Throughout our hike, her arm brushes against mine, or her hip grazes my leg, and these little touches are driving me insane. It's like she has no idea how much she's touching me and how crazy it's driving me.
We crest the hill, and the view is breathtaking—a perfect stand-in for a mountain town. Sophia stops abruptly, laughing as she takes it in.
"It's so beautiful, I think I just had a joygasm."
"What?"
Before I can process what she just said, she stumbles. Instinct kicks in, and I grab her by the waist, steadying her. Now she's straddling my knee, with her ass pressed against my cock.
"Careful," I murmur, stepping back quickly. "I've got you."
I steady her and then remove my hand, doing my best to pretend what just happened is completely normal and not awkward at all.
"Thanks," she says. Her cheeks flush, and she straightens her tank top, avoiding my gaze.
"Sorry about grabbing you; my dad instincts kicked in," I say, trying to lighten the mood a bit.
"Good thing. Thank you," she says, finally looking back over her shoulder at me. "It really is beautiful up here."
I point out a few places where I think we can create the scenes in which her character plays the role of a stubborndaughter who refuses to leave her home despite a mandatory evacuation and where she'll end up helping firefighters place sandbags to divert the flooding and fend off mudslides. It's also where she'll fall in love with one particular firefighter and…well, I won't spoil it for you.
As we head down the mountain, back toward the western sets, Sophia reaches out and holds on to me so she doesn't stumble again, and a whole host of feelings spreads through my body—mostly how I'd be happy to rescue her from this mountain, carry her over my shoulder like the firefighter she'll fall in love with, and find a soft place to lay her down and worship her.
nine
. . .
Sophia
I can't stop thinkingabout his hands on my waist, backing into him, a certain piece of anatomy pressed against my lower back so briefly that I'm not sure if I imagined it or if it really is as big as I think. I cross my legs, uncomfortable in the front seat of his car, so turned on by the idea of Grant with his hands on me.
His eyes wandered over my body more than once, and I may not be as experienced as he is, but I know the look of desire. I shake my head and turn to watch the scenery pass by us on the highway. I need to get this little crush on Grant under control. He's been nothing but a gentleman since the day we met.
I'll never forget thePink Slippremiere and how his undivided attention made me feel like we were on a date. It didn't hurt that Wyatt and Blair got caught up in long bathroom lines—or so they said. Whatever their excuse, it forced Grant and I to hang out while we waited for them. I've never had anyone so genuinely interested in me.
Don't get me wrong—everyone is interested. But it'sactress Sophiathey want to know about. What I'm wearing, dating rumors, on-set stories, all the misogynistic questions about marriage and kids. Grant spent time asking me aboutme. My hobbies. How it felt to win the Oscar. He wanted to know if I was hungry or needed a drink. Nobody cares if I'm fed or hydrated—ever! But all evening, he kept me close. His soft touches on my back, his fingers brushing mine when he handed me my drink, and the way he stood just behind or beside me felt…possessive. Like I was his.
We'd only spent time together three or four times before starting this production, but each moment had left an impression. At first, I was a little heartbroken to learn he had a daughter. Not because of Hazel—she's incredible—but because he didn't share that with me at first. A sting of jealousy crept in when I wondered if there was someone else in his life.
But that jealousy faded the moment I saw Hazel's photos on his desk. Her gap-toothed smile lit up the frame, and the way Grant spoke about her—so animated, so full of pride—showed how deeply he loves her. Meeting Hazel made it even clearer why she's his everything. She's smart, funny, and kind, and it's obvious she adores her dad just as much as he adores her. Knowing that side of Grant only makes me admire him more.
"You're awfully quiet over there," Grant says, pulling me out of my daydream about him.
"All the ideas are flowing."
"I thought you might like it."
We spend the next hour discussing ways to adjust theproduction schedule. It'll be chaotic, but Grant's willingness to shuffle the budget makes me feel like we can make it work. I'll work with Edie on the script changes and sets, whatever it takes.
My phone buzzes, and my assistant's name flashes across the screen. She rarely calls, which makes my stomach tighten.
"Sorry. I need to take this." I bring the phone to my ear. "Hey, Jamie. Everything ok?"
"Sorry to bother you, Sophia, but there's a problem at your house," she says, her voice tense. "Any chance you are close by? I'm down in San Diego today, so I can't run by to check it out."
"Um, I think we are about fifteen minutes away. Grant and I are just getting back into town. What's going on?"
"Your house flooded. The fire department's there. They need someone to check it out."
