“Don’t think about it,” Will said as we moved on.
“Think about what?”
“Whatever is making you shake so hard that I can feel the vibrations in my arm. You did great, love.”
“Really?”
“Really,” Lee added. “The public will eat up that banter you two do, so just pretend there aren’t any cameras and keep it up.”
I felt a little better after that.
We moved onto The Erica Show next (but without Erica).
The interviewer, Jeannie, asked Will about the movie, then of course, came the questions about us. They were very similar in tone to the ones Josh had asked, light hearted and slightly comedic.
Once she'd asked about his nomination, she said, “Now, I have been ordered, under pain of death, to invite you onto The Erica Show.”
Will looked to me. I knew Lee had been pressing for an interview and I liked Erica Dupaul, so I nodded. After a quick glance at Lee, just to check there were no forgotten issues, Will agreed.
“We’d love to.” He smiled at Jeannie.
“Really?”
“Of course,” Will laughed at how shocked Jeannie looked.
“I’d ask for a raise, if I were you,” I chipped in.
“Yeah, I think I will.” She seemed completely surprised that we’d agreed. “Honestly, I thought that would be much harder.”
“We had been trying to keep our relationship private,” Will explained, “but sometimes things just reach a critical mass and you can't avoid it any longer.”
“So this must be weird for you,” Jeannie said to me.
“Yeah, I usually leave reporters to Will.”
“So this is your first time being interviewed?”
“Well, I think technically, Josh from MTV took my cherry, but you’re only my second, so you’re still special and I want you to know that I care about you and I’m not just using you to get interviewed.”
Will laughed but I was wondering if those drinks before we left had been such a good idea.
“And how do you feel about this cherry popping?” Jeannie asked Will.
“Incredibly proud,” Will gushed, favouring me with a warm look and only saving himself from being sappy with his next comment. “What can I say, I love watching her with other men.”
“And how do you feel about this voyeurism?” Jeannie asked me.
“Well, he’s told me that he’s hoping to leave with Oscar later, so I’m expecting my first threesome tonight.”
She wished us both luck (I wasn’t sure why I was included in that) and Lee ushered us on.
Next came Guillermo from the Jimmy Kimmell show, then Extra TV, then Hollywood Live, then Variety, and on and on it went.
E Entertainment news were slightly more serious than many. I mean, serious for an entertainment show, they weren’t trying to cure world hunger or anything, but there was more talk about the movie and far fewer jokes.
Then Entertainment Tonight was the same to start with but once Will's movie had been covered, she began to include me in the interview.
“So how are things going with you two?” Maria asked.
“Really well,” Will smiled. “We got engaged at Christmas.”
“How wonderful. Have you set a date?”
“Not yet, no, we’re still in discussions about it. I’ve got a hectic year ahead with filming.”
“Of course. You must be very understanding,” she said to me, “to put up with such long absences.”
“Oh, I go with him,” I explained.
“She does, and she’s extremely supportive with everything I do,” Will added.
“Can you give me an example?”
“Well, the travelling for one. People think that being a movie star is all glamour but when you’re living out of a suitcase, in the fifth or sixth city that year, sometimes for just one project, it looks a lot less glamorous, I can tell you. But she’s always there, right beside me, packing up her work and taking it with her, as if it were nothing. She never complains-”
“I sometimes complain,” I corrected.
He ignored me. “She never whines-”
“I do whine,” I admitted.
“And she doesn’t even mind the night shoots, when we’re on totally different time schedules and she might as well not be there for all we see of each other.”
“I hate the night shoots.”
I didn’t know it at the time, but we came off as a well-rehearsed double act, Hannah said when I spoke to her later, almost as if these quips and barbs were planned, but that’s just who we are. I think the British people as a whole are rather self-deprecating, and we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
Hannah also said that when we didn’t think the cameras were on us, we were nauseatingly cute together and you know what? I actually felt that way. The distance between us and the strain it had put on the relationship recently, seemed to have vanished and to my surprise, I felt quite relaxed, even with all these cameras around.
Don’t get me wrong, being interviewed is not something I would do for pleasure but it also wasn’t as bad as I expected, nor was I as self-conscious as I thought I’d be. It was as if by finally embracing this last aspect of Will’s fame, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
I wasn’t entirely sure if it was that though, or if I had simply run out of my stores of adrenalin and had no choice but to calm down.
“And you’re getting married, I hear” the next interviewer gushed (honestly, they were all starting to blur into one entity in my mind now).
She reached for my left hand and showed my ring off to camera. It was rude as hell but she wasn’t the first to do it, so I didn’t complain. (Seriously, Americans, don’t touch British people if you don’t know them; we don’t like it. As a general rule, we’re a very anti-social breed).
“Wow, that is some rock.”
They got an extreme close-up of the ring, so the viewing public probably thought I was wearing a small boulder on my finger. I didn’t think it was that outlandish though, I thought it was elegant and understated.
“Thank you, we like it,” I replied dryly.
“Did you help choose it?”
