Script Doctor (Off Screen Book 8)

by J. A. Armstrong

  “I recall.”

  “Yeah, but then I started to freak out.”

  “Freak out?” Jeff asked.

  “Pretty much. I just started to worry that I would never be able to be Vicki’s mom, you know? I mean, I would be, but I wouldn’t be. I started thinking about my dad. What if I ended up being like him? Loss does things to people, Jeff. It makes your head spin. The only thing that makes it better is learning to love someone again. You have to learn that loving someone else isn’t letting go of the person who left. You don’t stop loving one person because someone else comes in. You need to let people in. I had a hard time with that for a long time. For my dad? It was worse. He couldn’t even let me in. Don’t do that to Sandra. She let you in. Don’t lock her out. That would be the most hurtful thing you could do to her.”

  “I’m not trying to hurt her.”

  “I know, but you will if you don’t just walk through the door she opened for you once and for all. When my mom died, I needed my dad more than ever. I tried to reach him. I tried to ask him to be part of my life. He was so afraid of losing me too; he was so frightened that he’d somehow failed me and I would hate him… He missed my mom so much. I reminded him of that; you know? He kept me outside the door. It’s like he would wave hello from a distance, but he wouldn’t let me inside. I’m going to tell you something; that hurt me more than my mom dying. She didn’t have a choice to leave. He did.”

  Jeff inhaled a long, slow breath. “I just want her to be happy. I want them both to be happy.”

  Addison nodded. “Then give them that chance,” she said.

  “Thanks, Addison.”

  “If you want to thank me you will get Mr. Dick—erson off my back.”

  Jeff laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Oh, and if you decide to use my backyard for your wedding, give my wife more than two weeks’ notice,” she said. Jeff’s jaw dropped. Addison laughed. “That’s assuming you have the guts to ask her one of these millenniums.”

  “Hey!”

  Addison shrugged. “Well, if Tam makes it to the altar, or rather my backyard next Saturday, then there is definitely hope for you,” she laughed.

  ***

  “You look deep in thought,” Emma observed from the doorway of Addison’s office. Addison looked up from her desk. “Surprised to see me?”

  “What are you doing here? I thought you were meeting with Dickerson.”

  “Ah, I did that Tuesday, love.”

  “You did? Where was I?”

  “Haggling with the AD, I believe.”

  Addison nodded. “It’s been an exciting week. How come you didn’t tell me you already met with Dickerson?”

  Emma smiled mischievously, closed Addison’s door, and locked it.

  “Emma?”

  Emma made her way to Addison’s desk and threw down a piece of paper.

  “What’s this?” Addison asked.

  Emma shrugged. “Take a look.”

  “Em?” Addison’s eyes scanned the next week’s shooting schedule. “I don’t understand.”

  “What don’t you understand, love?”

  Addison looked back at her wife. “You’re filming the episode I wrote.”

  “Looks like it.”

  “I thought you…”

  Emma stepped around Addison’s desk and took a seat on Addison’s lap. “You thought I wouldn’t do it.”

  “I didn’t write it intending to ask you.”

  “I know,” Emma replied.

  “How did you even… Jeff! I’ll kill him! Em, you don’t have to…”

  Emma’s lips met Addison’s, silencing her instantly.

  “Emma?”

  Emma kissed Addison on the nose and leaned their foreheads together. “Jeff didn’t show me the script.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “You left it up on the laptop at home. I saw it last week.”

  “Shit,” Addison mumbled.

  Emma pulled away slightly and smiled. “I thought you’d be happy.”

  “I don’t want you to feel…”

  “What I feel, Addy is grateful.”

  “Lost me.”

  “You didn’t ask me. I know why you didn’t. It’s a phenomenal episode, Addy. One of the best I have ever seen you write.”

  “You think so?”

  “I do,” Emma replied. “It pulls the show together. How could I not be a part of that?”

  “You don’t want to be on camera.”

