CHAPTER TWENTY
Jude
The next day,I was shocked by Marly’s transformation. She took to this lifestyle—my lifestyle—faster and better than I’d ever thought she would.
I watched as she paced the room while we rehearsed scenes as Leo and Holly, picking at her cuticles every time she forgot one of her lines and I chuckled inwardly. Nail biting.An actress. Actors and actresses were supposed to be perfect, flawless from our whitened teeth, to our manicured nails. But Marlena was perfectly imperfect. She was real. Which won out over the myth of ‘perfection’ any day.
Before I knew it, the day flew by in a whirlwind of rehearsals and role-playing scenarios.
She recited Holly’s lines, her eyes bright blue as she looked at me through a web of thick, black lashes. “I’m not whips and chains. I’m sunshine and roses,” she whispered.
I swallowed as I stared down at her. The lines were similar to a conversation we’d had a couple of days ago. There was a tightness in her jaw; a thickness to her voice. Was she even acting? The more time I spent with her, the more convinced I was that she was meant for this role. She was not only an incredible actor… but shewasHolly.
“If you are the sunshine… then I am the shady tree,” I said.
Her brows creased and she moved to where the script sat on the table, flipping through the pages. “Those aren’t the lines,” she said.
“No. But maybe they should be.” I cleared my throat, taking a sip of water and shaking the scene off. “Let’s take a break.”
Her chin lifted and she smiled at me, lowering to a seat on the edge of the bed. I could still smell the scent of her arousal clinging to the pillows and sheets from last night. Fuck. I took a deep breath.Control yourself. Right now is work time… play time is later.She tugged her heels off and rubbed her arches, kneading them with her knuckles.
“You should wear your slippers,” I said, laughing. “Why give yourself calf cramps for rehearsals?”
Marly sighed. “The right pair of shoes helps me get into character. It’s stupid, I know.” Then, she added with a gulp, “Jack used to make fun of me in rehearsals for it, too.”
My eyebrow climbed at that. “Marly, I’m not making fun of you—”
She nodded, slipping the other shoe off and repeating the massage. “No, I know.” She shrugged. “Jack found me… amusing at best. I was less a girlfriend and more like a project to him.” A breath seemed to shatter within her chest. That didn’t sound like fun Dom/sub play… that sounded borderline abusive. And I hated the way her voice cracked with the memory. “Like I said, I know it’s stupid to rehearse in heels. And maybe it’s superstition, but it works for me—”
“Marlena,” I interrupted. “You know yourself. Better than anyone. And if a pair of shoes puts you in the role, then own that.”
Marly snorted, rolling her eyes and continued massaging her foot.
I had no idea if I was getting through to her. “You know—my mom used to always read me a quote: When a bird sits in a tree, it never fears the branch breaking. Her trust is not on the branch but on her own wings. Believe in your wings, Marly. Believe in your process. And don’t fucking believe an asshole like Jack. People like him… just want to clip your wings and keep you grounded.” I knelt on the floor in front of her and put my hands on her legs. “But you’re not meant for the ground.”
“Jude—” When she lifted her eyes again, they were wide and wetter than an ocean’s wave. “I need to tell you—with Jack and me, I know you’ve heard the rumors…” she cleared her throat. “That I onlydatedJack to get the part in his movie. It’s not true. Jack made all that up because he was pissed I dumped him after the premiere. Honestly, I only waited that long because my publicist told me it would be terrible PR to do it before the movie came out.” Marly clicked her tongue, shaking her head and tore her eyes from me.
Ihad heard the rumors. Honestly, I hadn’t given them much thought. For starters, it was Los Angeles. Not that I approved of it, but people switched husbands and lovers like they were test driving cars. But Marly was different; there was an innocence to her. It was practically like pulling teeth to convince her to come to LnS with me in the first place. Maybe I was wrong about her, she didn’t seem the type to use her sexuality to get ahead.
I broke the heavy silence. “I never believed a damn thing that man said.”
“You know Jack?”
I shook my head. “Not really. But knowing you,” I paused, swallowing. “Well, let’s just say that you don’t come across as a woman who does this sort of thing often.”
Heat flooded her cheeks and freckles the color of caramel splattered across her skin. I wasn’t even sure what I meant by that cryptic message. Taking lessons from an incredibly strange man in a room that had more security than the Pentagon? Having incredible sex with someone she knew less than a week?
“Thank you,” she whispered, wringing her hands in her lap.
“Look, last night was incredible. I thinkyou’reincredible. But if this doesn’t work out, I can be professional on set. And if you prefer to end this now to avoid having to work with someone you’re involved with—”
“That’s not what I want.”
My heart slammed into my ribs. “It’s not what I want, either. But I’d understand. I’d hate to think you felt coerced into something—”
“No,” she said, her voice stronger than I’d heard it all morning. “I don’t feel that way at all. I wanted you last night. I still want you now.” We froze, our breath severe and sharp and our faces only inches apart. I held her eyes, hypnotized by them and I couldn’t resist a taste. Even though playtime was supposed to come later, I was helplessly drawn to her. Helpless, like a blade of grass in the middle of a hurricane. And she was tearing through my soul, destroying me.
I slanted my mouth over hers and she tasted—Jesus, she tasted incredible. I glided my tongue into her mouth and she opened to me. Her arms wrapped around my neck, clawing, pulling me tighter against her and her ankles hooked around my hips. Her bare heels prodded into the small of my back, urging me for more. And I was desperate to give her more.
