Private Lives by Tasmina Perry

said. ‘I thought you lawyers were always serious.’
    ‘Laugh a minute, that’s us.’
    ‘Really?’
    ‘No, not really. You’re right, most of us are actually deathly dull.’
    ‘Gee, you’re really selling yourself to me,’ quipped the actress.
    ‘Sorry,’ said Matthew. ‘It’s just I’m not used to doing nude scenes.’
    She giggled. ‘Not quite a nude scene, thanks to your eagle eye.’
    ‘Well, I think we got it just right. Enough coverage to protect your modesty. Just enough to get the audience going.’
    ‘Get the audience going?’ she chided.
    ‘I didn’t mean it like that. Not in any porno way.’
    ‘ Porno? ’
    ‘Not porno. Obviously not porno. Look, I’m sorry . . .’
    She started to chuckle, her broad smile lighting up her face.
    ‘Really, you English guys are funny.’
    ‘Funny with bad teeth. All the clichés are true.’
    ‘Your teeth look pretty good to me.’
    Were they flirting? he wondered, snapping his briefcase hurriedly shut.
    An officious-looking girl approached them. ‘Ms Sheldon, the car’s here to take you home.’
    ‘Sure, just give me a minute,’ she said, never taking her amused eyes from Matthew.
    ‘Do you live around here?’ he asked, hoping to deflect her probing gaze.
    ‘Santa Barbara, actually, so no.’
    ‘Actually I meant . . .’
    ‘I know, I’m just teasing,’ she said. ‘I’m renting a house in Richmond. It’s pretty handy for the studios, lovely garden.’
    ‘Oh, whereabouts? I don’t live far from Richmond myself,’ he said, feeling himself slip into dinner-party mode.
    ‘At the top of the hill, by the park. Say, are you going home now?’
    Matt looked at his watch. There wasn’t much point going back to the office. ‘I suppose I will. I can do some work from there.’
    ‘Workaholic, huh?’
    ‘Actually I’m new at the firm, so I’m desperately trying to do extra homework, trying to keep up.’
    ‘You need a ride, then? I’m going that way.’
    Matthew opened his eyes wide.
    ‘Me? In your car?’
    She laughed and nodded slowly, like she was trying to explain something difficult to a child.
    ‘Yes, in my car. I promise not to bite. Just wait while I change, okay?’
    He willed himself to keep calm. After all, this was what he did now. Meeting celebrities was all in a day’s work. If he melted at the first sign of someone he’d seen on the telly, there was no way he was going to be able to do the job.
    Erica emerged from her trailer wearing skinny jeans, an open-necked navy polo shirt and ballet flats. She was carrying a crocodile-skin handbag in the crook of her arm and had sunglasses on top of her head. If possible, she looked even more sexy in casual clothes than when she was only wearing a sheet.
    ‘Come on, funny guy,’ she said with a wink, and led him across to a black Mercedes.
    Matthew quickly jumped forward to open the door for her.
    ‘We’ll drop my friend off first, okay?’ she told the driver. ‘Where are we going?’
    Matthew gave his address in Chiswick.
    Sitting back in the leather seats, he watched as Erica rummaged around in her bag for her BlackBerry, then, finding it, switched it off.
    ‘I hate that thing,’ she said, dropping it back in the bag. ‘It’s like one of those horrible yappy dogs, always wanting your attention.’
    She looked at him with those amused eyes again.
    ‘So, Mr Lawyer . . .’
    ‘Matthew, please. Matthew Donovan,’ he said, offering an awkward hand to shake.
    ‘I guess we should be introduced now you’ve seen my ass, huh?’
    ‘I believe that is the proper etiquette, yes.’ Matthew smiled.
    They made small talk as the car zigzagged through the back streets from Shepperton to Chiswick.
    ‘Okay, Matthew, so you’re new to the firm, how come it’s got your name above the door?’
    ‘Long story. It was my father’s firm.’
    ‘So where were you before?’
    Matthew shook his head.
    ‘You won’t have heard of the company.’
    ‘Try me. I’ve sued a few of your tabloids