Chapter 33 A Short Visit
A Short Visit
BAZ
I hadn’t wanked quite so furiously for so long as I did in the week and a half apart from Lanie.
I had no time to spend even one night in rural Wales, but I chose to spend three and work half the time I was there.
I missed the way she tasted, smelled, and sounded.
I’d been thinking about all the aforementioned since we parted.
“I will make calls to Bath,” Jeremy said. “If you can take the—”
“Jeremy, I need to see Lanie first,” I said. “She’s my priority right now. We can talk business before dinner, but we both deserve some time off, I think. You can ring Bath again in the morning.”
“What is wrong with you, Basil? Have you missed her?”
“Wipe the smirk off your face,” I said. “What is this?”
“I never thought I would see the day that Basil Osgoode IV developed an actual attachment to another living human. You’re in love!”
“And what if I were in love? It makes no difference. We’ve been on the move for almost ten days with no reprieve. I need a break—and a distraction—and if you could find one, I wouldn’t judge you.”
“I feel like the list of gay men in Cardigan is probably summed up on one hand and I doubt the prospects really shine. Besides, we’re out in BFE. I pity the man doing that walk of shame tomorrow.”
“He could hang out with film stars. Isn’t Leah a gay icon?”
“Wrong type of gays for me. We are not all the same. I’m not into theatre people.”
“Theatre people,” I snickered. “I hardly think I am theatre people.”
“Well, you married one. Unless you forgot?”
That silenced me. I still lacked most of the context of Lanie’s past career achievements.
Instead of thinking about all I missed, I thought about all I’d soon gain.
We roved through the countryside through an endless array of green fields covered in dew.
The morning was chilly, but not too cold.
I was glad to be back on British soil again even if it meant I was the middle of nowhere.
Since Lanie texted they were still on set, I dropped Jeremy at the cottages near the castle where everyone stayed and proceeded to set where I hoped to catch a glimpse of Lanie doing whatever it was she did so well.
I walked up to the first person who looked official—well, somewhat.
Even in the cold of winter he was in basketball shorts.
However, he had a lanyard and a headset.
“I’m here for Lanie Day. I’m her husband,” I said. “She told me to come to set.”
“You’re the… royal dude?” The American kid asked.
I furrowed my brow. “Not in the least. I’m Baz.”
“No. Sorry, bro. Uh, come with me. I think she’s on a break while they shoot things with Harrison.”
Harrison was Lanie’s costar. He played the Earl of Dwyfor. I followed the kid through lines of lights, people milling, electrical equipment and down a dark hallway near a full spread of food. There, I recognized one face.
“If it isn’t Baz Osgoode,” Lourdes, Leah’s wife, greeted. “How are you?”
I hadn’t seen Lourdes in ages apart from the odd time she and Leah came by Vesper. But, since I’d been in the good boy routine and home by ten, no one knew I existed these days.
“I’m good. Have you seen Lanie? Is she on set? She told me to come here—”
“They are filming down in the conservatory,” Lourdes answered. “With the Earl and his mother. Lanie is…”
She looked around as if listening.
“They’re in the library now.”
I followed her, expecting to find her there with another costar. Instead, Lanie was on the floor in a long dress, rolling a toy plane over to Leah and Lourdes’s twin ginger toddlers. They laughed gleefully, picking it up and running it back.
“Oh, look at you go,” Lanie said. “Roll it to me, Victoria.”
The little girl ran the toy back.
“I meant on the floor, but that works.”
“They never are reliable,” Lourdes said.
Lanie said, slowly turning, “Well, they’re two, so I didn’t expect much.” She spotted me and smiled. “Baz, you made it!”
“I did. Although, this place is dizzying and I wasn’t sure I did.”
The other twin approached, holding the plane she just passed to his sister.
“Oh, thank you,” Lanie said, brightly. “You are a doll, Bobby.”
“They adore her,” Lourdes said. “She’s kept them busy off and on all day. I think they have a thing for ginger Americans.”