  Emma nodded. “Not really—no.” She saw Addison begin to protest and stopped her. “But, I love you. I love what we created together—not just the show, Addy—all of it. I want this to take off for all of you. Not just you; for Sandra and Christie too. I don’t need the spotlight. I don’t want it. I also can’t pass on the chance to play Genevieve in that story. I’d be a fool. You know, I love her. She lived with me for a long time.”

  “I know,” Addison said. “I just want to make sure no one pressured you.”

  “No one pressured me. It was my idea. If anyone is pressured next week, it will be you and Jeff. You will be cursing me by the time my parents leave.”

  “Nah.”

  “Mmm. You’ll be shooting episode two and all of my scenes for episode four.”

  “How exactly did you pull that off?” Addison wondered,

  Emma grinned. “Simple. I told Dickerson and Jeff I would do the episode but only if they made it happen while Mom and Dad are here. I’m not bringing the girls on set all day.”

  “An offer they couldn’t refuse,” Addison laughed. “How did you keep me in the dark?” she asked. Emma winked. “Oh, I see now. Our three-hour tour was a distraction.”

  “No,” Emma said. “At least, it wasn’t planned.”

  “Effective nonetheless,” Addison said. “You know—this,” Addison pointed to the sheet on her desk, “is going to make for a late night.”

  “I figured as much,” Emma replied. “Don’t make it too late. The girls will be home by eleven-thirty tomorrow morning.”

  Addison smiled. “Hoping we still have time to live out my fax fantasy?”

  Emma laughed. She let her eyes travel to the small bookcase beside Addison’s desk where her fax machine sat. “Why? Do we need to be home for that?” she teased. Emma slid her hand up Addison’s shirt.

  “Emma, what are you doing?”

  “What does it look like I am doing?”

  “Here?”

  “Why not?”

  “At work?”

  “I seem to remember you making a few visits to my trailer over the years.”

  Addison gulped. “Yeah, but Em,” Addison’s thought trailed off the moment Emma’s hand reached inside her bra. “Oh, God… Emma, your trailer was private.”

  Emma sucked gently on Addison’s earlobe. “Mm-hum. And, so is your office. I locked the door.”

  “What if someone comes…”

  Emma kissed Addison passionately. “The longer you keep talking, the more likely that will be,” she said.

  Addison’s eyes sparkled. Emma possessed a sense of adventure that at times still took Addison by surprise. Her head was screaming at her to protest and get back to work. It was already destined to be a long night. Her heart and her body had other ideas. Addison’s thoughts traveled back to a visit she had once made to Emma the first year they had been together. She’d traveled to Vancouver to surprise Emma while Emma had been filming a movie. Emma’s greeting had knocked Addison off her feet—literally. She suppressed a chuckle, wondering if the trailer had rocked that afternoon as much as Emma had rocked her world.

  Emma moved her lips back to Addison’s. She hadn’t planned to seduce Addison here. Addison would likely creep into their bedroom in the middle of the night, crawl into bed beside Emma, and fall fast asleep from exhaustion. Vicki and Hannah would be home mid-morning, and Emma knew that both she and Addison would be hard-pressed to make it an early day. They had both missed their daughters terribly. And, the coming week w
ould epitomize organized chaos. Addison would be juggling multiple balls all at once. Emma would have long days filming, and in between they would be helping Tamara and Christie get ready for their wedding, dealing with a toddler and a baby, and attempting to spend some amount of time with Emma’s parents. Emma had enjoyed having Addison to herself for the week. As much as she looked forward to returning to her everyday routine, Emma also wasn’t quite ready not to have Addison all to herself.

  “Em,” Addison protested weakly.

  Emma’s hand slipped down and unfastened the button on Addison’s jeans. She nibbled on Addison’s ear and whispered to her. “I just want to touch you,” she said.

  Addison took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Whatever Emma wanted, Emma would have. Truth be told, Addison didn’t want to resist. The sights, sounds and physical sensations of Emma close banished reason and argument. How many times had Addison indulged in a similar fantasy? She seldom shared those daydreams with her wife. The way Emma was playfully touching her, Addison reasoned that Emma knew her better than Addison gave her credit for. She smiled and gave over to the woman she loved.

