Page 15

PART XI

When she finished filming the concert scene, Selene was practically floating over the ground.

The tension that she'd started with at the beginning of the day was gone and she felt like she was walking in a dream.

The whole set erupted in cheers!

Extras were dancing in the house part of the theater, some shouting for an encore to which she gave them, singing a trio of songs that the extras asked for.

By the end her voice was hoarse, but she didn't care.

She had the next day off to rest while the extras were coming back in to film B roll shots of the audience, so she'd been more than happy to sing out and enjoy herself.

Even better, she walked off the stage into William's arms.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close and when he wrapped himself around her and lifted her off of her feet, she was truly lifted off of the ground. "Oh my God! That was amazing!"

He held her tighter, and she was almost lightheaded with joy.

"Did you see it?"

His laughter was full and beautiful in her ears, it sent shivers all over her body.

"I saw it. I've never been so amazed by anything before."

"I'm so glad you were here." She felt her whole heart trying to burst out of her chest. "Thank you, Will. Thank you for everything."

His hands framed her face, and he kissed her.

Her heart was pounding, the blood coursing through her veins was roaring in her ears.

Or so she thought.

As she stepped back from William, she heard whistling and saw flashes of light.

Selene turned her head and saw the audience was still more than half full and some had cameras out and flashing photographs .

Selene waved at the audience to more cheers and whistles and William walked her into the wings.

He was laughing softly at her side. "I didn't expect photos from actual cameras."

"Me neither," she agreed. “The extras usually sign waivers that they won't share photos of the film or spoilers, but I think those photos were of us. Are you," she hesitated, some of her worries breaking free, "are you okay if they post pictures of us?"

"Of us? Of us kissing?" He shook his head. "I'm okay. I'm just a guy. Are you okay?"

"First," she shook her head, "you are not just 'a guy.' You are amazing! A certified hero with medals and all of that. And I'm proud of you and proud to be with you." She beamed at him. "You're playing a role anyway. You're playing my boyfriend on set."

She saw a muscle tighten in his jaw and she was afraid that she'd said something wrong, so she pushed on before he could stop her.

"Is it wrong that I'm hoping someone will post a picture of us? At least until I can get a copy of it to keep?"

She looked at him, hoping to see more of his reaction.

She hoped that he wasn't upset about the photos.

He leaned in, moving her back until she bumped up against the wall, feeling his hand behind her head so that she didn't bump her head against the wall.

"I'm sure we can get you a copy of it." His eyes were intense, the strength of his body as he crowded her made her feel protected and as his shadow fell over her, she felt as if they were the only two people in the world. "I think... I think we need to talk when we get back to the house."

She pressed back against the wall, her breath catching in her throat. "Talk?" She licked her lips when they suddenly went dry. "Is there something wrong?"

The door beside them opened up and Jessica emerged. She drew up short when she saw them.

One look. She looked from William to Selene and then she smiled. "Uh... I was just coming to take Selene to the wardrobe truck to get her out of her gown so she could go home."

Selene held her breath, she felt her skin heated and tingling all over.

Her stomach was in knots.

Jessica turned to look at William and Selene could see an almost impish look in the designer's eyes. "You know... I have to make sure that the other pieces that I lent out are returned before the extras leave. Would you be able to help Selene?"

Selene looked at William, wondering what he would say.

She wanted him to say 'Yes.'

She wanted to-

"Help?"

Jessica gestured at Selene. "Out of her gown," there was a soft smiling tone to her voice, "so she can leave."

Selene watched as William's throat worked.

The pulse in the side of his neck throbbed and Selene felt like her heart was near to bursting out of her chest.

"Where?"

William turned his head and looked Selene in the eye.

"Where do we go?"

Selene started to breathe again and looked at Jessica.

The elegant costume designer gave her a conspiratory smile and tipped her head toward the door.

Selene took William's hand in hers. "I'll show you."

As she walked him out of the door, she swore she saw Jessica give her a wink and hold up her hand.

William barely waited until he closed the door behind them to move. He'd seen Jessica hold up her hand and he'd seen the key in her hand.

Her mouth moved. And as much as he had blood roaring in his ears, he couldn't have heard her, but he could see her mouth move. 'Take your time.'

So he locked the door and turned to Selene. "What is it going to take to get you out of this?"

She bit into her lip and spoke. "A seam ripper." She looked around at the table and saw how clean it was. Earlier, Jessica's sewing kit had been out on the table. She moved toward it. "I... I'll have to look for it."

"Wait."

He saw her freeze a few steps from the table and smiled.

"We don't need it. Not just yet." He moved and closed the distance between them, turning her to face him. The look in her eyes was curious and a little confused. "What do you have on under this?"

She drew back a little, her brow furrowing. Then her eyes opened wider, and she pulled in a breath that made her tremble.

Almost as if she wanted to torture him, she licked at her bottom lip and spoke. "Not much."

It was like she waved a red flag at the bull inside of him.

William looked over her from head to toe and at the garment she was wearing.

It was practically a second skin for her. There really were only a few garments she could wear under something as tight as that dress.

And he wanted to see what was under it, like he needed his next breath.

He put his hands on her waist and picked her up.

Selene only had a moment to tense before he set her down on the wardrobe table.

He looked at her shocked expression and let go of her, placing his palms on the tabletop .

"It's a little higher than I expected."

Selene nodded, but the movement was stilted. "They work standing at the table."

He nodded. "Good to know." He moved his hand from her waist, drawing his hands down her thighs to her knees.

The fabric felt like silk with a slight rasp against his palms.

"I think it's time that I stop pretending that this is just during the film, Sel. I want this. I want you."

"Yeah?"

He moved closer and the fabric's texture only added to the sensations he was feeling and when he looked down at his hands, he smiled.

