Before A Perfect World: Movie Trilogy, Book Two (The Movie Trilogy) (20 page)

Well, that hurt.

He was good.
Too
good. So much for only being “behind the camera.”

“
Keaton
,” I whispered, too overwhelmed to respond with any more ad-libbing.

“
Go with us here,” Keaton said, under his breath to Ash.

“Listen,
” Ash fired, “she can’t be this upset in her delicate condition,” he barked, wrapping his arms around me protectively. “First, you call her from across the set to break up with her, and then you take her ring back, in front of all these people? Get over yourself. It’s
my
baby, not yours. Move on.”

Oh my fucking God.

Keaton’s face turned five shades of red in under three seconds.

“Take me to my room,” I shouted at Ash, grabbing him by his hand and practically running to the trailers.

The tunnel tents were up, and by the time we were out of the public eye, I was trying to control a new wave of tears.

“That was all fake, right? Wh
at is this, some kind of improv?” Ash looked ready to run, his fists clenched at his sides. I nodded, brushing at my cheeks with the back of my hands.

“It was. Thank you,” I managed shakily. “He called me. The
killer
,” I cried.

Keaton burst into the tent and was on me in an instant. “Jesus Christ, V, you need to calm the fuck down. Ash, get the police,
get them in here.” He lifted me into his arms, hurrying toward a trailer.

“
I can walk-”

“You can stop talking,” he snapped, bursting into a trailer. The spacious living area was lined with a couch, and he put me down carefully, his hands running over my legs.

“I’m fine, Keaton,” I protested.

“Why did you do that
then
, of all fucking times? God
damnit
,” he cursed, bursting to his feet and slamming his fist against the kitchenette cabinet.

I froze.

My heart thundered in my chest. I’d never seen him so angry, and never in a million
years
could have pictured him punching a cabinet.

“
Don’t do that,” I said, flattening my back against the wall of the trailer. “You’re scaring me. Keaton.”

He turned around slowly, his hazel eyes darkening with fear.

“He called you. What did he say?”

“He asked if I still loved Matthew. And if he was gone, would I cry,” I said brokenly, forcing away another breakdown. “I have to call him, please, please give me your phone,” I begged.

He pulled his phone from his pocket, holding it out to me.

I almost dropped it; my hands shook uncontrollably, and I scratched at my neck.

“Your skin. Hives,” he said, the fury in his tone replaced by tenderness. “Lay back, kiddo. Call him. I’m right here. No one will hurt you.”

I nodded, dialing Matthew’s number three times before finally getting it right.

“Fowler.”

“Matthew?” I cried, the sound of his voice triggering even
more
fucking tears. God.

“What’s wrong? Beauty? Where are you?”

“I’m fine, I’m okay,” I rushed, pressing my fingers to my forehead. Keaton’s hand moved over my upper arms, chafing softly. “I need you to be somewhere safe. The killer just called me, I think, and was threatening you-”

“I’m staying with my parents, honey. There’s a cop sitting out on the street constantly. Or FBI, I don’t know what they are. I’m fine, I’m just worried sick about you.”

“I’m on the set. Keaton’s here, and we’ve got police everywhere. You’re…” I took a deep breath. “You’re going to see our break-up on the news. It’s a hoax. I’m doing what you suggested.”

“Thank God. Vivian, listen to me. I need you to check in with me.
Please
. Every day. This isn’t about us, it’s about me. I will care about you for the rest of my life. Please just text me or call me. Okay?”

“I will,” I promised as two, swift knocks sounded on the trailer door. “Love you.”

Fuck. God-
fucking
-damnit.

Keaton’s eyes whipped to mine, and I heard Matthew’s automatic response.

“I love you, Vivian.
God I love you.
”

I disconnected before I went into a long, rambling apology for our automatic goodbye. “I di
dn’t mean that Keaton, I’m just… flustered… and it’s how we always said goodbye-”

“Don’t.” He cut me off with a
look, letting the police inside the trailer.

I crumbled, burying my face in my hands.

K

In the grand scheme of things, after the last two weeks, watching Ash Salter undress the love of my life was the icing on the shit cake.

After the police and FBI had swarmed the set, the studio had threatened to shut us down. I was on the phone with them until nearly one in the morning, watching Vivian sleep as I negotiated continuing
the filming. She stirred as I carried her to the bedroom, tucking her beneath the covers.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, somewhere between asleep and awake.

“Don’t you dare,” I threatened, whispering against her ear. “I’m so fucking sorry, kiddo. I was crazy.”

“You were scared,” she protested, always defending me. I cringed.

“Seeing you passed out like that… realizing that the killer
called
you and then faking our break-up… it was too much. I fucking lost it.”

“
I didn’t mean to tell him I love him. I’m so sorry.”

The silence in the trailer was interrupted by her controlled breaths. Before she could cry again, I covered her mouth with mine, wrapping my hands around her wrists and locking them above her head.

“I know who you love.
Don’t cry.
”

I took my time with my mouth, coaxing soft little moans from her throat as I drew my tongue over her neck. I didn’t waste time with her panties, simply reaching down to fist the lacy material, tugging
them aside to open her to my prodding erection.

“
Slow, V,
” I whispered, and she gasped as I pushed forward, filling her, covering her lips with mine. I felt her twist a little at the fabric still between her legs, and it only took her a moment to realize that I wasn’t taking them off of her.

