Page 15 of Declan

“No need.” Tim waved his hand, dismissing it. “This will be one heck of a meet-cute!” He then laughed and ran a hand through his frizzy hair. “Well, it’d be a meet-cute if Scott fell for the wide-eyed boy who ruined his nicest suit instead of the redheaded beauty by the window. But nonetheless, I like this new direction!”

Tim called over one of his assistants. He then talked to me and Jennifer. A few extra lines of dialogue would be added to incorporate the coffee spill, but then it’d follow the previous script.

I’d had directors do that before while on set. Time came to film a scene, and it didn’t quite go the way they’d envisioned, so things had been tweaked.

Kyler looked so relieved that I thought he might cry.

“You okay?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yeah, just…amazed, I guess. Who knew my clumsiness would actually be a good thing?” His blush deepened as he looked me over. “I’m really sorry for spilling coffee on you.”

“Like I said. It’s fine.”

Kyler ran a hand through his hair and nodded, dropping his gaze to his feet.

After Tim informed the crew of his new vision for the scene, filming resumed. I walked away from Kyler and scrubbed at my suit. My irritation was forgotten as I looked ahead and saw Jennifer—aka Kelly—focused on her laptop and sitting by the window. Sure to keep my face in frame of the camera, I approached her.

The rest of the filming wasn’t nearly as exciting as it’d been with Kyler.

It took a few takes, but we eventually got it to Tim’s liking. We had a quick break for lunch, and I looked for Kyler, even though I mentally kicked myself for doing so.

Recognizing his light-brown hair, I approached him.

“Hey, you,” I said.

He looked up from the cup of coffee he’d been adding creamer to and nearly dropped it. I moved out of the way just in case he spilled it. Again.

“Um. Hi.” His nose crinkled when he smiled and he motioned to the coffee. “No worries! You’re safe. I won’t be spilling it on you this time.”

“Have you enjoyed your time on set so far?”

“Yeah,” he answered. “Thatextra wranglerdude keeps giving me the stink eye, but I think it might just be his face.”

I chuckled. He wasn’t only sexy, adorable, and athletic, but he was funny, too. And I liked the way he made me feel.

God help me.

As if snapping back to my senses, I cleared my throat and straightened my spine. Putting up a wall. “Well, I’m glad you weren’t fired earlier. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

I turned my back and walked out of the room, needing to get away from him. My interest in a random extra would be strange to people.

Well, if Kyler was a woman it wouldn’t be strange.

I’d fucked plenty of female extras, mostly on the set to the Spartan movie I’d done the previous summer. Yeah, I’d been more interested in the muscled men who’d worn nothing but a loincloth and sandals, but I’d had to keep up appearances.

When I’d accidentally got a bit tooexcitedone day after shooting a scene where I wrestled with another Spartan,I’d played it off that I was turned on by one of the half-naked helot girls walking around set. I was sure to fuck her in my trailer with the windows open, banging her so hard that the thing rocked a little…and I’d had to picture that guy the entire time.

I fucking hated myself.

***

“Rough day?” Gideon asked as he drove us back to the hotel that night. Six-foot-six and built like a damn machine, his body was almost too big for the car.

“You could say that.”

He nodded. “Not to be all mushy and shit, Price, but if you need to talk, spit it out.”

“Thanks,” I said, offering him the closest thing I could manage to a smile. “Just tired, mostly. It was a long day.” I turned my head toward him. “And Gideon? I’d ever use the wordmushyto describe you.”