"Is there a red carpet?" Laura asked, glancing into her champagne flute and seemingly disappointed with the dregs in the bottom.
          "Isn’t there always?" Ted shrugged. "Does anyone understand the concept of trying to promote charity by creating a feeble excuse for celebrities to spend ludicrous amounts of money on evening attire?"
          "My Mr Robinson you’re cynical tonight," Mikey chided as Paul sniggered and then started singing.
          "And here’s to you Mr Robinson, Jesus loves you more than you’ will know."
          "Christ you’re singing and you’ve only had two glasses of champagne," Gina mused and shook her head as Paul lost himself in a fit of giggles at his own stupidity.
          "You should see him after a bottle and a half of tequila," Ted sighed, looking sympathetically at Gina.
          "Oh believe me, I have," Gina smiled as her attention was distracted by the bright flashes of the paparazzi cameras.
          The limousine slowed as the car in front of it stopped to let out a bunch of teen soapie stars in figure hugging, backless dresses and astonishingly high heels. The second to last actor tumbled onto the red carpet, the limousine pulled away and the one containing Mikey, Laura, Gina, Paul and Ted moved into its spot.
          "Ready to be thrown to the lions?" Paul asked, looking amused at Gina.
          "Anything I should be wary of?" Gina breathed, gripping his hand very tightly.
          "Just don’t stop, smile and never look directly into the lenses as they’ll suck out your soul."
          "And try to avoid swearing at the journalists," Ted suggested.
          "I am a journalist," Gina pouted as the door opened.
          "Then we won’t swear at you," Mikey laughed as Ted stepped out onto the carpet and was promptly ignored as he wasn’t important enough.
          "Let’s go," Paul enthused and Gina somewhat hesitantly clambered out of the limo. She was careful to not fall flat on her face or reveal her underwear to the waiting hoards. The second her feet were flat on the carpet, bright flashes started, clicking filled the air and yells of ‘Paul over here, Paul’ were hollered.
          Paul gave a quick smile before sliding an arm around Gina’s waist. "Let’s move," he whispered, forcing her up the carpet.
          "I want to hurt people," she whispered back as they paused to smile. "Bunch of money hungry bastards."
          "Isn’t that hypocritical coming from a journalist?" Paul mused as someone yelled ‘who’s the blonde?’
          "No, I’m not paparazzi," Gina countered as they got closer to the door. People were yelling other names, including Mikey, now. "I don’t make money from gossip or pictures of naked royals."
          "You could," Paul smiled and then frowned as they were greeted by journalists in the lobby. The last thing he wanted was to have a million questions asked about his relationship with Gina, which as far as he was concerned was no one’s business.
          "Paul hi, Narelle, Women’s Day," a woman with product thick hair and a beige pantsuit beamed. She thrust her hand into Paul’s and held up her dictaphone. "I don’t believe I’ve met your date."
          Gina felt Paul tense and realised quickly that anything he said was going to be a complete fabrication or a tirade of abuse.
          "Yes it’s going to be a great evening," Paul perked. "I’m looking forward to schmoozing the a-list of Australian celebrities, socialites and those worthy of a Variety Club award."
          "That’s not what I asked," Narelle frowned, rewinding her tape.
          "Oh just make it up," Gina cooed. "Isn’t that what you people usually do?"
          Narelle shot Gina daggers as Paul dragged her away toward the lavish dining room where the evening’s events were going to be held. He stopped at the door waiting for Mikey and Laura to catch up.
          "You’re not to talk to any more media people," Paul scolded. Despite that fact he was both amused and proud of Gina.
          "Did I do bad?" Gina said innocently. "You can punish me later."
          Paul went to reply but ended up smiling like an idiot until Mikey slapped him on the back.
          "Have we lost the producer?" he asked, looking around for Ted.
          "He’s probably tucking into a bottle of scotch," Paul replied as an important looking woman in a power suit strolled over.
          "Good evening," she beamed. "Would you gentlemen come this way and we’ll get you organised."
          "Oh, sounds kinky," Paul grinned. "Behave," he ordered, turning to Gina. He looked her up and down, muttered something and then followed the woman with Mikey.
