The Pleasures of Spring (12 page)

Roz pulled off the robe and handed it back to the wardrobe mistress. She stood in her brief panties and a pair of sandals while she searched for her own clothes. ‘So what’s the problem? What do they want this time?’

‘They want me to walk naked into the lake, and swim, and then have a sex scene with Jack.’ Her voice rose. ‘Do
you have any idea what’s involved in a scene like that? Every bit of cellulite will be obvious. I won’t be able to hide a thing. Everyone will see my grotesque thighs and ass.’

‘There’s nothing wrong with your thighs.’ Roz, still semi-naked, pointed down at herself. ‘Look at me. We’re the same size. I’m wearing your clothes and they fit me. Am I grotesque?’

Cheyenne paused in her rant. ‘Of course not. You’re young and beautiful. It’s different at your age. I’m old and fat.’

‘For fuck’s sake!’ Roz tugged on a pair of jeans. ‘Get a grip. You’re a beautiful Hollywood star. Millions of men dream about you. And if you don’t believe me, ask Frankie if you’re old and fat.’

But Cheyenne had stopped. She looked like a cartoon character who’d been hit on the head. ‘We’re the same size. You said it yourself. Why don’t you do the scene?’

‘Are you mad? I’m not an actress. I can’t do that.’ The thought of actually acting in a film, as opposed to just being a double, was horrifying. Way to tell Hall where she was. But Cheyenne’s distress was getting to her. No matter how often she told herself to let people sort out their own problems, she always managed to get sucked in.

How did her dad do it, she wondered? He could work out what people wanted, and use it against them. Somehow, Roz always ended up trying to give it to them. She wasn’t mad about the idea of being naked either, but she didn’t hate it as much as Cheyenne did.

Cheyenne was delighted with her idea. ‘You can be my body double. You won’t have to act, just walk naked into
the lake and swim a bit. They can make you up to look like me. It’ll be great. And of course, the money is much better.’

That stopped Roz’s objection. She could do with extra money. If she were made up to look like Cheyenne, maybe it would work. And – an imp of mischief pointed out – it would really piss off Andy.

‘Okay, I’ll do it.’

Andy paused to catch his breath. Today had been even more backbreaking. Frankie was worse than a drill sergeant and each fight scene was shot over and over again until he was satisfied.

‘Let’s call it a day, lads. The beers are on me tonight.’

Andy shrugged out of his chain mail – he was beginning to hate the sight of it – and handed it over to the wardrobe assistant to be repaired for the following day. The other guys joked and teased each other as they changed. Tullamore was a lively little town at the weekend but he had no interest in chasing other women.

He had barely seen Roz in the last twenty-four hours, but that was going to change tonight. If Frankie was out for the evening, he might finally get some time alone with her.

‘Aren’t you coming with us?’ Frankie called from the doorway.

‘No. I think I’ll head over to see what’s going on at the castle.’

‘I wouldn’t bother, my son. It’s a closed set tonight. Crew only. Jack Winter is shooting a love scene and they don’t want clips appearing on YouTube before the movie is out.’

‘I’m sure he doesn’t.’ Andy laughed. Jack didn’t have a shy bone in his body. He worked out as hard as a squad of
Rangers to keep it in top shape. For him, a personal trainer was a necessity.

‘And you should have heard Roz this morning when she heard that she had to be fitted for a merkin.’

‘A merkin?’ Andy’s head shot up.

‘You know. A wig for –’

‘I know what a merkin is, but why the hell would Roz need one?’

‘Didn’t you hear? Cheyenne and Mike had a blazing row last night. She thinks the scene is too graphic and point blank refused to do it. Roz is doing it instead.’

‘She’s what?’

But Frankie was already gone. Andy grabbed a dark padded jacket from the back of a chair. The yellow lettering said ‘Crew’. It should be enough to get him past security.

The area around the castle was quiet, but Andy could see the lights in the distance. It looked like they were shooting down at the lake. He picked up a toolkit and followed the road through the woods.

The security men straightened when they saw him approach. ‘This is a closed set, mate.’

‘I know.’ Andy lifted his tool box. ‘I got a call from Matt – one of the booms is acting up.’

‘You better hurry then.’

Relieved, Andy almost ran the rest of the way to the set.

Despite the warmth of the lighting, the evening was chilly. Jack Winter, swaddled in a thick towelling robe over his costume, was sipping a hot coffee while he and Mike discussed the scene. There was no sign of Roz.

Sitting in one corner of the set was Abbie Marshall.
Andy grinned. He knew that Jack was crazy about the New York reporter, but her presence on set kept the rumour mill churning.

