Page 57 of You. Me. Us.

It wasn’t until Julius stepped near, his presence filling the space, that Hillary realized he was there. She felt a flutter in her stomach, a now-familiar reaction to his nearness.

“Listen, Olivia, I’ve got to go,” Hillary said, her eyes locked on Julius. “I’ll have the next piece to you in three days as promised.”

She ended the call and set her phone aside, her heart beginning to race. Julius crossed the room in a few long strides, his gaze intense and focused solely on her.

No words were spoken as he pulled her into his arms, his lips finding hers in a searing kiss. Hillary melted into his embrace, the rest of the world falling away until there was only this moment, this connection, this fire between them.

Clothes were shed, skin met skin, and they tumbled onto the bed in a tangle of limbs. Every touch, every kiss, every gasp of pleasure was heightened, electric. They moved together in perfect sync, just as they had on set, but this was different. This was real.

As they lay in the afterglow, Hillary’s head resting on Julius’s chest, she couldn’t help but marvel at the turn her life had taken. She was living her dream, and she’d found something she hadn’t even known she was looking for.

But even in the bliss of the moment, a small part of her wondered what the future might hold. With the film nearly wrapped and their characters’ stories coming to a close, what would become of this thing between her and Julius? Did he still want her as much as she wanted him?

She pushed the thought away, choosing instead to savor the feeling of his arms around her, the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear. Whatever tomorrow might bring, she had this. And for now, that was enough.

As was the latest round of far-too-close to public sex they’d had.

“Action!”

Hillary stepped back from Ethan, a small smile playing on her lips. It was weird to her that they filmed out of order as his character died weeks ago but never left the set. This was an easy scene, but one that seemed easier with her friendship with Ethan stronger.

“And you’re certain we can trust him?” Ethan stepped closer, a frown on his lips.

“I am certain that we need him,” she pulled on the front of his shirt, tugging the warrior closer. “As certain as I am that you need this.” She kissed the other character, doing as best as she could to pour herself into the emotion the way she did when she kissed Julius.

But as Hillary glanced over at Julius, who stood just off-camera, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt. He and Hillary had grown so close over the past few months, both on-screen and off. And now here she was, kissing someone else, even if it was just for the cameras.

Julius caught her eye and smiled, but there was something strained about it. Hillary’s heart clenched. She knew this was all part of the job, that they were actors playing roles, but it didn’t make it any easier.

As the crew began to reset for the next scene, Hillary made her way over to Julius. “Hey,” she said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. “You okay?”

He nodded, but there was a tightness around his eyes that belied the easy grin he gave her. “Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Hillary bit her lip, unsure how to put her swirling thoughts into words. “I just... I know it’s weird, seeing me kiss someone else. Even if it’s not real.”

Julius’s expression softened, and he took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. “It’s all part of the gig, right? We bothknew what we were signing up for. The tides will turn when I return to kissing a fae princess.”

But even as he said it, Hillary heard the uncertainty in his voice. The unspoken questions hanging in the air between them.

What were they doing? What was this thing between them, and where was it going? With the film nearly finished, would they go their separate ways, back to their respective lives and careers?

The questions made Hillary’s heartache in a way she hadn’t expected. Somewhere along the line, amidst the long hours and intense scenes and stolen moments, she’d started to fall for Julius. Really fall for him.

And now, faced with the reality of their situation, she didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing him, of this being the end of their story.

But she also knew that the world of Hollywood was a complicated one. People fell in and out of love all the time, on-screen and off. There were no guarantees, no promises of forever.

All they had was this moment, this connection, this undeniable spark between them. And as Julius pulled her into his arms, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, Hillary decided that, for now, that could be enough.

They’d figure out the rest as they went along. Together.

“Go do the retake. I know Vera, she’s going to call for one.”

Julius watched as Hillary and Ethan leaned into the kiss, their lips meeting with a passion that seemed to go beyond mere acting. A twinge of jealousy, unfamiliar and unwelcome, coiled in his gut. He clenched his jaw, trying to push the feeling aside, but it persisted, gnawing at him like a relentless itch.

He’d never been the jealous type, always confident in his own worth and secure in his relationships. But seeing Hillary in Ethan’s arms, even if it was just for the camera, stirred something deep within him. A possessiveness he didn’t quite understand, a fear of losing something he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding onto. He and Ethan had tiffs over women before, but never one he actually cared this much about.

Julius knew what his response meant. He’d known it for a few weeks but didn’t want to complicate things with Hillary and wasn’t certain how to tell her in just the perfect way.

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