Off Camera

Chapter 16

Tee POV

I scurry through the studio trying to find the one person who can make this horrible workday dissolve away, but no matter where I look, I can't find him.

My feet halt in front of the makeup artist's area, and I ask, "Have any of you seen Tae? I was supposed to meet him after my scenes were done, so we could practice together." I don't care if anyone knows I'm lying right now. My top priority is to find Tae.

The few people standing around look at each other and then at me and shake their heads. One lady points to the exit. "Hasn't he left for the day already? I thought I saw him heading out a couple of hours ago."

I take a deep breath and whip my head around towards the main door. Could he have left already? I thought he was going to wait for me.

An image of Rhonda and her overly friendly touches pops into my head, and my stomach sinks. She hasn't gotten her claws into my man, has she?

I look back at the group and mumble, "Thanks." I don't wait for a response before I rush out of the studio towards my car. Once I get to my vehicle, I jump and speed towards Tae's place. He has to be there.

The drive to his apartment is a blur. When I finally reach his place, I bolt out of my car and up to his apartment. My thumb rubs along the surface of his apartment key, which he gave me this morning in case the code doesn't work. We know we can't go on any formal dates, but we can do things at each other's apartments out of the view of prying eyes, including reporters and their cameras. Since we are co-stars in the drama, no one would think twice about us coming and going from each other's apartment. We can pass it off as practicing our lines together.

My heart jumps into my throat when I step off the elevator on Tae's floor. In the back of my mind, I can't completely push the idea of Rhonda having something to do with Tae missing in the afternoon. Anger surges through me.

Please tell me she wasn't around him or the studio today.

My palms glisten, and I bite my lower lip. I punch the code in.

Click.

I breathe a sigh of relief, but my relief vanishes when I step into his dark apartment. He isn't here.

Even though I know he isn't here, I still call out. "Tae! Are you here?"

I flip the light switch and the living room lights turn on. The emptiness surrounds me. Instead of Tae's warmth greeting me, the cold darkness is the only thing I find.

My feet grow heavy, and I drag them across the carpeted floor towards the couch. I want to go further and check the other rooms, but I already know he isn't here.

I collapse onto the couch and my emotions come bubbling up. Fear takes a hold of me and drags me back into the cold darkness. The rational side of my brain comes up with various possible reasons for Tae's disappearance, avoiding anything associated with Rhonda.

After about 10 minutes of sitting in silence, my shoulders droop. Is he coming home tonight?

With each passing minute, the silence becomes almost unbearable and my previously excited demeanor fades, leaving me to sit alone with only my fear and jealousy to keep me company.

Where is he?

Time slowly ticks by and drags on, while I stare at the wooden front door, wishing he would walk in any second. I don't care what his excuse is. As long as he has his famous crooked smile, I'll forgive him for making me worry.

After what feels like hours, I admit defeat and get up. My body doesn't want to leave, but I force my heavy feet to shuffle towards the entrance. When I'm halfway across the room, the sound of jingling keys stops me in my tracks, and my heartbeat quickens. Is Tae finally home?

I suck in my breath and watch the door handle turn. Every fiber in my body hopes Tae is finally home.

I gasp when Tae steps into the apartment and smiles at me. He puts his hand up into the air, holding tightly a few bags. "I brought food home. Are you hungry? I hope pasta is alright."

Tears well up in my eyes, and I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.

He flashes me his lopsided smile, shattering my fears.

My emotions come flooding, and I catapult forward, wrapping my arms around him while I capture his luscious lips in a passionate kiss. My hands roam over his back before my possessiveness surges. I plant my palms against his firm chest and push him back against the door. I deepen the kiss, hoping he will never forget it or how it makes him feel.

He drops the bags of food on the floor and snakes his hands around my waist, pulling me flush up against him. His warmth seeps through our thin clothes and burrows deep into me, igniting my desires into a burning inferno.

He breaks our kiss. Panting, he whispers, "Don't you want to eat first?"

I raise my eyebrows, and my eyes darken. "Oh, I'm going to eat you first, then I might go in for seconds."

He licks his plump lips and looks into my eyes. Lust swirls around in my eyes, which ignites the same in him. His hooded eyes pull me back in, and I lean into him to devour him again, but he stops me. "I was talking about real food. You've gone most of the day without eating much. I don't want you to get sick."

Warmth fills my chest. How can he be so kind and caring? If I didn't already love him, I would have fallen for him.

My gaze drops to his alluring lips and back up to his hooded eyes. My pants grow tighter, and my cock springs to life. All the blood in my body races to my groin, and eating actual food is the farthest thing on my mind.

In a sexy voice, I slowly shake my head. "We can eat later. I want you first." My tongue peeks out of my moist lips and slowly glides along them.

His growing bulge rubs up against mine while he pulls me tighter against him. A smirk spreads across his face. "Who am I to argue with you? We will get our fill of each other first, then we will have a midnight meal."

The corners of my mouth curl upwards, but before I can voice my approval, he latches onto my mouth in another passionate kiss.

I slide my hands up his firm chest and snake them around the back of his neck. I yank him closer to me, trying with all my might to fuse our bodies into one.

His rough hands grope my back before they slide down to my round butt. He grabs each cheek and kneads them a few moments before they glide down to the back of my thighs. The next second, he tightens his grip and lifts me into the air.

I eagerly wrap my legs around his waist, hoping he will soon bury his thick shaft in my quivering hole. Pleasure pulses through my body, just imagining him ramming me hard and fast from behind.

Ahh...

He takes a few long strides and stops in front of the couch. A chuckle spills from me as I lean my head back slightly. "I think we have a fetish for doing things on couches."

In a deep, husky voice, he raises his eyebrows and replies, "Maybe."

His need and desire for me oozes from the one word and if I was standing, my legs would have buckled under me.

I rack my fingers through his short hair and pour all my seductiveness into my next few words, hoping he will follow my command. "Then show me."

Published September 17, 2022