Chapter 13
Alex and his crew came out of their meeting and announced that we needed to film the sequence one more time. He asked us to make everything as identical as we could.
We danced again, and this time he had the main camera in a different spot. Alex took me over to it and did the first turn directly in front of it.
He said that the second take had happened because he wanted to dance with me again. I was breathless, and the best I could do was smile absentmindedly and pray, following him step-for-step as we danced the scene again. Alex was confident and sure, and I held onto him and let him lead me again.
I knew we weren't the stars of the series, and it wasn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. But being in the scene felt like a gigantic deal to me. He talked to me again this time, leaning in to speak to me as we moved, just like he had done the last time.
It was electric and wonderful dancing with Alex again, but just like that, our dance was over.
He made sure I was going to stick around.
I told my sister we needed to stay for a little while, and I made it seem like it wasn't an option. I just said that we were supposed to wait until they were done filming. She was happy to stay. She kept talking about the musicians.
Luna did a great job while we waited. She was tired, anyway.
We sat along the back wall and watched them complete another scene several times.
Alex was a cool, confident, down-to-earth person who interjected with thoughtful instruction when the cast needed it.
The whole process was fascinating. My sister loved it too, and it was fun for me to watch her watch them.
I had worried about her so much after everything she had been through, and it made my heart happy to see her smiling.
I felt happy for Luna, too, for having her mom in such good spirits.
It was the most fun night. I got to watch a fascinating process, I got to watch my sister have a great time, and I got to dance with the director of the film. Twice. Those dances would be locked in my memory forever. Even in the moment, I had appreciated how unexpected and unlikely it all was.
I had seen Alex leave with his crew once they got the last take. It seemed as though people were dispersing.
"Are we good to go?" my sister asked.
I panicked for a second, not knowing where I should go to find him. I checked my phone.
"No, hang on, I'm getting a text. They might still need us for a minute."
"Who's texting you?"
"Alex," I said, opening the text screen. "Let me see what he's saying.
Alex:
Knock on my trailer door in ten minutes.
The text was short, and it was a simple sentence—easy to read. But I wasn't going to share it with my sister.
"What did he say?" she said.
"Oh, just that he wanted to talk to us, or me, for just a second before we leave." I made eye contact with her and made a curious face. "We weren't supposed to get paid tonight, were we? That might be what he's doing is paying me. I'm not sure."
I was a horrible liar. I wanted to go into the trailer by myself, and I got the feeling he wanted me to. I wished it were already time for me to go there because I would have given her the old 'I'll be right back' routine.
Those minutes seemed like hours.
Audrey and Luna wanted to go with me to find his trailer, and I didn't know how to shake them, so they came with me.
The ranch was large, and I had to get someone to help us find it.
It wasn't too far from the building where we had just been filming.
There were several other trailers around and a couple of those large tents.
Lights were strung between the trailers, creating a festive atmosphere.
A few members of the crew were in plain sight as we made it to that area.
"I'll be right back," I said to my sister and Audrey when I saw his trailer across the way. "I'll take care of this, and we'll get on the road," I added, wanting them to wait there.
I approached his trailer cautiously and gave two light knocks to the door.
Cameron answered the door, looking serious at first, but then she gave me a sweet but no-nonsense smile.
"Hey, did you need something?" she asked.
"Is that Josie?" I heard Alex ask the question from behind her.
"Yes, it's Josie," she said, turning.
I could hear him saying something about 'getting out' and 'needing to talk to me for two minutes about breakfast for the crew'. I got half-paranoid that my sister would hear that and rush in, saying she was the one to talk to for breakfast.
I braced myself and stood back as his trailer door opened and Cameron came down the two little steps.
Judd was right behind her, and then four more people came out behind him.
It was the two main actresses and the main actor, along with the horse trainer—the guy who owned the place.
I had seen them all in passing and heard people talking about them, so I knew who they were.
I had no idea all these people were in here, and I took a step back, feeling suddenly even more nervous.
"Come on in, Josie," I heard Alex call from inside.
I made eye contact with the last one out, who happened to be the horse trainer. We smiled at each other. I switched places with him and took the steps slowly. I stepped inside, letting the door close behind me.
It was nice in there—larger than I expected. There was a couch on the right, a little kitchenette on the wall in front of me, and a large desk with two monitors set up on the left. Alex was sitting in that production area to my left, and I turned toward him as I let the door close behind me.
"You still have your hair up," he said.
I hadn't expected that to be the first thing he said, and I reached up and touched it nervously. "Oh, yeah. Barb said I could just keep the bobbypins, so I figured…"
He grinned and crooked his finger at me, calling me over. My heart. My body. Warmth spread through my body at the sight of Alex making predatory eye contact and crooking that finger at me. It was smoldering. I walked toward him, feeling every step, hyper aware of my surroundings.
