Chapter Four ~*~ Je te veux dire… ~*~
Make-up sex turned into the famed and mythical “making love” within that week. The ‘sex-glow’ would have been ultraviolet. On one of those rare days off, mornings were relaxed, and usually spent in bed. A lot of the time, Orlando would have Raya curled up as close to him as she could be, and he would think exactly how he got into that situation. Constantly thinking back to the day at the wrap party.
Since ‘make-up day’ as it had been dubbed by Viggo and Billy with much delight and good humor, had passed, six of the eighteen month shoot had gone by. “Orlando, my daddy called…he needs me to help him out.”
“I thought you said he would find someone else to do your job?” Orlando asked, as she sat behind Orlando, massaging his lower back. “Gentler please…the muscles aren’t tight, they’re just painful.”
“He said he’d only ring me if he couldn’t find anyone he could trust.” Raya replied as Orlando slowly started to lean against her. “How am I supposed to massage you when you’re practically on top of me?”
“I’m always on top, what are you talking about?” Orlando grinned, looking up at her and kissing her lips. “And besides you’re very warm…warmth helps muscles.”
“You’re hopeless.” She giggled, as her hands ran through what was left of his hair. “This Mohawk really does you no justice.”
“Have you seen me with my wig?” Orlando asked, taking her hands. “It’s blonde you know.”
There was a knock on the door. What could have been yet another frolic, was interrupted by the alter ego of Meriadoc Brandybuck. “Dominic.” She said flatly, opening the door. “What brings you here?”
“If you don’t mind…we, we as in, the rest of the fellowship, were going to go to the beach and hang out on this boat and were wondering if you two were interested.” Dom said quite seriously. Orlando came to the door.
“Are you eyeing my woman?” Orlando asked Dom, jokingly.
“I would never.” Dom said, grinning. “She’s too tall for me.”
“Damn straight.” Raya said, rather strangely. “Erm, I’ll just go and… clean the bathroom.”
Orlando and Dom gave her an odd look as she walked away. “So, get to the docks at 5.”
December in New Zealand meant the hot summer. Even at five, the sun was still blazing hot as Orlando and Raya made their way down to the end of the dock where a rather large boat was waiting for them. Orlando, though he was just with his mates, felt the urge to hold Raya closer to him, as she was wearing scanty, yet classy, pastel blue bikini with a sarong hanging lazily at her hips.
“What’s with the added protection, Mr. Bloom?” Raya asked, teasingly as she reached up to his hair. She seemed to have more fun playing with the shaved areas.
“I was stupid enough to almost let you go once, why would I do it again?” Orlando replied.
“Smooth answer, very suave.” Raya giggled as the approached the boat.
“Ah, you must be Raya.” An old man with a genial face approached her. “I’m Ian. When Orlando’s not busy showing us how much better he is because of his elven character, he’s telling us about you.”
“How much did he pay you to say that?” Raya said dryly, causing Ian to laugh. Viggo and the hobbits were on the front deck, to which she followed Orlando.
She was greeted with a number of hugs, several from Billy which Orlando found to be slightly uncomfortable. Dom was greeted with a handshake and a smile. “I don’t think she trusts having your arms around her with a tieback.” Billy informed him.
“And you must be Elijah.” Raya said, surveying the one with bright blue eyes. “Lovely to meet you.” She said administering a hug.
“She hugged him.” Dom commented.
“He’s ‘Lij, everybody loves him.” Billy answered.
She finally met the entire Fellowship (minus the dwarf who was recovering from facial rashes) and Sean Astin’s wife Christine. A lot of the time, Orlando spent it on deck with Raya, looking at the view, talking endlessly about anything.
“New lovers or just getting over rough patch?” Ian asked Viggo, who was immersed in a book of poems.
“Who, them?” Viggo asked. “I think Orlando’s just growing up.”
Raya’s father called again four months later, in April, after she had tried to do video conferencing and home office work. It was serious this time, her father needed her to oversee regular functions as he tried to smooth over the talks of sending Spencer Insurance to Asia and South America concurrently. She couldn’t stay in New Zealand any longer, and she found herself sitting at the airport with all of her luggage emptied out of Orlando’s condo, save but a few items of clothing that were Orlando’s favorites.
He sat with her at the airport, not wanting her to go. Whatever problem they had almost a year before had left him now feeling completely settled with her. “Flight AA250 to London Heathrow First Class will board in five minutes.” The tinny voice of the public announcement system said.
Raya stood up, taking in a deep breath. Orlando looked at her, giving her a weak smile. “That’s you, love.” She picked up her purse and looked Orlando in the eye. “Raya…I’ve been meaning to tell you this, but I haven’t found the right time till now.”
“You’re not going to ask me to marry you are you?” Raya asked, eyebrow raised. “Because you still haven’t properly been introduced to my parents.”
Orlando smiled. “I might propose to you one day, but I have to tell you this first.” He put his hands on her waist. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Orlando. I was just waiting for you to say it first.” Raya said, smirking slightly. “Don’t soil what I’ve left behind for you, some of it is expensive.”
Orlando smiled and watched as she left. Waiting till her plane took off until he could no longer see it from within the airport, he left. When he arrived, he found the three single hobbits and Viggo sitting in his living room. “Orlando! We’re here to provide you with some moral support.”
“Moral support? In the form of what?” Orlando asked. “A beer party?”
“Beer and Angelina Jolie movies.” Elijah replied, grinning. “So, how’d it go?”
“I, er…I told her…I told her that I loved her.” Orlando said, sitting onto his sofa.
“You did?” Viggo asked, excitedly. “Congratulations! Did she take it well? Of course she took it well. That day she went on set, and you had to do your Warg shooting, she wouldn’t stop talking about you.”
“Something about him being the sweetest man alive.” Elijah teased.
“And sexy, you can’t forget sexy. She’s only mentioned it about every time.” Billy added.
Orlando was getting furiously red as he was being teased by his mates. The teasing all stopped however, when the Angelina Jolie movie began. The guys sat and watched this rather racy movie, making loud guy noises at the appropriate times, and staying quiet and rather distanced during her more graphic scenes.
Late the next morning, Orlando woke up to a phone message on his answering machine. “Orlando, love, it’s Raya. Just letting you know that I’m here. I’ll be working in my house in Fulham, and I know you know those numbers, so tell everyone I say hello. I love you, bye.” Orlando felt a shiver down his back when she said the last four words. It was still relatively new to him. At twenty three, and having had his fair share of girls, his history read that he was more of a ladies’ man than monogamist.
Days at work seemed to last longer now, and they only talked during Orlando’s lunch break because of the time difference. It would be the next April that they would see each other again, in Hollywood, in Elijah’s house