Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 41935 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41935 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Alex told me during our meeting today that it’s time to “move past the PG shit and start getting physical.” And believe me, I want to. Very badly. Just not with Farrah.
“I don’t know,” I say in answer to Farrah’s question. “It depends, I guess.”
“Cut!” Alex yells, launching himself out of his director’s chair. “Look, Lorenzo, I get that it’s hard for you non-actors to have cameras filming your intimate conversations and all, but you’re killing me. Literally ending my fucking existence. I need chemistry. Stop looking over at me. Look at her. Put your arm around her. Nibble her ear a little. Make us wonder where your hands are wandering under the water.”
I nod because I get where he’s coming from. I’ve seen these reality shows a time or two. Hell, I’m pretty sure Dom and Misty are an actual thing right now because June told everyone she saw Dom doing a walk of shame out of Misty’s room this morning.
But it’s a lot harder when you’re not feeling it. Especially when the woman you are having feelings for is watching the entire thing. It’s not Dom I keep looking at, it’s Alice.
She won’t even look at me. Every time I tried to get her attention today, she avoided me. I get that she doesn’t want to piss Farrah off, but it’s driving me crazy.
“Follow my lead,” Farrah says, putting a hand on my knee.
The cameras start rolling again, and she snuggles closer to me.
“I want to find something real,” she says, her tone earnest and sultry at the same time. “Someone who can see me at my worst and still be there.”
“Everyone deserves that.”
Her hand slides up my leg, her fingernails grazing my inner thigh. She leans her forehead against my temple, humming with amusement.
“I like that you’re a gentleman. But it’s okay to be...not a gentleman, too. I like you, Dalton.”
I have to suck it up. I’m here to perform, and even though I’m not willing to get any more physical than this, I’m likely to get kicked off the show if I don’t show any interest in Farrah.
“I like you, too.”
I turn my face just slightly toward hers, waiting for Alex to cut. Farrah puts her free hand on my cheek, easing it over so we’re face to face. She puts her lips on mine, kissing me softly and gently.
Though I don’t open my mouth, I still kiss her back. One arm stays behind her but not touching her and the other is beside me on the molded seat of the hot tub.
She slides her hand onto my dick, stroking it. “Should we go to my room?”
“Yeah, sure.”
A few more agonizing seconds pass, guilt slicing through me as I wonder whether Alice knows Farrah has her hand on my dick.
“And cut,” Alex says. “Beautiful, guys.”
I stand up as quickly as I can. “Get what you needed?”
“Yes, sir. I would like a shot of you guys walking to the bedroom hand in hand, though. Go ahead and dry off. It doesn’t look great when you’re dripping water all over the place.”
I glance at Alice, who’s sitting in her chair, looking at her phone. I hate myself for what I just did.
“No, I think it’s implied,” I say. “I’m done for tonight.”
“Oh, I forgot that you’re the director,” Alex says dryly.
I grab my towel and dry off my chest and arms. “I’m done. It’s nothing personal.”
“I agree,” Farrah says from the hot tub. “Let’s give people room to wonder what came next and assume for themselves. Alice, towel.”
Alice springs up to get her towel, avoiding my gaze. She passes by me, just a couple feet away, but I can’t say any of the things I want to say.
Farrah gets out of the hot tub and asks Alice to dry her off. It’s all I can do not to tell Farrah to fuck off and stop being such an asshole to Alice.
“Let’s go for a drive,” Farrah says to Alice. “I haven’t driven in forever, and we have a convertible.”
“Okay.”
Alice stays by Farrah’s side as they gather their things, Farrah wrapping a long skirt at her waist and fastening it. She flicks a quick gaze to me as they’re walking away--it only lasts a second, and I can’t discern the emotions swimming in her eyes.
It’s nothing good, though, which is exactly what I deserve.
eleven
Alice
“Hey, wake up. It’s seven forty. Are you sick or something?”
I push the covers aside, sitting up and giving Farrah a puzzled look. What’s she doing in my room?
“I told you in the text I haven’t been sleeping well and I was too tired for sunrise yoga. It’s better for you to be alone with Dalton and JP anyway.”
She uses the light on her phone to find the way from the doorway to the end of my bed, where she sits down.