Chapter 31
I let Tracy waterproof and seal the make-up job, before I slipped on a button-up cotton long-sleeve men's shirt (my costume that was supposed to be Jimmy's shirt). I quickly flew to the door of my trailer to go reason with Jimmy.
I flung open the door right into the Assistant director who had a look of dread, partly because it was his duty to get me to the set and partly because he had no clue if I'd snap. Especially since I had bumped into him. The poor guy looked like he was about to cry.
"Miss Windsor, I'm so sorry ... Eduardo and Jimmy are on the set... you are... um... needed..."
"Oh. Shit." I was disappointed. I did NOT want to film a love scene with Jimmy knowing what I knew and us being angry at each other. I wanted to just talk to him and be friendly with him. It was then that I suddenly realized how much I really had enjoyed our rapport in the whirlwind of the last week. Not to mention the wild sex. No. BAD thought. The last thing I should be thinking about was that night.
The assitant director was cringing, awaiting my tantrum. Great. Now I've got a huge reputation on the set, I sighed to myself. Ainsely, you filthy whorey slutty veneral diseased cow cocksucking anorexic gymnist BITCH.
I took a cleansing breath. "What's your name?" I asked him as sweetly as possible.
"Larry?" he croaked, fiddling with his headset.
"Thank you Larry" I hugged him lightly and gave him a peck on the cheek. I was going to win back the crew! I was going to win back the cast! I was going to win back Jimmy!
[on the set]
"Senorita." Eduardo frowned, "Are you ready? Or will you be giving me more CRAPPOLA," he inquired. I tried not to roll my eyes and take him to the floor in my favorite karate move. Does he know that I could dislocate his shoulder? My thought amused me, and I smiled overly bright, "Yes Eduardo. I am ready to do your little porno!" I exclaimed with gusto. The Boom operator smiled. I made a mental note to be extra-friendly to him.
He muttered something that sounded like "Shoulda given this to Ainsely," as he spun around and began to give direction to his crew. I clutched at my shirt trying to remain as calm and focused as possible. As if I wasn't going to be nude infront of 30 different people. As if I didn't have to feign love to someone whom I had screamed "I don't LOVE [you]" to only an hour beforehand. My heart sank, had I really said something that mean?
Jimmy refused to look at me.
Chapter 32
Someone clapped the marker (to unify the sound and the picture).
"ACTION" Eduardo yelled.
Jimmy finally turned to look at me, a slight edge to his eyes. He was angry at me personally and it showed. I guess Eduardo was a cinematic genius -- this was a rough make-up kinda sex scene. With the way Jimmy was looking at me, the scene was going to be powerful and intense.
"Why? WHY?" he bellowed, running his hands through his hair. "Wasn't once good enough?" We were standing in the apartment bedroom set, the lights dimmed so it looked like dusk. Jimmy was bathed in blue light, his dark features smoldering and alluring. Looking at him gave me an excited rush of butterflies. In the scene I could pretend that we had zero problems, that Ainsely wasn't ready to paw him down, that we weren't trying to catch a bad guy. I could focus on just wanting him. Oh. I need to say my line.
"Quinten... I made a mistake..." I trembled. Jimmy walked over to me. I instinctive held my hands infront of my chest in fear. Jimmy grabbed my wrists, I yelped, breathing loudly. We were inches apart.
"Don't EVER do that again" he snapped. I quivered and blinked, then tried to break out of his grasp.
"Let go." I seethed.
"No." he said calmly. I gritted my teeth, shook my long curled hair and looked at him definantly and practically spat my next line "I'll take all the money... and the shirt off your back" Clever little line. I was wearing what was supposedly his shirt. He was of course, shirtless. Gorgeous.
"You won't." his gaze was intense.
"I will"
"You can't" he countered one hand seductively rubbing the wrist he was gripping. I swallowed. He had never looked more luscious, not even when he was shirtless in our suite. Well... that was different. I think he looked more appealing because I knew we couldn't make-love right on the set...
"Why?" I managed to say my next line and not have a heart attack at what was coming next.
"You love me." he dropped my wrists. We stared at each other heatedly for a few well-timed seconds before I ripped off my shirt and pounced. With a fury, Jimmy was kissing me hard, fast and deep. I stroked him and kissed him back with every ounce of raw need I had. Recklessly and with wild abandon, I pushed him to the bed. His hands were at my breasts. The second camera was panning around the bed but I hardly noticed.
I could only focus on manhandling and kissing the sweet-smelling Jimmy. He was groaning and clutching me, and well.. fully... um... not-acting. I was filled with a sense of glee-- eventhough I wanted him probably just as badly, his want was probably a little more aggrevating and little bit harder to hide. I raked my fingers down his back and he roughly flipped me over on the bed, nuzzling my throat and leading a trail of kisses to my breasts. Our breath was ragged and delicate beads of persperation formed on Jimmy's body making him shine and glow in the dim light.
