"Aaand cut!"
Ben, director extraordinaire, clapped and whistled me off the staged set. I gingerly took the silk wrap dress my manager handed me and spun myself tight in it. My naked flesh glistened with sweat underneath the wrap dress, so much that it instantly stained the soft fabric with its sticky wetness. Trailing closely behind me was Asher Donahue, the grinning brat.
"That was spectacular, Erika. Nothing better than authentic-looking sex on set. Great immersion. I'm sorry we had to shoot multiple times though"
No, you're not, you perverted prick. I was sure he just couldn't wait to get one of the assistant cinematographers in his trailer for a quickie after watching me turn it up on camera. I still couldn't bring myself to live with my sex scenes. That, if anything does about my career, was what haunted me persistently; the performance of on-screen coitus.
It didn't help that Asher was more than eager to rub onto my skin, literally.
I nodded absentmindedly at Ben and beelined for my trailer. My agent, Anna, shook her head at me from her chair, her eyes glazed in memory, I knew. She hadn't wanted to watch that, but it was a closed set and she needed to make sure I was okay. Blessed didn't begin to describe how godsent I felt with her there.
My fist clenched hard, fingernails digging into my makeup-scarred palm. My manager stood by the corner inside the trailer, watching me control the heaving. It wasn't too much that I couldn't handle, no. I just hated—
"Erika? It's Asher."
Right. Part of what I hated. "I'm busy."
"I'll only be a few minutes," came his muffled voice from outside the metal rectangle I was currently hyperventilating in.
"Really, Asher," I ground out. "I'm busy."
"I only want to make sure you're okay, and to talk—"
"Just FUCK OFF!"
Silence seared the air for two seconds—exactly two. Yes, I was counting as I was already paranoid—before I heard his footsteps recede into the distance. My agent, Anna, and my manager, Liv, stared at my reflection. I couldn't see their expressions, but I knew what was coming, and I hated it before Liv spoke first.
"Are you okay?"
From the image of my reflection, I observed my brows draw together, tight and taut for a moment, then relax and drop so low my lashes brushed over them. I ran my hands through my hair before collapsing onto my chair. I really should say something at this point. Working with Asher was the worst kind of pain, but working with Ben was even more agonizing. Worse off, the longevity of my career depended on this film. I could not back out now.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good,"
Liv narrowed her eyes at me and glanced at Anna. "You know we can take you out of this film. Stage an illness or some beauty treatment that fucks up your nose or something. You don't have to go through with this."
"Lord knows I didn't want you on this job the minute I read that script. But you just… Erika, please. Let's stop here. It's not getting any better with Ben; it's getting worse—"
"It's not about Ben! Okay, so much of this is not just about Ben," I burst out, my fingers massaging away the headache I felt coming. I couldn't tell them why I needed to star in this movie. Anna might understand me, but Liv... Liv was like a mother on set to me. A mother in general to my career. From the slit that her eyes had now become, I knew again what was coming. Only this time, I didn't let her start.
"I'm fine, Liv. I need this movie. You might not get it and I definitely don't want to explain, but I really do. This film will solidify everything I've been working for the past 6 years. I need it. Okay?"
Liv and Anna exchanged another look. God knew what they were plotting this time.
Anna said, her hands clasped tight and sitting restless on her thighs. "We could make it better for you. We could petition to change the male lead."
Liv nodded her approval. "Let's be honest. That boy can't act for shit. He's really only here because what?"
"His dad and Ben were film school frat brothers," Anna completed and they both burst out laughing. I joined in too, because we all found this detail so stupid it propelled us into hilarity. Asher Donahue and his dad had industry reputation of ruining films with their talentless stunts on screen. All the IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes critics had a field day when his movies were released. I hoped my addition to this one offset his poor skills, but who knew really? We were still in the red zone so long as we were in the picture.
"Think about it, Erika. We only started filming two weeks ago. Sure, this might set us back a few more months, but isn't it worth it to at least try? I mean, you clearly can't stand him."
"She hates his guts," Anna puttered in. Liv nodded and folded her arms onto the top rail of my chair.
I sighed. It wasn't impossible, I knew. Ben was committed to anything that made his movies better. And if pitched right, he'd be more than willing to consider options. Even with his nephew-like male lead in the mix.
"What are our other options?" I asked.
"Matthew King. He's glorious on set," Anna chimed.
"Ouu, or Hayden Aisley. He's a beautiful one," Liv stared off into the distance with such dreamy eyes, I thought she'd wrap her arms around me thinking I was Hayden. About him though… she wasn't wrong, I had to admit.
"Gosh, yes! Knightly is good. Very elegant and put-together. Perfect for the role and he'd look so good on TV,"—Anna glanced at me and cleared her throat—"Beside you, of course."
A knock interrupted their brainstorming. I yelled to find out who it is, already gritting my teeth thinking it was Asher or Ben. What greeted my ears was the voice of a half-English man who'd seen more than my underwear.
Anna and Liv exchanged a non-subtle, thirsty glance, Anna turning to me and winking. "Or…"
"Out. Both of you. And let him in."
"Sheesh. You don't have to tell me." I wouldn't pay to wipe the grin off Liv's face. They both filed out like excited school children and as Anna opened the door to my trailer, there he was. All my woes instantly vanished looking at him. Funny enough as well, I didn't feel the urge to shred my clothes to give him access to my body. I felt better just seeing him. Bad. Very very bad.
"Hi. Oh, hi again." Anna and Liv turned back at me with smiles on their face. I caught them strolling casually to Ben in his chair, his sandwich half decimated in his hands.
My attention spans back to Roman Wilder, who has walked into the trailer and shut the world out completely.
"I'm working, you know." Okay, why do I sound so breathless?
"Yeah. So was I. Until I remembered we have business. Unfinished business."
I took in his immaculate white shirt, ironed to crease less perfection. His dark hair was slicked back, not a strand out of place. His watch gleamed in the dim trailer light, so much that I stared more at it than I did at him. Well, that was until he stepped closer than close and really shut the world out completely.
"You didn't forget, did you?"
"About?" My eyes frantically searched his for some hint at this mysterious unfinished business.
Roman suddenly, like some stale magic trick, produced a bouquet from behind him and displayed it between our warm bodies. Maybe it was the heat, but the scent of them wafted into my nostrils with vigor. In that moment, I chose not to think and my mouth blurted out the silliest, most brilliant idea I've ever had on set in my entire career.
"Would you consider starring in this film with me? After we finish with whatever this important business is?