by Marie Tuhart
She’d been at the lowest point in her life when Chris had come up with the idea for her to audition for the part. Nicki had only said yes to get Chris off her back, thinking never in a million years she’d get it. After reading the script, she wanted the part, but at that point, Hans Wagner had been the director—not Adam.
“We can find a way to work together.”
“Can we?” She faced him again only to find he was almost next to her.
“Yes.” He took her hand in his. Warmth radiated up her arm and through her veins. His touch comforted her, and she didn’t want to fight with him. “We can treat each other as friends.”
“Can we be friends?” She shivered as his thumb caressed her knuckles, sending delicious erotic sensations up her arm. Her nipples tightened as she remembered all the times he would caress them just like he was now doing with her knuckles. All he had to do was use his Dom voice, and her knees would grow weak.
“I can if you can.” He grinned, and the impact of his sexy smile went clear to her toes and other points south.
“How long do you think we can maintain a friendship?” She was weakening.
His smile faded at her words. His hand released hers and he touched the scar on his face. “I’m not perfect, but I can maintain some type of friendship with my wife.”
Nicki pushed his hand away from the scar and covered the scar with her own hand. She hated how his scar affected people’s perception of him, especially his family. People needed to see the man behind the scar. The sexiest man in the world.
“None of us are perfect. I only meant…”
Adam’s hand covered hers over his cheek. Holding her still, he turned his head and placed a kiss in the center of her palm.
Her knees weakened. “Adam, I don’t think…”
The words died on her tongue as his lips trailed over her palm to her wrist. His other arm snaked around her waist, pulling her against his hot, hard body before his lips traveled up her arm.
A path of fire followed. She missed his strong embrace, longed for his middle of the night caresses, and most of all, she missed him. He guided her to the small sofa and lowered them both down onto it while his lips nuzzled her neck.
Nicki drew in a deep breath to call a halt, but instead, she inhaled his scent Enrapture. The aftershave she’d given him at Christmas. He still wore it, and her heart clenched. Her resistance was fading fast, but then it always did when Adam turned on his brand of loving.
His fingers unfastening her blouse brought her to Earth with a jolt. They couldn’t do this—not here, not now. “Adam.”
“Mmm.” His lips continued their study of her neck, working their way down as he freed another button.
Oh God, she didn’t want to stop him. She wanted him to unfasten her blouse, her bra, pin her arms above her head before nipping and sucking her nipples. He’d remove the rest of her clothes, unzip his pants, his cock would be hard and glistening. He’d sling her legs over his shoulders and fill her on the first thrust.
Her hands pushed against his shoulders. Even though every part of her craved his touch, the price was too high. Her heart couldn’t take it if he broke it again. “Firebrand.” The word slipped from her lips.
Adam froze and stared down at Nicki. The soft contours of her face were hard, her blue eyes wide. Her breath came and went in short pants. And she’d used her safeword. Never in their entire relationship had she used it until now.
With a groan, he forced himself away from her soft skin. He would never break her trust after she said her safeword.
He’d missed her so much in the last six months, and it wasn’t just the sex. He missed coming home to her to discuss their days. He missed their fights and how they’d make up, and he missed her voice and the soft touch of her hand on his skin. He missed her. He needed Nicki in his life.
He turned away from her trying to control his need, his want, and his desire. “Why?” His voice was husky.
“We can’t do this.”
“There’s no reason we can’t.” He took several steps away from her, and then faced her.
Her hands shook as she fastened her blouse. “There’s a million reasons we can’t.” She finished with her blouse and lifted her head to stare at him. “We’re due back on the set.”
“I’m the director.” He reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, noting her swift intake of breath. “I can cancel the rest of today’s shooting, and we can spend the afternoon here in your trailer or in my bed or our playroom.” A ripple of shock shot up his spine at the bold words his mind hadn’t wanted to speak, but his heart had won. The movie was his first priority, but he was more than willing to take the heat for losing the time to be with Nicki.
She shook her head and skittered away from his touch.
“Why not?” he demanded.
Her chin came up and she crossed her arms over her breasts. “Because I refuse to let everyone think I’m your plaything.”
“My what?” Where they hell had that come from? He let out a husky laugh. No one could ever accuse Nicki of being a kept woman. She had an independent streak a mile wide.
“It’s not funny.”
“Everyone knows we’re married.” He almost pulled her into his arms and kissed her senseless, but he backed off. She’d come around. “And you could never be anyone’s plaything. You’re too smart for that.”
Fighting every instinct within him as well as his raging erection, he marched over to the door. If she wouldn’t play, then it was time for him to go back to being the hard-assed director. “I expect you on the set in five minutes.” He pushed the door open before looking back at her. “If you’re late, you will be punished.”
Her yell of outrage made him grin. He wasn’t bluffing, he would punish her in the ways most pleasurable. Five minutes later, he walked onto the set and no Nicki. He waited.
She sauntered in three minutes later, acting as if she didn’t have a care in the world not a hair out of place, clothes crisp, and a professional smile.
He looked at his watch then back at her. “You’re late.”
