by Tabitha Bree
Did she wake up and regret sleeping with me? Or was it just that she didn’t want it to happen again?
I’m not above one-night stands, but I didn’t get the sense that was what happened between us. We’d gotten to know each other, we were friends, even. It was something a bit more.
At least, I thought it was.
Thank God I didn’t tell her how I felt, because I’d be looking like a real jackass. It was bad enough getting rejected while I scavenged my clothes off the floor.
“Earth to Adam?” Eric waves a hand in front of my face.
Do people still say that?
“Err, yes, I think if we use creature performers for that scene, it will look more realistic,” I say, pushing thoughts of Evie to the back of my mind. “If there’s room in the budget.”
“I don’t think Nolan will be worried about that.” Eric smirks.
We go over a few more details, and by the end of the meeting, I feel prepared to keep shooting the next day.
Prepared to see everyone on set, however, is another thing.
“Cut!”
I walk to the video tent to play back the last take.
“Okay, we got it. Let’s move on,” I say, sliding my headphones off my ears.
“Really?” Dee asks.
“Yep, it was great.”
She looks at me like I just told her I joined a pole dancing class. “It was great?” she says with air quotes, reminding me of somebody else.
“Yes, great. Like, better than good. Ring any bells?”
“Okay, smart ass. You’ve just never given this film or anyone on it a compliment in like… ever.”
“That’s not true,” I say, bunching my eyebrows while I go over the details of the next scene. “I give compliments.”
“Mmm hmm…”
I sense her watching me, but I don’t have time for a Dee inquisition right now. The crew packs the camera equipment to transport it to the set on the other side of the sound stage, and while I follow them, I can feel someone at my heels.
“So how did the location scout go?” Dee is back at my side.
“Why? Who’s asking?”
“Um… I am? Because you didn’t reply to like any of my texts while you were there.”
It suddenly feels a bit warm in my t-shirt and shorts.
“I never reply to your texts,” I say, trying to act normal as I read the shot list. Instead, I drop my pen on the floor, pick it up, and drop it again.
Nice.
“Are you okay?” She pinches her eyebrows together.
“Yes, I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
“I don’t know. You’re just acting really weird.”
“Your mom’s really weird.”
“Dude.” She scrunches her face up like she smells a dead rat. “Did you just ‘your mom’ me?”
“I’m fine, okay? I’m fine, the scout was fine, we got what we needed…” my mind trails to a dangerous place “… we’re all set to shoot the cliff scene down there. Everything is and was fine.”
“Okay, okay. Please stop saying fine.”
We’re at the new set now and the crew is setting up lights.
“Dee for Evie. Can you swap out with Jackson?” She says into her shoulder mic.
“You’re swapping out Jackson for Evie in here?” I ask, watching Jackson head toward the door of the sound stage.
“Yeah, he keeps telling me random film facts. He’s driving me nuts. I’m putting him on door duty.”
I nod, looking back toward the door as Evie comes through to take her position on set.
“Is that a problem?” Dee continues.
“Of course not,” I reply quickly. “I’m just eager to get started on this scene.”
“Okay, seriously, what happened in San Diego?”
As Dee rounds on me, I break out in a cold sweat. How could she have figured it out by the few pathetic sentences I’d given her? Evie steps up into the set and my stomach lurches. She’ll hate me if it gets around and it’s my fault.
“Nothing happened in San Diego,” I blurt, scratching the back of my head. “Why would you even think that?”
“Ever since you got back, you’ve been all Mr. Positive about the film. It’s wigging me the fuck out.”
My body unclenches as I realize she’s not talking about Evie. Who appears by Dee’s side about three seconds later.
“What’s the four-one-one?”
“You’re such a dork,” Dee scoffs and drapes her arm around Evie. “I was just asking Adam why he’s been so weird since you guys got back from San Diego.”
Evie’s eyes widen as she gives me an anxious glance.
“He’s all excited and shit about the film,” Dee goes on. “Did you give him a lobotomy while you were away?”
“Oh,” Evie laughs. “Well, you know, I tried. But I couldn’t hold him down.”
As the words come out of her mouth, I’m filled with the image of Evie on top of me, her delicate hands holding me by the wrists, and I goddam near get an erection. By the look on her face, it seems she’s drawn a similar parallel and her cheeks flush a warm shade of pink.
Suddenly I’m back at the tiki bar, looking at her across the table, her cheeks glowing from one too many cocktails. God, she was so gorgeous that night. Even now, in her spotty shorts-and-top suit thing, she might be the most magnificent creature I’ve ever seen.
“Well, whatever you did, well done girl.” Dee pats Evie on the back and leaves us for Joel.
We both look intensely at the floor, like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. If only Dee knew how profoundly awkward she is making life for both of us.
When I look back up, Evie is staring at me, a sweet smile on her face.
“I’m glad you got your mojo back,” she says. “It’s nice to see you enjoying the job.”