"How much movement do you have in this?"

He swept his thumbs down and spread her thighs apart.

He only made it a few inches before the skirt made it impossible to go any more.

William looked up into her eyes and saw how her expression had changed.

Instead of shock, he saw anticipation.

The bright light in her eyes had darkened and her deeper breaths made her breasts rise and fall while still encased in the tight fit of her gown.

"Lean back a little, baby. Put your hands on the table behind you."

She didn't question it. She just reached her hands back and braced herself .

He lifted his chin at her. "Lift your hips."

Fuck. He loved the way she listened to him. Trusted him.

He was going to make it worth her while.

She lifted her hips off of the table and he went to work, quickly parting the skirt up using the thigh-high slit in the gown and when that didn't stretch any more, he lifted it up under her up to her hips. And when she sat back down, he saw it.

The barely there scrap of fabric between her legs and tiny little straps that went up high, still under the body of her dress.

"A thong."

He looked up at her.

"That's all?"

She lowered her gaze to the bodice of her dress and then back up to his. "That's all that would fit in this dress."

"I promised to help you out of it."

Before she could say a word, he ran his hands under the sides of her dress and his fingers found the straps of her thong.

"Let's get this off, Sel. Can you lift up-"

He smiled when she lifted her hips again and he made quick work of dragging it off of her legs.

"Oh god," she gasped as she sat back down. "The table."

His mouth quirked up at one corner. "Don't worry, baby. I'll make sure it's clean before we leave. "

He saw her eyes widen again and his hands moved back under her dress to grasp her hips and pull her to the edge of the table.

The gasp that pulled from her lips became a groan as he leaned in and dragged his tongue through her folds.

"Oh god."

He smiled at the raspy sound of her voice and redoubled his efforts.

She'd just made history on that stage, and she deserved to feel on top of the world again. He was determined to make her feel everything.

She was barely starting to come back down from the high of her orgasm when he brought her back down to her feet.

Selene frowned when he turned her around to face the table. "Will, please."

She saw his hand reach down into his pocket as she turned her head to look back over her shoulder at him.

He pulled out a pocketknife and opened the blade.

She was already wet from her orgasm, but what did it say that when she saw him with the blade held in his incredibly talented hand, she felt impossibly wet and even more aroused than she'd been the moment before .

"Will-"

His hand moved out of her line of vision and while she waited, anticipation coursing through her veins, she felt the neckline of her gown give a little.

And then give some more.

She planted her hands on the tabletop and tried to breathe normally as the stitches down the back of her gown give way.

When the bodice gaped open and the fabric slid down, the satin facing inside of it dragged over her nipples and she bit down into her lip from the raw sensation of it.

A moment later when the gown fell away, she looked up and saw the mirror on the far wall.

No, she saw them in the mirror on the far wall.

He was standing there in his suit, button-shirt and as he reached his arm forward and pulled a pin from her hair, she saw the light in the room catch on his cufflinks. The look that passed between them was like lighting a match.

"Will?"

A muscle ticked in his jaw and his eyes darkened. "Sel. I don't think I can wait to get you home."

She shook her head. "I can't wait, either."

He kept his eyes on hers, but she could see he was moving and when he lifted his hand, he was holding a little circle packet between his fingers.

"Oh, thank god."

She dropped her head down until it touched the table and moments later, she felt him slip his fingers inside of her.

"Now, you're just teasing me."

She heard his deep chuckle and smiled.

"You're mean."

"I don't want to hurt you."

She lifted her forehead from the table and looked at him.

"I'm hurting right now, Will. Please."

She felt one hand grip her hip as his fingers slipped inside of her.

It felt good, almost too good.

His fingers pulled out again and when they slid back in, she felt an added stretch inside of her and pushed back against him.

She saw him squeeze his eyes shut in the mirror reflection.

"Will, please."

He drew in a breath, and she watched him let it out. Then he opened his eyes and met her gaze. He looked shaken and she felt her skin grow hotter with just a look.

"This is it, Sel. You and me. I don't want this to end when the film is over."

She shook her head. "Me, too. It's going to be crazy with our jobs, but I want this, Will. I want you."

His fingers disappeared only for something thicker to press against her.

Into her .

Oh.

Her breath caught in her throat as he stretched her open and then he slipped in.

He groaned and a muscle in his neck tensed as he pushed forward.

She watched him, memorizing every minute motion, the tension she saw and the way she felt.

When he was fully seated inside of her, his eyes opened, and they were suddenly fixed on hers.

"Will-"

He moved, pulling very nearly free before he sank back in.

She groaned, her hands fisting as she leaned into the table. "I'm not going to last."

He shook his head, picking up speed. "Me either."

She managed a lopsided grin and pushed back against him, meeting him nearly thrust for thrust.

She'd never felt like this. Never felt this on top of the world and completely grounded as well.

He put his hand on her back, putting enough weight on her that her front pressed down against the table. The cool surface of the table touched her skin, and she hissed in a breath as her nipples tightened to hardened points.

With the new angle of penetration, she felt him deeper and if it was even possible, harder.

"This," his jaw was tight, his words grinding through his teeth, "I'll never get enough of this, Sel. Enough of you. "

"Yes," she felt her whole body start to shiver and shake, "never enough."

A smile touched his lips as he sank home one more time.

It set her off, feeling him throb inside of her, his fingers biting into her hips.

On the tips of her toes she came apart, held between the hard table and his hard body.

She couldn't move of her own volition. She was just there, held up by him, filled by him.

Selene felt his lips brush against the back of her neck and then an open-mouthed kiss along her neck.

"I love you, Selene. I love you."

She opened her eyes and met his gaze again in the mirror hung on the wall.

"I love you, too."