Page 26 of Role Play
Ash
Friday was a long fucking day, and Saturday wasn’t any better. When Sunday’s shoot finally rolled around, I was exhausted. It was only five forty-five a.m., and I had already had two cups ofcoffee.
“Hang on…” I said to Jude who was sitting across from me. “I got an email from Rich.” I leaned closer to my screen, clicking the email open. Jude leaned back, coffee in hand, and rested his ankle on his knee. We usually tried to do coffee together at least once a week before filming. It was a tradition we carried through from our projects in film school. With a tug at his baseball hat, he waited patiently while I read theemail.
You want Jon to take over as the direct contact for costuming? That’s genius. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that with your history with Kelly. Let him know today. As for Pierce, I think those terms are fair, considering this is on us for not offering him the role to begin with. If he agrees, draw up the contracts stat and let’s get him back here asap. ~R
I breathed a sigh of relief. At least those two things were taken care of. Based on the lack of sleep I’d been getting the last two nights, I had to do something about Lucy, andfast.
At least this way if anything did happen between us, I’d no longer be her direct supervisor. I couldn’t get her out of my head. Asleep or awake, she was consuming my thoughts. There was no question … she was a naturalsubmissive.
For the first time in five years, I didn’t want a random hookup. For the first time since Brie’s death, I wanted someone for more than simply her ability to swallow pain; for more than her sexy body or limber, long legs. I wanted Judy-Garland-loving, glasses-wearing, cute-as-a-button Lucy… not just because she was hot, but because she was sweet. And funny. And smart.Andhot.
As I sipped my coffee, Brie's ring caught a glint of light. I hadn't thought of her when Lucy and I were at the bar. Not once had her voice or memory saturated my thoughts in those three hours we hung out. It was probably the longest I'd ever gone not thinking abouther.
Until I drove up to Brie’s oldapartment.
I scrubbed a hand down my face, rubbing at my red, bleary eyes. I could have my pick of submissives at LnS. Women who were there intentionally to learn about the lifestyle, truly curious about pursuing a life of kink, not just hanging out with their roommate who was the bartender. So why couldn’t I stop thinking about Lucy’s deep brown eyes? Why was the one woman I wanted so badly someone I worked with? Someone I should be running in the other directionfrom?
“Everything okay?” Judeasked.
I took a sip of coffee, the liquid so hot, it nearly scalded the back of my throat. “Yeah. I just needed to remove myself from being Lucy’s direct boss. Jon’s takingover.”
“You must have it bad if you’re relinquishing control on your movie,” Judesaid.
“I wouldn’t say that,” I grunted. Admitting that I liked this girl to Jude made this all too real. Because truly… I didn’t know what this fuckingwasyet. “So, that non-fraternization policy… it’s not like a real thing, right? I mean, look at you and Marly. Relationships are accepted if you sign a consent clause, right?” I didn’t know what I wanted with Lucy… but I knew I wasn’t going to be able to forget her. Walking away entirely and pretending Thursday night hadn’t happened wasn’t working. Which made me doubt to high hell this stupid theory that we could be just friends for three months during filming. Not with the sort of chemistry we had. Hell, she could barely come get me to start filming on Friday without us nearly making out in mytrailer.
Shrugging, Jude took a sip of his coffee and gave me a doubtful look over the ceramic lip. “I don’t know. I mean, yeah, there is the option to sign a consent clause. Or he might move her from this film onto a different movie to prevent you two from working together. Even with Jon handling costuming, Rich and the other executives might want moreseparation.”
I sighed, blowing the steam off the top of my coffee. “Richard is the one who thinks the movie would benefit from my training a newsub.”
Jude chuckled. “Yeah, but he didn’t mean one of your crew members. He meant go meet someone atLnS.”
“Idid. That’s where shewas.”
Jude’s penetrating gaze locked onto me from over the edge of his coffee mug. “Maybe that’s enough, then. Rich is a reasonable guy—if it’s what you both want, you and Lucy. But just be aware… you might be risking your job here. Is she worthit?”
Is she worth the risk? My career I’d worked so hard to build; the shit director gigs I put up with just to eventually be given a chance at a script like this. How could I answer that? I barely knew the girl. “Christ. It’s like the second Richard brought the fraternization policy up—made the crew forbidden fruit—I found the ripest, juiciestapple.”
Jude snorted and tugged his hat lower over his eyes. “Or you picked up a regular apple and it suddenly looks moreappealing.”
Was that what this was about? Was the appeal to have Lucy only because I couldn’t? Ididlike a conquest. Even as a kid, I couldn’t stand it when someone told me I couldn’t dosomething.
“Maybe,” I said, not quite believing it yet, but also not ruling it out. “You should see this girl though, Jude. She’s… God, she’ssomething.”
Jude’s knee bounced against the seat, a surefire sign that he was nervous as hell about today’s shoot. But as soon as I said that, his bouncing knee stilled. "I haven't heard you talk about a woman like this since... in a longtime."
I swallowed, enjoying the painful burn of coffee down my throat. "Iknow."
“So... how is this girl different than all theothers??”
“She gives zero fucks and yet… is also nervous and shy. It’s the strangest thing. She’s opinionated as hell, but it’s almost like she bottles up those opinions until you coax them out of her.”Or strike anerve.
“Shesounds…”
“Amazing,” I finished forhim.
Jude shrugged, but smiled. “I was going to say confusing.” Then, pushing off the chair, he slapped his palm down onto my shoulder. “But that’s probably what you like abouther.”