Abbie flies in to watch Jack make out
. Andy could almost see the headlines in the next day’s papers.

He set the toolkit down and took up position near the sound crew.

The door of the small trailer opened and Roz emerged. She was wearing a wig and had been made up to look like Cheyenne. From a distance, it would be impossible to tell them apart. The dark robe was several sizes too big for her, and she hugged it around her, trying to keep out the evening chill. Beside Jack, she looked tiny and vulnerable.

Andy didn’t know whether to stay or leave. He was still reeling after that kiss on the stairs but seeing Roz naked wasn’t something he wanted to share with a bunch of other guys. The director moved back and Jack and Roz exchanged a high five before Jack walked into the woods beside the lake.

A wardrobe assistant hurried onto the set and with the briefest hesitation, Roz unbelted her robe and handed it over. The boom operator beside him whistled under his breath and Andy resisted the urge to snarl.

Roz was beautiful, long limbed and slender with surprisingly full breasts, a flat, toned abdomen and a round ass. The sight of her nipples peaking in the icy air made his cock stir.

His breath caught. He had imagined this moment for a long time, but he had never done justice to her. The tight
nipples looked like raspberries and his mouth watered. He wanted to suck them until she trembled. And then … he clamped down on the rest of his fantasies.

The lights were dimmed and the fog machine vented a light mist across the lake. Everyone on set fell silent. A wave of possessiveness washed over Andy. He wanted to punch every guy who was staring at her, but mostly he wanted to beat the crap out of Jack Winter.

‘And action.’

Roz stepped into the lake, moving slowly through the water until it was waist high. She turned to the camera and washed her body slowly, allowing her palms to linger on her rounded breasts.

Andy smothered a groan as his cock hardened and he doubted if he was the only guy on set who was turned on.

Roz submerged herself in the water and rose again seconds later, her long hair stark against her pale skin, forming wet tendrils on her breasts.

Dear god, the sight of her like that was going to kill him. She was as seductive as a siren.

‘Gormflaith,’ Jack Winter’s voice carried across the lake.

‘Husband,’ Roz responded with a slight tremble in her voice.

Andy swallowed. He didn’t know how a single word could unnerve him so much. Cheyenne’s voice would be dubbed in later, but the hint of invitation in that single breathless word made him want to wade in there and drag Roz out.

Jack dropped his cloak and shrugged off his sword belt.
The rest of his clothes swiftly followed and he stepped into the water, eager to claim his new bride.

The contrast between the tanned, muscular hero and the pale, trembling woman was startling. The director smiled his approval as Jack swept Roz up in his arms, hugging her wet, naked body against him. Their searing kiss went on far too long for Andy’s liking. Surely the guy didn’t have to enjoy it that much? Abbie Marshall shifted in her chair. He was willing to bet that Jack would pay for that kiss later.

Or maybe Jack was doing it to tease her. Hell, it was teasing the hell out of every red-blooded male on set.

Tightening his arms around her, Jack carried Roz from the water.

‘And cut! Nice job guys. That’s a take. Let’s do the cloak scene and we’ll call it a night.’

A shivering Roz was wrapped in a gown by the wardrobe assistant and someone handed her a hot drink. The sight of her pale hands, tinged blue with cold, again made Andy want to punch something.

Jack towelled himself off and pulled on his robe before having a brief conversation with the director. There was a flurry of activity on the set as a blazing fire was set up on the lake shore. The set hands laid a quilt on the damp ground before setting Jack’s cloak on top.

At the edge of the water, both actors disrobed and were sprayed with a mixture of oil and water. Roz giggled nervously as Jack lifted her up in his arms. ‘Behave,’ Jack teased her.

Andy wanted to clamp his eyes shut as the director called for the scene to start but he couldn’t resist watching.
The naked bodies in the firelight, Jack’s hands and mouth on Roz’s skin, the passionate expression on his face as he became utterly engrossed in the scene.

If the director didn’t yell cut soon, Andy would do it for him. His raging erection was almost painful. He was angry as hell and more turned on than he had ever been in his life. How had she got him into this state? He didn’t know whether he wanted to kill Roz or fuck her senseless.

‘Great job, guys. That was smoking hot.’ The director could barely keep the glee from his voice.

As Andy watched, Jack stood up and helped Roz into her robe before he pulled on his own. He mouthed the words ‘Good girl’ to her before dropping an almost brotherly kiss on her forehead.

It was the final straw. Andy picked up a pile of towels and hurried towards Roz. They almost collided as she turned suddenly to avoid one of the crew who was intent on putting out the fire.

