Chapter Nine
Seth read the text message one more time before putting his phone back in his pocket. “Come to my trailer. H.” Well, at least she’d finally used his number. But after avoiding him for nearly ten days now, it seemed a like a whole lot of too little too late.
Of course, he wasn’t exactly innocent himself. He hadn’t been honest with her about who he was. He couldn’t pretend he didn’t feel just a little bit guilty. He had planned on telling her—almost did when he walked into her trailer. Then she’d been so worked up accusing him of stalking her and thinking she was pregnant and then they’d…well, he just didn’t get the chance.
“Something important?” Natalia asked, her silky smooth voice drawing him from his thoughts.
“Nah. It can wait.” For a moment, he’d forgotten what he’d been doing before he received Heather’s text—namely, flirting with Natalia. He wasn’t into her, but she seemed to be into him. It occupied his time on set, kept him from thinking about the actress he really wanted to be flirting with. So what was the harm?
“Then they’ll just put the fake glass in here?”
“What? Yeah.” But now his head was wrapped three ways around Heather and her message and he was stuck in the middle of showing Nat how he planned to attach the trick window that the stunt-double would crash through the next day. As if Nat cared about the process. She simply wanted to be near him—he wasn’t a dummy. He just wasn’t interested in sweet and nice and dyed blonde hair and fake, though attractive, breasts. He wanted the sassy authenticity that was all Heather.
Dammit.
Not that he was going to run off to Heather’s trailer just because she summoned him. In fact, it was probably a good thing that Nat was there at the moment because otherwise he might very well be tempted to do just that. And he was too pissed about his last interaction with Heather and the empty days that had followed to go running to her so quickly.
Except it sure did pique his curiosity. What was Heather up to? Whatever it was that she wanted, thoughts of her trailer had him stiff in the pants with memories of his last visit. She’d been so wet for him, giving over to his commands with little hesitation, relenting to her own desires. She was so incredibly beautiful when she let herself go.
But he was beginning to doubt he’d ever see that again. That one time had proven too much for her. Good thing he still enjoyed building sets. He’d taken the job to be close to her, but except for that first day, the plan had backfired. It was a small cast and crew, but that woman knew how to stay out of sight when she wanted. When she wasn’t filming, she made herself scarce, and he hadn’t ventured to the actors’ trailers. He wasn’t going out of his way to find her again. Yeah, he could play stubborn too.
Seth lifted his drill—the same drill he’d lent to Heather for the plays—and screwed the last section of the false window frame into its place on the back of the set, angling himself so Nat wouldn’t notice his semi. Wouldn’t that just bite if she assumed it was for her?
“How do they put a new piece of glass in? If the first take doesn’t work, I mean.” She had moved closer behind him, pressing up against him in a way that would drive him mad if it were another woman. The day’s shoot was over—didn’t Nat have something else she could be doing?
“It just slides into the grooves. Like the glass on a picture frame.”
“Oh wow. That’s handy.” Nat giggled.
A giggling girl. How did he get himself into this situation?
A throat cleared behind them and Nat jumped away. Seth took his time putting his drill into his tool belt, examining the secureness of his work. He needed those extra few seconds to wipe the gratitude for his reclaimed personal space off his face before he could look to see the source of the interruption.
But by then, Nat had already announced who it was. “Heather.”
At the mention of her name, Seth turned toward the actress he’d been longing to see. He drank her in like a tall whisky—her eyes blazing with fury, arms crossed over her chest causing her boobs to perk nicely over the edge of her blue tank top. Her legs—it seemed almost unnatural for anyone to rock white skinny jeans like she did. Almost.
God, she was adorable like that—like a feisty little kitten. No wonder Nat’s usually sweet tone had noted a hint of woman rivalry.
“You usually dart out of here after shoot,” Nat said next, twirling her hair around a finger, a habit that Seth guessed was subconscious. “Pretty much everyone else is gone. Whatcha doin’ around so late?”
