CHAPTER NINE
Ben
I shoved the phone in my back pocket. I didn’t want to walk into rehearsals. Chelsea didn’t sound like herself. But I didn’t have a choice. They had called me in three times already. A night out with Quinn was probably something she needed. I had left her alone on the ranch, and she hadn’t been in town long enough to make friends. I tried not to think about what Quinn’s nights out were like. More than one morning I had woken up to find her on my couch with a vicious hangover and a handful of crazy stories.
The first time I met Quinn, she was performing at an open mic night at one of Austin’s dive bars. She was cute, spunky, and damn the girl could sing. After I bought her a beer, it didn’t take long to realize she was more like the little sister I never had. But I didn’t know many little sisters who could party like Quinn. It was rare to meet a girl who was happy with buddy status. My celebrity didn’t seem to matter. She had her sights set on singing, not relationships.
The bar was getting ready to close and Quinn slammed her beer on the table. “Come on. I know a place that stays open all night.” She winked at me.
“Hold on, darlin’. Don’t you think it’s past your bedtime?” I glanced at my watch.
“Bed? You are old!” She giggled and hopped off her barstool.
“I am not old. Just lookin’ out for you.” She was already headed for the door.
“Then prove it,” she taunted.
I hesitated. It was 2 a.m. “One more drink?”
“Whatever.” Quinn grabbed me by the hand and led me from the bar. “You can always crash at my place. No big deal.”
I shook my head. This girl was crazy, but I let her lead me from one hole-in-the-wall bar to another. This was another side of Austin’s nightlife I had never experienced. By six, I was sprawled across Quinn’s couch, facedown on a pillow with my boots kicked under the coffee table.
I vowed one night on the town with her would be the last, but it never seemed to work out that way.
I laughed, hoping Chelsea’s experience wasn’t like mine.
I strolled into the reading room.
“You ready this morning?” Rebecca chirped. She was sitting at one of the reading tables holding a cup of coffee for me.
“I was born ready.” I took the coffee and flipped open the first page of the script.
“I think it’s going to be a long day.” Becs slid her seat closer to my chair. “How’s the coffee? Did I get it right?”
I eyed her suspiciously. I had to remind myself what I signed on for. This wasn’t just the biggest movie of my career. It also came with baggage. And that baggage was in the form of a curvy, bright-eyed blonde.
“Yeah, it’s good.” I pushed it away from my pages. I had hoped one of the set assistants had delivered it.
“I haven’t forgotten about when we were on that little island, and you remembered how I liked my coffee. I guess, when you wake up with someone, you’re bound to keep those details in your heart.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
“Let’s get started this morning.” One of the producers closed the door behind her and smiled at the small group gathered to hear us read. “We’re going to get as far as we can then break for lunch around one.” She smiled at Becs. “Rebecca you’re getting us started. We’ll skip to the third scene where Julian and Evangeline are about to go to bed. You know the scene?”
“Oh yes, I know the one.” She grinned.
She exhaled, turned toward me, and ran her hand along my jaw.
I looked at her quizzically. “What are you doing? This is only a read through.”
“I already know all the lines,” she whispered. “I thought I’d start with our connection. It is the most important part of the film.”
I withheld an eye roll, but God help me, I was already on edge about Becs.
“Quiet please,” the producer called. She hushed the crowd around us, already buzzing about the intimacy of the gesture.
Someone dimmed the lights and Rebecca began her lines.
***
The lunch break started closer to two. I rushed out of the room before Rebecca had a chance to corner me into splitting a turkey sandwich. Well, knowing her, it was likely to be half a salad.
I reached for my phone. Scott had called, and there were texts from Chelsea. Dammit, she was in the recording studio with Quinn until eight tonight. I ran my hands through my hair. Day one and we were already on opposite schedules.
I had to get her out here. There was no way I was going to make it three months without being with her.
I pushed open the exit door and inhaled the California air. At least I had an hour before I had to get back to the script reading. I was going to make the most of a beautiful day.
It had been awhile since I had been at the studios. The last movie I made was Wanted, and that had turned into a media circus. But I liked that we shot on location in New Orleans. Authentic locations were my favorite part of the movie process. I was able to sink into the role, feel the city, and breathe the same air as my character. It added to my transformation in a way that studio films just couldn’t. Love & Bondage could be filmed anywhere. The sets consisted of fancy penthouse apartments, offices, and a few out-on-the-town shots. There was nothing unusual about the setting, other than it had taken me back to Tinsel Town.
The movie executives had decided to keep the filming location a secret. The buzz around the movie was so intense that they were worried the cast would be mobbed anywhere else. A studio locale kept everyone under the watchful eye of the movie company.
I called Scott to touch base, checked my email, and sent Chelsea a few texts to let her know my schedule for the rest of the day. I hoped things were going well with Quinn. I picked up a sandwich from one of the stands at the studio entrance and inhaled it before heading back inside. I needed to call Tom, my trainer, and fly him out for some workouts. If the scenes I had read were any indication of what was ahead of me, I only had a few weeks to get in bedroom shape.
I knew there had never been any complaints and my football physique was still intact. But there was something different about getting ready to be seen almost completely naked by millions of people. I would have to watch my diet, cut back on the beer, and start running every morning. Tom could help with the rest.
