The Final Act (#4 Bestselling Spotlight Series) (17 page)

Camilla’s eyes are locked on Bradley as he exits the stage.

She is totally love-struck
.

I send a silent prayer that Bradley doesn’t have a girlfriend.

Natalie catches my eye and winks, tilting her head towards Bradley and then back at Camilla. She makes a heart shape with her hand and grins.

I nod back. We can work as a team to set them up later.

“Thank you, Bradley,” James is saying as the young actor climbs down into the crowd. “If you’re still here at three in the morning, I’ll perform that service myself. We’ve got some of your first scenes tomorrow.”

More laughter.

James clears his throat and pauses. The crowd go quiet.

“I have something else to announce,” says James. I feel my stomach turn icy.

He’s going to tell them about us.
I ready myself for the crowd’s reaction.

“It could be considered a delicate matter,” adds James, “so I hope you’ll all be understanding.”

He coughs again.

“I hope you all know,” he begins, “that I consider you all as family
. And I hope you feel as though I treat you that way.”

I see little murmurs and nods go around the crowd.

“Out of respect for that relationship,” adds James, “I wanted to be honest with you all.”

I can see the gue
sts are starting to look a little disconcerted now, as though they fear James might announce something bad.

“I’m sure none of you have the slightest interest in my love life,” continues James. “But unfortunately the press do. And recently, you’re probably aware that my divorce was announced.”

He waits a moment, and the crowd are hushed, listening.

“The reason for that,” says James, “is that
I have fallen in love with Isabella Green.”

My eyes widen in shock. And I hear gasps and amazement echo through the room. It’s not so much the nature of the information – I’m sure many people had guessed – but the manner in which he’s delivering it.

James has become notorious for being a bachelor who would never commit.

He
just announced that he’s in love with me!

I’m reel
ing in delighted shock. Part of me is still thudding with the discomfort of being centre of attention. But mostly, I’m soaring high above the casino tables.

“I know that might come as a surp
rise to many people,“ James is saying. “I’ve become well-known for being a man who wants to stay single.”

He sighs, and his eyes sweep the crowd.

“Love has changed me,” he says. “Love has opened my eyes to what a beautiful world this is and what beautiful people are in it. And for that, I have you to thank, Issy. I love you.”

His eyes are rested on me now, and I feel the tears start to well in my eyes.

Camilla leans in close to me, grinning.

Natalie has pushed in on the other side and gives my arm a little squeeze.

“Get up on stage,” she whispers. “Let everyone see the girl who tamed James Berkeley.”

Camilla’s blue eyes light up.

“Oh yes!” she gasps. “Go up, Issy!”

I shake my head, but now a few other guests have heard Camilla, and they join in the petition.

“Get Issy up!” I hear it like a Mexican wave through the crowd.

James hears the plea and tilts his head towards me.

“What do you think, Issy? Would you like to come up here?”

I can hardly move, for embarrassment, but somehow my feet force one in front of the other. I shuffle through the crowd, and they urge me forward.

James meets me at the steps and takes my hand, drawing me up onto the stage.

“I love you,” he whispers, moving the mi
c away so only I can hear.

“I love you too,” I say, my
face beet-red with the crowd staring on. “I can’t believe you’ve done this to me.”

“Blame yourself,” says James. “If they didn’t like you so much, you wouldn’t be getting this reaction.”

And then, to prove his point, he pulls me close in a deep kiss.

The party-goers break into a huge cheer, and I hear
high-pitched whistling echo around the ballroom.

We break apart, and I turn to take in the crowd, my
red face grinning despite it all. I see in their faces that James is right. No one in the crowd seems to dislike the fact we’re a couple. Maybe it’s the party atmosphere, but everyone seems happy to have the romance.

I spot Kristy, and notice her face has a strange expression.
Like she’s either bored or annoyed.

You can’t please everyone
, I tell myself.
She probably just wants to get back to the party.

James takes my hand and guides me down from the stage. “Now get on with the party,” he commands loudly into the microphone, and everyone laughs.

