On cue, Gina entered, tall and voluptuous, followed by a stern-looking blonde and two men in business suits. Better than the photo de Marco sent over, Brooke noted, and that had been impressive. The woman was young, but not too young, a ripe twenty five, Brooke estimated, with large sloe eyes and raven hair. Her body was curvy, shown to advantage in a clingy low-cut gown that stopped just short of censorship. She wouldn't get aloof from this one, Brooke mused, watching Gina make her way across the studio. Heat vibrated in every movement. This time she would go for pure sex-for the five and a half seconds Gina was on screen. For a thirty-second television ad, it would be more than enough.
Ignoring the appreciative mutters and elbowing of her crew, Brooke walked to meet de Marco's lady. 'Hello.' She extended her hand with a smile. 'I'm Brooke Gordon, I'll be directing you.'
'Gina Minianti,' she purred in a voice that instantly made Brooke regret she'd have no lines.
''We're very pleased to have you, Ms. Minianti. Do you have any questions before we begin?'
Gina gave her a slight smile. ' Como?'
'If there's anything you don't understand,' Brooke began, only to have the blonde interrupt her. 'Signorina Minianti doesn't speak English, Ms. Gordon,' she said briskly. 'Weren't you informed?' 'Doesn't-' Breaking off, Brooke rolled her eyes to the ceiling. 'Lovely.'
'I'm Mr. de Marco's personal secretary. I'll be glad to translate.'
Brooke gave the blonde a long hard look, then turned around. 'Places,' she called. 'It's going to be a long day.'
''A little stumbling block?'' Parks murmured as she passed him.
'Shut up and sit down, Parks.'
Controlling a grin, he stepped forward to take Gina's hand. 'Signorina,' he began, then caught Brooke's full attention when he continued in fluid Italian. Beaming, Gina answered in a rapid spate, gesturing freely with her other hand.
'She's excited,' Parks commented, knowing Brooke had stopped in her tracks behind him. 'So I gathered.'
'She's always wanted to do an American movie.'
He spoke to Gina again, something that made her throw back her magnificent head and laugh throatily. Turning, she dismissed the blonde with a flick of the wrist and tucked her arm through Parks's. When they faced her, the tawny Californian, the raven Italian, Brooke was struck with the perfection of the contrast. That five and a half seconds of film, she thought, was going to crackle like a forest fire-and sell one hell of a lot of de Marco merchandise.
'You seem to speak Italian well enough to suit her,' Brooke commented.
'Apparently.' He grinned again, noting that Brooke wasn't the least jealous but appraising, as if he and Gina were already in a view screen. 'She'd like me to interpret for her.'
'All right, tell her we'll run through it once to show her what she needs to do. Let's have the lights!' Striding to the set, Brooke waited impatiently while Gina and Parks strolled behind her, heads close as he relayed Brooke's instructions. 'Sit down, Parks, and tell her to watch closely. I'll run through it with you.' Parks settled on the couch as she had instructed him. 'Take it from the top, just as if the camera were rolling.' He began, talking easily, as if to a few friends on a visit. Perfect, Brooke thought as she picked up the prop brandy snifter and walked into camera range behind the couch. She leaned over, letting her cheek come close to his as she offered it. Without glancing from the camera, Parks accepted it, raising the fingers of his other hand to run down the back of Brooke's as it rested on his shoulder. She straightened slowly, moving out of camera range as he finished the dialogue. 'Now ask her if she understands what she's to do,' Brooke ordered.
Gina lifted an elegant hand at Parks's question, silently communicating 'of course.'
'Let's try one.' Brooke backed behind E.J. and the assistants who would dolly the camera platform forward for the close-ups. 'Quiet on the set,' she called, effectively cutting off a few discreet murmurs.
'Roll film…' The clapper struck-Parks Jones for de Marco, scene three, take one. She narrowed her eyes at Parks. 'Action.'
He ran through it well enough for a first take, but Brooke decided he hadn't warmed to it yet. Gina followed instructions, bringing the snifter, leaning over him suggestively. Then she glanced up, startled, as the camera rolled in.
''Cut. Parks, explain to Gina not to look at the camera, please.' She smiled at the woman, hoping she communicated patience and understanding. She needed a great deal of both by the fifth take. Instead of becoming more used to the camera, Gina seemed to be growing more unnerved. 'Five minutes,' Brooke announced. The hot lights switched off, and the crew began a pilgrimage toward the buffet. With another smile, Brooke gestured for Gina to join her and Parks on the sofa. 'Parks, will you tell her she need only be natural. She's gorgeous, the few seconds she's going to be on film will make a tremendous impact.'
Gina listened with brows knit, then tossed Brooke a smile. 'Grazie.' Taking Parks's hand, she launched into a long, emotional torrent that turned out to be an apology for her clumsiness and a request for something cold to calm her nerves.
'Bring Signorina Minianti some, orange juice,' Brooke demanded. 'Tell her she's not clumsy at all,' Brooke continued diplomatically. ''Ah, tell her to try to imagine you're lovers, and when the camera turns off-'
'I get the idea,' Parks said with a grin. When he spoke to Gina again, she gave her throaty laugh then shook her head before she answered. 'She says she'll try to imagine it,' Parks relayed to Brooke, 'but if she imagines it too well, Carlo will step on my face…or words to that effect.'
'We have to sacrifice for our art,' Brooke told him dryly. ''Parks, it would help if you could put a little more steam into it.'
'Steam?' he repeated, lifting a brow.
'A man who doesn't steam a bit with a woman like that hanging over his shoulder needs a transfusion.' Rising, Brooke patted his shoulder. 'See what you can do?'
''Anything for art,'' he returned, sending her a wolfish grin.
As E.J. sat behind his camera again, Brooke walked to stand at his shoulder. 'Let's see if we can make one this time,' she muttered.
'Boss, I can do this all day long.' He focused his lens on Gina and sighed. 'I think I've died and gone to heaven.'
'De Marco might arrange it if you don't watch your step. Places!'
Better, she mused. Yes, definitely better as they completed the sixth take. But not perfect. She told Parks to ask Gina to give the camera a languid look before she slid Parks an under-the-lashes smile. The direction lost something in the interpretation. 'Cut. Here, tell her to stand next to the camera and watch again.' Brooke took Gina's place, moving behind him as he spoke, cupping the snifter of lukewarm tea. This time when Parks took it from her, he brought her other hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against it without breaking the rhythm of the dialogue. Brooke felt a jolt shoot up her arm and forgot to move away. 'Just seemed natural,' Parks told her, linking his fingers through hers.
Brooke cleared her throat, aware that her crew was watching with avid interest. ''Give it a try that way, then,' she said matter-of-factly. She walked back to E.J., but when she turned, Parks's eyes were still on her. Brooke gave a quick, frustrated shake of her head. She knew that look. Slowly, the meaning crystal-clear, Parks smiled.
'Places!' Brooke called in her own defense.
It took three more takes before she got just what she wanted. A hot but self-satisfied Gina gave Parks two exuberant kisses, one on each cheek, then came over and chattered something at Brooke. Glancing up at Parks, Brooke saw that amused and all too innocent look on his face.
'Just say thank you,' he advised.
'Thank you,' Brooke said obediently as Gina took her hand and squeezed it. She swept off with her entourage. 'What was I thanking her for?' Brooke used the sleeve of her shirt to dry the sweat on her forehead. 'She was complimenting your taste.'
'Oh?'
'She said your lover was magnificent.'
Dropping her arm, Brooke stared at him. 'Really?' she said coolly.
Parks grinned, gave a deprecatory shrug then strolled off to see if anything was left at the buffet. Hands on