  Emma breathed in Addison. She nestled against Addison’s neck, enjoying the fragrant coconut smell of Addison’s shampoo. She let her hand slip inside Addison’s jeans and sighed with pleasure the moment she felt the warm wetness that had pooled between Addison’s legs. “Perfect,” Emma muttered as her fingers trailed delicately over Addison’s center.

  Addison began to tremble beneath Emma’s gentle touch. Soft and slow, Emma continued, teasing Addison faintly with her fingertips, stirring Addison’s emotions and passion as she explored. Addison’s arms encircled Emma, holding her close. Emma might have been caught in a playful mood, but the way she was touching Addison embodied the idea of making love. Her lips skated over Addison’s throat gracefully until their lips met again. Emma softly coaxed Addison’s lips to part. Her tongue began a rhythmic dance with Addison’s, searching and swirling, all the time communicating a need to connect to Addison.

  Addison felt herself beginning to fall away gently. It was strange; she thought as Emma’s lips strayed again to her neck. Locking the office door, flirting—seducing Addison without warning; Addison would have expected Emma to take command. Instead, Emma had surprised Addison again, finding this moment an opportunity to remind Addison how much she still desired to make love without boundaries or distractions.

  “I love you,” Emma whispered in Addison’s ear. She pressed her lips to Addison’s and let her finger tenderly glide over Addison’s greatest need. She circled Addison with her finger over and over, deliberately keeping Addison grounded with her kiss.

  Addison could hear the blood as it rushed through her veins. Emma’s kiss was tantalizing. Addison tried to deepen it in desperation; Emma gentled both her touch and her kiss in response. Addison pulled back slightly and released a ragged breath.

  “Easy, love,” Emma cooed. “Stay with me.”

  Addison held onto Emma more tightly. She let her head fall against Emma’s shoulder. “Em…”

  Emma smiled and tenderly pressed on Addison’s clit. Addison’s body responded immediately, bucking slightly against her will.

  “Easy, love,” Emma repeated. She gentled her touch again.

  Addison resisted the urge to beg. Her mind wandered as her body floated effortlessly on the waves Emma’s touch created. It felt like drifting in the ocean; her body softly carried along in a sweet caress that calmed her. At the same time, Addison felt a surge of anticipation, knowing the larger waves awaited her on the horizon. When they arrived, they would wash over her, pull her under, and leave her gasping for air, searching for a tether to the surface. She inhaled and let Emma carry her away.

  Emma heard Addison moan and watched as Addison’s head fell back, exposing her neck. Emma’s lips blazed over the exposed flesh as her touch became more insistent. She felt Addison’s body quiver against her, softly at first, building into a crescendo that took Emma by surprise.

  “Em!” Addison called out to her wife as the final wave pulled her under forcefully. She gripped Emma and sought out Emma’s lips.

  Emma accepted Addison’s offer, careful to quiet Addison’s desperation with the gentleness of her kiss.

  Addison gave up her fight for domination. She let Emma hold her in a tender caress. The crashing waves of pleasure that had nearly drowned her began to subside into gentle ripples in Emma’s embrace. “Emma…”

  “I’m right here,” Emma promised. “I love you, Addy.”

  “I love you, Em,” Addison replied.

  Emma pulled Addison close and held onto her. “I have to go, love.”

  “Now?”

  Emma sighed. “I’m reading through my scene with Sandra at five.”

  Addison sighed. “Fuck it. Let’s just go home.”

  Emma chuckled. “Mmm. Believe me; I wish we could. I’d like to snuggle up beside you and take a nap.”

  “Not exactly what I was thinking.”

  Emma pulled back and smiled. She kissed Addison sweetly. “Regrets?”

  “About this?”

  Emma nodded.

  “None,” Addison promised. “I just hate…”

  “Quickies?”

  Addison laughed. “Very poetic, Em.”

  Emma winked and kissed Addison’s forehead. “I promise, Addy; I will let you make it up to me soon,” she teased.

