Page 37 of One Life to Loathe

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Why does it matter?”

“Because I think you’re hot for her.” Dexter was never one to hold his opinion in. Apparently, that wasn’t about to change on this shoot. “It’s obvious you want to…” He bit his lower lip and gyrated his hips in a purely sexual display.

“No, I don’t want to…” I mimicked his motions in exaggerated fashion. “We’re going to be working together, though.” That didn’t sound like enough of an explanation to cover myself. “Plus, production wants us photographed together when we’re not shooting around town. They’re trying to pump up the romance angle.”

“Oh.” Dexter’s face fell. “I didn’t realize that. So, it’s all an act?”

I shrugged. “I have to get along with her. I don’t really have a choice in the matter. I figured it was better to actually try to be friends with her than to force myself to pretend every single day.”

“Yeah.” Dexter bobbed his head. “That way it’s not all fake. It’s too much effort to keep up that facade.”

“Exactly.” I finished off my coffee, guilt ravaging me. I really liked Sam. Why couldn’t I just admit that to my friend?

“It’s probably best this way anyway,” he continued. “I think Miles has a thing for her. You wouldn’t want to risk getting into it with the director.”

“Miles?” I swung my eyes back to him. “Who said Miles has a thing for her? Did he say that?”

My vehemence must have thrown Dexter because he frowned. “He gets all fluttery around her. It’s obvious.”

“Oh.”

“You don’t like her anyway, right?” Dexter pressed.

“No, I do not.” I was adamant on that. “We’re just friends. Or, we’re trying to be friends.” There was that flash of guilt again. “I hope they have babies and live happily ever after. That’s not the life I’m looking for.”

“Right.” Dexter’s grin was back. “At least I know why you’ve been spending so much time with her.”

“It hasn’t been that much time,” I protested.

“Dude, you’ve spent more time with her in three days than I’ve ever seen you spend with the other women you’ve worked with. I was just curious. It’s not a big deal.”

I forced myself to keep from exploding. “It’s all for show,” I lied. “We all need this thing to have a good first season.”

“It would be nice to have a regular paycheck for a few years,” Dexter agreed.

“Absolutely. I’m just trying to make the best out of an awkward situation.”

“Well, you’re doing a good job.”

“They don’t call it acting for nothing.”

11

ELEVEN

“Okay, guys, you need to look interested in one another but not as if you’re ready to jump each other’s bones from the get-go,” Miles informed us as we stood in the warehouse that had been transformed into the speakeasy set. “So, first up is when you brush against one another.”

Miles’s eyes sparkled as he rubbed his hands together. He was clearly getting into this. “Logistically, we want you to be grabbing your drink at the bar, Leo,” he continued. “You’re focused on the bartender.”

“How could I not be with that cleavage bouncing up and threatening to smother me?” Leo muttered under his breath.

I had to press my lips together to keep from laughing. The extra they’d gotten to play the bartender did have the sort of cleavage that made grown men weep and grown women reach for their backs because they recognize the type of pain that would be associated with hauling around those breasts.

“I think they’re fairly impressive,” I countered as I smoothed the front of my dress. I was supposed to be a splash of color in the darkness. That’s what Miles kept saying anyway. They’d opted for a bright pink dress that hugged my every curve,making me wish I’d taken it easy when eating breakfast earlier. I kept having to suck in my gut when leaning. It was making me distracted. “I’m glad I don’t have them, though.” I looked down at the vee that plunged toward my navel. “I wouldn’t be able to keep them contained in this thing.”

Leo rubbed his cheek. “It is a bit bright. At least you wouldn’t get lost in a crowd.”

“I wouldn’t get lost in ten crowds.”

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