Seeing her beaming face, I can’t help but question if we would’ve been better stopping the trip after the movie theater. I’ve never had someone go to such lengths to help me. I’ve had friends tell me I am a grumpy shit, ex-girlfriends telling me to cheer up, but never anyone going to the source of the problem and genuinely helping. I’ve never had someone care about me enough to go that far. I would’ve been happy just having a friend like that in my life.
But then we had sex.
Okay, we’d only done it once, and clearly, Evie isn’t interested in doing it again. Surely, after a while, we can be normal again. Just go back to being friends. Rewind to before the tiki bar when we were just two people who understood each other.
“I’m going to get some hot bricks before we get started,” Evie says, hopping down the steps of the set toward the tent where we keep the extra batteries on charge.
Maybe if we just give it some time… Eventually, I’ll be able to look at her without that feeling in my stomach, like going over the first dip of a rollercoaster.
But when she looks back at me from the tent, sliding a piece of hair over her ear and smiling, I’m reminded of the feeling of stroking her head as she fell asleep on my chest.
And I know that forgetting is only a pipe dream.
23
Evie
“Wow, even I’m getting hot and bothered,” Sylvia says, fanning her décolletage with her hand.
I’m sitting on her bed, filling her in on my trip to San Diego with Adam.
“Sounds like he put on quite the performance.”
I feel giddy at the memory. “It was… something.”
“Or maybe more than something.” Sylvia arches an eyebrow. “Are you really telling me that didn’t leave an impression on you? Sticking up to your parents like that?”
I haven’t told her all the details.
“He probably just felt he ought to vouch for me, you know, because I basically work for him,” I reply, taking one of her long hair extensions and winding it around my arm. “It’s like how employers are required to give you a good recommendation.”
“And you’re telling me you didn’t
immediately picture him naked when he started yelling in your defense?”
An actual memory of Adam naked invades my mind, and I hold the hair extension up over my face to shield my bushing cheeks. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You’re a horrible liar,” she says, snatching the extension out of my hands.
I bite the corner of my lip, inspecting my nails. I can see Sylvia watching me in my peripheral vision, but I don’t meet her eye. I’m scared the whole sordid sex fest will play in my mind and she’ll see it reflected out my pupils.
“Remember the time I was dating that DJ guy, the one with the long hair?” she asks.
“Ugh, yes. How could I forget,” I grunt, glad for the change in topic.
“He was a jerk, and you knew it. Remember how you saw him kissing that goth girl in the corner while I was at the bar, but you didn’t want to say anything to me because you knew it would break my heart?”
“He was so beneath you,” I say, scrunching my face.
“He was,” she confirms. “And remember how I asked you what was wrong, and you said nothing?”
“Why are we talking about that long-haired douche clown?”
“Because you have the same face now as you did that night.” Sylvia crosses her arms and stares me down. “What aren’t you telling me?”
She’s right. I am an awful liar. If I ever got caught up in a gang, I’d probably snitch at the first point of questioning and would be sleeping with the fishes.
I take a deep breath in and out.
“I slept with Adam.”
“Holy shit!” She slaps my ankle. “I knew you guys were into each other. I saw it the first time I was on set. You had sex!”
“Yes, I just told you that.”
“Why aren’t you more excited about it? He’s hot! And well… it’s been a minute.” She pulls a face and darts her eyes in the direction of my vagina.
“Thank you for the reminder. But you don’t get it. I’m the PA and he’s the director. If it gets out, everyone will get the wrong idea.”
“Oh sweetie, who cares what people think? Everyone sleeps with everyone, it’s LA. No one cares.”
“Well I care. My career is important to me. I want to get ahead on merit.”
“You will get ahead on merit.”
“That’s not what everyone will think.”
Sylvia tilts her head. “Since when do you care so much about what people think?”
I grab one of her pillows and lie down, squeezing it to my chest. I never care what people think. But this is different. If it gets out… I just have a bad feeling about it.
“So how was it?” She has an evil glint in her eye now.
I sigh. “Incredible.”
“Like how incredible? I need details!”
I sit up. “Like body earthquake, toe curling, made me cuss out loud incredible.”
My body clenches up just thinking about it. The truth is, no one has ever made me feel like Adam did. And I’m not sure anyone ever will again. You get to a point where if you haven’t experienced unbelievable passion in your life, you just think it’s a fantasy. Something that only happens in Nicholas Sparks movies. But Adam blew that theory wide open.
“He made you cuss?” Sylvia sits back, her eyes wide. “Damn.”
I hit the pillow. “Yes, he made me cuss. And he’s sweet. And he lets me be a dork. And he stuck up to my parents for me. And he’s really fricking cute. But there’s no point in talking about it. It can’t happen again.”
I dangle my legs over the edge of the bed so my feet can touch solid ground. I need to just forget about the whole thing. Take my head off, shake out all the memories, and then screw it back on straight.
Sylvia is giving me that judgy look.
“Are you trying to convince me it can’t happen again, or yourself?”
We are taking a break from shooting while the actors rehearse a scene on set. And I’ve finally given in to Dee’s questioning.
“So you just… took him to the movies?”
Luckily, her radar isn’t as good as Sylvia’s, but I had to give her something.
