Chapter 260: Just Another "Bombshell" Star
At a Bel Air villa in Beverly Hills, Aaron sat on the sofa, speaking with Pete Wilson about current matters.
"You want me to help lobby the White House to speed up the reconstruction funds for Los Angeles?"
Aaron didn't have much reason to refuse. After all, the federal government had already agreed in principle—and the economic damage from the earthquake was indeed severe.
"Don't worry," Aaron said calmly. "I have some connections with the President. I'll do what I can."
Wilson nodded, shaking his hand.
"California will appreciate your support."
---
After Wilson left, Aaron immediately called Mark Middleton, an advisor to Bill Clinton, to follow up on the federal relief funds.
"Don't worry, Aaron," Middleton assured him. "The funds will be transferred to Los Angeles within a week."
Then he added,
"By the way… you've heard of Paula Jones, right?"
Aaron smiled faintly.
"Of course."
Recently, Paula Jones had filed a lawsuit accusing Clinton of misconduct during his time as Governor of Arkansas. For the notoriously scandal-prone president, this was already the second public accusation since taking office.
"Don't worry," Aaron said lightly. "Hollywood has plenty of lawyers who specialize in handling this kind of situation. I'll recommend someone."
For Clinton, this was hardly anything new.
Middleton, for his part, understood—when it came to managing high-profile scandals, few places were more experienced than Hollywood.
---
That evening, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, Aaron met with producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson to discuss Bad Boys.
In addition to Bad Boys, the duo was also working with Disney on several projects—such as the action thriller Crimson Tide, directed by Tony Scott and starring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman, as well as the drama Dangerous Minds, starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
"Bad Boys is slated for a spring release next year," Aaron said.
"With a modest budget and mostly newcomers, it's not a summer blockbuster candidate."
"No problem," Bruckheimer replied with a grin. "If Dawnlight wanted, it could even go out this Christmas."
---
After wrapping up the meeting, Aaron ran into Elizabeth Hurley, whom he hadn't seen in quite some time. The two headed up to a hotel suite for a drink.
"Oh? The Bond franchise is considering you as the next Bond girl?" Aaron asked, casually resting his hand along her thigh.
Elizabeth shrugged.
"The producers seem quite interested."
Aaron smiled.
"With your looks and figure, that role suits you perfectly."
She shifted onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"It's been so long… why haven't you come to see me?"
"Busy," Aaron replied, his tone relaxed. "Last year was packed for Dawnlight."
Since finishing Forrest Gump, the two really hadn't crossed paths much.
---
Elizabeth leaned in and kissed his cheek a few times, then sighed softly.
"Last year, I auditioned for two films—but didn't land either role."
"One was Intersection, directed by Mark Rydell. Sharon Stone got the lead—I was going for a supporting role."
"The other was Disclosure, directed by Barry Levinson. The leads went to Michael Douglas and Demi Moore."
Aaron knew that project well—it was a major CAA package, with top-tier talent across the board. Given Hurley's current standing, she was never going to be the first choice. Demi Moore, especially, had just scored big with Indecent Proposal.
"Sharon Stone is one of Hollywood's most talked-about bombshells right now," Aaron said, his hand idly tracing along her side.
"Just wait until Forrest Gump comes out—more people will start noticing you."
He glanced at her with a faint smile.
After all, in Hollywood, recognition was only ever one hit away.
As for Sharon Stone, her image had more or less been cemented after Basic Instinct.
The erotic thriller Sliver, released last year, was poorly received, and her collaboration with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Last Action Hero had also underperformed.
Looking ahead, Aaron wasn't particularly optimistic about her upcoming films either—Intersection and the action movie The Specialist, co-starring Sylvester Stallone.
---
Elizabeth Hurley's breathing grew slightly uneven.
"You don't think I'm as sexy as Sharon Stone, do you?"
"Of course not," Aaron replied casually. "Her figure doesn't compare to yours—and she's already 36."
As he spoke, he pulled her closer, his gaze lingering appreciatively. At not yet 30, Elizabeth Hurley had a natural allure that was hard to ignore.
---
"But Sharon Stone never seems to run out of projects," Elizabeth continued.
"This year, she's starring in Casino, directed by Martin Scorsese and alongside Robert De Niro."
"And there's also Sony's The Quick and the Dead—she's not just the lead, but also a co-producer."
Indeed, after Sony acquired the script, Stone's role as co-producer gave her significant influence over casting and creative decisions.
---
Aaron smiled faintly. It seemed Elizabeth had been paying close attention to Sharon Stone—perhaps she had auditioned for one of those projects and missed out.
"So… from the sound of it," he said, studying her expression,
"you're interested in becoming a producer too?"
Elizabeth nodded.
"I've thought about it. I just don't know where to start."
"Start by gaining experience," Aaron replied. "Good projects don't come easily—and producing is all about securing financing. Film investment is risky."
"True," she admitted. "Right now, I don't have the connections, and I haven't been involved in enough projects yet."
"Maybe someday, if the opportunity comes."
At this stage, her priority was still her acting career.
---
"Fair enough," Aaron said softly, leaning in.
Elizabeth responded without hesitation, meeting him halfway as the conversation faded into something more intimate…