Hollywood Flirt - Alexa Aston Page 0,89

had experienced in their own lives. By the time Sydney finished, his confidence was sky-high. Looking across at Keely, he saw she projected the same certainty.

“I have faith in both of you,” Sydney said. “Cassie has written exceptional dialogue. You two are bringing her characters to life in ways neither of us imagined. When all is said and done, this will be everyone’s favorite scene in the movie.”

She stood. “Dash, you better go get into hair and makeup. I know we’d built time to do that again due to how messy this morning’s fight scenes were. Britt told me he got exactly what he needed from you. Good job.”

“I want a quiet place to think about everything Sydney said and run through the scenes in my head,” Keely added. “A therapist friend tells me I should always do that. So far, it’s worked.”

“Feel free to use my trailer, Keely,” Dash offered. “No one will bother you here.”

“Thank you.”

Thirty minutes later, they were back on the soundstage, ready to begin. Dash had thought it might feel a little awkward performing a sex scene in front of his girlfriend but Sydney was a pro throughout. Her direction before the scene began made for very few interruptions. Dash was able to step into Paul’s shoes and through his eyes see Rachel and love her for who she was and what she had come to mean to him while they both were on the run.

Two hours later, Sydney had what she wanted and called for the final set-up of the day. This time as the scene began, Dash didn’t see Rachel—or even Keely—as he bid goodbye to the woman who had sacrificed everything to the point of death for the man she loved. Dash pictured Sydney lying in his arms. Sydney fighting as she took her last breaths. Sydney in the moments before she left him. The woman he held was the one he loved. He would have to live without her for the rest of his life. Feelings poured from Dash that he’d never experienced in person, much less portrayed as an actor.

He bent and brushed his lips a last time against her soft mouth, tears spilling down his cheeks. He pulled back and whispered, “Goodbye.”

Silence permeated the soundstage. Then Sydney quietly called, “Cut.”

Big Jim, the cameraman, started clapping. The rest of the crew joined in. Dash wiped away his tears and offered a hand to Keely. She came to her feet, her cheeks turning pink, a big grin on her face. She threw her arms around him.

“Thank you, Dash. I’ve never worked with a more generous actor. I don’t think I’ll ever do a scene like that again. You’ve been an amazing partner on this journey.”

Sydney came toward them and wrapped her arms around them both in a group hug.

“That was extraordinary. Breathtaking. Astonishing. You two rocked it!”

“It was all in the direction,” Dash said, his eyes meeting hers. “We couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Thank you so much, Sydney,” Keely gushed. “Thank you for having faith in me and bringing me in to do a job even I didn’t know I could do.”

“You’re an exceptional actress, Keely, and if I ever have the chance to work with you again, I’ll leap at it.”

“Oh, you’ll work again, Sydney. Directing is in your blood.”

Sydney stepped back and called out, “We’re done for the day. Thank you, everyone. Terrific work today.”

The crew started shutting down their equipment. Dash asked, “Would you come to my trailer for a minute?”

“Sure,” Sydney said.

He escorted her back and let her enter the trailer first. Closing the door behind them, he turned and pulled her into his arms for a searing kiss.

“That’s what I’ve wanted to do all day, babe,” he told her when they finally came up for air.

She laughed. “Don’t ask what your bare chest and butt were doing to me during your love scene. I’ve felt like an overheated engine for hours now.”

Dash kissed her again, long and leisurely. “I could do this all day,” he murmured against her mouth.

“And all night?” she murmured. Or at least he thought that’s what she said. He was too busy enjoying the feel and taste of her to worry much about conversation.

His phone buzzed on the nearby table, interrupting their fun.

“Sorry. I need to get this.” Only Tim and Brenda had the number to this phone. And Herc, of course. They rarely called him, handling everything between them until he arrived home, so Dash knew it had to be