My heart was hammering in my chest as I stared into his eyes. I was totally, throughly in love with him . . . or was I believing my own acting? I let my tortured thought slide as I shut my eyes and let him fully steal my breath with another deep kiss. When we broke off, I panted my last dramatic line arching up against him and murmuring haughtily.
I kept kissing Jimmy, gently running my knuckles down the side of his face. Jimmy made no motion to break away, but the post-scene kiss was far more gentle, and I felt tears burn the back of my lids and my throat close. I wished this was real. Was it? Is it? Did I just lose myself in a character? All I knew was that I never felt this way before, never this emotional. And that I never wanted this sweet kiss to end.
"Excuse me, Eduardo yelled CUT."
It was that slut she-monster Ainsely. At the sound of her screechy high-pitched whine, Jimmy sat up, still holding me, shielding my nudity with his chest. He was a gentleman.
"Someone get her a shirt" he said flatly.
"No, its okay, I can get up and get one" I told him softly, not being able to look at his face, just stare at his strong arms.
He whispered into my ear "Let them get you one. If you stand up, I'll be poking people's eyes out" He was blushing slightly. So was I.
Larry ran up and handed me a fluffy blue terrycloth robe, and a nearly identical navy one to Jimmy. "Thanks Larry" I slipped it on, and tied the sash tightly, still practically sitting in his lap. I stood up, a little too soon and a wave of dizziness washed over me. "Whoa" I muttered and Jimmy quickly reached out to balance me.
"Thanks" I gulped and turned to look him in the eye, as brave as I've ever felt. "I need to talk to you" I started. He looked away.
"I don't really feel like talking to you anymore," he said harshly. I was paralyzed as Jimmy brushed past me and stalked off to his trailer. From the corner of my eye, I could see Ainsely smile. That slut. I'm glad I threw my water on her. Hopefully I messed up her "wires." Bitch.
Tracy was at my side to snap me out of my trance. "Anita, seriously, go talk to him. Do whatever it takes. It's your responsibilty, okay?" She grabbed my hand, and dragged me off the set. I wanted to curl up and die. Again.
[Jimmy's trailer]
Ainsely answered, leaning against the door.
"What the FUCK do you want?" she quipped quietly as if Jimmy couldn't hear. "I figured a larger actress like yourself would be stuffing her face at the craft services again. All that bitching must make you hungry, Cow"
"I obviously didn't throw enough water on you, or you would have melted, you stupid ugly witch. Get out of my way!" I countered. Figures a convining little whore like Ainsely would tap the one thing I was fairly sensitive about -- my weight. While I wasn't stick-thin and I certainly wasn't huge, I had been a chubby little child, and her comments stung. I hated her. I hoped she would accidentally die or something.
"Make me, you fat pig" Ainsely slipped up and realized how loudly she said that, and that Jimmy was right behind her, having heard every word.
He frowned and sighed. "Ainsely... you're done. Please go now. I need to have a chat with Anita. In private." His face was grim. Ainsely snickered and brushed past me while Jimmy walked further into his trailer letting me grab the door before it swung and hit me in the face. I took solice in knowing that he wouldn't be so upset if he didn't truly care for me.
Chapter 34
"Senorita Windsor, have a seat. Welcome to my trailer." Jimmy said dryly and emotionless. I had no clue how to begin. What if he hates me? I felt extremely insecure, my bravado waining by each passing second.
"I guess I owe you an apology." I said as I walked to a small gray loveseat in the corner, carefully sitting down. His trailer was ice-cold and I was freezing within seconds. Maybe it was the chilly air. Or the chilly reception I was getting.
"You guess? You guess," he looked at me sharply, his dark brows knitted together. "You guess a lot." Turning his back, he poured himself a glass of water. He sat himself as far away from me as possible, in his make-up chair and stared. "Well? Are you going to talk or not?"
"I'm . . .I-- " I stuttered
"Why bother apologizing? To just jerk me around again? Is this fun? I'll have these incredible moments with you, then you become a jealous ... excuse my language -- bitch! I don't get it! Are you bipolar? Our job is stressful enough without you switching personalities!"
"Oh that's real mature, FALLON. Atleast I'm trying to apologize and not frolicking off with the first floozy who comes my way! What you said out on the set was damn mean and not true." I snapped back.
"What I said? That's small peanuts compared to what you've put me through since last week!" he sputtered. "I won't even go there though... let's start off with yesterday! First, you get ticked off for no reason, because my shirt is wrinkly. You sleep on the couch. You insult me in the morning. Then, you refused to kiss me after one conversation with another woman. . . Then after holding us up on our job, you screamed you didn't love me! An hour goes by, you comeback to the set and seduce me like I've never been seduced in my life! What the hell is your deal? And why did you have to scream you didn't love me?" he threw his hands up in the air.
"What the hell is YOUR deal? It's not like you love me either! " I countered.
Chapter 35
Did he? My heart stopped as I looked at his face. He was like stone-- I couldn't tell.
