Holly Madison says she’s ‘in love with’ Criss Angel

By Melissa Arseniuk

Friday, Nov. 7, 2008 | 11:46 a.m.

Less than a week after publicly announcing they are, in fact, dating, Holly Madison said on Thursday that she’s not only dating magician Criss Angel, but that she’s “in love with him.”

Madison made the revelation while on the red carpet for the Las Vegas screening of Paris Hilton’s newest movie, “Repo the Genetic Opera.”

Angel and Madison made their first public appearance together last week at the premiere of the magician’s new Cirque du Soleil show, “Believe.” The couple was affectionate as they walked the special Halloween black carpet hand in hand but the two were coy about their blossoming romance.

“We’re just having fun,” they said at the time, again and again, as reporters quizzed them about their relationship.

"This is one of the most special evenings for me in my life and I cannot think of a more beautiful person, a more special person, inside and out, than Holly to spend it with," Angel told reporters.

As reporters asked the couple about their budding union six days later, Madison let the L-word slip as she gushed, “I’m in love with him.”

Angel was generous with his words, as well.

“Inside and out she’s a beautiful girl,” he said.

While Madison’s romantic revelation may seem premature to some, she and Angel seem used to living life in the fast lane.

It was just over a month ago, on Oct. 6, that Madison publicly revealed that her seven-year relationship with 82-year-old Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner was no more.

She was spotted days later in Las Vegas with Angel, who, in case you’re wondering, is less than half Hef’s age. (Angel is 40 years old.)

The former Playboy model’s verbiage experienced an accelerated evolution, from “I'm not looking for a guy right now,” and “we’re just friends,” to “I like him, but we are too busy,” and “we’re just having fun,” to its latest incarnation: “I’m in love with him.”

Indeed, it’s been quite a month for the pair. They have been followed and photographed by paparazzi in and around Las Vegas as they enjoyed dinner, held hands and cuddled in nightclubs.

Madison also took in several preview performances of “Believe” and was sitting next to her new beau’s mother on Oct. 28 when he worked her name into the script.

The one thing that’s for sure, at least for now, is that neither Madison nor Angel is planning on adding “quickie wedding” to the growing list of fasts – at least for now.

For starters, Angel is still married. His presumably soon-to-be-ex-wife, JoAnn Sarantakos, filed for divorce in May 2004.

And while Madison has said she wants to one day get married and have children, she doesn’t appear to be in any rush to run down the aisle with Angel.

When asked earlier this week about the possibility of a wedding in the not too distant future, she told Robin Leach, “Now that just isn't going to happen.”