‘Thanks,’ Roz murmured as she reached for the towel and then her eyes widened in recognition. Her face was flushed, her mouth pink and tender from her recent encounter with Jack.

Andy barely resisted the urge to throw her into the lake and wash every trace of the other man from her. ‘You need a hot shower,’ he told her.

‘I’m fine. I –’

‘Now.’

Her mouth opened and then closed again at the stern tone in his voice.

Andy looked around him. The Jeeps that the set crew
used were parked along the road and he knew that most would have keys in the ignition. Ignoring her protests he bundled her into the nearest one. The engine growled as they shot through the woods at breakneck speed.

Andy pulled to a halt at the castle. Racing around to her side of the vehicle he opened the door and reached for her.

‘What the hell do you think you’re –’

Andy silenced her protest with a kiss and kept on kissing her until her body sagged against his. He slipped his hand beneath her robe and stroked her breast, pinching the nipple between his fingers until she gasped.

He had to get her alone before he lost control entirely. Andy’s thoughts raced. He couldn’t risk going back to the caravan she shared with Frankie, but the tower room in the castle had a bed. Andy slid one arm beneath her knees and lifted her from the Jeep.

He put his shoulder to the castle door and it opened with a protesting creak. Andy kicked it closed behind them. He marched up the wide staircase and along the corridor to the east tower.

‘Are you crazy?’

‘Completely and certifiably,’ he agreed as he pushed the door open and tumbled her onto the bed. They were both breathing heavily. Damn, he was losing it if he couldn’t carry a woman up a couple of flights of stairs.

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled in the faint light that came through the leaded windows. Andy wound a handful of damp hair in his fist and bent his head to take her mouth.

This time he restrained himself, teasing her with all the skill he possessed, drawing little breathless whimpers from her. Roz arched against him mindlessly, brushing her breasts against his chest. With a groan, he rolled off her.

‘Shower,’ he ordered.

‘What! Are you out of your mind? You can’t start something like this and stop.’ The Roz he knew was back, but he was damned if he was laying a finger on her until Jack Winter’s touch was washed from her skin.

He shrugged off his clothes and dropped them on the floor. The tiny bathroom had been squeezed into a corner of the tower room and the oddly shaped space was barely big enough for both of them.

He checked the temperature of the over-bath shower. Tepid, but at least it was warmer than the lake. Andy pushed a protesting Roz beneath the water and brushed her hair away from her face. ‘God, you’re so beautiful.’

She stared at him, her expression torn between lust and disbelief. How could she doubt that she was beautiful? What imbecile lovers had she taken up to now that hadn’t told her?

In between kisses, he washed her hair and soaped her limbs. Something landed in the bath between them and Roz gave a throaty laugh. ‘I think I’ve lost my merkin.’

Andy laughed and towelled her long hair, but it reminded him of the wig she had been wearing when he met her. Roz had been in disguise. Hiding. At some stage they would have to talk about the murder in Paris and why she was still on the run.

But not tonight.

‘What about the rest of me?’ she protested when he took the towel from her hands.

Andy gave her another lingering kiss and smiled. ‘Baby, I’m going to lick you dry.’

Her pale skin was a feast, an uncharted territory he longed to explore. He kissed and licked every inch of her arms, pausing to sample her pebble-hard nipples before kissing her toned stomach.

Curious, he asked her, ‘What do you do to work out?’

‘Parkour.’ She groaned as he found another delightfully sensitive spot. ‘Shut up with the questions and kiss me.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’ Andy pushed her back onto the bed and nuzzled at the tender spot again, drawing another moan.

He paused between her thighs, bracing her legs apart with his shoulders. He couldn’t understand guys who said they didn’t like giving oral. They must be crazy.

The first long, slow lick almost made her come off the bed. Andy ignored her throaty murmurs and licked again, deeper this time, lingering on her clit.

‘Oh, god. Yes.’

Her breathless cries spurred him on. He was willing to bet that it had been a while since anyone had really taken care of her. Andy took the tender bud of her clit between his teeth and nibbled.

Her first orgasm rolled out of nowhere and her high pitched cry was music to his ears. Roz grasped handfuls of his hair, begging him to stop. He ignored her and continued to work with lips and tongue until a second wave overtook her like a flash flood, obliterating everything in its path.

Andy waited until she stopped trembling before he raised his head.

‘How did you … What did you?’ She raised her head sleepily.

The dazed expression on her face filled him with pride. ‘Baby, I’m only getting started.’

He crawled up her body, pausing on the way to nuzzle her breasts, before kissing her again, letting her taste her own sweet musk. His cock was as hard as a pikestaff. If he didn’t have her soon, he was in danger of disgracing himself. She moaned.