I cocked my head. “Did you seriously just ask me that?”
“Come on!” He was practically whining now. “One of the perks of this job is getting to see beautiful people half-naked. You get to see my chest. Why shouldn’t I get to see yours?”
I crossed my arms over said chest. “I don’twantto see your chest. I’m sure Greta would be happy to make sure your nipples are also covered for our big scene.”
I stood, ready to go check in with Foster and Callan and recharge before Lee called for us to begin, but he snagged my arm. “You’re single, right?” Ryan asked.
Trying to be as subtle as possible, I pulled my arm out of his grip. “Whether I’m single or not isn’t really the point. I don’t know you well enough to be naked around you.”
Ryan smirked at me. He was the kind of guy who was used to getting what he wanted. His smirk practically broadcasted thatI’m so charming. You should totally trust mevibe. “So, does that mean if we get to know each other, I can see you naked?”
Someone cleared his throat behind me. it was Callan. I didn’t have to look to know.
“Can I help you?”
“Ms. Montoya, are you all right?”Ms. Montoya?I turned, and there was a look on Callan’s face that I had never seen before.
“I’m fine, Callan,” I said and offered him a tentative smile that he didn’t return.Shit, I thought. Clearly, he was upset, but I couldn’t talk to him the way I would if we were alone. “Seriously, Cal,” I said, lowering my voice a little. “I’m okay.”
He nodded and stormed back to Foster. They leaned into each other, whispering. “They seem intense,” Ryan remarked. “What company did you hire?”
“Mercado,” I said, eyes still snagged on my men.
Ryan whistled. “Hardcore team. Everything okay?”
When I turned around, I was a little surprised by the real concern in his voice and face. “Just some overzealous fans,” I said with a shrug.
“That’s theworst,” he said, but then he smirked. “But it can be the best, too.”Ew, I thought and turned away before he could see the look that I was sure was on my face. “Are you seeing either one of them?”
“No,” I said, even as I wanted to screamyes. “Ethan Mercado is serious about keeping things 100 percent professional.”
“Shame for them.” He leaned in. “Better for me, yeah?”
I wrapped my arms around myself and centered myself for a moment. Then, I said, “We’re here to make a movie. I’m not looking to date or hook up with a co-star. Is that going to be a problem?”
Ryan studied me for a moment, but his smile never faltered. “I’m not looking for a relationship either.”Of course, that’s what he would hear, I lamented. “Let’s just—”
“Adrianne! Ryan!” Lee called. “Let’s get started!”
We walked back to the set, and as we crossed the space, Ryan wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I tried to shrug him off, but he held fast to me. Lee’s face lit up when he saw us. “Let’s walk through the dialogue and see if we need to bring in the choreographer. Greta will be here to ensure that your boundaries aren’t breached.”
It didn’t escape my notice that the last bit sounded a little forced. Greta had to be a company hire. Lee probably wouldn’t have allowed her within a mile from the set if not. Even though I’d only been working with him for a week, it wasn’t hard to see that he was a bit of a control freak. I looked at Ryan.
“Do you actually know the dialogue?”
He scoffed. “I’m a professional. Don’t worry about me.”
While meeting Ryan Jacobs was largely underwhelming, working with him was a different story entirely. As soon as he was “on,” Ryan became a different person. “Marcia, I’m worried about you,” he said as his character, Dr. Harris Rutledge. “You’ve been different ever since the accident.”
“I’m fine, Harris,” I insisted, falling into the ‘Dr. Falconi’ character. The last week of living in the ornithologist’s shoes made me appreciate her as a person. She was a woman who was struggling with secrets and the burdens of expectations. I could relate to that. “You worry too much.”
Ryan reached out and touched my face—an allowable gesture, according to our agreement. “I worry just the right amount when it comes to you, Marc.”
“I’d like a kiss here,” Lee said, breaking into the moment. Ryan’s hand immediately dropped from my face, which I appreciated.
“I’m game if you are,” Ryan said to me. “It’s adding to the script, but it would be a good place for one.”
I could see the logic in it. “Okay,” I agreed and glanced at Lee. “Can we go from the top?”