Chapter Fourteen
NATE
The set is lit with soft mood lighting, which sets the scene’s tone. Danger and Ria move under the sheet, facing each other, making it harder to see clearly, but I can just make out enough. They’re so close to each other that it’s making my skin bristle, especially as they’re both half-naked.
“Action,” the director calls out as the music starts.
My skin prickles with goose bumps as I watch Danger miming to Ria, caressing her cheek and looking lovingly into her eyes. She smiles back at him the same way, and I feel sick.
What the fuck!
Why can’t I get these feelings under control?
This is all a non-issue, and I know it.
The tempo of the song shifts slightly, and suddenly, Danger rolls over on top of her. Ria laughs while I shift uncomfortably as they continue to stare longingly at each other.
His body on top of hers.
Pressing down firmly in places only I should.
My teeth grind together as his face dips to her neck. I watch his hips rock slightly while a quiet growl echoes from my chest as my body heats. My heart pounds furiously before a bead of sweat forms on my temple.
They roll over, and Ria is now on top of Danger, straddling him. His hands run up her back as she sits upright and looks down at him while he continues to mime the words to “I’ll Take Your Breath Away.” She gasps like he’s literally taking her breath away.
My lips purse, and then a soft, delicate hand slides into mine. I grab it tightly, not even checking whose it is, but taking the support as I watch Ria act like she’s in complete fucking ecstasy.
Jesus, I need to get this shit in check.
Cool, calm, collected runs through my brain for some reason, then “Cut,” is called by the director.
Thank fuck, I think to myself. Wondering if somehow Whisper’s incantation in my brain seeped out into the room.
Don’t be ridiculous, Nate! I berate myself.
Ria laughs and quickly jumps off Danger like nothing’s happened while I huff and turn around, needing to breathe.
“You didn’t run through the script, did you?” Lunar asks from beside me, her hand still in mine.
I subtly shake my head while trying to control my breathing.
Lunar exhales. Taking her hand from mine, she turns to face me, then lunges forward, taking me into an embrace. I’m tense at first, but I quickly give in and melt into her hug, needing comfort.
“Hey, it was hard for me to watch, too. Don’t worry, it’s okay to be upset,” she says.
I nod and hold onto her, probably longer than necessary, but I need comfort right now. “Thanks, Lunar. I really should have read the script. I’m guessing I’m going to have to watch that another five times again today?”
Lunar pulls back and winces. “Probably. They like to shoot it more than once to get all the angles, but you don’t have to watch them all if you can’t, Nate. Ria will understand. Hell, I’m not sure if I can watch them all.”
“I wanna support her. I’m well aware that being with her means she is doing this stuff in her movies. But fuck, I think watching it for the first time with my friend is kinda… well, fucking horrific. If it were a stranger, I’d cope better, but this, with Danger, it’s fucking shit, Lunar.”
She weakly smiles. “I think that’s why it’s easier for me. She’s an actress and not someone I’ve known for years.”
“Sorry, I’m being pathetic.”
“No, not at all, Nate. It’s essentially like watching your girlfriend cheat with your friend. If it’s not voyeurism in its simplistic form, I’m not sure what is.” She laughs, but it’s strained. “It’s hard… trust me. I know she likes you. You just have to remember that fact.”
I nod as the director calls, “Action” a-fucking-gain. I screw my nose up and turn to see the same images hit me again and again. Danger is lying next to Ria, caressing her cheek. He mimes to her… she laughs.
Taking a deep breath, I grab Lunar’s hand and sit back down, preparing myself to watch this scene reenactment a few more times.
Cool, calm, collected?
Yeah, right!
***
The director yells, “Cut,” after the fifth filming of the same damn scene, and I groan slightly, rubbing my face with my hand. My stomach is twisted, maybe permanently, and I’m not sure I’ll ever get the image of Danger grinding into Ria out of my mind.
I thought the first time watching it was bad.
By the third, I was ready to puke.
Now, at the end of the fifth take, I think I’m close to stabbing Danger.
Not really, but I have to admit, the urge to punch him is definitely there.
Ria jumps off Danger, and I rest my head in my hands while Lunar rubs my back.
“Okay, we’ll move on to the next scene now if everyone’s ready?” the director calls out.
I groan. “Oh God, there’s more?” I ask, looking at Lunar.