The set was pretty deserted. He’d sent his own crew home twenty minutes ago, and the tech crew and other actors were long gone. Seth had stayed behind to make sure the set was ready for the next day. Nat, he assumed, had stayed to flirt with him. And Heather…had she also stayed for him?
His dick twitched at the idea.
Ignoring Nat, Heather kept her eyes fixed on Seth. “You were supposed to meet me.”
Seth let out a laugh. “I wasn’t supposed to do anything.” It was hilarious and infuriating the way she thought he’d jump at the snap of her fingers. But the jealousy he thought he saw behind her fury—that was hot. Definitely hot.
“My text said—”
He mirrored her stance. “I know what your text said. That didn’t mean I’d come running.”
Several long seconds passed as they tried to stare each other down. Or communicate silently. Or undress each other with their eyes. He wasn’t quite sure what the stand-off was supposed to accomplish, just that it felt good to finally be gazing at Heather again.
It would be better if they were alone.
Nat shuffled awkwardly next to him. There wasn’t any doubt she was the third wheel in the scenario. “I, uh, guess that’s all to the windows, isn’t it, Seth?” Her eyes lifted as if she were waiting for an invitation to stay.
But Seth wanted her gone. Did that make him a major asshole? He didn’t care if it did. All he cared about was the vixen in front of him.
“Maybe you can show me more, later?”
Another man would have thought it endearing that Nat kept trying. He wasn’t that man. “Yeah. Maybe later.” His eyes never left his target. Did Heather’s lip curl at his dismissal of her costar? Perhaps he should have made her sweat it a little, flirt more. Though he probably would have failed miserably at that. Heather was too much of a blissful distraction.
“See ya tomorrow,” Nat said on her way out.
“Uh huh.” That was the only acknowledgment Heather gave Nat. Except she did wait until Nat’s footsteps had faded into the distance before she lit into Seth. “You could have at least texted back that you were busy instead of leaving me waiting.”
He turned back to his work, pretending to do more on his already completed project. “I don’t respond to being summoned, princess.”
“I didn’t summon you.”
He raised a brow and glanced back at her. “‘Come to my trailer.’ That doesn’t sound like a summons to you?”
Heather’s bravado faltered only slightly. “Texting is about abbreviated conversation. That was the shortest I could manage. The shoot was over for the day, I figured you’d be free. What else did you have to do?”
“Now you’re assuming you know my schedule.” He gathered up remnants of his project and tossed it into the scrap bucket at his side, not able to look at her any longer without wanting to jump her. Maybe he was playing hard to get.
“Well, I certainly didn’t figure you’d be seducing the next available blonde.”
“Jealous much?”
“No. Just…”
That vulnerability she hid so well peeked through. He couldn’t help himself; he took a step toward her. “Just what?”
Insecurity bubbled up in the corners of her brown eyes. “How quickly you move on to another woman has an effect on my slut status.”
Was that what her hesitations were? Was she worried about being too promiscuous? “Heather, you are not a slut. Not in the least.”
“I don’t know how you can say that when we end up in a sexual position every time we’re together. Well, not now…”
“Not yet.”
“What?” The blush on her face said she heard him.
He took another step toward her, cocking his head. “Why did you summon me?”
“Not for what you’re thinking.”
He moved closer and she didn’t move away. “You sure about that?”
“Yes.”
Seth leaned an arm on the back of the set, close enough now to touch her. “Why don’t I believe you?”
“Because you’re presumptuous.”
“I’m presumptuous?”
Her hands fell to her sides as she let out a huff of air. “You’re so damn infuriating. All you do is repeat what I say with a question at the end of it. I asked you to come to my trailer to apologize, you asshole.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Wow. I wasn’t expecting that.” Wasn’t expecting that at all. It was an interesting development.
Her bottom lip caught between her teeth, drawing his focus to her mouth. What he wouldn’t give to have her lip between his teeth—or his lip between hers. He wasn’t particular.
Apologies led to lip biting, right? “What exactly were you going to apologize about? There are so many things that come to mind that you might be sorry for.”