          "Well, shall we go find our seats?" Laura sighed as people passed them into the dining room.
          "I hope you know where you’re going then," Gina declared as they were greeted by a couple of ushers. "I have no idea."
          It only took a few moments for the ushers to point them in the direction of their table. The situation was made easier by Ted already being sat there tucking into a bottle of wine.
          "Having fun yet?" Laura asked as she and Gina made their way toward the table.
          "Oh it’s the highlight of my life," Gina groused as she was bumped out of the way by Georgie Parker. "Hey I’m not invisible!"
          "Sorry," Georgie gasped and scurried off.
          "You just snapped at one of the most prolific Australian actresses," Laura mused, nearly losing her clutch purse as a young soap star raced past.
          "Don’t tell Paul, he’ll kill me," Gina chided as they nearly reached the table.
          "GINA!" a voice suddenly squealed. She turned to see one of her least favourite people, Libby Knowles, hurrying over.
          "Oh hide me," she whined, wishing her dress would allow her to crawl under a table.
          "Friend of yours?" Laura asked as she rubbed her now sore arm.
          "Hell no," Gina breathed. "Libby," she added with a forced smile.
          "God, you have no idea how popular I am at the moment," Libby declared. "I mean, I’m the only journo here who has any idea who you are."
          "That must be a thrill for you."
          "Well, I was thinking of keeping the exclusive details all to myself, but then I figured it’d help my career if I shared."
          "So would giving a blowjob to Rupert Murdoch."
          Libby gave Gina a cold smile and looked her up and down. "At least I’m not going to get crucified in all the magazines for wearing that."
          "At least I’ll be in all the magazines," Gina countered although she seriously doubted she had enough celebrity pull, if any, to make it onto the ‘worst frocks’ page. "Now if you don’t mind I have famous people to associate with," she added and stalked off with Laura close behind.

          "What did you do to Gina?" Mikey mused as he and Paul stood leaning against a wall waiting for someone to bring them microphones.
          "Nothing," Paul said blankly. "Why?"
          "She looks like she’s just stepped out of glossy mag," Mikey enthused. "She looks downright sexy."
          "She always looks downright sexy," Paul chided. "And for the record, I had absolutely nothing to do with it."
          "I don’t know that I’d be able to leave the house if Laura presented herself to me like that."
          "Believe me, I nearly locked myself in the bathroom."
          "Thanks for that image."
          "It’s not my fault my woman caught me unprepared for her ravishing beauty."
          "And fabulous breasts."
          "Don’t say shit like that or I really will have to lock myself in a cubicle."
          "But the material just hugs them."
          "I know, it’s like they’re just waiting to pop out and party."
          "Let’s not forget those striking slits up to her thighs."
          "Her firm, milky white thighs."
          "We should probably think about something else," Mikey suggested, moving uncomfortably.
          "We need to focus on something really, really un-sexy," Paul agreed and they glanced around anxiously.
          "Here’s your microphones," a wiry young man with a severe case of acne declared.
          "Oh that did it," Paul jeered and snatched up his microphone.
          "Oh great, you’re still here," the woman in the power suit beamed, appearing beside the pimply youth. "I’ve been told to tell you that you’re free to say what you like, just try and avoid swearing too much and don’t offend anyone important."
          "So I can make the soapie kids cry?" Paul smirked and made Mikey laugh.
          "We could just lock them in the toilets," he suggested.
          "Hey yeah!" Paul giggled and then looked back at the woman. "We promise to be good."
          The woman looked at them unconvinced as they did their best attempt to look innocent, before she hurried off into the dining room. Mikey and Paul looked at each other and then in silent agreement headed in the same direction.

          "You look pissed," Laura declared looking concerned at Gina.
          "I’ll be fine," Gina breathed as she toyed with the handle of her knife. "The urge to kill will pass soon."
          "If you killed someone would you be able to do your own exclusive?" Ted asked, breaking the tension.
          "That’s a very good question," Gina nodded and fell into quiet contemplation. "I can’t see why I shouldn’t, I mean so long as the article was written before the corpse is found."
