Desire - A Dangerous Dance
©2007 Nia Little

Maggie Pearce married much too young. Isolated and ignored by her selfish husband, she finds acceptance in an online group called The Girls, ardent fans of British actor John Harrison. A trip to meet her new friends and attend the World Premiere of Harrison’s first major film provides an unexpected treat: the actor defies red carpet protocol to greet his adoring fans. When John and Maggie’s eyes meet, magic sparks fly.
A small gathering at an after-hours diner leads to enthusiastic discussions of mutual interests, and Maggie and John realize with surprise they’ve shared the same dream. When Maggie inadvertently leaves her purse in the cab, John seizes the opportunity to extend the evening into the morning. Heartfelt confessions and a pre-dawn waltz on a secluded terrace ignite a passion that seems all too familiar. Were they truly lovers in a previous life? But is this attraction enough to end Maggie’s miserable marriage? And what of John’s involvement with flamboyant French actress Brigitte DuBois? When desire becomes a dangerous dance, will it lead to the love of a lifetime—or total disaster?

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EXCERPT ~
[Maggie Pearce has arrived in New York to meet her online friends outside the premiere of John Harrison's first big movie.]

“Yep.” Therese Esposito nodded, fluffing her dark curls a little. “Lisa Kaye works for a PR firm and talked to his management people herself. Helps to have connections, doesn’t it?” She smiled. “C’mon Maggie, it’ll be worth it! At least we got to meet each other in person. And how often will you get a chance to go to a World Premiere of your favorite actor’s first major film?” She elbowed Maggie gently. “Just think—John Harrison, People Magazine’s ‘Sexiest Brit in Breeches’ right here, in real life!” She smiled, grey eyes twinkling. “Bet he comes over to sign autographs!”

“No way.” Maggie shook her head. “We may be the front row behind these barricades but we’re clear across the street from the theater.”

“We have signs!” Jayne, next to Therese, held a poster stapled to a yardstick. “He’ll know we’re his loyal Internet fans. Who else is here for him but us? In fact, there really aren’t that many people for a premiere. Kinda lets you know it’s not that big of a movie, certainly not a major summer blockbuster.” Thick blond hair trailed down the back of Jayne’s chic, sleeveless little black dress. She waved a well-toned arm along the row. “He’ll love this, wait and see.”

Maggie had to admit they did make a smart-looking group. Ten members of their Internet cyber-fan group had gathered from across the country. Now they waited, nicely attired, excitement brightening their faces, their placards lining the steel barricade.

She brushed the skirt of her stretchy black velvet dress, pleased with how it hugged her in just the right places in a classic silhouette. A wide vee neckline showed a mere hint of cleavage, and the way the skirt moved when she walked secretly made her want to spin around like a little girl in a fancy new Easter dress. She felt prettier than had in ages—especially when a few of the handsome men walking past in business suits smiled at her.

Suddenly a long sleek limo pulled up and stopped at the end of the red carpet. Photographers’ flashes lit the early evening twilight and everyone in the crowd around them craned their necks to get a glimpse.

Never mind, it’s one of those Olsens.” Jayne waved one manicured hand in dismissal.

“Which? Omigod, she looks like her head’s two sizes too big for her neck.” Therese frowned. “Somebody feed that girl, quick!”

Jayne chuckled. “We’ve got time before we really need to pay attention. I’ve been to a ton of these premieres. John won’t arrive right off—he’s one of the leads. He’ll probably arrive after the director—so will Pete Ralston and Kate Lewis. The bigger roles show up closer to screening time.”

“Think he’ll come with You Know Who?” Andrea, another New Yorker further down the row, leaned forward to ask.

“You can say the name Voldemort,” Therese teased. “Harry Potter does.”

“An evil wizard bent on destroying the world would be better than Brigitte DuBois,” Jayne said with a chuckle. “Since that Frenchie latched her hooks into John while they were making this film, she’s never let him go anywhere alone. And she always poses with her mouth wide open like some porn star. Gross.”

“Did everyone read that interview she gave yesterday? She swears she’s this generation’s Brigitte Bardot!” Andrea laughed.

“They share a first name and the nationality and that’s about all.” Stephanie, a plump brunette from Detroit, shook her head. “She’s nowhere near as attractive as Bardot, in my opinion. As an actress—hell, she’s challenged playing a corpse. I don’t see what John finds so enthralling about her. She makes snide, cutting remarks about him in every interview. He consistently says she’s ‘lovely company.’”

“He’s always been well-mannered and gracious,” Maggie nodded. “Opposites attract and all—hey, is that Katie Couric?”

They peered at the crowd filling the end of the red carpet for a moment until they satisfied their curiosity.

One of the other Girls spoke up. “I wish John had hooked up with Kate Lewis instead—she’s a good actress and she’s not into the celeb lifestyle,” Polly said in her South Philly accent. “They’d make a cute couple, doncha think?”

“Yes, but she was married when they started filming this,” Stephanie replied. “Poor thing; her husband died in that plane crash on his way to visit her on the set in Vancouver. Now she lives in San Diego; just got engaged to that multimillionaire baseball player. Too bad he’s on the road with the team somewhere. He’s very handsome; I wouldn’t mind seeing him.”

“Baseball players are like camels—they spit.” Therese grinned. “I’m hoping John Harrison shows up in a tight pair of breeches.”

The Girls laughed.

“You know, girls, ‘French Pastry’ could very well tank with DuBois as the leading lady,” Jayne said. “She’s supposed to be some big star in France, but every movie of hers I’ve seen stinks.”

“Her characters are always topless and moaning,” Polly added.

Jayne continued. “While Kate Lewis is especially big now with her new TV show, and Ralston’s been the hot Irish stud this winter, this is John’s first lead role since the Aussie series. I’m kinda worried for him; it’s not a good sign when a movie’s sat on the shelf for four years.”

“Are we gonna see it?” Andrea looked puzzled. “We don’t have tickets, do we?”

“No,” Jayne replied. “We’re just here to cheer John on and show the suits in charge he has an active fan base.” She gestured to the north. “Once they’re all inside the theater, we can go up 54th to The Jolly Roger. See the skull and crossbones on the sign right there? If we get a table on the second floor, we’ll be able to see the front of the theater when the movie’s over, see him leave for the after-party.” She grinned like the devil’s own daughter. “We might talk the security guys into letting us in if we show up. They’re usually off-duty NYPD. I have a few friends who work those shifts; they’ve let me in before. Never hurts to ask.”

“This right here is fine for me. I’ll see the movie when I get home. Hell, I’d pay to see him read the phone book.” Maggie grinned and shifted her weight. Her feet ached from standing on the concrete all afternoon. But she could handle a little discomfort for a glimpse of her favorite actor in person. Like Therese said—when would she get another chance?