She chews on her bottom lip like she’s hiding something.
“What?” I ask as she looks down on the stage.
“Wardrobe,” someone calls out, and a woman walks up to Ria in bed.
I furrow my brows, wondering what she could possibly change into.
She’s only wearing a bra and panties, for fuck’s sake.
That’s when I notice the assistant taking off her bra, freeing her gorgeous breasts.
My heart leaps into my throat as I stand abruptly, pushing my chair back.
My chest is heaving as Danger looks anywhere but at Ria.
She turns slightly toward me while Mindy applies more makeup, and I see some tape over her nipples, but her breasts are out completely on show for everyone in here to see.
Shaking my head slightly, I try to will myself to calm the fuck down, but I’m not sure how successful I am going to be.
Why the fuck do I keep thinking of fucking Whisper right now?
“Hey, remember, Nate, it’s nothing we haven’t already seen in her movies,” Lunar reminds me.
Somehow, that helps as she loops her arm around mine and pulls me back down to the seat.
“Fuck! How the hell am I supposed to do this?” I murmur, honestly thinking I’d be better off not watching, but I know I need to show my support for Ria.
“It’ll get easier each time,” Lunar says, but I’m not sure how much conviction I hear in her voice.
Nodding, I think about all the Hollywood heartthrobs she’s done this with and will do this with in the future.
Ria slides back into the bed, and Danger is sitting in the middle of it, looking like a lost puppy. Ria climbs up and sits on top of him in a very intimate pose, like they’re sitting on the bed fucking. My eyebrows raise, and even Lunar looks affected by the position they’re in.
“Jesus Christ, this isn’t going to be… is it?” I ask, and Lunar frowns with a nod. “Fucking hell.”
“Action,” the director calls out.
Danger and Ria start moving together as if they are indeed sitting together in the middle of the bed, fucking. All air leaves my chest as I gasp, watching her face contort the way it does when she’s with me. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear Danger’s cock was thrusting inside her.
Shit!
Fuck!
I’m losing it.
Definitely fucking losing it.
His hands run up her naked back as they move in perfect sync.
Their lips never touch, but their hands are all over each other.
An insatiable heat engulfs every inch of me, flaming me red-hot.
My stomach twists with every movement. Honestly, I can’t take watching it anymore as she throws her head back as if engulfed in absolute pleasure.
Bile scorches my throat, but even though this is agony to watch, three words repeat in my mind.
Cool, calm, collected.
How the fuck that little Korean monk is working his way into my brain right now, I have no idea.
Suddenly, Lunar stands, stumbles on the spot, and turns to race out of the viewing area, trying her hardest to catch her frantic breath.
I watch as Lunar speeds off, and I take off after her as she stumbles through the halls and bursts through the exit doors.
The rush of cool air assaults my face while I watch Lunar lean over, placing her hands on her knees and gasping for some much-needed air.
She’s too busy panting to hear me come out, but I rush to her side and rub her back.
“Just breathe… slowly, in and out,” I say to her, trying to calm her down.
She takes in a long breath through her nose and lets it out slowly through her mouth, then repeats that action twice more. She’s calming down, her movements slowing, and after taking another deep breath, she slowly stands up straight. When she turns to look at me, I look at her with concerned eyes.
“Hey, you with me?”
“Yeah, sorry. You shouldn’t have had to see that.”
“Don’t worry, I was pretty much at breaking point. But seeing you lose it stopped me from panicking and put me into protector mode. You saved me from falling apart.”
She smirks, then lets out a small chuckle. “Glad I could help.”
I pull her into a hug. “I hate this as much as you do, trust me. I don’t even know how I kept a level head in there… higher powers or something at work here,” I say.
She raises her brow with a slight smirk. “Going in blind was dumb, Nate. You should have read the script. This wasn’t pleasant for us both. At least I think they’re going to get everything shot and finalized today, so we won’t have to witness anything else.”
I chuckle. “There’s nothing else I have to brace myself for?”
“No, that was the last thing in the script I read. They wanted to keep the most intimate scene for last, so Danger and Zaria felt more comfortable with each other.”
Nodding, I exhale. “Well, I don’t want to go back in there. I’m not sure I can watch that shit another five times.” I chuckle.
She smiles and nods. “Me either. Wanna go back to my place for a bit?”