Brian waited just outside, still dressed in his costume.
“Did anyone see you?” she asked as she opened the door and ushered him inside. To avoid anyone invading their privacy, she pulled the curtains over her front window.
“No. I checked.”
“You shouldn’t be here during the day.”
“I know.” He kissed her. “But I missed you.”
Couldn’t argue with that. “Neal was surprisingly cool about everything.”
“I feel so much better. Thanks for talking to him. Do you mind if I keep you company?” In the chair next to her, he hooked his boots on the bottom rung.
“I need to finish eating.” The plate was still more than half full.
“I need to check on Ozzie. The webcam at his daycare is only live during the day, and I can’t check it around Nate. Plus, reception is spotty out there.” He opened the browser on his phone and waited for the video feed to load. “There he is,” he cooed.
Alex craned her head. “You didn’t mention he’s a border collie.”
“Border collie and something else. His legs are too long for his body. Look,” he said, tapping the screen. “See this little scruffy-looking dog? They’re friends. I called to check in on him a couple of days ago.”
“He looks so sweet.”
“You would love him,” he answered softly.
There it was again, another comment that implied she should go to Brian’s house. In California. What was she supposed to do when he said something like that? At a loss for words, she focused on the screen.
They watched together until Ozzie disappeared through the dog door out into the fenced yard. Brian turned his phone off just as she took her last bite. “It’s surreal.”
“What?”
“You being here in costume. It’s like I’m in the movie.”
“Are you going to say your shitty lines now?” he joked.
Mimicking Jennifer’s voice, she reached over and touched his bare chest and said, “Oh, Buck. What are we going to do?”
Just like on set, he removed his hat and leaned toward her. “I reckon I could call the sheriff.”
“Wait. Something’s not right,” she said in her normal voice before unbuttoning her shirt until the top of her breasts showed. “There. That’s better.”
“Yes. Yes, it is.” He grinned and then pulled her onto his lap.
“Buck, you cad,” she protested and then he buried his face in her cleavage. That was not in the script, but she didn’t mind. Especially when he pulled her bra out of the way and sucked a nipple into his mouth. “Oh shit,” she murmured. He gripped her ass and moved her body against his, crushing her clit against the bulge in his pants, and forcing a moan out of her mouth. She reached between their bodies and pulled his dick out and started pumping him with her hands.
“Fuck,” he said and then sucked on her other nipple while he rubbed her slit through her thin pants. No one had ever touched her with such skill.
As her orgasm neared, her breathing became erratic, but her hands never stopped moving. “Come with me,” she begged before kissing him. When she cried out, his dick swelled in her hands and he painted his bare stomach and chest with cum. They clutched each other, trying to breathe while their bodies trembled.
“I need a towel,” he said.
“Let me.” She wiped at him with a napkin, but he tried to take over. “I insist. It’s my mess.”
He smiled and leaned back in the chair.
“Good thing you’re not wearing a shirt.” When he was clean, she tucked his dick into his pants and patting him lightly, eliciting a groan from him.
“Good thing your shirt opens in the front.” To get even, he caressed her ruddy breasts, making her jerk on his lap.
“That’s the best lunch break I’ve ever had.”
“I second that.”
The alarm on her phone chimed, reminding her lunch was almost over. “We should get back. Just in time too. You’re good as new.”
“Better than new. Thanks for letting me stay.”
She lifted off of him with wobbly legs. “You should get a head start.”
****
Brian kissed Alex long and hard before he poked his face out the front door and scanned the neighborhood. Nothing stirred for as far as he could see, so he ducked outside and headed for the trail so he could loop back to the set without drawing attention to himself. Unable to run in his boots, with only a few minutes to spare, he shuffled along and pushed his phone deep into his back pocket so it was out of sight. Nate hadn’t mentioned his phone and wallet. Maybe he hadn’t figured out Brian had taken them, too.
A minute later, he found Nate leaning against the saloon, flipping through his phone.
“Where did you go?” Nate asked. Ever since their fight, he had been walking on eggshells around Brian. It was the only thing that made his presence tolerable.
“For a walk.”
Nate flashed his screen. “You missed out. I got Stacy’s number.” He frowned. “Or is it Steph? Whatever. I’m finding the closer we are to wrapping, the more desperate they are to hook up. Especially because I know you.”
Leave it to Nate to name drop to get laid. “What happened to Charlotte?” Brian asked.
“I’m done with her. She’s way too needy.”
“That’s too bad. She really seemed to like you.”
Nate snorted. “This place is crawling with pussy. You, of all people, can’t expect me to settle. What time did you get in anyway?”
“Late,” Brian lied. Nothing could convince him to return to the hotel.
“Pounding it hard, right?” Nate grabbed an imaginary partner by the hips and thrust into the air.
“You know it,” Brian said. Letting Nate believe he was out with women until all hours was better than having him question where he really was. “How are things going with planning the wrap party?” he asked, wishing more than anything to change the subject. During his morning meeting with Mr. Reid, he had proposed the idea that Nate take care of organizing the party. It was the perfect distraction. Nate felt important, and Brian got a little more space.
