Chapter Four
At nearly one o’clock in the afternoon, Seth was exhausted and grumpy as fuck. He’d been busting ass on set pieces since he first saw the scripts at six-thirty that morning, not even stopping to eat breakfast with the cast and crew. He couldn’t spare the break, but more importantly, he was certain if he saw Heather, his focus would be shattered.
Not that his focus was any good having not seen her. He’d been working with a semi all morning. Every time he reached for his tools, every time he drove in a screw, he couldn’t help but remember his interaction with her the night before. She’d looked so damn sexy with her scarlet red nail polished fingers clutching his drill. How gorgeous her hands would look wrapped around his cock.
His dick leapt just thinking about it.
But her attitude was still not worth it, he reminded himself. There were enough beautiful women in the world. Why he was so hard-up over such a bitch was beyond him.
Seth wiped a layer of sweat off his brow with the back of his arm and placed his sander on the ground. He removed his safety glasses and gloves, then ran his hand across the arm of the wooden deck chair he’d just finished. It was smooth enough. As smooth as it was going to get with no time to varnish, anyway.
His ears perked at the bustle of changing casts on the stage next door. Each of the six shows had only one precious hour onstage, the rest of their rehearsals taking place in outlying rooms, and he’d tried to complete construction for each show as they arrived on stage. The deck chair was for the play scheduled to rehearse now—Heather’s show. He’d likely see her when he delivered it.
He took a deep breath and hefted the chair over his shoulder to carry it out to the stage. One step onto the wing, though, and he nearly dropped the piece. He’d known he’d encounter the bombshell, but there was no way he could have prepared himself for the sight that met him.
Heather, apparently not yet needed onstage, was practicing in the wings. On her knees. Wearing nothing but a skimpy yellow polka-dot bikini. Straddling the drill. His drill.
Fuck, if she wasn’t every man’s wet dream come to life.
His cock instantly grew from semi to raging.
Realizing she hadn’t noticed him, he adjusted the chair on his shoulder and continued his task. Instead of going around the actress in his pathway, he stepped over her with one long stride.
Yeah, he was asking for trouble. Somehow he couldn’t resist trouble when it took the form of Heather Wainwright.
“Hey!” she screeched as he passed.
Ignoring her, he walked onto the stage and set down the deck chair near the back, careful not to disturb the actors rehearsing.
“Damn, Seth!” Mardi, the director of Heather’s play, exclaimed from the audience. “That’s perfect! Thanks!”
He smiled and nodded toward her.
“Let’s start from the top now that we have the real chair,” Mardi said to her performers as Seth returned back to the wing. Back to Heather.
Again, he didn’t alter his path, but stepped over the actress in one stride.
“Do you mind?”
He turned back to face her. “I should be asking you the same thing. You’re in my space, after all.”
“This is not your space. This is the wing. Where actors wait for their entrances.”
“By all means. Go back to your waiting. Don’t mind me.”
She glared a delicious glare that caused his cock to pulse. Then she lowered her head and returned to practicing with the drill.
He folded his arms and leaned against the wall to watch her. She recited her lines quietly so he couldn’t quite make out what she was saying, but from her actions, he understood the gist. Heather’s character was attempting to drill into the sand at the beach. For what reason, he could only imagine, though he could tell the bit would be funny as she struggled, with the heavy drill, straddling it to get a better grasp.
It would also be goddamn sexy as hell. Just ask the straining bulge in his pants.
He let out a laugh, disgusted with his body’s reaction.
“What?” Heather’s head snapped toward him.
“None of your beeswax.” He’d be damned if he let her know what she did to him.
“Then can you give me some space here? Remember you’re supposed to leave me alone.”
“You started talking to me first, princess.” He stepped toward her. “And this is my territory.”
She dropped the drill and stood. “Stop calling me that!”
“What? Princess?” He felt the smirk on his face. “I just call things as I see them. Sorry if it hits too close to home.”
Her brown eyes widened. “Why are you such an asshole?”
“Why are you such a bitch?” A bitch with fuckably pouty lips and soft, luscious curves.
“I’m only responding to my environment. You’re so mean to me. What did I ever do to you?”
What did he do to her? He almost laughed out loud. As if she was completely innocent in their feud.
