Lessons Learned, Healing Hearts

Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone (Chapter 13)

The wonderful thing about being paired with Ignazio was that he was so easygoing. Standing on the sidewalk, half-listening as Jinn barked his final directions, Marlow squeezed Ignazio's bicep.

"Please don't get silly," she begged. "Let's just do this and get it done."

She needed a good laugh, and it was exactly what she got.

"Everything will be fine," Ignazio reassured, enveloping her in a bear hug. "Just remember to breathe. I don't want you to pass out on me."

"Take your places, please," she heard the assistant call out.

Oh God, here we go.

***

Facing each other on the top step, Marlow could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the sound of her pulse drowning out all other noise. Moistening her lips as Ignazio slowly inclined towards her, she dropped her gaze and instinctively held onto his bicep. As he cupped a hand behind her ear, their lips met in a gentle, tender kiss. True to his promise, he behaved himself.

"I'll call you tomorrow."

"Yes, do," she replied.

Opening the door, Marlow watched as Ignazio descended a few steps, turned back and waved goodbye.

As she closed the door behind her, Marlow leaned against the door frame. She had never kissed a man with a moustache before. While she had shared a brief kiss with Ignazio earlier, this one differed. The sensation of his moustache lingering against her upper lip evolved from a tickling feeling to a slightly scratchy texture before becoming soft yet firm. It was a lovely kiss, and she touched her finger to her lips, savouring the memory.

"And cut. That was good, but we need to do it again. You two need to move faster and separate quicker. That's all. Do everything like you just did," Jinn ordered.

Back where they had started, Marlow glanced up at Ignazio.

"Kiss and don't tell?" he asked.

Flushed, she sucked in the corner of her bottom lip and looked away.

After completing the second take and seeing Jinn's happy expression, Marlow wearily made her way to the back of the set and sank into a plush sofa. Exhausted, she closed her eyes and draped her arms across her forehead, seeking a moment of peace. The day was taking its toll on her, and there was still the final scene to get through.

"There you are," Piero said, sitting beside her. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm hanging in there," Marlow said, sitting up straighter. Rubbing her neck and moving her shoulders, she groaned at how stiff and sore she was from constantly standing around.

"Here, let me help," Piero said, guiding Marlow to face away from him.

As his fingers pressed into her muscles, Marlow's body tensed momentarily but then flooded with warmth, she became hypersensitive to the slightest touch of Piero's fingers.

"Oh, oh, oh," she exclaimed, a mixture of pleasure and pain escaping her lips.

"You are holding so much tension," Piero said, his fingers kneading the knots.

"I always hold my stress through my upper back," Marlow said, instinctively placing her hands on his thighs for support. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the furrowed lines across Piero's forehead and appreciated his caring touch.

"I've never acted before, so that's stressful," Marlow confessed, "and I've been up since 5:30, so I am feeling really drained."

Giving Marlow another gentle push, Piero told her to lean further forward. Sliding his thumbs down each side of her spine, her muscles twitched when he hit a sore spot. As her body sagged under his fingers, listening to her groan and then giggle, Piero enjoyed the opportunity to pamper her just a little.

"Where did you disappear to?" Marlow asked, stifling a yawn and sitting back up. "I looked for you when we had to redo that last scene, but you weren't there."

Piero hesitated to answer. How could he tell her that it bothered him to watch Ignazio kiss her without making her feel like she needed to apologize?

"There you are," KT's assistant said, popping her head around the false wall.

"I've been looking for you. You need to come with me. They are preparing to shoot your last scene, and KT needs you to help decide what to put you in."

"I'll be right there," Marlow said, waving off the assistant. Tapping Piero on the leg, she cast her eyes downward. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but—" peeking back up, she nervously spoke— "can you and Gianluca not come and watch? It will be hard enough to do this scene in front of everyone who must be there."

"I can do that."

"Thank you."

Piero and Marlow gazed at each other in a silent exchange that conveyed a multitude of unspoken emotions. Noticing that her usually brilliant green eyes were muted and dull, Piero gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and reassured, "You're almost done."

"Marlow," the assistant called out.

"Umm, I've got to go. Where will I find you when I'm done?"

"I'll be with Gian in his dressing room or in my own," he answered.

Sighing, Marlow slid her hand down Piero's arm. Then, squeezing his hand, she mustered a tired smile before letting it drop and walking away.

***

"What's up?" Gianluca asked, inviting his friend into his dressing room.

"I just got done talking to Marlow. She asked that we not come watch her and Ignazio."

Settling in a chair and resting his feet against the edge of a small coffee table, Piero removed his glasses and rubbed his dry eyes.

"Which scene are they doing now?" Gianluca asked, removing the novel he was reading from his seat.

"Based on what KT's assistant indicated, I believe it's the bedroom scene," Piero said. Admitting that he was feeling remorseful for teasing Ignazio about having the only scene that included a bed, he wished he had eased up on the ribbing, especially now that Marlow was playing his love interest in the video.

"How are you feeling about Igna doing this scene with her?"

Piero expressed his mixed feelings about Marlow being the one to have romantic scenes with his bandmate, and he moaned in frustration.

"I get it. I'd probably feel the same way if it was happening to me," Gianluca said. "However, you know deep down, it's better that she is Ignazio's on-screen love interest, as I could see you intentionally sabotaging scenes so that you could kiss her over and over."

Piero laughed heartily, extending his hand to the side for Gian to slap it back.

"You know me too well, brother. You know me too well."

"Just let it go. I predict you will have ample opportunities to hold and kiss her if you are patient, Mr. Barone."

Rising from his seat, Piero chuckled, "Let's hope."

Leaving Gianluca, he headed across the hall to his dressing room. Opening the door of a compact fridge, Piero retrieved a water bottle. Unscrewing the cap, he indulged in a long, refreshing sip before settling on the sofa. Ignazio only had maybe another hour with Marlow all to himself, and technically, he wasn't alone. Chuckling to himself, he recalled Gian's words, "I predict you will have plenty of time to hold and kiss her if you are just patient." Removing his glasses and setting them on the side table, then leaning back, crossing his arms over his chest, and closing his eyes, he let out a contented sigh.