taking me?”  My heart was skipping with both the excitement of seeing him and the fear that he had snapped and was about to kidnap and murder me.
    “My house.”
    “What?  My car is back there on one of those side streets.”
    “I’ll buy you a new one if it gets stolen or towed , but this ends tonight.”
    “Have you gone bonkers?  What ends tonight?”
    “Christ, I dream about you every night.  I can’t give any other woman any serious attention because I keep thinking about the night in my cottage, and I’ve got to know if I was just drunk or if what I was feeling was real.”
    “What feelings?  You were just horny.”
    “I’ve been just horny before…this was so different it’s had me completely turned around.”
    “You’ve had four months to ask me out on a date and you didn’t. Plus, you just admitted you are in a relationship with Laura!  I won’t be the other woman.”
    He laughed.  “Laura and I have been out twice in two weeks.  I’d hardly call it a real relationship.”
    We turned off the Pacific Coast Highway onto the 27 , which takes you into Topanga Canyon. After several curves, turns, and hills we finally drove through gates, pulling up to an adobe house designed to look like an old Mexican ranch house. He opened the door and lifted me out of the Escalade, dinner and all, carrying me up to the old mesquite door, which was opened by an older woman. 
    “Mr. Kelly, geet out of the rain. Ay, you look like a rat in a ree-vur.”  Her Mexican accent wasn’t too pronounced , but she definitely wasn’t born here.
    We stepped down into the great room , which was framed with large mesquite