Page 48 of Steamy on Set

“It’s now 3 a.m. and you have distracted me all night.” He sounds delighted by this, his tone reflecting his grin.

“Three hours left until you have to leave. I think we can focus on the movie now.”

He stands and goes to get the script. Coming back with it and a binder, he slides onto the floor.

“What are you going to do?” he asks.

Pulling up my own copy from my bag, I shake it to show him my plan. He nods, turns to his papers, and eases into a calm concentration. I follow suit.

Like old time friends, we are happy to exist in each other’s presence in a companionable silence. We pass the last of the evening this way until his alarm goes off.

With a big stretch of my arms, I yawn for the first time tonight. Covering his mouth with his hand, he sympathetically joins me.

“Time to go.” I stand up.

Walking to the door, my sense of time feels weird. We spent an entire night within these walls, and it all at once seems like it’s been forever and a few minutes since I last saw the door. As I slide on my shoes, we stand in a silence that is more comfortable than the one that started this evening. We have transcended the title of stranger and moved into new territory.

This place of friendship is solidified when he pulls me into his arms for a hug. Wrapped tightly around me, his scent of sage and coffee surrounds me. Inhaling it, the smell lingers in my throat, making me want to consume him. The tingles that shoot through my body at every point of contact don’t help until I’m enveloped in the urge to do more that just hold him. When he pulls away, I let that feeling go.

It doesn’t fade though. It stays with me all during my drive home, blossoming as I replay the night. It is in full bloom by the time I lay my head on my pillow, a garden of affection just waiting to be nourished. The question I have yet to answer is, should I water it?

Chapter 18

Myfirstdayoffilming starts today. I’ve had plenty of time to panic in the four days since that night. Every time I think about stepping onto the set, my stomach shifts like my insides are trying to tear out of me. It twists and turns as my breath labors, causing my lungs to work overtime. The only thing that helps is knowing I won’t be facing it alone. Errol texting me positives every day pumps me up for the first scene we’re going to film. I try to focus on his words of affirmation as I make my way onto the lot at the awful hour of 4 a.m.

Thirsty and sleep deprived, I go to the craft table first in need of a tea. With the hopes that the service will bring better options,I can’t help but be disappointed to see just green. Sighing, I roll my eyes, grabbing one of my own packets from my bag.

“Let me guess. That look on your face has to do with the tea choices.”

I turn around to see Errol smiling from ear to ear. The sight of it puts a matching one on my face.

“I’m honestly upset with everything. Why are we up so early? Why do you Los Angeles people not appreciate tea? Why did you make me do this?”

Stepping up, he takes the packet from my hand and goes about making me a cup. Pouring in the water, he lets it steep before adding just a splash of milk and one sugar, making it the way I like. I wonder when he learned how I take my drink.

“We need as much daylight as possible, so we start getting you ready early. That way when the sun is up and full, we can get in the shots. We do appreciate tea, but clearly not as much as people from San Francisco. I made you do this because you are going to be amazing.” Handing me my cup, he answers all my questions, making me feel a little bit better.

“You don’t need to be here this early, then.”

“I wanted to make sure you were okay on your first day.” He taps a finger to my nose.

I swat at him, and he jumps back laughing.

“Thank you.”

Throwing an arm over my shoulder, he guides me to hair and make-up. The warm feeling of him being wrapped around me eases into my gut, soothing some of the worry. My hand clamps onto his side, hugging him while we walk. The vibe is light around us, happy and easy, like two friends taking a stroll. When he deposits me into a chair in front of a mirror, I wish for him to keep holding me through it all.

“I’ll see you in a couple of hours, okay?”

I nod, looking about as confident as I feel.

“Don’t forget, you got this.” He walks out of the room, leaving me in a better mood than when I got here.

I take a sip of my drink before looking at the disaster that is Farrah at the crack of dawn. Luckily, there is a team to make all the light flaws disappear, starting with the nest that is my hair.

At the sound of the door opening, I turn to see a woman walk in. Her eyes widen a little as she takes me in before she makes her way over. I don’t think I look that bad, but she makes me question it all, when she reluctantly pulls my hair free from my ponytail.

“Hi, I’m Farrah.” I offer up my hand. She grabs hold of it, giving it a light shake.

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