Chapter 2 Provocation

• Working with Christian wasn't something Sophia expected to be so challenging. Yes, she was a professional who knew her limits, but she had a past with this man that he didn't remember. And she would do everything to hide that in the dark recesses of her memory.
• Christian Harrison was the most seductive man in all of Hollywood. That had been the case since he started acting at the age of ten. At twenty-four, he played the role of a teenage football player.
• During that time, Sophia was just another girl captivated by the magical world of TV series and movies. At the age of ten, she collected posters of Christian, wearing only worn-out jeans, adorning her bedroom walls. Her notebook was filled with images of him as Tomas Philips, the boy with dreams of becoming a great football player that he portrayed.
• That was the period when fan clubs exploded, and she was there, fascinated by the hottest guy of the moment.
• She wanted to be a dentist, like her father. It would have been a source of pride for her family. But her passion for movies and for Chris led her to pursue theater. Thus, she declared war with her father, who freaked out, claiming it would never amount to anything.
• The poor man had no idea that his daughter's determination and her passion for a certain celebrity would push her to strive so hard that she would soon find opportunities in small series, leading her to many others. Even though her significance was minimal back then, she waited patiently until she finally made it to the big productions.
• In the meantime, all she wanted was to meet Christian Harrison, her ultimate teenage idol. The party at a famous producer's house presented her with the perfect opportunity. Nervous and anxious, she nearly lost her composure, but then she took a deep breath, waited for the right moment, and approached him, timidly and with her heart pounding.
• He didn't notice her arrival; his gaze was fixed on a blonde across the room. She didn't mind. She took a breath and spoke, letting him know she was his fan. And... Chris acted just like Christian always did: he ignored her, raising one hand, stating that he wasn't signing autographs and that she wasn't more important than his potential busty conquest on the other side of the room.
• Sophia stood there, speechless. She had hoped he would at least look at her face, but he left, leaving her disappointed.
• As they say, never meet your idols.
• However, in Hollywood, things are never perfect; sooner or later, they were bound to run into each other. "It took long enough," she thought. She thought it would be a brief and insignificant interaction. However, it was when the film written by Jonathan Spector came along: My Fake Love. She landed the role of the leading lady. Sophia had been a protagonist several times since she started, but this time things were complicated.
• Initially, she didn't know who her co-star would be. The director made a big fuss, keeping the information secret and making her dislike him from the start. Then, on the first day, with the script in her head and in her hand, she entered the film set, went to her dressing room, and went through her usual routine. That's when she bumped into a tall and incredibly arrogant man.
• They locked eyes, and she was left speechless with surprise. Chris, on the other hand, with that hunter's gaze, scanned her from head to toe and ended it with a mischievous smile. He didn't recognize her from their past but rather from her acting career.
• That smile captivated her and made her body tremble. Her tongue disappeared, and she could barely hear him speaking.
• Unlike in the past, Sophia piqued his interest. She was a beautiful 27-year-old woman with curves and wavy chocolate-colored hair. Her fit physique was strictly regulated by her agent and personal assistant. Even in the costume she wore, she looked beautiful and shapely.
• Chris had just arrived. He was dressed in summer clothes with a white background and orange and green prints, along with sunglasses that hid his beautiful blue eyes. The jeans hugged his perfect rear, something she had never stopped admiring, even though she harbored resentment towards him since their last encounter.
• Those lips were so close to her, and she found herself staring at them for a while.
• Speaking of time, it had been far too kind to that scoundrel who seemed to get more irresistible with each passing year.
• Christian didn't know the young woman with the brown eyes very well. He had only seen her at a few receptions, casual encounters, or on screens. As soon as he laid eyes on her, he knew she was different. Somehow, she managed to capture his attention in unusual ways. He had an old memory connecting them; he just couldn't remember it.
• At that moment, he wanted to get to know her better. Her full lips, subtle perfume, and ample bosom held his attention. But then, out of nowhere, she pushed him away with fire in her eyes, leaving him confused.
• He wondered where he knew her from or what he had done to her.
• The two went their separate ways until they found themselves side by side in that scene. Without showing it, Sophia was nervous, her heart in her mouth, and her hands sweating. It affected her performance until, surprisingly, he was kind and helped her.
• Sophia didn't understand, but years of experience had taught her to connect with her scene partner. She couldn't let her anger get in the way of her work.
• Even worse was realizing that by setting aside her resentment and fully embracing her role, they achieved something she never expected: they genuinely got along and delivered a romantic chemistry that almost made Sophia forget that, after each take, he returned to being the odious Christian Harrison.