“Good. I talked to a guy who works there and we hashed it out. How’d you find such a cool place?”
Brian shrugged. “I have my sources.”
“One of your fuck buddies?”
“That’s for me to know…” He looked for Alex, and relief flowed through him when he saw her coming down the trail toward the set. There was no way she had heard their depraved conversation. “I better get back to work.”
Later that night, when the bustling set transformed back into a peaceful park and he didn’t have to hide on the trails anymore, Brian walked to Alex’s house. The curtain was still drawn across the front window, but the lights were on and the door was unlocked. She was waiting for him. Nothing had ever felt so good.
“Honey, I’m home,” he called out as if he were in an old sitcom.
“In here,” she replied from the kitchen. The hem of her robe rode up in the back as she bent to look in the fridge, giving him a spectacular view. “How was work?” she asked playing along as she wiggled her ass against him.
“Same old, same old,” he said as he ran his fingers down her back. “There was this ranger on set today who gave me a hard time.”
“Oh yeah?” she asked as she turned to face him. “What were you doing wrong?” When she opened the front of her robe, it was obvious she wasn’t wearing a bra.
“Me? Why would you assume I’m at fault?” Unable to resist, he dipped his hand inside and squeezed her nipple.
She moaned. “You know how you get with the boys,” she said with a smile as she untied the belt. She wasn’t wearing underwear, either.
Coherent thoughts left his brain and his mouth went dry. “Um, I wasn’t doing anything wrong. She just yelled at me.”
“Poor guy.” Alex clicked her tongue and unbuttoned his jeans. “For her to take her frustration out on you like that. So unfair.”
Trying to follow along with their banter became more difficult, especially when she wrapped her hand around his dick and twisted. When she ran her thumb along the head, his knees wobbled.
She kissed him and sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, nibbling on it lightly as she twisted her hand the other way. They both shuddered when she pressed her body against his.
Too impatient to find out what she was going to do next, he lifted her onto the counter by the sink. A smile tugged up the corners of her mouth and then she opened her legs and pulled him toward her. Encircling the head of his dick, she spiraled her wrist and brushed her sex with her knuckles. Another moan spilled out of her open mouth.
“I need to…” he mumbled. Less than an inch separated their bodies. If he pushed forward, he would be inside her, but he couldn’t do that. They needed to be safe. “Get a condom,” he finished.
It was clear by her pout that she didn’t like it either, but they didn’t have any other choice.
With his cock jutting out of his open jeans, he raced to her bedroom, grabbed a condom, tore the package open, put it on, and ran back to her. Still sitting on the edge of the counter, she shook out of her robe and crooked her finger, beckoning him to get closer. How could he resist? His mouth descended, kissing his way down her arm and moved laterally toward her heaving breasts. Another moan escaped her lips as she wiggled closer to the edge of the counter and arched into his mouth. She reached between their bodies and gripped the base of his dick. Positioned against her opening, she wrapped her legs around his ass and urged him forward.
They moaned in unison when he leaned forward and pushed inside her. It didn’t take long before her pussy quivered as an orgasm worked its way through her body. Moving his tongue in time with his hips, he thrust into her mouth while she dug her fingernails into his shoulders. The soft mewling sounds spilling out of her mouth drove him crazy. At the cusp of release, he slammed into her hard repeatedly, taking her breath away and sending a pile of mail to the ground as she scrambled to hold on while he fucked her.
When she screamed, her body tensed and he came with her that time, unable to hold off any longer.
A warm, pink blush covered most of her body as she leaned her head against the wall and panted. “I’m glad you finally came home, I was still hungry after lunch.”
“Me, too,” he said while he ran his hands along the curves of her body, which made her twitch. “You are so beautiful.”
When she sat up to kiss him, he started sliding out of her. “Hang on, I’ll be right back.” That was the biggest downside to using condoms. If he stayed inside her too long it would slip off and then what would be the point of using one? After disposing of it and cleaning up in the bathroom, he tucked himself back into his jeans.
Alex was pouting when he returned to the kitchen. “Why are you dressed?”
“Because I thought I’d cook us dinner.” The ingredients waited for him on one shelf in the fridge, where he’d put everything the night before. “I learned the hard way not to cook naked.”
She pulled her robe back up over her shoulders and started tying the belt, but he stopped her.
“You don’t have to get dressed. I’m enjoying the view far too much.”
“You want me to sit here naked while you cook?” she asked, lifting one eyebrow.
“I may have to postpone cooking.” He wedged his body between her legs and kissed along her shoulders. “Maybe I should have dessert first.”
****
Only a sliver of doubt remained in the back of Alex’s mind when she went to bed that night. Wrapped in Brian’s arms everything seemed wonderful, but the rest of the time she wondered how he really felt about her. If she believed what he said to her, everything was great between them. If she believed what he said to everyone else, she needed to worry. Was he attracted to the countless beautiful women on set he flirted with on a daily basis? Or was he just doing that to keep up appearances? Even so, how was she supposed to look the other way? If she meant something to him, wouldn’t he stop all that?
