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“No, I’m really not. I’m asking because that’s my reality every night. I stare at the ceiling in my little villa and think about you. I dream about you showing up in the middle of the night. Of holding you in my arms. Kissing you again. But then I wake up and you’re not there. It wasn’t real, and my heart breaks a little more every morning.”
My heart is pounding in my chest. A combination of his sweet words and the way he’s looking at me causing my pulse to soar.
And I fall a little more for Eli Simms.
The man I can’t have. Shouldn’t have.
It’s too complicated.
Not worth the risk.
My heart wouldn’t be able to survive being shattered by him.
“Taylor.” My name is barely a whisper on his lips as he leans in.
“Do that again,” I hear from behind me, bursting the little bubble Eli and I were in. “Look at her like that again, lean in the same way.”
Pulling out of Eli’s embrace, I turn to find Ansen and Celia standing close behind us.
“Show her how it’s supposed to look, Taylor. Maybe that’s what you need,” he states, turning to Celia. She’s staring at me, a murderous glare I feel deep in my soul. “If you can’t nail it on the next take, I’m going to have Taylor stand in for you.”
That seems to snap Celia back to reality.
Ansen forces Eli and I to show Celia what ‘intense passion’ should look like. Over and over again, as a crowd begins to surround us. Ten minutes later, after explaining every aspect of the scene to Celia, he has Eli and I act it out one last time.
Only this time, he wants Eli to kiss me.
And for me to play the part of Jessa, Celia’s character. To react the way the script calls for Jessa to react.
Clearing my mind, I let everything else around me fade to black and focus only on Eli. On the way he’s looking at me. Because he’s not in character right now. He’s still looking at me the way he was before Ansen interrupted us. With nothing but admiration in his eyes. They’re heated with desire, want, need. And what he needs is me.
When he leans in close enough to brush my lips with his, I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him to me, erasing the little bit of distance between our lips and bodies. I put everything into that kiss. I give him my heart and soul. Because when it’s over, I’m walking away. It’s the only way to save myself from heartache.
Ansen hollers cut sooner than I’m ready.
Eli and Celia are standing on their markers minutes later, back in action. They nail the next two scenes in quick succession. The third requires two takes, and the final scene of the afternoon requires four. Once Ansen yells cut and announces we’re on break until the sun begins to set, I dart off set and straight up to my room.
Back into hiding I go.
As soon as the door closes behind me, I lean back against it and text the girls. It’s time to be honest with them and face the consequences of my lies.
ME: I’m in serious trouble.
AUSTIN: So, you finally kissed him?
HAYDEN: Took you long enough to tell us. What’s it been? A week?
ME: How did you guys know? And why did you let me continue to lie to you?
HAYDEN: You weren’t ready to admit you liked him yet. The same reason I don’t tell you guys about all the guys I go on dates with. I feel like if you talk about it too soon you jinx it.
AUSTIN: You don’t tell us about all your dates? Seriously? It feels like you go out with a different guy every night.
HAYDEN: Calm down. I tell you about most of them.
ME: Hello! We’re supposed to be talking about my problems, not Hay’s active social life.
AUSTIN: What exactly is the problem?
