*****
I was on location again early to get my hair and make-up done. At least I could just sit there waking up but the poor make-up artist and hairdresser had to be switched on! Heath wandered in and greeted us all. His greeting to me was decidedly frosty compared to the day before and we all read the situation.Great.The marquee didn’t feel big enough for both of us; I was so relieved when he was done and went outside to talk with the director.
Once I was ready, I was dressed in the same silver ballgown with the long train that I wore yesterday. The script required Heath to ‘collect’ me from my wanders on the moors. I was to join him on the back of his motorbike—lucky it wasn’t a fitted dress—and we’d tear off with the storm chasing us across the moors and my dress train billowing behind. It was a lovely day so I suspect they were going to add the storm later.
We did the shots yesterday with Heath looking for me on the moors, riding his bike around in his leathers, looking sexy. Today he finds me, the viewer sees him arriving, then me on the back of the bike, clutching him around the waist, looking at the camera sexily, while he looks straight ahead with a determined and satisfied look and off we go. Sure, happens all the time with passionate couples I imagine.
He sat astride the bike and looked too gorgeous for his own good. The production team put me on the bike, draped the dress appropriately, and placed the train so it would billow as he rode and stepped back. I had to wrap my arms around his waist and do the look.
Our director, Will, stood back and looked at the preview.
‘Looks good,’ he said. ‘Okay Heath, you’re going to take off, not fast enough to lose Cathy off the back, drive forward to the turn in the road while we trail you with the camera, then stop and we’ll see how that looks.’
‘Gotcha,’ he said.
Will continued. ‘Cathy, you’re going to give the camera a look as if you’ve just landed Heath and can’t wait to bed him.’
Every set of eyes pivoted to me, watching for my reaction. Well watch all you like; nothing to see here, no show, move along.
‘Got it,’ I responded, and wrapped my arms around Heath’s leather-clad body. He braced as I did it, conscious of my touch and immediate proximity. He muttered something that I couldn’t quite catch but it sounded like, ‘for fuck’s sake!’
It was agony.
A camera was set up on a car along the side of the road and another camera was fixed to a drone to follow Heath and get the shot.
‘Rolling, and in your own time,’ Will called.
Heath started the bike and took off, faster than I expected. I yelped and grabbed him tighter.
‘Sorry,’ I heard him say, his voice carried behind on the wind to me. ‘I didn’t mean to frighten you.’
This was the old Heath, protective. I squeezed him to let him know I was okay and still hanging on. I focused on what I was supposed to do and we reached the end of the track, Heath slowed the bike down and stopped. A couple of assistants pulled my train in, handing it to me. Heath spun the bike around and we slowly returned to the starting place for another shoot.
‘Try and head off a little slower thanks, Heath,’ Will joked, and Heath grinned at him.
‘Yeah, sorry about that. She’s not meant to be tamed … the bike,’ he added quickly, seeing the looks he got.
We did the shot another six times until Will was satisfied. Seven times all up with my arms wrapped around Heath.
Agony.
Next shot we were on top of the hill that I stood on yesterday. I changed to another billowing gown and met the crew and Heath on the plateau. I saw Heath appraise me as I walked toward him. With my hair wild in the wind and the dress I was wearing making me look so feminine and ethereal, I think it pained him. He looked away.
For this shot, Heath had to put his hands around my waist and pull me to him; I was to place my hands on his chest, resisting slightly. I could feel his heart pounding, I could feel the heat radiating off him. Neither of us looked at each other until we had to. There was no kiss, that was the scene and nothing more, and if tension and heat could kill, I would have melted.
After Will called cut for the final take on that scene, I almost fell back in my haste to move away from Heath and to breathe again. I’m sure it was obvious to everyone. Heath ran his hand over his face and turned away.
‘Brilliant,’ Will called, then expanded his comment, ‘Great job, everyone. Let’s prepare for the next scene’. I imagine he elaborated by including everyone in his praise so it didn’t look like he was capitalising on our distress.
I breathed out and then sat in the fold-up chair that was pulled out and set up for me. My hair and make-up were retouched.
In this scene, Heath had to look across the moors and I had to cling to him from behind like I was a needy bitch, and he ruled the world.Whatever.Again, I had the skirt billowing, the train flying, my hair flowing, so dramatic.
‘Okay, places everyone,’ Will called once I was touched up.
I stood behind Heath as he stood arms folded, looking over his domain, and I didn’t touch him until Will called ‘Ready’.
I pressed against his back; my arms wrapped around him. For just a moment I felt him weaken, his frame shuddered just a little.