When Lightning Strikes (Whiskey Creek #1)(50)
Author: Brenda Novak

“They’re calling me Plain Jane,” she said.

“They don’t know you,” he responded.

Nice try. “That comment doesn’t refer to my personality.”

When she heard his tread on the stairs, she was about to turn off her computer. It’d been hard enough to read these remarks when she was alone. But he’d only demand she turn it on and show him some of the press. He had a right to be interested.

“Who’s been writing about us?” he asked as he entered the room.

“‘Perez Hilton,’ ‘Hot Hollywood Gossip,’ all the usual celeb sites.”

“‘Hollywood Hunk Marries Plain Jane,’” he read over her shoulder. “The hunk part is pretty accurate.”

She knew he was trying to soften the blow by making it into a joke, but that didn’t help. She said nothing, just clicked on the other sites she’d seen so he could continue to skim through the headings.

“‘Box Office Hit Simon O’Neal Ties the Knot…What’s Simon O Thinking?… Simon O’Neal’s Latest Debacle… The Real Cinderella… Big Hit PR Scores and So Does Its Owner, but for How Long?’”

“Looks like they’re buying it,” he said.

“Of course they’re buying it. I may be plain but I’m good at what I do.” She could at least take pride in that.

“Come on.” He rested his hands on her shoulders and kneaded the tense muscles there. “I’ll bet you anything that was written by a woman.”

“John McWhorter would be an odd name for a woman.”

“So a g*y guy. A jealous g*y guy. It’s possible. I’ve gotten love letters from guys before.”

“It doesn’t matter.” She really felt that way. She’d known what she’d be up against coming in to this. Known that everything would be criticized, especially her.

And yet…it wasn’t pleasant to know that the world found her lacking as Simon’s wife. This morning, when she’d flashed Simon, the way he’d looked at her had made her feel drop-dead gorgeous. No other man had ever made her feel so intoxicated with desire.

But Simon was out to get laid, and she’d made herself his only quarry. He was probably using all his acting skill in the hopes of achieving sexual gratification. Considering how beautiful Bella was, he couldn’t have been as impressed as he seemed.

“That’s what you’ve been doing up here this whole time?” he asked. “Reading all this negative crap about yourself?”

“I have to know what’s being said or I won’t know what we need to do to enhance or combat it.”

He didn’t seem pleased. “Why do people have to have an opinion on everything I do? Can’t they just enjoy my movies and leave it at that? Close up and let’s go.”

“I haven’t been crying over it, if that’s what you think.” She stopped him when he tried to shut down her browser. “I’ve been answering email.”

That was true. She’d had to check on Big Hit, see what was going on with the new pitches and assure herself that Josh and Serge were covering for her in her absence. Josh had written, telling her not to read any of the blogs, that he’d keep track of their buzz, which should’ve warned her, but she’d had to look.

“Any word from People?” Simon asked.

“We have a two-million-dollar offer.”

“Hold out for three.”

“That’s what I told Josh.”

He kept rubbing her shoulders, but she didn’t like that he was doing it because he felt sorry for her. “What about Kathy Carmichael? Have you reached her?”

“Not yet. I left her a message.”

“What’s happening at your office?”

“We’re being deluged with calls. A lot are from media interested in getting whatever scoop they can on us, but there are others who are potential clients. Josh thinks we should hire two more publicists.”

“Do you agree?”

She was surprised he’d ask. What did he care about her PR business? “We have to be able to grow quickly enough to accommodate our sudden popularity. And I don’t want the quality to suffer. That would ruin my brand. So, yeah, I told him to do it. Maybe it’s the news of our marriage that’s bringing business to Big Hit, but only hard work will keep that business, especially after you and I split up.”

“Are you okay with missing all the fun?”

Gail hated feeling so removed from what she’d created. She was too used to standing at the helm. But she had enough challenges right here, she reminded herself. One of those challenges was not moaning at the pleasure his fingers were giving her with his massage. Another was making sure her soft spot for him didn’t get any larger. “I’m on assignment.”

“And you’ll see it through.”

“Of course.”

The rubbing stopped for a moment as he saluted her. “That’s your brand, too.”

“That’s my personality.”

He stared at her for several seconds.

“What?” she asked, growing self-conscious.

“You’re right. It is your personality. You’re responsible, dependable.”

Although that sounded like it was meant as a compliment, being responsible and dependable wasn’t flattering enough to counteract the negative comments she’d just read. It wasn’t like being told she was gorgeous or sexy or charismatic, like he was. But she figured the world could use a few more dependable people. Lord knew she dealt with enough who weren’t. “Be careful. I might get a big head—like yours,” she said with a laugh.

He started to rub again. “I like responsible and dependable.”

She watched him in the mirror of her dresser. “Sure you do. Being responsible and dependable is almost as good as being conscientious and trustworthy.”

“You’re not flattered.”

“No.”

His hands stilled. “Okay. Would you believe me if I said you have the prettiest tits I’ve ever seen?”

He was getting a lot closer to the things a woman really wanted to hear—even someone as practical, responsible and conscientious as her. But he couldn’t be serious. She was barely a C cup. “No.”

“Now you know why I didn’t bother.”

She told herself to let it go at that, but couldn’t. “Is it true?” she asked warily.

A sexy smile lifted one corner of his mouth as he bent to whisper in her ear, “I’d be happy to convince you of my sincerity if you’ll give me the chance,” he said and his hands came around to cup her br**sts through her clothes.