looked around quickly, but no one was watching, so she let him. Several splotchy purple bruises marred the skin around her waist. He frowned and ran the back of his hand along them. “Do they hurt?”
Ashley didn’t answer, distracted by the sensation caused by his hand.
No, it didn’t hurt. She didn’t know what he saw in her eyes, but he smiled and slid his warm palm around her back. Pulling her closer, he leaned forward to murmur in her ear about the movies playing at a nearby theater.
“What are you guys doing?” Petra asked. “I was going to tell you about my new armlet.”
Caz looked at Petra in annoyance, and it took a moment for Ashley to snap out of the fuzzy sensation that had ensnared her. When her head cleared, she deliberately stepped away from Caz, frowning at him in confusion. What was he doing? What was she letting him do?
Caz said, “We were talking about what movie we’re going to see tonight.”
Petra blew out a breath.
Ashley felt torn, confused. Olive chose that moment to join them. She dragged a large laundry bag overflowing with envelopes behind her, and pushed the bulk against Ashley’s leg. “You’re going to have to help with this fan mail like the rest of us do. You have to do your share of the work. I’m not going to ask again.”
Ashley had never seen the bag. She lifted an envelope and peeped inside. “Snail mail?”
“Fan mail.”
“Sorry, Caz, looks like I’ll be busy tonight with this.” Ashley tipped the envelope to the side and a slim piece of elasticized fabric fell out. They all looked down at the red lace thong. Ashley read, “Dear Caspian…”
***
“Who’s that?” Ashley asked Petra and pointed to a military-looking man dressed in loose black pants and tight black T-shirt. He was talking to Caz and his agent.
“Trainer. Nice ass. Tight abs.” Powder lined up her makeup brushes. “Where is number four? Olive better not have been in here again.” Her eyes took on a militant gleam that was in contrast to today’s bohemian dress.
“Trainer for what?”
“Caz’s next film. He’s going to be doing some martial arts training on his off-time.”
“Caz barely has any off-time.”
Powder shrugged.
Ashley walked over, blatantly eavesdropping.
Caz said to his agent, “If they want to start early, I can train in September during postproduction.”
“You’ve committed to this movie and a lot of people depend on you making it happen.” His agent crossed her arms over her chest and sent a longing look at the coffee cart.
“I said I’d do the movie.”
“Well, doing the movie means working on other people’s timelines, not just yours. They need you to do this.”
Caz frowned, his mouth tight.
The AD said, “People, gather round.”
Ashley joined the rest of the crew and cast. The AD said, “The studio has read the recent press, and requires me to make a formal announcement regarding cast hook-ups.”
The crew laughed.
The AD said, “There are to be none.” He finished his command and stroked his little goatee. He’d gotten the ends trimmed about an inch.
Several people turned to stare at Ashley, which she found offensive. She hadn’t had a date or even been kissed by any member of the movie crew. Their stares were so unfair.
Petra giggled wildly and tapped her index finger, heavy with layered rings, against Caz’s arm. “Okay, we’ll stop.”
Caz frowned and moved away from her, crossing his arms over his chest.
Powder ran a hand over her hair and looked back at someone in the crowd. Ashley followed her gaze. Four men stood behind her. Ashley couldn’t tell which one was Powder’s secret boyfriend. None wore a monitored ankle bracelet or any suspicious makeup smears. Surely, someone trysting with the makeup artist would have at least a lipstick smudge on his collar or a stray smear of mascara.
Petra’s need for attention interrupted Ashley’s investigation. She raised her hands straight in the air and clapped them.
Ashley didn’t answer, distracted by the sensation caused by his hand.
No, it didn’t hurt. She didn’t know what he saw in her eyes, but he smiled and slid his warm palm around her back. Pulling her closer, he leaned forward to murmur in her ear about the movies playing at a nearby theater.
“What are you guys doing?” Petra asked. “I was going to tell you about my new armlet.”
Caz looked at Petra in annoyance, and it took a moment for Ashley to snap out of the fuzzy sensation that had ensnared her. When her head cleared, she deliberately stepped away from Caz, frowning at him in confusion. What was he doing? What was she letting him do?
Caz said, “We were talking about what movie we’re going to see tonight.”
Petra blew out a breath.
Ashley felt torn, confused. Olive chose that moment to join them. She dragged a large laundry bag overflowing with envelopes behind her, and pushed the bulk against Ashley’s leg. “You’re going to have to help with this fan mail like the rest of us do. You have to do your share of the work. I’m not going to ask again.”
Ashley had never seen the bag. She lifted an envelope and peeped inside. “Snail mail?”
“Fan mail.”
“Sorry, Caz, looks like I’ll be busy tonight with this.” Ashley tipped the envelope to the side and a slim piece of elasticized fabric fell out. They all looked down at the red lace thong. Ashley read, “Dear Caspian…”
***
“Who’s that?” Ashley asked Petra and pointed to a military-looking man dressed in loose black pants and tight black T-shirt. He was talking to Caz and his agent.
“Trainer. Nice ass. Tight abs.” Powder lined up her makeup brushes. “Where is number four? Olive better not have been in here again.” Her eyes took on a militant gleam that was in contrast to today’s bohemian dress.
“Trainer for what?”
“Caz’s next film. He’s going to be doing some martial arts training on his off-time.”
“Caz barely has any off-time.”
Powder shrugged.
Ashley walked over, blatantly eavesdropping.
Caz said to his agent, “If they want to start early, I can train in September during postproduction.”
“You’ve committed to this movie and a lot of people depend on you making it happen.” His agent crossed her arms over her chest and sent a longing look at the coffee cart.
“I said I’d do the movie.”
“Well, doing the movie means working on other people’s timelines, not just yours. They need you to do this.”
Caz frowned, his mouth tight.
The AD said, “People, gather round.”
Ashley joined the rest of the crew and cast. The AD said, “The studio has read the recent press, and requires me to make a formal announcement regarding cast hook-ups.”
The crew laughed.
The AD said, “There are to be none.” He finished his command and stroked his little goatee. He’d gotten the ends trimmed about an inch.
Several people turned to stare at Ashley, which she found offensive. She hadn’t had a date or even been kissed by any member of the movie crew. Their stares were so unfair.
Petra giggled wildly and tapped her index finger, heavy with layered rings, against Caz’s arm. “Okay, we’ll stop.”
Caz frowned and moved away from her, crossing his arms over his chest.
Powder ran a hand over her hair and looked back at someone in the crowd. Ashley followed her gaze. Four men stood behind her. Ashley couldn’t tell which one was Powder’s secret boyfriend. None wore a monitored ankle bracelet or any suspicious makeup smears. Surely, someone trysting with the makeup artist would have at least a lipstick smudge on his collar or a stray smear of mascara.
Petra’s need for attention interrupted Ashley’s investigation. She raised her hands straight in the air and clapped them.
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