It was a blatant lie, but Elle was tired of talking about her problems all the time. She was torn between two men, dealing with the guilt and actions of her past, and attempting to go about her life as if nothing had ever happened. For just one day, she wanted to give 100 percent of her energy to her job without all of those other emotions creeping in and ruining her composure.

“Message received,” Whitney muttered. “We’ll chat later.”

“You two having trouble?” Rob was once again meddling. Perched in his seat, he leaned on the arm of his chair, his chin in his hands, waiting to hear the dirt. Elle grimaced in irritation. As much as she liked Rob, she was in no mood to deal with his prying nature.

“No, we’re fine. Everything’s fine.” She glanced down at her watch and sighed. “Shouldn’t we have started already?”

“I was waiting for you. Luke should be out in a minute and Gina’s ready to go.”

“Oh, believe me, I’m fully aware of that.” Elle ran her hand through her hair while her foot tapped against the linoleum floor.

“Alrighty then. Let’s get started.” Rob stood, walked next to camera one, and gestured for Tim to bring out the marker. “Places, people. I need quiet on the set!”

Luke emerged from the hallway, wrapped in nothing but a towel. His hair was wet, as the character of David was supposed to be fresh from a morning shower. Elle swallowed hard as they locked eyes. He winked at her before joining Gina on set. Gina lay on the bed, wrapped in her sheet, and Luke positioned himself under the door frame to the bathroom. Steam billowed behind him as one of the makeup artists touched up a spot on his chin. He lifted his chin to accommodate her, still locking eyes with Elle. She shifted in her seat as she observed him. The way he looked at her, no matter where they were, was exhilarating. She felt naked and exposed, yet sexy and sensual just from one look from that man.

And now she had to watch that deliciously sexy man look at another woman that way. She was used to the banter, the kisses and the exchange of smoldering looks between her characters, but seeing them in such an intimate position was grating on her, and they hadn’t even started to film!

Tim waited until the makeup artist had retreated from the set, then he held the marker for camera one. “Follow the Sun, episode fourteen, take one.”

“And action!” Rob yelled. Elle sat back in her chair and braced herself for the agonizing set of takes that would make up her entire morning. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad . . .

It was worse than she could have ever imagined. Take after take of kisses, arms stroking skin, moans and murmurs between their lines—the lines Elle had written. She cursed herself as she watched them. Gina was in rare form and Elle was convinced several of her “mistakes” were planned, only to grate further on Elle’s nerves.

“Cut!” Rob yelled after Gina said the wrong line yet again. The third time in less than ten minutes.

“Oh, damn.” Gina giggled before glaring across the soundstage at Elle. “Looks like I messed it up again.”

“No big deal.” Luke shook his head, allowing his makeup artist to wipe the smudged lipstick from his face.

The makeup artist then leaned in to reapply Gina’s crimson lipstick before they began another take.

Elle leaned toward Rob. “She’s doing it on purpose. You know that, right?”

Rob brushed her off. “She’s probably nervous. These scenes are difficult.”

If Luke was annoyed by it all, he certainly wasn’t exhibiting any signs of it. That, in and of itself, made Elle squirm in her seat. She wanted him to sigh, to roll his eyes, something—anything—to exhibit frustration in doing multiple takes of each kiss, each embrace, each line delivered between moments of physical contact. It was grating on her nerves, and yet she was berating herself for caring so much. He was doing his job. And she needed to get her head on straight and do hers. But first, she desperately needed a reprieve from a morning of watching him touch, stroke, and kiss someone other than herself.

“We should break for lunch.”

“You got it.”

When the scene reached a decent breaking spot, Rob stood and dismissed everyone for an hour-long lunch break. Elle breathed deeply as she watched Gina saunter from the soundstage. Feeling a new sense of purpose, Elle strode toward Luke.

“Hey, babe.”

With no worries as to who might see them, Elle took Luke’s hand. “Come with me.”

He chuckled, but followed behind her, his hand linked with hers as they made their way down the hallway leading to his dressing room. She held her head high as they walked, undeterred in her desire for time alone with Luke. She was tired of sharing him with Gina.

They entered the room and Elle slammed the door, locking it behind them. She pressed Luke into the cold wood, stripping him of his towel and boxer shorts. A cocky grin crossed his face as he lifted her blouse over her head, pressing his lips to her collarbone. His tongue felt hot against her skin as it traveled up to her neck, over the curve of her chin and finally to her lips. Meanwhile his agile fingers unzipped her pencil skirt, dropping it to the floor.

Elle stood in her bra and panties, lust growing inside her. She needed him inside her, needed to feel him, to join him in the exquisite agony of mounting pleasure. She hoisted one of her arms around his waist and moved her pelvis toward his. He moaned into her mouth before pulling back.

“Come with me.”

He led her to his makeup chair, where he sat down, his hands on her bare waist. Slowly, he tugged her panties until they dropped to the floor. Elle removed her bra, her eyes locked with his.

“You’re in charge, remember?” Luke said. “Show me what you want.”

“You,” she murmured. “I want you.”

“Show me,” he whispered, digging his fingers into her hips. Elle straddled him, her knees bent against the smooth leather, her arms wrapped around his muscular neck. She eased herself onto him, and watched as he closed his eyes and dipped his head back as she took every inch of him into her body.

Ever so slowly, Elle rocked above him. Luke’s fingers dug into the skin of her hips, and she welcomed the sensation as the arousal within her built steadily. Luke pulled her close, taking one nipple into his mouth, grazing it with his teeth.

“Oh God.”

Elle quickened her pace, thrusting again and again.

“Come for me, baby,” Luke whispered.

Elle cried out as her orgasm consumed her entire body. Sweet and satisfying electricity spread through her nerve endings and a feeling of euphoria consumed her as her body remained wrapped around Luke’s. She could tell he was close to his own release. His hands, still digging into her hips, were urging her movements faster and faster until he threw his head back in ecstasy, groaning into the thick air of the dressing room.

Elle collapsed onto him, her heart pounding out of control, sweat running down her back. Luke wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. After a quiet moment spent in one another’s arms, Elle slid from the chair. She attempted to stand, but found herself clutching the counter. Her legs felt like jelly, and she was having trouble getting her bearings. She’d never had orgasms like the ones she had with Luke. Their intensity was simply incomparable to anything else she experienced with any other lover.

“Well, that was hot.” Luke sat in his makeup chair, looking spent. Elle handed him his boxer shorts, after she found them draped over a lamp in front of the expansive mirror on the wall. “We should do that more often. I don’t know what came over you, but I like it.”