Page 43 of The Reunion

(beat)

But I love you, too.

Finally, still wrapped in his arms, Honor twists around to face him.

HONOR

I’ve seen the whole world, it feels like -- but on my last trip to the Amalfi Coast, I couldn’t stop wishing you were there with me. I don’t want to watch my life go by from behind a camera lens, alone. And I don’t want the whole world at my fingertips unless you’re in it with me.

Ransom closes the space between us, and I’m holding my breath—this is the first time we’ve made it all the way through the scene, finally, and there’s just one little bit left.

“I don’t want you to give up your dream job for me,” Ransom-as-Duke says, looking deep in my eyes.

Heat spreads through me, and it’s all I can do to stay in character right now, to be Honor-rewriting-her-life-story and not Liv-who-wants-last-night-and-more-pronto.

“But I’m with you whatever you choose, okay? You’d make an incredible cinematographer—we could go on location together for the next project.” He buries his face in my hair, takes a deep inhale. “No pressure, though. I mean it.”

He pulls away, just far enough to look at me. His eyes spark, hot as fire, and the position we’re in isn’t helping, no space between us fromthe waist down. We’re in danger of slipping into territory that’s much more appropriate for a scene we’re slated to shoot later in the week.

“Thank you,” I say, the first words of my final line barely making it out before I lose it. I close my eyes and we press our foreheads together like the script calls for. “I think I’d like that.”

We stay like this for several beats, so close it’s torture: I want to becloser.

“Aaaaandcut!” Bryan calls out, after what feels like an eternity. “Good, good. That’ll work. Coffee has finally kicked in, I see.”

It’s about as close to a compliment as we’re going to get from him today, and it’s actuallyquitea nice one considering we threw a wrench in the schedule and took a ridiculously circuitous path to get here, what with Ransom tripping over so many of his lines this morning.

Bryan tells us to take twenty—well, technically, he tellsRansomto take twenty, since I’m not in the next scene—a shorter break in the name of trying to get the shoot back on schedule.

“I’m sorry I was such a wreck,” Ransom says under his breath as we make our way off set.

I wave him off, even though it is kind of a big deal, and I do appreciate him acknowledging it. It’s also partially my fault. “We’re good,” I say. I glance at him, find his eyes already locked on me, and he grins.

“Do you want to—” I start, at the same time as he says, “Your trailer or mine?”

“Yours,” I manage, just before we’re intercepted by the same assistant who was eyeing him over doughnuts this morning.Evy Langford, her badge reads.

“Hi, Ransom,” she says, falling into step beside him. No greeting for me. “Just wanted to let you know your lunch will be delivered to you ASAP, since you don’t have much of a break. Would you prefer the barbecued chicken or the coconut curry?”

“Let’s go with the curry today,” he says. “Thanks.”

She passes the message on via walkie-talkie, keeping pace with us even after he’s answered her question. “Great work today,” she says, and like the nice guy he is, he takes the compliment.

It’s a good thing she only has eyes for Ransom—I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing. I adore Ransom, but I’m not blind. That was one of the worst mornings on set he’s ever had, if nottheworst. This girl has it bad.

“I’ll wait here to make sure there aren’t any issues with your food,” Evy says when we get to Ransom’s trailer.

So much for my plan to follow him inside.

“That won’t be necessary,” he says. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Evy doesn’t get the hint. Like me, she can’t resist Ransom’s magnetic pull.

“Oh, I don’t mind at all!” she says brightly. “It’s totally my job.”

I feel the seconds slipping away with every word she says. Ransom gives a polite nod, even though I know he must be dying for a moment of privacy. If we can’t be private together, the least I can do is help him get a private moment alone.

“Hey, Evy, want to join me for some coffee? My treat. That sludge from this morning isn’t cutting it.” I strongly suspect Bryan withheld my usual flat white as punishment for being late.

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