I walked to the reading room, ready to start the second half of the readings for the afternoon. The door opened and Rebecca was sitting at the table, two glasses of water in front of her. I shook my head. There was no arguing, she was giving the best performance of her life.
***
The air was cool against my chest. One of the crewmembers spritzed me with water along my back. I felt the droplets collect against my spine. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could stay propped up like this. Yesterday I had lifted more than I had in six months, and my shoulders were killing me. Tom had been relentless about keeping me in shape. Not to mention the grueling lecture on my summer beer consumption. It seemed as if he enjoyed teaching me a lesson.
I had been on the set for two weeks, and it still didn’t feel natural. I was resistant to Jule’s character.
“Is this really necessary?” I was already tired of everyone pawing at me. Someone else was adjusting the sheet around my waist, draping it just below my hipbone. I felt more exposed.
“Oh, Ben, why are you making such a fuss? I’m the one they are going to see topless.” Becs giggled underneath me, her blond hair splayed along red satin pillows.
“Glad you think it’s all funny.” I waited while my hair was ruffled.
“I can do that, honey.” Rebecca spoke to the girl messing with my hair, dismissing her on the spot. She reached up and let her fingers tousle through it. “You look good with this sexed up look. But I would have oiled you some, not just watered you down.”
“Becs, this is getting crazy.” We had been in this position for at least fifteen minutes, waiting to start the first sex scene of the movie. We had already been through all of the office scenes. It was time to hit the bedroom.
“Why? Because we’re in bed with fifty people watching?” She smiled slyly. “Just pretend it’s us in Cabo.” She squirmed underneath me. I inhaled sharply as I felt her leg brush against mine. “You do remember Cabo, don’t you?”
I hung my head. “Of course I remember that weekend.” I quickly brought my eyes back to hers. I was determined not to check out her perfectly perky breasts.
“Then why can’t you act like it’s that weekend? You and me—a few margaritas. I don’t think we ever left the room, did we? There was no reason to leave.” I was worried her leg had started to move more intentionally.
“You know why we can’t go there.” I tried to roll to the side. But if I did, I would take the sheet and everyone would see just how naked Rebecca was. The gentleman in me couldn’t do that to her.
Her eyes raked over my chest. “You don’t think we’re already back there?”
“This is work.” I huffed. “It’s different.”
“I don’t think you and I can ever be different,” she whispered.
Before I could argue about why Cabo was in the past, the lights around us dimmed and a boom mic lowered over our heads.
“Action!” Art Hampton called. “Wait! Where are the handcuffs? I don’t see them or the vibrator on the nightstand. Come on, people. The first scene in the bedroom and you forget the props?”
As usual, Art was fuming at his crew. If nothing else, the director was a perfectionist.
In an instant, an array of sex toys was deposited next to us. I tried to look at them as if they were my usual props like a gun or a high-tech spy watch, not something that was intended to make my co-star writhe in pleasure.
“Now, action!”
I tried to clear my head. This was not Rebecca under him. It was Evangeline and I was Julian. I stared into her eyes and started my lines. Only this time Becs was moaning. Her chest was heaving. She wrapped her leg around my waist.
By the time the scene wrapped, I was exhausted. I didn’t want to admit it was from fighting back physical sensations that kept surfacing. A crew girl brought white terry cloth robes so Rebecca and I could make it back to our trailers completely covered. It was enough that everyone had just seen me handcuff her and lick every part of her body.
I slumped on the couch in my trailer. That was just the beginning, scene one. What had I done by agreeing to this movie? I opened a bottle of water and chugged it.
My phone rang on the table and I picked it up.
“Hey, darlin’.”
“Hey, you. How’s it going? I can’t believe I caught you.” Chelsea sounded happy. “I never get you on the phone in the middle of the day.”
“Yeah, we just wrapped up a scene, and I’m taking a break. Maybe a nap.” I looked at the couch, knowing my legs would dangle over the end but not caring.
“I have some news.”
“What’s going on?” Her calls were my favorite part of the day. They didn’t happen nearly enough. Some days I was lucky if we answered texts within an hour of each other.
“Quinn’s going out on the road for a spontaneous mini-tour. We just finished five more songs, so she thought I should take some time off.”
“Really? That’s great.” I was off the couch, suddenly feeling energized.
“Yeah, so can I come out there? I don’t think I can go another day, Ben.”
Her words pierced my chest. “Of course you can. I’ll call Bud right now and have him get the jet ready, and you can be out here tonight. Does that work?”
“Yes. I’m already packed.”
I chuckled. She had already predicted my reaction. “I don’t know how long I’ll be on set tonight, but I’ll make sure you can get into my suite.” The schedule on this movie was never reliable. Some nights we were working until after midnight.
“Ok, don’t worry about me. I’m so excited that I doubt I’ll be able to sleep. I’ll stay up as long as it takes.”
“Sounds good, darlin’. I’ll text you when I get everything set up.”
“I can’t believe I get to wake up with you in the morning.” It came out as a sigh, and I couldn’t think of a more beautiful sound.
“Me too, baby. All right, let me go so I can get you out here. My breaks don’t last forever.”
“Right. See you tonight.”
“Bye.”
I hung up and started making the calls that would bring Chelsea to me. I had waited two weeks for this.