Chapter 58 A Kiss is Just a Kiss
Five minutes,” an assistant said to Stephon as he finished with Andrea’s eye makeup.
“You can’t rush beauty, darling!” Stephon shouted at him. “Lord, help us all if I have to send you out there without perfect lips.”
Andrea tried not to giggle so that he didn’t mess her mouth up. “I’m sure it’ll be fine, Stephon,” she said as he looked away to get a different color on his palate.
“Easy for you to say, darling. You might have to live with the consequences, but you won’t take the blame.” A few minutes later, he said, “Okay, there go. Perfection!” He raised one hand in the air as if he were the winner in a boxing match.
Andrea looked in the mirror. She did look gorgeous. He’d done a fabulous job. “Thank you, Stephon.”
“Mmm hmmm. Now, it’s just hurry up and wait, darling!”
Wasn’t that the truth. One thing she hated about making movies was rushing around to get ready and then spending most of the day sitting. But that was part of it.
Today, they were filming the scene where Travis’s character confessed his love to Andrea’s character. She was nervous about this scene because Travis would have to kiss her. Even though it was an on-screen kiss and not real, it still bothered her because he’d made it pretty evident since they’d ran into each other at the club the other night that he was interested in getting to know her better. The fact that she was seeing someone didn’t seem like much of a deterrent to Travis.
He was standing across the way, his arms folded, talking to one Cam’s assistance. Dressed like a pirate, with a sword at his side, he looked even sexier than usual. It was obvious why he’d been voted one of the hottest bachelors alive three of the last four years. Travis Copper was easy on the eyes. But Andrea only had eyes for Case. So why was her heart pounding in her chest?
“Because you’re nervous,” she muttered under her breath. “Nothing else.”
“Oh, good. Here she is! Just in time.” Cam came over and put his hand on her shoulder. “All right. We’re just getting the cameras in place, and then we’ll give it a go. Do you both know your lines?”
“Yep,” Andrea said, her eyes locked on Travis’s face. He hadn’t shaved, which made sense since he was a pirate out at sea, with other things to worry about. His five o’clock shadow was cresting eight o’clock from what she could tell. It was sexy—but she was also worried he might scrape off all of that makeup Stephon had just plastered on her, not to mention a layer or two of skin.
“I know mine. Andrea, you look gorgeous. I’ve never seen a prettier pirate princess.”
“That’s alliterating,” Andrea joked. “Thank you.”
“Very good then. If the two of you will take your marks, we’ll get rolling.” Cam gestured toward the sound stage where the set of the ship was perfectly recreated for them. The scene would take place out on the high seas, but Cam said he’d add in most of the affects later. For now, he just wanted to shoot it straight, as if the boat weren’t rocking or moving around and water wouldn’t be splashing them.
Andrea was wearing a split skirt with men’s pants underneath. She had on bulky black boots, and a white blouse with lots of extra fabric that made it billow in the breeze. Her hair was mostly down, though part of it had been twisted and braided, and she had on large golden hoop earrings. She felt like a pirate princess.
As she got into position, she concentrated on her character. What would Isabella be thinking in this moment? What would she be feeling? She did secretly love Travis’s character, Drake, but she didn’t want him to know, not now. She had a mission—to win back her ship, which had been stolen from her. Later, she’d be kidnapped by the rogue pirates herself, and Drake would try to win her back. She’d end up besting the rogues herself. It was a complicated plot, the kind she loved best of all. For now, she just needed to concentrate on the desperation that made Isabella want her ship back.
“And… action!” Cam shouted.
“Isabella, there’s something you need to know,” Travis said, staring into her eyes and pulling on her arm.
“Not now, Drake. Can’t you see? I have to get my ship back! If it’s the last thing I ever do!”
“But why, Isabella? It’s too dangerous! Come back with me to Hengeworth. I’ll take care of you. I’ll protect you.”
“You? You’ll protect me?” The laugh that came out of Andrea’s throat seemed natural. “What makes you think I need taking care of?”
“Look at me, Isabella. Look in my eyes!” Travis grabbed her a little more forcefully than she would’ve liked, but she turned to look at him. “I love you, woman. I can’t help it. I’ve tried not to, but….” Travis moved in, his lips meeting hers.
It wasn’t a movie kiss. It was a real kiss, and Andrea wasn’t ready for it. Normally, an actor would just pretend to kiss her, just pretend his tongue was in her mouth. But… Travis had really gone for it. Andrea made a rumbling sound in the back of her throat, and Cam shouted, “Cut!”
Travis let her go, looking at her like she was crazy.
“Sorry,” Andrea said, clearing her throat.
“Are you all right?” Cam wanted to know.
“Yes. I just… sorry.” She didn’t know how to tell the director she wasn’t ready for the kiss in the kissing scene. She knew he’d done this scene early on purpose—to get them used to each other, to build on the chemistry. She didn’t want to mess it up.
“All right. Let’s fix the makeup and take it from the top. A little more subtle this time, Travis, all right. Andrea, you were spot on.”
They reset, and Cam yelled action. This time, Travis was better. Not as over-the-top. And when he came in for the kiss, Andrea closed her eyes and pretended it was Case kissing her. It wasn’t the same, but it was close enough that she got through it. When the scene was over, Cam yelled cut and then added, “That was great! All right. Let’s change the lighting up a little, and we’ll try it again.”
Andrea knew that meant they were on a break. She hurried to her seat where she’d left her phone earlier, praying she had a text from Case. She didn’t want to talk to Travis.
But he followed her.
“Wow,” he said, coming up behind her. “That was amazing. We should do that more often.”
She turned and looked at him, not sure what to say. “Uh… I have a boyfriend.”
“Chill out, Andrea. I was joking around.” Travis looked embarrassed. He ran a hand through his hair. “See you.” Rather than sitting in his chair, he headed off to the coffee machine, and she was glad to see him go. Travis was nice, but he was no Case. It was too bad she wouldn’t get to spend the rest of the day kissing her racecar driver.
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