He couldn’t take it anymore. Forget keeping his reaction to her a secret. She asked and he was so turned on by her that his body moved of its own accord. Grabbing her by the waist, he pushed her into the wall behind them and pressed full against her. Damn, she felt better than he could have ever imagined. Her full breasts rose and fell with her heavy breaths, her nipples standing through the flimsy material of her suit, begging him for attention, begging him for more contact.
“That’s what you do to me, princess.” He nearly growled the words as he ground his erection into her pelvis.
She drew in a sharp breath, such a sexy sound he nearly exploded.
His brain screamed at him to stop. He shouldn’t be doing this, shouldn’t be touching her. Not just because she was a snotty bitch, but because of their roles in the showcase. His behavior was incredibly inappropriate.
But he couldn’t help himself. When he registered the desire that mirrored his in her eyes, he couldn’t stop himself from leaning in to take her plump lower lip between his teeth, nibbling softly before thrusting his tongue into her lush mouth.
He’d barely gotten to taste her, to lose himself in the wonder of her warm lips, before her palms landed on his chest and shoved. Hard.
Her delicate stature was no match for his muscled frame, but he pulled away, as horribly painful as it was to do so.
She slapped him.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Her eyes were dark with fury.
Well, he deserved that.
He brought his hand up to rub the sting from his cheek but was startled from the action when Heather grabbed fistfuls of his T-shirt and pulled him back to her. Back to her sweet mouth.
He was so astonished that it took him half a beat to react to the rough sweep of her tongue. Then he did react, with plunging strokes of his own, sucking her lip deep into his mouth, his fingers winding tightly into her ponytail. He couldn’t get close enough to her, couldn’t get deep enough inside her.
Her fingers dug into his chest as he pushed closer, and he groaned. She met it with a low, needy moan, the sound vibrating through Seth so completely he could feel it in his balls. He increased the depth of the kiss, stealing her breath until they were both panting as his hand circled her plump breast and squeezed. She cried out softly against his lips, spurring him on, driving him further into her embrace.
He pulled the cup of her bikini down to expose her nipple and lowered his head to take it into his mouth. He bit and sucked, letting out the aggression he’d felt toward her over the past two days. He was rough and abrasive and from the sweet gasps that escaped her mouth, she loved it.
Damn, could she be any sexier?
Pure lust enveloped him and he knew nothing could tear him from her—not her attitude, not his past experience with Erica, not his conscience telling him he knew better. Nothing.
Except the sound of her name being called from the stage behind them.
“Goddammit,” she hissed, pulling up her swimsuit. She brushed past him, not giving him a second look as she retrieved the drill and headed toward the stage.
Whether she’d been pissed about their encounter, about missing her cue, or about being interrupted he didn’t know. What he did know was that the snotty princess had gotten under his skin. Big time.
Yep. Goddammit was right.
Heather went through the rest of rehearsal on autopilot. If she let herself think at all her mind would journey right back to the heated moment backstage with Seth—the brusque way he’d thrown her to the wall, his rough mouth on her breast, his cock pressed hard against her. And those thoughts were not ones she could grapple with easily.
Particularly difficult to digest was her reaction to him—she’d wanted him so damn much. More than she’d wanted a man in a long while. His lips on her had ignited such an intense blaze of wet desire, she was certain everyone could tell through her skimpy bikini bottoms. She would have given him all of her if they hadn’t been interrupted.
Thank God they were interrupted.
Because what she would have done and what she should have done were so not the same. Even if she could get over all that he was and represented in her life, she still detested the man. Why she was so turned on by someone so insolent and mean was a question for her therapist and she had no appointments set for the near future.
Lunch followed her cast’s stage time, bringing relief. The concentration it had taken to remain in character had given her a headache which she hoped food and downtime would ease.
But, having her mind free of lines and blocking, she now had to face what had occurred with Seth. It weighed on her as she made herself a plate from the catered buffet and then looked for a place to sit among the tables the crew had set up in the docking area.
Seth’s work area.
Just being among his tools and unfinished set pieces made her heartbeat pick-up. Where was he, anyway? She pretended not to look for him as she navigated her way to a table of actors and sat down.
Only half aware of her peers’ conversation as they commented and compared their scripts and rehearsals, Heather said little, focusing instead on chewing and swallowing her fruit salad. Those were appropriate things to do with her mouth. Not kissing and nibbling and licking the salty skin of the tasty carpenter.