“No, Will’s assistant has impeccable taste,” I quipped.
“You didn’t buy it yourself?” She looked to Will, seemingly shocked. I knew someone here wouldn’t get my humour.
Will took it in his stride. “She’s teasing, of course I chose it.”
The rest of the red carpet went in a similar vein and while I was aware that some of our humour could be taken out of context or misunderstood, I tried not to think about it. Besides, it wasn’t as if I’d insulted anyone. Except the Scots. I am half Scottish on my father’s side though, so maybe they’d forgive the faux pas.
At the end of the carpet, we posed for more pictures, then Will had to pose for solo pictures, then ones with the cast of Ludwig and those who were here from Blood Moon. I greeted the few people I knew but I didn’t pose with them.
It was slightly surreal when Brad and Angelina walked past me although honestly, I think I was more star struck by seeing Ian McKellen.
We took our seats in the auditorium, quite close to the front and Will had an aisle seat. I wondered if that meant he would win, and thus had been given the seat so that he could get out easily, but Will explained that they positioned all nominees on or near an aisle, and at different places throughout the auditorium, so cameras could get a close up of them all to catch the reactions when the winners were announced.
I was sure he’d win, because he’d won almost everything he was nominated for in this role so far. Will was more reticent. He’d refused to work on a speech, afraid of jinxing himself.
Erica Dupaul was hosting the awards and the show began with a song and dance number. It was actually a very entertaining night.
Costume Design was the first Will-related category and Blood Moon won! Will didn’t collect the award, he wasn’t the costume designer, obviously, b
ut he was pleased.
Next up was Visual Effects, also for Blood Moon, but it lost to Jurassic World.
I felt as if it might be a bad omen.
Sound Editing was the next, but Ludwig lost to Spectre.
When Blood Moon also failed to win Film Editing, I was sure it meant that Will wouldn’t win. His luck had clearly turned and the universe was not on his side tonight. Which was a ridiculous thought, because the votes for this, cast by fellow industry professionals, were finalised days, maybe even weeks ago, so nothing that happened tonight could jinx him.
Actress in a Supporting Role was the final category before Best Actor, but Elizabeth Olsen, who was also in Ludwig, lost out to Keira Knightley.
I knew at that point that Will wasn’t going to win, and the disappointment I felt was crushing, especially considering my initial ambivalence regarding this nomination.
When the category of Best Actor was announced, I took Will’s hand. My heart was racing, my palms were sweating and I badly wanted to chew on one of my newly shellacked nails, and I’ve never been a nail biter.
While the clips of the films played, I looked to Will, whose nerves must be so much worse than mine, yet he looked as cool as a cucumber. Bastard!
Will was up against Jake Gyllenhaal, Henry Sharpe, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon and as the clips ended, I actually felt light-headed.
He deserved this and I wanted it for him, so so badly, but that didn’t mean he’d get it.
“And the Oscar goes to…”
Please say Will Braxton. Please, please, PLEASE!
Chapter Eighteen
‘Will Braxton, Will Braxton, Will Braxton, Will Braxton,’ became my silent mantra, as if somehow, I could will the words out of Julianne Moore’s mouth.
“Will Braxton.”
He won? HE WON!
Will’s grin was massive and he looked a little disbelieving. He kissed me and shook hands with a few people as he passed them, then he was running up the stairs and accepting the award.
“Oh, wow. Well,” he blew out a puff of air. “I do believe that, for perhaps the first time in my life, you’ve rendered me speechless!”
I laughed, of course. As expected, Will soon found his words, thanking everyone he could think of who was connected to the film, or was a role model-slash-mentor in his life.
“And finally to my beautiful Elle, who makes everything in life just that little more special and who, judging from the lack of feeling in my left hand, wanted this for me even more than I did. I love you, my darling.”
And now I had a camera in my face to catch my reaction, and tears running down my face. I hoped the make-up lady used waterproof mascara.
After a few moments, when the camera moved on, Lee got up.
“Come on,” he said, and led me backstage. I hadn’t thought I’d be allowed back there, but no one questioned me or told me to get out. I stayed with Lee mostly, watching as Will gave interviews to the world and his wife in the press room, but I did manage to find a few seconds to give him a big hug, kiss and tell him how proud of him I was.
Watching him now, holding his Oscar and looking happier than a kid at Christmas, I wondered how I could have ever dreaded this moment. He was simply ecstatic with the accolade, probably because it was his peers who voted for him, and his delight was a joy to behold.
The rest of the night was a whirlwind of celebration, interviews, after parties (yes, that's plural) and champagne. We didn’t get back to the hotel until 5am, but we managed our own private celebration before falling asleep.
***
“On today’s Erica Show we have Hollywood’s Golden Boy, Oscar winner, Will Braxton, and his beautiful fiancée, Elle Greystone. They’ll be dishing the dirt on how they met and we’ll be seeing if we can squeeze any secrets about the wedding out of them and of course, the upcoming Shadow Watch movies, Firebolt 3, which has just begun filming in London. Later in the show we also have YouTube sensation, Dancing Bunny Girl with us and she’ll ...”