Chapter
23

I step down into the crowd, relieved to be away from the direct attention. I’m silently hoping our relationship doesn’t become the main focus of the evening.

But everyone has returned to partying now, and the waiters and waitresses are out in force, moving round trays of drinks and canapés.

“Would you like some gaming chips?” asks James. He points to a little stall which has been set up to issue chips.

“They don’t represent real money?” I ask.

James shakes his head. “Obviously not. We’d need a gaming license. But they can be exchanged for prizes.”

He nods to a large printed board. “See? It’s printed up there what you can win.”

I follow the direction of his gaze.

It seems Mr Berkeley has thought of everything. The dollars can be exchanged for everything from London spa treatments to department store vouchers. And the top prize is a Vespa moped for $100,000 worth of chips.

I raise my eyebrows at this last.

“A scooter? Not a rally car or a yacht?”

“I like to keep these things in proportion,” says James. “It’s only a mid-filming party. Besides, a scooter is far more practical for London.”

I grin at him. “Now that is something worth gambling for,” I decide. “I’ve always wanted a scooter.”

“I’ll buy you one. After you have lessons.”

I shake my head. “You are something else.”

“So are you.”

We approach the line of guests picking up chips, and James puts his arm around me protectively. I feel a flush of pleasure.

We don’t have to hide anymore.

“All the guests are given $5000 of chips,”
James is saying, “but I could pull some strings and get you extra.”

I laugh. “No special treatment please
, Mr Berkeley. Let’s keep things professional.”

He swings me around to face him. “Maybe we have different ideas of professionalism,” he says, his voice dipping low and his hand snaking down my lower back.
“I can’t control myself when you’re dressed like this.”

“Maybe we do
have different ideas.” I keep my eyes fixed on him and move his hand from my back, holding his gaze. “But you’ll have to wait until later to find out what my ideas are.”

James’s eyes seem to darken, and I make a quick intake of breath.

“Is that so?”

“Oh yes,” I say, keeping my expression provocative.

“Well then,” he says. “I guess I’ll have to wait.”

He moves in close with his mouth to my ear.

“But I don’t count on waiting long, Ms Green.”

A shudder of desire flickers through me.

“Why are the gaming chips in dollars and not British pounds?” I say, deliberately changing the subject.

I can tell by James’s expression that he’s not fooled and knows exactly what I’m doing.

Uh-oh. Looks like I could be in trouble later.

“I thought it was more authentic,” he says, “since the best casinos are in America.”

I nod, pretending to be very interested in this.

“Well then, you’d best get me some chips,” I decide.

James picks me up a stack of chips, and I count them with mock severity.

“$5000. Well done Mr Berkeley. You’ve curbed your urge to give me an unfair advantage.”

James makes a lingering sweep of my Princess Leia outfit with his eyes. “Believe me,” he says. “You always have an unfair advantage.”

Suddenly,
I remember Camilla in her Poison Ivy cat-suit.

“Can we introduce Camilla to Bradley?” I ask
James. “I think she likes him.”

James frowns. “I think he might have a girlfriend,” he murmurs.

Dammit.

“Are you sure?” I press. I know James is overprotective of Camilla.

“No, I’m not sure,” he admits. “I’m probably just being cautious. I’d hate to see her hurt again.”

I seek out Camilla in the crowd, and then my eyes move to Bradley.

“There he is,” I say. “Let’s go and make the introductions.”

James twists his lip uncertainly.
But as I watch Bradley, I can see that there might not be that much match-making needed.

Bradley has
just seen Camilla, stunningly sexy in her skin-tight Poison Ivy outfit. And he’s practically got his mouth open.

Bradley
breaks his gaze from Camilla’s willowy figure, and his eyes are searching the crowd again.

He locates James, and then he’s staring straight at us
.

James lifts his hand in a partial wave. And w
ithin a few strides, Bradley is by our side.

“James,” he says, “can you introduce me to that girl? The one with the amazing blue eyes?”

Blue eyes. That’s so cute that he noticed that above her sexy outfit.

James hesitates for a moment, and I prod him in the side.

“Of course,” he says, raising his eyebrows at me. “Let me take you to her. That’s my cousin, Camilla,” he adds meaningfully.