She went hot, thinking again about Seth’s demanding mouth.
As if summoned by her thoughts, he was standing in the doorway when she glanced up. Their eyes locked and her blush increased. Jesus, just seeing him across the room turned her on.
And the gleam in his eyes said he knew exactly what he did to her.
Dammit.
She had to squash this now. She closed her eyes to break the contact. When she opened them again, he was at the buffet table. Alone. Now was her chance.
She stood and pulled down the cover-up she had donned over her bikini costume.
“Finished already?” Matt asked.
“No, I just want some more…” She looked down at her barely eaten food. “A bottle of water.” Yeah, that was good. “I’ll be right back.”
She hurried over to the buffet and stepped as close to Seth as she dared. Even inches away, she felt heat emanating from him, causing her hairs to stand on end. She reached past him for a roll she wouldn’t be caught dead eating—refined carbs…not a chance—and ignored the way her nipples perked up at the brush of her arm against his. Leaning into him, she lowered her voice and said, “Before never happened, okay?”
Seth didn’t look at her. Didn’t even acknowledge her.
He moved farther down the buffet table. She put the roll back and scooted after him. “Did you hear me?” she asked a little louder this time.
He lifted his head up. “Are you talking to me? Cast and crew aren’t supposed to fraternize.”
“No, the crew isn’t supposed to…” Oh. He was mocking her. She narrowed her eyes. Of course he wouldn’t make this easy. Irritation ran through her veins which, oddly enough, increased the ache of desire in her lower belly. “God, you never quit, do you? Such an asshole.”
“You keep saying that. But you also plunged your tongue into my mouth. You know how they say actions speak louder than words—”
Mouth gaping, she pulled at his arm and dragged him through the doorway and around the corner to the security area.
His lips curled up in a half-smile. “What? Round two already?”
“Keep it down!”
The smile disappeared. “I see. You’re worried about your precious reputation. Whatever, princess. Stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours.”
He turned to leave.
“Wait.” The request was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
“What?”
She peered at the open door to the loading dock behind him. They weren’t really hidden from the cast and crew, but she wanted—scratch that—she needed to have this conversation. She stepped around an outcrop by the exit and gestured for Seth to follow.
With a sigh, Seth set his plate of food down on the desk and joined her in the nook. He leaned his arm against the wall, trapping her in the small space. “What?” he asked again.
She was dizzy with his smell, a combination of fragrant wood shavings and sweat and soap. She had to force herself to focus. “You plunged your tongue into my mouth first.”
“A mistake I won’t be making again.” But his eyes lowered to her lips.
She was perplexed by his words which contrasted so starkly with the hunger in his eyes. Did he feel as much conflict about her as she did about him? And if so, why? No way to know unless she asked. “Why did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Kiss me.”
He took a step toward her. “Are you asking me to kiss you?”
She stepped back, shaking her head. “No.”
Another step forward. “Are you sure?”
“No.” Another step back.
Seth grinned.
“I mean, yes, I’m sure. You’re confusing me. I’m asking why you kissed me.”
“Are you suggesting that you didn’t kiss me?”
“Oh my God.” She was against the wall now. She couldn’t retreat any farther. “Talking to you is impossible.”
He took a final step, closing the last amount of distance between them. He was so close that it would take no effort to reach up and claim his lips. Again. “Then maybe we shouldn’t be talking.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not interested.” But her voice was shaky, his accusation so right on she couldn’t lie about it. World famous actress that she was, she couldn’t give one simple line. Pathetic.
She wanted to look away from his piercing gaze, but with him so near, there was nowhere else to look. “Are we done here? Because I need to finish my lunch.”
He chuckled, a sound full of incredulity, but God, didn’t it stir something in her core. “You pulled me back here, remember?” He leaned toward her and she pressed her palms against the wall behind her for support. How did he keep getting her trapped like this? And why did she go crazy with the anticipation of what she hoped he’d do next?
But he didn’t kiss her, just kept his face inches from hers. “I’m done if you are.”
“Good. I am.” She waited for him to move out of her way. When he didn’t, she said, “Excuse me.”
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“I kissed you for the same reason you kissed me.”
