Since I have some free time before lunch, I make myself a proper chicken salad which I bring out to the table outside when it's nearing lunch-time. It's a beautiful warm and sunny day today, and we usually sit outside when it is. As the others are done with their scenes they sit down with me. Ella, Haley, Wrenn, Sam and Tom is already here now. Tom, who's sitting diagonally across from me, is reading a book.
"What are you reading?"
He looks up at me with a smile. "The Tempest"
"Shakespeare, right?"
"Absolutely correct. Work of art." He adds. "I've read it before of course, but it seems like every time I read Shakespeare I notice something new, or hidden meanings."
"I've actually never read Shakespeare..."
"You should. This is real literature."
Robbie sits down beside Tom. "I've read one of his works. It wasn't voluntary."
Tom chuckles and shakes his head before looking down continuing reading.
Suddenly Tanner drops down beside me and nudges me. I look up to see him wiggling his eyebrows at me. "So... You and Tom huh?"
My fork slips out of my hand and hits the bowl with a loud sound. "Uhm... What?" Both Ella and Haley are pressing their lips shut, trying not to laugh.
Has Sam told Tanner what he saw? Has he told anyone else...? My heart is racing as I look up at Tom. He looks at me over his book and chuckles by my reaction. My eyes go back to Tanner.
"What are you talking about?"
Tanner laughs. "You're going to have a sex scene, didn't you know?"
"Me and Tom?"
"Yes... Oh right, you weren't at the meeting." Tanner shakes his head.
"No. I was not." I'm still stunned and struggling to compose myself, as my heart is still beating fast in my chest. "Why haven't you told me?" I turn to Tom.
He shrugs. "I didn't think about it, thought you knew..." He excuses with a slight smile. "I think we'll get the script pretty soon."
As we speak, Mark and Jeffrey come over and sit down beside Tanner at the end of the table. "Tom and Y/n, we just need to talk to you about next week's scene."
Tom puts down his book and pays attention to them.
"Okay, y/n. I guess you've been told about the sex scene between Naomi and James by now?" Mark asks.
I shake my head slightly. "I just heard about it, right now." The others chuckle.
"Oh okay. Yes. It's going to be a bit different than the other ones you've done."
I listen as Jeffrey continues for Mark. "Because it's more passionate... not..."
"Not just me doing my job, being a whore, yeah I get it." I finish.
To laughs from some of the others.
"Yes, exactly." Mark nods. "So we just have to discuss some things."
"Yes, like last time, we have to ask what you're comfortable with." Jeffrey sighs, making it quite obvious that he thinks it's unnecessary.
I myself find this quite annoying. Why does he have to have such an attitude...? They should also realize that I'm not going to refuse, I already said yes once. Also Jeffrey's tone is just making me pissed.
"Yes...?" I'm not going to make it all easy for them.
"How much are you willing to show for the scene?" Mark asks.
I sigh. "I don't know. What were you thinking?"
"That it's the best for the outcome of the scene if you can strip off now too." Jeffrey states staring me directly into the eyes.
I shake my head and look down for a moment. It's not that I'm not insecure anymore, just not as much as last time. "Well if you need me too, I guess I will. It's not like I'm going to refuse to do it this second time. Which I'm pretty sure you knew..."
The others chuckle and I can see a slight upward curl of Tom's lips. Like he's proud that I'm talking back to them. When thinking about it I've actually come a long way. I'm not this silent and uncomfortable girl just doing what she's told. Besides they need to hear it.
My hand picks up my bottle of water taking a sip.
"But I don't get why it's so important to see me naked, anyways. My body is not that great..." I half joke.
This makes Tom make a face of surprise, both eyebrows raising. "What are you talking about, you are beautiful..." he blurts out. To laughter and "oooo"s from our friends.
"And how do you know, Tommy?" Robbie nudges him.
Tom looks around nervously. "I mean... I... You guys know I was in that scene..." He stutters.
"Right." Robbie laughs, not able to contain himself. I realize Sam is looking at us and shaking his head. Ella and Haley's smirks are also really revealing. "We know, Tom." Sienna pats his shoulder.
I chuckle. "Thank you, Tom. I was just joking though."
Both Mark and Jeffrey are shaking their heads. Mark with a smile and Jeffrey without. "Okay, so both ass and breasts now too..?" He asks, just to be clear.
I sigh and look down at my bowl of salad. My appetite fading. "Sure, if I have to."
"And nipples?" Jeffrey continues.
I bite my cheek looking up. The other ones are silently eating and paying attention now. Tom looks like he's thinking.
"Yeah, sure." I mumble, feeling a wave of insecurity strike me. There it is.
"Great." Jeffrey says, clapping his hands together, ready to move along.
"But you know..." Tom draws the attention. "I can do nude scenes too." He shrugs.
The silence is loud.
"It's not like I haven't before, and that way y/n, won't have to show as much." He looks from Mark to Jeffrey. I feel the warmth spreading throughout my body again. Very thankfully I smile at him.
"Yeah, but we weren't thinking you were going to be clothed anyways, Tom..." Jeffrey frowns. Mark doesn't say anything.