I snickered. “But Leah isn’t actually ginger, is she?”
“No. But at this point, does anyone but me remember her blonde?”
I did. She’d been a notable blonde everyone chased in my younger years.
“Lou! She’s not a fucking babysitter!” Leah walked in. “And if you knew how expensive that costume was, you’d understand.”
“Sorry. They were fussy and I was trying to help,” Lanie looked upset.
Leah held out her hand to help Lanie up. A woman I’m assumed dealt with costumes swept in to fix the hem of Lanie’s dress.
“Oh, I’m not mad. I just don’t want you to assume that’s your job.”
“Oh, I love it,” Lanie laughed. “It’s not a problem. I cannot help myself.”
“You’re too much. Okay, I need to set up the scene in the dining room. Harrison said he was grabbing a bite.”
“The argument will be amazing,” Lanie assured.
“Don’t talk to him. It’s part of his… process.” Leah rolled her eyes and picked up her son.
It was only then she spotted me.
“Oh, the husband did make it!” She laid it on thick. “Lanie told me, but I never thought you’d show?”
“I inspire little confidence,” I said. “Well, that’s nothing new.”
“Catch up. It’s going to take me probably twenty minutes to turn things over.”
Leah and Lourdes left the twins. So, despite a swarming group of extras, I finally got to say a few words to Lanie.
“I’m glad you came,” Lanie said.
I kissed her forehead as she wrapped her arms around me, burying her face in my chest.
“Me, too,” I agreed. “Although, it seems you’ve been plenty busy.”
“Sometimes the kids come on set. They like to watch their mom work. I don’t blame them. But they’re so sweet.”
“I didn’t realize you could get broodier,” I joked.
“Don’t panic.”
“I’m not,” I cupped her face. “I have missed you, Lanie. So much.”
“Same,” Lanie gave me a slow kiss.
“Miss Day, can I bother you?” A man with a thick Geordie accent, asked.
Lanie pulled away and turned. “Yes?”
“I need you to change. Can you come with me?”
Lanie turned back, giving one last kiss. “Sorry, it’s a whole thing. Leah has changed her mind about the dress. I promise. This is our last scene of the day. I will be all yours in a jiff, baby.”
LANIE
I loved to be wanted. It rushed over me like a flood whenever Baz stared from across a room.
It wasn’t a hard stretch to feel as though he did this very moment.
His eyes met mine from across a crowded pub in a sleepy Welsh village with the crew.
It was time to blow off steam. Baz chatted with Leah’s friend Mac, while I caught up with Claire, another one of the Dollar Princesses.
She was on set to shoot a few bits and pieces from a visit post-wedding to see me.
I was supposed to act unhappy, but in this moment, I was almost overjoyed.
I hadn’t had enough time alone with him, but somehow a look from Baz from across a crowded room made my heart flutter.
I missed this man. I have wanted to crawl into his arms and tell him how much I wanted him since I saw him standing behind me.
However, we were still doing this awkward too-cool-for-school dance about actually liking one another in public.
We were newlyweds, but also independent people asserting neither of us was much into PDA.
Secretly, I thought Baz was into PDA and longed to let people know I was his.
“Ah, Lanie, there you are,” Sam walked up to Claire and me.
My happy eyefucking stopped as soon as he arrived.
The way he looked at me made me both melt and want to vomit.
I didn’t want this man—not now—and I didn’t want Baz thinking that I wanted Sam, either.
Somehow, I knew my ex was off-limits even if we’ve not set that boundary.
And, either way, he’d been staring at me like a lost puppy all day.
This wouldn’t start up anew. I had Baz—the man who looks at me like I am the end—right across the room.
“I wanted to talk to you about the love scene,” he said.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Claire ditched me.
I called after, “Claire, you don’t—”
She was long gone. I didn’t want her to leave me.
“I know it will be awkward, but we will get through it, right?” Sam asked.
“I don’t really want to talk about it. The intimacy coordinator will be there to go over everything with the crew.”