She had kissed him because she couldn’t not kiss him. His pass at her had been startling and improper, but it also awakened her to the depths of hunger she felt for him. Compelled her to seek more. Even now she wanted more.
Still, her brain tried to protest. “Well, it never happened.”
“Fine. Do we have to pretend this time never happened either?”
Before she could fully register what his words meant, his mouth crashed against hers. Her lips parted and instantly his tongue was inside, swiping across her teeth, before dueling with her own tongue with thick, luscious strokes. His kiss was deep and demanding, washing her with waves of lust and need and relief. Such relief.
He pressed his body tighter against her and her hands flew around him, digging into his back to steady her weakening knees. As if he understood her sudden inability to stand, Seth tugged at her thigh, urging it up and around him. She wrapped one leg around him and then his hands were at her ass, holding her so she could wrap the other around him as well, the short cover-up crawling up to her hips.
In this position, she could feel his erection ridge across her crotch—so near to her throbbing center, yet so far. She squirmed against him, trying desperately to relieve the ache, not able to get the friction she needed with her bikini bottom and his damn jeans in the way.
Seth met her fidgeting with a firm thrust as he bit down the side of her neck. In some far away recess of her mind, she remembered how hard it was to cover hickeys with make-up while another recess reminded her that stage make-up hid more than film make-up, and the most dominant part of her mind said, “Who the fuck cares?” She wanted him to suck her and bite her and pinch at her skin until he’d marked her completely. Until he’d demonstrated his desire on every inch of her.
Using the wall to leverage her body, Seth removed a hand from her ass and untied the shoulder strings of her cover-up. It fell, bunching between them at her waist. Then he pulled at the string behind her neck, releasing her breasts from captivity. She was proud of her breasts—they were one hundred percent real and amazingly firm. Not that she wouldn’t get surgery the minute they began to fall, but so far they’d held.
And from the look on Seth’s face, he appreciated how well they’d held. He leaned back to gaze at them, a wicked smile sliding into place. After what seemed like an eternity, he bent to lick first one nipple then the other. Then he leaned back again and blew a stream of air across them, seeming to admire how they puckered even more tightly.
Heather moaned, needy for action, not his eyes.
He understood, returning his mouth to her breast, he sucked her taut bud into his warmth, and lowered his hand to the place where she needed him most, pressing his thumb through her suit into her aching clit.
“Fuck, yes!” she growled.
This was happening. She was in Seth’s arms, in his mouth, and she didn’t care anymore who he was or where he came from. Only cared about where he was going and whether or not he’d take her with him.
Except, there was just one thing that niggled at her. One thing that kept her from giving herself over to him completely. “So,” she panted near his ear, “then you do like me?”
It was ridiculous to ask, but it mattered to her in an insane way. Almost as intensely as she needed him inside her, she needed his approval, his understanding. His acceptance of her perma-bitch attitude with him.
He closed his teeth around her nipple and bit hard. She yipped at the wonderful mixture of pleasure and pain. When he let go, he pulled away and looked her in the eyes. “Are you still embarrassed by me?”
One word and he’d take her. She knew it, could feel it in her bones.
But just as she had no understanding of why she needed his acceptance, she understood that he needed hers.
And she couldn’t give it to him. She answered with silence.
“That’s what I thought.”
Her cover-up fell to the ground as he lowered her, gently helping her stand without him. Too gently. Already Heather missed his forcefulness.
“No, princess.” He found the strings of her bikini, pulled the suit up over her breasts and tied it around her neck. “I don’t like you. I’m disgusted with myself for being so stupidly attracted to you.”
His words hurt like a van smashing into her. But she understood far too well. “You can’t possibly be as disgusted as I am.”
He laughed. “I’m sure that’s true. Thank you for reminding me.” He shook his head and she could see in his eyes a self-loathing that mirrored what she felt inside. “I’ll go out first so you can pretend this whole mistake never happened.”
But as she watched him leave, she knew she couldn’t forget. Not just because he’d left her horny and yearning and blue-clitted, but because their interaction revealed so many things about herself she didn’t want to deal with.
She retrieved her cover-up from the floor and slipped it over her head, wishing the cotton material could cover up more than just her near-naked body. She wished it could cover up Seth’s bite marks and her flushed face and her trailer park past and her pathetic excuse for a soul that never let her move anywhere beyond white trash.