  Addison rolled her eyes. “Oh, I get it now. You’ve got a favor to call in.”

  Emma shook her head, leaned in and captured Addison’s lips passionately. “Never,” she said. “I love being close to you.”

  Addison smiled. “Emma?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Are you sure about this? I mean, doing this episode.”

  Emma smiled. “Completely,” she said. “Now, get back to work. I’d like to see you before morning.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Addison said. Emma unlocked the door and opened it. “Hey, Em?”

  “Hum?”

  “Thanks.”

  “For the quickie?” Emma joked.

  Addison laughed. “That too,” she replied cheekily. “You know what I am talking about.”

  Emma winked. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, Addy,” she said honestly. “I’ll see you at home.”

  Addison watched Emma leave. She caught her breath and looked down at her state of disarray. “She could have at least put me back together,” Addison chuckled. She started to fix her jeans and her blouse and laughed. “Like winning the jackpot every day,” she mused.

  “What the hell happened to you?” Tamara walked into the room.

  Addison looked up like a deer caught in headlights.

  “I don’t want to know. You could at least shut the door,” Tamara said.

  “What? No… I… Emma was…”

  Tamara held up her hand. “I take it all back.”

  “What?” Addison asked.

  “You are not Mr. and Mrs. Brady,” Tamara said. “Unless Carol and Mike secretly lived their own version of Californication.”

  Addison rolled her eyes. “Funny, Tam.”

  “I so am.”

  “So? What do I owe the honor of your visit to?”

  “You don’t.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I didn’t come to see you. I came to meet your wife.”

  “You just missed her,” Addison gloated.

  “Apparently, you didn’t.”

  Addison shrugged. “Don’t worry, Tam in a week you can brag about making visits to your wife.”

  “Ah, she has better quarters,” Tamara wiggled her eyebrows.

  Addison laughed. “What are you meeting Emma for?”

  “Well, seeing as she’s working all next week,” Tamara began. “This is apparently her last chance to dress me.”

  “She is good at that. I thought you acquired that skill by the time we left college.”

  “Who’s funny?” Tamara bit back playfully. Addison grinne
d. “For the wedding.”

  “Ohhhh. So, you gave Em an excuse to shop.”

  “Emma doesn’t need an excuse to shop.”

  “True enough. Although, I can’t remember the last time she came home with anything in her size.”

  “Too much info, Addy.”

  Addison rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t wear a 4T,” she explained. “Or training pants last I checked.”

  “Who is the comedian?”

  Addison grinned. Tamara’s gaze drifted to her feet, and Addison considered her friend thoughtfully for a moment. “Something else?”

  “I was kind of wondering…”

  “Yes?”

  “Well, the thing is…”

  “Tam?”

  “Are you cool with standing with me next week?” Tamara asked in one full breath.

  Addison forced herself not to laugh. “I’d be honored,” she replied. Addison was surprised when Tamara’s glance drifted back to her feet. “Tam?”

  “You don’t think Emma will be disappointed—I mean that she’s not standing with anyone.”

  Ah, so this is what has been bothering you. You are the biggest sap, Tam, even if you try to deny it. “No, but if you would rather have Em stand with you, I will understand.”

  “What? No! You’re my best friend, Addy.”

  “I know that. I also know that Emma is like a sister to you. I get it, Tam.”

  Tamara shook her head. “I just don’t want her to think she means less is all.”

  Addison sighed. “She doesn’t think that.”

  “Addy?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Never mind.”

  “Tam? Come on; it’s me.”

  Tamara huffed. “Well, I was kind of hoping maybe I could give her something.”

  “Emma?” Addison clarified.

  Tamara nodded. “You know, like something so she’ll know I want her to be a part of it.”

  Something to tell her how much you love her without saying it. “I think I get it.”

  “But, I suck at that stuff. You’re the guru.”

  “Guru?”

  “Yeah of gifts and mushy stuff.”

  Addison chuckled. “Tamara, why don’t you just tell Emma what it is you want to say.”

  “Cause I suck at that too. I thought you were my best friend. You’re supposed to know this stuff!”