The director hollered for them to take their places forcing him to concentrate on the scene he needed to shoot and not what his feelings for Holly meant. The scene leading up to this point was scheduled for another day, so Ethan and Victoria had to get straight into getting busy.
“And… action!” Stan yelled.
Ethan grabbed Victoria by the shoulders, pushed her up against the wall and pressed his body into her as he kissed a trail from her neck to the top of her breasts. They moved away from the wall and Ethan propped Victoria on the back of a sofa, knocking over a lamp. She made all the right noises—panting, moaning and caressed her hands down his back. Ethan grinded his hips between her legs, reached behind her back and he ripped off her bra. It got tangled in his fingers and he tried to shake it off like he had mud on his hand.
“Cut! Wardrobe, get Victoria put back together,” Stan called.
While Victoria sashayed off set, he glanced over at Holly standing in the shadows, her expression blank. He couldn’t read any emotion. But her hands clutched, white knuckle tight in front of her. The only sign she wasn’t happy witnessing the scene. He didn’t want her here either.
Victoria got back into position and filming resumed. They repeatedly shot the foreplay. Ethan finally removed her bra without messing it up and, after a few takes, Victoria stayed topless and exchanged her black panties for a flesh-coloured G-string to give the illusion of being naked. In the next take, Ethan had her leg on his hip, a hand on her arse and he kissed her long and hard. They broke apart taking deep breaths and Victoria pulled his trousers down, flashing his bare arse to the crew. Putting a hand on his chest, she pushed him so he fell onto the sofa and kneeled before him. She slid her hands up his thighs and dropped her head into his lap. Ethan tilted his head back and made facial expressions to show he was in ecstasy.
During a quick break, Holly touched up his face and chest with makeup Victoria had kissed and rubbed off with her hands. And then moved onto Victoria without saying a word. Her cheeks turning red when she reapplied makeup to Victoria’s breasts.
Ethan grabbed her arm, stopping her before she took her place back in the shadows. “Are you okay?” She’d been noticeably quiet during filming and he hated that he was the cause.
“Sure,” she said through a bright smile belying the tension etched on her face. This couldn’t be easy for her to watch. Hell, it wasn’t easy for him to do. It felt like cheating. What the hell was wrong with him?
“Holly, this will be over soon.”
“Ethan, go to wardrobe please,” Stan called as he sat behind the monitor.
He wanted more time to reassure her, but the sooner he got this over with the happier they’d both be.
In the wardrobe department, he pulled the trousers off and placed a privacy sock on. He took his position on set and removed the towel he’d wrapped round his waist, throwing it out of shot.
“And… Action!”
There was more moaning and groaning with the director yelling, “Hand on her breast, raise her leg higher around your waist, pound harder.”
For the next few hours, they stopped and started so many times, Ethan wanted to scream and not in the way the director wanted him to.
Stan called for another break and he summoned Holly to put a smear of Vaseline and spray water on Ethan’s chest and back to give him a sweaty sheen. She slapped it on a little harder than necessary. Damn, he hated upsetting her.
He tried catching her eye to reassure her again. She was focused on what she was doing or probably just avoiding eye contact. “I hate that you have to watch this. It’ll be over soon.”
Victoria strolled over. “We’re actors, honey. It’s our job, nothing for you to get upset about. We know our way around each other’s body well that’s why it looks so convincing.” She winked at Ethan. She wore a burgundy silk robe, unfastened enough to see the curves of her full breasts.
Not helping Victoria. With the gleam of mischief in her eye, he knew she was trying to cause trouble, not stop Holly from being upset.
Slap. Slap. Slap.Holly didn’t say a word.
Ethan pulled Holly away from Victoria. “Don’t listen to her. It’s acting. Nothing more,” he tried explaining.
She sprayed his chest with freezing water.
Not taking the hint that he wanted a moment alone with Holly, Victoria sashayed back to them. She trailed a finger along Ethan’s jaw. “Bring those moves to my house tonight lover,” she said, not caring that Holly stood next to him.
Ethan’s gaze followed her as she continued onto the set. She dropped the robe; she was extremely comfortable standing in a room full of people while practically naked.
After a beat, he realised Holly was glaring daggers at him. “You know I’m not going.”
“I need to touch-up your back,” her tone was sharp and she spun him not so gently around and applied makeup.
“Holly, are you done?” the director called.
“Yes, he’s all yours,” she answered.
Ethan turned to look at her, but she’d marched off set.
