EthanI finally called a cab seeing that I was in no shape to walk any farther. Staying fit by fucking was obviously not the way to go. The idea of going home was still off the radar. I needed to be around people or someplace that left me feeling like I was worth a shit. Seeing Riley would have made everything better, but common sense told me that I'd probably dicked things up pretty badly with her.The cab driver dropped me off at the studio and I paid before walking through the security gate and making a beeline for my trailer. No one should have been on the set, which was fine by me. I'd hang out in the trailer for a little while, take a nap and walk the sets until it was time to go home and drink myself stupid.Call her, you idiot. Want wasn't going to win out where Riley was concerned. It's almost as if I subconsciously wanted to jack things up between us.I pulled my trailer door open and froze in place as someone called my name. Not just any someone. Clayton Welms."Ethan. Wha
EthanI fell asleep during one of the softer songs and woke up a couple of hours later with a slight headache, starving.After pulling off my headphones, I checked my phone to see that Riley had called. There was no way to ignore that, and why would I want to? I already needed to make up the morning to her.I dialed her number and pressed the phone to my ear. The sound of her soft voice on the other end of the line had the monster in my pants waking up and stretching like the bastard was going to get petted or something better."Ethan?""Hey. Sorry about this morning.""Yeah, what happened? I've been stood up before, but never left at someone's brother's house." She snorted, but I could tell by the sound of her voice that she was less than thrilled with me."I didn't sleep a wink last night. About six this morning I finally got up and decided to get out of there. I should have woken you up, but my brother's a good guy, and it's Saturday. I figured I'd let you sleep in.""Right, well,
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