She lifted her hips, meeting me with each thrust. “
You feel… the way I feel with you,” she panted, trying desperately to articulate even as I slid my hand between the mattress and her back to cup her ass. “No one has ever… will ever…
make me feel…
”

Fuck
. Was she trying to tell me that I was the best she’d ever had? Her panting words brought me too close to stop, and I groaned at the same time that she did, feeling her wet rush of warmth even as I came apart so deep inside of her.

I
let her drift in and out of sleep, waiting a while before I made love to her again. This time I went slowly, unselfishly, coaxing her to her breaking point twice before finally letting her sleep.

Jerking back to the present, I stiffened as
five sets of studio lights lit up my fiancée’s body while Ash Salter hovered over her, kissing his way down her neck.

“
Ow,” Vivian cried, and I exhaled slowly, closing my eyes.

“Cut.”

I shifted from behind the cameras, moving to both of them. Vivian was up on a kitchen table, trying desperately to adjust the little nighty that Ash had just been pawing at.

“I’m sorry, I moved and pinched my thighs on the table edge.”

“That was my fault, I picked you up and set you down,” Ash called, chugging a bottle of water.

“
Open your legs,” I said, meeting her eyes. “Ash, flatten your hand on her lower back and tuck her against you. Then reach down like you’re unzipping your jeans.”

She nodded
quickly as Lisa, her make-up artist, came at her out of nowhere with a giant cosmetic brush. “She’s shiny. Honey, are you sweating?” she asked gently.

“No,” Vivian replied, obviously embarrassed. “No, I’m just overly oily for some reason,” she whispered.

“Try not to touch your face,” Lisa suggested.

“Your crotch will be at his s
tomach,” I went on, ignoring her. “Open your legs.”

She
bit her lip and did exactly as I directed.

Exhaling slowly,
I fought the instant blood pumping exactly where I didn’t want it to pump.

And then I thought of her beneath me the night before as I pinned
her hands above her head.

Fuuuck
.

T
hat was it.

“Okay, never mind. Ash, get over here.”

“Coming,” he called, tossing the plastic bottle to the trashcan. “Hey, are we recycling around here?”

“Yes, the bin on the right,” someone called from behind him.

“No music in this scene. I want to hear you breathe,” I encouraged, speaking directly to Vivian. “Remember?”

“Right,” she agreed.

Her fingers curled at her neck, and she scratched.

I sighed.
“Everyone out. Central crew only. Boom operator, camera, and my crew. If that’s not you, you’re done for today.” I lifted the spaghetti strap of her nighty back to her shoulder, kissing her forehead. “This is as bare bones as it gets, V. Can you do this?”

“
Hold on,” the makeup artist called, squeezing between us with a spray bottle. Vivian flinched as she sprayed her down.

“What is this?” she asked.

“Just rosewater and glycerin. A thin sweat.” She dabbed at Vivian’s chest with a cotton ball.

“Tongue or no tongue?” Ash asked, brushing his fingers through his hair. “Cause I just ate a bag of
Funyuns
, and I’m
dying
to share that little piece of Heaven with you, Viv.”

She laughed, looking at me quickly.

“I want you to take her chin like this,” I said, lowering my voice so that only the three of us could hear. She gasped as I caught her jaw in my palm.

I pressed gently on her cheeks, and her mouth opened, her lips parting naturally.

“While you’ve got her up against you, you’re going to kiss her mouth first, then down her neck. Strap down, your mouth on her breast. V, you arch your back, and I want you rocking against him like he’s inside of you. But you’ll be here.” I chopped my flattened hand against Ash’s abs, slightly harder than necessary.

“
Umph
. Right. Got it,” he replied, rolling his eyes at Vivian.

“Just go with it.
You are Kristie. If Kristie wants her husband’s tongue in her mouth, make it happen,” I ordered.

I’d purposely scheduled the sex scene first, hoping to catch her at her most vulnerable.

She nodded quickly, straightening as Ash took my place in front of her.

I moved back near
the lights, gesturing to Craig as he repositioned himself behind the camera. “Action.”

Her legs fell open. Ash flattened his palm on her lower back, tugging her crotch against his waist.

He lowered his hand to unzip his jeans, and she whimpered, letting her head fall back.

He took that moment to grab her chin, pressure on her cheeks.

Lips open. His mouth on hers.

She began to rub against him, and he yanked at her strap, shocking her as the thin lace tore against her shoulder.

Before she could look my way, Ash preempted her alarm, practically shoving his tongue down her throat.

S
he struggled, wrenching away to take a breath as his mouth dragged over her throat and down her bare shoulder.

I saw him apply pressure to her lower back, encouraging her to continue moving against his stomach.

“
Don’t
,” she breathed as his mouth closed over her nipple, through the thin lace.

He pulled away and fisted her hair, forcing her eyes on his as he met her feigned thrusts.

She threw her head back then in series of loud cries, and he groaned, dropping his forehead to her chest.

After a solid two minutes of their panting breaths, I stepped forward. “Cut. Good. That was better. Sherry, we need a new nightie for Vivian. Ash, don’t rip it, but I like how you were rough there. She did too.”

“We have to do it again?” Vivian asked, accepting the robe that Sherry held out for her. “Another take?”

I turned to her, but Ash cut me off.

“This is going to take all day, Viv. It helps if you kind of think of it like… the Hokey Pokey. Right tit in, right tit out,” he quipped, making her giggle.

“
I will ignore your unprofessional comments because you’re making her laugh,” I said, moving to wrap the robe around her shoulders. “
Vivian
,” I whispered, careful that only she could hear. “You came too hard. Just let it happen. Close your eyes and think about
me
.”