Producer: You’re flushed again.
15
“Do you know how dangerous it is to be shirtless and armed with a nail gun?” Decker said to Jack, who was sitting on a dolly in his usual uniform of all black, with a white scarf loosely wrapped around his neck and a director’s hat, making him look like a throwback to the Charlie Chaplin era. In front of him, the camera and lighting crew were getting set and ready to roll tape.
“This isn’t about color swabs and structural beams. This is about the lifestyle one gets when they buy this house. That’s why there won’t be any tools in the shot,” Jack said.
“Well, he’s in the shot, right?” Poppy said with a teasing grin.
Decker wasn’t sure how today was going to go. As promised, she hadn’t avoided him, but she also hadn’t slept in the bedroom, opting to squish in with Kiki. What she had done was throw a pebble at his window, like they were in middle school, and told him that she needed time to process, and she’d see him in the morning.
“As long as you recant the bad lips accusation,” he’d said.
“Not on your life.”
“I will have you regretting those words, Angel. By the end of this show, you’ll be begging for my lips, and you will be denied until you admit they are the best lips of your life.”
“Don’t hold your breath.”
Even from a distance and through the obsidian darkness he could see her blush.
“Good night, Decker,” she’d said.
“Sweet dreams about my lips.”
She chuckled and disappeared into the pool house.
Bad lips, his ass. He’d been part of that kiss, too, and it had been fan-fucking-tastic. She’d been as caught up in the heat as he had. In fact, had she not pulled back before things got too hot, he’d bet the house they would’ve ended up in bed. In the moment, he was devastated that she’d put a halt to things. But thank Christ she had. Look at how she’d flipped over a simple kiss. How would she have reacted to the morning after?
He jabbed a thumb at Poppy. “Why doesn’t she have to be half naked? This is sexist.”
“I was just getting there.” Jack clapped his hands twice. “Wardrobe!”
Like magic, a team of designers came sashaying out like the pool deck was a catwalk and this was fashion week. Only they had a single article of clothing. More like a scrap of material.
Poppy’s eyes bulged out of her head. “What is that? A hair tie?”
“The magazine wants you in the pool,” Jack explained, as if that hair tie would pass for a bathing suit. “We can’t have you sporting your overalls.”
Poppy looked adorably confused. “What’s wrong with overalls?”
Decker looked her up and down. “The overalls are cute. But if I have to be half naked so do you.”
Poppy leveled him with a look. “It’s a thong, Decker.”
“Oh, I’m aware. God bless the thong.”
“Not happening,” she said so primly he wanted to laugh. “Plus, I have my own swimsuit.”
Before Jack could argue, Poppy was gone. Jack tried to follow, but Decker crossed his arms and gave a threatening shake of the head. Jack swallowed and sat back down.
When Poppy was out of hearing range, Decker said, “This whole thing really is ridiculous. You know that, right?”
“You want ratings?” Jack said.
“I just want my jail time to be up.”
That wasn’t true. In addition to fixing his reputation, he wanted to be there as long as it took to get Poppy to admit she liked him. The adorable grin she gave him a moment ago told him he was on the right track. He still had a ways to go but he was making progress.
