Acting up

Chapter 9

Pete, the fuming director, called out break. Stomping towards us, he threw his hat down on the floor between our feet and said," I'm giving you half an hour to get rid of that attitude and prepare yourself to bloody act.  I don't fucking care if she is your freaky ex-wife. You're going to pretend she isn't. That is what acting is you know. So do it!"

Turning to face me, he winced a grimace," Get Alice to do something with that. I am not having bruised lips interfering with my shot." 

"Half an hour!" Pete yelled before stomping away. Alice ran after him, first fetching the cap off the floor and then running to hand it back to him. She was at my side an instant later, tugging me away from the rabid Ashford Meyer.

I tore away my gaze from the venom in hus with some difficulty. The man was still too devastatingly gorgeous for his own good. Despite the molestation of my lips, I was still unreasonably excited and attracted to him.

I allowed Alice to lead me to safety. A group of make-up artists descended to apply ice packs and various other assortments to my swollen lips. It was ten minutes before shoot that I found myself alone once more. This time facing a refreshed looking Aria in the mirror. The effect of Ashford marauding was physically gone but the spark of ravaged senses remained in the depth of my gaze.

Closing my eyes, I squeezed mynlids shut determined to get a grip on my runaway emotions. Opening my eyes, I stared into my darkened gaze willing myself to lighten up. The scene I had to shoot was light romance not dark dungeon torture.

I know you have it in you.

I nodded encouragingly at my reflection.

To display a lava of emotion. To contort reality to unblemished falsehoods.

I stood tall before the mirror firming my resolve. I had what it took. That ability to pour out a world of emotion into the merest simplistic collection of meagre feelings. I could do this.

I would do this.

Ignoring the barest tremble to my limbs, I set aside my inner tremors and strode out with a confidence I didn't have to face one demented yet contradictorily delectable Ashford Meyers.