Hollywood Gallery Picture

Last week the National Enquirer and In Touch Weekly threw a little party over what appeared to them as the rotting corpse of Jennifer Aniston’s love life. After going on one date with Bradley Cooper, Bradley totally pulled a “just friends” in the press, which was viewed by some as a humiliating public denial of a perfectly good made-for-tabloid romance. The Enquirer claimed it was Aniston’s “Love Implosion” and created a story about Jennifer giving Bradley a “relationship timeline” in which he was to provide her babies and marriage within a year. Meanwhile, In Touch had some “insider” quotes about how Jennifer is needy, clingy, and how she scares men away.

So Aniston was due a nicer portrayal of what exactly is happening in her love life. This version comes via Life & Style, and it definitely shows the past two weeks’ events in better light. They’re basically saying that Jennifer has to choose between Bradley Cooper (who, I guess, still wants to date her in this version) and Gerard Butler. Apparently, Aniston and Butler have been flirting up a storm while shooting Bounty Hunter. An insider claims that Aniston says she and Gerard “have a strong physical attraction.” Uh… yeah, he’s Gerard Butler. He could have a strong physical attraction with a mailbox. He’s that sexy.

“Between takes, Jen and Gerard were definitely flirting with each other,” says an eyewitness on the Atlantic City, NJ set of Bounty Hunter. “She was rubbing his face, touching his arm and laughing.”

[During] a late night shoot in the Trump Taj Mahal casino, “Jen was very chatty with Gerard during the breaks,” another onlooker said. “Gerard was getting really close to her on the escalator. You could definitely notice a connection between them.”

Jen’s flirtation with Gerard came less than a week after [she went to dinner with Bradley Cooper]. “They were very flirty and taken with each other,” a witness says.

In other words, Jen appears to have her pick of two of Hollywood’s hottest stars.

“I’m having a great time working with her,” Gerard told Life & Style on June 16 at the beginning of filming. “She’s a lot of fun to be with.”

But nearly four years after her split with Brad Pitt, Jen isn’t in any rush to walk down the aisle. She’s determined not to commit to a serious relationship unless she’s sure it’s worth her time, according to an insider. In the meantime, she’s just having fun.

“She has strong and sincere feelings for Gerard, and she’s very curious about what’s going to happen between them on set,” the insider says. “She says they have a strong physical attraction.”

Confirms an insider close to the Scottish actor, “She’s always liked Gerard, and now he likes her.”

As for Bradley, [Jennifer] is interested in going out with him to see how their relationship develops. But for now, they’re just friends, Bradley insists. And Jen’s not choosing either guy. She’s keeping her options open.

[From Life & Style, print edition, July 13 2009]

As much as I want to shake Aniston and use any and all negative reinforcement to dissuade her from ever, ever flipping her hair in Gerard’s direction, I have a feeling that it’s on. I think Aniston will get into Gerard’s pants - if she hasn’t already. They will make the sexy time. But I do seriously doubt that Gerard will become some tabloid-friendly romance for her. Gerard doesn’t seem to go in for those clever little “insider” quotes about how he’s just looking for a nice girl (like Aniston!) to settle down with (and get Aniston pregnant!). The last time he was rumored to be romancing some Hollywood lady, it was Cameron Diaz, and Gerard shot that down with this rude/hilarious comment: “So if I take my dog for a walk apparently I’m f—ing my dog? No, it’s not true!” So, will there be another denial?