Power Play by Deirdre Martin

laughed so hard watching him he thought half of them might wet themselves. He’d gotten all the ribbing he’d expected from them and more. But it was worth it; the envy had outweighed the derision.
    â€œOh yes, you were wonderful,” Carolyn was gushing, but she wasn’t even looking at him as she spoke; instead, she was staring hard at Monica. “You’re quite a good actor .”
    Eric felt Monica’s arm tighten around his waist. For a moment, he feared Monica might dig her nails into him , since she couldn’t rake them across the writer’s puffy cheeks, even though she deserved it.
    â€œIsn’t he?” Monica agreed. “We were all pretty amazed.”
    â€œSo, lovebirds , who approached whom first?”
    â€œI approached her,” Eric said, even though Monica had opened her mouth to speak. He wasn’t a complete dolt; he could handle questions like these. “I’ve been a fan for a long time. I had to tell her.”
    â€œIt was very sweet,” Monica continued, glancing up at him with a happy smile. How did she get her eyes to dance that way? Eric wondered. It was starting to unnerve him a bit, how real this thing could appear sometimes.
    â€œHe was very shy at first, which was surprising, given his rep.”
    â€œYes, the consummate ladies’ man, I hear,” said Carolyn, licking her lips hungrily as she looked him over before scribbling on her reporter’s notepad. Eric felt a shudder pass through him. He didn’t mind when hot babes dug him. But when forty-something women with crayola eyebrows gave him the once-over, it weirded him out.
    Carolyn glanced back up at him. “Obviously, Monica is gorgeous. But what, beyond her physical attributes, attracted you to her?”
    â€œShe’s smart and funny,” said Eric, pausing to tenderly kiss Monica’s cheek. “And she’s very cultured. She’s teaching me a lot.”
    Eric felt a nail dig into his side. Time to shut up.
    â€œWhat about?” Carolyn purred.
    â€œTheater,” Monica interjected. “Art. Though mainly we just enjoy each other’s company, you know? Talking. Laughing. We’re still in the getting-to-know-each-other phase.”
    â€œMmm.” Scribble, scribble. Carolyn cocked a fake eyebrow. “Is Monica the woman who might tame you, Eric?”
    â€œCould be,” said Eric with a wink. Tame him? What did she think he was? A circus lion?
    â€œDo you need any more?” Monica asked Carolyn sweetly. “I have to be on the set soon.”
    â€œOne more,” Carolyn said tartly. She turned to Eric. “You said you’re a longtime fan of the show?”
    â€œYup.”
    â€œWhat do you think of the new character, Paige?”
    â€œI think she can’t act her way out of a paper bag,” Eric said without hesitation. He glanced at Monica; she looked uncomfortable. “Everyone on the Blades agrees,” he added, hoping it would back up his observation. “We all watch the show.”
    â€œInteresting.” Carolyn looked at Monica. “That should do it—for now. Will you be available if I need to ask any further questions?”
    â€œOf course,” Monica said graciously. “Just call my personal publicist, Theresa Dante. I prefer working through her than the publicist for the show.”
    Carolyn nodded. “Would you two mind posing for a picture?”
    â€œOur pleasure,” said Monica.
    â€œRoddy! Over here!” Carolyn boomed.
    A nervous, clean-cut-looking young guy hustled to Carolyn’s side. Monica obviously knew him; her face lit up when she saw him.
    â€œHi, Roddy,” she said. “How are you?”
    â€œGreat,” Roddy replied.
    Monica turned to Eric. “Roddy’s been with Soap World three years now. He takes great pictures.”
    â€œThat’s good to know.” Eric held out his hand. “Eric Mitchell.”
    â€œNice to