I snort. “Trust me, he knows better than that. With the fuss I’d kick up, he’d never work again. Or regain the use of his fingers.”
“Better safe than sorry, love.”
I roll my eyes, turning to Matt. He hasn’t said anything yet. He’s still looking over at Thom, his expression troubled. “Matt?”
He swallows and reaches for me. I usually have a no-PDA rule on set. It’s unprofessional, and the men aresupposedto be here as my guards, not my boyfriends. But I can tell when Matt’s being a grumpy git who just needs a cup of coffee, and when he’s genuinely unsettled, and this time, it’s the latter. So I let him press me close.
“You okay?” I ask quietly.
He nods into my hair.
“Neanderthal instincts kicking in?” He pulls back and scowls at me.
“They’re changing the scene. This isn’t what you rehearsed.”
I shrug. “So?” Gina delivered me the revised script last night, after she decided that the sex on the beach scene wasn’t raunchy enough.
Matt sighs, cupping my cheek. “I know you’ve signed contracts, but if you ever change your mind, you know you can back out, right? I don’t give a shit if they sue you. No amount of money is worth you getting hurt.”
Oh.My insides warm.
It’s been two years since X kidnapped me. He got a full life sentence, as predicted. Even so, it took me a long time to feel safe again. This is the first role I’ve taken since the attack which shows any kind of skin. I’ve been so scared of somebody else ‘falling in love with me’ that I’ve flat-out refused to play love interests at all.
But I’m over it now. I’m ready to face the world again. What happened wasn’t my fault, and I’m not going to hide myself away just because some creep got hung up on a fantasy years ago.
“I really am okay.” I stroke my thumb over Matt’s cheekbone. “I love you.”
Matt surges forward and presses his mouth to mine. I think I hear the makeup artist groan a few metres away, but I don’t care. I kiss him back. His hand curves down over my waist, sliding over the silky fabric of the robe and finally landing on my ass. He gives it a little possessive pat, and I snort against his lips.
“Okay. I think Thom gets the message.” He nips my top lip then steps back.
“Go,” I tell the other two. “We’ll be able to finish a lot quicker without you scaring the shit out of my hero. And then I’m all yours.”
Glen and Kenta both nod, dropping to press a kiss to either side of my neck—they,at least, care about my poor makeup artist—then the three men finally turn to leave.
When I walk back to my spot in the sand, Gina is watching them with red cheeks. “How the Hell did you land that deal?” She mutters.
I shrug, dropping my robe. “I must have done something good in a past life, I guess.”
“You must have been a damnangel.”
I laugh, tilting my head back so the continuity supervisor can rearrange my hair. “I guess I must.”
Hair and makeup flutter over me, fixing me back up, then I sit down again, resettling my weight on Thom’s hips.
“Better?” I ask him.
“Uh.” He glances over my shoulder. I turn to see Glen loitering behind one of the cameras, giving him one last cold look.
I sigh. “Glen.”
He flashes me a bright grin and turns to leave. I look down, feeling warmth bloom in my chest.
“Hurry up,” Gina calls to the cameraman. “Let’s get the shot, before she stops blushing.”
Shooting ends at about five in the evening, and after a quick glass of champagne, everyone scatters, grabbing their bags and heading for the pier. The last boat to mainland Italy leaves at six PM, but most of the cast and crew left earlier in the day. I’m the only one staying behind; now that shooting is over, me and the guys have arranged to stay on the island for the next two weeks, taking advantage of the sun and the sea.
Thom catches up with me as I’m grabbing my stuff. He’s now changed out of his penis sock, and is dressed much more appropriately in jeans and a t-shirt.