          "What are we talking about?" Paul asked, placing his microphone on the table as he sat in the chair next to Gina’
          "How I’m going to get the exclusive to the murder of Libby Knowles," Gina replied blankly. "Since I’m going to kill her."
          Paul let the name take a quick trip through his psyche before he remembered who Libby was. "She’s here?"
          "Would I be pondering the easiest way to dispose of her remains if she wasn’t?" Gina countered.
          Paul looked at her sympathetically and gently took her hand. Partly to make her feel better, partly to stop her playing with the knife. "She’s not worth the gaol time."
          "She reckons I’m going to cop flack for my dress in the rags," Gina sighed, looking down at the flowing red skirt that covered her knees.
          "Like fuck," Paul groused. "You’re the best looking woman here, with or without clothes."
          "Here, here," Mikey and Ted both agreed. Laura slapped Mikey’s arm and he looked at her sheepishly.
          "Just keep telling me that," Gina breathed, suddenly wishing she was at home on the couch rather in a room full of semi-famous people.

          Fifteen minutes later the entrée was brought out, it was apparently soup but Gina, Paul and Laura all agreed it looked like orange swill and passed it over. Ted managed half of his while Mikey wondered if he could have seconds. The main course was chicken but it was covered in what Paul deemed ‘something that’s dribbled from a cat’s arse’ and Gina poked at it, but was feeling too self-conscious to actually eat.
          "It tastes better than it looks or smells," Paul enthused, nudging Gina’s arm when he realised she hadn’t eaten anything.
          "I’m not hungry," Gina replied, poking her chicken and refusing the look at him.
          "Babe you’ve gotta eat something," Paul sighed, leaning a little closer to her. "Is this because of Libby?"
          "No," Gina replied even though inside she was screaming: ‘of course it is you idiot!’
          Paul shrugged and didn’t press her further until dessert was brought out. It was chocolate cheesecake and she had no excuse not to devour one of her favourite desserts. "If you don’t eat it, I force feed you."
          "Excuse me?" Gina gasped as she picked up her fork and looked at him strangely.
          "You heard," Paul chided. "You’re always forcing me to eat, so now it’s my turn. Eat the bloody cake."
          "What if I don’t?" Gina shrugged. "I mean there’s few women in the room even considering their dessert."
          Paul smiled and brought his lips close to her ear so he could whisper. "Eat and I’ll make sure to humiliate Miss Knowles."
          "Really?" Gina giggled and gave him a sideways glance. "You don’t have to do that."
          "No, you’re right," Paul sniggered and dropped a soft kiss on her cheek. "But that’s twice she’s upset you now, and no one upsets my girlfriend and gets away with it."
          Gina didn’t know quite what to say and instead reverted to tucking into the chocolaty goodness of the cheesecake instead.

          The evening progressed with a mix of worthy people being awarded for their charitable efforts, famous people getting royally sloshed and Paul and Mikey being completely ridiculous.
          "I’m running out of things to be humorous about," Mikey said in a hushed voice to Paul as they loitered just shy of the tables of guests. "I can only mock the larger gentlemen for so long."
          "Don’t worry," Paul breathed and patted his friend’s arm. "It’s nearly over."
          Mikey nodded in agreement. "So, who are we mocking next?"
          "The media table," Paul declared looking at Mikey, a flicker of wickedness crossed his face. "There’s something I promised I’d do."
          "Does it involve a certain cretinous journalist that your girlfriend wants to have disembowelled?" Mikey asked as they stalked toward the table.
          "I have no idea what you’re talking about Michael," Paul smiled mischievously as he switched on his microphone again.
          Mikey felt a growing sense of disaster but turned his microphone on anyway. "So, where are we little fella?"
          "We’ve found those soul sucking, esteem crushing, life destroying bastards known as the Australian media Mikey," Paul perked and was jeered by the people at the table. "Oh you know it’s true," he sneered, grinning at them.
          "Wanker," one of the male reporters announced.
          Paul narrowed his eyes in the reporter’s direction. "That may be son, but the question is, how do you know?"