“That’s why he’s been acting different since you guys got back?”
“I just wanted to remind him how much people love his work,” I say, shrugging. “It was no big deal. I’m sure spending the day at different beaches contributed just as much to his change in attitude.”
“If I had known a ticket and a bucket of popcorn could lighten him up, I would’ve tried that earlier,” Dee says. “Good job.”
“It really was nothing.”
We keep watching the rehearsal—today the creature performers are various animals escaped from the zoo.
“I think we need another script,” Dee says. “Do you mind getting one from the side office?”
“Sure.”
I head over to the corner of the sound stage where a tiny office stands, holding extra scripts, shot lists, and call sheets. Only when I open the door, someone is already in there.
“Oh, sorry… I…”
When Adam looks up, I turn around, but see Kylie coming. What if she sees me leave and thinks something is going on in here?
I quickly step into the office and shut the door, locking it behind me.
“Um… what are you doing?”
“Shh!” I wave my hand behind me while I peek out the tiny window.
“Why did you lock the door?” Adam is looking at me like I might pull out a prop knife.
“Because Kylie is out there. And if I walk out now, she’d see me and think we were in here together… alone.”
“So your solution was to come back in and shut the door?”
I pull the little curtains across, satisfied that she is gone. And it’s only now that I realize I’ve locked myself in a tiny room. With Adam. The man that I boned only days ago. The conversation I had with Sylvia is still fresh in my brain, which also plays snippets from my night with Adam like a highlights reel.
He ruffles a hand through his messy hair, taking a step closer. “Are you okay?”
I finally understand the expression of feeling weak at the knees, because I literally cannot stand straight being in such close proximity to him. I reach behind me, grabbing hold of the desk for support.
“I’m fine.”
I lean against the desk casually. “So, how have you been?”
His face twitches. “Um… okay, I guess? The shoot’s been going well.”
“Good, good.” I nod my head.
“But I’ve been thinking about you.”
Oh no, the stomach flutters.
“And the night in San Diego.”
Oh no, the other kind of flutters.
“Is that so?” I say, trying to keep my voice steady as he takes another step toward me. “And what do you think about it?”
He’s only two feet away now. So close I can smell that man shampoo that is stupidly arousing for some reason.
“That it was the best night of my life.”
His voice is deep and husky, and I’m brought back to the hotel… him whispering that he wanted to f-word me…
Our mouths collide and I weave my hands into his hair. There is no warming up like last time. Our tongues caress each other’s, sending immediate sparks downstairs. I can taste the soda he’s been drinking, sweet and warm, and I need more… more…
“We can’t do this.” I break apart from him, catching my breath. “We can’t have sex again.”
His dark brown eyes are stormy… ravenous, even. I can feel his desire radiating into my own body. The reflection of how I look in his eyes is an insane turn on. I’ve always been the sweet girl, the goofy girl. But staring at Adam, I’ve never felt so sexy. And I don’t want that feeling to end.
Our mouths come together again, but this time his hand moves down from my waist and under my skirt. As soon as he touches me, my body is alert. Alive. I’m hyper aware of every hair on my skin, standing on its end… his thumb moving in tiny circles…
&nb
sp; And then he moves his hand, and I think I might cry. He looks at me like maybe he’s come to his senses, but then he lifts me onto the desk and dips down, getting onto his knees.
“Oh my God,” I say, watching him crouch in front of me, trailing kisses up my thigh.
He pushes my skirt up around my hips, continuing the journey with his mouth until he reaches my underwear. He kisses me over the top, sending tiny chills down my legs. Before he goes on, he looks up at me, daring me to tell him to stop.
Which I have no intention of doing.
With one finger, he slides my underwear to the side and skims his hands around my backside, hoisting my legs over his shoulders. I can feel his breath as he hovers excruciatingly close… closer… closer…
And then I feel his tongue. Flicking and tickling and teasing.
“Oh my God,” I say again, leaning back on my hands and looking up at the ceiling. He is going down on me in the side office. I repeat, he is going down on me in the side office.
I’d heard about this before, but I can’t say I’d ever… experienced it quite like this. The delicious pressure, the tingling through my legs. Every circle of his tongue is building toward something implausible… and the anticipation is killing me.
Then he changes speed. Instead of delicate flicks, he is devouring me. Like I’m a tropical fruit, and he’s savoring it until the end. His tongue is warm as it laps over me.
The pressure becomes more intense, and my entire body tingles.
“Oh my God, I think I’m…”
And the next sound I hear is my own cry, which I have to muffle with my hand. I grab hold of his hair as he continues to lick and kiss. My legs stiffen as waves of exquisite electricity funnel through me. It courses on and on until finally, it settles in my stomach, like the embers of a burning fire.
I feel like melting into a pool on the floor. I think I’d be pretty happy down there, actually. I’m so content, I could just slide off the desk and into a pile and take a nap. Preferably on Adam’s chest.
He takes his finger, sliding my underwear back into place, before straightening up. My legs are still spread so he stands in between them, placing a hand on either knee.