In that moment, listening to his slow and even breathing, she tried to silence her racing mind.
“What is this?” she whispered.
He answered with a deep exhale.
****
“What’s your favorite restaurant?”
Alex frowned and stopped chewing her cereal. “Where? In town?”
“Yeah,” Brian responded casually.
“There’s a great Japanese restaurant with private tea rooms. I’ve only been once, but it was really good. Why do you ask?”
Brian shrugged. “Nate asked for a recommendation.”
“I don’t know why you’re even talking to him.” If she were in his shoes, she wasn’t sure what she would do to a dick like Nate, but it sure as hell wouldn’t be pretending everything was okay.
“I have to.”
“You’re going to talk to your agent about him, right?”
“Definitely.” The bruise over his eye was nearly gone, but Brian touched the spot carefully.
Talking to his agent meant he’d be home. Without her. Day after tomorrow. Reality hit hard. Their time together was coming to an end and it made her sad.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Lying about her feelings had become easy. “Just thinking about work. I’ll be meeting with Steve in a half hour so I should probably finish up.” On her way to the sink she paused. “That reminds me. He said you’ve been talking about me.”
Brian nodded. “I told him about the fairy shrimp. He has a very high opinion of you. Rightly so.”
Had they been talking about Steve’s nature reserve, too? “Whatever.” Ever since it came up, she couldn’t stop thinking about Steve’s offer.
“Why do you always do that?”
“Do what?” she asked defensively.
“Dismiss my compliments. You think I’m not being sincere?” He turned her away from the sink so she would look at him.
“I think you’re biased.”
“Steve isn’t biased and he thinks you’re amazing, too.”
“I have a hard time believing either of you.” Since she was a little girl, her mother had always told her she would never amount to anything. Feeling insufficient came naturally.
“I wish you could see yourself through my eyes,” he said.
She hugged him because that was easier than changing the way she viewed herself. “Okay, so I’ll see you later?”
“For lunch?” A grin split his face in half while he wiggled his eyebrows.
“You shouldn’t. Your presence is needed on set. Reputation to uphold and all that.”
“It’s boring without you there.”
“I can’t—” Admitting her insecurities, seeing him interact with other women, wasn’t a good idea. “I can’t leave Koko inside that long,” she finally said. “And you can’t get caught coming here.”
“I have to wait all day to kiss you again?” he whined.
“Yep, so you better get it out of your system.” With her eyes closed and her lips ready, he still managed to surprise her with a hundred kisses.
The alarm on her phone rang. “We need to go.”
“One more,” he begged and then cradled her face in his hands and kissed her one last time so tenderly it took her breath away. “Have a good day.” He opened the front door and paused to check for other people.
“You too,” she replied, still dazed. Even after her five-minute walk, she was still practically floating.
Chapter Eighteen
Alex spent the morning near the saloon making sure no one strayed too far from the set. Thankfully, Brian wasn’t working near her that day. Focusing on work was twice as hard when he was around.
Someone nearby exhaled, getting her attention. Alex swiveled toward Jennifer and looked at her very carefully. Something was wrong. Alex stepped toward her just in time to catch her as she fell. Jennifer’s body went limp and someone screamed.
“Call
the medic,” Alex shouted as she guided Jennifer onto the wooden platform outside the saloon, cradling her head in her lap. Jennifer was breathing, but it was very shallow. People bustled around them and a minute later the medic ran up the stairs.
The man checked Jennifer’s pulse and shined a tiny flashlight into her mouth and under her fluttering eyelids.
When Jennifer tried to sit up, they both stopped her. “I’m so embarrassed. I fainted. I guess I locked my knees.”
“Your costume isn’t helping,” the medic pointed out. “Your diaphragm is supposed to fill with air, not be compressed.”
Jennifer gave him a sheepish smile. “Maybe my corset is a little too tight today.”
“Can you get up?” he asked.
She nodded, but Alex helped her anyway.
“Go to costume and change,” he said. “Drink some water, too. You’re dehydrated.”
Jennifer nodded, her face pale.
“I’ll walk with you,” Alex offered.
“Thank you.”
“It’s a warm day, that probably didn’t help,” Alex said as they moved together up the trail toward the overflow parking lot.
“Thanks for catching me.”
Alex smiled. “No problem. That’s what I’m here for, to keep you safe.”
“I’m glad you were standing right there.”
“Me, too,” Alex agreed as they made their way to the costume trailer. “Can you manage on your own?” When Jennifer nodded, she said, “I’ll get you a bottle of water.”
Jennifer smiled and thanked her again before heading into the trailer.
When Jennifer reappeared, Alex offered her the bottle. Most of the color had returned to her face and her waist wasn’t nearly as tiny as it had been.
“Feeling better?” Alex asked.
Jennifer sighed. “Loads. Thanks for this.” She opened the cap and took a long swallow.
“Are you feeling well enough to go back?”
Jennifer nodded. “Will you help me, though? These shoes are ridiculous.”
Alex smiled and offered her arm as they started the trek back to the set.
Love on Location Page 17