They broke apart, Livvy’s chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. She stared at Flynn, and he was desperate to know what was running through that brilliant mind. She frowned at him, seemingly even more confused now. Damn it. If he could just ask for a break to take her aside and explain things… But then Livvy would have to climb down the scaffolding again,andback up it. By then, she’d probably be so peeved she wouldn’t care what he had to say.
“Miss De Lesseps,” Curtis called up. “That was fantastic, but perhaps a little less, er, eager this time?”
Livvy nodded. “Sorry, Mr. Curtis. I, uh, wanted it to feel real. Suppose I got carried away by the scene.”
The scene. Sure. Flynn tried not to scoff. There was more than the scene simmering between them. Unless he was truly losing his mind, which was not outside the realm of possibility.
They performed the scene again, starting from the dialogue so that Flynn didn’t have to keep climbing up and down. Butwhen they got to the kiss, Livvy barely touched her lips to his, puckering up in an exaggerated fashion and then breaking away before he’d had the chance to do more than breathe against her mouth.
Curtis cut again. Flynn could hear the man trying to hold in a laugh. “Uh, Miss De Lesseps, you overcorrected,” he called up.
Flynn chuckled. You could say that again. He’d shared better kisses with the offerings at the fish market.
Livvy bit her lip. “Sorry, Mr. Curtis. I promise to get it this time.”
She turned to return to her place out of the camera’s line of sight, and Flynn called after her. “Livvy.”
She whirled to face him.
“It’s natural to have nerves. Let me guide the kiss this time.” He felt like an ass for saying it, but his arms were getting tired clinging to this balcony.
He expected her to argue, to tell him she knew how to do a stage kiss. But she merely smiled and nodded. She gulped, and he realized the poor girl was nervous. Because of him. And his bloody mixed signals. This was the first time they’d filmed a love scene together. And he was making it harder on her. He really was an arse sometimes.
This time, the kiss was perfect. She did as he’d suggested and let him lean in, leading the moment. He pressed his lips to hers, resisting the urge to ravish her, and wrapped his arms around her as she tilted her head slightly.
They stood there, holding the kiss, and though it wasn’t as passionate as the first, Flynn was alarmed to realize he found it arousing. The fact that he was wearing breeches tightly tailored to his form meant that if this went on much longer, it would be rather evident to the whole crew what was happening. God, hereally was losing his touch, wasn’t he? He’d never had an issue controlling Little Flynn on a set. Possibly because he usually got a good enough workout in the evening. Flynn withdrew from the clench a little, trying to quell his desire, but Livvy made a sudden jerking moment and bonked her forehead into his.
“Ow!” Flynn yelped and clapped one hand to his face, holding onto the balcony with the other.
“Cut,” yelled Curtis, frustration mounting in his voice. “That was a medium shot, so we won’t be able to cut around the injury.”
Livvy looked penitent. “I’m so sorry. Flynn changed the timing.” She looked at Flynn, knitting her fingers in the satin of her gown. “Why did you break away so suddenly? You startled me.”
He swallowed down a retort and instead gritted out, “This scene seems to be a hard one.”
She looked pointedly at his crotch at the wordhard. Had she just? No, it couldn’t be. Lord, he had a dirty mind. He briefly wondered if they could create a mouthwash for the brain. But no, there it was again. Livvy darted a meaningful glance at his crotch, before calling out to the director below him. “I’ll do better this time. Wouldn’t want our performances to get stiff.”
That had to be on purpose. She gave him a look, and once again he was startled to find his heart swelling with affection for her. Usually only one part of him tended to swell when it came to dames. Though he’d take his heart over the alternative at this exact moment. At least that wouldn’t be visible. He had nothing to be ashamed of in that department, thank you very much. But he didn’t think the censors who were trying to blackball him would take very kindly to the sight of his erect cock on the screen. Not really the mark of a reformed scoundrel.
Livvy wrapped her arms around him and tangled her handsslightly in his hair. He kissed her, and they stood locked in an embrace for a few seconds. She deepened it slightly, darting her tongue across his lips, and he was ready for her. Two could play at this game. He’d lay a kiss on her so intense that she’d be seeing stars. See how she liked it if she was the one ruining a take. He parted his lips, sucking her tongue into his mouth. Satisfaction flared in him as a tiny squeak erupted from her. Message received, loud and clear.
But he’d miscalculated. Little Flynn was making his presence known again.
He tried to think of the most unerotic things he could muster. He would not cause them to flub another take. What was something decidedly unsexy? Flannel nightgowns. That was a good one.
But then an image of Livvy wearing a flannel nightie popped into his mind, and he stiffened further.Shit, shit, shit.He moved his head slightly, releasing the pressure of his mouth and lessening the beguiling sensation ofhertongue sweeping across his lips.
He needed to think of something comforting, something maternal. Like his mother reading him a bedtime story. He focused on the memory and locked it in his mind.
Suddenly, without warning, his mother transformed into Livvy. She was reading to him now. And she was naked.
“No!” he cried out, breaking the kiss. He did not want to touch that Oedipal nightmare with a ten-foot pole. He realized a moment too late that he’d disrupted the take.
“Everything all right up there, Banks?” Curtis asked.
“Yes, uh, it’s fine.” He needed to come up with an excuse. “I felt myself…starting to slip off the balcony.”
Livvy looked at him, one eyebrow raised. “Slipping off the balcony, huh? Maybe you should try to be less enthusiastic.” Shewinked at him, and he didn’t know whether to be irritated or turned on by her teasing.