"All I know is that no matter what you say or what stunt you've pulled on me... I just want to kiss you. Being near you-- I don't know...it's only been a little more than week, but it's like I've known you for years," he shook his head and downed the rest of his glass of water. "But whatever. I'd like to think you cared about me a little before you'd sleep with me. But seriously, whatever. I give up."
"I didn't mean what I said" I began to get up and make my way over to him.
"What are you saying?" he quizzed, his head cocked to the left. I think I was saying that I loved him. I shouldn't even imply that. Not now atleast, we had so much work to do and the months ahead were going to be rough if we got too attached... actually I have no clue what I am talking about. I have no clue what love is anyway. But I agreed with him-- whenever I see him, I just want to kiss him.
"I don't know what I am saying . . . but I want to kiss you" I shrugged.
"Oh" was his reply. He paused and stated "can we just not fight?"
"Can you stay away from Ainsely?"
"You ARE just jealous" he kind of smirked.
"So what if I am?"
He seemed pleased with my answer. I was standing right next to him, leaning on the make-up counter. "How much do you know about Ainsely anyway?" I quizzed.
Why couldn't I just shut up and kiss him? That's what I really wanted to do.
Jimmy began to speak "It's pretty obvious that she's a double agent. We do need to keep a close eye on her now that she knows I am an agent too. She has no clue about you though. I figure if she's hanging around me, she's not snooping and dumping information to Eduardo or Lopez. But I will never touch her or give out any of our leads... I thought this was understood? I would have told you sooner if you weren't going to pick a fight."
"Well, that's what I was going to tell you before you snapped at me after our scene"
"Anita--"
"yes?"
"Shut up," and he kissed me.
Chapter 36
[later that evening, in the suite]
I held the match gently above the last white candle until the wick caught and began glowing a bright orange. Shaking out the burning match, I surveyed my work on the suite. Candles were everywhere, including the bathroom, surrounding the tub, and I had set the table with a clean white cloth. I had thought of covering the bed with rose petals, but my funds were nearly tapped by ordering the prime rib from room service and paying off the concierge to ignore the plethora of flames in the suite. I figured Jimmy would get the point with dinner and candles; rose petals might be beating a dead horse. We had made up that afternoon and this was my way of formally apologizing.
I had sent Jimmy on a fake mission to buy me more of my special herbal shampoo from Bumble and Bumble and snuck back to the suite by myself. I stood admiring my handiwork in mild pyrotechnics when I heard Jimmy unlocking the door.
"Man, this shit is hard to find. You're lucky to have me running errands for you all over the greater Los Angeles area-- what the hell?" He stopped just inside the door and stood jaw-dropped staring at the candles. "Anita...wow..."
"Here, have a seat," I said and pulled out a chair at the table for him. He slowly eased himself down, still awestruck by the room and I continued, "I'll go get dinner."
"Jesus Anita, please do not tell me you cooked!"
"Of course not! It's room service, silly." I set down the plates at each of our place settings.
"This is amazing...why did you do this?" Jimmy asked.
"Well, I figured I owed you an apology, so I decided to express my feelings via dropping some bucks at the Yankee Candle Company." I grinned across the table into his chocolate eyes. [writer's note: is there Yankee Candle Company in LA? i had no idea so i used that one cuz it's at least in new england :)]
"Umm...Anita? What the hell is this doing here?" Jimmy daintily plucked a floral-patterned dildo out of a vase in the middle of the table.
"Well, it was supposed to be a joke, get it?" I laughed uneasily then grabbed the sex toy from him and flung it across the room, where it coincidentally landed on the bed.
"Hmm...I don't think we're going to be needing that," Jimmy murmured, then reached across the table and grasped both of my hands. "Windsor, consider yourself forgiven. Now let's eat- I wanna see your mouth on that meat."
"My GOD you are a pervert!" I giggled and tossed a roll at him.
Chapter 37
I bit into the bite of prime rib, looking up at Jimmy's beaming face. Apparently Jimmy was easily mesmerized by fire. He started waving his fingers through a flame peeping from one of the table candles and grinning.
"Fire!"
I raised my eyebrows. "I didn't know you were such a pyromaniac"
Bleghh. The prime-rib was less than prime.
"Yeah yeah, play with fire and you'll get burned." he stuck his hand back in the flame "Ah!" he quickly removed it, still grinning like a fool.
"Don't burn those hands." I winked "that's my job."
He started giggling. At me? "What?" i asked, his smile was contagious.
"Prime rib tastes like soap!" My word, he was adorable. And I was thinking the same thing. So much for fine dining.
"I think I saw some Mac & Cheese in the kitchen somewhere" I suggested, laughing. "I went to college. I know I can make that."
[15 minutes later]
"It's not boiling" I frowned at the pot of water. "Muthafucker little piece of shit!" I muttered under my breath. I didn't remember how difficult making mac & cheese was. Probably the 3 glasses of champagne wasn't helping much either.
