6
ALISON
I did not become a casting agent to babysit actors. That was the director’s job. That was why they got paid the big bucks. It wasn’t all uncomfortable seats and yelling ‘Cut’. It was dealing with egos and attitudes and nobodies thinking they could delay production simply because they got to see their faces on a big screen.
I wasn't getting any sort of compensation for following Jack Steele around on set... aside from being able to watch him every day. Perks, however, were no good to me unless they were green and featured several old dead white men. Sarah told me I was looking at things the wrong way, but staring at Jack's ass six days a week wasn't paying my student loans any faster.
"You've become a corporate sellout." She raised her eyebrows at me while turning one of the extra's board-straight hair into a mountain of ringlet curls. "There is more to life than a mountain of money."
"Like what?"
"Like a mountain of really sexy dick."
The extra giggled enough for the both of us, so I could pretend to be offended. "Who said anything about getting dick?"
"Well, not yet maybe."
I rolled my eyes. "Can you remember where we are right now? This is work, you ass."
"I'm just saying." Sarah danced her way around the chair. "Everyone's been talking about how lucky you are to keep him by your side."
"He's not my toddler. I just have to make sure he comes to work and doesn't make a mess."
It was quiet for just a minute, and then the extra chimed in. "Do you also make sure he takes his naps?"
Sarah dissolved into a pile of giggles and high-fived her. "Nailed it!"
I conceded a small smile, enough to show I had a sense of humor, and then checked my watch. "You guys suck. And as much as I love to stand around here and talk about one of our employees...."
"I wonder what his muscles feel like." The extra chimed in, ignoring me. "I've never seen someone built like him before. I didn't think those people really existed."
"Girl, have you never seen Dwayne Johnson? Oh, they exist."
"Did you ever work with him?" Her eyes were wide. "Did you get to touch him?"
I laughed for real. "Oh my god. All you actors are the same. It feels like skin, sweetheart. He is a real person, not a demi-god."
"Debatable." Sarah winked at me. "I'll be sure to mention that the next time I catch you checking out his ass."
Extra Girl high-fived her.
"Whatever. I need to go."
"Tell little Jack-Jack it's time to go night-night!" Sarah called after me. "Don't forget his blankie!"
I raised both hands and flipped her off until I rounded a corner and disappeared from sight. Her laughter followed me all the way down the hall. The whole thing, truly, felt ridiculous. Babysitting a grown man? No matter how hot he was. Technically, my job here was done. I should be packing up the office, moving on to another gig, another client. There were background checks to run and tapes to sort through. Already, the head of the studio was emailing me about an animated movie they just signed. That almost always meant working with the BIG names in Hollywood, which was a double-edged sword. Working with the A-listers? Awesome...until their egos came into play.
Speaking of egos. Music pumped out of Jack’s trailer—trendy country music about girls and booze and full of what had to be an artificial twang. I shuddered a bit before knocking. Country music and I didn’t jive. Also, that accent was totally fake. No one talked like that in real life. No one.
I knocked three times before trying the handle. It was time for his morning check-in and I had a list of other things that I needed to do for the studio that didn’t involve this movie. Also, maybe I didn’t really need to check in on him so much as maybe I wanted to see him, because it wasn’t an issue until he was late for filming but whatever, shut up, get off my case, brain.
“Come in!” As he yelled, the music dropped about eighty decibels. Thank god.
“Hey Jack. Just wanted to—” The words froze in my throat.
Jack was pacing around his trailer, script in hand. Working. Reading lines. He had that whole ‘I’m concentrating very hard’ look about him that should have been very reassuring to see. Except….
He was stark naked. Naked as a newborn baby. Pacing his trailer with no clothes on.
And oh my god, those rumors about his dick? Pretty accurate. And he wasn’t even, you know…..hard.
“I’m so sorry!” I managed, trying to force my eyes up past his waistline. Was it hot in here? I was suddenly so warm. “I didn’t…you said….”
“No need to apologize. I let you in.” I could hear the glee in Jack’s voice.
I needed to stop looking at his dick. Right now. Okay, right now. “Why did you invite me in if you were…not dressed?”
“It’s just a body.” He grinned slyly at me when I was finally able to look at his face. “Nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Y-you…. If I was...” I closed my eyes tight and tried to focus. “Jack, this could be a huge sexual harassment issue…”
“It’s my trailer.”
“You invited me in.”
“You knocked. I said I was naked.”
I paused, trying to rewind what just happened in my mind, but I couldn’t seem to unstick the tape past the part when I discovered him naked. “Did you?”
“Yep.”
“I… okay.” I cracked my eyes open and kept them on his collarbone. I couldn’t even look him in the eye. He was absolutely delicious everywhere. Muscles stacked on muscles, a dick that could give any dildo some serious envy…. I’d slap myself right now if this wasn’t already insanely embarrassing. “Well, do you need anything? Someone to help run lines?”
There was that sly smile again, floating in my periphery. He sauntered toward me and I fumbled for the door but couldn’t find the handle. “I think there’s maybe something you could help with. Maybe something you want to help with. There’s been so much stress lately with how fast I landed the role, and all the press jumping everywhere. I’ve seen it on your face too.” He gently took my hand and pulled it down.
Horror flashed through my mind. He was going to make me touch his dick. He thought he could just fuck me because… because what? Because he was Jack Steele? He thought he could have whatever the fuck he wanted?
I ripped my hand out of his and shoved him back. “Remember what I said about sexual harassment, Jack? This isn’t a club. This is a workplace. I suggest you get on some goddamned clothes and get your shit together. You have to be on set in forty-five minutes.”
I found the doorknob and marched right out, shaking. I knew the rumors about Jack, so why was I so surprised? This was exactly the kind of bullshit people like him pulled. That I was even moderately interested in him made me sick to my stomach. How dare he?
My feet took me straight to Denver’s office before I realized it. I should tell him. This kind of bullshit couldn’t continue going on. It was rampant on every set but I was not going to be known as the girl who slept with the people she cast. I’d get blacklisted so fast.
Then again, if I did…. What would happen? Would they fire Jack? Would this turn into an I told you so scenario? Gerald would never shut up about it.
I took a deep breath and walked back to my office. Maybe there was a misunderstanding. Maybe because of the kiss during the audition, or maybe he could smell my crush like a perfume, and thought I’d be willing to fuck him just because of who he was. The atmosphere in Hollywood wasn’t exactly…friendly.
Things would just be strictly professional from now on. I would make sure Jack was on set when he was supposed to be, check in on occasion to make sure he hadn’t destroyed anything, and that was it. I’d worked too hard to have my career go down the toilet.