“Touché.” A small smile settled on her mouth. “For my behavior after…you know.” She lowered her eyes and took a deep breath. When she raised her eyes again, her expression was soft. “I had a really nice time, but I didn’t act like it. I’m sorry.”
He nodded, watching as she wrung her hands together. She was nervous. Damn, but didn’t that turn him on even more. It almost made him not want to let her off the hook so easily. But, today anyway, he’d be the nice guy. “Thank you. Your apology is appreciated.”
“Thank you.” She licked her lips. “I mean, you’re welcome.” Her cheeks heated to a delicious shade of pink.
“So.” He grinned. It was killing him to not touch her, especially when she was so very near. But he held back, letting the tension pulse through his veins. “You had a nice time?”
“I did.” She wanted to touch him too, he could tell. Her hands still fidgeted at her sides, her eyes flitted back and forth from his eyes to his lips.
He lowered his mouth, his breath mingling with hers. “A really nice time?”
Her breathing was heavy. He couldn’t begin to explain what that did to him. “Yes, a really nice—”
Before she could finish talking, he’d covered her mouth with his. Their teeth clicked as his tongue slipped into claim her deeper, his hands circling around her waist to draw her closer. She responded by fisting his hair, pulling him to her with equal force, as though neither of them could get as close to each other as they desired. As though inside each other was the only acceptable place to be.
He’d missed this the last time—the kissing. He wasn’t soft or precious about his sex, but he did enjoy kissing. He’d wanted to kiss Heather then, had planned on kissing her fiercely before he embarked on round two. But round two never occurred because she’d somehow gotten mixed up in her head.
And this time, though he wanted to cherish it and enjoy the feel of her tongue gliding across his gums, wanted to suck on her bottom lip until it was raw, he couldn’t slow himself down. He needed the rest of her, needed to release the straining ache inside his jeans.
Either feeling the same need or sensing his urgency, Heather jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his hips. Surprised, he leaned back onto the set for support, shifting his hands to hold her ass. She tilted her hips up, stroking him with her crotch. Shit, it was so wonderful. So goddamned good.
She bucked again and this time he thrust up against her, reveling in the squeal she let out when he did. He thrust again, dry humping her as his mouth continued to explore hers. The way she rubbed against him in return—he wouldn’t be surprised if he creamed himself before he even got his cock out of his pants.
“Yes, yes, right there,” Heather said when he’d tried a new angle. “Right fucking th—”
“Everything okay?” A bright light shone in his face.
“What the fuck?” He brought one hand up to shield his eyes, letting Heather down in the process, and looked across the studio toward the source of the light.
Shit.
It was one of the security guards. Why he felt he had to shine his bright-ass flashlight in their faces was beyond Seth. It wasn’t like they were doing anything wrong. The set was already lit.
Heather turned away from the guard right away. Realizing she wouldn’t want to be caught in a compromising position—she did have fans that would run with the knowledge—Seth stepped in front of her, letting her hide behind him. “Hey, sorry,” he said to the guard. “I had a few things to finish up on the set. My friend was keeping me company. We both have clearance to be here.” He pulled his security clip off his belt and walked up to the guard to show him, hoping his badge would be enough to clear both of them.
The guard studied Seth’s badge then handed it back without saying a word.
“See? Everything’s fine.” Seth clipped his badge back on his belt. “Thanks for checking us out.”
The guard stared at him suspiciously, his eyes glancing down at Seth’s telltale erection. Then he shone the light back in Heather’s direction. “Ma’am? How about you? Everything okay?”
Was the guard concerned about a woman in distress or only that the woman might be a somebody? It had to be irritating to never know peoples’ intentions. Right now, the idea that the guard might just be after a scoop had Seth clenching his fists at his side.
Fortunately, Heather was used to it. Keeping her head down, she lowered her voice. “All good here.”
“Then may I suggest you keep it down in the future?” The guard turned off his flashlight and put it into its holster.
