Double Take: A Leading Man Romance Read Free Page B

Hur . The movie he’s making now stars a porn star, and even I think some of the dialogue sucks. It’s two people in a house, talking about relationship problems, and occasionally fucking. It’s pretentious, but he thinks it’s high art. I’m not surprised he doesn’t notice the fly buzzing around his head, willing to drop to her knees.
    Kylie is precocious. My eyes don’t leave her as she flips open a notebook she’s carrying and shows it to Rob. He glances at it, but dismisses her to turn his attention to the director of photography.
    Kylie, I can already tell, is too good for this place.
    She obviously has the tenacity to be on her own film set. Given that she navigates the crew so well, chances are she has the intel to do it, too. I have her sized up within moments, but as soon as I get comfortable, she surprises me.
    Rob abandons her completely just before I’m informed that I’m done in the chair, and I’m on my feet immediately, drawn across the lawn to her. With Rob gone, she seems to settle into herself again and sees me coming. She waits, but I can tell she’s already thinking of a way out.
    It’s cute.
    “You need something?” she asks, and her eyebrows are lifted expectantly. It’s her job to run errands for anyone who asks, so she’s programmed to offer. I want to tell her to stop being everyone’s bitch, but it’s kind of her job description.
    “I’m fine.” I glance sideways, squinting towards Rob’s back. “He’s looking dreamy today, don’t you think?”
    Kylie’s face is red immediately, and she’s on the defensive. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” We both know that she does, but she’s trying to stay professional. I can respect that.
    “You want tuna?” I hold out the Tupperware towards her in offering, and her expression turns to one of disgust. I somehow stifle my laugh. “No, I get it.” I lean in, lowering my voice. “You hate me.”
    I see relief pass over her features, like it was the elephant in the room and I finally shot it between the eyes.
    “I don’t get why you’re here. No.”
    “Have you seen any of my work?”
    Kylie seems flabbergasted. “Your… porn? What? No. Fucking… disgusting and degrading. No. ”
    I’m not hurt. I’ve heard much worse from much less interesting people. In fact, I’m almost amused. “It’s just sex,” I tell her casually. “And it’s just porn. There’s nothing wrong with watching it.”
    “It’s not my thing.” She spits the words like they taste bad in her mouth, and I realize she’s already made up her mind about me.
    “I’m here,” I start, going back to her prior statement, “to change things for myself. How old are you? Twenty-four? Twenty-five?”
    “Twenty-three.”
    “Right. I’m thirty-four. Look at you. Look at everything you’re doing right now. I was younger than you are now when I got into porn, and I’ve been doing the same thing ever since.”
    That seems to make things worse for her because she snaps, “I get coffee for a living.”
    “Yeah,” I say, my eyes darting around the set. “But you can balance eighteen cups at a time somehow, and remember what goes where. Badass.”
    Kylie cracks a small smile at that, even though she tries not to let it out. I see the expression from my periphery.
    But just as soon as I’ve gotten through to her, Rob turns and calls out for her. “Hey, kid! Can you come here for a minute?” and it’s like I never got through her exterior in the first place. Everything in her expression changes and she’s like a puppy at his heels. She at least has the decency to shoot me an apologetic glance before she’s off.
    I finally take a bite of the food I’ve been macerating with my fork, but it tastes bland. I’m watching Kylie as I mentally rehearse my lines for the upcoming scene: I want more in this life. More than this room. More than hope and excuses and more than my bullshit principles. I want you.
     

Chapter Five: