He hadn’t realized how badly he needed to see Liam until he spotted him across the lot. Something in his chest loosened at the sight, like a knot pulling free.
They hadn’t spoken since last night. The call had been about calming Liam down and helping him through the panic. It had rattled Jacob and left him tense and wide awake, the sound of Liam’s voice still echoing in his head long after the line went dead. He hadn’t let himself look for release; Liam had needed him steady, not selfish. In the end, Jacob was just grateful he’d been there when it mattered.
Liam stood by the makeup trailer, nodding as a PA rattled through the call sheet. He even managed a smile, but Jacob saw straight through it. The corners of his mouth pulled tight, and his shoulders were too stiff. Shadows pooled beneath his eyes, just dark enough to betray the truth.
He hadn’t slept.
Fuck.
Jacob crossed the lot without thinking, boots hitting the pavement in measured strides. He didn’t bother with hello, just wrapped a hand around Liam’s elbow and said quietly, “Come with me.”
Liam glanced toward the set. “We’re on in ten.”
“Then we’ve got nine.”
Jacob led him around the far side of the set until the voices dulled and the air cooled. Privacy wasn’t a guarantee, but it was good enough. No one would come looking here. He turned, pressing Liam back against the wooden siding, close enough to feel the heat radiating off him.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Liam gave a quick nod, the movement almost defensive. Jacob’s gaze stayed fixed, not accepting it as an answer. He waited until he saw Liam’s guard slip—the truth flickering in his eyes.
When he finally spoke, it wasn’t deflection anymore. “Better than I was last night.”
Jacob closed the distance until their chests brushed. His hand found Liam’s waist, fingers pressing in until he felt the heat of him through the layers.
“You sure?” he asked, voice low enough to scrape the air between them.
“Yes, what you did… it helped.”
Jacob’s grip tightened, a weird satisfaction curling deep in his chest. “You should’ve called sooner.”
“I didn’t want to bother—”
Jacob cut him off. “You’re not a bother.” The words came sharp, leaving no space for argument. “You need me, you reach out. That’s how this works.”
Liam swallowed before nodding once.
Jacob didn’t wait for permission. He leaned in until their foreheads touched and he could feel Liam’s breath warm against his own. One hand slid to the back of his neck—a hold that said,you’re here, you’re mine, I won’t let you fall.
His other hand slipped beneath the hem of Liam’s shirt, finding the curve of his ribs and the warmth of bare skin. The contact grounded him, proof that Liam was here and safebeneath his palm. They stayed like that, foreheads pressed, the quiet between them thick enough to feel.
Jacob drew a slow breath, forcing everything back into its cage. “Are you ready to shoot?”
A soft huff ghosted against his mouth.
He willed himself to take a step back, though the need to stay clawed deep. His hand lifted to fix Liam’s collar, but the gesture was only an excuse to touch him one more time. He lingered for just a moment longer before forcing himself to turn and walk back toward the set, resisting the urge to look back.
***
They made it through the scenes the way they always did—like the script was more a suggestion than a rule. Lips landed where they shouldn’t have. Hands stayed where they had no business staying. A kiss meant to be blocked and practiced turned into something else entirely.
No one called it out. They never did. By now, the crew had seen stranger things between them. Thank God for NDAs. He just hoped there wouldn’t be any more leaks.
Jacob paced the length of his trailer, still in costume, sweat prickling at the back of his neck. The collar of his shirt felt like it was strangling him. The taste of Liam was still there, stubborn on his tongue and impossible to shake.
He’d texted one word:Trailer.
In less than a minute, Liam stepped inside and shut the door behind him. They didn’t waste time on words. Jacob crossed the space in three long strides, his hand fisting Liam’s collar before pulling him forward into a kiss that hit hard. A collision of want and something Jacob had no right to need this badly.
