Page 65 of The Casting Couch

I gave him a dead-eyed blink.“I’ll do my best.”

He hit record, and suddenly the studio lights flared.It felt like a game show in hell.

“State your name and tell us how excited you are to be here today,” Liam said.

I cleared my throat.“Uh.I’m Bradley.Oops, sorry.I meant Blake, Blake Monroe.And I’m very excited to be here today.”Forgot about my stage name for a moment.

He stopped recording.“Nope.Absolutely not.”

“What?”I asked.“I said the thing.”

“You said the thing like you’re checking into a dentist appointment.”

“I feel like I’m checking into a dentist appointment,” I muttered.

He crossed his arms.“You need to act like this is the hottest fantasy of your entire life.Like you’ve waited for this since you were twelve.”

“That’s very specific and unsettling.”

Liam raised a brow.

I glanced around the room, took a deep breath, and then thought, Okay.What would Moira do?

Moira wouldn’t shrink or cringe.Moira would smirk, lean in, and throw out an ‘Oh daddy, yes’ with jazz hands.She’d probably have sparkly glitter in her cleavage and a glass of prosecco in her hand.She’d own it.

So I straightened my spine, lifted my chin, and channeled my inner Bronx-bred makeup goblin.

“Roll it again,” I said.

The red light blinked on.

I plastered on a sultry grin.“Hi, I’m Blake.And I am beyond thrilled to be here today.Like, honestly?This is such a blessing.When I woke up this morning, I said to myself, ‘You know what I need?Twenty men.Cocks out.Coming for me.On me.Preferably at the same time.’And boom!Here we are.”

Liam blinked once.Then nodded, slowly.“Okay.That’s...yeah.Keep going.What excites you most about today’s shoot?”he read off.

I curled my fingers around the hem of my robe and said, “Oh, gosh, how do I even choose?Is it the intimacy?The eye contact?”I fluttered my lashes.“Honestly?It’s about connection.Synchronized passion.And the opportunity to really feel something.Even if that something is just a thick layer of protein-based shame.”

Liam was biting his fist to stop from laughing.“Why do you think this scene will appeal to viewers?”he sputtered.

“Because it’s art!Because it’s giving fertility ritual meets Old Testament meets Fire Island pool party vibes.It’s sacred and primal.It’s…” I gestured vaguely at the cherry blossoms above.“…Japanese, but extra gay.”

He managed to get through the rest of the questions—What are you hoping to get out of this experience?Have you ever done a group scene before?Are you ready to be the center of attention?—without either of us breaking character.Barely.

Laura walked over and handed me a small blue pill like it was a communion wafer.

I looked down at it suspiciously.“What’s this?”

She tilted her head.“What do you think it is?”

I blinked.“Oh.Oh no.Is this…?”

“Yup.Boner booster.Doctor prescribed.Erection guaranteed.”

“I’ve never needed one of these before.”

Laura raised both brows at me.“Sweetie, I know you.You get turned on by cuddling.This?This turns you on about as much as a documentary about the art of making bread.”

“I like bread,” I muttered.

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