“I have a better plan,” Nina said. “I don’t need a new boyfriend, just a new job. This is the perfect opportunity to reinvent myself as an actress with a little edge. I’m done with rom-coms. I still want to go after the role of Sonia, and I’ve asked Dominic to train me.”
“Who’s Dominic?” Chrissie asked.
“The man whose hospitality you’re enjoying.” Juliet plonked an espresso cup in front of her so hard she splashed coffee on the counter. She’d added cream to Chrissie’s cup, too.
“Oh, the stunt man.”
“Stunt coordinator. What would be in it for Dom?”
Chrissie finally looked at her. The two blondes eyed each other.
“Who are you?” Chrissie asked, looking down her nose at Juliet.
Juliet crossed her arms over her chest. “Consider me Dom’s manager.”
Though Juliet had to be at least a head shorter than Chrissie, Nina thought they were pretty evenly matched in the formidability stakes.
“If we go with this idea, we’d pay him, of course.” Chrissie said. “With a bonus thrown in if Nina gets the role.” She glanced around the open-plan living area, which was probably half the size of Nina’s bedroom. “He could get a bigger place, perhaps something up in the hills.”
Juliet shook her head. “Not everyone wants to live in the hills, and not everything is about money.”
Nina shuddered. As much as she agreed with the last sentiment, not everyone wanted to live by the sea either.
“He’s a stunt man and getting on in years. His career won’t last forever,” Chrissie said.
Nina flinched at her publicist’s callous tone. Besides, Dominic wasn’t any ordinary stunt man. He was bright and energetic and magnetic, and he clearly had friends in high places. He didn’t want Nina, or her fame or money, or he’d have made a move on her a long time ago. The way most men did.
“So what does Dom want?” she found herself asking.
Juliet’s cool, gray eyes met hers, and Nina had the oddest sensation that this formidable blonde knew exactly how much that question had been burning inside her, and that she wasn’t only asking how to get Dom to agree to train her.
Juliet smiled as her gaze flicked past them. “Ask him yourself.”
“Ask me what?”
As one, the four women turned to the kitchen door where Dom stood, holding a panting, creamy-colored Labrador on a leash. He wore trainers, baggy board shorts that hung low on his hips, and a sleeveless shirt that clung to his chest with sweat. Though Nina didn’t notice them in that order.
Another blush began to burn her skin.
Dom stepped in through the open door. “What are you doing here, Jules?”
“I brought you some groceries.”
“Kathy’s already been.” He scowled at her. “I’ve told you I don’t need anyone to do my shopping.”
“Of course you do.” Ignoring his glowering expression, Juliet moved to give him a quick peck on the cheek. She had to stand on tiptoe to reach. “And how else are you going to have clean sheets for your guests?” She fired a quick, mischievous glance in Nina’s direction.
“I have a housekeeper.”
Juliet dropped to her knees to scratch the dog’s ears. It tried to lick Juliet’s face and she laughed, pushing the dog’s head away. “Down, Sandy. Sit!”
So this was Sandy! Nina’s chest suddenly felt lighter and she wanted to laugh. Not quite the harem she’d imagined, nor did Dominic appear to appreciate Juliet’s attentions.
Nevertheless, he didn’t send the blonde away, nor did he bat an eyelid when, quite at home in his kitchen, Juliet filled the dog’s water bowl and set it down for Sandy.
Nina cleared her throat. “We were talking about what sort of payment to offer you to train me up for the role of Sonia.”
“I haven’t agreed to that yet.”
“I still think my idea is better,” Chrissie muttered.
Nina shook her head and kept her attention focused on Dom. Not that he wouldn’t have had her attention anyway. His presence filled the small, sunny kitchen. “Please?” she asked, making her eyes big and begging.
One corner of his mouth quirked up in a near-smile and her heart dropped. She knew what was coming. He gave her that look every time he was about to turn away from her, usually in some other woman’s direction. It was that night in the Landmark Café bar in Westerwald all over again. She’d practically thrown herself at him, and he’d left with a thin, pouty brunette instead. “We need to talk about that. Just you and me.”
She didn’t need his pointed glance at Chrissie to know what he meant.
“I’ll wait for you in the car,” Wendy said, taking the hint.
Chrissie was less easy to move. Between them, Nina and Wendy had to each take an elbow to propel her towards the door. “I really appreciate that you came all the way here, and I’ll call you later,” Nina said.
“Who puts cream in an espresso anyway?” Chrissie huffed, finally accepting Wendy’s lead. Nina shut the kitchen door behind them and faced the room. Juliet hadn’t moved.
Dom poured himself a glass of water from the fridge dispenser. “Feel free to leave any time, Sis,” he said.
His sister! It took all Nina’s effort not to grin.
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You want to be alone.” Juliet wrinkled her nose. “You might want to have a shower first, though!” She shoved his shoulder playfully. “I’ll be happy to keep Nina company while you change.”
He glanced at Nina and she shrugged.
“Go ahead. I need to change too, anyway,” she said.
He scowled at Juliet again. “Any embarrassing stories and you’re out.”
She stuck out her tongue at him and Dom rolled his eyes. “If you’ll excuse me?” he asked Nina.
She nodded, unable to speak. The image of Dom in the shower had grown roots in her brain. Damn this blush. Was it ever going to go away?
When she looked back at Juliet, the other woman had a wicked glint in her eyes. “So you and he haven’t yet…?”
The blush burned even hotter. How the hell could his sister tell whether she and Dom had slept together or not?
“Why not?” his sister demanded. “Most women can’t resist our Dom. Are you really that picky when it comes to men?” Her eyes narrowed with speculation. “Or is it not men you’re interested in?”
Nina stiffened her back and stared right back at Juliet. “What happens between me and your brother is none of your damn business. If you want to know why he and I haven’t had sex, then you ask him.” She would love to know, too.
Juliet grinned, and her cheeky look very closely matched her brother’s. “You can’t blame a girl for being a little protective of her baby brother.”
Nina collected her bags off the counter and headed to the guest bedroom. Any relief she might have felt at Juliet being his sister rather than his lover had evaporated in a moment. She could only thank the heavens her own sister wasn’t as meddling.
“You still here?”
Only Jules remained in the kitchen when Dom returned, freshly showered and dressed. She looked up from the magazine she was flicking through. “Now that’s better. You’re more likely to seduce a famous actress dressed like that.”