With my cock pressing against the zipper of my custom-tailored tuxedo slacks, I’d barely controlled the urge to adjust myself at a table full of people. Then I noticed the man standing at her side, and my hard-on was no longer a problem because one thing I never did was trespass on another man’s territory. Not even when it came in the form of a sexy as fuck, curvy as hell package like Morgan Kelly. Somehow, I managed to tear my gaze away from those startled blue eyes. It didn’t matter if she felt the spark between us the same way I did when it was obvious that she was in a relationship of some sort already.
That didn’t stop me from wishing things were different when she walked away. It put me in a shitty mood, too. I barely paid attention to the conversation around me until my agent elbowed me in the side.
“Try to look like you give a damn about what’s going on or else the stories in the gossip rags tomorrow will be about how you think you’re too good for the Globes unless you’re one of the nominees,” Mario hissed.
Knowing how easy it was for the press to twist things, I did as he asked and pasted a smile on my face as I stared at the stage. I barely paid attention as they read off the names of the nominees, my gaze sliding toward Morgan more times than I wanted to admit.
I tore my eyes away from her when I heard a scornful snort from across the table. I’d done my best to ignore Kerri Anderson as soon as I’d realized we were seated at the same table. She had a well-earned reputation for being a brat of epic proportions, which was saying a lot, considering how other people behaved in Hollywood. I had no interest in giving her even the slightest indication that I wanted to engage in a conversation—let alone anything else—with her. I was about to tell her to shut the fuck up when Jasper beat me to the punch.
“Zip it, Kerri,” he snarled across the table. “This is Morgan’s big night, and I won’t let your jealousy ruin it for her.”
I would have applauded him if I weren’t so busy being pissed that he had the right to have Morgan’s back when I didn’t. My nearly overwhelming urge to come to her defense was baffling since I didn’t even know the woman.
“Jealous? As if.” Kerri sniffed. “Everyone knows I’m far more talented than Morgan Kelly.”
“Really?” Jasper drawled. “Then why is she the one nominated for a Golden Globe, and you’re, well, not?”
I was mildly fascinated by how red Kerri’s face turned because she looked like her head was in danger of exploding. The vein in her forehead was so pronounced it was probably visible clear across the room.
“Yeah, but only because she lucked into a role that basically guaranteed her the nomination,” she scoffed.
Jasper glanced at the stage, and then his gaze swept the room as he most likely tried to figure out if any cameras were pointed our way. Then he leaned forward, glaring at Kerri. “The role she beat you, and a thousand other actresses, out for? The role she played like nobody else would have been able to? The one that’s going to earn her the Globe and will probably snag her an Oscar, too?”
Kerri rolled her eyes, looking completely unimpressed by Jasper’s tirade. “You’re just biased because she’s your girlfriend.”
I tensed at the reminder that the man sitting next to me had the woman who’d captured my interest. Mostly, I hated that it bothered me so much.
“Just because they called your name for your category doesn’t mean the same will happen to Morgan,” Kerri snipped. “Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice, and it’d take more than a stroke of good luck for her to win.”
“Ah, so now you’re an expert on the odds of winning,” Jasper said snidely. “You should add that to your IMDB since it’s so light on acting jobs.”
“I’ll be around forever,” Kerri huffed. “That generic wannabe will be a memory by next award season.”
“Sure.” Jasper snickered.
“Fuck you, Jasper. The only reason you won’t acknowledge that she’s not going to amount to anything real is that your love for her makes you a blind fool. She’s here because of luck, not talent.”
I’d gone from minor irritation to anger at this no-talent hack throwing shade at another actress during the fucking Golden Globes, of all places. It was probably in part due to hearing the dreaded “L” word in reference to Jasper and Morgan’s relationship, but I didn’t want to examine that reaction too closely.
Since I wasn’t one to sit idly by when I was pissed off, I jumped into the argument. “My view on love is well known,” I murmured, earning me a glare from my agent. I ignored him and continued, “And I don’t know Morgan, so there’s no way in hell you can accuse me of being biased when I tell you that she will have earned that statuette if she gets it tonight.”