“Any reason why you’re filming blow-up dolls?” She jerked her thumb to the couch.
Now that Grace was here, my creative juices were flowing. All right, maybe they weren’t exactly creative, but the juices were flowing. And if Cory had to practice, I could think of no better human specimen to get on film.
“I was just teaching Cory a few tricks and it would be much more useful if he had live subjects.” I rushed over to where she stood. “Stand right here.” I pried her coat and purse out of her hands and urged her to stay in place. “Look at the camera.”
“Don’t film me.” She waved her hands in front of her, seriously uncomfortable with it.
I remembered her being uncomfortable with filming porn before, too. She had tried to audition, but ultimately had decided that it wasn’t for her. I admired the hell out of her from that moment on. Most people would just do it. Especially given the fact that she was already an escort.
“Relax. I’m not asking you to take anything off.” I looked up and gave her a wink. “At least not in front of the kid.”
Cory groaned. “You do realize you’re only five years older than me, right?”
I had been a teenager once, but I didn’t remember ever having such a great are-you-kidding-me face. Besides, Ellie probably would have smacked it right off me if I’d ever used it.
“Five years in age, but a hundred in life experience, kid.”
I directed Cory to look through the lens. “We’re going to practice.”
“Wait.” Grace’s voice was high-pitched, about three octaves higher than the sultry timbre I was used to. “What are you practicing?”
I didn’t even acknowledge her question. Instead, I turned to Cory and asked, “All right, director. What’s your vision?”
Excitement flowed through my veins. I missed this. I missed being behind the camera, even though at this moment it wasn’t me calling the shots. But the chance to be creative again, to be around something creative, had me happier than I had been in a long time.
Cory tapped his finger against his lips, taking his time with figuring out his vision. “I got it.” He snapped his fingers. “Grace, you stay there. Ben, you come in from outside the shot. Then Grace, you’re going to give him the go-ahead look and Ben you’re going to dip Grace and kiss her, then pull her up and walk away, leaving Grace looking shocked.”
“A dip?” He might only be a teenager, but he acted like he was an eighty-year-old man.
He shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to do that with a girl.”
“I didn’t say yes.” Grace bit her lip. Did she have any idea how crazy that made me? How it made me want to feel the sharp pinch of pain when she bit me. Every part of me. “Why should I do this?”
“It’s for educational purposes, Grace. Now at least pretend like kissing me isn’t the most disgusting thing you’ve ever done.”
“Wait.” Cory peeked around the camera. “You guys have already—”
“Let’s get this started.” I clapped my hands, drawing attention as far away from the subject of Grace and me as possible.
What we may or may not have done wasn’t Cory’s business. It was no one’s business. I was pretty sure the only people who knew we’d slept together were Max and Everly. I hadn’t even told Ryan. I normally didn’t kiss and tell, but considering Max had been dating her best friend, I thought he should know. I didn’t want to be responsible for screwing up his chances.
Then you shouldn’t have slept with her in the first place.
I walked off camera, waiting for Cory to get ready. I watched as Grace stood there, fidgeting on the spot, and it suddenly hit me. I was terrified. The last time we’d kissed it had gotten way out of hand. As in, we’d screwed on the desk to the left of me.
“This is ridiculous.” She huffed, her body restless. “Do I really have to do this?”
Cory looked on, a sad expression washing over his face.
Immediately seeing the disappointment in his eyes, Grace changed her tune, smacking her arms against her sides. “Fine. Let’s just get it over with.”
She fiddled with her hair and clothing, making herself presentable for the shot. Not that she had much to do in order to be presentable.
When she was ready, Cory made eye contact with each of us, then yelled, “Action!”
I stalked over to Grace, barely able to keep my excitement from presenting itself in my pants. I did my best to forget about the camera and Cory. I invaded her space, not giving her any opportunity to move away. I stared into those jade-colored eyes, the same eyes that had captured my attention the moment I walked into that coffee shop to meet her for the first time.
She blinked up at me from under thick, black lashes. The hint of annoyance that had glared at me from across the room only minutes earlier disappeared the moment I pressed my pelvis to hers. Her eyes softened and she bit that lip again. And that was it. The go-ahead.