I stopped when I was right in front of him. He stayed in his chair, sprawled out, looking up at me. "What are you thinking?" I said.
One corner of his mouth raised in a half-grin. "I don't know if I should say all that, but I will say that you're gorgeous."
"Say all of it," I said.
"I can't," he said, with a knowing grin. "I have all of one minute with you before my team will be back in here."
"I know I didn't even mean for you to have to tell everyone to leav—"
"Shh," he said quietly, shaking his head. "Please don't waste time with apologies. I'm just saying that we're pressed for time because I'm trying to explain my forward behavior."
"What forward behavior?"
He leaned toward me, getting to the edge of his chair and reaching. "I'm going to go ahead and pull you over here for a minute, okay? Is it all right? Would you feel comfortable with that?"
I could think of nothing, not one thing, that would make me more comfortable than Alex pulling me over for a minute. I just smiled.
"Yes, I would feel comfortable," I said shyly.
He sat back and pulled me onto his lap, and I situated myself on his leg, propping my arm on his shoulder, looking at him.
I was still higher than him, but only by inches now and not by feet.
I tried not to think about the fact that I was on his lap.
My legs were touching his. Sure, it was through fabric, but I felt weak and warm because of it.
"I like you so much, Josie. My heart is…
you do something to me. I think about you dating that guy in Colorado, and I can't stand the thought of you doing this with someone else.
I know how that sounds when it comes out of my mouth, and I know I have no right to say who you go out with, but I just feel sick at the thought of—"
"I haven't, anyway," I said, shaking my head.
His eyes snapped to meet mine. They were golden with a darker, brownish color at the edge. They gave him a feral, dangerous appearance that made my heart beat fast every time. He didn't say anything. We were quiet for several long seconds. I was waiting for him to say something.
"That guy you've dated in Colorado." It was more of a statement than a question, and I didn’t know how to respond.
"Yes?" I said.
"You didn't… what I mean to say is that you haven't… hang on…" he paused. "Who was the last person to kiss you, Josie?" he asked, glancing away from me as he waited for my answer.
I hesitated. "W-well… you."
He let out a strained, almost wheezing sigh and touched his eyebrows. I could feel how pent up he was.
"Are you okay?" I asked, being tender with him, flirting.
"Yes. I'm great, actually. Is that the truth?"
"Yes."
"Josie, all I can think about is being next to you, and this just makes it worse. I want to be with you so much it hurts."
"You are with me."
"I know, but I want more, longer."
I took an unsteady breath, my chest rising in little bursts.
"You're barely… you're on the edge of my leg, and I'm burning up right now."
I didn't know what to say. Everything I could think of in that moment sounded insufficient for how I felt. "I'm burning up, too, so it's okay."
I reached up and touched the side of his beautiful, striking face, and he leaned in. He took it as permission to kiss me. I could feel what he was doing, and I leaned toward him.
Our lips met for a glorious, soft second, and I was in a place of bliss for a moment before he pulled back.
I smiled when he grabbed onto me and gave me a squeeze, clamping his big arms around my body.
He groaned and squeezed, and I laughed. And then we were staring at each other from only inches away and our mouths were meeting again.
He placed his lips to mine for a long second, and then he did it again and again, 3, 4, 5 times, I lost count.
Then we paused, and I reached up and touched his cheek with my fingertips. That made him do it again.
"Ohh, Josieee," he groaned. "I have to see you again before you—stand up." He said the last phrase sharply and in a different, strict tone. As he said it, he gently pushed me off of his lap and slid back in his chair.
"Can I call you tonight?" he asked softly, staring at me.
I nodded and straightened just in time for Judd to open the door.
"Heyy, did we give you guys enough time?" he asked before he came inside.
"Yes, thanks again, Josie," Alex said, looking at me with an edge of regret.
He opened his desk drawer and handed me an envelope. "Thanks for coming out."
"Thanks for having us," I said casually. "It was great seeing my sister and Luna enjoy themselves so much."
"I'm so glad to hear that," he said as I backed out of the trailer and changed places with Judd.
The others were waiting just outside, and everyone stared as I came out.
I didn't say anything, but I gestured with the envelope in my hand as if our talk had been very official.
Meanwhile, I was weak in the knees. I held in a grin at the thought of the way he had tenderly put his mouth on mine only seconds before.
Alex could have any woman he wanted, but it seemed as if he really liked me.
He was kind and affectionate with me. I could clearly remember the way he stared at me when he pulled me onto his lap.
He had stared at me like there was no one else in the world.
My body was still reeling from it. My skin felt empty where he was no longer touching me.
My heart still pounded as I made my way over to my sister and Luna.