Bradley registers this.
“Camilla.” He mouths the name reverently, as though it’s the most beautiful word he’s ever heard. “She’s your cousin? Do you think she’d let me take her out on a date?”

James’s mouth sets in a straight line.

“I thought you had a girlfriend, Bradley.”

Bradley looks confused and slightly taken aback by the tone of James’s voice.

“No,” he shakes his head. “No, I’ve been single for a while.”

Perfect.

“Then you can only ask her.” James frowns. “But I’m not sure she’s ready for a relationship.”

I bat James’s arm and glower at him.

“Camilla has been single for a while too,” I say meaningfully.

James shrugs, but I can see from his face he’s conceded to give the overprotective vibe a rest.

I smile at Bradley, reassuring with my eyes that he has more chance than James is making out. He smiles back nervously.

Camilla looks up at us through her long lashes as we approach. Her long body is set suggestively to one side, and her vampish eye make-up makes her look like a sultry temptress.

I feel Bradley’s nerves build as we approach.

“This is Camilla,” I say as we home in on her. “Camilla, this is Bradley.”

Camilla
’s eyes flick to Bradley, and suddenly she is reduced to floor-staring. Her cheeks flush in two adorable pink circles.

I push down a sudden urge to push them both together.

They’re both so shy. This is too cute.

But it turns out
I’ve misjudged Bradley. He’s more than man enough to deal with the situation.

S
tepping forward boldly, he takes Camilla’s hand in his, shaking it in greeting.

“Hi,” he says. “You’re the most incredible girl I’ve ever seen… Uh. I mean. Your outfit. Is the most incredible. It’s the best one here and…”

He stops, looking pained. “I’m sorry,” he adds. “I’m not normally this stupid. You look great is all.”

He smiles disarmingly. H
is hand is still holding hers, and their fingers are locked together, each unwilling to let go first.

Camilla looks up shyly. “Hi,” she
whispers. I see their eyes meet.

Whoa!
Looks like Cupid has just entered the building.

“I like your outfit too,” she adds.
She’s gazing back at him, and they stand silently drinking each other in, their hands still joined.

Realising
we’re all watching, Camilla pulls her hand away, suddenly embarrassed. Bradley’s gaze is fixed on her adoringly, oblivious that James and I are here.

“We should go,” I whisper to James, dragging him away.

Camilla and Bradley don’t even notice us leave.

“
Can I get you a drink?” I hear Bradley asking as we slip away.

“Wow,” I say as we move back into the crowd. “Talk about love at first sight. How romantic was that?”

James smiles back at me.

“It reminds me how I felt when I first saw you.”

What?

I turn to him in amazement.

“When you first saw me? You felt like that?”

James nods.

“But… But… You were distant. Bordering on rud
e,” I add, reliving the memory.

I couldn’t get a handle on him at all when we first met. I assumed he didn’t like me.

James shrugs. “I’m a little better at disguising my feelings than young Bradley. But when I first met you… I felt very unsure and uncertain. I guess I knew my whole world had just changed.”

I throw my arm around his waist and lean into his chest.

“I felt that way too,” I say. “But I guess you knew that, by the fact that I was blushing the whole audition.”

He smiles.

“James Berkeley,” I breathe, “the original ice-man. You sure had me fooled.”

“Steady,” he says, “I think you’ve melted me, at least a little.”

I smile up at him.

“You know what? I think I have
,” I decide. “But let’s find out for sure. How do you feel about a little bet?”

“Gambling again
, Ms Green? You know you lost the last bet?”

A flash of memory sparks back, of our race in the Barcelona park and our hotel room tryst afterwards.

“I’m feeling lucky,” I decide, surveying the gaming tables. Surely gambling is only about luck, after all?

“Are you proposing the same terms?” says James. His eyes are alight, and dangerous.
“If I win, I can do whatever I like with you, when we get home?”

I nod, my mouth suddenly dry as I catch his expression.

He grabs my arm and practically frog-marches me towards the tables.

“I accept,” he says. “Now, which game would you like to lose at?”