Mieux Que Tout

19

19 | je te veux

Her heart was racing. She sat, hands folded on her lap, back pressed against the leather seat. The air outside the air-conditioned car was humid, but Annie's skin felt sticky.  She focused her eyes on the road, gazing intently at the traffic, trying to distract herself from the man seated beside her, but her thoughts travelled back to the shoot. Her mind replayed the scene, her body shivering with the vivid sensation of Tom pressed against her. 

Fonzie had shown them the footage, giggling gleefully. 

"This is my favourite bit," he had declared, finger pressing the screen. "See that? Perfect  expressions, right there. I love it. You can see the effort in both of your faces to not slip out of character." 

Tom had chuckled, but Annie had grimaced with embarrassment. Her face on the screen was flushed and her smile had wobbled, a soft gasp leaving her as Tom had grabbed her hips. 

"This will have everyone squirming in their seats," Fonzie had continued. "The chemistry you two have, it's natural. It's raw. And it's hot."

Annie had felt her cheeks bloom with colour as the camera had panned in on their shining faces, their lips melded together. Her heart had pounded in her ears.

"Oh, is it?" Tom had drawled, laughing. 

"Of course it is, yes. It's the sixties," Fonzie had explained, beady eyes gleaming. "It was the decade of sexual awakening and promiscuity."

Tom had flashed her a beady grin. "Hear that? We're going to arouse the cinemagoers." He had bumped her shoulder playfully. 

"Oh, you're going to do more than just arouse them," Fonzie had concluded, eyes narrowed and grinning like the cheshire cat. 

Annie shifted in her seat and pressed her legs together. Tom was driving one handed, focused on the road, his other hand resting on his thigh. She watched as his head bobbed slightly to the beat on the humming radio. 

She chewed on her bottom lip, turning away. The car ride felt long, due to the silence after their scene. They had only exchanged a few words, but had spared shy glances and small smiles every so often. Annie swallowed, her throat feeling tight. Perhaps it was the realisation of how grounded she felt in his presence, how he made her feel. How right it had felt to kiss him. How natural it was to be held by him. 

She had watched Tom's face on the screen, seen how heavy his gaze was when he had looked at her. His lips had parted, eyes flashing as muscle in his jaw had twitched. She had watched the control he possessed, to fight the urge to remain in character. 

Annie chewed on her thumbnail. She titled her head and stared at a large billboard that passed by them. It was perfume advert, a woman and a man closely embraced, standing in a thick swirl of blue smoke. The handsome couple stared seductively into the camera lens, the bold text behind them shimmering in the fading sunlight. 

"Je te veux," Annie murmured, reading the text aloud. 

"Hey?" Tom sounded, amused. He turned his head. "You speak French?"

Her eyes widened. Tom smiled at her. 

"No, I-" Annie paused, lips quirking upwards. "Well, maybe a little." 

Tom chuckled. "What did you say?" 

"Uh," she fumbled with her hands. "I want you," she breathed out, cheeks flushed. "But I just read it off that billboard," and quickly gestured to the large signage.