Chapter 2

chapter

two

Andrew

I have a great ass.

It's true. I'm not even bragging. It is, in fact, my job to have a good behind. Well, technically my work often goes beyond my booty, but my ass is what gets me the jobs. I'm a set double, body double, ass double. Whatever you want to call it.

When leading men don't want to do naked work, they call on me. I don't mind showing off my body as long as I don't have to act or show my face. Not that there's anything wrong with my face, but doing the physical work of a scene is what I'm good at.

That most recent big budget alien action flick… yeah, that was my ass. It was painted blue for the movie, but still me. Hollywood has been good to me and I've been smart with my money, investing most of it because I knew with a job like mine, eventually the work would move on to younger guys. I'm approaching forty and frankly I'm getting tired of the work.

I'm ready to find my lady love and settle down, fill our house with kids and live happily ever after. Isn't that what all these movies we make are about?

Okay, not that one asteroid movie. I wasn't in that one, thank goodness because everyone died. Talk about depressing.

In any case, I'm on set working with the director on blocking a scene. It's one of the more technical parts of my job and something I enjoy quite a bit. I'm basically like a living prop though, really used just to get the lighting and camera angles set up correctly on shots they want to try to get in one take.

"This isn't working," Luca, the director, mutters to himself.

That's when I see her. And by her, I mean HER . The woman I've noticed on set since we've been working for all of three days now on this new movie. It's a rushed, last minute holiday flick that seems to have everyone in a bad mood. Not me, I don't tend to get in bad moods much.

Seems like a waste of energy, especially when a cold beer and an orgasm can fix most things.

"Luca, hold up. I think I know what would help." I step off the set and lightly jog over to her. I step right in front of her path. "Hey," I say.

She frowns and tries to walk around me.

"Wait, I wanna talk to you."

"No thanks."

"Perfect, Andrew," Luca calls. "Yes, Maxine, can you help us out for a few minutes?"

Maxine's blue eyes widen behind her black-rimmed glasses. She gives Luca a tight smile, then shoots me a tiny glare before setting down her stuff on the concrete floor.

"What can I do?" Maxine asks Luca.

She's clearly done with me which I find fucking delightful. I don't know why. The fact that she's not immediately charmed by me is refreshing, I guess. Or maybe I just am drawn to her sass. More likely I'm drawn to that plump ass of hers and her full tits; she's all curves and softness, but when she talks, her voice is sharp and edgy. There's also an undeniable intelligence shining in her eyes and fuck if that's not catnip for me. Especially after living in this vapid wasteland for the last decade.

Hollywood is known for is pretty views, not for its intellectual stimulation. Not that Saddle Creek, TX, my small hometown, is an epicenter of culture. But I do miss going to the library, then walking down to Ruthie's Diner with a stack of books to pore over while I eat one of her famous burgers.

"Andrew," Luca barks.

"Right." I tear my eyes away from Maxine's curvy backside which somehow had me homesick for my favorite juicy hamburger. There's something about this woman, I can feel it.

I make my way back into the fake living room where there's a Christmas tree and a stack of boxes leaning against the wall. They're empty boxes, but in the story of the movie they're filled with all kinds of decorations for the two main love interests to get tangled up in. Or something like that.

Luca is explaining the scene and the whole concept of blocking and the angle of the cameras and lighting. She's just staring at him like he's a complete idiot.

"I think she's got it, Luca. Let's just give it a go." I say, giving a gentle tug on the director's shirt sleeve. We've worked together multiple times before, so he knows me.

He growls, which is par for his course, but still walks off the platform and moves back to the camera area.

"Explain the set up to her while we adjust the equipment," Luca yells.

She gives me a snort of derision. "Who are you, like the main actor?"

"No, sweetheart, I'm just his set double."

Those blue eyes of hers roll. "So what is it that I need to do?"

"This is one of those scenes they want to preferably get in one take so that's why we?—"

"I know what scene blocking is, jackass. Just tell me about this scene."

Fuck. Why does that sassy mouth make my dick hard? "Sure thing. The heroine is just walking through the room and a tower of boxes nearly topples over, hero rushes over to sweep her out of the way, they end up plastered against the wall together."

