Center Stage (Bright Lights Billionaire #2) Read Online Free
Author: Ali Parker
just wanted to ask how you guys decided to go with a nobody for this role. America is amazed at your generosity and such, but this girl..." he glanced down and fumbled with his notes, "Riley something-or-other... she's just a college kid with a hard life. Why-"
"Riley Phillips. She's a very talented actress," I barked, losing my cool. The little shit could suck a nut, as could the rest of the world. I might make a shit-ton of money and have the type of fame most people could only dream of, but to put Riley down and make her out to be nothing... nobody? Fuck that. "She came into the studio and stole our hearts. Not everyone gets recognized for their gifts or their talent. This profession is a game of luck most days of the week, but this time, it rolled in favor of a talented, beautiful woman."
"Oh, of course. One more-"
I put my hand on the mic and pushed back as she walked into the room from across the auditorium. Her cream-colored dress was dainty and made her look so much softer than I knew she was. My pulse spiked dramatically, and I couldn't help but move around the weasel in front of me and work to get closer to her warmth. Radiant was an understatement.
A good-looking guy a little taller than me moved up on her left and slipped his hand into hers as she glanced up and laughed at something he said.
"Shit. Who's that?" I stopped in my tracks and slipped my hands into my pockets. Was she dating him? She'd mentioned going out with someone when we first met, but through our brief interactions after that first encounter, I'd quickly deduced that she was single. It would seem that I was wrong.
"What are you looking at?" Deza stopped beside me and chuckled. "Oh, I see."
"Who's the jock with the shitty buzz cut?" I tilted my head to the side and let my eyes move down the soft curve of her breasts over her flat stomach to her long legs. The straps from her heels were wound up her leg to mid-calf. I wanted so badly to hit the floor and work them off of her sensually, slowly as she laid back and let me have her for the night.
"No clue." She tugged at my sleeve. "Stop staring at her like you're a starving man who's finally found his first meal."
"Not his first, but the buffet he wants to bury his face in." I licked at my lips and moved toward her as Deza slipped her arm into mine.
"Please don’t be a dick tonight. I'm begging."
"I love it when you beg." I glanced down at her and winked. "If you'd do it on your knees more often I might actually come anywhere you wanted me to."
"You're gross."
"It was your dirty mind that took my comment there." I laughed low in my chest, grateful for something to chuckle about as we approached Riley and her beau. "I was just being compliant with your wishes."
"Riley. We're going to get started soon, so let's get you to the back and touch up your make-up for the cameras." Deza moved in front of me and blocked my view of her for a minute.
I extended my hand to her rent-a-date. "I'm Ethan. Nice to meet you, man. You are?"
"Hey. Great films. I've seen most of them." He smiled and I could see why she liked him. He had a bad boy appeal. I hated him already. "I'm Jace Dillon."
"That name could score you a few films of your own." I shook his hand and slipped my hands back in my pockets. Nervous habit.
"Hi Ethan!" Riley's pretty blond friend moved around Jace and stopped in front of me.
"Hey Jade. How are you?" I extended my hand only to have her move in for a tight hug.
Riley smiled as I glanced over at her. "You'll have to get used to this. She's part of the deal when you guys signed me."
"I don't mind." I gave the girl a quick hug, but didn't take my eyes off my beautiful co-star. "Tell Deza to suck a dick. You don't need any help with your make-up. You look stunning already."
She rolled her eyes and moved toward me, surprising me a little as she reached up, cupped my cheek and brushed her thumb just under my eye.
"You're wearing some. I should too." She moved back with a sweet smile
"Riley Phillips. She's a very talented actress," I barked, losing my cool. The little shit could suck a nut, as could the rest of the world. I might make a shit-ton of money and have the type of fame most people could only dream of, but to put Riley down and make her out to be nothing... nobody? Fuck that. "She came into the studio and stole our hearts. Not everyone gets recognized for their gifts or their talent. This profession is a game of luck most days of the week, but this time, it rolled in favor of a talented, beautiful woman."
"Oh, of course. One more-"
I put my hand on the mic and pushed back as she walked into the room from across the auditorium. Her cream-colored dress was dainty and made her look so much softer than I knew she was. My pulse spiked dramatically, and I couldn't help but move around the weasel in front of me and work to get closer to her warmth. Radiant was an understatement.
A good-looking guy a little taller than me moved up on her left and slipped his hand into hers as she glanced up and laughed at something he said.
"Shit. Who's that?" I stopped in my tracks and slipped my hands into my pockets. Was she dating him? She'd mentioned going out with someone when we first met, but through our brief interactions after that first encounter, I'd quickly deduced that she was single. It would seem that I was wrong.
"What are you looking at?" Deza stopped beside me and chuckled. "Oh, I see."
"Who's the jock with the shitty buzz cut?" I tilted my head to the side and let my eyes move down the soft curve of her breasts over her flat stomach to her long legs. The straps from her heels were wound up her leg to mid-calf. I wanted so badly to hit the floor and work them off of her sensually, slowly as she laid back and let me have her for the night.
"No clue." She tugged at my sleeve. "Stop staring at her like you're a starving man who's finally found his first meal."
"Not his first, but the buffet he wants to bury his face in." I licked at my lips and moved toward her as Deza slipped her arm into mine.
"Please don’t be a dick tonight. I'm begging."
"I love it when you beg." I glanced down at her and winked. "If you'd do it on your knees more often I might actually come anywhere you wanted me to."
"You're gross."
"It was your dirty mind that took my comment there." I laughed low in my chest, grateful for something to chuckle about as we approached Riley and her beau. "I was just being compliant with your wishes."
"Riley. We're going to get started soon, so let's get you to the back and touch up your make-up for the cameras." Deza moved in front of me and blocked my view of her for a minute.
I extended my hand to her rent-a-date. "I'm Ethan. Nice to meet you, man. You are?"
"Hey. Great films. I've seen most of them." He smiled and I could see why she liked him. He had a bad boy appeal. I hated him already. "I'm Jace Dillon."
"That name could score you a few films of your own." I shook his hand and slipped my hands back in my pockets. Nervous habit.
"Hi Ethan!" Riley's pretty blond friend moved around Jace and stopped in front of me.
"Hey Jade. How are you?" I extended my hand only to have her move in for a tight hug.
Riley smiled as I glanced over at her. "You'll have to get used to this. She's part of the deal when you guys signed me."
"I don't mind." I gave the girl a quick hug, but didn't take my eyes off my beautiful co-star. "Tell Deza to suck a dick. You don't need any help with your make-up. You look stunning already."
She rolled her eyes and moved toward me, surprising me a little as she reached up, cupped my cheek and brushed her thumb just under my eye.
"You're wearing some. I should too." She moved back with a sweet smile
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