Page 15 of Beyond the Red Carpet

But Vanessa didn’t correct him, the words caught in her throat. She needed to explain that Kate had slept in the guest room, that they really had been acting in those photos, or at least Kate had been.

Hadn’t she?

Vanessa pulled her robe tighter, her fingertips pressing against the cool marble counter as she faced Elliot.

“TMZ’s already running with it.” Elliot held up his phone, his face alight with excitement. “‘Kate Monroe Comes Out: Rising Star’s Steamy Night with Hollywood Icon.’ The comments are through the roof.”

Kate shifted beside her, and Vanessa fought the urge to turn to see her expression.

“‘Hollywood’s New Power Couple: Kate Monroe Steps Out of the Closet and Into Vanessa Prescott’s Arms,’” Elliot read from his phone screen, his voice carrying the practiced cadence of a seasoned publicist.

Vanessa’s attention split between his words and Kate’s proximity. She’d moved closer to examine the headlines, her arm brushing against Vanessa’s silk robe. The memory of Kate’s fingers gripping her back filled her mind.

A wave of protectiveness washed through Vanessa. This was Kate’s moment, her coming out story being splashed across every entertainment outlet. She stole a glance at Kate, searching for signs of distress or regret, but found only a quiet determination in her expression.

“‘The chemistry between the two actresses was undeniable,’” Elliot’s voice took on a theatrical flair.

Vanessa’s fingers pressed harder against the cool marble counter. Electric barely scratched the surface of what she’d felt in that alley. The way Kate had responded to her touch, the soft gasp against her lips.

Elliot slipped his phone into his jacket pocket. His eyes danced between Vanessa and Kate, a knowing smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“I must say, this went far better than we’d planned.” He gestured to the tabloids spread across the counter. “The raw passion here… You can’t manufacture that kind of chemistry. And staying the night?” Elliot raised an eyebrow, his smile widening. “Remind me to add ‘celebrity matchmaker’ to my resume.” He winked at them both. “My commission on this pairing will be substantial, by the way.”

“Elliot.” Vanessa’s voice cut through his enthusiasm. “Nothing happened last night.”

Elliot’s perfectly manicured eyebrows shot up toward his hairline. He glanced between them, taking in Kate’s wrinkled clothes from the night before and Vanessa’s silk robe.

“You expect me to believe-” He waved his hand at the photographs scattered across her counter. “After these? Please.”

Heat crept up Vanessa’s neck. The images taunted her. The way her hands had tangled in Kate’s hair, the press of their bodies against the car. She forced her gaze away from a particularly intimate shot.

“Kate slept in the guest room. The photographer followed us back here last night. We couldn’t risk Kate being seen leaving. Plus, it wasn’t safe.” The words came out sharper than intended. “We maintained appearances for the photographer, nothing more.”

Kate shifted beside her, and Vanessa caught the slight downturn of her lips. Something twisted in Vanessa’s chest, a mixture of guilt and longing she hadn’t expected.

“The guest room.” Elliot’s voice dripped with skepticism. He picked up one of the tabloids, the one with the huge photo where Kate’s fingers trailed along her jaw, their lips a breath apart.“This doesn’t look like maintaining appearances, darling. This looks like-”

“It was acting,” Vanessa cut him off, though the lie burned her throat. She remembered the softness of Kate’s lips, the heat that had spread through her entire body. “We did exactly what you wanted. We created a convincing story for the press. It just happened faster than we’d intended.”

Elliot’s eyes narrowed as he studied her face. In twenty years, he’d learned to read through her careful masks, to spot the moments when she held back. His gaze flickered to Kate, then back to Vanessa.

“If you say so.” His tone made it clear he didn’t believe a word. “Though I must say, if this is acting-” He tapped the photo. “You both deserve Oscars.”

8

Kate listened, her eyes flicking between Elliot and Vanessa as he outlined his strategy. The photos from last night had already gone viral, and now Elliot was in full publicist mode. Every instinct in her body urged her to tell Elliot to slow down, but her gaze kept drifting back to Vanessa.

“We lean into this,” Elliot was saying. “We give them a story. An exclusive. Something that spins this from what could be a one-night stand into a fairytale romance.”

Kate glanced at Vanessa, but her expression was completely neutral.

“I’ll set up a photoshoot,” Elliot continued, his enthusiasm growing. “Something glamorous, something classy.”

“Lauren and Ruby were stumbling out of clubs, sneaking around.” Elliot waved his hand dismissively. “Absolutely no class. But they spun it perfectly. Ruby dodged the homewrecker label, and Lauren?” He scoffed. “She’s found true love instead of being called out as a cheater.”

Kate stole another glance at Vanessa. A muscle twitched in her jaw.

“We need this to be different.” Elliot paced the kitchen. “Those photos from last night?” He stopped for just a second to look at both of them. “That passion was perfect. But an alley? Up against a car?” He shook his head as he started moving again. “We need less of the scandalous vibe and more romance. You two clearly have chemistry on camera. Now we just need to redirect it. Keep this momentum going, but make it...” His hands flourished in the air. “More sophisticated. More genuine.”

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