“So punish me,” she whispered when she passed him, her fruity shampoo teasing his senses.
Feisty, tantalizing woman. He shook his head. Time to think about work. “Let’s get back to work, people. We have a film to make.” If everything went as planned, the scene would be finished and they could call it a day. Once they finished, he could look at the rushes and adjust as needed. He wanted everything to be perfect.
****
Three hours later, Adam hollered, “Cut.” He threw his hands up and launched from the director’s chair.
“Thank God,” Nicki whispered, rolling onto her stomach and pulling on a shirt and shorts, covering the sheer body suit before standing.
They’d been working on this love scene forever. Sheets were fully placed, concealing their private parts but also trapping the heat coming from the set lights and their bodies. Beside her, Michael stood up and slipped on his shorts, a scowl on his handsome face. He was pissed, just like Adam, and it was her fault. But she was too hot and too tired to care. All she wanted was a cold shower. Nicki let out a sigh.
Adam stomped across the set toward them. “What’s the problem?”
“It’s just not working,” Michael said.
“Can’t you—”
“Don’t yell at Michael,” she interrupted Adam. “It’s not his fault, but mine.” There was no way she would let Michael take the heat for her.
Adam turned his glacial gaze on her. “Then what is your problem?”
You! She almost shouted the word at him. If he hadn’t taken her in his arms, hadn’t touched her, hadn’t threatened to punish her, then she could concentrate on Michael and not feel like she was betraying her husband by being in another man’s arms.
“I can’t relax.” Her skin was on fire for the brush of only one man’s skin against hers. Right now, that man looked ready to kill her and half the crew.
�
��What will it take to help you relax?” He took a step toward her.
Michael stepped in front of her. “Give us a few minutes,” Michael said to Adam before turning to her. He motioned with his head for her to go to her left.
Nicki walked over to the chairs and waited. “Calm down, Nicki,” Michael said, taking her hand in his.
“Don’t ever put yourself in the middle between Adam and myself.”
“If we’re going to get anywhere on this film, someone has to get between you two.” He squeezed her fingers. “Arguing with him won’t make him stop filming.”
“I know.” She sighed.
After her encounter with Adam in her trailer, all she could think about was him, and his threat of punishment. She’d made sure she was just a few minutes late. But so far, his threat of punishment hadn’t appeared. Unless this was it. Damn, her body stiffened each time Michael embraced her as if she were betraying Adam. She wasn’t. It wasn’t real.
“Look, if you need to visualize me as your husband to get this scene done then do so.”
Nicki jerked her hand away from Michael’s. “You want me to…?” She couldn’t get the words out.
Michael nodded. “The entire crew knows you and Adam were married. None of us know the reason for your break up, but it’s no one’s business. I figured this film was a way for you two to work out your differences.” His palms slid over her shoulders.
Did Chris think that, too? Nicki closed her eyes then reopened them and stared at Michael. He was a handsome man with dark hair, forest green eyes, and a killer smile. But he didn’t make her heart beat speed up or her pussy clench with desire.
“I know,” continued Michael, “you’re not interested in me. Besides, I’m taken with my Kelsey. So, do what you need to do to get us through this scene.”
“If you two are done,” Adam yelled from his director’s chair across the room, “I’d like to finish this scene before midnight.”
“Another minute,” Michael yelled back. “Don’t tense up,” he said to Nicki as his fingers massaged her shoulders. “Shut your eyes.”
Nicki did as he asked and waited.
“Your husband has just come home after an extended leave. You’ve been pining away for him.”
“I’ve never pined for a man in my life.” A grin crossed her lips. Between Michael’s calm voice and his massaging her shoulders, her muscles relaxed.
“Whatever,” he muttered. “It’s just you and him alone. Now go with the emotion there. Ignore everyone else and go with what you’re feeling.”
Michael released her and stepped away.
Nicki followed him back to the set. She could do this. Taking a deep breath, she took her mark, closed her eyes and visualized the scene she wanted.
Then she opened her eyes and looked at Adam. He was staring at her. His mouth set into a straight line, his eyes hard. “I’m ready.”
“Action.”
Chapter Two
“Cut and print,” Adam yelled an hour later, his fists clenched at his sides.
“If that doesn’t melt the screen, I don’t know what will. That was one hot scene,” his assistant director said.
Adam didn’t reply, his gaze fixated on the couple in their sheer body suits, which made them look naked while on the bed, laughing. Jealousy raged in his gut. He couldn’t think of her as an actress paid to make his film a success. She was his wife. He should be the only one to hold her so intimately.
“Five tomorrow morning, people.” He left the set before he did something foolish, like hit Michael. Or kiss Nicki.
He stomped up to the house then into his office. Falling onto his leather chair, he rested his chin on his fingers and gathered his thoughts. Jealousy still filled his blood, but then he remembered he owed Nicki a punishment for being late. What could he do?
Ideas flowed in and out of his brain. After they married, their sex life had been adventurous. He liked his sex kinky and had found Nicki didn’t mind being submissive in the bedroom, but that was the only place she’d bow down to him. Adam didn’t mind. He loved how she had argued with him, made him see her point of view, and had made him really listen to what she had to say.