• "Stop staring at me like that, or I might end up cornering you," Chris said from across the room at an event celebrating the film's completion and premiere. He had made a point of leaving his spot just to provoke her and question her furtive glances that revealed how much she craved his attention. However, his seductive and audacious mouth insisted on uttering words that weren't solely about desire.
• He enjoyed what had transpired on that film set. All of a sudden, he found a partner with whom he connected so well that they truly lived that love on screen. But without the perks of pleasure.
• Christian tried to recall any other time in his life when he had acted alongside someone so spontaneous and... provocative. He sensed how much she despised him. And unlike Sophia, he liked her. His loose tongue had wiped the smug smile off his face several times. However, with this fiery woman, he wasn't willing to fight, even though he saw a burning flame of attraction deep in her eyes.
• "If it happens, I will accuse you of harassment."
• "If it happens, you'll enjoy it so much that you'll want to repeat it," he whispered in her ear.
• He had to admit that her scent was rare, an aphrodisiac that drove him wild. He remembered that every time their characters kissed, it wasn't just acting. In those moments, both of them took advantage of the excuse to let their desires run free.
• "Do you think I don't know that your panties are soaked right now?"
• "You don't attract me in the least," she said the words angrily, knowing she was lying.
• Sophia was aroused. Something that had tortured her for all those months. She couldn't hate that body and the electricity between them, no matter how hard she tried.
• Chris laughed right in her face, looking into her eyes. He wanted to take her off that wooden bench, drag her into the bathroom, and prove that she was lying.
• "Liar."
• "Don't you have anything better to do?" she grew nervous and, as she always trained herself to do, thought of something negative. Usually, she would recall the humiliation he had put her through. By thinking that way, she felt more anger than desire. "Like hunting your next victim?"
• "I'm looking at her right now."
• For him, it was satisfying to irritate the woman who stubbornly refused to surrender to his well-defined arms. That was the dangerous part of it. Chris only needed a couple of conversations with a woman before they ended up in bed. Sophia, on the other hand, had been testing his patience for months. She was challenging. Worse yet, she was almost making him lose his composure.
• "You're annoying, you know that?" he remarked.
• "Am I?" She felt proud. "That makes me happy."
• "Of course it does. You enjoy torturing me."
• "You won't gain anything here." She leaned over the bar counter, showcasing her cleavage. Chris tried but couldn't tear his gaze away from her. "No need to waste your time."
• "Darling, I never give up." He leaned in as well.
• The two of them were face to face, locked in a seductive game. To those observing from afar, it seemed like an intriguing conversation. Even worse, a romance. That was the point that pleased their audience and agents.
• "For me to give up would be to admit that I've lost my spark."
• "Oh, don't worry." She picked up her favorite drink, a Martini, and drank while staring at him. "It's more personal than that."
• "Oh, really?" He furrowed his brow, curious. "I'm interested to know."
• "You're a scoundrel, you enjoy collecting conquests. And I won't be one of them," she declared firmly. "Plain and simple."
• "So, I have no chance?" It didn't matter, his goal was to irritate and seduce her.
• "None," she shrugged. "I'll stay away from your controversies and not be another name on your list."
• "Okay, sweetheart." He stood up from his seat. "But if I were you, I wouldn't say 'never'." Sophia leaned against the glass, watching him. "Besides, it's not me who goes after controversies, they chase me. I'm not the monster you think I am."
• "You're arrogant and self-centered. A dangerous combination."
• He met her gaze with one of the best smiles he had ever given.
• "Everyone in Hollywood runs the risk of getting into shit, even you."
• Unfortunately, he was right. Everyone there was in a nest of venomous ants, although that would be an insult to the insects. Nothing there was as magical as she had thought before stepping into that world. Everything, or almost everything, was fake. People smiled falsely, were friends out of self-interest, and had relationships based on falsehood, although some backfired. It was hard to trust anyone who wasn't truly a friend.
• Christian had been through some tough times in that place. He was pursued for being well-known, and many didn't look at him with respect. Of course, he wasn't a saint. His choices, often the wrong ones, didn't help. But he wasn't a monster. At least, that's what he believed.
• As she watched him walk away, Sophia wondered if she was being too harsh on him. Then she remembered the rude way he had treated her, and even though it had been a long time ago, when they were younger, she couldn't let go of the hurt teenage girl inside her caused by her idol.