Chapter Seventeen
After that night, and the conversation they’d had, Ashleigh made some efforts to distance herself from Rico. Now that she’d learnt the truth, she wasn’t going to allow herself to fall any deeper than she already had, otherwise she knew she’d only end up getting hurt again. She continued to see him casually, but she definitely stepped back from the intensity of their regular meet-ups, and over the next two and a half weeks, they only went out for dinner twice, and hadn’t slept together anymore, Ashleigh saying she was tired both times.
The truth was, she missed the sex, and would have wanted more of it, but she was too scared about her growing feelings for this man, and was trying her best to keep it casual. That was what he wanted. That was what she wanted too. She kept telling herself that and hoped it would become more of a reality.
She threw herself into a work and spoke to a lot more people on the set about their different jobs, learning everything she could about the film industry while simultaneously trying to prepare for her audition, which was coming up very soon. She was nervous about it, and the last time she and Rico had grabbed a bite to eat together, she’d confessed as much to him.
Now, with the audition only four days away, and looming on her mind, Rico knocked on her office door and popped his head in, grinning at her with his set of sparkling pearly whites. She was preparing some more amendments to scripts that were to be sent out to actors at the end of the day, and was a little snowed under with it all, several lines and scenes having been rewritten literally overnight.
“Hey, how’s it going?”
She looked up and returned the smile. “Not bad. Busy.”
“You still freaking out about that audition?”
She stopped what she was doing a moment and sat back. “Little bit, yeah.”
“I was wondering if you wanted to like…run lines or…sing your piece for me, and I could give you some pointers or try and help you with your nerves,” he offered gently, then shrugged. “I mean…if you want to. If you think it might help. No pressure.”
She smiled slightly. It was actually really nice of him to offer, and it probably would help, considering he was such an experienced actor. He’d probably nailed hundreds of auditions in his time. He was an expert.
“Actually…I’d like that. Thank you.”
“Great. Well just…gimme a ring later or whatever, and we’ll sort something out.”
So she did.
And after work that night, he came around to her hotel, the two of them squeezed into her small room. It was cosy, but pleasant. The window was open and the excited hum of the city could be heard, and they’d ordered room service so they could have a bite to eat and something to drink while they went through the lines together.
Then it came to the song.
Ashleigh stood up to perform it. She knew Rico had heard her voice before, so she wasn’t totally nervous about it, but that had been by accident, when she’d been singing in the shower. It was a different matter to stand up in front of him and belt it out so she was a little shy at first, but then she closed her eyes and allowed herself to get into it, swaying slightly to the lilt of her own voice and concentrating on the lyrics and the meaning behind them, the soul and passion really emerging as she delivered quite the performance.
When she opened her eyes again, she noticed Rico was staring up at her from his position on the bed with his mouth hanging open in awe, his eyes sparkling, looking at her as if he was totally in love.
Although maybe that was just her imagination.
Probably.
“That was…that was incredible,” he whispered, smiling at her. “Wow…you really took my breath away.”
“Oh come on,” she rolled her eyes a bit and picked up her glass of wine, taking a sip. A few weeks ago, when they’d first met, she might have blushed at his compliments, but now she was more used to them, and she knew they probably meant nothing anyway. They were just his little flirtatious way of getting the girl. She’d come to accept that, or at least, she was trying to.
“I’m serious, it really was,” Rico insisted, patting the space on the bed next to her.
She went over to sit down.
“You’ve got a really great voice.”
“Thank you,” she smiled.
“And honestly, that was perfect. I can’t really think of any suggestions or improvements.”
“You’re just saying that to try and get me into bed, Rico Fernandez,” she teased with a smile, lightly slapping him on the arm.
“I’m not, I promise,” he smiled, then it turned into a little smirk and he winked at her. “Although actually, that’s not a bad idea.”
And at that, he leaned in, coming in for a kiss, or at least, what he hoped would be a kiss.
This time, she didn’t let him.
She pulled back and turned her head away, taking another sip of wine and standing up again.
Rico looked at her, a slightly dejected expression on his face, mingled with surprise. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I’m not like the other girls, Rico…” she began.
“I know you’re not.”
Maybe it was because she was a little drunk. Maybe it was because his admission that he wasn’t into commitment had gotten to her more than she’d care to admit. Maybe she was just nervous about the audition and it was testing her patience. But whatever it was, she wasn’t in the mood for his games tonight and she felt like telling him straight.
“I want more than what you can give me,” she admitted for the first time out loud, both to him and to herself. The truth of it was oddly liberating, and it allowed her to continue. “And I’ve been with guys in the past who have hurt me. I’m not ready for that again. I think you should leave.”
And with that, she pointed one arm slightly towards the door.
Rico eyes were blown wide. He looked pretty shocked by everything she’d said but, to her surprise, he didn’t attempt to argue back or make excuses.
He pursed his lips slowly, nodded, then stood up.
“Alright.” He gave her a small smile and finished off his wine. “Well uh…I’ll see you at work,” he said finally, before making his way out. “Have a good night,” were his last words before he gently closed her bedroom door behind him and left.
She immediately felt a little bit bad. Had she been too harsh on him? Well, it was too late now. Perhaps it was for the best. They needed to keep their distance from each other a bit more; not get too attached.