such a girly-girl and not a tomboy. I like to think there are advantages to being able to fight off a suplex while wearing heels and a cocktail dress. My brothers were crazy about wrestling.”
“Sounds impressive,” I admitted.
She flicked her hair over her shoulder and grinned. “It is.”
Again I looked across the room to Rose to find her watching me. I swallowed, unable to look away. Her loose top was dipping down at the front, revealing the seductive curve of her chest. I remembered walking in on her during Julian’s party, her smooth, perfect skin bared to me. Fuck, I’d been wanking myself blind to the memory of that night for weeks now. My gaze trailed over her body before returning to her face. She blushed and looked away, continuing with her stretches.
It had been four weeks since our conversation, four weeks since I’d spent any real time with her outside of work. Perhaps it was time to get a little closer.
***
“Christ, it’s early,” Eddie complained as he climbed aboard the bus parked outside Iggy’s studio. I didn’t blame him for being grumpy; the man was pushing sixty. I’d just turned twenty-six a couple months ago, and even I felt exhausted with the early start. Jacob had hired a coach to take us to the paintballing centre, the downside being that it was a two-hour journey and we’d been instructed to arrive at the studio at six-forty-five a.m.
I stood outside finishing my coffee as various members of the cast and crew disappeared inside the coach. Though really I had an ulterior motive. I was waiting for Rose to arrive so I could ask her to sit with me, maybe spend the journey talking so I could see how she was feeling about us these days.
Unfortunately, my plan was shot to shit when Alicia turned up wearing a light blue velour tracksuit with the words “girl boss” written across the backside. I quirked a brow. Not that I was particularly interested in that part of her anatomy, but when somebody has something written on their arse, you look.
“Hey, Damon, come sit next to me,” she said, linking her arm through mine and leading me forward.
“Actually, I — ”
“Yes, yes, get on the bus,” came Jacob’s shrill voice, interrupting me. “We need to leave at seven sharp, and we’re still several people short.”
One of those people was Rose. I really hoped she was going to show up. Before I knew it, I was sitting next to Alicia in the second row, since all the other seats were already taken. It was a little like being at school again, everybody wanting to sit at the back of the bus so they could cause trouble where the teachers couldn’t see.
A couple minutes later, Jacob was making noises about leaving. Rose was the only person who hadn’t yet shown. I tried not to feel too disappointed.
“She might not be feeling well,” Iggy suggested when Jacob inquired after her. “I’ll give her a call and see what’s going on.”
Just before he pulled out his phone, there was a knock on the front window. The driver opened the door and Rose climbed aboard, her face flushed.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said with an apologetic expression. “My alarm clock is on the fritz and I overslept.”
“Well you’re here now. That’s all that matters,” said Jacob, waving her forward.
The last seat left was in front of me and Alicia, right next to Blake. Of course it fucking was. I watched as Rose sat down and uttered a quiet good morning to him. She turned her head a little to cast a hesitant smile at me and Alicia.
“Morning,” she said.
“Hey, Rose,” Alicia replied, a little too sweetly. I didn’t appreciate the veiled hostility in her tone and knew she considered Rose to be a cock tease. She just didn’t understand the connection we shared.
“Morning,” I said, leaning forward with concern when I saw her rubbing her shoulder. She’d pulled a muscle the other day during practice. “How’s your shoulder?”
“A little achy, but I’ll survive.”
“Are you sure?” Blake butted in. “Can I give you a massage or anything?” His voice was gentle, caring. Those familiar violent feelings I was having all too often these days returned.
“Oh, um.” Rose’s eyes flared like she didn’t know how to respond.
“Here,” said Blake, putting his hand on her arm. “Turn around.”
Don’t fucking touch her, my inner voice warned angrily. Would violently assaulting my costar get me sacked from the production? Probably. When he started massaging her