RileyAfter talking to Ethan, the weekend was a bust. I wanted nothing more than to find him and love on him, though the bastard didn't deserve it. He was using playfulness to cover up what happened between us, and there was something else going on. Something he was struggling with, but I wasn't sure what exactly.By Tuesday morning, I was a mess over what to do about him or what to even say to him when I saw him. I'd have to play it cool, but that fact alone aggravated the piss out of me. We'd already busted through the barriers that led to a relationship, even a loose one, but here we were again. Tense. Unyielding. Questioning.Had Deza shut down the idea of something happening between us?"Riley. How are you?" Clayton opened the door to the studio as I walked up from the parking lot, lost in thought."I'm good. Really good. How are you?" I gave him a warm smile and moved to accept the side hug he offered. I was grateful it wasn't a fully frontal hug. It seemed too intimate and almo
Riley"Kidding about what?" Ethan opened his door on the opposite side of the car from me."Nothing. Just teasing Frank and Deza about being nosy and getting involved in everyone's stuff." I opened the door and got in before dropping my small bag on the floor between my feet."They're definitely that, but I guess it's sort of their job." He opened his door and reached between my legs, grabbing the bag and getting out. "I'm gonna put this in the trunk.""I can do it." I started to get out, but stopped myself. He was trying to be nice. It was a good thing. Maybe.He got in the car and leaned back, letting out a long exhale as he closed his eyes.Everything inside of me screamed for me to move closer, or reach out and touch his hand. Something. Shit, anything. We'd almost made love twice. That meant something, but why was I always the one reaching out?"What's going on? I'm here for you. You know that, right?" I kept my voice just above a whisper, trying to push the message into my tone
Ethan"You're in a better mood." Deza glanced over toward me as we mingled in the lobby of the hotel. Frank’s job was to check us in quickly, and he seemed to be having trouble with it. Paul, our head film guy, made his way over toward the commotion as I turned back to Deza."You have Riley to thank for that.""Look. I know you-""Nope." I lifted my hand and smiled. "Save the drama for your momma. I don't want to talk about any of the shit brewing around my head. I'm good just trying to focus on filming for the next few days. Whatever happens with this chick... we'll deal with it."Her expression shifted, as if she approved of my comment. That would have been a first. I needed to mark that shit down in my trusty journal."You want to put our bags up and grab something to drink together?" Was that hope in her voice? Was the ice queen thawing a little? Surely not."Yeah. That sounds like a plan. I'll meet you back down here in five.""That's if Frank gets our rooms." She shook her head
EthanDeza glanced back at him. "Does that mean that me and Paul can just hang out and drink ourselves silly?""Yep. Have a blast. Make magic." He squeezed my shoulders once more before releasing me. "Fifteen minutes, Ethan. Out back by the beach. Riley is already there.""Make magic?" I mumbled and turned to Deza as Clayton walked off. "What the fuck kind of phrase is that?""A clean one. You wouldn't get it." She wagged her eyebrows."Oh, of course you want to flirt now." I got up, finished my drink and glanced over at Paul. "She's warmed up for you, buddy. Just make sure to pull her hair and call her momma when the action starts, all right? Gets her real nice and-""Get out!" She popped me in the chest. "Jeez."The shocked stare on Paul's face had me laughing as I walked through the hotel in search of my nemesis and the girl that would eventually steal my name the way she'd stolen my heart. It was nice to have D acting a little more like herself. Maybe if I could find a way to tame
Riley"All right. What are we doing?" I walked toward Clayton and took in a deep breath, letting the tang of the saltwater fill my senses. His dark hair blew in the breeze, his charcoal eyes filled with excitement."We're going to walk through an improvisation or two. Ethan's being a prick-""I'm right here." Ethan moved up beside me and glanced down toward me before wrapping his strong arm around my shoulders. "You cold?""No, but it's a good excuse for your attention." I wagged my eyebrows, playing an innocent game that had delicious possibilities. Something about him made me bi-polar, running from him one minute and racing toward him the next. But it hadn't been me lately, right? He'd taken up the baton of indecision."All right." Clayton clapped his hands before rubbing them together. He could have easily been a film director himself. Because he was so in tune with the emotion of acting, it was only a matter of time. "Let's go with the following scenario, but before I give it to y
Riley"Much better!" Frank clapped his hands as he walked around the set. "That was beautiful. Seems like all we needed to do was to get Clayton to loosen the two of you up a little.""Or let me play the part." Clayton winked as I glanced over to analyze if he was being cheeky or serious."It's for a warm-blooded human. That kicks you out right there, old friend." Ethan patted Clay on the back as he walked toward me. "Dinner plans?""I thought we were having a movie fest?" I wasn't so sure that was a good idea anymore after his stunt during the improv work. I couldn't seem to shake the idea that I was playing the fool and he was the one jerking my strings."We can do that too." He stopped in front of me, but didn't reach out like I expected him to.Too many people around? Or did he really not feel what I felt? Maybe lust was safer, more pure. At least it didn't lie. I couldn't tell if he was falling in love with me, or maybe I refused to interpret the signs in a way that left me with
EthanShe was so far beyond perfect, it hurt. The way she molded herself to the front of my body was both sexual and loving. I wanted to tell her that she belonged there - with me, but it would have been silly. Like a dicked up, cheesy-ass line from an old movie. The movies I loved so much."You want to get something to eat?" I kissed the top of her head and glanced back down the beach to find the film crew packing up and not paying us a bit of attention. Did I care if they knew we had something budding between us? Not really. Other than pissing off Deza, which was a bonus depending on the day, I was proud of who Riley was. She'd be a better performer than I ever would, and a part of me wanted to daydream about the day when she was center stage and I was standing behind the curtain, simply supporting her dreams."Yeah. In a minute." She glanced up at me, tearing at my heart with the sadness that sat at the edge of her expression. Whether she was willing to recognize it or not... she w
EthanShe laughed again, and I delighted in the sound. The woman had me by the balls and the heart. It was comical to watch her question her pull over me, but I'd seen her do it multiple times. Clayton needed to forgo his teaching her how to be a better actress and instead remind her of the confidence she had locked down inside of her. If she had a clue of her ability to cast a spell across the audience... she'd be dangerous to more than just me."Are you asking me to pretend to be your girlfriend this weekend?""Yeah. It's not too farfetched is it?" I smiled and moved up to hold the door open for her. "I'll let you pet the monster if you agree to help me out."An older couple walked out of the hotel through the door I held open. The look on their faces was priceless."Shit, Ethan. Really?" Her cheeks turned red as she laughed."Absolutely." I took her hand, finding myself not wanting a moment where we weren't touching in some capacity. It felt wrong to miss out on anything with her.