“We will. Thanks again.” Seth stayed where he was, watching as the guard left the studio. When he was sure they were alone again, he turned back to Heather.
They burst into laughter.
Heather snorted, wiping tears from her eyes. “Oh my God. That was awful.”
“Was it really?” Sure it had gotten his adrenaline pumping, but the encounter would certainly make the evening memorable. Not that he needed any help remembering anything where Heather was concerned.
“No, not really.” Her laughter settled into a wide grin.
“Come on.” Seth held out his hand for her. When she took it, he led her around the wall, farther behind the set. “We have more privacy here. In case he comes back.”
“Or we could go to my trailer.”
The thought of having to wait until they made it to her trailer made his balls throb. “We could,” he said reluctantly.
“Let’s not, though.”
“I like that plan better.” He tugged her back into his arms and started in on her neck with the same fervor they’d left off with, biting up to her earlobe.
Heather’s hands pressed against his chest, tracing the outline of his muscles through his shirt until she reached his waistline. There they worked at the fastening of his jeans. Then her palm was on him, circling his cock with a firm grip.
“Jesus, that’s so good.” At least that was what he meant to say. It came out more of a moan than intelligible speech.
She slid her hand down. Then back up. Then down one more time before he remembered.
“Shit, Heather, stop.” He pushed at her hands, trying—though not very hard—to extricate himself from her wonderful grasp. “I don’t have a condom. We have to stop.” He didn’t generally keep his wallet stocked. The only reason he’d had protection before had been in hopeful anticipation of getting inside Heather’s pants. Which had worked out better than he could have expected. Then when it hadn’t ended so hot…well, he hadn’t bothered to repack.
Now he was deeply regretting that.
Heather, however, didn’t bat an eye. “Not a problem,” she said. She placed a hot kiss on his chin, followed by another on his neck, then one at the skin just above his T-shirt. “I’ll take care of you,” she murmured, sinking to her knees.
Next thing he knew, her hands were replaced with her lips. Fuck, her warm mouth, sucking in his crown—he had to concentrate not to blow his load right there. She glided her hand up his stem as she took him in deeper, her hollowed cheeks touching him on all sides with each pass in and out, sending sparks of electricity through his body.
A part of him wanted to let her run the show. He had wondered if his controlling nature had been what had scared her off before. It gave him pause now—tempting him to hold back.
But that wasn’t who he was, and he couldn’t pretend that it was. He was already withholding so much of himself from her, not telling her why he was on her set, what he really did for a living. He didn’t want to lie about this too.
Plus, the look in her eyes when she let go—he knew she experienced her best pleasure when someone else was taking care of her.
His decision made, he gripped her head tightly with both hands, and he took over the tempo, speeding up. She grasped his thigh with her free hand, probably trying to get her balance, but when she tried to take her other hand off his cock, he stopped her. “No. Keep it there.” She replaced it, stroking up and down, meeting her mouth on each plunge. “Yeah, just like that.”
He held her in place as he fucked her mouth with abandon, thrusting so deeply he hit the back of her throat. And the sounds she made as he moved inside her… So. Fucking. Hot.
His release snuck up on him, but not too fast that he couldn’t warn her. “I’m about to come,” he managed through gritted teeth. “You need to decide how you want to handle that.” Not removing his hands from her head, he loosened his grip so that she could pull away if she didn’t want him coming in her mouth.
She didn’t move. Instead her eyes peered up at him and he knew then that she’d swallow. Not just that she’d swallow, but that she was looking forward to it. That was all it took to push him over the edge. With a final thrust, he pressed inside her, spilling his seed into her mouth with a groan.
She licked him clean, rocking with him until he was completely finished.
Man, but if she wasn’t the most amazing woman he’d met in years.
After tucking himself back into his jeans, he held his hand out to help Heather to a standing position. He kissed her deeply, like he’d been longing to, showing her his gratitude, his appreciation. His amazement at discovering the woman he thought he had totally figured out was actually so much more.