Filming Flashbacks

Chapter 3: Another Door Opens

Dakota POV

BLEEEP...BLEEEP...BLEEEP. My hand flops over to silence my obnoxious morning alarm and I take mental inventory of my probably hung over body. Head? Fuzzy and mildly aching. Mouth? Dry as the Sahara and tastes like the Nile. Body? Eh? Okay.

I roll over and stretch and immediately perk up. It's Monday. Kiss day. Today we film our first kissing scene and I'd be lying like a rug if I said I wasn't looking forward to it. I've stared at Jamie's lips a time or twenty, and something about them says he'll be a great kisser.

Then that bitch, reality, jumps up and slaps my face. "He's married! With a kid! Back off, hoe!"

Groaning, I cross my arms over my chest and school myself into a more appropriate mindset. Kissing on set is never that great – it's purely what you do to portray your character. It's your character, not you, and usually it's pretty mechanical. I haven't swooned before and there is no reason I should now. I know how to fake it to look like we're tonguing, and I'm sure he does too. He's probably a sloppy kisser. I bet his breath is enough to gag me. He's probably one of those guys who tries to eat your whole face.

There, that's better. Not looking forward to it as much anymore. Then my phone buzzes with a text alert. Picking it up, I see a text from Jamie. "Butterscotch, peppermint, spearmint, or cherry?"

"Too early for your riddles, Dornan."

"What flavor candies do you want me to suck on? I'm trying to be respectful to my kissing buddy."

Womb flip. Shit. "HA! Funny! Surprise me."

He's married. He has a baby. He's married. He has a baby. Just keep repeating that over and over and over, Dakota, and keep your head in the game. Don't mess this up. He's been nothing but easy, kind, supportive, gentle...never crossing the line to indicate he has any type of feeling or attraction for me beyond that of a great friend. I'm basically feeling extra vulnerable due to the Jordan dump fest. I need to get in Ana's head, NOW, and leave Dakota behind. Whatever happens today is between Christian and Ana, not Jamie and Dakota.

Okay, I can do this. I spring up to shower, but I confess that I did spend extra time brushing and flossing my teeth – and I took my big bottle of Listerine with me to set. Sue me.

***

Jamie and I are standing in the elevator and Sam is coaching us. "Now Jamie, remember that Christian cannot abide touch, which means you have to immediately capture and restrain her hands. And Dakota, you are completely caught off guard – wanting this, but not expecting it, so you're a bit late to catch up. Shall we run it once and then go from there?" She looks at us expectantly, and we both nod a bit dumbly.

She moves out and we take our marks. "What flavor can I look forward to?"

He grins at me. "You'll have to figure it out. Please tell me you gargled. I can't take germs home to the baby."

Thanks for that wet blanket, mister. "Always. That's what friends do." You butt wipe. You'll be lucky if I don't bite your fucking lip and make you bleed. Explain that to Millie. Asshole.

Sam calls, "Take your marks.....and ACTION!"

I hear his line and then all the breath in my lungs beats a hasty retreat as he grabs my hands and pulls them over my head. Both of his palms are pressing mine to the wall and he moves in to kiss me, leaning into to my body to hold it firmly in place. He gives me an open mouthed kiss to the right, no tongue, and then moves to the left and inhales deeply. I feel his tongue at the entrance to my mouth and I meet it. He groans and shifts his head again, totally pulling my tongue in and sucking on it as if is his life support. I sink against the wall and willingly let him take from me, curling my fingers into his and holding on for dear life. God, he is delicious. Not sloppy. No bad breath. Definitely spearmint.