Page 56 of Between Takes
“Like this conversation,” I muttered before stomping into my bedroom to find clothes and a towel. He wasn’t going anywhere. The man was stubborn, and if I wanted any time to myself, I’d see the flats and ditch him later.
I paused, clutching a top to my chest. I could do this. I could pretend everything was perfectly normal and nothing had happened. My ability to do my job depended on it.
With my arms full of fabric, I turned to find Shaun lurking in the doorway. His eyes bounced between my unmade bed and me with a dazed deer-in-headlights sheen. His fists clenched at his sides, and the memory of his fingers digging into my hips as he drove into me surged to the surface.
“Give me a good reason why you choose to live here and I’ll leave it,” he promised, his eyes fixed on a point beyond my shoulder.
“There are so many things I could do with that money. Paying extortionate rent isn’t one of them.”
He frowned. “What else would you do with it?”
“I don’t know. Save to buy a house? Start a business? Anything but squander it on rent in a temporary city.” I walked towards him, and his eyes met mine. Lust clouded them briefly before he locked it down and started studying the ceiling.
“That’s very sensible of you.”
“Surprised?”
He nodded. “I shouldn’t be.” His Adam’s apple bobbed as I approached, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away. “What business would you start?”
“I have no idea. I still haven’t figured out what I want to do with my life.” Although my conviction that production would make a nice interim career was growing.
“Well, let’s start with fixing your living situation and I’ll see what I can do about your life-goals issues later.”
I didn’t detect an ounce of teasing in his expression. He seriously believed he could fix my problems. Most men ran a mile the moment they sniffed out so much as an ounce of work. The fact he cared enough to want to help warmed my heart. It shouldn’t have – I didn’t need or want the help – but that didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate it for a moment before snuffing it out. It was such a rarity. Had I given up a unicorn?
He backed away from the doorway with a sweet, knowing smile, and some insane part of me melted.
“I’ll see the flats, but I’m warning you now: It’s a waste of time. I’ve got something lined up.”
“Do I want to ask for details, or is it going to piss me off?”
Holding the towel and clothes close to my chest, I crossed the living room, trying my hardest to ignore his presence. My fingers itched to pull him into the bathroom, but I bit my tongue before I could offer up my shower. You said no repeats. Don’t be a tease.
“Tilly offered me her spare room.”
Shaun’s brows puckered. He had no idea who Tilly was. Sometimes he was a blank slate, but he was becoming easier to read by the day.
“She’s the wardrobe assistant. She came to Axel’s with us.” I’d meant it when I said the crew didn’t expect him to know their names. Hadn’t thought he was actually beating himself up with it, though.
“You’d rather share a space with a stranger than have your own flat?” he said, his words slow and measured as he tried to decipher my logic.
“She’s not a stranger anymore, and I mean, she forgave me for nearly throwing coffee over her costumes.” I shrugged. Shaun’s eyebrows shot up. “It’s not an interesting story. She seems nice, nicer than this lot.” I gestured to the four closed doors surrounding the central living space.
I’d fully vet all housemates before agreeing to rent a room in future – lesson learned. Nothing I could do about it now except move out. I’d only been in the city for four weeks, but, oh boy, did they make a month feel like a lifetime. None of them worked, from what I could tell, but then, they didn’t speak to me, so I couldn’t be sure.
Given they spent most weeknights out on the town and noisily crashed in the front door as I left for early call times, I couldn’t imagine any of them had jobs. Can you fathom the sleep deprivation? No thank you.
“View the flats and we’ll talk,” Shaun said, his face set in serious lines that would have dissuaded the average person from arguing. He should have realised by now that I was not the average person.
I left him in the living room to stew while I showered. I did not suggest he join me, although I really wanted to.
What the hell was wrong with me? I’d said no. Me. Not him. I was the one stopping us from having sweaty fun, and my reasons were sound. I needed to stop thinking about it, to consider what it might feel like to ignore all the risks.