He missed the times they’d spent curled up on the sofa, talking about their days, about the economy, politics, about anything and everything. There had to be a way to mend his marriage. Yes, things had gone south, but now that she was back in his life, he wanted to keep her there.
She’d used her safeword today, and it had been a shock. A first in their entire time together. She was running scared. If Nicki hadn’t wanted him to kiss her or touch her, she’d let him know in no uncertain terms. He’d seen her in action the night they first met. Did she not want to proceed? The thought knotted his gut.
On the night they first met, one of the other directors at the party had made his move. He was an old timer in Hollywood, and the casting couch mentality still existed in his mind. Nicki had told him politely but in no uncertain terms she wasn’t interested. When the guy persisted, she’d given him one of her glacial glances and walked away.
Adam had strode over to her and introduced himself. At first, she had been a little standoffish, but he had kept the conversation friendly. She had slowly melted as they talked about everything and anything during the party, and when it ended, they went to an all-night diner. He’d fallen in love with her on their first date. They’d had trust. Now he was the guy getting the glacial treatment.
A knock on his door brought him out of the past and back to the present with a jolt. “Come in.”
“Hey, Adam,” Paul, the lead script writer, said.
“What’s up, Paul? Issues with the script?”
“Not for me, but after what happened today, you might have some issues.”
Adam sat forward and opened his copy of the script to the scene for tomorrow. Another major love scene. He swore. “Can you fix it?”
“Already done.” Paul handed him new pages. “I had a feeling you might want to change it.”
“Great. If you could take Michael his copy, I’ll deliver this one to Nicki.”
“Sure.” Paul loped out of his office.
Now Adam had an excuse for visiting Nicki tonight. He paused for a moment. Did he really need an excuse to see his wife? Yes, damn it. Well at least she couldn’t ignore him in his director role. Striding from his office, he made his way to Nicki’s trailer. He’d offered her a room in the house, but no, she wanted a trailer just like anyone else.
He knocked on the trailer door. The lock was flipped and the metal door pushed open. Her smile faded when she saw him. Her blue eyes were narrow, her arms crossed over her chest.
“We need to talk,” he stated.
“Whatever.” Nicki stepped back, allowing him to enter.
He climbed the stairs then shut the door behind him. Soft jazz music was playing in the background.
“It’s been a long day, Adam. Just say what you need to say and leave.”
“I came to give you this.” He thrust the papers at her.
“What’s this?” She took them, began flipping through them, and groaned. “You’ve had the script changed.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t need this.” She flopped down on the sofa with the script in her hand.
“The scene had to be changed.” He took a seat across from her on the chair.
She rolled her eyes. “Are you ever happy with anything?”
He didn’t answer. Yes, he had a tendency to be a perfectionist. But he had been happy once, when she was still in his arms.
“I’ll see you in the morning.” He stood up. Memories of a loving Nicki crowded his mind. He needed to get out of here before he did something he shouldn’t.
“Why did you bring this over, Adam?”
“What?” He stared at her.
“You could have sent anyone over with the new pages, so why did you bring them yourself?”
Her features softened reminding him of a time when they were always
relaxed and calm, especially after they made love. “Does it matter?” He shook his head. What the hell had he been thinking about being alone with her?
She studied him, and he wanted to know what she was thinking. Was there any feeling left for him?
“Yes, it matters,” she said, and then her gaze dropped along with her chin. Placing his fingers beneath her chin, he tilted her face up.
His gaze captured hers as he shifted closer. “Because I wanted to.”
Her eyes grew wide as he lowered his body next to hers on the sofa and dipped his head. His mouth captured hers, his tongue ruthless as he pushed past her lips. Her kisses were sweet as candy and as addicting as caffeine. And he couldn’t get enough. He never could.
As their tongues sparred, he tangled his hands in her hair, relishing the silky strands against his fingertips. The script fell to the floor as her fingers gripped his shoulders. He broke the kiss to trail his lips over her cheek to her ear.
Her response to him filled his chest with warmth. This was no act. This was his Nicki, wanting him, needing him. Her breathing was shallow and as fast as his. Finding her ear, he ran his tongue over the shell and was rewarded with a shiver, which he smoothed by stroking her back until he palmed the globe of her ass.
“Adam.”
“Shh.” He didn’t want her talking or thinking. Their bodies knew how to talk to each other. He maneuvered them to their feet and started walking.
“No.” She planted her feet against the tile floor and pushed against his shoulders, a stubborn hardness in her eyes.
“Why not? We’re married.” He glanced at her flushed face. Her eyes turned bright. Was that desire or apprehension?
“Being married isn’t the point.” She wrenched herself out of his hold and stepped back several paces, her breathing ragged as she swallowed rapidly. “If this is what you came for, please leave.”
Why wouldn’t she allow him to love her? He paused. What right did he have to demand this from her? He didn’t have that right. Frustration roared through him. “Damn it, Nicki.”