          The room erupted in laughter as the reporter turned bright red and Paul gave him the finger. Mikey started talking to the editor of ‘Cosmo’ as Paul sauntered over, placing himself between Mikey and Libby who was sipping a large glass of red wine. Paul looked over his shoulder, smiled to himself and then started poking Mikey. Thirty seconds later Mikey, annoyed by the constant poking, gave Paul a shove without actually looking. Paul flailed about before deliberately knocking Libby, whose glass of red wine spilled, soaking the front of her pale pink frock.
          "Shit, sorry about that," Paul lied and grabbed her napkin, his arm ‘accidentally’ knocking the remainder of her cheesecake into her lap. "Butterfingers," he smiled as she shot to her feet and half sobbing raced out of the room.
          "Jeez McDermott," Mikey laughed. "I suppose you want to go and help her get out of her wet dress now."
          Paul had to try and control his giggles to reply. "No, but maybe we should call in that guy from the Nappysan challenge commercial."
          "Or she could just keep it, never know when a stained dress can be used as evidence honey," Mikey cackled and the room burst into raucous laughter.

          Gina stood in the restrooms washing her hands when the door flew open and in marched Libby, her dress now sporting a rather large stain.
          "Is that cheesecake?" she mused looking Libby up and down.
          Libby looked at her furiously. "This is all your fucking boyfriend’s fault," she hissed. "He deliberately knocked into me!"
          "No, Pauly would never do that," Gina soothed as she bit her lip to stop herself laughing. "I’m sure it was an accident."
          "I bet you even put him up to it," Libby wailed, looking miserably into the mirror.
          "Me? Why would I do that," Gina laughed. "I don’t have vendetta against you or anything."
          Libby gave a rather pathetic sniff, then looked from Gina to her dress. "What am I gonna do? The damn thing is ruined."
          "It’s not ruined," Gina smiled warmly and licked her lips. "Look, pop into the cubicle and take it off. Then pass it over the door to me and I’ll fix it."
          "Really? You’d do that for me?" Libby gasped as she tottered into a cubicle. "I mean, I know we haven’t been the best of friends or anything," she continued and Gina heard the zip of the dress undo, before Libby passed it over the cubicle door to her. "I really appreciate this," she added.
          "Oh hon, the pleasure is all mine," Gina said sweetly as she bundled the dress into her arms, turned on her heel and sauntered out of the restrooms.
          She strolled into the lobby just as Paul, Mikey, Laura and Ted were walking out. Paul was grinning ear to ear and bouncing around like an excited puppy.
          "He’s been naughty, punish him," Mikey declared as they stopped.
          "It was an accident," Paul beamed. "I inadvertently bumped into Libby as she was…" his voice trailed off. "What’s that?" he asked, motioning to the bundle in Gina’s arms.
          "Libby’s dress," Gina said innocently and fluttered her eyelashes. She watched as Paul, Mikey and Ted’s eyes bugged out in shock.
          "How on earth did you…" Laura began.
          "Gullible personality," Gina shrugged, cutting her off.
          "You’re a bad girl," Paul sniggered as there was a cry of ‘Gina’ from the direction of the restrooms. The group looked at each other and then fled outside to their waiting limousine.

          "By jingo I’m exhausted," Paul yawned as he watched Gina lob Libby’s designer frock into the industrial sized bin outside his apartment block.
          "You’re exhausted," Gina mused as they strolled inside and into the elevator. "You didn’t have to go shopping for all this, on top of tonight’s proceedings."
          "I shaved," Paul pouted and then grinned. "I’m in such a good mood it’s frightening."
          "I think an elevation in mood often follows an act of pure evil," Gina chided as she leant against him. Waiting for the elevator to crawl to the right floor.
          "Yeah, you must be fucking ecstatic then," Paul teased as the doors opened and they stepped out into the hall.
          "Hey, mine was pure therapy," Gina sighed, wrapping an arm around his waist.
          "No it wasn’t," Paul countered sliding his arm around her shoulders. "You saw your opportunity to humiliate the girl and acted upon it with malicious intent."
          "Oh, so you think I was a little harsh then?" Gina frowned as Paul unlocked the door.
          "Yeah," Paul nodded, leaning against the door. "But by Jesus it was a fucking turn on," he added, pulling her into his arms as they staggered into the room, lips locked in a lustful embrace.