Sam reached for my arm. “Lanie, it’s just me. We don’t need the intimacy coordinator to talk about this. I wanted to speak to you one-on-one.”
He softened, then whispered, I’ve seen every bit of you without a shred of clothes.”
It was strangely intimate—far too intimate for coworkers. I was married. I had a husband only fifty feet away. looked for Baz, hoping he’d meet my gaze and rescue me.
Same continued, “I know it’s a little odd. I’ll grant you, I could understand if I wasn’t you first choice for a DP—”
“Sam,” I pulled back. “All I’d asked is that you respect me. You must treat me like any other actor you work with. Be professional.”
“We both know that’s going to be hard given that I’ve been in this man’s place.”
“Are you like that with all the actors you work with?” I demanded.
“What do you mean?”
“Do you always put yourself in the male character’s POV when shooting?” I asked, very annoyed.
“It’s my job.”
“To think of yourself with female leads in their most vulnerable state?”
“I don’t think about having sex with actresses on shoots, no,” Sam said. “Although, it’d be rich for you to accuse me—”
He stopped, gaze shifting to a newcomer. Baz muscled in, staring down at Sam. Baz had half a foot and a bit of bulk when compared with Sam. I’d not thought about it until this moment. I knew Sam was the brooding artist while Baz was the serious businessman. The contrast hit me for the first time.
“Is everything alright, my love?” Baz rubbed my back. “Do you need anything? Another drink, perhaps?”
I smiled, grateful for the reprieve, “I’m alright, thanks. In fact, I’m just a bit tired. It’s probably time to call it a night.”
“I think that’s not a bad idea,” Baz said. “Let’s walk back. Can you excuse us… I’m sorry.”
Baz cocked his head and held out his hand. “I didn’t catch your name. I’m Baz. Lanie is my wife.”
Lanie is my wife. He didn’t say he was my husband, instead invoking a sense of ownership I should have found annoying as hell. Instead, it was hot. Baz wanted Sam to back off, knowing well-enough when a man made me uncomfortable.
Sam gingerly shook Baz’s hand. “Sam.”
I debated telling Baz who Sam was, but that didn’t seem to appeal to Baz. He wanted to get me out of there.
“Nice meeting you,” Baz said.
Then, without a beat, he took my hand in his and brought me through the mélange of people into the street outside the pub. We walked down the lane towards our idyllic little cottage.
“I appreciate you sparing me from that awkward conversation,” I said.
“You looked confused and I struggled not to be polite, but took rescuing you as a sign it was time to leave.”
“Polite?”
“Yes, well, I didn’t want to appear too giddy to see what I could possibly get up to with my beautiful young wife who shot me impressive glances across the bar all night.”
I blushed.
“You’re thirstier than usual, Lanie.”
“I feel the need to climb you like a tree. Maybe I’m ovulating or maybe I just missed you. Either way, I wanted you.”
Baz stopped, pulling me towards him. He wrapped me up in a delicious kiss that made my knees weak.
I’d barely said two words to him since we’d arrived.
I’d introduced him to everyone. At the time, I’d still had on makeup, so a big kiss wasn’t in the cards.
By the time we were free, we had social obligations and niceties.
Now, standing on this street corner in Wales, I was all his again.
He put me back fully on my feet and said, “And if you are ovulating?”
“I doubt I am,” I said.
“I saw you with the twins earlier,” Baz said. “It seems cruel to deny you when it clearly appeals, love.”
I shrugged, trying to appear care. “And what if we did get pregnant?”
“Well, we’re married. You want children. I told you it was your timeline.”
“And that… doesn’t freak you out?”
“It could be fun,” Baz shrugged. “To… try… I mean.”
“Daddy vibes has a breeding kink?” I teased.
“Jesus, Lanie!” Baz looked like he might die of embarrassment.
I giggled. “Come on. Let’s go home. I’ll let you fuck me. Like the good little wife I am.”