Page 37 of Between the Stacks

“What about the, you know,” I said, gritting my teeth, “the sex parts.”

I swore Monty covered his chuckle with a cough while Lowe gave me an indulgent smile. “We’ve got that covered at thewarehouse. Today we’re doing the dialogue. Scotty got some photos of my office and the stacks. We’ll recreate it at the warehouse and finish the movie tomorrow and the next day. You’ll see. It’s going to be fun.”

I left the heavy-lifting to Lowe. He knew what he was doing. Me, I thought I was going to puke. Like with the photos, I had a garment bag on my bed when I went to drop everything off after class. I took a shower, then dressed. The makeup Maddy told me about, I’d asked the guys if we could pick it up on the way back to school. Thankfully, I had several tutorials and photos from how Maddy did my makeup, and I could recreate the look almost perfectly.

When I stepped back into the front room an hour later, the guys waited for me. They were all dressed mouthwatering good. Cole and Scott reminded me of two athletes wearing letterman jackets, jeans, and fitted t-shirts. Jonesy wore a suit. One of them high-dollar suits I was sure he used in a courtroom while, once again, I matched Lowe.

“You ready?” Scotty asked, taking my hand.

“As I’m ever going to be.”

Once we arrived at the library, Lowe let us in, then Monty set up while we went over our lines one more time. I prepared but still couldn’t shake the unsettled feeling. I needed to do, maybe, several hundred laps around the building. Was I sweating too?Ew, gross.I shook my hands out. Did someone turn the heat up?

“Have you tried breathing?” Scott murmured, sliding up next to me as I paced.

“Ha, ha,” I muttered. “Is it always like this?”

“Can’t say. This is my first time, too.”

“But you do?—”

“I do, but nothing that happens during those times is scripted. This is a whole other monster for me too. Cole as well. Jonesy and Lowe are the experienced ones.” He tucked me close.“Listen, once you say your first line, it all disappears. Did you do any kind of extracurriculars in high school?”

“Band.”

Scott nodded. “Okay, I can work with that. Treat it like a competition. It’s the same principles on a smaller, more private scale. Also, you’re with all of us. We won’t let you fall.”

I believed him too.

When everything was set up, Monty called us back over to begin the filming. The opening scene was one where I sat at the front desk, checking out books while Lowe talked with someone (Jonesy) in his office. The premise was simple. Cole and Scott came in looking for some Greek Mythology book, about Eros. When we came back to the front with the book, Lowe was sitting back in his chair with Jonesy in his lap, kissing him like they were two long lost lovers.

I sucked in a breath, grabbing for Scott’s hand while his lips hovered over my neck. Cole was on the other side of me, tucking into us to get a peek at what was happening in the office. Arousal sparked within me and damn if Scott wasn’t right. In a split second, I forgot where I was and what we’d been doing.

“Holy shit.” The words left me in a rush.

“They’re so fucking hot together,” Cole murmured against my ear. “Watching them together is euphoric, don’t you think?”

Nothing we said was being caught on mic. This wasn’t our part of the scene. That would be done in the warehouse tomorrow. Then Monty called cut, and Jonesy broke away from Lowe, that damn mask of his in place and it didn’t seem fair to any of us. Masks shouldn’t be so damn sexy.

I glanced at Jonesy who sat back on the desk, gathering himself. Lowe must have said something because he laughed. Damn... To be that carefree. Happy. Everything they did was effortless. There was a comfort there I envied. The corner of his eye crinkled as he laughed again. His features were so relaxed,flushed with arousal and he had his hands folded in his lap, like what we’d seen minutes ago was my imagination.

Lowe slouched in his chair, leaning to the side while he talked with Jonesy. His legs were spread in that man-spread way, sexy not obnoxious like taking over all the space. A halo surrounded him from the lighting in his office and a pang struck me in the chest. What the fuck was wrong with me? Why did I notice all the details of how his suit fit him? I caught a glimpse of the corner of his mouth under that mask of his.

“Going again,” Monty said, “Back to one.”

“We’re up,” Scott said. “Ready?”

I nodded, taking one last look at Jonesy and Lowe. Damn, I wish I had what they did.

Maybe one day.

Lyra

The next groupingof scenes was supposed to be over several days, so between takes Cole and Scott changed shirts. Lowe and I stayed in our “uniform” for the library because it was easier than having multiple changes of suits. Every morning according to the script, I came in and found “secret admirer” presents on my desk. Each one had sweet messages Cole and Scott wrote for me. Jonesy and Lowe, the way they took care of me, I think I’d miss that the most. They protected me. Anyone on the outside who saw us might think it was creepy. Granted, had I’d seen it too, I’d have said the same.

But they literally saved me.

They took care of me when I was sick. Made sure I had everything I needed and when it came to the housing issues, Lowe offered the house for as long as I needed it. However, that was a different conversation for a different time. I had to focus. Because in this scene, Lowe was supposed to be jealous. How I was getting gifts, and he was the Director of the Library. Which was supposed to lead to a passionate scene of sex.

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