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It isn’t until she sits in my makeup chair that I know she’s feeling the effects of last night, just as I am. Her big eyes watch me intently as I sanitize my hands then squeeze primer onto my fingertips. I smooth the cool liquid over her skin in slow circles, caressing her cheekbones, the skin beneath her bottom lip, over the ridge on her nose she’s self-conscious about, and lose myself in watching the effect I have on her. Her eyes flutter closed and her chin tilts up, exposing her pretty throat. Her mouth parts, a quiet, satisfied sigh escaping her lips.

I take greater care than I ever have, my fingertips savouring every centimetre of her skin, relishing how intimate this simple act is, how each stroke of my skin against hers sends a rush of tingles up my arm and down my spine.

I brush my thumb over her plump bottom lip, and she opens her eyes once more to look at me, meeting me with a hopeful smile, which I can’t help but return while my heart pounds in my throat. The rest of the studio fades into a din of abstract noise and sound like we’re underwater and it’s the two of us in a bubble... and the only way to breathe is by kissing her.

I bend ever so slightly toward her, and her eyes widen a fraction in surprise, in fear... then shift to a dare.

I lean a millimetre closer, watching her expression, how her eyes dance, beckoning me, until—

“Hey, you two,” Yueyi interrupts, clipboard in hand.

We both startle, Ellie sitting up straighter and me taking a step back.

“Hey, Yueyi!” Ellie chirps, clearing her throat. “Hope you’re having a holly jolly July morning!”

“You’re on set in ten, we need to get going.” Yueyi ignores Ellie’s sentiment entirely, walking away in a hurry, and my hackles prickle in response.

“Would it kill her to have a little Christmas spirit?” I mutter,moving quickly through the next steps of her makeup and hair process.

Ellie shrugs, closing her eyes so I can paint her lids. “It’s all good. I’m used to it. Nobody seems to appreciate Christmas as much as I do, but hey, I’m happy to provide everyone with their required daily dose of Christmas spirit.”

My heart warms at how easily she brushes things off, but aches a bit, too, that she’s alone in her attempt to bring year-round joy to people; no one does the same for her.

After I release Ellie to the costume department, I get to work on the lineup of extras required for the scene, but my mind is elsewhere, gnawing on an idea that’s beginning to form.

After I’m finished working on everyone and cleaning my area, I join Jimmie and the others behind the scenes with the film crew. In between watching Ellie go from her bubbly, chipper self to serious barista in the blink of an eye and back again, I open Google Maps and step outside to make a few calls. It doesn’t take long before I find what I’m looking for and get everything set up. Even though I’m a terrible actress, I manage to keep my excitement under wraps so I don’t distract Ellie during our brief interactions between takes to adjust her makeup and hair. As entertaining as it is to see Ellie on set, I’m too excited about my plan and the day passes slowly.

When we wrap and make our way back upstairs, I’m practically giddy and trying my best to hide it, but Ellie picks up on my energy immediately.

“What’s going on?” She smiles curiously as she wipes off the drab makeup.

I swivel the chair around until we meet each other’s gaze through the mirror. “Oh. Nothing. Just have to do your makeup one more time.”

“Ooh, twice in one day?” She bites her bottom lip and raises her eyebrows suggestively.

I swallow a laugh. “I may or may not have an adventure for us.”

“An adventure!” She squeezes the makeup wipe in her clenched fists and squeals, unable to contain her excitement. I fucking melt. It’s now my own personal mission to get that reaction out of her every single day.

After dolling Ellie up so that her beautiful features pop, we steal away off the set and into my car. We navigate out of the city, across the highway, and up a mountainside.

“Is this where you murder me?” Ellie asks coyly, the wind tousling her blond waves from her open window.

I raise an eyebrow. “Maybe.”

She slaps her knee. “I knew it. This whole thing has been a ruse to get me alone in the forest.”

“Well, I couldn’t do it at the cabin. Too much evidence.”

Ellie giggles, then reaches over the seats and gives my leg a squeeze. I try not to get too distracted by her touch. Paired with the late-afternoon sun glinting off her golden hair, highlighting the hazel flecks in her deep brown eyes, she’s fucking stunning.

We park at the top of a mountain and get out of the car, walking along the crushed gravel road toward an outcropping of coniferous trees gradually increasing in size.

I bite my lip and watch Ellie, waiting for her reaction.

Her adorable brow furrows and she pauses midstep. Then she points and twists toward me. “Is this...?”

I nod. “Yep.”