Page 25 of Vain (Tempest #2)
Chapter Twenty-Five
AIDEN
I spent most of the day showing Zoe around the set while keeping one eye on Tilly. She introduced a couple of the actors to Zoe, who I thought would faint with shock. By the time Zoe was collected for dinner, the cell phone was almost dead.
“Go eat and get some rest. You’ve been yapping all day, and I’m sure your jaw aches,” I tease.
She rolls her eyes and glares at me, and I won’t lie, it kind of makes me melt.
Something about seeing this girl, who has been to hell and back, feel comfortable enough to sass me makes everything seem a little brighter.
She pouts. “Okay, fine.”
“Chin up, kiddo, I might have sent a package for you. I don’t have cool movie star friends like Matilda, but?—”
“You don’t need them. You’re pretty cool already,” she interrupts. I smile widely, making her dip her head to hide her own smile.
“I think you’re pretty cool, too, Zoe.”
She looks off-screen for a minute, nodding before turning back to me. “I’ve gotta go. Can you say bye to Matilda for me?”
“Of course. Speak to you later.”
“Bye.”
I hang up and head to Matilda’s trailer so I can charge her phone.
I plug it in and head back out, not wanting to leave Tilly alone.
She’s busy and surrounded by people, but that didn’t stop her from getting attacked before.
I’m ever conscious that it happened in this studio.
The fact that Tilly’s even able to come back here at all shows how strong she is.
If I weren’t paying so much attention to her, I wouldn’t have noticed how she taps her left leg three times when she seems anxious.
As much as I’ve wanted to do nothing more than pull her into my arms throughout the day, I know that’s not what she wants right now.
I think she’s worried I’ll become a crutch, but only because she doesn’t give herself nearly enough credit.
Not that I’d care. I’d be whatever she needed me to be.
I’ve never understood guys who complain about having a clingy girlfriend.
I’d love nothing more than to have her wrapped around me like a goddamn vine.
I hate it when she’s away from me, and I say that like the possessive asshole I am.
If I can’t handle not being close to her when she’s in touching distance, what am I gonna be like when either of us has to do other jobs that take us across the country from each other?
The sound of a buzzer has me looking up. Tilly walks toward me, looking tired but happy. She doesn’t hang back, even though she’s effectively the boss. She steps right up to me and wraps her arms around my chest.
“Is it weird that I missed you today when you’ve been with me the whole time?” she asks.
I chuckle. “It’s scary sometimes how similar we think. I’ve missed you, but I love watching you in your element.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah.” I slide my hands around the small of her back, reminding myself at the last minute where we are so I don’t grab her ass.
I kiss her, and it’s not the kind of kiss you do in a room full of people watching. Do I give a fuck? Not even a little bit.
I pull back and press my lips to her forehead. “Want to come grab something to eat with me?”
“Yeah, I’m starving. Was Zoe okay when you guys hung up?”
“She’s good. She said to say bye to you. I also think she has a crush on that Jack guy, but I’m pretending I didn’t notice.”
She laughs as she links her arm through mine and drags me to craft food services. “He’s cute. I can see why she likes him.” I freeze, turning to look at her sternly, which just makes her laugh harder. “He’s not my type. I’m just saying I get why Zoe likes him.”
“Oh yeah, and what is your type?”
“Hmm…well, I like them tall, sexy, protective, kind. A good smile is nice, dark eyes and hair would be a bonus too, and he has to have a big?—”
I cover her mouth with my hand.
“Woman, do not finish that sentence unless you want me to drag you into your trailer and fuck the shit out of you,” I growl in her ear before moving my hand.
She smiles. “I was going to say, big heart.”
I shake my head and wrap my arm around her shoulder, tugging her to where the food is. “I swear you’ll be the death of me.”
We grab bowls of pasta, fruit cups, and a couple of bottles of water before heading to the trailer to eat. I open the door for her and wait for her to pass before following her in. We sit at the small table and dig in.
“It’s not as good as Marley’s, but it’s still good.”
“I think most things taste good when you’re hungry enough.”
I grin and waggle my brows. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Pervert.”
“Only for you.”
We keep eating, knowing we only have limited time before she gets back to it.
“So this is what life will look like for a little while, huh? Movie sets and trailer dinners.”
She bites her lip and looks up at me. “Sorry. It’s not as glamorous making a movie as it is starring in one, I guess.”
“Shit, that wasn’t a complaint. I’m happy as long as I’m with you. I was trying to get an idea of what to expect in the next few weeks.”
She sighs. “I didn’t mean to sound defensive.
Habit, I guess. Umm… we’ll likely be filming here for the next month before moving to the other locations.
I won’t lie…because of the small budget, I need to get this film done quicker than most bigger-budget films. This will mean long days and, in some cases, nights. ”
“Like I said, as long as I’m with you, I don’t care. You do what you’ve gotta do. I love watching you work.”
“Oh yeah?” She gets to her feet and slips the hair tie off her wrist before pulling her hair up into a messy bun.
I turn in my chair as she approaches, expecting her to crawl into my lap. Instead, she shocks the shit out of me by dropping to her knees in front of me.
“If you like watching me work…” She pushes my knees open and moves closer. “You’re going to love this.”
And she’s fucking right, I will. She opens my fly and slips her hand inside, pulling out my hard cock. Leaning over me, she swirls her tongue around the tip, making me groan.
“Jesus, I think coming to work with you is going to be my new favorite thing to do.”
“Speaking of new favorite things to do…” She winks before she bends down and slides my cock into her mouth.
I’m pretty sure my eyes cross, and my brain short circuits for a second.
It comes online quickly, though, when that wicked tongue of hers drags up the underside of my shaft.
It’s enough to make something inside me snap.
I cup her face and thrust into her willing mouth, taking control away from her as I feed her every inch of my cock.
She gags a little, but she doesn’t try to pull away.
Trusting her to let me know if it’s too much, I pull back to the tip before thrusting forward once more.
Once I’m sure she’s okay with this, I tighten my grip and fuck her face with short sharp strokes.
I take everything I need from her, and she lets me.
Tears run down her face, but she looks so serene that it somehow makes the whole thing seem even more like debauchery.
“Your lips wrapped around my cock is the stuff of dreams,” I growl as she hums around me. I feel my balls tighten with the need to come, but I fight it back, not ready for it to be over just yet.
“Do you have any idea how many men would love to be me right now?”
She blinks up at me, her expressive eyes glossy with tears, and something inside me unravels.
“Fuck, I can’t hold on. You want me to pull out?” I hiss through clenched teeth.
Her answer is to grab my ass and pull me farther in as she sucks me harder. With a curse, I come down her throat as she swallows me down. How I manage to stay on my feet, I don’t know.
She grabs the base of my cock and pulls her mouth free, looking up at me as she licks her lips.
She tucks me away, looking proud of herself.
And so she should. I reach down and pick her up, sliding my hand under her ass as she wraps her legs around my hips.
I kiss her, tasting myself on her tongue, before there’s a knock at the door.
I close my eyes and growl. “I didn’t get to eat my dessert.”
She nips my lip with her teeth before sliding her legs down. I have no choice but to put her on her feet.
“Rain check.”
“Absolutely.”
The knock sounds again, making me sigh. “I’m not gonna lie. The lifestyles of the rich and famous are not like I thought they would be.”
She laughs as she heads to the door, leaving me to stare at her ass as she walks away.