"No..." Tom almost rolls his eyes. "I get that. But if I'm on top... then y/n will be more covered. That's what I'm saying." He glares at Jeffrey. "And I can be nude, I'm not too uncomfortable with that."
Everyone around is looking from Tom to Mark and Jeffrey and to me. I can't believe Tom is actually doing this for me.
Jeffrey sighs. "I don't know... We were thinking like a hot and passionate sex scene..."
Tom interrupts him. "Well I think that is quite a normal way to have sex..." Our friends agree to that, and Tom adds. "Last time I checked that position is-.."
"Got you, Tom." Jeffrey holds up his hand, before looking at Mark. "What do you think?"
"I think he's right." Mark shrugs. "That'll be great Tom. Thank you." They eventually leave.
I turn to Tom. "Thank you."
"No worries." He smiles back.
"Can't wait to show off your but, can you?" Robbie teases.
Tom chuckles, ears turning red. "No.. it's not that... but far too often it's the actress that has to do the most nudity. Makes you wonder if it's not so strange after all that women and girls are a lot more sexualized than guys." He says in a serious tone, before joking: "But you're right. My hiddlesbum is very well perceived by the audience."
Everyone breaks out into a rolling laughter. The nervousness created by the tensed atmosphere between Jeffrey, me and Tom, is disappearing.
Lunch is over and I bring my dishes to the kitchen to clean up. As I'm washing the pan, two strong arms wrap around my waist from behind and his wonderful scent hits me.
"Tom..." I whisper as shivers run down my spine by feeling his hot breath against my ear.
"Hey, darling." He nibs at my ear softly. I try to concentrate on getting done, whilst feeling him pressed up against my back.
"You are so hot..." he says underneath his breath, before placing a series of kisses all over my neck.
As soon as I put down the pan, he spins me around. The hard counter is digging into my ass, and he keeps one hand on each side, keeping me in place. His eyes wonder all over my face before meeting mine.
"Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are, y/n?"
I feel the blush settle in my face. "Thank you..." I smile, grabbing his face with both hands. "You're quite attractive yourself."
Tom gives me a smoldering, literally body-crumbling glance before kissing me firmly. I kiss him back, forcing his head a bit up. He lets go and looks around around for a moment before leaning his forehead to mine.
"Fuck..."
My heart skips a beat and I grin up at him. The sound of his voice, with that rasp, swearing... Is just so unbearably hot. "What?"
"Why did Sam have to interrupt earlier...?"
I chuckle lightly. "Yeah..."
"You have no idea how badly I've been longing to kiss your lips..." He kisses me softly. "Touch you..." He moves both hands to my waist. "Feel your body against mine..." he pulls me closer.
I'm literally shivering, every word he says, every movement he does is turning me on more.
"these past days..." He stops, and takes a breath. It seems like he doesn't know how to explain it.
"I know." I sigh reaching up to pull him down to kiss me again. It's a gentle and slow kiss, that lasts a while. Silently we both pull apart. I look to the left to see Ella standing with arms crossed and the biggest grin on her face. We both jump when seeing her.
"Oh... hi." I can't meet her eyes and my face is burning.
Tom runs his fingers through his hair and chuckles nervously.
"If you don't want the entire cast and crew to know, you should be a bit careful." Ella laughs.
"Yeah." Tom and I nod in unison.
"Come on y/n, we have a scene."
"Sure." I'm about to step away, when Tom grabs my arm pulling me back in for one last kiss.
Ella's smile is even wider now, when I join her to go shoot the next scenes.
"Ready to party tomorrow?" Ella smiles and puts her arm under mine.
"Actually yes." I'm surprised myself. "It'll be good to just let go for one night."
"Hey, that's the spirit, my girl!" Ella nudges me. "Not that dull and party pooping answer you gave us two days ago... What was that about?" She shakes her head. "I don't know if I'm going to go..." Ella says trying to do an impression of me.
I throw my head back laughing. "I don't know... But I'm up for it now!"
"Good." Ella says.
The truth is that I was having some doubts. Or I was a bit scared. That if I drink I will say something or do something to give away that Tom and I... Or that someone will catch us. Yeah, idk, I'm sure it'll be fine. I just have to keep it in the back of my mind.
We're almost there when we meet Sam, who grabs my arm. "Can we talk?"
"Uhm... sure okay." I wave for Ella to go on, and she frowns questioningly, but leaves us.
Sam lowers his voice. "Who else knows? About you and Tom?"
I was hoping he wouldn't bring this back up, but I realize that was too much to ask for. I'm pretty sure I'm turning red again.
"Uhm... Ella and Haley, because I live with them, so..."
"Okay." Sam nods. "Just them?"
"Yup."
"I won't tell anyone... I'm sorry for my reaction, I just was not expecting that." Sam shakes his head and gives me an apologetic smile.
"No problem..." I smile back.
"But..." Sam's eyes turn serious again. "Just be careful."
"Huh?" I tilt my head, waiting for him to go on. He doesn't. Instead he nudges me softly. "Talk later, good luck with the scenes!"
And he walks away. I stay still looking after him. What did he mean? I try to shake it off, as I have to get to the last scenes for today.