Page 87 of The Casting Couch

I reached out and cupped his cheek.“Hey.”

He looked at me.

I leaned in and kissed him again.This time slow, soft, and full of everything I didn’t know how to say.

You’re worth more than just surviving.

You matter.

I see you.

He kissed me back.Not with heat or hunger, but with something deeper.Something that said, I’m scared, but I’m still here.

When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against his and smiled.

* * *

Bradley and I stepped into the lobby at Boys On Film, and Dimitri looked up from the front desk and gave us both a lazy smile.“Welcome back, lovers.”

What the hell?How does Dimitri or anyone else know what’s happening between me and Bradley?

Petyr popped out from behind a stack of paperwork like a startled meerkat.“Oh, thank God.Jack and Liam have been asking about you every five minutes.Where the hell have you been?”He gave Bradley a once-over, then a not-so-subtle wink.“You okay?You look…rested.”

I opened my mouth to tell him to knock it off, but he was already fluttering his hands toward the hallway.

“Just go,” he said.“They’re in the back office waiting for you.”

We made our way through the maze of hallways.Posters of past productions lined the walls: Buff Boi Beach Patrol, Hole Patrol 7, Dungeons & Daddies.All framed like they were Oscar winners.A crooked poster caught my eye, and I had to physically restrain myself from fixing it.

As we passed Studio A, I paused and blinked.

Inside, Laura stood in full nun regalia—veil, rosary, the works—but was also wielding a riding crop like it was holy scripture.

“Again,” she barked at the man tied to the Saint Andrew’s cross in front of her.“With more reverence!Jesus died for your sins, now you better cum like he meant it.”

Bradley made a small noise, like his soul was leaving his body.

Two studios down, we passed another open doorway.Inside, a very tan, very oiled-up man was jerking off on a bed while a camera operator circled around him, shooting a variety of angles.

“More longing in the eyes!”the cameraman shouted.“Pretend you’re Romeo, but horny.”

Bradley just kept walking like this was normal, which, in this building, it was.

Just another day at Boys On Film.

When we finally reached Jack and Liam’s shared office, the door was open and Nessa was already inside, seated like she owned the room—which, vibe-wise, she kind of did.She wore oversized hoop earrings, a leopard print blazer, and the sort of expression that made me brace for either gossip or a business pitch.Possibly both.

Jack and Liam were behind their shared desk, laptops open, looking entirely too caffeinated.

“Ah, the boys of the hour,” Jack said, gesturing for us to sit.“Take a load off.You both look like you’ve survived war.And maybe got laid?”

“Jack,” Liam hissed.

“I’m just observing,” Jack replied innocently.

Bradley and I sat down next to each other on the little couch in front of the desk.Nessa gave me a long, theatrical once-over, then tilted her head, pouted, and said, “Aww.Look at your poor face.Did someone finally feel something?”

I blinked at her.

---