I turned away from the screen as Erica continued with her monologue.
“You okay?” Will asked. He knew this was worse for me because something about being in a studio brought home the fact this was for television, while the red carpet had felt different, even if most of the interviews would appear on television.
I nodded. I was nervous as hell but I would probably be okay once we were out there. “I wish I could drink in the afternoon and not feel like an alcoholic.”
Will got that predatory gleam in his eyes and took a step towards me. I took a step back.
“Well, you know what else is good for nerves, don’t you?”
“No.” I kept backing up as he continued to advance.
“Orgasms,” he purred.
“I am not having sex with you in the green room!” My bum hit the refreshments table and I had nowhere else to run.
As if I weighed nothing more than a china doll, Will picked me up and sat me on the table top, stepping between my legs before I could close them.
“Sex, no. Fingering, oh yes.”
His right hand slipped under my skirt and he rubbed a finger over the crotch of my panties.
“We can't,” I protested, rather half-heartedly.
“Watch me.”
“What if someone comes in?”
He pinched the gusset and pulled it to one side, then he trailed a finger through my slit.
“Then they’ll get an eyeful,” he teased. “Now just close your eyes and relax, darling.”
He used those long, elegant fingers of his to tease and excite me, quickly working me up into frenzy.
I began to pant, wishing I could cry out.
“Don’t hold back, darling,” he said, increasing the pace. “Just think, any second now, someone will walk in here and say-”
The thought of being discovered was naughty enough to push me over the edge and as I cried out, unable to stop myself, he kissed me, swallowing most of the sound.
“You’re so beautiful when you come,” he told me, prolonging my orgasm for another few moments.
As I sat there panting, he pulled my panties back into place and withdrew his hand, then he raised his fingers to his lips and proceeded to suck my juices from his fingers.
“I’m not going to wash this hand, darling,” he pushed his index finger past my lips and I eagerly sucked on it. “Not until later, so every time you feel stressed, think of these two fingers and what they were doing to you minutes earlier, okay?”
I nodded dumbly and he withdrew his finger from my mouth; I had been sucking so hard that it gave an audible pop when he withdrew it.
“That’s my girl.”
He kissed me again, just as the door opened.
“We’re ready for you,” the woman said. If she knew what had been going on in here, she gave no indication of it.
I hopped down off the table and Will took my right hand in his left as we followed her to the backstage area. As I stood there, trembling, Will raised my hand and began absently stroking the back of it with the first two fingers of his right, the two that had been pleasuring me so very recently.
And yes, I was getting turned on again.
“So I want you to give a big hand for my guests today, Will Braxton and Eleanor Greystone!”
The assistant pointed us forward and we walked onto the set. Will raised his right hand to wave at the audience then before he sat down, he gave a two fingered salute.
Well, that innocent action would never be innocent again, not to me.
“Please, please, sit,” Erica told us. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“Thank you for inviting us,” Will smiled.
We had two individual seats but Will kept hold of my hand, resting them on the armrest. I had to admit, I didn’t feel nearly as nervous as I thought I would, and that was probably due to Will’s little escapade in the green room.
“So, Mr Academy Award Winner, what’s it feel like to win an Oscar?”
“It fee
ls amazing,” Will gushed, and they spoke about the film and the ceremony for a minute or two before Erica turned to me.
“So I gather from Jeannie that the Oscars was your first official outing, is that right?”
“My first time talking to the press,” I corrected. “We’ve been to other award ceremonies and premieres.”
“From what I gather, you two have been very private about your relationship before, so what changed?”
“As you may have heard,” Will fielded the question, “The story of how we met broke and the media attention just got unbearable, so it was a case of go with it, or go home.”
“When you say ‘go home’ you don’t mean, break up, do you?”
“I wasn’t considering that,” I answered before Will could. He began to stroke his lips and chin with the two fingers he’d used on me. It was incredibly sexy. “Not really, but people think fame is wonderful but for me, it’s just been one huge betrayal of trust and privacy, after the other.”
“When you say betrayal?”
“I mean my father sold the story of how we met to the press for $5,000.”
Erica’s jaw dropped. “No!” No one knew that little tidbit yet. “Really?”
I nodded.
“So I guess you guys aren’t close then?”
“You could say that. He was hardly ever around when I was growing up, I saw him maybe twice a year, then nothing once I got a bit older. He didn’t even pay his maintenance unless Mum took him to court, and when he heard I was dating Will and tried to reconnect, I foolishly trusted that maybe he wanted a relationship. It turned out, he only wanted Will’s money, then when he couldn’t get that, TMZ’s money.”
Will was squeezing my hand, offering silent support.
“Wow, it’s got to be hard to trust people, when things like that happen.”
“I think the trick is knowing who to trust. I didn’t actually trust my father enough to tell him, but my sister did. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame her, but it’s true what they say, the only real secret is one you don’t tell to anyone.”
Making Love (Destiny Book 1) Page 18