She glances to her left at said tower of boxes. "What are in them?"

"Nothing. But they're supposed to be filled with Christmas decorations. I'm Andrew, by the way."

"Max."

"I've seen you here, but never on any other sets. Are you a new actress?" I ask.

She snorts. "Yeah, right. Because they hire female stars with asses like mine all the time."

I look down even though I can't exactly see much of her ass from this angle. But her hips and thighs are thick and curvy. "They should, because your body is damn near perfect."

She laughs and the sound is pure fucking magic. It's like a salve on sunburnt skin or water quenching a parched throat. Where has this woman been all my life?

"Oh my God! Do lines like that usually work?"

I raise a brow at her. "Who says it's a line?"

She puts her fists on her hips. "That is blatantly… obviously a line."

"Okay, so the boxes are toppling, and you move now Andrew," Luca calls.

I grab Maxine and maneuver out of the imaginary harm's way, putting her back up against the fake wallpapered wall.

"Excellent. Now step closer and brace your hands on either side of her head."

I do as I'm told, leaning in closer to Maxine. She sucks in a breath that, had I not heard it, I might have missed. She's not as unaffected by me as she's pretending to be.

"Okay, if you're not an actress, then what do you do on set?"

"I am in charge of color-coding all of the glitter used in the scenes."

"Maxine, put your hands on Andrew's hips," Luca says.

She swallows visibly, but then I feel her hands on the outsides of my jeans.

"No, no! I know you're not an actress," Luca yells. "But can you pretend you want to be there. Grab onto him."

Her fingers curl into my hips and fuck me, Luca doesn't even know what he's asking of me.

I lick my lips, flick my eyes down to her mouth briefly, then back up to her gaze.

"This is so forced and contrived. I will never understand how costars hook up so frequently," she says, but her voice has lost some of its edge.

"Are you doubting the necessity of our fearless hero saving our intrepid heroine?"

She rolls her eyes. "Please. If the boxes are falling and she can't get out of the way before he has time to run across the room and save her, then maybe she deserves to get crushed."

"Maybe shock and panic keep her from moving."

This time she snorts. "What is she? An armadillo? Does she roll into a ball too?"

I toss my head back and laugh. "You're delightful, sweetheart. Have dinner with me."

Her smile disappears. "Um … no, thank you."

"Why not?"

"Look, I'm sure I seem like low hanging fruit on the set, but I've been around guys like you my entire life and honestly, I need more than a pretty face. Besides, it's not going to hurt you to put in the effort to charm someone else."

I shake my head in confusion. "Low hanging fruit? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means any guy who is as good looking as you can get laid any time he wants. Even in Hollywood. Still, I get it. You look around the set, try to find a woman who will take the least amount of work. The woman who's a little frumpy, more than a little chubby and will probably just be grateful for the attention. But sorry, I will not be that woman."

She's got it all wrong. Everything she just said is wrong. I grin at her.

"I'm beginning to think that you might be slow-witted, as they say," she hisses.

"A little closer, Andrew," Luca barks.

And a little closer is all I need to completely close the distance between our mouths. I can't help myself. I've got to taste for myself and see if all those snarky words make for a tart kiss. I should have known better. She tastes like cinnamon and cloves and Christmas morning.

Her fingernails—blunt though they are—dig into my hips as she tightens her hold on me. She kisses me back, her tongue sweeping into my mouth in a bold, take-charge kind of way.

She makes a whimpering noise in her throat.

Laughter sounds from behind us. Fucking Luca and the camera guys. It definitely breaks the spell though because the next thing I know, I've got a knee to my groin and two palms pushing against my chest.

I fall to the set floor with a ‘oof.'

"Jackass," she mutters, then she storms off.

Luca meanders over, still chuckling. "You probably want to ice your balls." His laughter increases.

"It's not that funny. I'll just go see the medic," I say, wincing in pain.

Luca howls with laughter. He tosses his thumb over his shoulder. "Maxine IS the medic."

Fuck my life.