          "Slow down," Gina gasped as she stopped his hands from creeping any further up her dress. "I have got to get my shoes off."
          "Just the shoes?" Paul cackled as he followed her into the bedroom.
          Gina sat herself on the edge of the bed and quickly undid the buckles of her sandals. "Viscous bastards," she groused, lobbing them into a corner as she rubbed her toes. "Invented by the bloody devil."
          "Hey, the Son of God was a sandal wearer," Paul chided and he removed his jacket. "I think Satan was more a stiletto man."
          "Who invented the g-string then?" Gina queried as she took off her earrings, rubbing her now tender earlobes.
          "One of the less popular prophets I think," Paul replied as he tossed his satin tie and shirt into a pile on the other side of the room.
          "Nice, very nice," Gina declared, leaning back on the bed and looking Paul up and down. He smiled sultrily, rubbed his nipples and then made Gina cry with laughter as he tried to make removing his shoes and socks sexy. "You’re such an idiot."
          "Yeah, but you love me for it," Paul breathed as he lobbed his last sock onto the pile that already contained his jacket, shirt and tie.
          "That and so much more," Gina purred as she crawled off the bed to stand in front of him. "Unzip me," she whispered, her lips close enough to let her warm breath touch his skin.
          "Hot diggity," Paul breathed, his hands creeping up her back until his fingers found the top of the zip. He gently pulled the metal zip down, his hands shaking ever so slightly. Gina kissed his neck softly as she teased his bare skin with her fingernails. Paul didn’t need any more encouragement to push the dress slowly from her shoulders. It fell to the floor at her ankles and she stepped out of it, kicking it just out of the way. "Oh, wow," was all he could manage as the last trickle of blood left his brain.
          "The lingerie cost more than the dress," Gina announced wryly as she teasingly undid the button on his velvet pants.
          "I love when the seductress part of you comes out to play," Paul proclaimed as his fly was opened and Gina pushed the velvety fabric down his thighs. Her hands found their way eagerly to his rear.
          "Oh my, are you wearing silk boxers?" she gasped, having a good feel of the soft material and his butt.
          "Not for long," Paul grinned cheekily kicking his pants aside. "You did tell me not to wear the purple reg grundies."
          "Do you have an array of sexy underwear I should know about?" Gina purred as her hands took to caressing his bare flesh.
          "Maybe," Paul said softly as he pulled her to him. "But at the moment I’m far more interested in yours."
          There was a brief moment where they stood touching each other’s near naked bodies like it was the first time they’d ever seen them, before their lips sought out each others and they became lost in the passion, the moment and themselves.

          Gina lay in Paul’s arms as he slept, his breathing slow and relaxed. She wanted to drag her eyes away to look at anything but the contentment on his face, make her fingers stop stroking his hair and try and push down the warm fuzzy feeling that she was engulfed in. She couldn’t even think of how to do any of those things, not now. Gina had been with a few guys before, she’d had sex with Paul before but right then, in his bed and in his arms, had been the first time she had truly made love. She’d feared for a long time about how she’d hate to depend on someone else as she was used to being independent and dealing with things on her own. Gina felt Paul move in his sleep, his body pressed closer to hers, his warm breath on her neck making her shiver slightly. She stopped stroking his hair and traced a gentle line down his arm.
          Yes, it was now confirmed that this was a man she was very much in love with. They’d been dependent on each since they met really, hadn’t they? Wasn’t that the purpose of the meeting? For her to write and article and for him to get publicity. As for her independence, well, Paul was free spirit so there was no chance of him stopping her from doing anything she wanted. Actually, he’d probably encourage her no matter how stupid and life threatening the activity. The best thing and the most rewarding was that she didn’t have to deal with things alone any more. That evening had been proof, he had comforted her when she was upset of Libby’s comments and then gone out of his way to humiliate her in a strange profession of his love. Gina smiled to herself as she wondered if Libby was sill locked in the cubicle waiting for someone to rescue her.
          She closed her eyes and snuggled against him, before opening one eye and looking at the pleasantly contented expression on his face again. There was one other thing she enjoyed about Paul, he was by all means very cute.